Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
AdeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A trestle burned down on the International Railroad.
againnounUS /again/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading At the small station, Nopal, he had learned of the delayed train and, having no commands to wait, turned his ponies toward the ranch again.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Espirition, the Mexican, who had been sent forty miles in a buckboard from the Espinosa Ranch to fetch it, returned with a shrugging shoulder and hands empty except for a cigarette.
Antonio
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The south-bound from San Antonio was cut off for the next forty-eight hours.
AtprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At the small station, Nopal, he had learned of the delayed train and, having no commands to wait, turned his ponies toward the ranch again.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Espirition, the Mexican, who had been sent forty miles in a buckboard from the Espinosa Ranch to fetch it, returned with a shrugging shoulder and hands empty except for a cigarette.
buckboard
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Espirition, the Mexican, who had been sent forty miles in a buckboard from the Espinosa Ranch to fetch it, returned with a shrugging shoulder and hands empty except for a cigarette.
burned
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A trestle burned down on the International Railroad.
cigarette
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Espirition, the Mexican, who had been sent forty miles in a buckboard from the Espinosa Ranch to fetch it, returned with a shrugging shoulder and hands empty except for a cigarette.
commands
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At the small station, Nopal, he had learned of the delayed train and, having no commands to wait, turned his ponies toward the ranch again.
cut
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The south-bound from San Antonio was cut off for the next forty-eight hours.
delayed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At the small station, Nopal, he had learned of the delayed train and, having no commands to wait, turned his ponies toward the ranch again.
down
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A trestle burned down on the International Railroad.
Easter
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On that train was Tonia Weaver’s Easter hat.
empty
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Espirition, the Mexican, who had been sent forty miles in a buckboard from the Espinosa Ranch to fetch it, returned with a shrugging shoulder and hands empty except for a cigarette.
Espinosa
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Espirition, the Mexican, who had been sent forty miles in a buckboard from the Espinosa Ranch to fetch it, returned with a shrugging shoulder and hands empty except for a cigarette.
Espirition
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Espirition, the Mexican, who had been sent forty miles in a buckboard from the Espinosa Ranch to fetch it, returned with a shrugging shoulder and hands empty except for a cigarette.
exceptprepositionUS /ɪkˈsept/
apart from; not including
From this reading Espirition, the Mexican, who had been sent forty miles in a buckboard from the Espinosa Ranch to fetch it, returned with a shrugging shoulder and hands empty except for a cigarette.
fetch
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Espirition, the Mexican, who had been sent forty miles in a buckboard from the Espinosa Ranch to fetch it, returned with a shrugging shoulder and hands empty except for a cigarette.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The south-bound from San Antonio was cut off for the next forty-eight hours.
forty
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Espirition, the Mexican, who had been sent forty miles in a buckboard from the Espinosa Ranch to fetch it, returned with a shrugging shoulder and hands empty except for a cigarette.
forty-eight
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The south-bound from San Antonio was cut off for the next forty-eight hours.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The south-bound from San Antonio was cut off for the next forty-eight hours.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Espirition, the Mexican, who had been sent forty miles in a buckboard from the Espinosa Ranch to fetch it, returned with a shrugging shoulder and hands empty except for a cigarette.
handsplural nounUS /hændz/
members of a ship’s crew
From this reading Espirition, the Mexican, who had been sent forty miles in a buckboard from the Espinosa Ranch to fetch it, returned with a shrugging shoulder and hands empty except for a cigarette.
hat
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On that train was Tonia Weaver’s Easter hat.
havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/
the -ing form of “have”
From this reading At the small station, Nopal, he had learned of the delayed train and, having no commands to wait, turned his ponies toward the ranch again.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading At the small station, Nopal, he had learned of the delayed train and, having no commands to wait, turned his ponies toward the ranch again.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading At the small station, Nopal, he had learned of the delayed train and, having no commands to wait, turned his ponies toward the ranch again.
hours
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The south-bound from San Antonio was cut off for the next forty-eight hours.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Espirition, the Mexican, who had been sent forty miles in a buckboard from the Espinosa Ranch to fetch it, returned with a shrugging shoulder and hands empty except for a cigarette.
International
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A trestle burned down on the International Railroad.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Espirition, the Mexican, who had been sent forty miles in a buckboard from the Espinosa Ranch to fetch it, returned with a shrugging shoulder and hands empty except for a cigarette.
learned
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At the small station, Nopal, he had learned of the delayed train and, having no commands to wait, turned his ponies toward the ranch again.
Mexican
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Espirition, the Mexican, who had been sent forty miles in a buckboard from the Espinosa Ranch to fetch it, returned with a shrugging shoulder and hands empty except for a cigarette.
miles
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Espirition, the Mexican, who had been sent forty miles in a buckboard from the Espinosa Ranch to fetch it, returned with a shrugging shoulder and hands empty except for a cigarette.
nextnounUS /next/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The south-bound from San Antonio was cut off for the next forty-eight hours.
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading At the small station, Nopal, he had learned of the delayed train and, having no commands to wait, turned his ponies toward the ranch again.
Nopal
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At the small station, Nopal, he had learned of the delayed train and, having no commands to wait, turned his ponies toward the ranch again.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading At the small station, Nopal, he had learned of the delayed train and, having no commands to wait, turned his ponies toward the ranch again.
off
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The south-bound from San Antonio was cut off for the next forty-eight hours.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading A trestle burned down on the International Railroad.
ponies
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At the small station, Nopal, he had learned of the delayed train and, having no commands to wait, turned his ponies toward the ranch again.
Railroad
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A trestle burned down on the International Railroad.
Ranch
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Espirition, the Mexican, who had been sent forty miles in a buckboard from the Espinosa Ranch to fetch it, returned with a shrugging shoulder and hands empty except for a cigarette.
returnednounUS /ˈreturned/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading Espirition, the Mexican, who had been sent forty miles in a buckboard from the Espinosa Ranch to fetch it, returned with a shrugging shoulder and hands empty except for a cigarette.
San
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The south-bound from San Antonio was cut off for the next forty-eight hours.
sent
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Espirition, the Mexican, who had been sent forty miles in a buckboard from the Espinosa Ranch to fetch it, returned with a shrugging shoulder and hands empty except for a cigarette.
shoulder
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Espirition, the Mexican, who had been sent forty miles in a buckboard from the Espinosa Ranch to fetch it, returned with a shrugging shoulder and hands empty except for a cigarette.
shrugging
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Espirition, the Mexican, who had been sent forty miles in a buckboard from the Espinosa Ranch to fetch it, returned with a shrugging shoulder and hands empty except for a cigarette.
small
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At the small station, Nopal, he had learned of the delayed train and, having no commands to wait, turned his ponies toward the ranch again.
south-bound
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The south-bound from San Antonio was cut off for the next forty-eight hours.
station
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At the small station, Nopal, he had learned of the delayed train and, having no commands to wait, turned his ponies toward the ranch again.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading On that train was Tonia Weaver’s Easter hat.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A trestle burned down on the International Railroad.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Espirition, the Mexican, who had been sent forty miles in a buckboard from the Espinosa Ranch to fetch it, returned with a shrugging shoulder and hands empty except for a cigarette.
Tonia
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On that train was Tonia Weaver’s Easter hat.
towardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/
in the direction of
From this reading At the small station, Nopal, he had learned of the delayed train and, having no commands to wait, turned his ponies toward the ranch again.
train
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On that train was Tonia Weaver’s Easter hat.
trestle
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A trestle burned down on the International Railroad.
turned
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At the small station, Nopal, he had learned of the delayed train and, having no commands to wait, turned his ponies toward the ranch again.
wait
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At the small station, Nopal, he had learned of the delayed train and, having no commands to wait, turned his ponies toward the ranch again.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The south-bound from San Antonio was cut off for the next forty-eight hours.
Weaver's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On that train was Tonia Weaver’s Easter hat.
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading Espirition, the Mexican, who had been sent forty miles in a buckboard from the Espinosa Ranch to fetch it, returned with a shrugging shoulder and hands empty except for a cigarette.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading Espirition, the Mexican, who had been sent forty miles in a buckboard from the Espinosa Ranch to fetch it, returned with a shrugging shoulder and hands empty except for a cigarette.
![Waifs and Strays [Part 1]](/static/images/covers-gen/waifs-and-strays-part-1.academy.webp)