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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 It has ever since been to me a matter for wonder how a sound so fine could have reached our ears from that distance.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading As I have said, we were on the second floor, and the sound which now filled us with apprehension proceeded from the lower part of the house.
ANSWER
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From this reading THE ANSWER TO THE BELL.
any
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From this reading It was very faint, and I judged--though in such circumstances but small reliance could be placed upon any judgment I may have formed--that if human feet produced it they must have been encased in soft shoes or slippers.
apprehension
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From this reading As I have said, we were on the second floor, and the sound which now filled us with apprehension proceeded from the lower part of the house.
AsconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As I have said, we were on the second floor, and the sound which now filled us with apprehension proceeded from the lower part of the house.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading It was very faint, and I judged--though in such circumstances but small reliance could be placed upon any judgment I may have formed--that if human feet produced it they must have been encased in soft shoes or slippers.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading It was very faint, and I judged--though in such circumstances but small reliance could be placed upon any judgment I may have formed--that if human feet produced it they must have been encased in soft shoes or slippers.
BELL
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From this reading THE ANSWER TO THE BELL.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading It was very faint, and I judged--though in such circumstances but small reliance could be placed upon any judgment I may have formed--that if human feet produced it they must have been encased in soft shoes or slippers.
circumstances
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From this reading It was very faint, and I judged--though in such circumstances but small reliance could be placed upon any judgment I may have formed--that if human feet produced it they must have been encased in soft shoes or slippers.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading It was very faint, and I judged--though in such circumstances but small reliance could be placed upon any judgment I may have formed--that if human feet produced it they must have been encased in soft shoes or slippers.
distance
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From this reading It has ever since been to me a matter for wonder how a sound so fine could have reached our ears from that distance.
ears
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From this reading It has ever since been to me a matter for wonder how a sound so fine could have reached our ears from that distance.
encased
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From this reading It was very faint, and I judged--though in such circumstances but small reliance could be placed upon any judgment I may have formed--that if human feet produced it they must have been encased in soft shoes or slippers.
evernounUS /ever/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It has ever since been to me a matter for wonder how a sound so fine could have reached our ears from that distance.
faint
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From this reading It was very faint, and I judged--though in such circumstances but small reliance could be placed upon any judgment I may have formed--that if human feet produced it they must have been encased in soft shoes or slippers.
fear
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From this reading We stood transfixed with fear.
feet
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From this reading It was very faint, and I judged--though in such circumstances but small reliance could be placed upon any judgment I may have formed--that if human feet produced it they must have been encased in soft shoes or slippers.
filled
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From this reading As I have said, we were on the second floor, and the sound which now filled us with apprehension proceeded from the lower part of the house.
finenounUS /fine/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It has ever since been to me a matter for wonder how a sound so fine could have reached our ears from that distance.
floor
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From this reading As I have said, we were on the second floor, and the sound which now filled us with apprehension proceeded from the lower part of the house.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading It has ever since been to me a matter for wonder how a sound so fine could have reached our ears from that distance.
formed
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From this reading It was very faint, and I judged--though in such circumstances but small reliance could be placed upon any judgment I may have formed--that if human feet produced it they must have been encased in soft shoes or slippers.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading As I have said, we were on the second floor, and the sound which now filled us with apprehension proceeded from the lower part of the house.
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It has ever since been to me a matter for wonder how a sound so fine could have reached our ears from that distance.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading As I have said, we were on the second floor, and the sound which now filled us with apprehension proceeded from the lower part of the house.
house
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From this reading As I have said, we were on the second floor, and the sound which now filled us with apprehension proceeded from the lower part of the house.
how
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From this reading It has ever since been to me a matter for wonder how a sound so fine could have reached our ears from that distance.
human
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From this reading It was very faint, and I judged--though in such circumstances but small reliance could be placed upon any judgment I may have formed--that if human feet produced it they must have been encased in soft shoes or slippers.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading As I have said, we were on the second floor, and the sound which now filled us with apprehension proceeded from the lower part of the house.
ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading It was very faint, and I judged--though in such circumstances but small reliance could be placed upon any judgment I may have formed--that if human feet produced it they must have been encased in soft shoes or slippers.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It was very faint, and I judged--though in such circumstances but small reliance could be placed upon any judgment I may have formed--that if human feet produced it they must have been encased in soft shoes or slippers.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was very faint, and I judged--though in such circumstances but small reliance could be placed upon any judgment I may have formed--that if human feet produced it they must have been encased in soft shoes or slippers.
judged
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was very faint, and I judged--though in such circumstances but small reliance could be placed upon any judgment I may have formed--that if human feet produced it they must have been encased in soft shoes or slippers.
judgment
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From this reading It was very faint, and I judged--though in such circumstances but small reliance could be placed upon any judgment I may have formed--that if human feet produced it they must have been encased in soft shoes or slippers.
lower
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From this reading As I have said, we were on the second floor, and the sound which now filled us with apprehension proceeded from the lower part of the house.
matter
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From this reading It has ever since been to me a matter for wonder how a sound so fine could have reached our ears from that distance.
maymodal verbUS /meɪ/
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading It was very faint, and I judged--though in such circumstances but small reliance could be placed upon any judgment I may have formed--that if human feet produced it they must have been encased in soft shoes or slippers.
mepronounUS /miː/
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading It has ever since been to me a matter for wonder how a sound so fine could have reached our ears from that distance.
mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading It was very faint, and I judged--though in such circumstances but small reliance could be placed upon any judgment I may have formed--that if human feet produced it they must have been encased in soft shoes or slippers.
now
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From this reading As I have said, we were on the second floor, and the sound which now filled us with apprehension proceeded from the lower part of the house.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading As I have said, we were on the second floor, and the sound which now filled us with apprehension proceeded from the lower part of the house.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading As I have said, we were on the second floor, and the sound which now filled us with apprehension proceeded from the lower part of the house.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading It was very faint, and I judged--though in such circumstances but small reliance could be placed upon any judgment I may have formed--that if human feet produced it they must have been encased in soft shoes or slippers.
ourdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading It has ever since been to me a matter for wonder how a sound so fine could have reached our ears from that distance.
partnounUS /part/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading As I have said, we were on the second floor, and the sound which now filled us with apprehension proceeded from the lower part of the house.
placed
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From this reading It was very faint, and I judged--though in such circumstances but small reliance could be placed upon any judgment I may have formed--that if human feet produced it they must have been encased in soft shoes or slippers.
proceeded
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From this reading As I have said, we were on the second floor, and the sound which now filled us with apprehension proceeded from the lower part of the house.
produced
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From this reading It was very faint, and I judged--though in such circumstances but small reliance could be placed upon any judgment I may have formed--that if human feet produced it they must have been encased in soft shoes or slippers.
reached
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From this reading It has ever since been to me a matter for wonder how a sound so fine could have reached our ears from that distance.
reliance
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From this reading It was very faint, and I judged--though in such circumstances but small reliance could be placed upon any judgment I may have formed--that if human feet produced it they must have been encased in soft shoes or slippers.
said
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From this reading As I have said, we were on the second floor, and the sound which now filled us with apprehension proceeded from the lower part of the house.
second
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From this reading As I have said, we were on the second floor, and the sound which now filled us with apprehension proceeded from the lower part of the house.
shoes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was very faint, and I judged--though in such circumstances but small reliance could be placed upon any judgment I may have formed--that if human feet produced it they must have been encased in soft shoes or slippers.
sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading It has ever since been to me a matter for wonder how a sound so fine could have reached our ears from that distance.
slippers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was very faint, and I judged--though in such circumstances but small reliance could be placed upon any judgment I may have formed--that if human feet produced it they must have been encased in soft shoes or slippers.
small
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was very faint, and I judged--though in such circumstances but small reliance could be placed upon any judgment I may have formed--that if human feet produced it they must have been encased in soft shoes or slippers.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading It has ever since been to me a matter for wonder how a sound so fine could have reached our ears from that distance.
soft
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was very faint, and I judged--though in such circumstances but small reliance could be placed upon any judgment I may have formed--that if human feet produced it they must have been encased in soft shoes or slippers.
sound
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As I have said, we were on the second floor, and the sound which now filled us with apprehension proceeded from the lower part of the house.
stoodnounUS /stood/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading We stood transfixed with fear.
suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading It was very faint, and I judged--though in such circumstances but small reliance could be placed upon any judgment I may have formed--that if human feet produced it they must have been encased in soft shoes or slippers.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It was very faint, and I judged--though in such circumstances but small reliance could be placed upon any judgment I may have formed--that if human feet produced it they must have been encased in soft shoes or slippers.
THEdeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE ANSWER TO THE BELL.
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading It was very faint, and I judged--though in such circumstances but small reliance could be placed upon any judgment I may have formed--that if human feet produced it they must have been encased in soft shoes or slippers.
thoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/
in spite of the fact that
From this reading It was very faint, and I judged--though in such circumstances but small reliance could be placed upon any judgment I may have formed--that if human feet produced it they must have been encased in soft shoes or slippers.
TOparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading THE ANSWER TO THE BELL.
transfixed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We stood transfixed with fear.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading It was very faint, and I judged--though in such circumstances but small reliance could be placed upon any judgment I may have formed--that if human feet produced it they must have been encased in soft shoes or slippers.
uspronounUS /ʌs/
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading As I have said, we were on the second floor, and the sound which now filled us with apprehension proceeded from the lower part of the house.
very
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was very faint, and I judged--though in such circumstances but small reliance could be placed upon any judgment I may have formed--that if human feet produced it they must have been encased in soft shoes or slippers.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was very faint, and I judged--though in such circumstances but small reliance could be placed upon any judgment I may have formed--that if human feet produced it they must have been encased in soft shoes or slippers.
WepronounUS /wiː/
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading We stood transfixed with fear.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading As I have said, we were on the second floor, and the sound which now filled us with apprehension proceeded from the lower part of the house.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading As I have said, we were on the second floor, and the sound which now filled us with apprehension proceeded from the lower part of the house.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading We stood transfixed with fear.
wonder
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It has ever since been to me a matter for wonder how a sound so fine could have reached our ears from that distance.