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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 UNDER FIRE The desert was sometimes Gobi, sometimes Sahara, but always an infinite stretch of sand that floated up and up in a stifling layer, like the tide.
abhorrently
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From this reading The desert rang with phantom voices,--Chinese voices that mocked him, chanting of pestilence, intoning abhorrently in French.
againstprepositionUS /əˈɡenst/
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading Rudolph, desperately choked, continued leaping upward against an insufferable power of gravity, or straining to run against the force of paralysis.
always
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From this reading UNDER FIRE The desert was sometimes Gobi, sometimes Sahara, but always an infinite stretch of sand that floated up and up in a stifling layer, like the tide.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading UNDER FIRE The desert was sometimes Gobi, sometimes Sahara, but always an infinite stretch of sand that floated up and up in a stifling layer, like the tide.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading UNDER FIRE The desert was sometimes Gobi, sometimes Sahara, but always an infinite stretch of sand that floated up and up in a stifling layer, like the tide.
astonishment
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From this reading To his first unspeakable relief succeeded the astonishment of hearing the voices continue in shrill chorus, the tones Chinese, the words, in louder fragments, unmistakably French.
bed-clothes
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From this reading He woke to find a knot of bed-clothes smothering him.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading UNDER FIRE The desert was sometimes Gobi, sometimes Sahara, but always an infinite stretch of sand that floated up and up in a stifling layer, like the tide.
chanting
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From this reading The desert rang with phantom voices,--Chinese voices that mocked him, chanting of pestilence, intoning abhorrently in French.
Chinese
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From this reading The desert rang with phantom voices,--Chinese voices that mocked him, chanting of pestilence, intoning abhorrently in French.
choked
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From this reading Rudolph, desperately choked, continued leaping upward against an insufferable power of gravity, or straining to run against the force of paralysis.
chorusnounUS /ˈkɔrəs/
a group singing together
From this reading To his first unspeakable relief succeeded the astonishment of hearing the voices continue in shrill chorus, the tones Chinese, the words, in louder fragments, unmistakably French.
continue
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From this reading To his first unspeakable relief succeeded the astonishment of hearing the voices continue in shrill chorus, the tones Chinese, the words, in louder fragments, unmistakably French.
continuednounUS /ˈcontinued/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading Rudolph, desperately choked, continued leaping upward against an insufferable power of gravity, or straining to run against the force of paralysis.
desert
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From this reading UNDER FIRE The desert was sometimes Gobi, sometimes Sahara, but always an infinite stretch of sand that floated up and up in a stifling layer, like the tide.
desperately
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From this reading Rudolph, desperately choked, continued leaping upward against an insufferable power of gravity, or straining to run against the force of paralysis.
find
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From this reading He woke to find a knot of bed-clothes smothering him.
FIRE
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From this reading UNDER FIRE The desert was sometimes Gobi, sometimes Sahara, but always an infinite stretch of sand that floated up and up in a stifling layer, like the tide.
firstnounUS /first/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading To his first unspeakable relief succeeded the astonishment of hearing the voices continue in shrill chorus, the tones Chinese, the words, in louder fragments, unmistakably French.
floated
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading UNDER FIRE The desert was sometimes Gobi, sometimes Sahara, but always an infinite stretch of sand that floated up and up in a stifling layer, like the tide.
force
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From this reading Rudolph, desperately choked, continued leaping upward against an insufferable power of gravity, or straining to run against the force of paralysis.
fragments
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From this reading To his first unspeakable relief succeeded the astonishment of hearing the voices continue in shrill chorus, the tones Chinese, the words, in louder fragments, unmistakably French.
French
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From this reading The desert rang with phantom voices,--Chinese voices that mocked him, chanting of pestilence, intoning abhorrently in French.
Gobi
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading UNDER FIRE The desert was sometimes Gobi, sometimes Sahara, but always an infinite stretch of sand that floated up and up in a stifling layer, like the tide.
gravity
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Rudolph, desperately choked, continued leaping upward against an insufferable power of gravity, or straining to run against the force of paralysis.
HepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He woke to find a knot of bed-clothes smothering him.
hearing
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From this reading To his first unspeakable relief succeeded the astonishment of hearing the voices continue in shrill chorus, the tones Chinese, the words, in louder fragments, unmistakably French.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The desert rang with phantom voices,--Chinese voices that mocked him, chanting of pestilence, intoning abhorrently in French.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading To his first unspeakable relief succeeded the astonishment of hearing the voices continue in shrill chorus, the tones Chinese, the words, in louder fragments, unmistakably French.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading UNDER FIRE The desert was sometimes Gobi, sometimes Sahara, but always an infinite stretch of sand that floated up and up in a stifling layer, like the tide.
infinite
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading UNDER FIRE The desert was sometimes Gobi, sometimes Sahara, but always an infinite stretch of sand that floated up and up in a stifling layer, like the tide.
insufferable
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From this reading Rudolph, desperately choked, continued leaping upward against an insufferable power of gravity, or straining to run against the force of paralysis.
intoning
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The desert rang with phantom voices,--Chinese voices that mocked him, chanting of pestilence, intoning abhorrently in French.
knot
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He woke to find a knot of bed-clothes smothering him.
layer
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading UNDER FIRE The desert was sometimes Gobi, sometimes Sahara, but always an infinite stretch of sand that floated up and up in a stifling layer, like the tide.
leapingnounUS /ˈleaping/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading Rudolph, desperately choked, continued leaping upward against an insufferable power of gravity, or straining to run against the force of paralysis.
like
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading UNDER FIRE The desert was sometimes Gobi, sometimes Sahara, but always an infinite stretch of sand that floated up and up in a stifling layer, like the tide.
louder
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To his first unspeakable relief succeeded the astonishment of hearing the voices continue in shrill chorus, the tones Chinese, the words, in louder fragments, unmistakably French.
mocked
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The desert rang with phantom voices,--Chinese voices that mocked him, chanting of pestilence, intoning abhorrently in French.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading UNDER FIRE The desert was sometimes Gobi, sometimes Sahara, but always an infinite stretch of sand that floated up and up in a stifling layer, like the tide.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Rudolph, desperately choked, continued leaping upward against an insufferable power of gravity, or straining to run against the force of paralysis.
paralysis
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Rudolph, desperately choked, continued leaping upward against an insufferable power of gravity, or straining to run against the force of paralysis.
pestilence
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The desert rang with phantom voices,--Chinese voices that mocked him, chanting of pestilence, intoning abhorrently in French.
phantomnounUS /ˈfæn.təm/
A ghost or apparition; a figment of the imagination or a hidden dweller.
From this reading The desert rang with phantom voices,--Chinese voices that mocked him, chanting of pestilence, intoning abhorrently in French.
power
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Rudolph, desperately choked, continued leaping upward against an insufferable power of gravity, or straining to run against the force of paralysis.
rang
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The desert rang with phantom voices,--Chinese voices that mocked him, chanting of pestilence, intoning abhorrently in French.
reliefnounUS /rɪˈliːf/
a feeling of comfort after worry or pain
From this reading To his first unspeakable relief succeeded the astonishment of hearing the voices continue in shrill chorus, the tones Chinese, the words, in louder fragments, unmistakably French.
Rudolph
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From this reading Rudolph, desperately choked, continued leaping upward against an insufferable power of gravity, or straining to run against the force of paralysis.
run
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Rudolph, desperately choked, continued leaping upward against an insufferable power of gravity, or straining to run against the force of paralysis.
Sahara
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading UNDER FIRE The desert was sometimes Gobi, sometimes Sahara, but always an infinite stretch of sand that floated up and up in a stifling layer, like the tide.
sand
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading UNDER FIRE The desert was sometimes Gobi, sometimes Sahara, but always an infinite stretch of sand that floated up and up in a stifling layer, like the tide.
shrill
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To his first unspeakable relief succeeded the astonishment of hearing the voices continue in shrill chorus, the tones Chinese, the words, in louder fragments, unmistakably French.
smothering
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He woke to find a knot of bed-clothes smothering him.
sometimes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading UNDER FIRE The desert was sometimes Gobi, sometimes Sahara, but always an infinite stretch of sand that floated up and up in a stifling layer, like the tide.
stifling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading UNDER FIRE The desert was sometimes Gobi, sometimes Sahara, but always an infinite stretch of sand that floated up and up in a stifling layer, like the tide.
straining
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Rudolph, desperately choked, continued leaping upward against an insufferable power of gravity, or straining to run against the force of paralysis.
stretch
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading UNDER FIRE The desert was sometimes Gobi, sometimes Sahara, but always an infinite stretch of sand that floated up and up in a stifling layer, like the tide.
succeeded
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To his first unspeakable relief succeeded the astonishment of hearing the voices continue in shrill chorus, the tones Chinese, the words, in louder fragments, unmistakably French.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading UNDER FIRE The desert was sometimes Gobi, sometimes Sahara, but always an infinite stretch of sand that floated up and up in a stifling layer, like the tide.
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading UNDER FIRE The desert was sometimes Gobi, sometimes Sahara, but always an infinite stretch of sand that floated up and up in a stifling layer, like the tide.
tide
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading UNDER FIRE The desert was sometimes Gobi, sometimes Sahara, but always an infinite stretch of sand that floated up and up in a stifling layer, like the tide.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Rudolph, desperately choked, continued leaping upward against an insufferable power of gravity, or straining to run against the force of paralysis.
tones
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To his first unspeakable relief succeeded the astonishment of hearing the voices continue in shrill chorus, the tones Chinese, the words, in louder fragments, unmistakably French.
UNDERprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading UNDER FIRE The desert was sometimes Gobi, sometimes Sahara, but always an infinite stretch of sand that floated up and up in a stifling layer, like the tide.
unmistakably
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To his first unspeakable relief succeeded the astonishment of hearing the voices continue in shrill chorus, the tones Chinese, the words, in louder fragments, unmistakably French.
unspeakable
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To his first unspeakable relief succeeded the astonishment of hearing the voices continue in shrill chorus, the tones Chinese, the words, in louder fragments, unmistakably French.
up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading UNDER FIRE The desert was sometimes Gobi, sometimes Sahara, but always an infinite stretch of sand that floated up and up in a stifling layer, like the tide.
upward
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Rudolph, desperately choked, continued leaping upward against an insufferable power of gravity, or straining to run against the force of paralysis.
voices
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The desert rang with phantom voices,--Chinese voices that mocked him, chanting of pestilence, intoning abhorrently in French.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading UNDER FIRE The desert was sometimes Gobi, sometimes Sahara, but always an infinite stretch of sand that floated up and up in a stifling layer, like the tide.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading The desert rang with phantom voices,--Chinese voices that mocked him, chanting of pestilence, intoning abhorrently in French.
woke
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He woke to find a knot of bed-clothes smothering him.
words
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To his first unspeakable relief succeeded the astonishment of hearing the voices continue in shrill chorus, the tones Chinese, the words, in louder fragments, unmistakably French.
