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Remembering Pulitzer-winning poet Charles Simic

Video vocabulary

collect

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US / kəˈlekt /

UK / kəˈlɛkt /

A2
  • adverb
  • By asking the receiver of a call to pay for it
  • verb
  • To ask for money, e.g. for a charity
  • To gather things, people together in one place
  • To get and keep one type of things as a hobby
  • To take things and bring them together
  • To go and receive, e.g. a prize or an award
  • To take control of your own feelings or thoughts

would

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US / wʊd /

UK / wʊd /

A1
  • other
  • Used to indicate something imagined
  • Used to ask or request something politely
  • Verb used to indicate possibility, request etc.
  • Used to indicate a preference
  • Used to indicate a reaction
  • Indicates something that occurred repeatedly
  • Used to indicate willingness or ability to do

really

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US / ˈri:əli /

UK / ˈriəˌli, ˈrili /

A1
  • adverb
  • Used to stress something that is said; definitely
  • In a true or accurate manner
  • Very

please

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US / pli:z /

UK / pliz /

A1
  • adverb
  • Used when you politely ask people for things
  • verb
  • To entertain someone, by dancing, singing etc.
  • To make someone happy by doing something

luck

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US / lʌk /

UK / lʌk /

A1
  • noun
  • Accidental way things happen, often good things

laureate

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US / ˈlɒriət /

UK / ˈlɔriɪt, ˈlɑr- /

C1
  • noun
  • One who has been given great honor in their field

want

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US / wɔnt /

UK / wɑnt, wɔnt /

A1
  • noun
  • Something you desire or wish for
  • State or condition of poverty
  • verb
  • To desire or wish for something; hope for a thing

stunned

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US / stʌnd /

UK / stʌnd /

B2
  • adjecitve
  • Extremely surprised; totally amazed
  • verb
  • To greatly shock or surprise; totally amaze
  • To incapacitate using a special gun

expect

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US / ɪk'spekt /

UK / ɪkˈspɛkt /

A1
  • verb
  • To believe something is probably going to happen

poke

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US / pəʊk /

UK / pok /

B2
  • verb
  • To give a push, thrust, or jab

midst

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US / mɪdst /

UK / mɪdst, mɪtst /

B2
  • noun
  • Middle area or part of something

out

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US / aʊt /

UK / aʊt /

A1
  • adverb
  • No longer stylish (e.g. fashion)
  • Away from home, business, or the usual place
  • In a direction/movement away from inside or center
  • noun
  • Act when a batter cannot continue playing
  • verb
  • To tell people a secret

hate

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US / heɪt /

UK / het /

A1
  • noun
  • Severe, deep sense of dislike or anger
  • An object that you hate
  • verb
  • To have a very strong feeling of dislike for

from

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US / frəm /

UK / frʌm, frɑm,frəm /

A1
  • preposition
  • Starting at a particular place, time or level

essay

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US / 'eseɪ /

UK / ˈɛsˌe, ɛˈse /

B1
  • noun
  • Short piece of written opinion on a subject

communism

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US / 'kɒmjʊnɪzəm /

UK / ˈkɑmjəˌnɪzəm /

B1
  • noun
  • Political system with state-controlled industry

along

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US / əˈlɒŋ /

UK / əˈlɔ:ŋ /

A1
  • adverb
  • As a companion; taken with someone
  • preposition
  • At a point on a line

until

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US / ənˈtɪl /

UK / ʌnˈtɪl /

A1
  • conjunction
  • Up to; to a time when something happens
  • preposition
  • Before (a specific time)

notebook

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US / 'nəʊtbʊk /

UK / ˈnotˌbʊk /

A2
  • noun
  • Book with blank pages used for writing notes

remind

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US / rɪ'maɪnd /

UK / rɪˈmaɪnd /

A2
  • verb
  • To cause someone to remember what they forgot

that

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US / ðæt /

UK / ðæt, ðət /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • The person or thing being talked about
  • Used to identify something both the speakers know
  • adverb
  • Used to reinforce adjectives and adverbs
  • To such a degree
  • conjunction
  • Used to connect a noun clause
  • Used to introduce an adverbial clause
  • Used to introduce a noun clause
  • determiner
  • Used as a noun to refer to something
  • pronoun
  • Referring an object far away
  • Used to refer to the relative pronoun ‘which’

what

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US / wɒt /

UK / hwɑt, hwʌt, wɔt, wʌt,hwət, wət /

A1
  • pronoun
  • Thing or things that; the same kind as
  • Used to emphasize something you are about to say
  • adjecitve
  • Used to refer to a particular amount, or number
  • Used to place emphasis on a particular quality
  • adverb
  • To a certain degree
  • determiner
  • Question words used for asking for information
  • exclamation
  • Used to express excitement, shock, or surprise
  • Used to ask people to repeat something they said

daughter

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US / ˈdɔ:tə(r) /

UK / ˈdɔtɚ /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • (Of a company) being a subsidiary of another firm
  • noun
  • A female child of someone

reign

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US / reɪn /

UK / ren /

B1
  • noun
  • Time during which a person runs an organization
  • Period of time when (e.g. king) rules a country
  • verb
  • To be present and felt or sensed by everyone there
  • (King or Queen) to rule a country

several

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US / ˈsevrəl /

UK / ˈsɛvərəl,ˈsɛvrəl /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Many of
  • pronoun
  • More than two but not a large amount

bit

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US / bɪt /

UK / bɪt /

A1
  • noun
  • Device put in a horse's mouth to control it
  • Small piece of something
  • verb
  • (E.g. of fish) to take bait and be caught

country

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US / ˈkʌntri /

UK / ˈkʌntri /

A1
  • noun
  • An area of land that is controlled by a government
  • Open land that is away from towns and cities

human

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US / 'hju:mən /

UK / ˈhjumən /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Concerning or characteristic of people
  • noun
  • A person; a man, woman or child

moon

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US / mu:n /

UK / mun /

A2
  • noun
  • Round object circling the Earth at night
  • verb
  • To expose your buttocks as a joke

thank

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US / θæŋk /

UK / θæŋk /

A1
  • verb
  • To tell someone you are grateful to them

all

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US / ɔ:l /

UK / ɔl /

A1
  • adverb
  • Completely; totally
  • determiner
  • Being every one of something
  • pronoun
  • 100% of something; the complete amount

historian

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US / hɪˈstɔ:riən /

UK / hɪˈstɔriən /

B1
  • noun
  • Someone who studies the course of history

professor

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US / prəˈfesə(r) /

UK / prəˈfɛsɚ /

A2
  • noun
  • Teacher who teaches at a college or university

strange

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US / streɪndʒ /

UK / strendʒ /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Unusual or odd; surprising because unexpected

who

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US / hu: /

UK / hu /

A1
  • pronoun
  • Which person
  • Used to introduce information about people

bring

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US / brɪŋ /

UK / brɪŋ /

A1
  • verb
  • To take or go with someone to a place

self

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US / self /

UK / sɛlf /

A1
  • noun
  • Person's own interests or desires
  • Person that someone really is
  • Particular aspect of someone's personality
  • Person, usually someone already been mentioned

son

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US / sʌn /

UK / sʌn /

A1
  • noun
  • Male child; friendly way of addressing a boy

building

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US / ˈbɪldɪŋ /

UK / ˈbɪldɪŋ /

A1
  • noun
  • A structure with a roof and walls, e.g. a house
  • verb
  • To establish e.g. a reputation, over time
  • To construct a house, office, factory

throw

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US / θrəʊ /

UK / θroʊ /

A1
  • noun
  • Arm movement to make a thing fly through the air
  • Loose cloth or blanket (usually over a chair)
  • Forcibly putting someone on the ground
  • verb
  • To use your arm to make something fly in the air
  • To move part of your body suddenly and forcefully
  • To confuse or upset someone
  • (E.g. judo) to forcibly put someone on the ground
  • To put something somewhere suddenly and roughly

work

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US / wɜ:k /

UK / wɚk /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Activity completed in order to make money
  • noun
  • The product of some artistic or literary endeavor
  • Everything created by an author, artist, musician
  • Activity you do in order to make money
  • Place of employment
  • Final product or result of a some labor or effort
  • verb
  • To bring into a specific state of success
  • To be functioning properly, e.g. a car
  • To do your job in your company or workplace
  • To make an effort to do something
  • To operate a machine or device

military

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US / 'mɪlətrɪ /

UK / ˈmɪlɪˌtɛri /

B1
  • adjecitve
  • Concerning the army or navy
  • noun
  • Army or armed forces

numerous

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US / ˈnju:mərəs /

UK / ˈnumərəs, ˈnju- /

B1
  • adjecitve
  • Existing in large numbers

stalinist

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US / 'stɑ:lɪnɪst /

UK / 'stɑ:lɪnɪst /

A1
  • other
  • A follower of Stalin and Stalinism
  • Of or relating to Joseph Stalin or his times

ago

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US / əˈgəʊ /

UK / əˈgoʊ /

A1
  • adverb
  • At a specified length of time in the past

else

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US / els /

UK / ɛls /

A1
  • adverb
  • Otherwise; if you fail to
  • (Of person place thing etc.) besides; in addition

lived

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US / 'lɪvd /

UK / 'lɪvd /

A1
  • verb
  • To be alive
  • To experience a particular type of life
  • To make your home in a house or town

lake

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US / leɪk /

UK / lek /

A2
  • noun
  • Large area of water surrounded by land

move

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US / mu:v /

UK / muv /

A1
  • noun
  • Act of moving a playing piece in chess, etc.
  • An action; doing something
  • Step taken to achieve a goal
  • verb
  • To cause someone to have certain emotions
  • To cause something to change to a different place
  • To change where people live or a business operates
  • To take action to do or achieve something

their

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US / ðɛː /

UK / ðer /

A1
  • determiner
  • Belonging to them

lot

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US / lɒt /

UK / lɑt /

A1
  • noun
  • What happens to a person in life from chance; fate
  • A group of people seen together
  • Item for sale at an auction
  • Small area of land used for a purpose e.g. parking

back

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US / bæk /

UK / bæk /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Farthest from the front e.g. in a classroom
  • adverb
  • Have returned to a place you were before
  • noun
  • The part of a chair that the upper body leans upon
  • Location at the rear of something
  • The reverse of side something
  • Area on the rear of your body
  • verb
  • To bet money on something
  • To go backwards in a car
  • To support and encourage someone or some cause

and

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US / ənd /

UK / ənd, ən,ænd /

A1
  • conjunction
  • Used to refer to two or more things
  • Plus; in addition; on top of that
  • Used to introduce an action that follows another

rest

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US / rest /

UK / rɛst /

A1
  • noun
  • Time when one relaxes, sleeps, or is inactive
  • State in which there is a lack of motion
  • Part of something remaining after some was used
  • verb
  • To stop working or avoid activity to recover
  • (Of dead person) to lie in a grave
  • To lean, support or place something against
  • To not be tired because you had enough sleep

meet

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US / mi:t /

UK / mit /

A1
  • noun
  • Sporting competition e.g. swimming
  • verb
  • To provide something that is necessary
  • To come together at a certain time or place

kid

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US / kɪd /

UK / kɪd /

A2
  • adjecitve
  • Made from young goat skin
  • noun
  • Child or young person
  • Young goat
  • verb
  • To make fun of someone in a gentle way; to tease

early

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US / ˈɜ:li /

UK / ˈɜ:rli /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Happening or appearing before
  • adverb
  • Coming/happening before others in a time sequence
  • Happening sooner than expected

sometimes

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US / ˈsʌmtaɪmz /

UK / ˈsʌmˌtaɪmz /

A1
  • adverb
  • Only at certain times; occasionally

prise

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US / praɪz /

UK / praɪz /

C1
  • verb
  • To force a locked box, etc. open

footage

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US / ˈfʊtɪdʒ /

UK / ˈfʊtɪdʒ /

B2
  • noun
  • A certain amount of film or video of something
  • Measurement in feet

battle

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US / 'bætl /

UK / ˈbætl /

A2
  • noun
  • Military fight between armies
  • Working hard to stop something; struggle
  • verb
  • To fight or struggle against someone or something
  • To work hard to stop something; struggle

two

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US / tu: /

UK / tu /

A1
  • number
  • 2

speculation

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US / ˌspekjuˈleɪʃn /

UK / ˌspɛkjəˈleʃən /

B2
  • noun
  • Taking risks that might lead to big profits
  • Prediction or guess about future events/outcomes

only

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US / ˈəunli /

UK / ˈonli /

A1
  • adverb
  • Just one; just that amount or thing; not more than
  • Not very important or serious
  • Just that type of thing, person
  • Short time ago; not before a certain time
  • conjunction
  • Except; but

put

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US / pʊt /

UK / pʊt /

A1
  • phrasal verb
  • to make a light stop shining by pressing or moving a switch
  • verb
  • To move or place a thing in a particular position
  • To rate something in importance or value
  • To write or say something in a certain manner

completely

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US / kəmˈpli:tli /

UK / kəmˈpliːtli /

A1
  • adverb
  • In every way or as much as possible

think

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US / θɪŋk /

UK / θɪŋk /

A1
  • verb
  • To have an idea about something without certainty
  • To have an idea, opinion or belief about something

homeland

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US / ˈhəʊmlænd /

UK / ˈhoʊmlænd /

C1
  • noun
  • Country where you were born

help

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US / help /

UK / hɛlp /

A1
  • noun
  • Something given to enable a person to do something
  • Assistance given to someone in need
  • Someone who makes something easier or possible
  • verb
  • To act to enable a person to do something; assist
  • To make something better or less difficult

come

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US / kʌm /

UK / kʌm /

A1
  • verb
  • To arrive at a place
  • (Of mail) to be delivered
  • To move toward someone; go with someone
  • To reach a certain point or state

any

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US / 'enɪ /

UK / ˈɛni /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • One, or some, no matter which
  • pronoun
  • One (thing) of many; some

finally

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US / ˈfaɪnəli /

UK / ˈfaɪnəli /

A1
  • adverb
  • used especially at the beginning of a sentence to introduce the last point or idea
  • After a long time or some difficulty

confess

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US / kən'fes /

UK / kənˈfɛs /

B1
  • verb
  • To admit that you did something wrong

beyond

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US / bɪ'jɒnd /

UK / biˈɑnd, bɪˈjɑnd /

A2
  • adverb
  • On or to the farther side
  • In addition to
  • preposition
  • Later in time than
  • Out of the limits of

where

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US / hwɛə /

UK / hwɛr, wɛr /

A1
  • conjunction
  • At or in the place which
  • In whatever place
  • pronoun
  • Word you use to ask the location of something

leave

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US / li:v /

UK / liv /

A1
  • noun
  • Permission to do something
  • Vacation time; time off work
  • verb
  • To go away from; depart
  • To gift property to someone after you die
  • To allow something to continue happening
  • To let something remain unused or available
  • To let something or someone remain somewhere

emeritus

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US / ɪ'merɪtəs /

UK / ɪˈmɛrɪtəs /

C1
  • noun
  • Title given to retired professor

call

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US / kɔ:l /

UK / kɔl /

A1
  • noun
  • A order or request for action
  • The sound an animal makes, often when in danger
  • A correct prediction, e.g. a decision in a game
  • A short visit to a place or person
  • A decision by a referee or umpire in a game
  • verb
  • To make a request or order for action
  • (Animal) to make sounds to warn of danger
  • To announce the date of an election
  • To make a judgment about something
  • To give someone or something a name
  • To guess in advance the result or outcome
  • To visit a place or person for a short time
  • To phone someone
  • To speak, announce or shout in a loud voice

agency

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US / 'eɪdʒənsɪ /

UK / ˈedʒənsi /

B1
  • noun
  • Business that provides some service for others

should

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US / ʃʊd /

UK / ʃʊd /

A1
  • other
  • Used to indicate what is proper or reasonable

sort

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US / sɔ:t /

UK / sɔrt /

A1
  • noun
  • Group or class of similar things or people
  • verb
  • To organize things by putting them into groups
  • To deal with things in an organized way

continue

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US / kən'tɪnju: /

UK / kənˈtɪnju /

A1
  • verb
  • To do something without stopping, or after pausing
  • To start doing again after a break, pause, or stop

cane

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US / keɪn /

UK / ken /

B2
  • noun
  • Stick used to beat someone as punishment
  • Long, woody plant stem producing sugar
  • Stick someone who has trouble walking uses to walk
  • verb
  • To beat someone with a stick as punishment

stalin

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US / ˈstɑ:lin /

UK / ˈstɑlɪn, ˈstælɪn /

A1
  • other
  • Russian leader who succeeded Lenin as head of the Communist Party and created a totalitarian state b

strike

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US / straɪk /

UK / straɪk /

A2
  • noun
  • A punch or hit
  • Fact of not hitting the ball when playing baseball
  • Refusal to work to get more pay, protest something
  • verb
  • To hit something
  • To suddenly become (e.g. rich)
  • To have an idea occur to you

point

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US / pɔɪnt /

UK / pɔɪnt /

A1
  • noun
  • An item to be discussed
  • Small spot or dot
  • Fact or detail
  • Feature of something
  • The size of the text on a page or screen
  • A certain time or stage in a process
  • Certain position in time or space
  • Idea or fact you try to convince people about
  • Measurement of scores in a game, sport
  • Sharp end of something, e.g. a pen or pin
  • verb
  • To face a certain direction, e.g. north
  • To indicate something with your finger to others

ever

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US / 'evə(r) /

UK / ˈɛvɚ /

A1
  • adverb
  • At any time; at all times in the future

day

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US / deɪ /

UK / de /

A1
  • noun
  • A period of 24 hours beginning at midnight
  • The period of time when it is light outside
  • Person's name

true

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US / tru: /

UK / tru: /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Agreeing with the facts; not false; real or actual

predicament

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US / prɪˈdɪkəmənt /

UK / prɪˈdɪkəmənt /

B1
  • noun
  • Difficult situation that is hard to get out of

foolish

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US / ˈfu:lɪʃ /

UK / ˈfulɪʃ /

A2
  • adjecitve
  • Lacking good sense or judgment; not sensible

try

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US / traɪ /

UK / traɪ /

A1
  • noun
  • Act of putting the ball over the rugby goal line
  • verb
  • To make an effort, to attempt to do something
  • To examine someone or something in a court of law
  • To test to see if it is good or you like it
  • To make a person go through hardship; test
  • To examine something to see if it works

soviet

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US / ˈsəuviət,ˈsɔviət /

UK / ˈsoviˌɛt, -ɪt, ˈsɑvi-, ˌsoviˈɛt /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Of or relating to or characteristic of the former Soviet Union or its people
  • noun
  • Elected government council in a communist country

position

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US / pəˈzɪʃn /

UK / pəˈzɪʃən /

A1
  • noun
  • Person's opinion or attitude about something
  • Specific location where someone or something is
  • Where you play or your role on a sports team
  • Person's job or status level
  • Set of conditions affecting what you can (not) do
  • verb
  • To put in a particular location or direction

precisely

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US / prɪˈsaɪsli /

UK / prɪˈsaɪsli /

B1
  • adverb
  • In an exact and accurate manner
  • (Emphasizes that a statement is totally correct)

new

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US / nju: /

UK / nu, nju /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Not old, recently born, built or made
  • Being or doing something for the first time
  • Not felt, seen or known previously
  • Having been recently bought or obtained

here

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US / hɪə(r) /

UK / hɪr /

A1
  • adverb
  • In this place; at this location, position or time

conscience

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US / 'kɒnʃəns /

UK / ˈkɑnʃəns /

B1
  • noun
  • Ability to sense what is right or wrong

bark

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US / bɑ:k /

UK / bɑ:rk /

B1
  • noun
  • Sound made by a dog
  • Tough outer covering of a tree or other plant
  • verb
  • To make the loud sound of a dog (when angry)
  • To rub off the outer covering of something; scrape
  • To make a short and loud noise, e.g. giving orders

profile

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US / 'prəʊfaɪl /

UK / ˈproˌfaɪl /

B1
  • noun
  • A short description of a person or group
  • Shape of someone's head when viewed from the side
  • verb
  • To write a short description of a person or group

reside

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US / rɪˈzaɪd /

UK / rɪˈzaɪd /

B1
  • verb
  • To live in; dwell; to be present

once

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US / wʌns /

UK / wʌns /

A1
  • adverb
  • One time; one instance
  • At a time in the past
  • conjunction
  • When; as soon as

poet

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US / ˈpəʊɪt /

UK / ˈpoʊət /

A2
  • noun
  • Person who writes poems

bed

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US / bed /

UK / bɛd /

A1
  • noun
  • Flat bottom surface of a lake, ocean etc.
  • A piece of furniture that people sleep on
  • An area on which other things are put
  • Area of ground to grow vegetables or flowers
  • verb
  • To have sex with someone
  • To plant, fix, or attach something firmly to

union

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US / 'ju:nɪən /

UK / ˈjunjən /

A2
  • noun
  • Act of joining two or more things into one
  • Marriage
  • Organization of workers to look after their needs

memory

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US / 'memərɪ /

UK / ˈmɛməri /

A2
  • noun
  • Ability of the mind to call back past things
  • Space for the storage of information on a computer
  • Something that has been remembered

write

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US / raɪt /

UK / raɪt /

A1
  • verb
  • To compose letters and words on paper or a screen
  • To invent or create a computer program
  • To create a song or piece of music

use

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US / ju:s /

UK / ju:s /

A1
  • noun
  • Ability to employ something
  • Need to enable it to work
  • Permission to do something with something
  • Act of spending money
  • Operation of a machine for its function
  • verb
  • To have; to eat, drink, consume etc.
  • To need to operate or work
  • To operate a machine, e.g. a computer
  • To treat a person badly
  • To do something with, for a task or purpose

stick

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US / stɪk /

UK / stɪk /

A2
  • noun
  • Long thin piece of wood from a tree
  • verb
  • To push a sharp or pointed object into something
  • To join together using glue or paste
  • To remain in one place or position for a long time

speak

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US / spi:k /

UK / spik /

A1
  • verb
  • To be able to use a certain language
  • To use words to tell information, express thoughts

realize

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US / 'ri:əlaɪz /

UK / ˈriəˌlaɪz /

A1
  • verb
  • To become aware of or understand mentally

essayist

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US / ˈeseɪɪst /

UK / ˈɛsˌeɪst /

B1
  • noun
  • Writer of essays

will

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US / wɪl /

UK / wɪl /

A1
  • noun
  • Desire or choice of someone
  • Document saying who gets your money when you die
  • Strong desire to do something; determination
  • Desire to do something; strong wish to do
  • other
  • Used with verbs to express the future
  • verb
  • To leave property to someone after your death
  • To use mental effort to make something happen
  • Am (is, are) likely to do
  • To influence someone to do something
  • To make something happen by strongly wanting it

silence

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US / 'saɪləns /

UK / ˈsaɪləns /

A2
  • noun
  • State of being quiet and not talking for a time
  • When there is not sound or noise; complete quiet
  • Refusal to discuss or talk about an issue
  • verb
  • To stop the noise that something is making
  • To prevent someone from expressing thoughts

texas

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US / ˈtɛksəs /

UK / ˈtɛksəs /

A1
  • other
  • The second largest state; located in southwestern United States on the Gulf of Mexico

surely

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US / ˈʃʊəli /

UK / ˈʃʊrli /

A1
  • adverb
  • With certainty; definitely

many

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US / 'menɪ /

UK / ˈmɛni /

A1
  • determiner
  • Used to refer a large number of things

itself

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US / ɪtˈself /

UK / ɪtˈsɛlf /

A1
  • pronoun
  • Referring to it

accident

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US / ˈæksɪdənt /

UK / ˈæksɪdənt, -ˌdɛnt /

A1
  • noun
  • Sudden unplanned event causing damage, injury etc.

always

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US / 'ɔ:lweɪz /

UK / ˈɔlwez,-wɪz,-wiz /

A1
  • adverb
  • For a very long time
  • At all times; in every situation
  • For ever

after

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US / 'ɑ:ftə(r) /

UK / ˈæftɚ /

A1
  • adverb
  • Later than another time, or behind something
  • conjunction
  • Following something before
  • preposition
  • When an event happened or time has passed

city

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US / 'sɪtɪ /

UK / ˈsɪti /

A1
  • noun
  • Area with many buildings, roads and people

bow

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US / baʊ /

UK / bo /

A2
  • noun
  • Wooden weapon made to shoot arrows
  • Front part of a boat
  • Knot with two loops used to tie shoelaces, etc.
  • Wood tool with horse hair used to play a violin
  • verb
  • To (cause to) curve or bend
  • To bend forward at waist in order to show respect

bomb

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US / bɒm /

UK / bɑm /

B1
  • noun
  • An explosive device
  • verb
  • To attack with explosives
  • To fail or be completely unsuccessful

win

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US / wɪn /

UK / wɪn /

A1
  • noun
  • Success in beating the other team or competitors
  • Success in a game or contest
  • verb
  • To get something as a prize because of a success
  • To gain something you want because of your efforts
  • To succeed in a game or contest

serious

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US / ˈsɪəriəs /

UK / ˈsɪriəs /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Giving something great energy or sincerity
  • Needing thought or concentration; important; grave
  • Being sincere about something; not joking

prolific

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US / prəˈlɪfɪk /

UK / prəˈlɪfɪk /

B2
  • adjecitve
  • Producing something in large quantities

first

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US / fɜ:st /

UK / fɚst /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • 1st; Coming before all others in time or place
  • noun
  • Something that has not happened before
  • Position of the winner of a competition

suddenly

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US / ˈsʌdənli /

UK / ˈsʌdn:lɪ /

A1
  • adverb
  • In an unexpected or very quick manner

pulitzer

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US / ˈpʊlɪtzə /

UK / ˈpʊlɪtzər /

A1
  • noun
  • Hungarian-born American journalist and newspaper publisher who established and endowed the Pulitzer

mean

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US / mi:n /

UK / min /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Being good at
  • Nasty; unkind
  • Not liking to spend money; cheap; stingy
  • noun
  • Average of a set of numbers
  • verb
  • To express a particular idea or thought
  • To intend to do something in particular
  • To have a particular meaning or value

great

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US / ɡreɪt /

UK / ɡret /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Very large in size
  • Very important
  • Very good; fantastic; wonderful
  • adverb
  • Very good; better than before
  • noun
  • Successful and well-admired person

teaching

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US / ˈti:tʃɪŋ /

UK / ˈtitʃɪŋ /

A1
  • noun
  • The act of helping people learn
  • verb
  • To help someone learn or do something

winter

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US / ˈwɪntə(r) /

UK / ˈwɪntɚ /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • (Food) planted in fall and gathered next year
  • noun
  • Time or season of idleness or decay
  • Coldest season of the year
  • verb
  • To spend the cold months at a certain place

york

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US / jɔ:k /

UK / jɔrk /

A1
  • proper noun
  • A city in northern England, on the Ouse River; population 136,900 (est. 2009).
  • A commercial and industrial city in southeastern Pennsylvania; population 40,097 (est. 2008).
  • The southwestern tip of Hayes Peninsula, on Baffin Bay in Greenland. It served as a base for US expl

tell

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US / tel /

UK / tɛl /

A1
  • verb
  • To (strongly) advise a person to do something
  • To be able to guess
  • To say or communicate information to someone
  • To inform, but without speaking; indicate
  • To have a negative effect on someone
  • To order someone to do something; command
  • To recognize something based on certain signs
  • To report something to an authority
  • To explain something or teach someone something

soot

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US / sʊt /

UK / sʊt, sut /

C1
  • noun
  • Fine, black powder produced during burning

nothing

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US / 'nʌθɪŋ /

UK / ˈnʌθɪŋ /

A1
  • noun
  • Item of little or no value, importance, interest
  • Number or value of zero
  • pronoun
  • Not anything, not a single thing

interesting

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US / ˈɪntrəstɪŋ /

UK / ˈɪntrɪstɪŋ, -tərɪstɪŋ, -təˌrɛstɪŋ /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Taking your attention; making you want to know
  • verb
  • To make someone want to know about something
  • To persuade to do, become involved with something

civil

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US / ˈsɪvl /

UK / ˈsɪvəl /

B1
  • adjecitve
  • Of citizens of a country; not military, criminal
  • Acting in a polite, but not truly friendly manner

imagination

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US / ɪˌmædʒɪˈneɪʃn /

UK / ɪˌmædʒəˈneʃən /

A2
  • noun
  • Ability to creates new ideas and mental images

you

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US / jʊ /

UK / ju /

A1
  • pronoun
  • Person someone is speaking or writing to
  • Person or people in general

woman

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US / ˈwʊmən /

UK / ˈwʊmən /

A1
  • noun
  • Adult female human being

year

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US / jə: /

UK / jɪr /

A1
  • noun
  • Unit of time equal to 12 months or 365 or 366 days
  • Used to refer to the age of a person

sensible

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US / ˈsensəbl /

UK / ˈsɛnsəbəl /

A2
  • adjecitve
  • Able to judge something reasonably or fairly
  • Being useful/practical rather than fun/fashionable

rent

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US / rent /

UK / rɛnt /

A2
  • verb
  • To give the use of something in return for payment
  • To cut a piece of cloth by tearing it

humanity

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US / hju:ˈmænəti /

UK / hjuˈmænɪti /

A2
  • noun
  • Quality of being understanding or sympathetic
  • Human race as one group of people

live

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US / lɪv /

UK / liv /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Being broadcast as events happen, not recorded
  • Carrying electric current; able to give a shock
  • Glowing because burning; hot
  • Not yet killed (for food)
  • adverb
  • (Music, drama) as it is performed
  • verb
  • To be alive
  • To experience a particular type of life
  • To make your home in a house or town

kind

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US / kaɪnd /

UK / kaɪnd /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • In a caring and helpful manner
  • friendly and considerate
  • noun
  • One type of thing

also

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US / 'ɔ:lsəʊ /

UK / ˈɔlso /

A1
  • adverb
  • In addition; too; in a similar way

won

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US / wʌn /

UK / wʌn, won /

A1
  • verb
  • To gain something you want because of your efforts
  • To succeed in a game or contest

turn

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US / tɜ:n /

UK / tɚn /

A1
  • noun
  • Place where changing of direction happens
  • Your time or chance to perform a duty
  • Your chance to play or do in say a game
  • Unexpected change, as in the weather
  • verb
  • To become (a particular age)
  • To become a different quality, color, etc.
  • To change the direction of something, e.g. a car
  • To move in an opposite direction or position
  • To shape metal with a spinning tool

than

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US / ðən /

UK / ðən /

A1
  • conjunction
  • Used to compare two things that are not equal

settle

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US / 'setl /

UK / ˈsɛtl /

A2
  • noun
  • Type of wooden seat
  • verb
  • To make (a child, etc.) feel calm/ready for sleep
  • To complete or finalize e.g. a contract or debt
  • To end some troubles by reaching an agreement
  • To become accustomed to a new environment
  • (Of liquids) to move to the bottom of a container

paris

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US / 'pærɪs /

UK / ˈpærɪs /

A1
  • other
  • Sometimes placed in subfamily Trilliaceae

relative

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US / ˈrelətɪv /

UK / ˈrɛlətɪv /

A2
  • adjecitve
  • Measured or considered in comparison to another
  • (Grammar) referring to words that appear earlier
  • noun
  • Members of the family
  • Humans or animals sharing the same family history

one

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US / wʌn /

UK / wʌn /

A1
  • pronoun
  • You; we; people in general; someone
  • The thing or person previously referred to
  • adjecitve
  • Used to refer to people generally
  • Being a strong example of (something mentioned)
  • number
  • Number 1

other

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US / 'ʌðə(r) /

UK / ˈʌðər /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • A thing different from that mentioned
  • determiner
  • (Something) else; not the first (one)
  • pronoun
  • Being the one and only thing of that category

lucky

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US / 'lʌkɪ /

UK / ˈlʌki /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Fortunate; having good things happen by chance

wash

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US / wɒʃ /

UK / wɑ:ʃ /

A1
  • noun
  • Clothes or other items that need cleaning
  • Movement of water with or against something else
  • verb
  • To clean someone or something with soap and water
  • To move somewhere by flowing

this

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US / ðɪs /

UK / ðɪs /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Used to indicate something already been discussed
  • Used to indicate something happening around now
  • adverb
  • An indication by a physical motion or gesture
  • A specific amount of
  • determiner
  • Person, thing, or idea near you
  • pronoun
  • Person, thing that has already been discussed

school

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US / sku:l /

UK / skul /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Being to do with schools and education
  • noun
  • Large group of fish that swim together
  • Education of a child
  • Building where you learn in classes with a teacher
  • A particular belief or idea about something
  • verb
  • To teach or train someone to know or do something

congress

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US / 'kɒŋɡres /

UK / ˈkɑŋɡrɪs /

B1
  • noun
  • Meeting of elected or appointed representatives
  • American governing body of elected representatives

universe

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US / ˈju:nɪvɜ:s /

UK / ˈjunəˌvɚs /

B2
  • noun
  • All of space that contains planets and stars
  • Things surrounding a person, affecting their life

run

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US / rʌn /

UK / rʌn /

A1
  • noun
  • Journey between two places made by ship or car
  • Series of similar things or successes and failures
  • Act of running; exercise of running
  • verb
  • To depart or travel according to a schedule
  • To cause an animal to move in a certain direction
  • (Of an engine) to be operating
  • To start or use a computer program
  • To flow in a certain direction, like a liquid
  • To manage or operate a business
  • To operate or drive something
  • (Of a road) to go from one place to another
  • To move your legs faster than walking

paso

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US / ˈpæsoʊ /

UK / /

A1

outside

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US / ˌaʊtˈsaɪd /

UK / aʊtˈsaɪd, ˈaʊtˌsaɪd /

A2
  • adverb
  • Beyond the limits or edges of some place, thing
  • noun
  • Area around or near something, such as a building
  • preposition
  • Beyond the limits or edges of some place, thing

make

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US / meɪk /

UK / mek /

A1
  • noun
  • Product made by a particular company; brand
  • verb
  • To arrange or prepare something e.g. dinner
  • To get to (a place) on time
  • To gain the status of (teacher, lawyer, etc.)
  • To create something by putting things together
  • To earn a certain amount of money at a job
  • To cause or force a person to do something
  • To cause something to happen or be formed

hampshire

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US / ˈhæmpʃiə /

UK / ˈhæmpʃɪr, -ʃɚ /

A1
  • other
  • A county of southern England on the English Channel

helen

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US / ˈhɛlɪn /

UK / ˈhɛlən /

A1
  • proper noun
  • The daughter of Zeus and Leda, born from an egg. In the Homeric poems she was the outstandingly beau

epic

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US / 'epɪk /

UK / ˈɛpɪk /

B2
  • adjecitve
  • Going on for a long time; awe-inspiring
  • noun
  • A long story, often about many people and events

dear

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US / dɪə(r) /

UK / dɪr /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Loved or valued very much
  • Expensive

the

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US / ðə /

UK / ðə /

A1
  • article
  • Used to refer to something already mentioned
  • Used to show there is only one of something
  • determiner
  • Used to describe all of a family

little

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US / 'lɪtl /

UK / ˈlɪtl /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Being short in length of time
  • Not great in size, amount, or degree; small
  • Being very young or younger than others
  • adverb
  • By an amount or degree that is not very much
  • Not often; rarely
  • noun
  • A person's name

graveyard

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US / ˈgreɪvjɑ:d /

UK / ˈgreɪvjɑ:rd /

C1
  • noun
  • Area used for burials; area with many graves

fit

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US / fɪt /

UK / fɪt /

A2
  • adjecitve
  • Good looking; physically attractive
  • Proper or acceptable; morally or socially correct
  • noun
  • Sudden loss of body control; attack (of crying)
  • verb
  • To install a machine, equipment etc.
  • To adjust or change to the right size or shape
  • To be the right size and shape that you want

alone

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US / ə'ləʊn /

UK / əˈlon /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Apart from others
  • Without equal
  • adverb
  • Without anyone or anything else

university

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US / ˌju:nɪ'vɜ:sətɪ /

UK / ˌjunɪˈvɜrsəti /

A1
  • noun
  • High-level educational institution; college

december

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US / dɪˈsembə(r) /

UK / dɪˈsɛmbɚ /

A1
  • noun
  • The 12th month of the year

youth

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US / ju:θ /

UK / juθ /

A2
  • noun
  • Being young; time when you are young
  • Young person or teenager
  • Quality or state of being young
  • Boy or a young man

teach

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US / ti:tʃ /

UK / titʃ /

A1
  • verb
  • To help someone learn or do something

state

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US / steɪt /

UK / stet /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Concerning region within a country
  • noun
  • Region within a country, with its own government
  • Situation or condition something is in
  • verb
  • To say; declare as fact

grand

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US / ɡrænd /

UK / ɡrænd /

A2
  • adjecitve
  • A counter for 1000 of something
  • Great in amount, number or size
  • Being highest in status or rank; impressive

deep

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US / di:p /

UK / dip /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Complex and important
  • Extreme or intense
  • Going far down from the surface
  • Low in pitch, as a sound
  • adverb
  • At a certain distance beneath the surface

accept

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US / ək'sept /

UK / ækˈsɛpt /

A1
  • verb
  • To agree to receive or take something offered
  • To admit that something is true or correct

raise

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US / reɪz /

UK / rez /

A1
  • noun
  • Increase in a bet above another when playing cards
  • Pay increase
  • verb
  • To increase a bet above another when playing cards
  • To gather donations for a cause or charity
  • To bring up and educate a child to maturity
  • To bring a dead person to life
  • To increase a quantity, size, intensity or price
  • To lift (e.g. your hand) to a higher position
  • To mention a topic /issue for discussion; bring up
  • To increase (salary, etc.)
  • To grow or care for plants or animals

landlord

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US / ˈlændlɔ:d /

UK / ˈlændlɔ:rd /

B1
  • noun
  • Someone who owns and rents a place to people

hand

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US / hænd /

UK / hænd /

A1
  • noun
  • Cards given to a player in a card game
  • Piece of a clock that points to the time
  • Someone who performs physical tasks or work
  • Body part at the end of a person's arm
  • Help for someone performing a particular action
  • Condition of having power or influence
  • Member of the crew of a ship
  • verb
  • To give something to someone personally

curious

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US / ˈkjʊəriəs /

UK / ˈkjʊriəs /

A2
  • adjecitve
  • Wanting to know more about something
  • Attracting interest by being strange or unusual

bear

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US / bɛː /

UK / bɛr /

A2
  • noun
  • Large brown animal with fur that lives in forests
  • Someone who expects stock market to fall
  • verb
  • To accept (responsibilities or duties)
  • To give birth to a child; to produce fruit
  • To accept or suffer the weight of difficulties
  • To keep moving left or right while going forward
  • To show (sign of something)
  • To support the weight of something, e.g. a bridge

with

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US / wɪð /

UK / wɪð, wɪθ /

A1
  • preposition
  • As an employee of a certain company
  • Against something or someone
  • By using something as a means
  • Due to; because of
  • Including
  • Possessing as a feature
  • Related to
  • (Of the manner/attitude by which you do something)
  • Used to express that people or things are together

southern

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US / ˈsʌðən /

UK / ˈsʌðərn /

A2
  • adjecitve
  • Concerning a region in the south
  • Being in or toward the south

occupation

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US / ˌɒkjuˈpeɪʃn /

UK / ˌɑkjəˈpeʃən /

A2
  • noun
  • A career or regular job
  • Act of entering and taking control of an area

his

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US / hɪz /

UK / hɪz /

A1
  • pronoun
  • Something belonging to a male person

father

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US / ˈfɑ:ðə(r) /

UK / ˈfɑðɚ /

A1
  • noun
  • A male parent
  • Man who is the first to do or invent something
  • verb
  • To create a child by making a woman pregnant

town

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US / taʊn /

UK / taʊn /

A1
  • noun
  • Small city
  • Part of city with shops and entertainments

public

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US / 'pʌblɪk /

UK / ˈpʌblɪk /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Owned by the government
  • Concerning society in general
  • Being available or accessible to people in general
  • Known or able to be known by all people

repeat

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US / rɪˈpi:t /

UK / rɪˈpit /

A2
  • noun
  • Action that is done again
  • Musical passage that is to be played again
  • Radio or television program that was shown before
  • verb
  • To do something over again
  • To say something you have learned and memorized
  • To relate something you have been told by another
  • To say something again

know

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US / nəʊ /

UK / noʊ /

A1
  • verb
  • To be familiar with a person or place, thing
  • To feel sure or be convinced about something
  • To discover or be aware of something
  • To be able to distinguish
  • To have knowledge of things

could

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US / kəd /

UK / kʊd /

A1
  • other
  • Past form of 'can' to mean have ability
  • Used to ask for something politely, or to offer

belgrade

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US / belˈɡreid /

UK / ˈbɛlˌɡred, -ˌɡrɑd, bɛlˈɡred /

A1
  • proper noun
  • The capital of Serbia, on the Danube River; population 1,119,000 (est. 2008).

tonight

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US / təˈnaɪt /

UK / təˈnaɪt /

A1
  • adverb
  • Night following this day
  • noun
  • This evening; the night of today

have

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US / həv /

UK / hæv /

A1
  • verb
  • To drink, smoke, eat or use something
  • To experience the effects of something
  • To organize an event, or join in an activity
  • To own, possess, or hold something
  • To cause to happen or produce a particular effect

cover

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US / 'kʌvə(r) /

UK / ˈkʌvɚ /

A1
  • noun
  • A different version of another song
  • Bed sheets; blankets
  • (Police or military) protection from attack
  • Amount of money to be paid in an insurance claim
  • Thing you put over something to close or hide it
  • Front and back part of a book or magazine
  • Shelter built to protect from the natural elements
  • verb
  • To record a different version of another song
  • To include as part of its area
  • To put something over something to hide it
  • To discuss a subject in a talk or meeting
  • To form a layer over something so it is hidden
  • To have sufficient funds to pay for something
  • To include something within an agreed limit
  • To report news on TV, radio or in a newspaper
  • (Police or military) to protect from attack
  • To travel a certain distance in a given time
  • To wrap something with something, such as a cloth

ruin

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US / 'ru:ɪn /

UK / ˈruɪn /

B1
  • verb
  • To damage or completely destroy something
  • To cause someone to lose their money or status
  • noun
  • Remains of a building that has been destroyed

remember

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US / rɪ'membə(r) /

UK / rɪˈmɛmbɚ /

A1
  • verb
  • To give someone a gift, e.g. birthday, wedding
  • To hold a thought in your mind to not forget it
  • To bring a previous image or idea to your mind

exist

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US / ɪɡ'zɪst /

UK / ɪɡˈzɪst /

A1
  • verb
  • To be present, alive or real

end

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US / end /

UK / ɛnd /

A1
  • noun
  • The point where a process or activity stops
  • A point that marks the limit of something; finish
  • Goal or desired result
  • The tip, edge or limit of something
  • verb
  • To be the last part of something

discovery

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US / dɪ'skʌvərɪ /

UK / dɪˈskʌvəri /

A2
  • noun
  • Learning something for the first time

chicago

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US / ʃɪ'kɑ:gəʊ, -'kɔ:- /

UK / ʃɪ'kɑ:ɡoʊˌ -'kɔ:- /

A1
  • proper noun
  • A city in northeastern Illinois, on Lake Michigan; population 2,853,114 (est. 2008). Chicago develop

notice

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US / 'nəʊtɪs /

UK / ˈnotɪs /

A1
  • noun
  • Time by when you must leave, e.g. if you are fired
  • Paper with an announcement, e.g. pinned to a board
  • verb
  • To become aware by sight, touch, or hearing

history

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US / 'hɪstrɪ /

UK / ˈhɪstəri /

A2
  • noun
  • Established pattern or record
  • Study of past events as an academic subject

conversation

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US / ˌkɒnvəˈseɪʃn /

UK / ˌkɑnvɚˈseʃən /

A2
  • noun
  • Talking with other people; discussion or chat

young

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US / jʌŋ /

UK / jʌŋ /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • At an early stage of existence; not mature
  • Being recently created or started
  • noun
  • Babies in a group or family of animals

writer

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US / ˈraɪtə(r) /

UK / ˈraɪtɚ /

A1
  • noun
  • Professional who writes books, articles etc.

world

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US / wɜ:ld /

UK / wɜrld /

A1
  • noun
  • All the humans, events, activities on the earth
  • Political division due to some kind of similarity

wood

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US / wʊd /

UK / wʊd /

A2
  • adjecitve
  • Living or existing in the woods
  • Made from the material from trees
  • noun
  • Person's name
  • Land covered with trees, smaller than a forest
  • Cut tree used for making fires or building things
  • verb
  • To plant an area of land with trees

memoir

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US / ˈmemwɑ:(r) /

UK / ˈmɛmˌwɑr, -ˌwɔr /

B2
  • noun
  • Written collection of memories someone has

see

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US / si: /

UK / si /

A1
  • verb
  • To go on a date with someone
  • To predict whether something is, or will be true
  • To understand what someone says
  • To use your eyes to look at something
  • To visit a place often for sightseeing or pleasure
  • To visit or meet with someone
  • To find out by waiting or looking
  • To watch (a game, movie or TV show)

ash

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US / æʃ /

UK / æʃ /

B1
  • noun
  • Gray powder left after a fire

why

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US / waɪ /

UK / hwaɪ, waɪ /

A1
  • adverb
  • Question word to ask for a reason
  • exclamation
  • (Used to express surprise or approval)

trace

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US / treɪs /

UK / tres /

B1
  • noun
  • Very small quantity of something
  • verb
  • To make an outline to determine a shape
  • To find someone or something that has disappeared
  • To draw the outline of an image through thin paper

for

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US / fə(r) /

UK / fɔr,fə /

A1
  • preposition
  • Used to show the purpose, or need of something

bleak

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US / bli:k /

UK / blik /

B1
  • adjecitve
  • Desolate and colorless; without much hope

pronouncement

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US / prəˈnaʊnsmənt /

UK / prəˈnaʊnsmənt /

B2
  • noun
  • Declaration of something, e.g. in law

much

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US / mʌtʃ /

UK / mʌtʃ /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Very; to a high level or degree
  • adverb
  • A lot; large amount; a high degree of
  • Nearly; basically
  • On many occasions; often
  • noun
  • A large amount; a great quantity

individual

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US / ˌɪndɪˈvɪdʒuəl /

UK / ˌɪndəˈvɪdʒuəl /

A2
  • adjecitve
  • Made for use by one single person
  • Having a distinct manner different from others
  • noun
  • Single person, looked at separately from others

stroke

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US / strəʊk /

UK / strok /

B1
  • noun
  • When blood cannot get to brain, causing damage
  • Mark made by a pen, pencil or brush
  • One movement of oars on a boat
  • verb
  • To rub your hand in a caring way on something

somewhere

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US / 'sʌmweə(r) /

UK / ˈsʌmˌhwɛr, -ˌwɛr /

A1
  • adverb
  • At or to an unknown or unnamed place

purpose

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US / 'pɜ:pəs /

UK / ˈpɚpəs /

A2
  • noun
  • Reason for which something is done; aim; goal

just

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US / dʒʌst /

UK / dʒʌst /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Proper or appropriate; as is deserved
  • Doing or being what is right or fair
  • Legally correct; having enough evidence
  • adverb
  • Almost; nearly
  • Exactly at the time of
  • Exactly (the same as, like)

complaint

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US / kəmˈpleɪnt /

UK / kəmˈplent /

B1
  • noun
  • Saying something is wrong and should be changed
  • Official charge against a person by the police
  • A medical problem with your body; illness

well

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US / wel /

UK / wɛl /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Being in a fortunate, good condition or state
  • Healthy and in good condition
  • adverb
  • In an acceptable, proper, or successful manner
  • In a complete, total, or full manner
  • A great and considerable degree
  • In a successful way, in a good or satisfactory way
  • exclamation
  • Used to begin or continue a particular statement
  • Used to show you want to start saying something
  • Used to express that you are waiting for a reply
  • You say this to change the topic of a conversation
  • Used to indicate you are making a final remark
  • noun
  • Long deep hole in the ground to get water
  • verb
  • To cause your eyes to fill with tears

start

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US / stɑ:t /

UK / stɑrt /

A1
  • noun
  • First time or place that a thing exists; beginning
  • First opportunity to achieve something, e.g. a job
  • Sudden action or movement because you are scared
  • other
  • Beginning of something in place or time
  • verb
  • To do, be or happen for the first time; begin
  • To turn something on

piece

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US / pi:s /

UK / pis /

A1
  • noun
  • A counter in a board game
  • Small part of something larger
  • verb
  • To put items together to assemble something

eschew

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US / ɪsˈtʃu: /

UK / ɛsˈtʃu /

C1
  • verb
  • To avoid doing; give up; shun

delightful

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US / dɪˈlaɪtfl /

UK / dɪˈlaɪtfəl /

B2
  • adjecitve
  • Greatly pleasing or entertaining

arrest

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US / əˈrest /

UK / əˈrɛst /

A1
  • noun
  • Act of catching people who committed crimes
  • verb
  • To attract someone's attention and hold interest
  • (Police) to catch and keep criminals
  • To stop or slow something that is happening

ask

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US / ɑ:sk /

UK / æsk /

A1
  • verb
  • To say to someone that you want something

myself

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US / maɪˈself /

UK / maɪˈsɛlf /

A1
  • pronoun
  • The same person who did the action mentioned
  • My regular, usual, or healthy self

generation

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US / ˌdʒenəˈreɪʃn /

UK / ˌdʒɛnəˈreʃən /

A2
  • noun
  • Act or process of producing or causing something
  • People born and living at about the same time

inquiry

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US / ɪn'kwaɪərɪ /

UK / ɪnˈkwaɪri, ˈɪnˌkwaɪri, ˈɪnkwəri, ˈɪŋ- /

B1
  • noun
  • Process of seeking information
  • Official examination to get information

control

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US / kən'trəʊl /

UK / kənˈtrol /

A1
  • noun
  • A device designed to operate a machine
  • Participant in experiment that is left untouched
  • Act to dominate or command; make manageable
  • A law limiting the growth or spread of something
  • A place which overseas or manages e.g. a factory
  • verb
  • To direct or influence the behavior of something

destroy

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US / dɪ'strɔɪ /

UK / dɪˈstrɔɪ /

A2
  • verb
  • To damage so badly that something no longer exists
  • To defeat someone or something easily
  • To kill a sick or unwanted animal

water

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US / 'wɔ:tə(r) /

UK / ˈwɔtɚ, ˈwɑtɚ /

A1
  • noun
  • Clear liquid that forms the seas, rivers and rain
  • Large area such as an ocean or sea
  • verb
  • (Of the eyes) to produce tears
  • (Mouth) to become wet at the thought of nice food
  • To pour liquids onto a plant to keep it alive

such

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US / sʌtʃ /

UK / sʌtʃ /

A1
  • determiner
  • Being similar to
  • (Thing) as previously stated or referred to
  • adverb
  • (Used to emphasize the quality of an adjective)

begin

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US / bɪ'ɡɪn /

UK / ˈbeɡɪn /

A1
  • verb
  • To do the first part of an action; to start

success

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US / sək'ses /

UK / səkˈsɛs /

A2
  • noun
  • Achievement of a desired purpose or goal
  • A successful person; one who achieved their aims

joke

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US / dʒəʊk /

UK / dʒoʊk /

A1
  • noun
  • A funny or amusing statement
  • Something or someone not taken seriously
  • verb
  • To say or do things that are meant to be funny

aid

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US / eɪd /

UK / ed /

A2
  • noun
  • Action of giving help to others
  • Money or help given to those who need it
  • verb
  • To help others and provide things

question

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US / 'kwestʃən /

UK / ˈkwɛstʃən /

A1
  • noun
  • Issue or problems you are dealing with
  • What you ask about; issue
  • verb
  • To ask for or try to get information
  • To have or express concerns or uncertainty

prose

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US / prəʊz /

UK / proʊz /

B2
  • noun
  • Writing that is not a poem

difficult

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US / 'dɪfɪkəlt /

UK / ˈdɪfɪˌkʌlt, -kəlt /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Hard; not easy; you need to work hard to do it

clipper

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US / 'klɪpə(r) /

UK / ˈklɪpɚ /

B1
  • noun
  • Tool used to cut small pieces from something
  • Fast sailing ship

somebody

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US / 'sʌmbədɪ /

UK / ˈsʌmˌbɑdi, -ˌbʌdi, -bədi /

A1
  • noun
  • Important well-respected person
  • pronoun
  • Person who is not known or named

role

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US / rəʊl /

UK / rol /

A2
  • noun
  • Character played by an actor
  • Part you play in an activity; job; responsibility

observant

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US / əbˈzɜ:vənt /

UK / əbˈzə:vənt /

B1
  • adjecitve
  • Paying close attention especially to details

feeling

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US / ˈfi:lɪŋ /

UK / ˈfilɪŋ /

A1
  • noun
  • Sensation or emotion you experience
  • verb
  • To be aware of or experience an emotion, sensation
  • To sense through direct contact; touch

child

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US / tʃaɪld /

UK / tʃaɪld /

A1
  • noun
  • A very young person, between about 2 and 15

become

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US / bɪ'kʌm /

UK / bɪˈkʌm /

A1
  • verb
  • To begin to be; grow to be; develop into
  • To be suitable for a particular job or role

address

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US / ə'dres /

UK / əˈdrɛs /

A1
  • noun
  • Exact street location of a place
  • A formal speech to a group of people
  • verb
  • To write the place someone lives on a letter
  • To refer to someone or something formally
  • To make a formal speech to a group of people
  • To try to find a solution to; think about

now

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US / naʊ /

UK / naʊ /

A1
  • adverb
  • At the present time or moment
  • Right away or in the next possible moment
  • Used to refer to something that just happened
  • Time between the present and a moment in the past
  • conjunction
  • Resulting from or because of something

leader

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US / ˈli:də(r) /

UK / ˈlidɚ /

A1
  • noun
  • Person who is in charge of a group or task
  • Person or group who is currently winning

experience

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US / ɪk'spɪərɪəns /

UK / ɪkˈspɪriəns /

A1
  • noun
  • Thing a person has done or that happened to them
  • An event at which you learned something
  • Knowledge gained by living life, doing new things
  • verb
  • To gain knowledge by doing things

war

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US / wɔ:(r) /

UK / wɔr /

A2
  • noun
  • Situation where armies fight each other

brother

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US / ˈbrʌðə(r) /

UK / ˈbrʌðɚ /

A1
  • noun
  • A boy or man who shares a parent with you

can

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US / kæn /

UK / kən,kæn /

A1
  • noun
  • A metal container for storing food
  • other
  • Able to; have the skill to; have the time to
  • verb
  • To have permission to
  • To be possible to do
  • To preserve food by sealing it in a metal container

absentee

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US / ˌæbsənˈti: /

UK / ˌæbsənˈti /

B1
  • noun
  • Person who is not at the expected place, work

twist

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US / twɪst /

UK / twɪst /

A2
  • noun
  • Turn or spiral curve in a path or road
  • Bend or sudden change of direction
  • An unexpected change in the direction of a story
  • a change in the way in which something happens
  • verb
  • To turn something in a circular direction
  • To turn in a curving direction e.g. road or path
  • To bend something into a particular shape
  • To change the meaning in an unintended way
  • To turn in opposite directions at the same time
  • To wind something around something else
  • To turn direction or position, as of your body

themselves

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US / ðəmˈselvz /

UK / ðɛmˈsɛlvz, ðəm- /

A1
  • pronoun
  • Reflexive form of 'they'

quite

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US / kwaɪt /

UK / kwaɪt /

A1
  • adverb
  • Not very; fairly
  • Very; In a complete or total manner

refugee

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US / ˌrefjuˈdʒi: /

UK / ˌrɛfjʊˈdʒi /

B2
  • noun
  • Person forced to leave their home e.g. due to war

maybe

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US / ˈmeɪbi /

UK / ˈmebi /

A1
  • adverb
  • Possibly but not certainly; perhaps

not

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US / nɒt /

UK / nɑt /

A1
  • adverb
  • Word indicating the negative
  • (Used to form the negative of verbs)

our

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US / 'aʊə(r) /

UK / aʊr /

A1
  • determiner
  • Belonging to us

mother

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US / ˈmʌðə(r) /

UK / ˈmʌðɚ /

A1
  • noun
  • Female who has a child or children; female parent
  • verb
  • To take care of someone as if they were your child

fix

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US / fɪks /

UK / fɪks /

A2
  • noun
  • Answer to a problem
  • verb
  • To arrange or prepare something
  • To attach something so it will not move or change
  • To dishonestly arrange the result of a game
  • To make an animal unable to produce young
  • To make something whole or able to work again

life

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US / laɪf /

UK / laɪf /

A1
  • noun
  • All the living things e.g. animals, plants, humans
  • Period of time things live, from birth to death

good

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US / ɡʊd /

UK / ɡʊd /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Proper, appropriate or right
  • (Of an amount) enough; plenty
  • Excellent; high quality
  • Acting well or properly; of moral character
  • In a positive or happy emotional state
  • noun
  • Advantage or benefit

english

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US / ˈɪŋglɪʃ /

UK / ˈɪŋɡlɪʃ /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Concerning the culture and people of England
  • noun
  • Language of the UK, USA, Nigeria and elsewhere
  • Person's name

but

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US / bət /

UK / bʌt,bət /

A1
  • conjunction
  • Used before you say something different, opposite

surprise

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US / səˈpraɪz /

UK / sərˈpraɪz /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • That surprises you; not expected
  • noun
  • Something unexpected that slightly shocks you
  • verb
  • To do something that another person didn't expect

sense

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US / sens /

UK / sɛns /

A1
  • noun
  • Certain mental feeling or emotion
  • Normal or clear state of mind
  • Meaning of a particular word, phrase or text
  • verb
  • To perceive using sight, sound, taste touch etc.
  • To recognize the presence of something

regime

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US / reɪˈʒi:m /

UK / reˈʒim, rɪ- /

B1
  • noun
  • A system of management; a form of government

poignant

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US / ˈpɔɪnjənt /

UK / ˈpɔɪnjənt /

B2
  • adjecitve
  • Having the effect of making you feel sad/moved

poem

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US / ˈpəʊɪm /

UK / ˈpoʊəm /

A2
  • noun
  • A written composition in verse, not prose

business

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US / ˈbɪznəs /

UK / ˈbɪznɪs /

A1
  • noun
  • A company formed for making profit
  • Matter that has to be dealt with; task; situation
  • Activity of working to make a profit

happen

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US / 'hæpən /

UK / ˈhæpən /

A1
  • verb
  • To take place or occur

yeah

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US / jeə /

UK / ˈjɛə, ˈjæə, jɛ- /

A1
  • exclamation
  • Another way of saying 'yes'

down

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US / daʊn /

UK / daʊn /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Being sad, sick, or unhappy
  • Not operating, working, or functioning as expected
  • adverb
  • In a sitting or lying position
  • Towards or on the ground, floor, or bottom
  • Written or copied onto a piece of paper or book
  • noun
  • A period of play in American Football
  • The soft, smooth hairs that cover a bird's body
  • preposition
  • Along something's path, course, or direction
  • Going from a higher position to a lower position
  • verb
  • To eat or drink very quickly and without stopping

family

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US / 'fæməlɪ /

UK / ˈfæmli /

A1
  • noun
  • Close group of people or organizations
  • A group of people who are related through blood
  • Group of related plants or animals

must

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US / məst /

UK / mʌst /

A1
  • noun
  • Something that is necessary or required
  • other
  • (Used to state that something ought to be true)
  • Used to say something is required or necessary

then

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US / ðen /

UK / ðɛn /

A1
  • adverb
  • A time that is not now
  • Following another thing in time or arrangement
  • Following on reasonably from what was just stated
  • At that time, not now

student

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US / ˈstju:dnt /

UK / ˈstudnt, ˈstjud- /

A1
  • noun
  • Person studying at school

everywhere

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US / ˈevriweə(r) /

UK / ˈevriwer /

A1
  • adverb
  • Every place

house

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US / haʊs /

UK / haʊs /

A1
  • noun
  • Place where a specific activity or business occurs
  • Building in which a family, person lives
  • verb
  • To give someone a place to live
  • To contain or store something

least

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US / li:st /

UK / list /

A1
  • adverb
  • In the smallest or lowest way
  • noun
  • Something that is of the lowest or smallest degree

she

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US / ʃɪ /

UK / ʃi /

A1
  • pronoun
  • Female person or animal mentioned before
  • (Refers to female person mentioned before)

own

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US / əʊn /

UK / on /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Belong to oneself
  • determiner
  • Yours, his, hers, etc.; not belonging to another
  • pronoun
  • (Something) belong to myself
  • verb
  • To have something as your property

again

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US / ə'ɡen /

UK / əˈɡɛn /

A1
  • adverb
  • One more time, once more

about

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US / ə'baʊt /

UK / əˈbaʊt /

A1
  • adverb
  • To be ready to; going to
  • Nearly; approximately; roughly
  • Near; next to; close to
  • In every direction; in the area of
  • preposition
  • Concerning or of (a topic)

even

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US / 'i:vn /

UK / ˈivən /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Being equal in influence, power, possibility etc.
  • Being divided equally or fairly
  • (Of teams/contest) with similar chances of success
  • Smooth, level, or regular
  • Can be divided by 2; ending in 2, 4, 6, 8, or 0
  • At a regular, equally steady manner
  • Remaining steady and unchanging
  • adverb
  • (When this is surprising) as well; too
  • (Used to compare two things/stress the difference)
  • verb
  • To make something level; to flatten
  • To make something equal

like

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US / laɪk /

UK / laɪk /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Being equal in status or kind to something else
  • Similar; the same
  • adverb
  • For example
  • preposition
  • Used as a filler; used to ad emphasis
  • In a way similar to the way something is done
  • Such as; for example
  • verb
  • To want to
  • To find something pleasing; to prefer something

people

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US / 'pi:pl /

UK / ˈpipəl /

A1
  • noun
  • Persons sharing culture, country, background, etc.
  • Men, Women, Children

yes

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US / jes /

UK / jɛs /

A1
  • adverb
  • Way to say you agree or will do something

way

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US / weɪ /

UK / we /

A1
  • adverb
  • Used to emphasize the amount of something
  • noun
  • Particular aspect of something being thought about
  • One of various choices that could be made
  • Particular existing condition or state
  • (Often long) distance or length of time
  • How something is done
  • Route to go to a place
  • Small street
  • Usual behavior, emotions or habits of someone

anger

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US / ˈæŋgə(r) /

UK / ˈæŋɡɚ /

A2
  • noun
  • Feelings of being upset, mad or annoyed
  • A strong feeling we can get if we think we're being treated badly
  • verb
  • To make someone mad, upset, or annoyed

everything

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US / 'evrɪθɪŋ /

UK / ˈɛvriˌθɪŋ /

A1
  • pronoun
  • All of the things mentioned

they

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US / ðeɪ /

UK / ðe /

A1
  • pronoun
  • Two or more people, animals, or things

very

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US / 'verɪ /

UK / ˈvɛri /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Concerning a large degree or amount
  • adverb
  • A lot; much; many
  • Used to stress or emphasize a noun

volume

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US / ˈvɒlju:m /

UK / ˈvɑljum, -jəm /

A2
  • noun
  • Number or amount of something e.g. sales
  • Amount of space that something takes up
  • One book that is part of a set of books
  • Level of sound produced by radio or television
  • Introduction to Video Content
  • Charles Simic is a Pulitzer-winning poet who has recently been appointed as the Poet Laureate of the United States. Simic has been living in Stratford, New Hampshire for the past 35 years, where he has written numerous volumes of poetry and won various awards. He is also known for his essays and memoirs. Despite his impressive literary achievements, there is an interesting twist to Simic's story - he didn't start speaking English until he was 15 years old. Simic grew up in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, during World War II, and experienced the bombings, occupation, and civil war in his homeland. His father managed to make his way to the U.S., but Simic, along with his mother and younger brother, were arrested while trying to flee. It wasn't until 1954 that they were finally allowed to leave, settling outside Chicago. Simic often jokes that he became an American poet because of Hitler and Stalin. His writing is deeply influenced by his personal experiences and the sense of history that permeates his work. He views history as events beyond the control of individuals, and this perspective is evident in both his poetry and prose.
  • Subtitles section
  • And finally tonight, the new Poet Laureate of the United States.
  • Jeffrey Brown has our conversation.
  • For 35 years, Charles Simic has lived in a house on Bow Lake in the town of Stratford in southern New Hampshire.
  • Here, Simic wrote numerous volumes of poetry, won a Pulitzer and other prizes.
  • He's a prolific essayist and author of a delightful memoir of his youth.
  • In many ways, he fits the profile for a Poet Laureate, but there is at least one interesting twist.
  • Poet Laureate is a long way to come for a kid who didn't really speak English until 15?
  • It astonished me.
  • I mean, when they called me and after I realized precisely what you were saying, that I ended up being a Poet Laureate of the United States.
  • You know, starting, you know, in Belgrade, expecting that I would continue to live there for the rest of my life.
  • But then lots of things happened.
  • History happened, didn't it?
  • History happened.
  • Simic was a child when Germany bombed Yugoslavia in World War II. He remembers being thrown from his bed by a bomb that destroyed a nearby building.
  • His earliest years saw occupation, civil war, and the beginnings of a Stalinist regime in his homeland.
  • Simic's father made his way to the U.S., but along with his mother, Simic and his younger brother were arrested trying to flee.
  • It wasn't until 1954 that they were allowed to leave, first to Paris, and then with the help of a refugee aid agency to the U.S. The family settled outside Chicago.
  • I used to joke, I used to say, Hitler and Stalin, it's thanks to them that I became an American poet.
  • The sense of history is everywhere in your writing, in your poetry, and in your prose.
  • Well, history from the point of view of an individual who is in the midst of events that are beyond his or her control.
  • I mean, a poet as a historian can also, I mean, write about the leaders, the great battles, the military successes.
  • You mean the sort of epic poetry.
  • Epic poetry.
  • But that's not you.
  • It's not me.
  • I mean, I write from the point of view of somebody who, a refugee on the road.
  • I remember I wrote once a poem about the Bosnian war in the 90s, and there was just quite a little bit of footage of a woman with two little kids, and she's running down the road, some road.
  • God knows who she is or where she's going.
  • I said, well, this is me and my mother and my brother running, and it just repeats itself.
  • So, yes, I mean, the poet is the one, my kind of poet is the one who notices such things.
  • December 21st, these wars that end only to start up again somewhere else, like barber's clippers, or like these winters with their bleak days one can trace back to cane.
  • All I've ever done, it seems, is go poking in the ruins with a stick until I was covered with soot and ashes I couldn't wash off, even if I wanted to.
  • Simic came to the University of New Hampshire in 1973.
  • Now a professor emeritus, he's taught several generations of students and continued his own writing.
  • It first starts in a little notebook like this.
  • These are just bits and pieces.
  • So it all starts this way?
  • It starts this way.
  • Simic's wife, Helen, was also born in Yugoslavia, but the two met in New York.
  • They call themselves city people who happened to have left city life long ago to raise a daughter and son here in the relative peace of woods and water.
  • So a lot of the experiences you write about come from the city, but you write them by the lake.
  • It's true.
  • I'm much more alert, observant when I'm in the city than in the country.
  • I'm still a stranger here.
  • A stranger after what?
  • 35 years.
  • It's a great stroke of luck when it comes to poetry, Simic once wrote, that human beings do not know themselves very well.
  • If we had this self-knowledge, if we had, you know, ideas about who we are, what we are, I mean, it would be very difficult to write poetry.
  • I mean, the best things that happen in poems are discoveries.
  • They're accidents.
  • What comes out of our imagination, out of our deepest self, out of our memory, and when they're good, they're always surprises.
  • The absentee landlord.
  • Surely he could make it easier when he comes to inquiries as to his whereabouts.
  • Reign in our foolish speculation.
  • Silence our voices raised in anger.
  • And not leave us alone with that curious feeling we sometimes have of there being a higher purpose to our residing here where nothing works and everything needs fixing.
  • The least he could do is put up a sign, Way on Business, so we could see it in the graveyard where he collects the rent or in the night sky where we address our complaints to him.
  • One of your newest poems is called My Turn to Confess and it begins, A dog trying to write a poem on why he barks.
  • That's me, dear reader.
  • Yeah, well, that's the way I think of myself.
  • I mean, we're all barking at the moon.
  • We're all barking at some injustice out there.
  • One thing that I see in your essays about poetry is that you eschew any grand pronouncements.
  • You don't like to say poetry's role is this or poetry should do that.
  • I hate that.
  • I mean, it reminds me so much of communism.
  • I mean, they used to have, you know, party congresses and they would say, you know, Soviet writers must do this.
  • The poets of the great Soviet Union should.
  • No, poets are best when they're completely left alone.
  • They'll do what they please and if they're lucky, they'll write some good work.
  • Okay, but here you are and you've accepted this very public position, poet laureate.
  • Poet laureate.
  • Well, I'm going to remind people of that.
  • I'm going to remind them that, you know, what poems can bring to readers, what poetry is good for, as it were.
  • And when you tell them what poetry is good for, what are you going to say?
  • I remember once I was teaching in the schools, El Paso, Texas.
  • And a student had asked in the class, asked me what the poetry was good for.
  • And I was stunned because it's such a serious question.
  • It's a difficult question and suddenly a hand went up.
  • It was a young woman.
  • So I said, you know, what do you think?
  • And she said, to remind people of their own humanity.
  • That struck me as so sensible, so moving, so poignant.
  • To remind people of their own humanity.
  • You know, I'm mortal, I exist, I have my own conscience, I have my own being, myself.
  • Here I am, there's this universe.
  • Maybe there's a god, maybe there's no god.
  • This is my predicament, my human predicament.
  • Poetry reminds readers of that.