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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 He came out through one of the now familiar sliding panels upon a plateau of landing at the head of a flight of very broad and gentle steps, with men and women far more brilliantly dressed than any he had hitherto seen, ascending and descending.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading Glancing upward, he saw tier above tier of ascending galleries with faces looking down upon him.
accustomed
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From this reading PROMINENT PEOPLE The state apartments of the Wind Vane Keeper would have astonished Graham had he entered them fresh from his nineteenth century life, but already he was growing accustomed to the scale of the new time.
air
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From this reading The air was full of the babble of innumerable voices and of a music that descended from above, a gay and exhilarating music whose source he did not discover.
alreadynounUS /already/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading PROMINENT PEOPLE The state apartments of the Wind Vane Keeper would have astonished Graham had he entered them fresh from his nineteenth century life, but already he was growing accustomed to the scale of the new time.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He came out through one of the now familiar sliding panels upon a plateau of landing at the head of a flight of very broad and gentle steps, with men and women far more brilliantly dressed than any he had hitherto seen, ascending and descending.
any
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From this reading He came out through one of the now familiar sliding panels upon a plateau of landing at the head of a flight of very broad and gentle steps, with men and women far more brilliantly dressed than any he had hitherto seen, ascending and descending.
apartments
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From this reading PROMINENT PEOPLE The state apartments of the Wind Vane Keeper would have astonished Graham had he entered them fresh from his nineteenth century life, but already he was growing accustomed to the scale of the new time.
ascending
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From this reading He came out through one of the now familiar sliding panels upon a plateau of landing at the head of a flight of very broad and gentle steps, with men and women far more brilliantly dressed than any he had hitherto seen, ascending and descending.
astonishedadjectiveUS /əˈstɑːnɪʃt/
very surprised
From this reading PROMINENT PEOPLE The state apartments of the Wind Vane Keeper would have astonished Graham had he entered them fresh from his nineteenth century life, but already he was growing accustomed to the scale of the new time.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading He came out through one of the now familiar sliding panels upon a plateau of landing at the head of a flight of very broad and gentle steps, with men and women far more brilliantly dressed than any he had hitherto seen, ascending and descending.
babble
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From this reading The air was full of the babble of innumerable voices and of a music that descended from above, a gay and exhilarating music whose source he did not discover.
bridges
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From this reading From this position he looked down a vista of subtle and varied ornament in lustreless white and mauve and purple, spanned by bridges that seemed wrought of porcelain and filigree, and terminating far off in a cloudy mystery of perforated screens.
brilliantly
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From this reading He came out through one of the now familiar sliding panels upon a plateau of landing at the head of a flight of very broad and gentle steps, with men and women far more brilliantly dressed than any he had hitherto seen, ascending and descending.
broad
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From this reading He came out through one of the now familiar sliding panels upon a plateau of landing at the head of a flight of very broad and gentle steps, with men and women far more brilliantly dressed than any he had hitherto seen, ascending and descending.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading PROMINENT PEOPLE The state apartments of the Wind Vane Keeper would have astonished Graham had he entered them fresh from his nineteenth century life, but already he was growing accustomed to the scale of the new time.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading From this position he looked down a vista of subtle and varied ornament in lustreless white and mauve and purple, spanned by bridges that seemed wrought of porcelain and filigree, and terminating far off in a cloudy mystery of perforated screens.
came
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From this reading He came out through one of the now familiar sliding panels upon a plateau of landing at the head of a flight of very broad and gentle steps, with men and women far more brilliantly dressed than any he had hitherto seen, ascending and descending.
century
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From this reading PROMINENT PEOPLE The state apartments of the Wind Vane Keeper would have astonished Graham had he entered them fresh from his nineteenth century life, but already he was growing accustomed to the scale of the new time.
cloudy
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From this reading From this position he looked down a vista of subtle and varied ornament in lustreless white and mauve and purple, spanned by bridges that seemed wrought of porcelain and filigree, and terminating far off in a cloudy mystery of perforated screens.
descendednounUS /ˈdescended/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading The air was full of the babble of innumerable voices and of a music that descended from above, a gay and exhilarating music whose source he did not discover.
descending
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From this reading He came out through one of the now familiar sliding panels upon a plateau of landing at the head of a flight of very broad and gentle steps, with men and women far more brilliantly dressed than any he had hitherto seen, ascending and descending.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading The air was full of the babble of innumerable voices and of a music that descended from above, a gay and exhilarating music whose source he did not discover.
discover
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From this reading The air was full of the babble of innumerable voices and of a music that descended from above, a gay and exhilarating music whose source he did not discover.
down
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From this reading From this position he looked down a vista of subtle and varied ornament in lustreless white and mauve and purple, spanned by bridges that seemed wrought of porcelain and filigree, and terminating far off in a cloudy mystery of perforated screens.
dressed
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From this reading He came out through one of the now familiar sliding panels upon a plateau of landing at the head of a flight of very broad and gentle steps, with men and women far more brilliantly dressed than any he had hitherto seen, ascending and descending.
entered
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From this reading PROMINENT PEOPLE The state apartments of the Wind Vane Keeper would have astonished Graham had he entered them fresh from his nineteenth century life, but already he was growing accustomed to the scale of the new time.
exhilarating
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From this reading The air was full of the babble of innumerable voices and of a music that descended from above, a gay and exhilarating music whose source he did not discover.
faces
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From this reading Glancing upward, he saw tier above tier of ascending galleries with faces looking down upon him.
familiar
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From this reading He came out through one of the now familiar sliding panels upon a plateau of landing at the head of a flight of very broad and gentle steps, with men and women far more brilliantly dressed than any he had hitherto seen, ascending and descending.
far
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From this reading He came out through one of the now familiar sliding panels upon a plateau of landing at the head of a flight of very broad and gentle steps, with men and women far more brilliantly dressed than any he had hitherto seen, ascending and descending.
filigree
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From this reading From this position he looked down a vista of subtle and varied ornament in lustreless white and mauve and purple, spanned by bridges that seemed wrought of porcelain and filigree, and terminating far off in a cloudy mystery of perforated screens.
flight
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From this reading He came out through one of the now familiar sliding panels upon a plateau of landing at the head of a flight of very broad and gentle steps, with men and women far more brilliantly dressed than any he had hitherto seen, ascending and descending.
fresh
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From this reading PROMINENT PEOPLE The state apartments of the Wind Vane Keeper would have astonished Graham had he entered them fresh from his nineteenth century life, but already he was growing accustomed to the scale of the new time.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading PROMINENT PEOPLE The state apartments of the Wind Vane Keeper would have astonished Graham had he entered them fresh from his nineteenth century life, but already he was growing accustomed to the scale of the new time.
full
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From this reading The air was full of the babble of innumerable voices and of a music that descended from above, a gay and exhilarating music whose source he did not discover.
galleries
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From this reading Glancing upward, he saw tier above tier of ascending galleries with faces looking down upon him.
gay
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From this reading The air was full of the babble of innumerable voices and of a music that descended from above, a gay and exhilarating music whose source he did not discover.
gentle
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From this reading He came out through one of the now familiar sliding panels upon a plateau of landing at the head of a flight of very broad and gentle steps, with men and women far more brilliantly dressed than any he had hitherto seen, ascending and descending.
Glancing
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From this reading Glancing upward, he saw tier above tier of ascending galleries with faces looking down upon him.
Graham
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From this reading PROMINENT PEOPLE The state apartments of the Wind Vane Keeper would have astonished Graham had he entered them fresh from his nineteenth century life, but already he was growing accustomed to the scale of the new time.
growing
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From this reading PROMINENT PEOPLE The state apartments of the Wind Vane Keeper would have astonished Graham had he entered them fresh from his nineteenth century life, but already he was growing accustomed to the scale of the new time.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading PROMINENT PEOPLE The state apartments of the Wind Vane Keeper would have astonished Graham had he entered them fresh from his nineteenth century life, but already he was growing accustomed to the scale of the new time.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading PROMINENT PEOPLE The state apartments of the Wind Vane Keeper would have astonished Graham had he entered them fresh from his nineteenth century life, but already he was growing accustomed to the scale of the new time.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading PROMINENT PEOPLE The state apartments of the Wind Vane Keeper would have astonished Graham had he entered them fresh from his nineteenth century life, but already he was growing accustomed to the scale of the new time.
head
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He came out through one of the now familiar sliding panels upon a plateau of landing at the head of a flight of very broad and gentle steps, with men and women far more brilliantly dressed than any he had hitherto seen, ascending and descending.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Glancing upward, he saw tier above tier of ascending galleries with faces looking down upon him.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading PROMINENT PEOPLE The state apartments of the Wind Vane Keeper would have astonished Graham had he entered them fresh from his nineteenth century life, but already he was growing accustomed to the scale of the new time.
hitherto
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From this reading He came out through one of the now familiar sliding panels upon a plateau of landing at the head of a flight of very broad and gentle steps, with men and women far more brilliantly dressed than any he had hitherto seen, ascending and descending.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading From this position he looked down a vista of subtle and varied ornament in lustreless white and mauve and purple, spanned by bridges that seemed wrought of porcelain and filigree, and terminating far off in a cloudy mystery of perforated screens.
innumerable
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From this reading The air was full of the babble of innumerable voices and of a music that descended from above, a gay and exhilarating music whose source he did not discover.
Keeper
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From this reading PROMINENT PEOPLE The state apartments of the Wind Vane Keeper would have astonished Graham had he entered them fresh from his nineteenth century life, but already he was growing accustomed to the scale of the new time.
landing
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From this reading He came out through one of the now familiar sliding panels upon a plateau of landing at the head of a flight of very broad and gentle steps, with men and women far more brilliantly dressed than any he had hitherto seen, ascending and descending.
lifenounUS /life/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading PROMINENT PEOPLE The state apartments of the Wind Vane Keeper would have astonished Graham had he entered them fresh from his nineteenth century life, but already he was growing accustomed to the scale of the new time.
lookednounUS /looked/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading From this position he looked down a vista of subtle and varied ornament in lustreless white and mauve and purple, spanned by bridges that seemed wrought of porcelain and filigree, and terminating far off in a cloudy mystery of perforated screens.
looking
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From this reading Glancing upward, he saw tier above tier of ascending galleries with faces looking down upon him.
lustreless
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From this reading From this position he looked down a vista of subtle and varied ornament in lustreless white and mauve and purple, spanned by bridges that seemed wrought of porcelain and filigree, and terminating far off in a cloudy mystery of perforated screens.
mauve
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From this reading From this position he looked down a vista of subtle and varied ornament in lustreless white and mauve and purple, spanned by bridges that seemed wrought of porcelain and filigree, and terminating far off in a cloudy mystery of perforated screens.
men
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From this reading He came out through one of the now familiar sliding panels upon a plateau of landing at the head of a flight of very broad and gentle steps, with men and women far more brilliantly dressed than any he had hitherto seen, ascending and descending.
more
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From this reading He came out through one of the now familiar sliding panels upon a plateau of landing at the head of a flight of very broad and gentle steps, with men and women far more brilliantly dressed than any he had hitherto seen, ascending and descending.
music
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From this reading The air was full of the babble of innumerable voices and of a music that descended from above, a gay and exhilarating music whose source he did not discover.
mystery
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From this reading From this position he looked down a vista of subtle and varied ornament in lustreless white and mauve and purple, spanned by bridges that seemed wrought of porcelain and filigree, and terminating far off in a cloudy mystery of perforated screens.
new
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From this reading PROMINENT PEOPLE The state apartments of the Wind Vane Keeper would have astonished Graham had he entered them fresh from his nineteenth century life, but already he was growing accustomed to the scale of the new time.
nineteenth
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From this reading PROMINENT PEOPLE The state apartments of the Wind Vane Keeper would have astonished Graham had he entered them fresh from his nineteenth century life, but already he was growing accustomed to the scale of the new time.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The air was full of the babble of innumerable voices and of a music that descended from above, a gay and exhilarating music whose source he did not discover.
now
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From this reading He came out through one of the now familiar sliding panels upon a plateau of landing at the head of a flight of very broad and gentle steps, with men and women far more brilliantly dressed than any he had hitherto seen, ascending and descending.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading PROMINENT PEOPLE The state apartments of the Wind Vane Keeper would have astonished Graham had he entered them fresh from his nineteenth century life, but already he was growing accustomed to the scale of the new time.
off
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From this reading From this position he looked down a vista of subtle and varied ornament in lustreless white and mauve and purple, spanned by bridges that seemed wrought of porcelain and filigree, and terminating far off in a cloudy mystery of perforated screens.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading He came out through one of the now familiar sliding panels upon a plateau of landing at the head of a flight of very broad and gentle steps, with men and women far more brilliantly dressed than any he had hitherto seen, ascending and descending.
ornament
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From this reading From this position he looked down a vista of subtle and varied ornament in lustreless white and mauve and purple, spanned by bridges that seemed wrought of porcelain and filigree, and terminating far off in a cloudy mystery of perforated screens.
out
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From this reading He came out through one of the now familiar sliding panels upon a plateau of landing at the head of a flight of very broad and gentle steps, with men and women far more brilliantly dressed than any he had hitherto seen, ascending and descending.
panels
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From this reading He came out through one of the now familiar sliding panels upon a plateau of landing at the head of a flight of very broad and gentle steps, with men and women far more brilliantly dressed than any he had hitherto seen, ascending and descending.
PEOPLE
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From this reading PROMINENT PEOPLE The state apartments of the Wind Vane Keeper would have astonished Graham had he entered them fresh from his nineteenth century life, but already he was growing accustomed to the scale of the new time.
perforated
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From this reading From this position he looked down a vista of subtle and varied ornament in lustreless white and mauve and purple, spanned by bridges that seemed wrought of porcelain and filigree, and terminating far off in a cloudy mystery of perforated screens.
plateaunounUS /plateau/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He came out through one of the now familiar sliding panels upon a plateau of landing at the head of a flight of very broad and gentle steps, with men and women far more brilliantly dressed than any he had hitherto seen, ascending and descending.
porcelain
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From this reading From this position he looked down a vista of subtle and varied ornament in lustreless white and mauve and purple, spanned by bridges that seemed wrought of porcelain and filigree, and terminating far off in a cloudy mystery of perforated screens.
position
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From this reading From this position he looked down a vista of subtle and varied ornament in lustreless white and mauve and purple, spanned by bridges that seemed wrought of porcelain and filigree, and terminating far off in a cloudy mystery of perforated screens.
PROMINENT
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From this reading PROMINENT PEOPLE The state apartments of the Wind Vane Keeper would have astonished Graham had he entered them fresh from his nineteenth century life, but already he was growing accustomed to the scale of the new time.
purple
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From this reading From this position he looked down a vista of subtle and varied ornament in lustreless white and mauve and purple, spanned by bridges that seemed wrought of porcelain and filigree, and terminating far off in a cloudy mystery of perforated screens.
saw
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From this reading Glancing upward, he saw tier above tier of ascending galleries with faces looking down upon him.
scale
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From this reading PROMINENT PEOPLE The state apartments of the Wind Vane Keeper would have astonished Graham had he entered them fresh from his nineteenth century life, but already he was growing accustomed to the scale of the new time.
screens
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From this reading From this position he looked down a vista of subtle and varied ornament in lustreless white and mauve and purple, spanned by bridges that seemed wrought of porcelain and filigree, and terminating far off in a cloudy mystery of perforated screens.
seemednounUS /seemed/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading From this position he looked down a vista of subtle and varied ornament in lustreless white and mauve and purple, spanned by bridges that seemed wrought of porcelain and filigree, and terminating far off in a cloudy mystery of perforated screens.
seen
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From this reading He came out through one of the now familiar sliding panels upon a plateau of landing at the head of a flight of very broad and gentle steps, with men and women far more brilliantly dressed than any he had hitherto seen, ascending and descending.
sliding
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From this reading He came out through one of the now familiar sliding panels upon a plateau of landing at the head of a flight of very broad and gentle steps, with men and women far more brilliantly dressed than any he had hitherto seen, ascending and descending.
source
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From this reading The air was full of the babble of innumerable voices and of a music that descended from above, a gay and exhilarating music whose source he did not discover.
spanned
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From this reading From this position he looked down a vista of subtle and varied ornament in lustreless white and mauve and purple, spanned by bridges that seemed wrought of porcelain and filigree, and terminating far off in a cloudy mystery of perforated screens.
state
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From this reading PROMINENT PEOPLE The state apartments of the Wind Vane Keeper would have astonished Graham had he entered them fresh from his nineteenth century life, but already he was growing accustomed to the scale of the new time.
steps
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From this reading He came out through one of the now familiar sliding panels upon a plateau of landing at the head of a flight of very broad and gentle steps, with men and women far more brilliantly dressed than any he had hitherto seen, ascending and descending.
subtle
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From this reading From this position he looked down a vista of subtle and varied ornament in lustreless white and mauve and purple, spanned by bridges that seemed wrought of porcelain and filigree, and terminating far off in a cloudy mystery of perforated screens.
terminating
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From this reading From this position he looked down a vista of subtle and varied ornament in lustreless white and mauve and purple, spanned by bridges that seemed wrought of porcelain and filigree, and terminating far off in a cloudy mystery of perforated screens.
thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading He came out through one of the now familiar sliding panels upon a plateau of landing at the head of a flight of very broad and gentle steps, with men and women far more brilliantly dressed than any he had hitherto seen, ascending and descending.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading From this position he looked down a vista of subtle and varied ornament in lustreless white and mauve and purple, spanned by bridges that seemed wrought of porcelain and filigree, and terminating far off in a cloudy mystery of perforated screens.
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading PROMINENT PEOPLE The state apartments of the Wind Vane Keeper would have astonished Graham had he entered them fresh from his nineteenth century life, but already he was growing accustomed to the scale of the new time.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading PROMINENT PEOPLE The state apartments of the Wind Vane Keeper would have astonished Graham had he entered them fresh from his nineteenth century life, but already he was growing accustomed to the scale of the new time.
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading From this position he looked down a vista of subtle and varied ornament in lustreless white and mauve and purple, spanned by bridges that seemed wrought of porcelain and filigree, and terminating far off in a cloudy mystery of perforated screens.
throughnounUS /ˈthrough/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading He came out through one of the now familiar sliding panels upon a plateau of landing at the head of a flight of very broad and gentle steps, with men and women far more brilliantly dressed than any he had hitherto seen, ascending and descending.
tier
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Glancing upward, he saw tier above tier of ascending galleries with faces looking down upon him.
timenounUS /time/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading PROMINENT PEOPLE The state apartments of the Wind Vane Keeper would have astonished Graham had he entered them fresh from his nineteenth century life, but already he was growing accustomed to the scale of the new time.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading PROMINENT PEOPLE The state apartments of the Wind Vane Keeper would have astonished Graham had he entered them fresh from his nineteenth century life, but already he was growing accustomed to the scale of the new time.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading He came out through one of the now familiar sliding panels upon a plateau of landing at the head of a flight of very broad and gentle steps, with men and women far more brilliantly dressed than any he had hitherto seen, ascending and descending.
upward
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Glancing upward, he saw tier above tier of ascending galleries with faces looking down upon him.
Vane
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From this reading PROMINENT PEOPLE The state apartments of the Wind Vane Keeper would have astonished Graham had he entered them fresh from his nineteenth century life, but already he was growing accustomed to the scale of the new time.
varied
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From this reading From this position he looked down a vista of subtle and varied ornament in lustreless white and mauve and purple, spanned by bridges that seemed wrought of porcelain and filigree, and terminating far off in a cloudy mystery of perforated screens.
very
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From this reading He came out through one of the now familiar sliding panels upon a plateau of landing at the head of a flight of very broad and gentle steps, with men and women far more brilliantly dressed than any he had hitherto seen, ascending and descending.
vista
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From this reading From this position he looked down a vista of subtle and varied ornament in lustreless white and mauve and purple, spanned by bridges that seemed wrought of porcelain and filigree, and terminating far off in a cloudy mystery of perforated screens.
voices
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From this reading The air was full of the babble of innumerable voices and of a music that descended from above, a gay and exhilarating music whose source he did not discover.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading PROMINENT PEOPLE The state apartments of the Wind Vane Keeper would have astonished Graham had he entered them fresh from his nineteenth century life, but already he was growing accustomed to the scale of the new time.
white
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From this position he looked down a vista of subtle and varied ornament in lustreless white and mauve and purple, spanned by bridges that seemed wrought of porcelain and filigree, and terminating far off in a cloudy mystery of perforated screens.
whosedeterminerUS /huːz/
belonging to which person
From this reading The air was full of the babble of innumerable voices and of a music that descended from above, a gay and exhilarating music whose source he did not discover.
WindnounUS /wind/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading PROMINENT PEOPLE The state apartments of the Wind Vane Keeper would have astonished Graham had he entered them fresh from his nineteenth century life, but already he was growing accustomed to the scale of the new time.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading He came out through one of the now familiar sliding panels upon a plateau of landing at the head of a flight of very broad and gentle steps, with men and women far more brilliantly dressed than any he had hitherto seen, ascending and descending.
women
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From this reading He came out through one of the now familiar sliding panels upon a plateau of landing at the head of a flight of very broad and gentle steps, with men and women far more brilliantly dressed than any he had hitherto seen, ascending and descending.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading PROMINENT PEOPLE The state apartments of the Wind Vane Keeper would have astonished Graham had he entered them fresh from his nineteenth century life, but already he was growing accustomed to the scale of the new time.
wrought
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From this position he looked down a vista of subtle and varied ornament in lustreless white and mauve and purple, spanned by bridges that seemed wrought of porcelain and filigree, and terminating far off in a cloudy mystery of perforated screens.
