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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 And Graham, standing underneath, was startled by the sound of a voice.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE ROOF SPACES As the fans in the circular aperture of the inner room rotated and permitted glimpses of the night, dim sounds drifted in thereby.
aperture
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From this reading THE ROOF SPACES As the fans in the circular aperture of the inner room rotated and permitted glimpses of the night, dim sounds drifted in thereby.
AsconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading THE ROOF SPACES As the fans in the circular aperture of the inner room rotated and permitted glimpses of the night, dim sounds drifted in thereby.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Graham looked down, and there were spots of blood at his feet.
beat
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From this reading Then a dark hand was extended, the swift vane struck it, swung round and beat on with a little brownish patch on the edge of its thin blade, and something began to fall therefrom upon the floor, dripping silently.
begannounUS /began/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Then a dark hand was extended, the swift vane struck it, swung round and beat on with a little brownish patch on the edge of its thin blade, and something began to fall therefrom upon the floor, dripping silently.
blade
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From this reading Then a dark hand was extended, the swift vane struck it, swung round and beat on with a little brownish patch on the edge of its thin blade, and something began to fall therefrom upon the floor, dripping silently.
bloodnounUS /blood/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Graham looked down, and there were spots of blood at his feet.
brownish
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From this reading Then a dark hand was extended, the swift vane struck it, swung round and beat on with a little brownish patch on the edge of its thin blade, and something began to fall therefrom upon the floor, dripping silently.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading And Graham, standing underneath, was startled by the sound of a voice.
circular
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From this reading THE ROOF SPACES As the fans in the circular aperture of the inner room rotated and permitted glimpses of the night, dim sounds drifted in thereby.
dark
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From this reading He peered up and saw in the intervals of the rotation, dark and dim, the face and shoulders of a man regarding him.
dim
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From this reading THE ROOF SPACES As the fans in the circular aperture of the inner room rotated and permitted glimpses of the night, dim sounds drifted in thereby.
down
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From this reading Graham looked down, and there were spots of blood at his feet.
drifted
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From this reading THE ROOF SPACES As the fans in the circular aperture of the inner room rotated and permitted glimpses of the night, dim sounds drifted in thereby.
dripping
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From this reading Then a dark hand was extended, the swift vane struck it, swung round and beat on with a little brownish patch on the edge of its thin blade, and something began to fall therefrom upon the floor, dripping silently.
edge
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From this reading Then a dark hand was extended, the swift vane struck it, swung round and beat on with a little brownish patch on the edge of its thin blade, and something began to fall therefrom upon the floor, dripping silently.
extended
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From this reading Then a dark hand was extended, the swift vane struck it, swung round and beat on with a little brownish patch on the edge of its thin blade, and something began to fall therefrom upon the floor, dripping silently.
face
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From this reading He peered up and saw in the intervals of the rotation, dark and dim, the face and shoulders of a man regarding him.
fall
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From this reading Then a dark hand was extended, the swift vane struck it, swung round and beat on with a little brownish patch on the edge of its thin blade, and something began to fall therefrom upon the floor, dripping silently.
fans
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From this reading THE ROOF SPACES As the fans in the circular aperture of the inner room rotated and permitted glimpses of the night, dim sounds drifted in thereby.
feet
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From this reading Graham looked down, and there were spots of blood at his feet.
floor
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From this reading Then a dark hand was extended, the swift vane struck it, swung round and beat on with a little brownish patch on the edge of its thin blade, and something began to fall therefrom upon the floor, dripping silently.
glimpses
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From this reading THE ROOF SPACES As the fans in the circular aperture of the inner room rotated and permitted glimpses of the night, dim sounds drifted in thereby.
Graham
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From this reading And Graham, standing underneath, was startled by the sound of a voice.
hand
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From this reading Then a dark hand was extended, the swift vane struck it, swung round and beat on with a little brownish patch on the edge of its thin blade, and something began to fall therefrom upon the floor, dripping silently.
HepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He peered up and saw in the intervals of the rotation, dark and dim, the face and shoulders of a man regarding him.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He peered up and saw in the intervals of the rotation, dark and dim, the face and shoulders of a man regarding him.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Graham looked down, and there were spots of blood at his feet.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading THE ROOF SPACES As the fans in the circular aperture of the inner room rotated and permitted glimpses of the night, dim sounds drifted in thereby.
inner
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From this reading THE ROOF SPACES As the fans in the circular aperture of the inner room rotated and permitted glimpses of the night, dim sounds drifted in thereby.
intervals
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From this reading He peered up and saw in the intervals of the rotation, dark and dim, the face and shoulders of a man regarding him.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Then a dark hand was extended, the swift vane struck it, swung round and beat on with a little brownish patch on the edge of its thin blade, and something began to fall therefrom upon the floor, dripping silently.
itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading Then a dark hand was extended, the swift vane struck it, swung round and beat on with a little brownish patch on the edge of its thin blade, and something began to fall therefrom upon the floor, dripping silently.
littlenounUS /little/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Then a dark hand was extended, the swift vane struck it, swung round and beat on with a little brownish patch on the edge of its thin blade, and something began to fall therefrom upon the floor, dripping silently.
lookednounUS /looked/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Graham looked down, and there were spots of blood at his feet.
man
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From this reading He peered up and saw in the intervals of the rotation, dark and dim, the face and shoulders of a man regarding him.
night
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From this reading THE ROOF SPACES As the fans in the circular aperture of the inner room rotated and permitted glimpses of the night, dim sounds drifted in thereby.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE ROOF SPACES As the fans in the circular aperture of the inner room rotated and permitted glimpses of the night, dim sounds drifted in thereby.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Then a dark hand was extended, the swift vane struck it, swung round and beat on with a little brownish patch on the edge of its thin blade, and something began to fall therefrom upon the floor, dripping silently.
patch
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From this reading Then a dark hand was extended, the swift vane struck it, swung round and beat on with a little brownish patch on the edge of its thin blade, and something began to fall therefrom upon the floor, dripping silently.
peered
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From this reading He peered up and saw in the intervals of the rotation, dark and dim, the face and shoulders of a man regarding him.
permitted
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From this reading THE ROOF SPACES As the fans in the circular aperture of the inner room rotated and permitted glimpses of the night, dim sounds drifted in thereby.
regarding
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From this reading He peered up and saw in the intervals of the rotation, dark and dim, the face and shoulders of a man regarding him.
ROOF
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From this reading THE ROOF SPACES As the fans in the circular aperture of the inner room rotated and permitted glimpses of the night, dim sounds drifted in thereby.
room
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From this reading THE ROOF SPACES As the fans in the circular aperture of the inner room rotated and permitted glimpses of the night, dim sounds drifted in thereby.
rotated
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From this reading THE ROOF SPACES As the fans in the circular aperture of the inner room rotated and permitted glimpses of the night, dim sounds drifted in thereby.
rotation
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From this reading He peered up and saw in the intervals of the rotation, dark and dim, the face and shoulders of a man regarding him.
round
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From this reading Then a dark hand was extended, the swift vane struck it, swung round and beat on with a little brownish patch on the edge of its thin blade, and something began to fall therefrom upon the floor, dripping silently.
saw
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He peered up and saw in the intervals of the rotation, dark and dim, the face and shoulders of a man regarding him.
shoulders
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From this reading He peered up and saw in the intervals of the rotation, dark and dim, the face and shoulders of a man regarding him.
silently
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From this reading Then a dark hand was extended, the swift vane struck it, swung round and beat on with a little brownish patch on the edge of its thin blade, and something began to fall therefrom upon the floor, dripping silently.
somethingpronounUS /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/
a thing, without saying which
From this reading Then a dark hand was extended, the swift vane struck it, swung round and beat on with a little brownish patch on the edge of its thin blade, and something began to fall therefrom upon the floor, dripping silently.
sound
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From this reading And Graham, standing underneath, was startled by the sound of a voice.
sounds
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From this reading THE ROOF SPACES As the fans in the circular aperture of the inner room rotated and permitted glimpses of the night, dim sounds drifted in thereby.
SPACES
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From this reading THE ROOF SPACES As the fans in the circular aperture of the inner room rotated and permitted glimpses of the night, dim sounds drifted in thereby.
spots
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From this reading Graham looked down, and there were spots of blood at his feet.
standingnounUS /ˈstanding/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading And Graham, standing underneath, was startled by the sound of a voice.
startled
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From this reading And Graham, standing underneath, was startled by the sound of a voice.
strucknounUS /struck/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Then a dark hand was extended, the swift vane struck it, swung round and beat on with a little brownish patch on the edge of its thin blade, and something began to fall therefrom upon the floor, dripping silently.
swift
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then a dark hand was extended, the swift vane struck it, swung round and beat on with a little brownish patch on the edge of its thin blade, and something began to fall therefrom upon the floor, dripping silently.
swung
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From this reading Then a dark hand was extended, the swift vane struck it, swung round and beat on with a little brownish patch on the edge of its thin blade, and something began to fall therefrom upon the floor, dripping silently.
THEdeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE ROOF SPACES As the fans in the circular aperture of the inner room rotated and permitted glimpses of the night, dim sounds drifted in thereby.
Then
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From this reading Then a dark hand was extended, the swift vane struck it, swung round and beat on with a little brownish patch on the edge of its thin blade, and something began to fall therefrom upon the floor, dripping silently.
there
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From this reading Graham looked down, and there were spots of blood at his feet.
thereby
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From this reading THE ROOF SPACES As the fans in the circular aperture of the inner room rotated and permitted glimpses of the night, dim sounds drifted in thereby.
therefrom
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From this reading Then a dark hand was extended, the swift vane struck it, swung round and beat on with a little brownish patch on the edge of its thin blade, and something began to fall therefrom upon the floor, dripping silently.
thinadjectiveUS /θɪn/
Having little thickness or extent.
From this reading Then a dark hand was extended, the swift vane struck it, swung round and beat on with a little brownish patch on the edge of its thin blade, and something began to fall therefrom upon the floor, dripping silently.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Then a dark hand was extended, the swift vane struck it, swung round and beat on with a little brownish patch on the edge of its thin blade, and something began to fall therefrom upon the floor, dripping silently.
underneathprepositionUS /ˌʌndərˈniːθ/
directly under, often hidden by what is above
From this reading And Graham, standing underneath, was startled by the sound of a voice.
up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He peered up and saw in the intervals of the rotation, dark and dim, the face and shoulders of a man regarding him.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Then a dark hand was extended, the swift vane struck it, swung round and beat on with a little brownish patch on the edge of its thin blade, and something began to fall therefrom upon the floor, dripping silently.
vane
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From this reading Then a dark hand was extended, the swift vane struck it, swung round and beat on with a little brownish patch on the edge of its thin blade, and something began to fall therefrom upon the floor, dripping silently.
voice
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From this reading And Graham, standing underneath, was startled by the sound of a voice.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading And Graham, standing underneath, was startled by the sound of a voice.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Graham looked down, and there were spots of blood at his feet.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading Then a dark hand was extended, the swift vane struck it, swung round and beat on with a little brownish patch on the edge of its thin blade, and something began to fall therefrom upon the floor, dripping silently.