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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 The signals from space began a little after midnight, local time, on a Friday.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading The signals from space began a little after midnight, local time, on a Friday.
all
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From this reading The satellite-tracking unit on Kalua was practically a duplicate of all its fellows.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading A satellite-watching station on an island named Kalua was the first to receive them, though nobody heard the first four or five minutes.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading But it is certain that the very first message was picked up and recorded by the monitor instruments.
begannounUS /began/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The signals from space began a little after midnight, local time, on a Friday.
ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But it is certain that the very first message was picked up and recorded by the monitor instruments.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading But it is certain that the very first message was picked up and recorded by the monitor instruments.
certain
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From this reading But it is certain that the very first message was picked up and recorded by the monitor instruments.
Date
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From this reading They were first picked up in the South Pacific, just westward of the International Date Line.
duplicate
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From this reading The satellite-tracking unit on Kalua was practically a duplicate of all its fellows.
fellows
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From this reading The satellite-tracking unit on Kalua was practically a duplicate of all its fellows.
firstnounUS /first/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading They were first picked up in the South Pacific, just westward of the International Date Line.
five
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From this reading A satellite-watching station on an island named Kalua was the first to receive them, though nobody heard the first four or five minutes.
four
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From this reading A satellite-watching station on an island named Kalua was the first to receive them, though nobody heard the first four or five minutes.
Friday
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From this reading The signals from space began a little after midnight, local time, on a Friday.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The signals from space began a little after midnight, local time, on a Friday.
heard
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A satellite-watching station on an island named Kalua was the first to receive them, though nobody heard the first four or five minutes.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading They were first picked up in the South Pacific, just westward of the International Date Line.
instruments
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From this reading But it is certain that the very first message was picked up and recorded by the monitor instruments.
International
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From this reading They were first picked up in the South Pacific, just westward of the International Date Line.
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading But it is certain that the very first message was picked up and recorded by the monitor instruments.
island
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A satellite-watching station on an island named Kalua was the first to receive them, though nobody heard the first four or five minutes.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading But it is certain that the very first message was picked up and recorded by the monitor instruments.
itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading The satellite-tracking unit on Kalua was practically a duplicate of all its fellows.
just
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They were first picked up in the South Pacific, just westward of the International Date Line.
Kalua
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From this reading A satellite-watching station on an island named Kalua was the first to receive them, though nobody heard the first four or five minutes.
Line
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They were first picked up in the South Pacific, just westward of the International Date Line.
littlenounUS /little/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The signals from space began a little after midnight, local time, on a Friday.
local
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From this reading The signals from space began a little after midnight, local time, on a Friday.
message
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From this reading But it is certain that the very first message was picked up and recorded by the monitor instruments.
midnight
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The signals from space began a little after midnight, local time, on a Friday.
minutes
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From this reading A satellite-watching station on an island named Kalua was the first to receive them, though nobody heard the first four or five minutes.
monitor
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But it is certain that the very first message was picked up and recorded by the monitor instruments.
named
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A satellite-watching station on an island named Kalua was the first to receive them, though nobody heard the first four or five minutes.
nobodypronounUS /ˈnoʊbɑːdiː/
no person; not anyone
From this reading A satellite-watching station on an island named Kalua was the first to receive them, though nobody heard the first four or five minutes.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading They were first picked up in the South Pacific, just westward of the International Date Line.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The signals from space began a little after midnight, local time, on a Friday.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading A satellite-watching station on an island named Kalua was the first to receive them, though nobody heard the first four or five minutes.
Pacific
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They were first picked up in the South Pacific, just westward of the International Date Line.
picked
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From this reading They were first picked up in the South Pacific, just westward of the International Date Line.
practically
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The satellite-tracking unit on Kalua was practically a duplicate of all its fellows.
receive
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A satellite-watching station on an island named Kalua was the first to receive them, though nobody heard the first four or five minutes.
recorded
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But it is certain that the very first message was picked up and recorded by the monitor instruments.
satellite-tracking
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The satellite-tracking unit on Kalua was practically a duplicate of all its fellows.
satellite-watching
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A satellite-watching station on an island named Kalua was the first to receive them, though nobody heard the first four or five minutes.
signals
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The signals from space began a little after midnight, local time, on a Friday.
South
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They were first picked up in the South Pacific, just westward of the International Date Line.
space
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The signals from space began a little after midnight, local time, on a Friday.
station
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A satellite-watching station on an island named Kalua was the first to receive them, though nobody heard the first four or five minutes.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading But it is certain that the very first message was picked up and recorded by the monitor instruments.
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The signals from space began a little after midnight, local time, on a Friday.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading A satellite-watching station on an island named Kalua was the first to receive them, though nobody heard the first four or five minutes.
TheypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They were first picked up in the South Pacific, just westward of the International Date Line.
thoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/
in spite of the fact that
From this reading A satellite-watching station on an island named Kalua was the first to receive them, though nobody heard the first four or five minutes.
timenounUS /time/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The signals from space began a little after midnight, local time, on a Friday.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading A satellite-watching station on an island named Kalua was the first to receive them, though nobody heard the first four or five minutes.
unit
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The satellite-tracking unit on Kalua was practically a duplicate of all its fellows.
up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They were first picked up in the South Pacific, just westward of the International Date Line.
very
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But it is certain that the very first message was picked up and recorded by the monitor instruments.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading A satellite-watching station on an island named Kalua was the first to receive them, though nobody heard the first four or five minutes.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading They were first picked up in the South Pacific, just westward of the International Date Line.
westwardadverbUS /ˈwɛstwərd/
toward the west
From this reading They were first picked up in the South Pacific, just westward of the International Date Line.
