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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 The science of our time has attacked but a little department of the field of human disease, but, even so, it spreads its operations very steadily and persistently.
AfterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading “After all, the sanitation and the agriculture of today are still in the rudimentary stage.
agriculture
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “After all, the sanitation and the agriculture of today are still in the rudimentary stage.
all
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From this reading “After all, the sanitation and the agriculture of today are still in the rudimentary stage.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading “After all, the sanitation and the agriculture of today are still in the rudimentary stage.
animals
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From this reading We improve our favourite plants and animals—and how few they are—gradually by selective breeding; now a new and better peach, now a seedless grape, now a sweeter and larger flower, now a more convenient breed of cattle.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading “After all, the sanitation and the agriculture of today are still in the rudimentary stage.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Our agriculture and horticulture destroy a weed just here and there and cultivate perhaps a score or so of wholesome plants, leaving the greater number to fight out a balance as they can.
attacked
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The science of our time has attacked but a little department of the field of human disease, but, even so, it spreads its operations very steadily and persistently.
balancenounUS /ˈbalance/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading Our agriculture and horticulture destroy a weed just here and there and cultivate perhaps a score or so of wholesome plants, leaving the greater number to fight out a balance as they can.
becauseconjunctionUS /bɪˈkɔːz/
for the reason that
From this reading We improve them gradually, because our ideals are vague and tentative, and our knowledge is very limited; because Nature, too, is shy and slow in our clumsy hands.
better
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We improve our favourite plants and animals—and how few they are—gradually by selective breeding; now a new and better peach, now a seedless grape, now a sweeter and larger flower, now a more convenient breed of cattle.
breed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We improve our favourite plants and animals—and how few they are—gradually by selective breeding; now a new and better peach, now a seedless grape, now a sweeter and larger flower, now a more convenient breed of cattle.
breeding
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We improve our favourite plants and animals—and how few they are—gradually by selective breeding; now a new and better peach, now a seedless grape, now a sweeter and larger flower, now a more convenient breed of cattle.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The science of our time has attacked but a little department of the field of human disease, but, even so, it spreads its operations very steadily and persistently.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading We improve our favourite plants and animals—and how few they are—gradually by selective breeding; now a new and better peach, now a seedless grape, now a sweeter and larger flower, now a more convenient breed of cattle.
canmodal verbUS /kæn/
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading Our agriculture and horticulture destroy a weed just here and there and cultivate perhaps a score or so of wholesome plants, leaving the greater number to fight out a balance as they can.
cattle
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From this reading We improve our favourite plants and animals—and how few they are—gradually by selective breeding; now a new and better peach, now a seedless grape, now a sweeter and larger flower, now a more convenient breed of cattle.
clumsyadjectiveUS /ˈklʌmzi/
awkward in movement or handling things
From this reading We improve them gradually, because our ideals are vague and tentative, and our knowledge is very limited; because Nature, too, is shy and slow in our clumsy hands.
convenient
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From this reading We improve our favourite plants and animals—and how few they are—gradually by selective breeding; now a new and better peach, now a seedless grape, now a sweeter and larger flower, now a more convenient breed of cattle.
cultivate
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Our agriculture and horticulture destroy a weed just here and there and cultivate perhaps a score or so of wholesome plants, leaving the greater number to fight out a balance as they can.
department
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The science of our time has attacked but a little department of the field of human disease, but, even so, it spreads its operations very steadily and persistently.
destroy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Our agriculture and horticulture destroy a weed just here and there and cultivate perhaps a score or so of wholesome plants, leaving the greater number to fight out a balance as they can.
disease
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The science of our time has attacked but a little department of the field of human disease, but, even so, it spreads its operations very steadily and persistently.
evennounUS /even/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The science of our time has attacked but a little department of the field of human disease, but, even so, it spreads its operations very steadily and persistently.
favourite
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We improve our favourite plants and animals—and how few they are—gradually by selective breeding; now a new and better peach, now a seedless grape, now a sweeter and larger flower, now a more convenient breed of cattle.
few
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We improve our favourite plants and animals—and how few they are—gradually by selective breeding; now a new and better peach, now a seedless grape, now a sweeter and larger flower, now a more convenient breed of cattle.
field
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The science of our time has attacked but a little department of the field of human disease, but, even so, it spreads its operations very steadily and persistently.
fight
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From this reading Our agriculture and horticulture destroy a weed just here and there and cultivate perhaps a score or so of wholesome plants, leaving the greater number to fight out a balance as they can.
flower
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From this reading We improve our favourite plants and animals—and how few they are—gradually by selective breeding; now a new and better peach, now a seedless grape, now a sweeter and larger flower, now a more convenient breed of cattle.
gradually
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We improve our favourite plants and animals—and how few they are—gradually by selective breeding; now a new and better peach, now a seedless grape, now a sweeter and larger flower, now a more convenient breed of cattle.
grape
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We improve our favourite plants and animals—and how few they are—gradually by selective breeding; now a new and better peach, now a seedless grape, now a sweeter and larger flower, now a more convenient breed of cattle.
greater
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Our agriculture and horticulture destroy a weed just here and there and cultivate perhaps a score or so of wholesome plants, leaving the greater number to fight out a balance as they can.
handsplural nounUS /hændz/
members of a ship’s crew
From this reading We improve them gradually, because our ideals are vague and tentative, and our knowledge is very limited; because Nature, too, is shy and slow in our clumsy hands.
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The science of our time has attacked but a little department of the field of human disease, but, even so, it spreads its operations very steadily and persistently.
herenounUS /here/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Our agriculture and horticulture destroy a weed just here and there and cultivate perhaps a score or so of wholesome plants, leaving the greater number to fight out a balance as they can.
horticulture
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Our agriculture and horticulture destroy a weed just here and there and cultivate perhaps a score or so of wholesome plants, leaving the greater number to fight out a balance as they can.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We improve our favourite plants and animals—and how few they are—gradually by selective breeding; now a new and better peach, now a seedless grape, now a sweeter and larger flower, now a more convenient breed of cattle.
human
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The science of our time has attacked but a little department of the field of human disease, but, even so, it spreads its operations very steadily and persistently.
ideals
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We improve them gradually, because our ideals are vague and tentative, and our knowledge is very limited; because Nature, too, is shy and slow in our clumsy hands.
improve
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We improve our favourite plants and animals—and how few they are—gradually by selective breeding; now a new and better peach, now a seedless grape, now a sweeter and larger flower, now a more convenient breed of cattle.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading “After all, the sanitation and the agriculture of today are still in the rudimentary stage.
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading We improve them gradually, because our ideals are vague and tentative, and our knowledge is very limited; because Nature, too, is shy and slow in our clumsy hands.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The science of our time has attacked but a little department of the field of human disease, but, even so, it spreads its operations very steadily and persistently.
itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading The science of our time has attacked but a little department of the field of human disease, but, even so, it spreads its operations very steadily and persistently.
just
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Our agriculture and horticulture destroy a weed just here and there and cultivate perhaps a score or so of wholesome plants, leaving the greater number to fight out a balance as they can.
knowledge
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We improve them gradually, because our ideals are vague and tentative, and our knowledge is very limited; because Nature, too, is shy and slow in our clumsy hands.
larger
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We improve our favourite plants and animals—and how few they are—gradually by selective breeding; now a new and better peach, now a seedless grape, now a sweeter and larger flower, now a more convenient breed of cattle.
leaving
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Our agriculture and horticulture destroy a weed just here and there and cultivate perhaps a score or so of wholesome plants, leaving the greater number to fight out a balance as they can.
limited
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We improve them gradually, because our ideals are vague and tentative, and our knowledge is very limited; because Nature, too, is shy and slow in our clumsy hands.
littlenounUS /little/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The science of our time has attacked but a little department of the field of human disease, but, even so, it spreads its operations very steadily and persistently.
more
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We improve our favourite plants and animals—and how few they are—gradually by selective breeding; now a new and better peach, now a seedless grape, now a sweeter and larger flower, now a more convenient breed of cattle.
Nature
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We improve them gradually, because our ideals are vague and tentative, and our knowledge is very limited; because Nature, too, is shy and slow in our clumsy hands.
new
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We improve our favourite plants and animals—and how few they are—gradually by selective breeding; now a new and better peach, now a seedless grape, now a sweeter and larger flower, now a more convenient breed of cattle.
now
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We improve our favourite plants and animals—and how few they are—gradually by selective breeding; now a new and better peach, now a seedless grape, now a sweeter and larger flower, now a more convenient breed of cattle.
number
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Our agriculture and horticulture destroy a weed just here and there and cultivate perhaps a score or so of wholesome plants, leaving the greater number to fight out a balance as they can.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading “After all, the sanitation and the agriculture of today are still in the rudimentary stage.
operations
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The science of our time has attacked but a little department of the field of human disease, but, even so, it spreads its operations very steadily and persistently.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Our agriculture and horticulture destroy a weed just here and there and cultivate perhaps a score or so of wholesome plants, leaving the greater number to fight out a balance as they can.
ourdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading The science of our time has attacked but a little department of the field of human disease, but, even so, it spreads its operations very steadily and persistently.
out
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Our agriculture and horticulture destroy a weed just here and there and cultivate perhaps a score or so of wholesome plants, leaving the greater number to fight out a balance as they can.
peachverbUS /piːtʃ/
inform against or betray someone
From this reading We improve our favourite plants and animals—and how few they are—gradually by selective breeding; now a new and better peach, now a seedless grape, now a sweeter and larger flower, now a more convenient breed of cattle.
perhaps
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Our agriculture and horticulture destroy a weed just here and there and cultivate perhaps a score or so of wholesome plants, leaving the greater number to fight out a balance as they can.
persistently
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The science of our time has attacked but a little department of the field of human disease, but, even so, it spreads its operations very steadily and persistently.
plants
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Our agriculture and horticulture destroy a weed just here and there and cultivate perhaps a score or so of wholesome plants, leaving the greater number to fight out a balance as they can.
rudimentary
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “After all, the sanitation and the agriculture of today are still in the rudimentary stage.
sanitationnounUS /ˌsænəˈteɪʃən/
the state of being clean and conducive to health
From this reading “After all, the sanitation and the agriculture of today are still in the rudimentary stage.
science
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The science of our time has attacked but a little department of the field of human disease, but, even so, it spreads its operations very steadily and persistently.
scorenounUS /score/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Our agriculture and horticulture destroy a weed just here and there and cultivate perhaps a score or so of wholesome plants, leaving the greater number to fight out a balance as they can.
seedless
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We improve our favourite plants and animals—and how few they are—gradually by selective breeding; now a new and better peach, now a seedless grape, now a sweeter and larger flower, now a more convenient breed of cattle.
selective
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We improve our favourite plants and animals—and how few they are—gradually by selective breeding; now a new and better peach, now a seedless grape, now a sweeter and larger flower, now a more convenient breed of cattle.
shy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We improve them gradually, because our ideals are vague and tentative, and our knowledge is very limited; because Nature, too, is shy and slow in our clumsy hands.
slow
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We improve them gradually, because our ideals are vague and tentative, and our knowledge is very limited; because Nature, too, is shy and slow in our clumsy hands.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading The science of our time has attacked but a little department of the field of human disease, but, even so, it spreads its operations very steadily and persistently.
spreads
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The science of our time has attacked but a little department of the field of human disease, but, even so, it spreads its operations very steadily and persistently.
stage
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “After all, the sanitation and the agriculture of today are still in the rudimentary stage.
steadily
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The science of our time has attacked but a little department of the field of human disease, but, even so, it spreads its operations very steadily and persistently.
stillnounUS /still/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “After all, the sanitation and the agriculture of today are still in the rudimentary stage.
sweeter
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We improve our favourite plants and animals—and how few they are—gradually by selective breeding; now a new and better peach, now a seedless grape, now a sweeter and larger flower, now a more convenient breed of cattle.
tentative
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We improve them gradually, because our ideals are vague and tentative, and our knowledge is very limited; because Nature, too, is shy and slow in our clumsy hands.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading “After all, the sanitation and the agriculture of today are still in the rudimentary stage.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading We improve them gradually, because our ideals are vague and tentative, and our knowledge is very limited; because Nature, too, is shy and slow in our clumsy hands.
there
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Our agriculture and horticulture destroy a weed just here and there and cultivate perhaps a score or so of wholesome plants, leaving the greater number to fight out a balance as they can.
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Our agriculture and horticulture destroy a weed just here and there and cultivate perhaps a score or so of wholesome plants, leaving the greater number to fight out a balance as they can.
timenounUS /time/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The science of our time has attacked but a little department of the field of human disease, but, even so, it spreads its operations very steadily and persistently.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Our agriculture and horticulture destroy a weed just here and there and cultivate perhaps a score or so of wholesome plants, leaving the greater number to fight out a balance as they can.
today
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “After all, the sanitation and the agriculture of today are still in the rudimentary stage.
too
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We improve them gradually, because our ideals are vague and tentative, and our knowledge is very limited; because Nature, too, is shy and slow in our clumsy hands.
vague
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We improve them gradually, because our ideals are vague and tentative, and our knowledge is very limited; because Nature, too, is shy and slow in our clumsy hands.
very
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The science of our time has attacked but a little department of the field of human disease, but, even so, it spreads its operations very steadily and persistently.
WepronounUS /wiː/
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading We improve our favourite plants and animals—and how few they are—gradually by selective breeding; now a new and better peach, now a seedless grape, now a sweeter and larger flower, now a more convenient breed of cattle.
weed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Our agriculture and horticulture destroy a weed just here and there and cultivate perhaps a score or so of wholesome plants, leaving the greater number to fight out a balance as they can.
wholesome
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Our agriculture and horticulture destroy a weed just here and there and cultivate perhaps a score or so of wholesome plants, leaving the greater number to fight out a balance as they can.
