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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 Dr. Oleander descended the stairs, passed through the lower hall, and entered the kitchen--a big, square room, bleak and draughty, like all the rest of the old, rickety place, but lighted by a roaring fire.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Old Sally was bustling about over pots and stew-pans, getting supper; old Peter stood at the table peeling potatoes.
all
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From this reading Dr. Oleander descended the stairs, passed through the lower hall, and entered the kitchen--a big, square room, bleak and draughty, like all the rest of the old, rickety place, but lighted by a roaring fire.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading In an arm-chair before the fire sat another old woman with snaky-black eyes, hooked nose, and incipient black mustache.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Dr. Oleander descended the stairs, passed through the lower hall, and entered the kitchen--a big, square room, bleak and draughty, like all the rest of the old, rickety place, but lighted by a roaring fire.
anothernounUS /ˈanother/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading In an arm-chair before the fire sat another old woman with snaky-black eyes, hooked nose, and incipient black mustache.
arm-chair
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From this reading In an arm-chair before the fire sat another old woman with snaky-black eyes, hooked nose, and incipient black mustache.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Old Sally was bustling about over pots and stew-pans, getting supper; old Peter stood at the table peeling potatoes.
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading In an arm-chair before the fire sat another old woman with snaky-black eyes, hooked nose, and incipient black mustache.
big
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From this reading Dr. Oleander descended the stairs, passed through the lower hall, and entered the kitchen--a big, square room, bleak and draughty, like all the rest of the old, rickety place, but lighted by a roaring fire.
black
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From this reading In an arm-chair before the fire sat another old woman with snaky-black eyes, hooked nose, and incipient black mustache.
bleak
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From this reading Dr. Oleander descended the stairs, passed through the lower hall, and entered the kitchen--a big, square room, bleak and draughty, like all the rest of the old, rickety place, but lighted by a roaring fire.
bustling
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From this reading Old Sally was bustling about over pots and stew-pans, getting supper; old Peter stood at the table peeling potatoes.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Dr. Oleander descended the stairs, passed through the lower hall, and entered the kitchen--a big, square room, bleak and draughty, like all the rest of the old, rickety place, but lighted by a roaring fire.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Dr. Oleander descended the stairs, passed through the lower hall, and entered the kitchen--a big, square room, bleak and draughty, like all the rest of the old, rickety place, but lighted by a roaring fire.
cut
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From this reading Old Sally was volubly narrating what had transpired upstairs, and cut herself short upon the entrance of her master.
descendednounUS /ˈdescended/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading Dr. Oleander descended the stairs, passed through the lower hall, and entered the kitchen--a big, square room, bleak and draughty, like all the rest of the old, rickety place, but lighted by a roaring fire.
DESPAIR
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From this reading MOLLIE'S DESPAIR.
Dr
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From this reading Dr. Oleander descended the stairs, passed through the lower hall, and entered the kitchen--a big, square room, bleak and draughty, like all the rest of the old, rickety place, but lighted by a roaring fire.
draughty
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From this reading Dr. Oleander descended the stairs, passed through the lower hall, and entered the kitchen--a big, square room, bleak and draughty, like all the rest of the old, rickety place, but lighted by a roaring fire.
entered
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From this reading Dr. Oleander descended the stairs, passed through the lower hall, and entered the kitchen--a big, square room, bleak and draughty, like all the rest of the old, rickety place, but lighted by a roaring fire.
entrance
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From this reading Old Sally was volubly narrating what had transpired upstairs, and cut herself short upon the entrance of her master.
eyes
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From this reading In an arm-chair before the fire sat another old woman with snaky-black eyes, hooked nose, and incipient black mustache.
fire
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From this reading Dr. Oleander descended the stairs, passed through the lower hall, and entered the kitchen--a big, square room, bleak and draughty, like all the rest of the old, rickety place, but lighted by a roaring fire.
getting
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From this reading Old Sally was bustling about over pots and stew-pans, getting supper; old Peter stood at the table peeling potatoes.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Old Sally was volubly narrating what had transpired upstairs, and cut herself short upon the entrance of her master.
hall
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From this reading Dr. Oleander descended the stairs, passed through the lower hall, and entered the kitchen--a big, square room, bleak and draughty, like all the rest of the old, rickety place, but lighted by a roaring fire.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Old Sally was volubly narrating what had transpired upstairs, and cut herself short upon the entrance of her master.
herselfpronounUS /hərˈself/
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading Old Sally was volubly narrating what had transpired upstairs, and cut herself short upon the entrance of her master.
hooked
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From this reading In an arm-chair before the fire sat another old woman with snaky-black eyes, hooked nose, and incipient black mustache.
InprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In an arm-chair before the fire sat another old woman with snaky-black eyes, hooked nose, and incipient black mustache.
incipient
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From this reading In an arm-chair before the fire sat another old woman with snaky-black eyes, hooked nose, and incipient black mustache.
kitchen
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From this reading Dr. Oleander descended the stairs, passed through the lower hall, and entered the kitchen--a big, square room, bleak and draughty, like all the rest of the old, rickety place, but lighted by a roaring fire.
lighted
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From this reading Dr. Oleander descended the stairs, passed through the lower hall, and entered the kitchen--a big, square room, bleak and draughty, like all the rest of the old, rickety place, but lighted by a roaring fire.
like
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Dr. Oleander descended the stairs, passed through the lower hall, and entered the kitchen--a big, square room, bleak and draughty, like all the rest of the old, rickety place, but lighted by a roaring fire.
lower
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Dr. Oleander descended the stairs, passed through the lower hall, and entered the kitchen--a big, square room, bleak and draughty, like all the rest of the old, rickety place, but lighted by a roaring fire.
master
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From this reading Old Sally was volubly narrating what had transpired upstairs, and cut herself short upon the entrance of her master.
MOLLIE'S
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From this reading MOLLIE'S DESPAIR.
mustache
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From this reading In an arm-chair before the fire sat another old woman with snaky-black eyes, hooked nose, and incipient black mustache.
narrating
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From this reading Old Sally was volubly narrating what had transpired upstairs, and cut herself short upon the entrance of her master.
nose
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From this reading In an arm-chair before the fire sat another old woman with snaky-black eyes, hooked nose, and incipient black mustache.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Dr. Oleander descended the stairs, passed through the lower hall, and entered the kitchen--a big, square room, bleak and draughty, like all the rest of the old, rickety place, but lighted by a roaring fire.
old
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From this reading Dr. Oleander descended the stairs, passed through the lower hall, and entered the kitchen--a big, square room, bleak and draughty, like all the rest of the old, rickety place, but lighted by a roaring fire.
Oleander
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From this reading Dr. Oleander descended the stairs, passed through the lower hall, and entered the kitchen--a big, square room, bleak and draughty, like all the rest of the old, rickety place, but lighted by a roaring fire.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Old Sally was bustling about over pots and stew-pans, getting supper; old Peter stood at the table peeling potatoes.
passednounUS /passed/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Dr. Oleander descended the stairs, passed through the lower hall, and entered the kitchen--a big, square room, bleak and draughty, like all the rest of the old, rickety place, but lighted by a roaring fire.
peeling
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From this reading Old Sally was bustling about over pots and stew-pans, getting supper; old Peter stood at the table peeling potatoes.
Peter
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From this reading Old Sally was bustling about over pots and stew-pans, getting supper; old Peter stood at the table peeling potatoes.
place
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From this reading Dr. Oleander descended the stairs, passed through the lower hall, and entered the kitchen--a big, square room, bleak and draughty, like all the rest of the old, rickety place, but lighted by a roaring fire.
potatoes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Old Sally was bustling about over pots and stew-pans, getting supper; old Peter stood at the table peeling potatoes.
pots
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From this reading Old Sally was bustling about over pots and stew-pans, getting supper; old Peter stood at the table peeling potatoes.
restnounUS /rest/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Dr. Oleander descended the stairs, passed through the lower hall, and entered the kitchen--a big, square room, bleak and draughty, like all the rest of the old, rickety place, but lighted by a roaring fire.
rickety
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From this reading Dr. Oleander descended the stairs, passed through the lower hall, and entered the kitchen--a big, square room, bleak and draughty, like all the rest of the old, rickety place, but lighted by a roaring fire.
roaring
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From this reading Dr. Oleander descended the stairs, passed through the lower hall, and entered the kitchen--a big, square room, bleak and draughty, like all the rest of the old, rickety place, but lighted by a roaring fire.
room
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From this reading Dr. Oleander descended the stairs, passed through the lower hall, and entered the kitchen--a big, square room, bleak and draughty, like all the rest of the old, rickety place, but lighted by a roaring fire.
Sally
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Old Sally was bustling about over pots and stew-pans, getting supper; old Peter stood at the table peeling potatoes.
sat
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From this reading In an arm-chair before the fire sat another old woman with snaky-black eyes, hooked nose, and incipient black mustache.
shortadjectiveUS /ʃɔrt/
brief or direct in expression
From this reading Old Sally was volubly narrating what had transpired upstairs, and cut herself short upon the entrance of her master.
snaky-black
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In an arm-chair before the fire sat another old woman with snaky-black eyes, hooked nose, and incipient black mustache.
square
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Dr. Oleander descended the stairs, passed through the lower hall, and entered the kitchen--a big, square room, bleak and draughty, like all the rest of the old, rickety place, but lighted by a roaring fire.
stairs
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Dr. Oleander descended the stairs, passed through the lower hall, and entered the kitchen--a big, square room, bleak and draughty, like all the rest of the old, rickety place, but lighted by a roaring fire.
stew-pans
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Old Sally was bustling about over pots and stew-pans, getting supper; old Peter stood at the table peeling potatoes.
stoodnounUS /stood/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Old Sally was bustling about over pots and stew-pans, getting supper; old Peter stood at the table peeling potatoes.
supper
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From this reading Old Sally was bustling about over pots and stew-pans, getting supper; old Peter stood at the table peeling potatoes.
table
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Old Sally was bustling about over pots and stew-pans, getting supper; old Peter stood at the table peeling potatoes.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Dr. Oleander descended the stairs, passed through the lower hall, and entered the kitchen--a big, square room, bleak and draughty, like all the rest of the old, rickety place, but lighted by a roaring fire.
throughnounUS /ˈthrough/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading Dr. Oleander descended the stairs, passed through the lower hall, and entered the kitchen--a big, square room, bleak and draughty, like all the rest of the old, rickety place, but lighted by a roaring fire.
transpired
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From this reading Old Sally was volubly narrating what had transpired upstairs, and cut herself short upon the entrance of her master.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Old Sally was volubly narrating what had transpired upstairs, and cut herself short upon the entrance of her master.
upstairs
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From this reading Old Sally was volubly narrating what had transpired upstairs, and cut herself short upon the entrance of her master.
volubly
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From this reading Old Sally was volubly narrating what had transpired upstairs, and cut herself short upon the entrance of her master.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Old Sally was bustling about over pots and stew-pans, getting supper; old Peter stood at the table peeling potatoes.
whatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading Old Sally was volubly narrating what had transpired upstairs, and cut herself short upon the entrance of her master.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading In an arm-chair before the fire sat another old woman with snaky-black eyes, hooked nose, and incipient black mustache.
woman
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From this reading In an arm-chair before the fire sat another old woman with snaky-black eyes, hooked nose, and incipient black mustache.