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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 As I fell, a warm body fell on top of me, and hands grasped my arms and legs.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading When I could look up, I saw a number of giant figures pinioning me down, while others stood about surveying me.
againnounUS /again/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Here again was a new type of man—a higher type than the primitive tribe I had just quitted.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading As I stood looking down upon that sad and lonely mound, wrapped in the most dismal of reflections and premonitions, I was suddenly seized from behind and thrown to earth.
arms
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As I fell, a warm body fell on top of me, and hands grasped my arms and legs.
AsconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As I stood looking down upon that sad and lonely mound, wrapped in the most dismal of reflections and premonitions, I was suddenly seized from behind and thrown to earth.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading As I stood looking down upon that sad and lonely mound, wrapped in the most dismal of reflections and premonitions, I was suddenly seized from behind and thrown to earth.
better-shaped
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From this reading They were a taller people, too, with better-shaped skulls and more intelligent faces.
bodynounUS /body/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading As I fell, a warm body fell on top of me, and hands grasped my arms and legs.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading When I could look up, I saw a number of giant figures pinioning me down, while others stood about surveying me.
dismal
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From this reading As I stood looking down upon that sad and lonely mound, wrapped in the most dismal of reflections and premonitions, I was suddenly seized from behind and thrown to earth.
down
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From this reading As I stood looking down upon that sad and lonely mound, wrapped in the most dismal of reflections and premonitions, I was suddenly seized from behind and thrown to earth.
earth
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From this reading As I stood looking down upon that sad and lonely mound, wrapped in the most dismal of reflections and premonitions, I was suddenly seized from behind and thrown to earth.
faces
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From this reading They were a taller people, too, with better-shaped skulls and more intelligent faces.
fell
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From this reading As I fell, a warm body fell on top of me, and hands grasped my arms and legs.
figures
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From this reading When I could look up, I saw a number of giant figures pinioning me down, while others stood about surveying me.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading As I stood looking down upon that sad and lonely mound, wrapped in the most dismal of reflections and premonitions, I was suddenly seized from behind and thrown to earth.
giant
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From this reading When I could look up, I saw a number of giant figures pinioning me down, while others stood about surveying me.
grasped
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From this reading As I fell, a warm body fell on top of me, and hands grasped my arms and legs.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Here again was a new type of man—a higher type than the primitive tribe I had just quitted.
handsplural nounUS /hændz/
members of a ship’s crew
From this reading As I fell, a warm body fell on top of me, and hands grasped my arms and legs.
HerenounUS /here/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Here again was a new type of man—a higher type than the primitive tribe I had just quitted.
higher
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From this reading Here again was a new type of man—a higher type than the primitive tribe I had just quitted.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading As I stood looking down upon that sad and lonely mound, wrapped in the most dismal of reflections and premonitions, I was suddenly seized from behind and thrown to earth.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading As I stood looking down upon that sad and lonely mound, wrapped in the most dismal of reflections and premonitions, I was suddenly seized from behind and thrown to earth.
intelligent
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They were a taller people, too, with better-shaped skulls and more intelligent faces.
just
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From this reading Here again was a new type of man—a higher type than the primitive tribe I had just quitted.
legs
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From this reading As I fell, a warm body fell on top of me, and hands grasped my arms and legs.
lonely
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From this reading As I stood looking down upon that sad and lonely mound, wrapped in the most dismal of reflections and premonitions, I was suddenly seized from behind and thrown to earth.
looknounUS /look/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading When I could look up, I saw a number of giant figures pinioning me down, while others stood about surveying me.
looking
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From this reading As I stood looking down upon that sad and lonely mound, wrapped in the most dismal of reflections and premonitions, I was suddenly seized from behind and thrown to earth.
man
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From this reading Here again was a new type of man—a higher type than the primitive tribe I had just quitted.
mepronounUS /miː/
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading As I fell, a warm body fell on top of me, and hands grasped my arms and legs.
more
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They were a taller people, too, with better-shaped skulls and more intelligent faces.
most
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As I stood looking down upon that sad and lonely mound, wrapped in the most dismal of reflections and premonitions, I was suddenly seized from behind and thrown to earth.
mound
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From this reading As I stood looking down upon that sad and lonely mound, wrapped in the most dismal of reflections and premonitions, I was suddenly seized from behind and thrown to earth.
mydeterminerUS /maɪ/
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading As I fell, a warm body fell on top of me, and hands grasped my arms and legs.
new
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Here again was a new type of man—a higher type than the primitive tribe I had just quitted.
number
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From this reading When I could look up, I saw a number of giant figures pinioning me down, while others stood about surveying me.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading As I stood looking down upon that sad and lonely mound, wrapped in the most dismal of reflections and premonitions, I was suddenly seized from behind and thrown to earth.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading As I fell, a warm body fell on top of me, and hands grasped my arms and legs.
others
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When I could look up, I saw a number of giant figures pinioning me down, while others stood about surveying me.
people
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From this reading They were a taller people, too, with better-shaped skulls and more intelligent faces.
pinioning
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From this reading When I could look up, I saw a number of giant figures pinioning me down, while others stood about surveying me.
premonitions
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From this reading As I stood looking down upon that sad and lonely mound, wrapped in the most dismal of reflections and premonitions, I was suddenly seized from behind and thrown to earth.
primitive
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Here again was a new type of man—a higher type than the primitive tribe I had just quitted.
quitted
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From this reading Here again was a new type of man—a higher type than the primitive tribe I had just quitted.
reflections
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As I stood looking down upon that sad and lonely mound, wrapped in the most dismal of reflections and premonitions, I was suddenly seized from behind and thrown to earth.
sad
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As I stood looking down upon that sad and lonely mound, wrapped in the most dismal of reflections and premonitions, I was suddenly seized from behind and thrown to earth.
saw
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When I could look up, I saw a number of giant figures pinioning me down, while others stood about surveying me.
seized
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As I stood looking down upon that sad and lonely mound, wrapped in the most dismal of reflections and premonitions, I was suddenly seized from behind and thrown to earth.
skulls
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They were a taller people, too, with better-shaped skulls and more intelligent faces.
stoodnounUS /stood/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading As I stood looking down upon that sad and lonely mound, wrapped in the most dismal of reflections and premonitions, I was suddenly seized from behind and thrown to earth.
suddenlynounUS /ˈsuddenly/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading As I stood looking down upon that sad and lonely mound, wrapped in the most dismal of reflections and premonitions, I was suddenly seized from behind and thrown to earth.
surveying
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When I could look up, I saw a number of giant figures pinioning me down, while others stood about surveying me.
taller
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They were a taller people, too, with better-shaped skulls and more intelligent faces.
thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading Here again was a new type of man—a higher type than the primitive tribe I had just quitted.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading As I stood looking down upon that sad and lonely mound, wrapped in the most dismal of reflections and premonitions, I was suddenly seized from behind and thrown to earth.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading As I stood looking down upon that sad and lonely mound, wrapped in the most dismal of reflections and premonitions, I was suddenly seized from behind and thrown to earth.
TheypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They were a taller people, too, with better-shaped skulls and more intelligent faces.
thrown
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From this reading As I stood looking down upon that sad and lonely mound, wrapped in the most dismal of reflections and premonitions, I was suddenly seized from behind and thrown to earth.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading As I stood looking down upon that sad and lonely mound, wrapped in the most dismal of reflections and premonitions, I was suddenly seized from behind and thrown to earth.
too
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They were a taller people, too, with better-shaped skulls and more intelligent faces.
top
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As I fell, a warm body fell on top of me, and hands grasped my arms and legs.
tribe
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Here again was a new type of man—a higher type than the primitive tribe I had just quitted.
type
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Here again was a new type of man—a higher type than the primitive tribe I had just quitted.
up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When I could look up, I saw a number of giant figures pinioning me down, while others stood about surveying me.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading As I stood looking down upon that sad and lonely mound, wrapped in the most dismal of reflections and premonitions, I was suddenly seized from behind and thrown to earth.
warm
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As I fell, a warm body fell on top of me, and hands grasped my arms and legs.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading As I stood looking down upon that sad and lonely mound, wrapped in the most dismal of reflections and premonitions, I was suddenly seized from behind and thrown to earth.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading They were a taller people, too, with better-shaped skulls and more intelligent faces.
WhenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading When I could look up, I saw a number of giant figures pinioning me down, while others stood about surveying me.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading When I could look up, I saw a number of giant figures pinioning me down, while others stood about surveying me.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading They were a taller people, too, with better-shaped skulls and more intelligent faces.
wrapped
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As I stood looking down upon that sad and lonely mound, wrapped in the most dismal of reflections and premonitions, I was suddenly seized from behind and thrown to earth.
