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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 MYSTERY OF SOLITUDE Westward across the unbroken prairie country, into the smiling, sun-kissed silence and emptiness, two people were driving: a white girl of two-and-twenty summers and an Indian man a few years older.
abrupt
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From this reading Ahead, to either side, was the rolling brown earth; and at the end of it, abrupt apparently as a material wall, the blue of a cloudless October sky.
acrossprepositionUS /əˈkrɔːs/
from one side of something to the other
From this reading THE MYSTERY OF SOLITUDE Westward across the unbroken prairie country, into the smiling, sun-kissed silence and emptiness, two people were driving: a white girl of two-and-twenty summers and an Indian man a few years older.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading The team they were driving, a mouse-coloured broncho and a mate a shade darker, were restless after three days of enforced inactivity and tugged at the bit mightily.
Ahead
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From this reading Ahead, to either side, was the rolling brown earth; and at the end of it, abrupt apparently as a material wall, the blue of a cloudless October sky.
alonenounUS /alone/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Though the day was perfectly still, the canvas curtains of the old surrey flapped lazily in a breeze born of the pace alone.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading THE MYSTERY OF SOLITUDE Westward across the unbroken prairie country, into the smiling, sun-kissed silence and emptiness, two people were driving: a white girl of two-and-twenty summers and an Indian man a few years older.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE MYSTERY OF SOLITUDE Westward across the unbroken prairie country, into the smiling, sun-kissed silence and emptiness, two people were driving: a white girl of two-and-twenty summers and an Indian man a few years older.
apparently
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From this reading Ahead, to either side, was the rolling brown earth; and at the end of it, abrupt apparently as a material wall, the blue of a cloudless October sky.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Ahead, to either side, was the rolling brown earth; and at the end of it, abrupt apparently as a material wall, the blue of a cloudless October sky.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Ahead, to either side, was the rolling brown earth; and at the end of it, abrupt apparently as a material wall, the blue of a cloudless October sky.
Back
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From this reading Back of them, in the direction from which they had come, was the outline of a straggling, desolate village.
bit
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From this reading The team they were driving, a mouse-coloured broncho and a mate a shade darker, were restless after three days of enforced inactivity and tugged at the bit mightily.
blue
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Ahead, to either side, was the rolling brown earth; and at the end of it, abrupt apparently as a material wall, the blue of a cloudless October sky.
bornnounUS /born/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Though the day was perfectly still, the canvas curtains of the old surrey flapped lazily in a breeze born of the pace alone.
breeze
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From this reading Though the day was perfectly still, the canvas curtains of the old surrey flapped lazily in a breeze born of the pace alone.
broncho
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From this reading The team they were driving, a mouse-coloured broncho and a mate a shade darker, were restless after three days of enforced inactivity and tugged at the bit mightily.
brown
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From this reading Ahead, to either side, was the rolling brown earth; and at the end of it, abrupt apparently as a material wall, the blue of a cloudless October sky.
canvas
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From this reading Though the day was perfectly still, the canvas curtains of the old surrey flapped lazily in a breeze born of the pace alone.
cloudless
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From this reading Ahead, to either side, was the rolling brown earth; and at the end of it, abrupt apparently as a material wall, the blue of a cloudless October sky.
comenounUS /come/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Back of them, in the direction from which they had come, was the outline of a straggling, desolate village.
country
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From this reading THE MYSTERY OF SOLITUDE Westward across the unbroken prairie country, into the smiling, sun-kissed silence and emptiness, two people were driving: a white girl of two-and-twenty summers and an Indian man a few years older.
curtains
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From this reading Though the day was perfectly still, the canvas curtains of the old surrey flapped lazily in a breeze born of the pace alone.
darker
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From this reading The team they were driving, a mouse-coloured broncho and a mate a shade darker, were restless after three days of enforced inactivity and tugged at the bit mightily.
day
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From this reading Though the day was perfectly still, the canvas curtains of the old surrey flapped lazily in a breeze born of the pace alone.
days
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From this reading The team they were driving, a mouse-coloured broncho and a mate a shade darker, were restless after three days of enforced inactivity and tugged at the bit mightily.
desolate
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From this reading Back of them, in the direction from which they had come, was the outline of a straggling, desolate village.
direction
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From this reading Back of them, in the direction from which they had come, was the outline of a straggling, desolate village.
driving
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From this reading THE MYSTERY OF SOLITUDE Westward across the unbroken prairie country, into the smiling, sun-kissed silence and emptiness, two people were driving: a white girl of two-and-twenty summers and an Indian man a few years older.
earth
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From this reading Ahead, to either side, was the rolling brown earth; and at the end of it, abrupt apparently as a material wall, the blue of a cloudless October sky.
eitherdeterminerUS /ˈiːðər/
one or the other of two
From this reading Ahead, to either side, was the rolling brown earth; and at the end of it, abrupt apparently as a material wall, the blue of a cloudless October sky.
emptiness
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From this reading THE MYSTERY OF SOLITUDE Westward across the unbroken prairie country, into the smiling, sun-kissed silence and emptiness, two people were driving: a white girl of two-and-twenty summers and an Indian man a few years older.
end
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From this reading Ahead, to either side, was the rolling brown earth; and at the end of it, abrupt apparently as a material wall, the blue of a cloudless October sky.
enforced
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From this reading The team they were driving, a mouse-coloured broncho and a mate a shade darker, were restless after three days of enforced inactivity and tugged at the bit mightily.
few
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From this reading THE MYSTERY OF SOLITUDE Westward across the unbroken prairie country, into the smiling, sun-kissed silence and emptiness, two people were driving: a white girl of two-and-twenty summers and an Indian man a few years older.
flapped
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From this reading Though the day was perfectly still, the canvas curtains of the old surrey flapped lazily in a breeze born of the pace alone.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Back of them, in the direction from which they had come, was the outline of a straggling, desolate village.
girl
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE MYSTERY OF SOLITUDE Westward across the unbroken prairie country, into the smiling, sun-kissed silence and emptiness, two people were driving: a white girl of two-and-twenty summers and an Indian man a few years older.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Back of them, in the direction from which they had come, was the outline of a straggling, desolate village.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Back of them, in the direction from which they had come, was the outline of a straggling, desolate village.
inactivity
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The team they were driving, a mouse-coloured broncho and a mate a shade darker, were restless after three days of enforced inactivity and tugged at the bit mightily.
Indian
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From this reading THE MYSTERY OF SOLITUDE Westward across the unbroken prairie country, into the smiling, sun-kissed silence and emptiness, two people were driving: a white girl of two-and-twenty summers and an Indian man a few years older.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading THE MYSTERY OF SOLITUDE Westward across the unbroken prairie country, into the smiling, sun-kissed silence and emptiness, two people were driving: a white girl of two-and-twenty summers and an Indian man a few years older.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Ahead, to either side, was the rolling brown earth; and at the end of it, abrupt apparently as a material wall, the blue of a cloudless October sky.
lazily
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Though the day was perfectly still, the canvas curtains of the old surrey flapped lazily in a breeze born of the pace alone.
man
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE MYSTERY OF SOLITUDE Westward across the unbroken prairie country, into the smiling, sun-kissed silence and emptiness, two people were driving: a white girl of two-and-twenty summers and an Indian man a few years older.
mate
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The team they were driving, a mouse-coloured broncho and a mate a shade darker, were restless after three days of enforced inactivity and tugged at the bit mightily.
material
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Ahead, to either side, was the rolling brown earth; and at the end of it, abrupt apparently as a material wall, the blue of a cloudless October sky.
mightily
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The team they were driving, a mouse-coloured broncho and a mate a shade darker, were restless after three days of enforced inactivity and tugged at the bit mightily.
mouse-coloured
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From this reading The team they were driving, a mouse-coloured broncho and a mate a shade darker, were restless after three days of enforced inactivity and tugged at the bit mightily.
MYSTERY
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From this reading THE MYSTERY OF SOLITUDE Westward across the unbroken prairie country, into the smiling, sun-kissed silence and emptiness, two people were driving: a white girl of two-and-twenty summers and an Indian man a few years older.
October
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Ahead, to either side, was the rolling brown earth; and at the end of it, abrupt apparently as a material wall, the blue of a cloudless October sky.
OFprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE MYSTERY OF SOLITUDE Westward across the unbroken prairie country, into the smiling, sun-kissed silence and emptiness, two people were driving: a white girl of two-and-twenty summers and an Indian man a few years older.
old
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From this reading Though the day was perfectly still, the canvas curtains of the old surrey flapped lazily in a breeze born of the pace alone.
older
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From this reading THE MYSTERY OF SOLITUDE Westward across the unbroken prairie country, into the smiling, sun-kissed silence and emptiness, two people were driving: a white girl of two-and-twenty summers and an Indian man a few years older.
outline
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Back of them, in the direction from which they had come, was the outline of a straggling, desolate village.
pace
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Though the day was perfectly still, the canvas curtains of the old surrey flapped lazily in a breeze born of the pace alone.
people
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE MYSTERY OF SOLITUDE Westward across the unbroken prairie country, into the smiling, sun-kissed silence and emptiness, two people were driving: a white girl of two-and-twenty summers and an Indian man a few years older.
perfectly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Though the day was perfectly still, the canvas curtains of the old surrey flapped lazily in a breeze born of the pace alone.
prairie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE MYSTERY OF SOLITUDE Westward across the unbroken prairie country, into the smiling, sun-kissed silence and emptiness, two people were driving: a white girl of two-and-twenty summers and an Indian man a few years older.
restless
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The team they were driving, a mouse-coloured broncho and a mate a shade darker, were restless after three days of enforced inactivity and tugged at the bit mightily.
rolling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Ahead, to either side, was the rolling brown earth; and at the end of it, abrupt apparently as a material wall, the blue of a cloudless October sky.
shade
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The team they were driving, a mouse-coloured broncho and a mate a shade darker, were restless after three days of enforced inactivity and tugged at the bit mightily.
side
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Ahead, to either side, was the rolling brown earth; and at the end of it, abrupt apparently as a material wall, the blue of a cloudless October sky.
silencenounUS /ˈsaɪ.ləns/
Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.
From this reading THE MYSTERY OF SOLITUDE Westward across the unbroken prairie country, into the smiling, sun-kissed silence and emptiness, two people were driving: a white girl of two-and-twenty summers and an Indian man a few years older.
sky
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Ahead, to either side, was the rolling brown earth; and at the end of it, abrupt apparently as a material wall, the blue of a cloudless October sky.
smiling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE MYSTERY OF SOLITUDE Westward across the unbroken prairie country, into the smiling, sun-kissed silence and emptiness, two people were driving: a white girl of two-and-twenty summers and an Indian man a few years older.
SOLITUDE
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From this reading THE MYSTERY OF SOLITUDE Westward across the unbroken prairie country, into the smiling, sun-kissed silence and emptiness, two people were driving: a white girl of two-and-twenty summers and an Indian man a few years older.
stillnounUS /still/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Though the day was perfectly still, the canvas curtains of the old surrey flapped lazily in a breeze born of the pace alone.
straggling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Back of them, in the direction from which they had come, was the outline of a straggling, desolate village.
summers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE MYSTERY OF SOLITUDE Westward across the unbroken prairie country, into the smiling, sun-kissed silence and emptiness, two people were driving: a white girl of two-and-twenty summers and an Indian man a few years older.
sun-kissed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE MYSTERY OF SOLITUDE Westward across the unbroken prairie country, into the smiling, sun-kissed silence and emptiness, two people were driving: a white girl of two-and-twenty summers and an Indian man a few years older.
surrey
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Though the day was perfectly still, the canvas curtains of the old surrey flapped lazily in a breeze born of the pace alone.
team
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The team they were driving, a mouse-coloured broncho and a mate a shade darker, were restless after three days of enforced inactivity and tugged at the bit mightily.
THEdeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE MYSTERY OF SOLITUDE Westward across the unbroken prairie country, into the smiling, sun-kissed silence and emptiness, two people were driving: a white girl of two-and-twenty summers and an Indian man a few years older.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Back of them, in the direction from which they had come, was the outline of a straggling, desolate village.
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Back of them, in the direction from which they had come, was the outline of a straggling, desolate village.
ThoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/
in spite of the fact that
From this reading Though the day was perfectly still, the canvas curtains of the old surrey flapped lazily in a breeze born of the pace alone.
three
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The team they were driving, a mouse-coloured broncho and a mate a shade darker, were restless after three days of enforced inactivity and tugged at the bit mightily.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Ahead, to either side, was the rolling brown earth; and at the end of it, abrupt apparently as a material wall, the blue of a cloudless October sky.
tugged
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From this reading The team they were driving, a mouse-coloured broncho and a mate a shade darker, were restless after three days of enforced inactivity and tugged at the bit mightily.
two
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From this reading THE MYSTERY OF SOLITUDE Westward across the unbroken prairie country, into the smiling, sun-kissed silence and emptiness, two people were driving: a white girl of two-and-twenty summers and an Indian man a few years older.
two-and-twenty
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE MYSTERY OF SOLITUDE Westward across the unbroken prairie country, into the smiling, sun-kissed silence and emptiness, two people were driving: a white girl of two-and-twenty summers and an Indian man a few years older.
unbroken
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE MYSTERY OF SOLITUDE Westward across the unbroken prairie country, into the smiling, sun-kissed silence and emptiness, two people were driving: a white girl of two-and-twenty summers and an Indian man a few years older.
village
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Back of them, in the direction from which they had come, was the outline of a straggling, desolate village.
wall
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Ahead, to either side, was the rolling brown earth; and at the end of it, abrupt apparently as a material wall, the blue of a cloudless October sky.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Back of them, in the direction from which they had come, was the outline of a straggling, desolate village.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading THE MYSTERY OF SOLITUDE Westward across the unbroken prairie country, into the smiling, sun-kissed silence and emptiness, two people were driving: a white girl of two-and-twenty summers and an Indian man a few years older.
WestwardadverbUS /ˈwɛstwərd/
toward the west
From this reading THE MYSTERY OF SOLITUDE Westward across the unbroken prairie country, into the smiling, sun-kissed silence and emptiness, two people were driving: a white girl of two-and-twenty summers and an Indian man a few years older.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Back of them, in the direction from which they had come, was the outline of a straggling, desolate village.
white
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE MYSTERY OF SOLITUDE Westward across the unbroken prairie country, into the smiling, sun-kissed silence and emptiness, two people were driving: a white girl of two-and-twenty summers and an Indian man a few years older.
years
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE MYSTERY OF SOLITUDE Westward across the unbroken prairie country, into the smiling, sun-kissed silence and emptiness, two people were driving: a white girl of two-and-twenty summers and an Indian man a few years older.