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adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading GEORGE GETS TO WORK It was an oppressive evening, after a day of unusual heat.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading GEORGE GETS TO WORK It was an oppressive evening, after a day of unusual heat.
also
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From this reading This was partly the case, but he was also suffering from homesickness and a shrinking from what was new and strange.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading GEORGE GETS TO WORK It was an oppressive evening, after a day of unusual heat.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He had been busy since six o'clock that morning, and he felt tired and downcast.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading He had been busy since six o'clock that morning, and he felt tired and downcast.
brooded
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From this reading Massed thunder-clouds brooded over the silent prairie, wheat and grass had faded to dingy green and lifeless gray, and Edgar tried to persuade himself that his moodiness was the effect of the weather.
busy
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From this reading He had been busy since six o'clock that morning, and he felt tired and downcast.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading This was partly the case, but he was also suffering from homesickness and a shrinking from what was new and strange.
case
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From this reading This was partly the case, but he was also suffering from homesickness and a shrinking from what was new and strange.
day
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From this reading GEORGE GETS TO WORK It was an oppressive evening, after a day of unusual heat.
dingy
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From this reading Massed thunder-clouds brooded over the silent prairie, wheat and grass had faded to dingy green and lifeless gray, and Edgar tried to persuade himself that his moodiness was the effect of the weather.
downcast
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From this reading He had been busy since six o'clock that morning, and he felt tired and downcast.
Edgar
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From this reading Edgar sat smoking outside the homestead.
effect
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From this reading Massed thunder-clouds brooded over the silent prairie, wheat and grass had faded to dingy green and lifeless gray, and Edgar tried to persuade himself that his moodiness was the effect of the weather.
evening
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From this reading GEORGE GETS TO WORK It was an oppressive evening, after a day of unusual heat.
faded
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From this reading Massed thunder-clouds brooded over the silent prairie, wheat and grass had faded to dingy green and lifeless gray, and Edgar tried to persuade himself that his moodiness was the effect of the weather.
felt
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From this reading He had been busy since six o'clock that morning, and he felt tired and downcast.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading This was partly the case, but he was also suffering from homesickness and a shrinking from what was new and strange.
GEORGE
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From this reading GEORGE GETS TO WORK It was an oppressive evening, after a day of unusual heat.
GETS
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From this reading GEORGE GETS TO WORK It was an oppressive evening, after a day of unusual heat.
grass
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From this reading Massed thunder-clouds brooded over the silent prairie, wheat and grass had faded to dingy green and lifeless gray, and Edgar tried to persuade himself that his moodiness was the effect of the weather.
gray
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From this reading Massed thunder-clouds brooded over the silent prairie, wheat and grass had faded to dingy green and lifeless gray, and Edgar tried to persuade himself that his moodiness was the effect of the weather.
green
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Massed thunder-clouds brooded over the silent prairie, wheat and grass had faded to dingy green and lifeless gray, and Edgar tried to persuade himself that his moodiness was the effect of the weather.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He had been busy since six o'clock that morning, and he felt tired and downcast.
HepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He had been busy since six o'clock that morning, and he felt tired and downcast.
heat
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From this reading GEORGE GETS TO WORK It was an oppressive evening, after a day of unusual heat.
himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading Massed thunder-clouds brooded over the silent prairie, wheat and grass had faded to dingy green and lifeless gray, and Edgar tried to persuade himself that his moodiness was the effect of the weather.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Massed thunder-clouds brooded over the silent prairie, wheat and grass had faded to dingy green and lifeless gray, and Edgar tried to persuade himself that his moodiness was the effect of the weather.
homesickness
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This was partly the case, but he was also suffering from homesickness and a shrinking from what was new and strange.
homestead
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From this reading Edgar sat smoking outside the homestead.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading GEORGE GETS TO WORK It was an oppressive evening, after a day of unusual heat.
lifeless
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From this reading Massed thunder-clouds brooded over the silent prairie, wheat and grass had faded to dingy green and lifeless gray, and Edgar tried to persuade himself that his moodiness was the effect of the weather.
Massed
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From this reading Massed thunder-clouds brooded over the silent prairie, wheat and grass had faded to dingy green and lifeless gray, and Edgar tried to persuade himself that his moodiness was the effect of the weather.
moodiness
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Massed thunder-clouds brooded over the silent prairie, wheat and grass had faded to dingy green and lifeless gray, and Edgar tried to persuade himself that his moodiness was the effect of the weather.
morningnounUS /morning/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He had been busy since six o'clock that morning, and he felt tired and downcast.
new
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From this reading This was partly the case, but he was also suffering from homesickness and a shrinking from what was new and strange.
o'clock
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From this reading He had been busy since six o'clock that morning, and he felt tired and downcast.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading GEORGE GETS TO WORK It was an oppressive evening, after a day of unusual heat.
oppressive
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From this reading GEORGE GETS TO WORK It was an oppressive evening, after a day of unusual heat.
outsidenounUS /ˈoutside/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading Edgar sat smoking outside the homestead.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Massed thunder-clouds brooded over the silent prairie, wheat and grass had faded to dingy green and lifeless gray, and Edgar tried to persuade himself that his moodiness was the effect of the weather.
partly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This was partly the case, but he was also suffering from homesickness and a shrinking from what was new and strange.
persuade
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From this reading Massed thunder-clouds brooded over the silent prairie, wheat and grass had faded to dingy green and lifeless gray, and Edgar tried to persuade himself that his moodiness was the effect of the weather.
prairie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Massed thunder-clouds brooded over the silent prairie, wheat and grass had faded to dingy green and lifeless gray, and Edgar tried to persuade himself that his moodiness was the effect of the weather.
sat
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Edgar sat smoking outside the homestead.
shrinking
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This was partly the case, but he was also suffering from homesickness and a shrinking from what was new and strange.
silent
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From this reading Massed thunder-clouds brooded over the silent prairie, wheat and grass had faded to dingy green and lifeless gray, and Edgar tried to persuade himself that his moodiness was the effect of the weather.
sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading He had been busy since six o'clock that morning, and he felt tired and downcast.
six
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had been busy since six o'clock that morning, and he felt tired and downcast.
smokingnounUS /ˈsmoking/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading Edgar sat smoking outside the homestead.
strange
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This was partly the case, but he was also suffering from homesickness and a shrinking from what was new and strange.
suffering
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This was partly the case, but he was also suffering from homesickness and a shrinking from what was new and strange.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading He had been busy since six o'clock that morning, and he felt tired and downcast.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Edgar sat smoking outside the homestead.
ThisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This was partly the case, but he was also suffering from homesickness and a shrinking from what was new and strange.
thunder-clouds
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Massed thunder-clouds brooded over the silent prairie, wheat and grass had faded to dingy green and lifeless gray, and Edgar tried to persuade himself that his moodiness was the effect of the weather.
tired
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had been busy since six o'clock that morning, and he felt tired and downcast.
TOparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading GEORGE GETS TO WORK It was an oppressive evening, after a day of unusual heat.
tried
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Massed thunder-clouds brooded over the silent prairie, wheat and grass had faded to dingy green and lifeless gray, and Edgar tried to persuade himself that his moodiness was the effect of the weather.
unusual
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading GEORGE GETS TO WORK It was an oppressive evening, after a day of unusual heat.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading GEORGE GETS TO WORK It was an oppressive evening, after a day of unusual heat.
weather
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Massed thunder-clouds brooded over the silent prairie, wheat and grass had faded to dingy green and lifeless gray, and Edgar tried to persuade himself that his moodiness was the effect of the weather.
whatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading This was partly the case, but he was also suffering from homesickness and a shrinking from what was new and strange.
wheat
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Massed thunder-clouds brooded over the silent prairie, wheat and grass had faded to dingy green and lifeless gray, and Edgar tried to persuade himself that his moodiness was the effect of the weather.
WORK
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading GEORGE GETS TO WORK It was an oppressive evening, after a day of unusual heat.
