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The Short Cut
The Short Cut

Chapter XXIII

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Context Illustration Reading 1/29 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
HELGA STRAWN PLAYS THE GAME The winter which had begun unusually early, battled fiercely for eight weeks in the mountain fastnesses, and went down in grumbling defeat before an early spring.
And, as the stern face of the Sierra was hidden under the snow that robed the higher peaks in royal ermine and drifted sixty feet in the deeper canons, so was the vital thing in the lives of Wayne Shandon and Wanda Leland covered by silence and secrecy.
Each day was tense and eager to them; to the world whose prying eyes could not penetrate through the barricade of winter it was as though those lives were stagnating.
Wanda delivered Wayne's letter safely and promptly to Brisbane, the San Francisco lawyer.
She took her mother into the secret, she told her mother everything now, for the close companionship of last winter had borne its fruit of warm sympathy, and the two women went out of the valley, ostensibly to spend a few weeks shopping and visiting in San Francisco.
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Short Cut

Chapter XXIII

Reading 1/29 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
HELGA STRAWN PLAYS THE GAME The winter which had begun unusually early, battled fiercely for eight weeks in the mountain fastnesses, and went down in grumbling defeat before an early spring.
Line 2
And, as the stern face of the Sierra was hidden under the snow that robed the higher peaks in royal ermine and drifted sixty feet in the deeper canons, so was the vital thing in the lives of Wayne Shandon and Wanda Leland covered by silence and secrecy.
Line 3
Each day was tense and eager to them; to the world whose prying eyes could not penetrate through the barricade of winter it was as though those lives were stagnating.
Line 4
Wanda delivered Wayne's letter safely and promptly to Brisbane, the San Francisco lawyer.
Line 5
She took her mother into the secret, she told her mother everything now, for the close companionship of last winter had borne its fruit of warm sympathy, and the two women went out of the valley, ostensibly to spend a few weeks shopping and visiting in San Francisco.

Learner Dictionary

Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.

Before preposition US /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading “HELGA STRAWN PLAYS THE GAME The winter which had begun unusually early, battled fiercely for eight weeks in the mountain fastnesses, and went down in grumbling defeat before an early spring.”

Could modal verb US /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading “Each day was tense and eager to them; to the world whose prying eyes could not penetrate through the barricade of winter it was as though those lives were stagnating.”

Everything pronoun US /ˈevriθɪŋ/

all things; all of a situation

From this reading “She took her mother into the secret, she told her mother everything now, for the close companionship of last winter had borne its fruit of warm sympathy, and the two women went out of the valley, ostensibly to spend a few weeks shopping and visiting in San Francisco.”

Last noun US /last/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “She took her mother into the secret, she told her mother everything now, for the close companionship of last winter had borne its fruit of warm sympathy, and the two women went out of the valley, ostensibly to spend a few weeks shopping and visiting in San Francisco.”

Secret noun US /ˈsiː.krət/

Something that is kept or meant to be kept unknown or unseen by others.

From this reading “She took her mother into the secret, she told her mother everything now, for the close companionship of last winter had borne its fruit of warm sympathy, and the two women went out of the valley, ostensibly to spend a few weeks shopping and visiting in San Francisco.”

Silence noun US /ˈsaɪ.ləns/

Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.

From this reading “And, as the stern face of the Sierra was hidden under the snow that robed the higher peaks in royal ermine and drifted sixty feet in the deeper canons, so was the vital thing in the lives of Wayne Shandon and Wanda Leland covered by silence and secrecy.”

Thing noun US /thing/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “And, as the stern face of the Sierra was hidden under the snow that robed the higher peaks in royal ermine and drifted sixty feet in the deeper canons, so was the vital thing in the lives of Wayne Shandon and Wanda Leland covered by silence and secrecy.”

Those determiner US /ðoʊz/

the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known

From this reading “Each day was tense and eager to them; to the world whose prying eyes could not penetrate through the barricade of winter it was as though those lives were stagnating.”

Though conjunction US /ðoʊ/

in spite of the fact that

From this reading “Each day was tense and eager to them; to the world whose prying eyes could not penetrate through the barricade of winter it was as though those lives were stagnating.”

Through noun US /ˈthrough/

a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage

From this reading “Each day was tense and eager to them; to the world whose prying eyes could not penetrate through the barricade of winter it was as though those lives were stagnating.”

Told noun US /told/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “She took her mother into the secret, she told her mother everything now, for the close companionship of last winter had borne its fruit of warm sympathy, and the two women went out of the valley, ostensibly to spend a few weeks shopping and visiting in San Francisco.”

Took noun US /took/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “She took her mother into the secret, she told her mother everything now, for the close companionship of last winter had borne its fruit of warm sympathy, and the two women went out of the valley, ostensibly to spend a few weeks shopping and visiting in San Francisco.”

Under preposition US /ˈʌndər/

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading “And, as the stern face of the Sierra was hidden under the snow that robed the higher peaks in royal ermine and drifted sixty feet in the deeper canons, so was the vital thing in the lives of Wayne Shandon and Wanda Leland covered by silence and secrecy.”

Went noun US /went/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “HELGA STRAWN PLAYS THE GAME The winter which had begun unusually early, battled fiercely for eight weeks in the mountain fastnesses, and went down in grumbling defeat before an early spring.”

Whose determiner US /huːz/

belonging to which person

From this reading “Each day was tense and eager to them; to the world whose prying eyes could not penetrate through the barricade of winter it was as though those lives were stagnating.”

All words in this reading · 115

Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

adeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading She took her mother into the secret, she told her mother everything now, for the close companionship of last winter had borne its fruit of warm sympathy, and the two women went out of the valley, ostensibly to spend a few weeks shopping and visiting in San Francisco.

andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading HELGA STRAWN PLAYS THE GAME The winter which had begun unusually early, battled fiercely for eight weeks in the mountain fastnesses, and went down in grumbling defeat before an early spring.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading HELGA STRAWN PLAYS THE GAME The winter which had begun unusually early, battled fiercely for eight weeks in the mountain fastnesses, and went down in grumbling defeat before an early spring.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading And, as the stern face of the Sierra was hidden under the snow that robed the higher peaks in royal ermine and drifted sixty feet in the deeper canons, so was the vital thing in the lives of Wayne Shandon and Wanda Leland covered by silence and secrecy.

barricade

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Each day was tense and eager to them; to the world whose prying eyes could not penetrate through the barricade of winter it was as though those lives were stagnating.

battled

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading HELGA STRAWN PLAYS THE GAME The winter which had begun unusually early, battled fiercely for eight weeks in the mountain fastnesses, and went down in grumbling defeat before an early spring.

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading HELGA STRAWN PLAYS THE GAME The winter which had begun unusually early, battled fiercely for eight weeks in the mountain fastnesses, and went down in grumbling defeat before an early spring.

begun

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading HELGA STRAWN PLAYS THE GAME The winter which had begun unusually early, battled fiercely for eight weeks in the mountain fastnesses, and went down in grumbling defeat before an early spring.

borne

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading She took her mother into the secret, she told her mother everything now, for the close companionship of last winter had borne its fruit of warm sympathy, and the two women went out of the valley, ostensibly to spend a few weeks shopping and visiting in San Francisco.

Brisbane

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Wanda delivered Wayne's letter safely and promptly to Brisbane, the San Francisco lawyer.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading And, as the stern face of the Sierra was hidden under the snow that robed the higher peaks in royal ermine and drifted sixty feet in the deeper canons, so was the vital thing in the lives of Wayne Shandon and Wanda Leland covered by silence and secrecy.

canons

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading And, as the stern face of the Sierra was hidden under the snow that robed the higher peaks in royal ermine and drifted sixty feet in the deeper canons, so was the vital thing in the lives of Wayne Shandon and Wanda Leland covered by silence and secrecy.

close

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading She took her mother into the secret, she told her mother everything now, for the close companionship of last winter had borne its fruit of warm sympathy, and the two women went out of the valley, ostensibly to spend a few weeks shopping and visiting in San Francisco.

companionship

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading She took her mother into the secret, she told her mother everything now, for the close companionship of last winter had borne its fruit of warm sympathy, and the two women went out of the valley, ostensibly to spend a few weeks shopping and visiting in San Francisco.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading Each day was tense and eager to them; to the world whose prying eyes could not penetrate through the barricade of winter it was as though those lives were stagnating.

covered

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading And, as the stern face of the Sierra was hidden under the snow that robed the higher peaks in royal ermine and drifted sixty feet in the deeper canons, so was the vital thing in the lives of Wayne Shandon and Wanda Leland covered by silence and secrecy.

day

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Each day was tense and eager to them; to the world whose prying eyes could not penetrate through the barricade of winter it was as though those lives were stagnating.

deeper

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading And, as the stern face of the Sierra was hidden under the snow that robed the higher peaks in royal ermine and drifted sixty feet in the deeper canons, so was the vital thing in the lives of Wayne Shandon and Wanda Leland covered by silence and secrecy.

defeat

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading HELGA STRAWN PLAYS THE GAME The winter which had begun unusually early, battled fiercely for eight weeks in the mountain fastnesses, and went down in grumbling defeat before an early spring.

delivered

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Wanda delivered Wayne's letter safely and promptly to Brisbane, the San Francisco lawyer.

down

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading HELGA STRAWN PLAYS THE GAME The winter which had begun unusually early, battled fiercely for eight weeks in the mountain fastnesses, and went down in grumbling defeat before an early spring.

drifted

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading And, as the stern face of the Sierra was hidden under the snow that robed the higher peaks in royal ermine and drifted sixty feet in the deeper canons, so was the vital thing in the lives of Wayne Shandon and Wanda Leland covered by silence and secrecy.

EachdeterminerUS /iːtʃ/

every one of two or more people or things, taken separately

From this reading Each day was tense and eager to them; to the world whose prying eyes could not penetrate through the barricade of winter it was as though those lives were stagnating.

eager

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Each day was tense and eager to them; to the world whose prying eyes could not penetrate through the barricade of winter it was as though those lives were stagnating.

early

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading HELGA STRAWN PLAYS THE GAME The winter which had begun unusually early, battled fiercely for eight weeks in the mountain fastnesses, and went down in grumbling defeat before an early spring.

eight

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading HELGA STRAWN PLAYS THE GAME The winter which had begun unusually early, battled fiercely for eight weeks in the mountain fastnesses, and went down in grumbling defeat before an early spring.

ermine

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading And, as the stern face of the Sierra was hidden under the snow that robed the higher peaks in royal ermine and drifted sixty feet in the deeper canons, so was the vital thing in the lives of Wayne Shandon and Wanda Leland covered by silence and secrecy.

everythingpronounUS /ˈevriθɪŋ/

all things; all of a situation

From this reading She took her mother into the secret, she told her mother everything now, for the close companionship of last winter had borne its fruit of warm sympathy, and the two women went out of the valley, ostensibly to spend a few weeks shopping and visiting in San Francisco.

eyes

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Each day was tense and eager to them; to the world whose prying eyes could not penetrate through the barricade of winter it was as though those lives were stagnating.

face

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading And, as the stern face of the Sierra was hidden under the snow that robed the higher peaks in royal ermine and drifted sixty feet in the deeper canons, so was the vital thing in the lives of Wayne Shandon and Wanda Leland covered by silence and secrecy.

fastnesses

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading HELGA STRAWN PLAYS THE GAME The winter which had begun unusually early, battled fiercely for eight weeks in the mountain fastnesses, and went down in grumbling defeat before an early spring.

feet

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading And, as the stern face of the Sierra was hidden under the snow that robed the higher peaks in royal ermine and drifted sixty feet in the deeper canons, so was the vital thing in the lives of Wayne Shandon and Wanda Leland covered by silence and secrecy.

few

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading She took her mother into the secret, she told her mother everything now, for the close companionship of last winter had borne its fruit of warm sympathy, and the two women went out of the valley, ostensibly to spend a few weeks shopping and visiting in San Francisco.

fiercely

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading HELGA STRAWN PLAYS THE GAME The winter which had begun unusually early, battled fiercely for eight weeks in the mountain fastnesses, and went down in grumbling defeat before an early spring.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading HELGA STRAWN PLAYS THE GAME The winter which had begun unusually early, battled fiercely for eight weeks in the mountain fastnesses, and went down in grumbling defeat before an early spring.

Francisco

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Wanda delivered Wayne's letter safely and promptly to Brisbane, the San Francisco lawyer.

fruit

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading She took her mother into the secret, she told her mother everything now, for the close companionship of last winter had borne its fruit of warm sympathy, and the two women went out of the valley, ostensibly to spend a few weeks shopping and visiting in San Francisco.

GAME

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading HELGA STRAWN PLAYS THE GAME The winter which had begun unusually early, battled fiercely for eight weeks in the mountain fastnesses, and went down in grumbling defeat before an early spring.

grumbling

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading HELGA STRAWN PLAYS THE GAME The winter which had begun unusually early, battled fiercely for eight weeks in the mountain fastnesses, and went down in grumbling defeat before an early spring.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading HELGA STRAWN PLAYS THE GAME The winter which had begun unusually early, battled fiercely for eight weeks in the mountain fastnesses, and went down in grumbling defeat before an early spring.

HELGA

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading HELGA STRAWN PLAYS THE GAME The winter which had begun unusually early, battled fiercely for eight weeks in the mountain fastnesses, and went down in grumbling defeat before an early spring.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading She took her mother into the secret, she told her mother everything now, for the close companionship of last winter had borne its fruit of warm sympathy, and the two women went out of the valley, ostensibly to spend a few weeks shopping and visiting in San Francisco.

hidden

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading And, as the stern face of the Sierra was hidden under the snow that robed the higher peaks in royal ermine and drifted sixty feet in the deeper canons, so was the vital thing in the lives of Wayne Shandon and Wanda Leland covered by silence and secrecy.

higher

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading And, as the stern face of the Sierra was hidden under the snow that robed the higher peaks in royal ermine and drifted sixty feet in the deeper canons, so was the vital thing in the lives of Wayne Shandon and Wanda Leland covered by silence and secrecy.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading HELGA STRAWN PLAYS THE GAME The winter which had begun unusually early, battled fiercely for eight weeks in the mountain fastnesses, and went down in grumbling defeat before an early spring.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading She took her mother into the secret, she told her mother everything now, for the close companionship of last winter had borne its fruit of warm sympathy, and the two women went out of the valley, ostensibly to spend a few weeks shopping and visiting in San Francisco.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Each day was tense and eager to them; to the world whose prying eyes could not penetrate through the barricade of winter it was as though those lives were stagnating.

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading She took her mother into the secret, she told her mother everything now, for the close companionship of last winter had borne its fruit of warm sympathy, and the two women went out of the valley, ostensibly to spend a few weeks shopping and visiting in San Francisco.

lastnounUS /last/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading She took her mother into the secret, she told her mother everything now, for the close companionship of last winter had borne its fruit of warm sympathy, and the two women went out of the valley, ostensibly to spend a few weeks shopping and visiting in San Francisco.

lawyer

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Wanda delivered Wayne's letter safely and promptly to Brisbane, the San Francisco lawyer.

Leland

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading And, as the stern face of the Sierra was hidden under the snow that robed the higher peaks in royal ermine and drifted sixty feet in the deeper canons, so was the vital thing in the lives of Wayne Shandon and Wanda Leland covered by silence and secrecy.

letter

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Wanda delivered Wayne's letter safely and promptly to Brisbane, the San Francisco lawyer.

lives

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading And, as the stern face of the Sierra was hidden under the snow that robed the higher peaks in royal ermine and drifted sixty feet in the deeper canons, so was the vital thing in the lives of Wayne Shandon and Wanda Leland covered by silence and secrecy.

mother

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading She took her mother into the secret, she told her mother everything now, for the close companionship of last winter had borne its fruit of warm sympathy, and the two women went out of the valley, ostensibly to spend a few weeks shopping and visiting in San Francisco.

mountain

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading HELGA STRAWN PLAYS THE GAME The winter which had begun unusually early, battled fiercely for eight weeks in the mountain fastnesses, and went down in grumbling defeat before an early spring.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Each day was tense and eager to them; to the world whose prying eyes could not penetrate through the barricade of winter it was as though those lives were stagnating.

now

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading She took her mother into the secret, she told her mother everything now, for the close companionship of last winter had borne its fruit of warm sympathy, and the two women went out of the valley, ostensibly to spend a few weeks shopping and visiting in San Francisco.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading And, as the stern face of the Sierra was hidden under the snow that robed the higher peaks in royal ermine and drifted sixty feet in the deeper canons, so was the vital thing in the lives of Wayne Shandon and Wanda Leland covered by silence and secrecy.

ostensibly

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading She took her mother into the secret, she told her mother everything now, for the close companionship of last winter had borne its fruit of warm sympathy, and the two women went out of the valley, ostensibly to spend a few weeks shopping and visiting in San Francisco.

out

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading She took her mother into the secret, she told her mother everything now, for the close companionship of last winter had borne its fruit of warm sympathy, and the two women went out of the valley, ostensibly to spend a few weeks shopping and visiting in San Francisco.

peaks

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading And, as the stern face of the Sierra was hidden under the snow that robed the higher peaks in royal ermine and drifted sixty feet in the deeper canons, so was the vital thing in the lives of Wayne Shandon and Wanda Leland covered by silence and secrecy.

penetrate

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Each day was tense and eager to them; to the world whose prying eyes could not penetrate through the barricade of winter it was as though those lives were stagnating.

PLAYS

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading HELGA STRAWN PLAYS THE GAME The winter which had begun unusually early, battled fiercely for eight weeks in the mountain fastnesses, and went down in grumbling defeat before an early spring.

promptly

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Wanda delivered Wayne's letter safely and promptly to Brisbane, the San Francisco lawyer.

prying

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Each day was tense and eager to them; to the world whose prying eyes could not penetrate through the barricade of winter it was as though those lives were stagnating.

robed

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading And, as the stern face of the Sierra was hidden under the snow that robed the higher peaks in royal ermine and drifted sixty feet in the deeper canons, so was the vital thing in the lives of Wayne Shandon and Wanda Leland covered by silence and secrecy.

royal

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading And, as the stern face of the Sierra was hidden under the snow that robed the higher peaks in royal ermine and drifted sixty feet in the deeper canons, so was the vital thing in the lives of Wayne Shandon and Wanda Leland covered by silence and secrecy.

safely

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Wanda delivered Wayne's letter safely and promptly to Brisbane, the San Francisco lawyer.

San

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Wanda delivered Wayne's letter safely and promptly to Brisbane, the San Francisco lawyer.

secrecy

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading And, as the stern face of the Sierra was hidden under the snow that robed the higher peaks in royal ermine and drifted sixty feet in the deeper canons, so was the vital thing in the lives of Wayne Shandon and Wanda Leland covered by silence and secrecy.

secretnounUS /ˈsiː.krət/

Something that is kept or meant to be kept unknown or unseen by others.

From this reading She took her mother into the secret, she told her mother everything now, for the close companionship of last winter had borne its fruit of warm sympathy, and the two women went out of the valley, ostensibly to spend a few weeks shopping and visiting in San Francisco.

Shandon

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading And, as the stern face of the Sierra was hidden under the snow that robed the higher peaks in royal ermine and drifted sixty feet in the deeper canons, so was the vital thing in the lives of Wayne Shandon and Wanda Leland covered by silence and secrecy.

ShepronounUS /ʃiː/

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading She took her mother into the secret, she told her mother everything now, for the close companionship of last winter had borne its fruit of warm sympathy, and the two women went out of the valley, ostensibly to spend a few weeks shopping and visiting in San Francisco.

shopping

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading She took her mother into the secret, she told her mother everything now, for the close companionship of last winter had borne its fruit of warm sympathy, and the two women went out of the valley, ostensibly to spend a few weeks shopping and visiting in San Francisco.

Sierra

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading And, as the stern face of the Sierra was hidden under the snow that robed the higher peaks in royal ermine and drifted sixty feet in the deeper canons, so was the vital thing in the lives of Wayne Shandon and Wanda Leland covered by silence and secrecy.

silencenounUS /ˈsaɪ.ləns/

Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.

From this reading And, as the stern face of the Sierra was hidden under the snow that robed the higher peaks in royal ermine and drifted sixty feet in the deeper canons, so was the vital thing in the lives of Wayne Shandon and Wanda Leland covered by silence and secrecy.

sixty

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading And, as the stern face of the Sierra was hidden under the snow that robed the higher peaks in royal ermine and drifted sixty feet in the deeper canons, so was the vital thing in the lives of Wayne Shandon and Wanda Leland covered by silence and secrecy.

snow

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading And, as the stern face of the Sierra was hidden under the snow that robed the higher peaks in royal ermine and drifted sixty feet in the deeper canons, so was the vital thing in the lives of Wayne Shandon and Wanda Leland covered by silence and secrecy.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading And, as the stern face of the Sierra was hidden under the snow that robed the higher peaks in royal ermine and drifted sixty feet in the deeper canons, so was the vital thing in the lives of Wayne Shandon and Wanda Leland covered by silence and secrecy.

spend

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading She took her mother into the secret, she told her mother everything now, for the close companionship of last winter had borne its fruit of warm sympathy, and the two women went out of the valley, ostensibly to spend a few weeks shopping and visiting in San Francisco.

spring

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading HELGA STRAWN PLAYS THE GAME The winter which had begun unusually early, battled fiercely for eight weeks in the mountain fastnesses, and went down in grumbling defeat before an early spring.

stagnating

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Each day was tense and eager to them; to the world whose prying eyes could not penetrate through the barricade of winter it was as though those lives were stagnating.

stern

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading And, as the stern face of the Sierra was hidden under the snow that robed the higher peaks in royal ermine and drifted sixty feet in the deeper canons, so was the vital thing in the lives of Wayne Shandon and Wanda Leland covered by silence and secrecy.

STRAWN

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading HELGA STRAWN PLAYS THE GAME The winter which had begun unusually early, battled fiercely for eight weeks in the mountain fastnesses, and went down in grumbling defeat before an early spring.

sympathy

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading She took her mother into the secret, she told her mother everything now, for the close companionship of last winter had borne its fruit of warm sympathy, and the two women went out of the valley, ostensibly to spend a few weeks shopping and visiting in San Francisco.

tense

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Each day was tense and eager to them; to the world whose prying eyes could not penetrate through the barricade of winter it was as though those lives were stagnating.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading And, as the stern face of the Sierra was hidden under the snow that robed the higher peaks in royal ermine and drifted sixty feet in the deeper canons, so was the vital thing in the lives of Wayne Shandon and Wanda Leland covered by silence and secrecy.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading HELGA STRAWN PLAYS THE GAME The winter which had begun unusually early, battled fiercely for eight weeks in the mountain fastnesses, and went down in grumbling defeat before an early spring.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading Each day was tense and eager to them; to the world whose prying eyes could not penetrate through the barricade of winter it was as though those lives were stagnating.

thingnounUS /thing/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading And, as the stern face of the Sierra was hidden under the snow that robed the higher peaks in royal ermine and drifted sixty feet in the deeper canons, so was the vital thing in the lives of Wayne Shandon and Wanda Leland covered by silence and secrecy.

thosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/

the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known

From this reading Each day was tense and eager to them; to the world whose prying eyes could not penetrate through the barricade of winter it was as though those lives were stagnating.

thoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/

in spite of the fact that

From this reading Each day was tense and eager to them; to the world whose prying eyes could not penetrate through the barricade of winter it was as though those lives were stagnating.

throughnounUS /ˈthrough/

a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage

From this reading Each day was tense and eager to them; to the world whose prying eyes could not penetrate through the barricade of winter it was as though those lives were stagnating.

toparticleUS /tuː/

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading Each day was tense and eager to them; to the world whose prying eyes could not penetrate through the barricade of winter it was as though those lives were stagnating.

toldnounUS /told/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading She took her mother into the secret, she told her mother everything now, for the close companionship of last winter had borne its fruit of warm sympathy, and the two women went out of the valley, ostensibly to spend a few weeks shopping and visiting in San Francisco.

tooknounUS /took/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading She took her mother into the secret, she told her mother everything now, for the close companionship of last winter had borne its fruit of warm sympathy, and the two women went out of the valley, ostensibly to spend a few weeks shopping and visiting in San Francisco.

two

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading She took her mother into the secret, she told her mother everything now, for the close companionship of last winter had borne its fruit of warm sympathy, and the two women went out of the valley, ostensibly to spend a few weeks shopping and visiting in San Francisco.

underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading And, as the stern face of the Sierra was hidden under the snow that robed the higher peaks in royal ermine and drifted sixty feet in the deeper canons, so was the vital thing in the lives of Wayne Shandon and Wanda Leland covered by silence and secrecy.

unusually

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading HELGA STRAWN PLAYS THE GAME The winter which had begun unusually early, battled fiercely for eight weeks in the mountain fastnesses, and went down in grumbling defeat before an early spring.

valley

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading She took her mother into the secret, she told her mother everything now, for the close companionship of last winter had borne its fruit of warm sympathy, and the two women went out of the valley, ostensibly to spend a few weeks shopping and visiting in San Francisco.

visiting

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading She took her mother into the secret, she told her mother everything now, for the close companionship of last winter had borne its fruit of warm sympathy, and the two women went out of the valley, ostensibly to spend a few weeks shopping and visiting in San Francisco.

vital

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading And, as the stern face of the Sierra was hidden under the snow that robed the higher peaks in royal ermine and drifted sixty feet in the deeper canons, so was the vital thing in the lives of Wayne Shandon and Wanda Leland covered by silence and secrecy.

Wanda

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading And, as the stern face of the Sierra was hidden under the snow that robed the higher peaks in royal ermine and drifted sixty feet in the deeper canons, so was the vital thing in the lives of Wayne Shandon and Wanda Leland covered by silence and secrecy.

warm

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading She took her mother into the secret, she told her mother everything now, for the close companionship of last winter had borne its fruit of warm sympathy, and the two women went out of the valley, ostensibly to spend a few weeks shopping and visiting in San Francisco.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading And, as the stern face of the Sierra was hidden under the snow that robed the higher peaks in royal ermine and drifted sixty feet in the deeper canons, so was the vital thing in the lives of Wayne Shandon and Wanda Leland covered by silence and secrecy.

Wayne

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading And, as the stern face of the Sierra was hidden under the snow that robed the higher peaks in royal ermine and drifted sixty feet in the deeper canons, so was the vital thing in the lives of Wayne Shandon and Wanda Leland covered by silence and secrecy.

Wayne's

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Wanda delivered Wayne's letter safely and promptly to Brisbane, the San Francisco lawyer.

weeks

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading HELGA STRAWN PLAYS THE GAME The winter which had begun unusually early, battled fiercely for eight weeks in the mountain fastnesses, and went down in grumbling defeat before an early spring.

wentnounUS /went/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading HELGA STRAWN PLAYS THE GAME The winter which had begun unusually early, battled fiercely for eight weeks in the mountain fastnesses, and went down in grumbling defeat before an early spring.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading Each day was tense and eager to them; to the world whose prying eyes could not penetrate through the barricade of winter it was as though those lives were stagnating.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading HELGA STRAWN PLAYS THE GAME The winter which had begun unusually early, battled fiercely for eight weeks in the mountain fastnesses, and went down in grumbling defeat before an early spring.

whosedeterminerUS /huːz/

belonging to which person

From this reading Each day was tense and eager to them; to the world whose prying eyes could not penetrate through the barricade of winter it was as though those lives were stagnating.

winter

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading HELGA STRAWN PLAYS THE GAME The winter which had begun unusually early, battled fiercely for eight weeks in the mountain fastnesses, and went down in grumbling defeat before an early spring.

women

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading She took her mother into the secret, she told her mother everything now, for the close companionship of last winter had borne its fruit of warm sympathy, and the two women went out of the valley, ostensibly to spend a few weeks shopping and visiting in San Francisco.

world

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Each day was tense and eager to them; to the world whose prying eyes could not penetrate through the barricade of winter it was as though those lives were stagnating.