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ability
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was not too sure of himself yet, even with his ability to read their surface thoughts, for so often those thoughts held connotations he was not sure he understood.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It was hard, devilishly and maddeningly hard, to discern what these people were really thinking.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading It wasn't their language--that had been fairly easy to sleep-learn from the reels.
called
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From this reading So now SSM George Hanlon was here on this planet they called Estrella, trying to see what he could find out.
connotations
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From this reading He was not too sure of himself yet, even with his ability to read their surface thoughts, for so often those thoughts held connotations he was not sure he understood.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading So now SSM George Hanlon was here on this planet they called Estrella, trying to see what he could find out.
devilishly
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From this reading It was hard, devilishly and maddeningly hard, to discern what these people were really thinking.
discern
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From this reading It was hard, devilishly and maddeningly hard, to discern what these people were really thinking.
easy
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From this reading It wasn't their language--that had been fairly easy to sleep-learn from the reels.
Estrella
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From this reading So now SSM George Hanlon was here on this planet they called Estrella, trying to see what he could find out.
evennounUS /even/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He was not too sure of himself yet, even with his ability to read their surface thoughts, for so often those thoughts held connotations he was not sure he understood.
fairly
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From this reading It wasn't their language--that had been fairly easy to sleep-learn from the reels.
find
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From this reading So now SSM George Hanlon was here on this planet they called Estrella, trying to see what he could find out.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading He was not too sure of himself yet, even with his ability to read their surface thoughts, for so often those thoughts held connotations he was not sure he understood.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading It wasn't their language--that had been fairly easy to sleep-learn from the reels.
George
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From this reading So now SSM George Hanlon was here on this planet they called Estrella, trying to see what he could find out.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading It wasn't their language--that had been fairly easy to sleep-learn from the reels.
Hanlon
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From this reading So now SSM George Hanlon was here on this planet they called Estrella, trying to see what he could find out.
hard
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From this reading It was hard, devilishly and maddeningly hard, to discern what these people were really thinking.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading So now SSM George Hanlon was here on this planet they called Estrella, trying to see what he could find out.
held
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was not too sure of himself yet, even with his ability to read their surface thoughts, for so often those thoughts held connotations he was not sure he understood.
herenounUS /here/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading So now SSM George Hanlon was here on this planet they called Estrella, trying to see what he could find out.
himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading He was not too sure of himself yet, even with his ability to read their surface thoughts, for so often those thoughts held connotations he was not sure he understood.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He was not too sure of himself yet, even with his ability to read their surface thoughts, for so often those thoughts held connotations he was not sure he understood.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was hard, devilishly and maddeningly hard, to discern what these people were really thinking.
language
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It wasn't their language--that had been fairly easy to sleep-learn from the reels.
maddeningly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was hard, devilishly and maddeningly hard, to discern what these people were really thinking.
mental
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No, it was their mental processes--the way they thought.
NodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading No, it was their mental processes--the way they thought.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading He was not too sure of himself yet, even with his ability to read their surface thoughts, for so often those thoughts held connotations he was not sure he understood.
now
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From this reading So now SSM George Hanlon was here on this planet they called Estrella, trying to see what he could find out.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He was not too sure of himself yet, even with his ability to read their surface thoughts, for so often those thoughts held connotations he was not sure he understood.
often
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was not too sure of himself yet, even with his ability to read their surface thoughts, for so often those thoughts held connotations he was not sure he understood.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading So now SSM George Hanlon was here on this planet they called Estrella, trying to see what he could find out.
out
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From this reading So now SSM George Hanlon was here on this planet they called Estrella, trying to see what he could find out.
people
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From this reading It was hard, devilishly and maddeningly hard, to discern what these people were really thinking.
planet
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading So now SSM George Hanlon was here on this planet they called Estrella, trying to see what he could find out.
processes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No, it was their mental processes--the way they thought.
read
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was not too sure of himself yet, even with his ability to read their surface thoughts, for so often those thoughts held connotations he was not sure he understood.
really
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was hard, devilishly and maddeningly hard, to discern what these people were really thinking.
reels
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It wasn't their language--that had been fairly easy to sleep-learn from the reels.
see
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading So now SSM George Hanlon was here on this planet they called Estrella, trying to see what he could find out.
sleep-learn
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From this reading It wasn't their language--that had been fairly easy to sleep-learn from the reels.
SoconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading So now SSM George Hanlon was here on this planet they called Estrella, trying to see what he could find out.
SSM
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From this reading So now SSM George Hanlon was here on this planet they called Estrella, trying to see what he could find out.
surenounUS /sure/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He was not too sure of himself yet, even with his ability to read their surface thoughts, for so often those thoughts held connotations he was not sure he understood.
surface
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was not too sure of himself yet, even with his ability to read their surface thoughts, for so often those thoughts held connotations he was not sure he understood.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It wasn't their language--that had been fairly easy to sleep-learn from the reels.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading It wasn't their language--that had been fairly easy to sleep-learn from the reels.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading It wasn't their language--that had been fairly easy to sleep-learn from the reels.
thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading It was hard, devilishly and maddeningly hard, to discern what these people were really thinking.
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading So now SSM George Hanlon was here on this planet they called Estrella, trying to see what he could find out.
thinkingnounUS /thinking/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It was hard, devilishly and maddeningly hard, to discern what these people were really thinking.
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading So now SSM George Hanlon was here on this planet they called Estrella, trying to see what he could find out.
thosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading He was not too sure of himself yet, even with his ability to read their surface thoughts, for so often those thoughts held connotations he was not sure he understood.
thoughtnounUS /thought/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading No, it was their mental processes--the way they thought.
thoughts
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was not too sure of himself yet, even with his ability to read their surface thoughts, for so often those thoughts held connotations he was not sure he understood.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading So now SSM George Hanlon was here on this planet they called Estrella, trying to see what he could find out.
too
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was not too sure of himself yet, even with his ability to read their surface thoughts, for so often those thoughts held connotations he was not sure he understood.
trying
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading So now SSM George Hanlon was here on this planet they called Estrella, trying to see what he could find out.
understood
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was not too sure of himself yet, even with his ability to read their surface thoughts, for so often those thoughts held connotations he was not sure he understood.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading So now SSM George Hanlon was here on this planet they called Estrella, trying to see what he could find out.
wasn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It wasn't their language--that had been fairly easy to sleep-learn from the reels.
way
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No, it was their mental processes--the way they thought.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading It was hard, devilishly and maddeningly hard, to discern what these people were really thinking.
whatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading So now SSM George Hanlon was here on this planet they called Estrella, trying to see what he could find out.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading He was not too sure of himself yet, even with his ability to read their surface thoughts, for so often those thoughts held connotations he was not sure he understood.
yetconjunctionUS /jet/
but in spite of that
From this reading He was not too sure of himself yet, even with his ability to read their surface thoughts, for so often those thoughts held connotations he was not sure he understood.