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1773
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From this reading The sound itself had not been loud, but the quiet of that September day in 1773 had been sharply broken by the slight noise from the brush.
adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading From within the forest they had heard the sound of a snapping branch.
abruptly
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From this reading At the question the two pioneer boys stopped abruptly.
advanced
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From this reading For a brief time both boys listened intently and then one of them went back a short distance along the trail over which the little procession had advanced, carefully looking for signs of danger on either side.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading For a brief time both boys listened intently and then one of them went back a short distance along the trail over which the little procession had advanced, carefully looking for signs of danger on either side.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading For a brief time both boys listened intently and then one of them went back a short distance along the trail over which the little procession had advanced, carefully looking for signs of danger on either side.
AtprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At the question the two pioneer boys stopped abruptly.
back
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For a brief time both boys listened intently and then one of them went back a short distance along the trail over which the little procession had advanced, carefully looking for signs of danger on either side.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The sound itself had not been loud, but the quiet of that September day in 1773 had been sharply broken by the slight noise from the brush.
bothdeterminerUS /boʊθ/
the two together, not just one
From this reading For a brief time both boys listened intently and then one of them went back a short distance along the trail over which the little procession had advanced, carefully looking for signs of danger on either side.
boys
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At the question the two pioneer boys stopped abruptly.
branch
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From this reading From within the forest they had heard the sound of a snapping branch.
brief
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From this reading For a brief time both boys listened intently and then one of them went back a short distance along the trail over which the little procession had advanced, carefully looking for signs of danger on either side.
brokennounUS /broken/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The sound itself had not been loud, but the quiet of that September day in 1773 had been sharply broken by the slight noise from the brush.
brush
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The sound itself had not been loud, but the quiet of that September day in 1773 had been sharply broken by the slight noise from the brush.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The sound itself had not been loud, but the quiet of that September day in 1773 had been sharply broken by the slight noise from the brush.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The sound itself had not been loud, but the quiet of that September day in 1773 had been sharply broken by the slight noise from the brush.
carefully
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From this reading For a brief time both boys listened intently and then one of them went back a short distance along the trail over which the little procession had advanced, carefully looking for signs of danger on either side.
danger
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From this reading For a brief time both boys listened intently and then one of them went back a short distance along the trail over which the little procession had advanced, carefully looking for signs of danger on either side.
day
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The sound itself had not been loud, but the quiet of that September day in 1773 had been sharply broken by the slight noise from the brush.
distance
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From this reading For a brief time both boys listened intently and then one of them went back a short distance along the trail over which the little procession had advanced, carefully looking for signs of danger on either side.
eitherdeterminerUS /ˈiːðər/
one or the other of two
From this reading For a brief time both boys listened intently and then one of them went back a short distance along the trail over which the little procession had advanced, carefully looking for signs of danger on either side.
ForprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For a brief time both boys listened intently and then one of them went back a short distance along the trail over which the little procession had advanced, carefully looking for signs of danger on either side.
forest
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From within the forest they had heard the sound of a snapping branch.
FromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading From within the forest they had heard the sound of a snapping branch.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading From within the forest they had heard the sound of a snapping branch.
heard
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From within the forest they had heard the sound of a snapping branch.
INprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading IN THE WILDERNESS "What is that?"
intently
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For a brief time both boys listened intently and then one of them went back a short distance along the trail over which the little procession had advanced, carefully looking for signs of danger on either side.
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading IN THE WILDERNESS "What is that?"
itselfpronounUS /ˌɪtˈself/
used when the thing doing the action is also its object
From this reading The sound itself had not been loud, but the quiet of that September day in 1773 had been sharply broken by the slight noise from the brush.
listened
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For a brief time both boys listened intently and then one of them went back a short distance along the trail over which the little procession had advanced, carefully looking for signs of danger on either side.
littlenounUS /little/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading For a brief time both boys listened intently and then one of them went back a short distance along the trail over which the little procession had advanced, carefully looking for signs of danger on either side.
looking
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For a brief time both boys listened intently and then one of them went back a short distance along the trail over which the little procession had advanced, carefully looking for signs of danger on either side.
loud
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The sound itself had not been loud, but the quiet of that September day in 1773 had been sharply broken by the slight noise from the brush.
noise
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The sound itself had not been loud, but the quiet of that September day in 1773 had been sharply broken by the slight noise from the brush.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The sound itself had not been loud, but the quiet of that September day in 1773 had been sharply broken by the slight noise from the brush.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading From within the forest they had heard the sound of a snapping branch.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading For a brief time both boys listened intently and then one of them went back a short distance along the trail over which the little procession had advanced, carefully looking for signs of danger on either side.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading For a brief time both boys listened intently and then one of them went back a short distance along the trail over which the little procession had advanced, carefully looking for signs of danger on either side.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading For a brief time both boys listened intently and then one of them went back a short distance along the trail over which the little procession had advanced, carefully looking for signs of danger on either side.
pioneer
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At the question the two pioneer boys stopped abruptly.
procession
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For a brief time both boys listened intently and then one of them went back a short distance along the trail over which the little procession had advanced, carefully looking for signs of danger on either side.
questionnounUS /ˈquestion/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading At the question the two pioneer boys stopped abruptly.
quiet
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The sound itself had not been loud, but the quiet of that September day in 1773 had been sharply broken by the slight noise from the brush.
September
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The sound itself had not been loud, but the quiet of that September day in 1773 had been sharply broken by the slight noise from the brush.
sharplynounUS /ˈsharply/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading The sound itself had not been loud, but the quiet of that September day in 1773 had been sharply broken by the slight noise from the brush.
shortadjectiveUS /ʃɔrt/
brief or direct in expression
From this reading For a brief time both boys listened intently and then one of them went back a short distance along the trail over which the little procession had advanced, carefully looking for signs of danger on either side.
side
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For a brief time both boys listened intently and then one of them went back a short distance along the trail over which the little procession had advanced, carefully looking for signs of danger on either side.
signs
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For a brief time both boys listened intently and then one of them went back a short distance along the trail over which the little procession had advanced, carefully looking for signs of danger on either side.
slight
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The sound itself had not been loud, but the quiet of that September day in 1773 had been sharply broken by the slight noise from the brush.
snapping
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From within the forest they had heard the sound of a snapping branch.
sound
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From within the forest they had heard the sound of a snapping branch.
stoppednounUS /stopped/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading At the question the two pioneer boys stopped abruptly.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading IN THE WILDERNESS "What is that?"
THEdeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading IN THE WILDERNESS "What is that?"
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading For a brief time both boys listened intently and then one of them went back a short distance along the trail over which the little procession had advanced, carefully looking for signs of danger on either side.
then
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For a brief time both boys listened intently and then one of them went back a short distance along the trail over which the little procession had advanced, carefully looking for signs of danger on either side.
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading From within the forest they had heard the sound of a snapping branch.
timenounUS /time/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading For a brief time both boys listened intently and then one of them went back a short distance along the trail over which the little procession had advanced, carefully looking for signs of danger on either side.
trail
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For a brief time both boys listened intently and then one of them went back a short distance along the trail over which the little procession had advanced, carefully looking for signs of danger on either side.
two
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At the question the two pioneer boys stopped abruptly.
wentnounUS /went/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading For a brief time both boys listened intently and then one of them went back a short distance along the trail over which the little procession had advanced, carefully looking for signs of danger on either side.
WhatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading IN THE WILDERNESS "What is that?"
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading For a brief time both boys listened intently and then one of them went back a short distance along the trail over which the little procession had advanced, carefully looking for signs of danger on either side.
WILDERNESSnounUS /ˈwɪldərnəs/
a wild area where few people live
From this reading IN THE WILDERNESS "What is that?"
withinprepositionUS /wɪˈðɪn/
inside; before a period of time has passed
From this reading From within the forest they had heard the sound of a snapping branch.
