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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 few words about Dostoevsky himself may help the English reader to understand his work.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading A few words about Dostoevsky himself may help the English reader to understand his work.
aloud
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From this reading The father and mother spent their evenings in reading aloud to their children, generally from books of a serious character.
always
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From this reading Though always sickly and delicate Dostoevsky came out third in the final examination of the Petersburg school of Engineering.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading His parents were very hard-working and deeply religious people, but so poor that they lived with their five children in only two rooms.
booksnounUS /bʊks/
Bound written or printed works.
From this reading The father and mother spent their evenings in reading aloud to their children, generally from books of a serious character.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading His parents were very hard-working and deeply religious people, but so poor that they lived with their five children in only two rooms.
came
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From this reading Though always sickly and delicate Dostoevsky came out third in the final examination of the Petersburg school of Engineering.
character
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From this reading The father and mother spent their evenings in reading aloud to their children, generally from books of a serious character.
children
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From this reading His parents were very hard-working and deeply religious people, but so poor that they lived with their five children in only two rooms.
deeply
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From this reading His parents were very hard-working and deeply religious people, but so poor that they lived with their five children in only two rooms.
delicate
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From this reading Though always sickly and delicate Dostoevsky came out third in the final examination of the Petersburg school of Engineering.
doctornounUS /doctor/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Dostoevsky was the son of a doctor.
Dostoevsky
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From this reading A few words about Dostoevsky himself may help the English reader to understand his work.
Engineering
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From this reading Though always sickly and delicate Dostoevsky came out third in the final examination of the Petersburg school of Engineering.
English
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From this reading A few words about Dostoevsky himself may help the English reader to understand his work.
evenings
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From this reading The father and mother spent their evenings in reading aloud to their children, generally from books of a serious character.
examination
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From this reading Though always sickly and delicate Dostoevsky came out third in the final examination of the Petersburg school of Engineering.
father
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From this reading The father and mother spent their evenings in reading aloud to their children, generally from books of a serious character.
few
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From this reading A few words about Dostoevsky himself may help the English reader to understand his work.
final
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From this reading Though always sickly and delicate Dostoevsky came out third in the final examination of the Petersburg school of Engineering.
five
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From this reading His parents were very hard-working and deeply religious people, but so poor that they lived with their five children in only two rooms.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The father and mother spent their evenings in reading aloud to their children, generally from books of a serious character.
generally
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From this reading The father and mother spent their evenings in reading aloud to their children, generally from books of a serious character.
hard-working
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From this reading His parents were very hard-working and deeply religious people, but so poor that they lived with their five children in only two rooms.
helpnounUS /help/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading A few words about Dostoevsky himself may help the English reader to understand his work.
himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading A few words about Dostoevsky himself may help the English reader to understand his work.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading A few words about Dostoevsky himself may help the English reader to understand his work.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading His parents were very hard-working and deeply religious people, but so poor that they lived with their five children in only two rooms.
lived
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From this reading His parents were very hard-working and deeply religious people, but so poor that they lived with their five children in only two rooms.
maymodal verbUS /meɪ/
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading A few words about Dostoevsky himself may help the English reader to understand his work.
mother
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From this reading The father and mother spent their evenings in reading aloud to their children, generally from books of a serious character.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Dostoevsky was the son of a doctor.
only
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From this reading His parents were very hard-working and deeply religious people, but so poor that they lived with their five children in only two rooms.
out
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From this reading Though always sickly and delicate Dostoevsky came out third in the final examination of the Petersburg school of Engineering.
parents
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From this reading His parents were very hard-working and deeply religious people, but so poor that they lived with their five children in only two rooms.
people
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From this reading His parents were very hard-working and deeply religious people, but so poor that they lived with their five children in only two rooms.
Petersburg
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From this reading Though always sickly and delicate Dostoevsky came out third in the final examination of the Petersburg school of Engineering.
poornounUS /poor/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading His parents were very hard-working and deeply religious people, but so poor that they lived with their five children in only two rooms.
reader
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From this reading A few words about Dostoevsky himself may help the English reader to understand his work.
reading
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The father and mother spent their evenings in reading aloud to their children, generally from books of a serious character.
religious
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His parents were very hard-working and deeply religious people, but so poor that they lived with their five children in only two rooms.
rooms
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His parents were very hard-working and deeply religious people, but so poor that they lived with their five children in only two rooms.
school
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From this reading Though always sickly and delicate Dostoevsky came out third in the final examination of the Petersburg school of Engineering.
serious
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From this reading The father and mother spent their evenings in reading aloud to their children, generally from books of a serious character.
sickly
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From this reading Though always sickly and delicate Dostoevsky came out third in the final examination of the Petersburg school of Engineering.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading His parents were very hard-working and deeply religious people, but so poor that they lived with their five children in only two rooms.
son
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From this reading Dostoevsky was the son of a doctor.
spent
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From this reading The father and mother spent their evenings in reading aloud to their children, generally from books of a serious character.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading His parents were very hard-working and deeply religious people, but so poor that they lived with their five children in only two rooms.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A few words about Dostoevsky himself may help the English reader to understand his work.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading His parents were very hard-working and deeply religious people, but so poor that they lived with their five children in only two rooms.
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading His parents were very hard-working and deeply religious people, but so poor that they lived with their five children in only two rooms.
thirdnounUS /third/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Though always sickly and delicate Dostoevsky came out third in the final examination of the Petersburg school of Engineering.
ThoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/
in spite of the fact that
From this reading Though always sickly and delicate Dostoevsky came out third in the final examination of the Petersburg school of Engineering.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading A few words about Dostoevsky himself may help the English reader to understand his work.
two
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His parents were very hard-working and deeply religious people, but so poor that they lived with their five children in only two rooms.
understandnounUS /understand/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading A few words about Dostoevsky himself may help the English reader to understand his work.
very
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His parents were very hard-working and deeply religious people, but so poor that they lived with their five children in only two rooms.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Dostoevsky was the son of a doctor.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading His parents were very hard-working and deeply religious people, but so poor that they lived with their five children in only two rooms.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading His parents were very hard-working and deeply religious people, but so poor that they lived with their five children in only two rooms.
words
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A few words about Dostoevsky himself may help the English reader to understand his work.
work
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A few words about Dostoevsky himself may help the English reader to understand his work.
