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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 A long and motley line of carriages was slowly arriving at the Auditorium entrance.
all
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From this reading Long, furry wraps and covered heads, perhaps a gleam of hidden diamonds, were all they saw; but it was a passing glance into a forbidden, dazzling world.
ANdeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading IN AN OPERA BOX.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading A long and motley line of carriages was slowly arriving at the Auditorium entrance.
arriving
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From this reading A long and motley line of carriages was slowly arriving at the Auditorium entrance.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading A long and motley line of carriages was slowly arriving at the Auditorium entrance.
Auditorium
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From this reading A long and motley line of carriages was slowly arriving at the Auditorium entrance.
BOX
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From this reading IN AN OPERA BOX.
brilliant
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From this reading A surging, gaping crowd was jostling the few policemen on duty and trying to catch a glimpse of the brilliant dresses of the women hurrying into the lobby.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Long, furry wraps and covered heads, perhaps a gleam of hidden diamonds, were all they saw; but it was a passing glance into a forbidden, dazzling world.
called
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From this reading Footmen scurried, doors were slammed, horses stamped, and husky-voiced policemen called out orders to the coachmen.
carriages
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From this reading A long and motley line of carriages was slowly arriving at the Auditorium entrance.
catch
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From this reading A surging, gaping crowd was jostling the few policemen on duty and trying to catch a glimpse of the brilliant dresses of the women hurrying into the lobby.
coachmen
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From this reading Footmen scurried, doors were slammed, horses stamped, and husky-voiced policemen called out orders to the coachmen.
covered
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From this reading Long, furry wraps and covered heads, perhaps a gleam of hidden diamonds, were all they saw; but it was a passing glance into a forbidden, dazzling world.
crowd
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From this reading A surging, gaping crowd was jostling the few policemen on duty and trying to catch a glimpse of the brilliant dresses of the women hurrying into the lobby.
dazzling
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From this reading Long, furry wraps and covered heads, perhaps a gleam of hidden diamonds, were all they saw; but it was a passing glance into a forbidden, dazzling world.
diamonds
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From this reading Long, furry wraps and covered heads, perhaps a gleam of hidden diamonds, were all they saw; but it was a passing glance into a forbidden, dazzling world.
doors
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From this reading Footmen scurried, doors were slammed, horses stamped, and husky-voiced policemen called out orders to the coachmen.
dresses
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From this reading A surging, gaping crowd was jostling the few policemen on duty and trying to catch a glimpse of the brilliant dresses of the women hurrying into the lobby.
dutynounUS /ˈduːti/
a responsibility that must be carried out
From this reading A surging, gaping crowd was jostling the few policemen on duty and trying to catch a glimpse of the brilliant dresses of the women hurrying into the lobby.
entrance
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From this reading A long and motley line of carriages was slowly arriving at the Auditorium entrance.
few
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From this reading A surging, gaping crowd was jostling the few policemen on duty and trying to catch a glimpse of the brilliant dresses of the women hurrying into the lobby.
Footmen
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From this reading Footmen scurried, doors were slammed, horses stamped, and husky-voiced policemen called out orders to the coachmen.
forbiddenadjectiveUS /fərˈbɪd.ən/
Not allowed; banned or prohibited by rule or law.
From this reading Long, furry wraps and covered heads, perhaps a gleam of hidden diamonds, were all they saw; but it was a passing glance into a forbidden, dazzling world.
furry
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From this reading Long, furry wraps and covered heads, perhaps a gleam of hidden diamonds, were all they saw; but it was a passing glance into a forbidden, dazzling world.
gapingadjectiveUS /ˈɡeɪpɪŋ/
wide open
From this reading A surging, gaping crowd was jostling the few policemen on duty and trying to catch a glimpse of the brilliant dresses of the women hurrying into the lobby.
glance
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From this reading Long, furry wraps and covered heads, perhaps a gleam of hidden diamonds, were all they saw; but it was a passing glance into a forbidden, dazzling world.
gleam
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From this reading Long, furry wraps and covered heads, perhaps a gleam of hidden diamonds, were all they saw; but it was a passing glance into a forbidden, dazzling world.
glimpse
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From this reading A surging, gaping crowd was jostling the few policemen on duty and trying to catch a glimpse of the brilliant dresses of the women hurrying into the lobby.
heads
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From this reading Long, furry wraps and covered heads, perhaps a gleam of hidden diamonds, were all they saw; but it was a passing glance into a forbidden, dazzling world.
hidden
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From this reading Long, furry wraps and covered heads, perhaps a gleam of hidden diamonds, were all they saw; but it was a passing glance into a forbidden, dazzling world.
horses
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From this reading Footmen scurried, doors were slammed, horses stamped, and husky-voiced policemen called out orders to the coachmen.
hurrying
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From this reading A surging, gaping crowd was jostling the few policemen on duty and trying to catch a glimpse of the brilliant dresses of the women hurrying into the lobby.
husky-voiced
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From this reading Footmen scurried, doors were slammed, horses stamped, and husky-voiced policemen called out orders to the coachmen.
INprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading IN AN OPERA BOX.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading A surging, gaping crowd was jostling the few policemen on duty and trying to catch a glimpse of the brilliant dresses of the women hurrying into the lobby.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Long, furry wraps and covered heads, perhaps a gleam of hidden diamonds, were all they saw; but it was a passing glance into a forbidden, dazzling world.
jostling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A surging, gaping crowd was jostling the few policemen on duty and trying to catch a glimpse of the brilliant dresses of the women hurrying into the lobby.
line
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A long and motley line of carriages was slowly arriving at the Auditorium entrance.
lobby
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From this reading A surging, gaping crowd was jostling the few policemen on duty and trying to catch a glimpse of the brilliant dresses of the women hurrying into the lobby.
longnounUS /long/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading A long and motley line of carriages was slowly arriving at the Auditorium entrance.
motley
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From this reading A long and motley line of carriages was slowly arriving at the Auditorium entrance.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A long and motley line of carriages was slowly arriving at the Auditorium entrance.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading A surging, gaping crowd was jostling the few policemen on duty and trying to catch a glimpse of the brilliant dresses of the women hurrying into the lobby.
OPERA
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From this reading IN AN OPERA BOX.
orders
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From this reading Footmen scurried, doors were slammed, horses stamped, and husky-voiced policemen called out orders to the coachmen.
out
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From this reading Footmen scurried, doors were slammed, horses stamped, and husky-voiced policemen called out orders to the coachmen.
passing
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From this reading Long, furry wraps and covered heads, perhaps a gleam of hidden diamonds, were all they saw; but it was a passing glance into a forbidden, dazzling world.
perhaps
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From this reading Long, furry wraps and covered heads, perhaps a gleam of hidden diamonds, were all they saw; but it was a passing glance into a forbidden, dazzling world.
policemen
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From this reading A surging, gaping crowd was jostling the few policemen on duty and trying to catch a glimpse of the brilliant dresses of the women hurrying into the lobby.
saw
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From this reading Long, furry wraps and covered heads, perhaps a gleam of hidden diamonds, were all they saw; but it was a passing glance into a forbidden, dazzling world.
scurried
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From this reading Footmen scurried, doors were slammed, horses stamped, and husky-voiced policemen called out orders to the coachmen.
slammed
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From this reading Footmen scurried, doors were slammed, horses stamped, and husky-voiced policemen called out orders to the coachmen.
slowly
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From this reading A long and motley line of carriages was slowly arriving at the Auditorium entrance.
stamped
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From this reading Footmen scurried, doors were slammed, horses stamped, and husky-voiced policemen called out orders to the coachmen.
surging
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From this reading A surging, gaping crowd was jostling the few policemen on duty and trying to catch a glimpse of the brilliant dresses of the women hurrying into the lobby.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A long and motley line of carriages was slowly arriving at the Auditorium entrance.
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Long, furry wraps and covered heads, perhaps a gleam of hidden diamonds, were all they saw; but it was a passing glance into a forbidden, dazzling world.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading A surging, gaping crowd was jostling the few policemen on duty and trying to catch a glimpse of the brilliant dresses of the women hurrying into the lobby.
trying
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A surging, gaping crowd was jostling the few policemen on duty and trying to catch a glimpse of the brilliant dresses of the women hurrying into the lobby.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading A long and motley line of carriages was slowly arriving at the Auditorium entrance.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Long, furry wraps and covered heads, perhaps a gleam of hidden diamonds, were all they saw; but it was a passing glance into a forbidden, dazzling world.
women
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A surging, gaping crowd was jostling the few policemen on duty and trying to catch a glimpse of the brilliant dresses of the women hurrying into the lobby.
world
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From this reading Long, furry wraps and covered heads, perhaps a gleam of hidden diamonds, were all they saw; but it was a passing glance into a forbidden, dazzling world.
wraps
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Long, furry wraps and covered heads, perhaps a gleam of hidden diamonds, were all they saw; but it was a passing glance into a forbidden, dazzling world.
