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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 For the first time in his experience his helplessness was as real a thing as had been his prowess in the past.
amazement
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From this reading He looked in stunned amazement at the people who were going on with their daily duties as if nothing serious had happened or was impending.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading A drab veil reeking with despair seemed to hang between him and every visible object.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading For the first time in his experience his helplessness was as real a thing as had been his prowess in the past.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading He looked in stunned amazement at the people who were going on with their daily duties as if nothing serious had happened or was impending.
became
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From this reading |IN the few days immediately following this incident Hoag became convinced that he had reached the gravest crisis of his career.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading For the first time in his experience his helplessness was as real a thing as had been his prowess in the past.
betweenprepositionUS /bɪˈtwiːn/
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading A drab veil reeking with despair seemed to hang between him and every visible object.
career
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From this reading |IN the few days immediately following this incident Hoag became convinced that he had reached the gravest crisis of his career.
convinced
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From this reading |IN the few days immediately following this incident Hoag became convinced that he had reached the gravest crisis of his career.
crisis
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From this reading |IN the few days immediately following this incident Hoag became convinced that he had reached the gravest crisis of his career.
daily
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From this reading He looked in stunned amazement at the people who were going on with their daily duties as if nothing serious had happened or was impending.
days
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From this reading |IN the few days immediately following this incident Hoag became convinced that he had reached the gravest crisis of his career.
despair
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From this reading A drab veil reeking with despair seemed to hang between him and every visible object.
detailsnounUS /ˈdetails/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading He saw them smile, heard them laugh, and noted their interest in the smallest details.
drab
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From this reading A drab veil reeking with despair seemed to hang between him and every visible object.
duties
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From this reading He looked in stunned amazement at the people who were going on with their daily duties as if nothing serious had happened or was impending.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading A drab veil reeking with despair seemed to hang between him and every visible object.
experience
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From this reading For the first time in his experience his helplessness was as real a thing as had been his prowess in the past.
few
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From this reading |IN the few days immediately following this incident Hoag became convinced that he had reached the gravest crisis of his career.
firstnounUS /first/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading For the first time in his experience his helplessness was as real a thing as had been his prowess in the past.
following
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From this reading |IN the few days immediately following this incident Hoag became convinced that he had reached the gravest crisis of his career.
ForprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For the first time in his experience his helplessness was as real a thing as had been his prowess in the past.
going
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From this reading He looked in stunned amazement at the people who were going on with their daily duties as if nothing serious had happened or was impending.
gravest
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From this reading |IN the few days immediately following this incident Hoag became convinced that he had reached the gravest crisis of his career.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading |IN the few days immediately following this incident Hoag became convinced that he had reached the gravest crisis of his career.
hang
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From this reading A drab veil reeking with despair seemed to hang between him and every visible object.
happened
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From this reading He looked in stunned amazement at the people who were going on with their daily duties as if nothing serious had happened or was impending.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading |IN the few days immediately following this incident Hoag became convinced that he had reached the gravest crisis of his career.
heard
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From this reading He saw them smile, heard them laugh, and noted their interest in the smallest details.
helplessness
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From this reading For the first time in his experience his helplessness was as real a thing as had been his prowess in the past.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading A drab veil reeking with despair seemed to hang between him and every visible object.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading |IN the few days immediately following this incident Hoag became convinced that he had reached the gravest crisis of his career.
Hoag
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From this reading |IN the few days immediately following this incident Hoag became convinced that he had reached the gravest crisis of his career.
ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading He looked in stunned amazement at the people who were going on with their daily duties as if nothing serious had happened or was impending.
immediately
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From this reading |IN the few days immediately following this incident Hoag became convinced that he had reached the gravest crisis of his career.
impending
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From this reading He looked in stunned amazement at the people who were going on with their daily duties as if nothing serious had happened or was impending.
INprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading |IN the few days immediately following this incident Hoag became convinced that he had reached the gravest crisis of his career.
incident
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From this reading |IN the few days immediately following this incident Hoag became convinced that he had reached the gravest crisis of his career.
interest
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From this reading He saw them smile, heard them laugh, and noted their interest in the smallest details.
laugh
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From this reading He saw them smile, heard them laugh, and noted their interest in the smallest details.
lookednounUS /looked/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He looked in stunned amazement at the people who were going on with their daily duties as if nothing serious had happened or was impending.
noted
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From this reading He saw them smile, heard them laugh, and noted their interest in the smallest details.
nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/
not one thing; not anything
From this reading He looked in stunned amazement at the people who were going on with their daily duties as if nothing serious had happened or was impending.
object
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From this reading A drab veil reeking with despair seemed to hang between him and every visible object.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading |IN the few days immediately following this incident Hoag became convinced that he had reached the gravest crisis of his career.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading He looked in stunned amazement at the people who were going on with their daily duties as if nothing serious had happened or was impending.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading He looked in stunned amazement at the people who were going on with their daily duties as if nothing serious had happened or was impending.
past
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From this reading For the first time in his experience his helplessness was as real a thing as had been his prowess in the past.
people
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From this reading He looked in stunned amazement at the people who were going on with their daily duties as if nothing serious had happened or was impending.
prowess
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From this reading For the first time in his experience his helplessness was as real a thing as had been his prowess in the past.
reached
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From this reading |IN the few days immediately following this incident Hoag became convinced that he had reached the gravest crisis of his career.
real
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From this reading For the first time in his experience his helplessness was as real a thing as had been his prowess in the past.
reeking
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From this reading A drab veil reeking with despair seemed to hang between him and every visible object.
saw
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From this reading He saw them smile, heard them laugh, and noted their interest in the smallest details.
seemednounUS /seemed/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading A drab veil reeking with despair seemed to hang between him and every visible object.
serious
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From this reading He looked in stunned amazement at the people who were going on with their daily duties as if nothing serious had happened or was impending.
smallest
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He saw them smile, heard them laugh, and noted their interest in the smallest details.
smile
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He saw them smile, heard them laugh, and noted their interest in the smallest details.
stunned
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From this reading He looked in stunned amazement at the people who were going on with their daily duties as if nothing serious had happened or was impending.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading |IN the few days immediately following this incident Hoag became convinced that he had reached the gravest crisis of his career.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading |IN the few days immediately following this incident Hoag became convinced that he had reached the gravest crisis of his career.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading He looked in stunned amazement at the people who were going on with their daily duties as if nothing serious had happened or was impending.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading He saw them smile, heard them laugh, and noted their interest in the smallest details.
thingnounUS /thing/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading For the first time in his experience his helplessness was as real a thing as had been his prowess in the past.
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading |IN the few days immediately following this incident Hoag became convinced that he had reached the gravest crisis of his career.
timenounUS /time/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading For the first time in his experience his helplessness was as real a thing as had been his prowess in the past.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading A drab veil reeking with despair seemed to hang between him and every visible object.
veil
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From this reading A drab veil reeking with despair seemed to hang between him and every visible object.
visible
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A drab veil reeking with despair seemed to hang between him and every visible object.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading For the first time in his experience his helplessness was as real a thing as had been his prowess in the past.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading He looked in stunned amazement at the people who were going on with their daily duties as if nothing serious had happened or was impending.
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading He looked in stunned amazement at the people who were going on with their daily duties as if nothing serious had happened or was impending.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading A drab veil reeking with despair seemed to hang between him and every visible object.