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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 After the last one had disappeared, she went to the kitchen and returned with a plate piled high with remaining refreshments, a heaped dish of ice cream and a generous big piece of cake.
ACCORDING
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From this reading “AN INQUISITION ACCORDING TO MAHLON” When the other children began making preparations to go home, Elizabeth Spellman whispered to Junior to wait.
AfterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading After the last one had disappeared, she went to the kitchen and returned with a plate piled high with remaining refreshments, a heaped dish of ice cream and a generous big piece of cake.
all
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From this reading There had been set before him, all his life, more excellent food than his stomach could hold.
allow
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From this reading The delicacies that would have been a great treat to any of the other boys, were no particular treat to Junior; while he was sufficiently his father’s son to allow the Spellmans to see that he was not deeply impressed.
ANdeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading “AN INQUISITION ACCORDING TO MAHLON” When the other children began making preparations to go home, Elizabeth Spellman whispered to Junior to wait.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading After the last one had disappeared, she went to the kitchen and returned with a plate piled high with remaining refreshments, a heaped dish of ice cream and a generous big piece of cake.
any
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From this reading The delicacies that would have been a great treat to any of the other boys, were no particular treat to Junior; while he was sufficiently his father’s son to allow the Spellmans to see that he was not deeply impressed.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading There had been set before him, all his life, more excellent food than his stomach could hold.
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading There had been set before him, all his life, more excellent food than his stomach could hold.
begannounUS /began/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “AN INQUISITION ACCORDING TO MAHLON” When the other children began making preparations to go home, Elizabeth Spellman whispered to Junior to wait.
big
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From this reading After the last one had disappeared, she went to the kitchen and returned with a plate piled high with remaining refreshments, a heaped dish of ice cream and a generous big piece of cake.
boys
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From this reading The delicacies that would have been a great treat to any of the other boys, were no particular treat to Junior; while he was sufficiently his father’s son to allow the Spellmans to see that he was not deeply impressed.
cake
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From this reading After the last one had disappeared, she went to the kitchen and returned with a plate piled high with remaining refreshments, a heaped dish of ice cream and a generous big piece of cake.
children
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From this reading “AN INQUISITION ACCORDING TO MAHLON” When the other children began making preparations to go home, Elizabeth Spellman whispered to Junior to wait.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading There had been set before him, all his life, more excellent food than his stomach could hold.
cream
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From this reading After the last one had disappeared, she went to the kitchen and returned with a plate piled high with remaining refreshments, a heaped dish of ice cream and a generous big piece of cake.
deeply
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From this reading The delicacies that would have been a great treat to any of the other boys, were no particular treat to Junior; while he was sufficiently his father’s son to allow the Spellmans to see that he was not deeply impressed.
delicacies
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From this reading The delicacies that would have been a great treat to any of the other boys, were no particular treat to Junior; while he was sufficiently his father’s son to allow the Spellmans to see that he was not deeply impressed.
disappearednounUS /ˈdisappeared/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading After the last one had disappeared, she went to the kitchen and returned with a plate piled high with remaining refreshments, a heaped dish of ice cream and a generous big piece of cake.
dish
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From this reading After the last one had disappeared, she went to the kitchen and returned with a plate piled high with remaining refreshments, a heaped dish of ice cream and a generous big piece of cake.
Elizabeth
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From this reading “AN INQUISITION ACCORDING TO MAHLON” When the other children began making preparations to go home, Elizabeth Spellman whispered to Junior to wait.
excellent
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From this reading There had been set before him, all his life, more excellent food than his stomach could hold.
father's
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From this reading The delicacies that would have been a great treat to any of the other boys, were no particular treat to Junior; while he was sufficiently his father’s son to allow the Spellmans to see that he was not deeply impressed.
food
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From this reading There had been set before him, all his life, more excellent food than his stomach could hold.
generous
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From this reading After the last one had disappeared, she went to the kitchen and returned with a plate piled high with remaining refreshments, a heaped dish of ice cream and a generous big piece of cake.
go
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From this reading “AN INQUISITION ACCORDING TO MAHLON” When the other children began making preparations to go home, Elizabeth Spellman whispered to Junior to wait.
grateful
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From this reading Junior was not particularly grateful.
greatnounUS /great/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The delicacies that would have been a great treat to any of the other boys, were no particular treat to Junior; while he was sufficiently his father’s son to allow the Spellmans to see that he was not deeply impressed.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading After the last one had disappeared, she went to the kitchen and returned with a plate piled high with remaining refreshments, a heaped dish of ice cream and a generous big piece of cake.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading The delicacies that would have been a great treat to any of the other boys, were no particular treat to Junior; while he was sufficiently his father’s son to allow the Spellmans to see that he was not deeply impressed.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The delicacies that would have been a great treat to any of the other boys, were no particular treat to Junior; while he was sufficiently his father’s son to allow the Spellmans to see that he was not deeply impressed.
heaped
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From this reading After the last one had disappeared, she went to the kitchen and returned with a plate piled high with remaining refreshments, a heaped dish of ice cream and a generous big piece of cake.
high
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From this reading After the last one had disappeared, she went to the kitchen and returned with a plate piled high with remaining refreshments, a heaped dish of ice cream and a generous big piece of cake.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading There had been set before him, all his life, more excellent food than his stomach could hold.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading There had been set before him, all his life, more excellent food than his stomach could hold.
hold
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From this reading There had been set before him, all his life, more excellent food than his stomach could hold.
home
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From this reading “AN INQUISITION ACCORDING TO MAHLON” When the other children began making preparations to go home, Elizabeth Spellman whispered to Junior to wait.
ice
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From this reading After the last one had disappeared, she went to the kitchen and returned with a plate piled high with remaining refreshments, a heaped dish of ice cream and a generous big piece of cake.
impressed
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From this reading The delicacies that would have been a great treat to any of the other boys, were no particular treat to Junior; while he was sufficiently his father’s son to allow the Spellmans to see that he was not deeply impressed.
INQUISITIONnounUS /ˌɪn.kwɪˈzɪʃ.ən/
A period of prolonged and intensive questioning or investigation.
From this reading “AN INQUISITION ACCORDING TO MAHLON” When the other children began making preparations to go home, Elizabeth Spellman whispered to Junior to wait.
Junior
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From this reading “AN INQUISITION ACCORDING TO MAHLON” When the other children began making preparations to go home, Elizabeth Spellman whispered to Junior to wait.
kitchen
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From this reading After the last one had disappeared, she went to the kitchen and returned with a plate piled high with remaining refreshments, a heaped dish of ice cream and a generous big piece of cake.
lastnounUS /last/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading After the last one had disappeared, she went to the kitchen and returned with a plate piled high with remaining refreshments, a heaped dish of ice cream and a generous big piece of cake.
lifenounUS /life/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading There had been set before him, all his life, more excellent food than his stomach could hold.
MAHLON
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From this reading “AN INQUISITION ACCORDING TO MAHLON” When the other children began making preparations to go home, Elizabeth Spellman whispered to Junior to wait.
making
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From this reading “AN INQUISITION ACCORDING TO MAHLON” When the other children began making preparations to go home, Elizabeth Spellman whispered to Junior to wait.
more
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From this reading There had been set before him, all his life, more excellent food than his stomach could hold.
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading The delicacies that would have been a great treat to any of the other boys, were no particular treat to Junior; while he was sufficiently his father’s son to allow the Spellmans to see that he was not deeply impressed.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Junior was not particularly grateful.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading After the last one had disappeared, she went to the kitchen and returned with a plate piled high with remaining refreshments, a heaped dish of ice cream and a generous big piece of cake.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading After the last one had disappeared, she went to the kitchen and returned with a plate piled high with remaining refreshments, a heaped dish of ice cream and a generous big piece of cake.
other
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From this reading “AN INQUISITION ACCORDING TO MAHLON” When the other children began making preparations to go home, Elizabeth Spellman whispered to Junior to wait.
particular
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From this reading The delicacies that would have been a great treat to any of the other boys, were no particular treat to Junior; while he was sufficiently his father’s son to allow the Spellmans to see that he was not deeply impressed.
particularly
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From this reading Junior was not particularly grateful.
piece
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From this reading After the last one had disappeared, she went to the kitchen and returned with a plate piled high with remaining refreshments, a heaped dish of ice cream and a generous big piece of cake.
piled
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From this reading After the last one had disappeared, she went to the kitchen and returned with a plate piled high with remaining refreshments, a heaped dish of ice cream and a generous big piece of cake.
plate
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From this reading After the last one had disappeared, she went to the kitchen and returned with a plate piled high with remaining refreshments, a heaped dish of ice cream and a generous big piece of cake.
preparations
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From this reading “AN INQUISITION ACCORDING TO MAHLON” When the other children began making preparations to go home, Elizabeth Spellman whispered to Junior to wait.
refreshments
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From this reading After the last one had disappeared, she went to the kitchen and returned with a plate piled high with remaining refreshments, a heaped dish of ice cream and a generous big piece of cake.
remaining
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From this reading After the last one had disappeared, she went to the kitchen and returned with a plate piled high with remaining refreshments, a heaped dish of ice cream and a generous big piece of cake.
returnednounUS /ˈreturned/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading After the last one had disappeared, she went to the kitchen and returned with a plate piled high with remaining refreshments, a heaped dish of ice cream and a generous big piece of cake.
see
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From this reading The delicacies that would have been a great treat to any of the other boys, were no particular treat to Junior; while he was sufficiently his father’s son to allow the Spellmans to see that he was not deeply impressed.
set
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From this reading There had been set before him, all his life, more excellent food than his stomach could hold.
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading After the last one had disappeared, she went to the kitchen and returned with a plate piled high with remaining refreshments, a heaped dish of ice cream and a generous big piece of cake.
son
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From this reading The delicacies that would have been a great treat to any of the other boys, were no particular treat to Junior; while he was sufficiently his father’s son to allow the Spellmans to see that he was not deeply impressed.
Spellman
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From this reading “AN INQUISITION ACCORDING TO MAHLON” When the other children began making preparations to go home, Elizabeth Spellman whispered to Junior to wait.
Spellmans
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From this reading The delicacies that would have been a great treat to any of the other boys, were no particular treat to Junior; while he was sufficiently his father’s son to allow the Spellmans to see that he was not deeply impressed.
stomach
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From this reading There had been set before him, all his life, more excellent food than his stomach could hold.
sufficiently
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From this reading The delicacies that would have been a great treat to any of the other boys, were no particular treat to Junior; while he was sufficiently his father’s son to allow the Spellmans to see that he was not deeply impressed.
thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading There had been set before him, all his life, more excellent food than his stomach could hold.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The delicacies that would have been a great treat to any of the other boys, were no particular treat to Junior; while he was sufficiently his father’s son to allow the Spellmans to see that he was not deeply impressed.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading “AN INQUISITION ACCORDING TO MAHLON” When the other children began making preparations to go home, Elizabeth Spellman whispered to Junior to wait.
There
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From this reading There had been set before him, all his life, more excellent food than his stomach could hold.
TOparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “AN INQUISITION ACCORDING TO MAHLON” When the other children began making preparations to go home, Elizabeth Spellman whispered to Junior to wait.
treat
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From this reading The delicacies that would have been a great treat to any of the other boys, were no particular treat to Junior; while he was sufficiently his father’s son to allow the Spellmans to see that he was not deeply impressed.
wait
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “AN INQUISITION ACCORDING TO MAHLON” When the other children began making preparations to go home, Elizabeth Spellman whispered to Junior to wait.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Junior was not particularly grateful.
wentnounUS /went/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading After the last one had disappeared, she went to the kitchen and returned with a plate piled high with remaining refreshments, a heaped dish of ice cream and a generous big piece of cake.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The delicacies that would have been a great treat to any of the other boys, were no particular treat to Junior; while he was sufficiently his father’s son to allow the Spellmans to see that he was not deeply impressed.
WhenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading “AN INQUISITION ACCORDING TO MAHLON” When the other children began making preparations to go home, Elizabeth Spellman whispered to Junior to wait.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading The delicacies that would have been a great treat to any of the other boys, were no particular treat to Junior; while he was sufficiently his father’s son to allow the Spellmans to see that he was not deeply impressed.
whispered
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From this reading “AN INQUISITION ACCORDING TO MAHLON” When the other children began making preparations to go home, Elizabeth Spellman whispered to Junior to wait.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading After the last one had disappeared, she went to the kitchen and returned with a plate piled high with remaining refreshments, a heaped dish of ice cream and a generous big piece of cake.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading The delicacies that would have been a great treat to any of the other boys, were no particular treat to Junior; while he was sufficiently his father’s son to allow the Spellmans to see that he was not deeply impressed.