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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 In Great Britain and New England, in India and China, the same thing was remarked: everywhere a few swollen towns were visibly replacing the ancient order.
all
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From this reading The first great cities of the new time were horribly inconvenient, darkened by smoky fogs, insanitary and noisy; but the discovery of new methods of building, new methods of heating, changed all this.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading That this was an inevitable result of improved means of travel and transport--that, given swift means of transit, these things must be--was realised by few; and the most puerile schemes were devised to overcome the mysterious magnetism of the urban centres, and keep the people on the land.
ancientadjectiveUS /ˈeɪn.ʃənt/
Belonging to the very distant past and no longer in existence or deeply revered.
From this reading In Great Britain and New England, in India and China, the same thing was remarked: everywhere a few swollen towns were visibly replacing the ancient order.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading In Great Britain and New England, in India and China, the same thing was remarked: everywhere a few swollen towns were visibly replacing the ancient order.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading That this was an inevitable result of improved means of travel and transport--that, given swift means of transit, these things must be--was realised by few; and the most puerile schemes were devised to overcome the mysterious magnetism of the urban centres, and keep the people on the land.
Britain
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From this reading In Great Britain and New England, in India and China, the same thing was remarked: everywhere a few swollen towns were visibly replacing the ancient order.
building
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From this reading The first great cities of the new time were horribly inconvenient, darkened by smoky fogs, insanitary and noisy; but the discovery of new methods of building, new methods of heating, changed all this.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The first great cities of the new time were horribly inconvenient, darkened by smoky fogs, insanitary and noisy; but the discovery of new methods of building, new methods of heating, changed all this.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading That this was an inevitable result of improved means of travel and transport--that, given swift means of transit, these things must be--was realised by few; and the most puerile schemes were devised to overcome the mysterious magnetism of the urban centres, and keep the people on the land.
centres
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From this reading That this was an inevitable result of improved means of travel and transport--that, given swift means of transit, these things must be--was realised by few; and the most puerile schemes were devised to overcome the mysterious magnetism of the urban centres, and keep the people on the land.
century
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From this reading Yet the developments of the nineteenth century were only the dawning of the new order.
changed
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From this reading The first great cities of the new time were horribly inconvenient, darkened by smoky fogs, insanitary and noisy; but the discovery of new methods of building, new methods of heating, changed all this.
China
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From this reading In Great Britain and New England, in India and China, the same thing was remarked: everywhere a few swollen towns were visibly replacing the ancient order.
cities
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From this reading The first great cities of the new time were horribly inconvenient, darkened by smoky fogs, insanitary and noisy; but the discovery of new methods of building, new methods of heating, changed all this.
constant
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From this reading The flow of population townward was the constant preoccupation of Victorian writers.
darkened
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From this reading The first great cities of the new time were horribly inconvenient, darkened by smoky fogs, insanitary and noisy; but the discovery of new methods of building, new methods of heating, changed all this.
dawning
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From this reading Yet the developments of the nineteenth century were only the dawning of the new order.
developments
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From this reading Yet the developments of the nineteenth century were only the dawning of the new order.
devised
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From this reading That this was an inevitable result of improved means of travel and transport--that, given swift means of transit, these things must be--was realised by few; and the most puerile schemes were devised to overcome the mysterious magnetism of the urban centres, and keep the people on the land.
discovery
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From this reading The first great cities of the new time were horribly inconvenient, darkened by smoky fogs, insanitary and noisy; but the discovery of new methods of building, new methods of heating, changed all this.
England
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From this reading In Great Britain and New England, in India and China, the same thing was remarked: everywhere a few swollen towns were visibly replacing the ancient order.
everywhere
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From this reading In Great Britain and New England, in India and China, the same thing was remarked: everywhere a few swollen towns were visibly replacing the ancient order.
few
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From this reading In Great Britain and New England, in India and China, the same thing was remarked: everywhere a few swollen towns were visibly replacing the ancient order.
firstnounUS /first/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The first great cities of the new time were horribly inconvenient, darkened by smoky fogs, insanitary and noisy; but the discovery of new methods of building, new methods of heating, changed all this.
flow
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From this reading The flow of population townward was the constant preoccupation of Victorian writers.
fogs
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From this reading The first great cities of the new time were horribly inconvenient, darkened by smoky fogs, insanitary and noisy; but the discovery of new methods of building, new methods of heating, changed all this.
given
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From this reading That this was an inevitable result of improved means of travel and transport--that, given swift means of transit, these things must be--was realised by few; and the most puerile schemes were devised to overcome the mysterious magnetism of the urban centres, and keep the people on the land.
GreatnounUS /great/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading In Great Britain and New England, in India and China, the same thing was remarked: everywhere a few swollen towns were visibly replacing the ancient order.
heating
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From this reading The first great cities of the new time were horribly inconvenient, darkened by smoky fogs, insanitary and noisy; but the discovery of new methods of building, new methods of heating, changed all this.
horribly
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From this reading The first great cities of the new time were horribly inconvenient, darkened by smoky fogs, insanitary and noisy; but the discovery of new methods of building, new methods of heating, changed all this.
improved
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That this was an inevitable result of improved means of travel and transport--that, given swift means of transit, these things must be--was realised by few; and the most puerile schemes were devised to overcome the mysterious magnetism of the urban centres, and keep the people on the land.
InprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In Great Britain and New England, in India and China, the same thing was remarked: everywhere a few swollen towns were visibly replacing the ancient order.
inconvenient
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The first great cities of the new time were horribly inconvenient, darkened by smoky fogs, insanitary and noisy; but the discovery of new methods of building, new methods of heating, changed all this.
India
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From this reading In Great Britain and New England, in India and China, the same thing was remarked: everywhere a few swollen towns were visibly replacing the ancient order.
inevitable
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From this reading That this was an inevitable result of improved means of travel and transport--that, given swift means of transit, these things must be--was realised by few; and the most puerile schemes were devised to overcome the mysterious magnetism of the urban centres, and keep the people on the land.
insanitary
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From this reading The first great cities of the new time were horribly inconvenient, darkened by smoky fogs, insanitary and noisy; but the discovery of new methods of building, new methods of heating, changed all this.
keep
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From this reading That this was an inevitable result of improved means of travel and transport--that, given swift means of transit, these things must be--was realised by few; and the most puerile schemes were devised to overcome the mysterious magnetism of the urban centres, and keep the people on the land.
land
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That this was an inevitable result of improved means of travel and transport--that, given swift means of transit, these things must be--was realised by few; and the most puerile schemes were devised to overcome the mysterious magnetism of the urban centres, and keep the people on the land.
magnetism
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From this reading That this was an inevitable result of improved means of travel and transport--that, given swift means of transit, these things must be--was realised by few; and the most puerile schemes were devised to overcome the mysterious magnetism of the urban centres, and keep the people on the land.
means
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From this reading That this was an inevitable result of improved means of travel and transport--that, given swift means of transit, these things must be--was realised by few; and the most puerile schemes were devised to overcome the mysterious magnetism of the urban centres, and keep the people on the land.
methods
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The first great cities of the new time were horribly inconvenient, darkened by smoky fogs, insanitary and noisy; but the discovery of new methods of building, new methods of heating, changed all this.
most
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That this was an inevitable result of improved means of travel and transport--that, given swift means of transit, these things must be--was realised by few; and the most puerile schemes were devised to overcome the mysterious magnetism of the urban centres, and keep the people on the land.
mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading That this was an inevitable result of improved means of travel and transport--that, given swift means of transit, these things must be--was realised by few; and the most puerile schemes were devised to overcome the mysterious magnetism of the urban centres, and keep the people on the land.
mysteriousadjectiveUS /mɪˈstɪriəs/
difficult to explain or understand
From this reading That this was an inevitable result of improved means of travel and transport--that, given swift means of transit, these things must be--was realised by few; and the most puerile schemes were devised to overcome the mysterious magnetism of the urban centres, and keep the people on the land.
New
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In Great Britain and New England, in India and China, the same thing was remarked: everywhere a few swollen towns were visibly replacing the ancient order.
nineteenth
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From this reading Yet the developments of the nineteenth century were only the dawning of the new order.
noisy
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From this reading The first great cities of the new time were horribly inconvenient, darkened by smoky fogs, insanitary and noisy; but the discovery of new methods of building, new methods of heating, changed all this.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The flow of population townward was the constant preoccupation of Victorian writers.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading That this was an inevitable result of improved means of travel and transport--that, given swift means of transit, these things must be--was realised by few; and the most puerile schemes were devised to overcome the mysterious magnetism of the urban centres, and keep the people on the land.
only
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yet the developments of the nineteenth century were only the dawning of the new order.
ordernounUS /order/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading In Great Britain and New England, in India and China, the same thing was remarked: everywhere a few swollen towns were visibly replacing the ancient order.
overcome
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That this was an inevitable result of improved means of travel and transport--that, given swift means of transit, these things must be--was realised by few; and the most puerile schemes were devised to overcome the mysterious magnetism of the urban centres, and keep the people on the land.
people
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That this was an inevitable result of improved means of travel and transport--that, given swift means of transit, these things must be--was realised by few; and the most puerile schemes were devised to overcome the mysterious magnetism of the urban centres, and keep the people on the land.
population
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The flow of population townward was the constant preoccupation of Victorian writers.
preoccupation
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From this reading The flow of population townward was the constant preoccupation of Victorian writers.
puerile
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From this reading That this was an inevitable result of improved means of travel and transport--that, given swift means of transit, these things must be--was realised by few; and the most puerile schemes were devised to overcome the mysterious magnetism of the urban centres, and keep the people on the land.
realised
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That this was an inevitable result of improved means of travel and transport--that, given swift means of transit, these things must be--was realised by few; and the most puerile schemes were devised to overcome the mysterious magnetism of the urban centres, and keep the people on the land.
remarked
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In Great Britain and New England, in India and China, the same thing was remarked: everywhere a few swollen towns were visibly replacing the ancient order.
replacing
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From this reading In Great Britain and New England, in India and China, the same thing was remarked: everywhere a few swollen towns were visibly replacing the ancient order.
result
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From this reading That this was an inevitable result of improved means of travel and transport--that, given swift means of transit, these things must be--was realised by few; and the most puerile schemes were devised to overcome the mysterious magnetism of the urban centres, and keep the people on the land.
samenounUS /same/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading In Great Britain and New England, in India and China, the same thing was remarked: everywhere a few swollen towns were visibly replacing the ancient order.
schemes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That this was an inevitable result of improved means of travel and transport--that, given swift means of transit, these things must be--was realised by few; and the most puerile schemes were devised to overcome the mysterious magnetism of the urban centres, and keep the people on the land.
smoky
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The first great cities of the new time were horribly inconvenient, darkened by smoky fogs, insanitary and noisy; but the discovery of new methods of building, new methods of heating, changed all this.
swift
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That this was an inevitable result of improved means of travel and transport--that, given swift means of transit, these things must be--was realised by few; and the most puerile schemes were devised to overcome the mysterious magnetism of the urban centres, and keep the people on the land.
swollen
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In Great Britain and New England, in India and China, the same thing was remarked: everywhere a few swollen towns were visibly replacing the ancient order.
ThatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading That this was an inevitable result of improved means of travel and transport--that, given swift means of transit, these things must be--was realised by few; and the most puerile schemes were devised to overcome the mysterious magnetism of the urban centres, and keep the people on the land.
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The flow of population townward was the constant preoccupation of Victorian writers.
thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading That this was an inevitable result of improved means of travel and transport--that, given swift means of transit, these things must be--was realised by few; and the most puerile schemes were devised to overcome the mysterious magnetism of the urban centres, and keep the people on the land.
thingnounUS /thing/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading In Great Britain and New England, in India and China, the same thing was remarked: everywhere a few swollen towns were visibly replacing the ancient order.
things
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That this was an inevitable result of improved means of travel and transport--that, given swift means of transit, these things must be--was realised by few; and the most puerile schemes were devised to overcome the mysterious magnetism of the urban centres, and keep the people on the land.
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading That this was an inevitable result of improved means of travel and transport--that, given swift means of transit, these things must be--was realised by few; and the most puerile schemes were devised to overcome the mysterious magnetism of the urban centres, and keep the people on the land.
timenounUS /time/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The first great cities of the new time were horribly inconvenient, darkened by smoky fogs, insanitary and noisy; but the discovery of new methods of building, new methods of heating, changed all this.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading That this was an inevitable result of improved means of travel and transport--that, given swift means of transit, these things must be--was realised by few; and the most puerile schemes were devised to overcome the mysterious magnetism of the urban centres, and keep the people on the land.
towns
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In Great Britain and New England, in India and China, the same thing was remarked: everywhere a few swollen towns were visibly replacing the ancient order.
townward
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The flow of population townward was the constant preoccupation of Victorian writers.
transit
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That this was an inevitable result of improved means of travel and transport--that, given swift means of transit, these things must be--was realised by few; and the most puerile schemes were devised to overcome the mysterious magnetism of the urban centres, and keep the people on the land.
transport
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That this was an inevitable result of improved means of travel and transport--that, given swift means of transit, these things must be--was realised by few; and the most puerile schemes were devised to overcome the mysterious magnetism of the urban centres, and keep the people on the land.
travel
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That this was an inevitable result of improved means of travel and transport--that, given swift means of transit, these things must be--was realised by few; and the most puerile schemes were devised to overcome the mysterious magnetism of the urban centres, and keep the people on the land.
urban
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That this was an inevitable result of improved means of travel and transport--that, given swift means of transit, these things must be--was realised by few; and the most puerile schemes were devised to overcome the mysterious magnetism of the urban centres, and keep the people on the land.
Victorian
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The flow of population townward was the constant preoccupation of Victorian writers.
visibly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In Great Britain and New England, in India and China, the same thing was remarked: everywhere a few swollen towns were visibly replacing the ancient order.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The flow of population townward was the constant preoccupation of Victorian writers.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading In Great Britain and New England, in India and China, the same thing was remarked: everywhere a few swollen towns were visibly replacing the ancient order.
writers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The flow of population townward was the constant preoccupation of Victorian writers.
YetconjunctionUS /jet/
but in spite of that
From this reading Yet the developments of the nineteenth century were only the dawning of the new order.
