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Army Boys on the Firing Line
Army Boys on the Firing Line

Chapter XXI · Chapter 21

Chapter 21 of Army Boys on the Firing Line is here in full — 79 sentences across 16 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Army Boys on the Firing Line
Context Illustration Reading 1/15 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
A JOYOUS REUNION Shouting like so many maniacs, they rushed toward him.
At the same instant Tom, too, began to run, and in a moment they had their arms around him, and were hugging him, pounding him, mauling him, exclaiming, questioning, laughing, rejoicing, all in one breath.
Tom was back with them again, good old Tom, their chum, their comrade, Tom, over whose fate they had spent so many sleepless hours, Tom, for whom any one of them would have risked his life, Tom who they knew was captured, and who they feared might be dead.
There he was, the same old Tom, with face and body thin, with hair unkempt and matted, with traces showing everywhere of the anxiety and suffering he had undergone, and yet with the same indomitable spirit that neither captivity nor threatened death had broken, and the same smile upon his lips and twinkle in his eyes.
"Easy, easy there, fellows," he protested laughing.
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Army Boys on the Firing Line

Chapter XXI · Chapter 21

Chapter 21 of Army Boys on the Firing Line is here in full — 79 sentences across 16 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/15 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
A JOYOUS REUNION Shouting like so many maniacs, they rushed toward him.
/ə ˈdʒɔɪəs riˈuːnjən ˈʃaʊtɪŋ laɪk soʊ ˈmeni ˈmeɪniæks ðeɪ rʌʃt təˈwɔːrd hɪm/
Line 2
At the same instant Tom, too, began to run, and in a moment they had their arms around him, and were hugging him, pounding him, mauling him, exclaiming, questioning, laughing, rejoicing, all in one breath.
Line 3
Tom was back with them again, good old Tom, their chum, their comrade, Tom, over whose fate they had spent so many sleepless hours, Tom, for whom any one of them would have risked his life, Tom who they knew was captured, and who they feared might be dead.
/tɑːm wɑːz bæk wɪð ðem əˈɡen ɡʊd oʊld tɑːm ðer tʃʌm ðer ˈkɑːmræd tɑːm ˈoʊvər huːz feɪt ðeɪ hæd spent soʊ ˈmeni ˈsliːpləs ˈaʊərz tɑːm fɔːr huːm ˈeni wʌn ʌv ðem wʊd hæv rɪskt hɪz laɪf tɑːm huː ðeɪ nuː wɑːz ˈkæptʃərd ənd huː ðeɪ fɪrd maɪt biː ded/
Line 4
There he was, the same old Tom, with face and body thin, with hair unkempt and matted, with traces showing everywhere of the anxiety and suffering he had undergone, and yet with the same indomitable spirit that neither captivity nor threatened death had broken, and the same smile upon his lips and twinkle in his eyes.
Line 5
"Easy, easy there, fellows," he protested laughing.
/ˈiːzi ˈiːzi ðer ˈfeloʊz hiː prəˈtestɪd ˈlæfɪŋ/

Learner Dictionary

These definitions explain words found in the current reading and keep every example grounded in its original sentence.

Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, and audio.

chum noun US /tʃʌm/

a close friend who accompanies his buddies in their activities

From this reading “Tom was back with them again, good old Tom, their chum, their comrade, Tom, over whose fate they had spent so many sleepless hours, Tom, for whom any one of them would have risked his life, Tom who they knew was captured, and who they feared might be dead.”

hugging noun US /ˈhʌɡɪŋ/

affectionate play (or foreplay without contact with the genital organs)

From this reading “At the same instant Tom, too, began to run, and in a moment they had their arms around him, and were hugging him, pounding him, mauling him, exclaiming, questioning, laughing, rejoicing, all in one breath.”

indomitable adjective US /ˌɪnˈdɑːmətəbəl/

impossible to subdue

From this reading “There he was, the same old Tom, with face and body thin, with hair unkempt and matted, with traces showing everywhere of the anxiety and suffering he had undergone, and yet with the same indomitable spirit that neither captivity nor threatened death had broken, and the same smile upon his lips and twinkle in his eyes.”

maniacs noun US /ˈmeɪniæks/

plural of “maniac” — an insane person

From this reading “A JOYOUS REUNION Shouting like so many maniacs, they rushed toward him.”

pounding noun US /ˈpaʊndɪŋ/

repeated heavy blows

From this reading “At the same instant Tom, too, began to run, and in a moment they had their arms around him, and were hugging him, pounding him, mauling him, exclaiming, questioning, laughing, rejoicing, all in one breath.”

reunion noun US /riˈuːnjən/

a party of former associates who have come together again

From this reading “A JOYOUS REUNION Shouting like so many maniacs, they rushed toward him.”

risked verb US /rɪskt/

past form of “risk” — expose to a chance of loss or damage

From this reading “Tom was back with them again, good old Tom, their chum, their comrade, Tom, over whose fate they had spent so many sleepless hours, Tom, for whom any one of them would have risked his life, Tom who they knew was captured, and who they feared might be dead.”

unkempt adjective US /ənˈkempt/

not neatly combed

From this reading “There he was, the same old Tom, with face and body thin, with hair unkempt and matted, with traces showing everywhere of the anxiety and suffering he had undergone, and yet with the same indomitable spirit that neither captivity nor threatened death had broken, and the same smile upon his lips and twinkle in his eyes.”

All words in this reading · 102

Every word in these five lines is listed here, and every one of them can be played on its own.

Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

AdeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading A JOYOUS REUNION Shouting like so many maniacs, they rushed toward him.

againadverbUS /əˈɡen/

anew

From this reading Tom was back with them again, good old Tom, their chum, their comrade, Tom, over whose fate they had spent so many sleepless hours, Tom, for whom any one of them would have risked his life, Tom who they knew was captured, and who they feared might be dead.

alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading At the same instant Tom, too, began to run, and in a moment they had their arms around him, and were hugging him, pounding him, mauling him, exclaiming, questioning, laughing, rejoicing, all in one breath.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading At the same instant Tom, too, began to run, and in a moment they had their arms around him, and were hugging him, pounding him, mauling him, exclaiming, questioning, laughing, rejoicing, all in one breath.

anxietynounUS /æŋˈzaɪəti/

(psychiatry) a relatively permanent state of worry and nervousness occurring in a variety of mental disorders, usually accompanied by compulsive behavior or attacks of panic

From this reading There he was, the same old Tom, with face and body thin, with hair unkempt and matted, with traces showing everywhere of the anxiety and suffering he had undergone, and yet with the same indomitable spirit that neither captivity nor threatened death had broken, and the same smile upon his lips and twinkle in his eyes.

anyadjectiveUS /ˈeni/

one or some or every or all without specification

From this reading Tom was back with them again, good old Tom, their chum, their comrade, Tom, over whose fate they had spent so many sleepless hours, Tom, for whom any one of them would have risked his life, Tom who they knew was captured, and who they feared might be dead.

armsnounUS /ɑːrmz/

weapons considered collectively

From this reading At the same instant Tom, too, began to run, and in a moment they had their arms around him, and were hugging him, pounding him, mauling him, exclaiming, questioning, laughing, rejoicing, all in one breath.

aroundprepositionUS /ərˈaʊnd/

surrounding, or on every side of, something

From this reading At the same instant Tom, too, began to run, and in a moment they had their arms around him, and were hugging him, pounding him, mauling him, exclaiming, questioning, laughing, rejoicing, all in one breath.

AtprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading At the same instant Tom, too, began to run, and in a moment they had their arms around him, and were hugging him, pounding him, mauling him, exclaiming, questioning, laughing, rejoicing, all in one breath.

backadverbUS /bæk/

in or to or toward a former location

From this reading Tom was back with them again, good old Tom, their chum, their comrade, Tom, over whose fate they had spent so many sleepless hours, Tom, for whom any one of them would have risked his life, Tom who they knew was captured, and who they feared might be dead.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading Tom was back with them again, good old Tom, their chum, their comrade, Tom, over whose fate they had spent so many sleepless hours, Tom, for whom any one of them would have risked his life, Tom who they knew was captured, and who they feared might be dead.

beganverbUS /bɪˈɡæn/

inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action

From this reading At the same instant Tom, too, began to run, and in a moment they had their arms around him, and were hugging him, pounding him, mauling him, exclaiming, questioning, laughing, rejoicing, all in one breath.

bodynounUS /ˈbɑːdi/

the entire physical structure of an organism (an animal, plant, or human being)

From this reading There he was, the same old Tom, with face and body thin, with hair unkempt and matted, with traces showing everywhere of the anxiety and suffering he had undergone, and yet with the same indomitable spirit that neither captivity nor threatened death had broken, and the same smile upon his lips and twinkle in his eyes.

breathnounUS /breθ/

the process of taking in and expelling air during breathing

From this reading At the same instant Tom, too, began to run, and in a moment they had their arms around him, and were hugging him, pounding him, mauling him, exclaiming, questioning, laughing, rejoicing, all in one breath.

brokenadjectiveUS /ˈbroʊkən/

physically and forcibly separated into pieces or cracked or split

From this reading There he was, the same old Tom, with face and body thin, with hair unkempt and matted, with traces showing everywhere of the anxiety and suffering he had undergone, and yet with the same indomitable spirit that neither captivity nor threatened death had broken, and the same smile upon his lips and twinkle in his eyes.

captivitynounUS /kæpˈtɪvəti/

the state of being imprisoned

From this reading There he was, the same old Tom, with face and body thin, with hair unkempt and matted, with traces showing everywhere of the anxiety and suffering he had undergone, and yet with the same indomitable spirit that neither captivity nor threatened death had broken, and the same smile upon his lips and twinkle in his eyes.

capturedverbUS /ˈkæptʃərd/

past form of “capture” — succeed in representing or expressing something intangible

From this reading Tom was back with them again, good old Tom, their chum, their comrade, Tom, over whose fate they had spent so many sleepless hours, Tom, for whom any one of them would have risked his life, Tom who they knew was captured, and who they feared might be dead.

chumnounUS /tʃʌm/

a close friend who accompanies his buddies in their activities

From this reading Tom was back with them again, good old Tom, their chum, their comrade, Tom, over whose fate they had spent so many sleepless hours, Tom, for whom any one of them would have risked his life, Tom who they knew was captured, and who they feared might be dead.

comradenounUS /ˈkɑːmræd/

a friend who is frequently in the company of another

From this reading Tom was back with them again, good old Tom, their chum, their comrade, Tom, over whose fate they had spent so many sleepless hours, Tom, for whom any one of them would have risked his life, Tom who they knew was captured, and who they feared might be dead.

deadadjectiveUS /ded/

no longer having or seeming to have or expecting to have life

From this reading Tom was back with them again, good old Tom, their chum, their comrade, Tom, over whose fate they had spent so many sleepless hours, Tom, for whom any one of them would have risked his life, Tom who they knew was captured, and who they feared might be dead.

deathnounUS /deθ/

the event of dying or departure from life

From this reading There he was, the same old Tom, with face and body thin, with hair unkempt and matted, with traces showing everywhere of the anxiety and suffering he had undergone, and yet with the same indomitable spirit that neither captivity nor threatened death had broken, and the same smile upon his lips and twinkle in his eyes.

EasyadjectiveUS /ˈiːzi/

posing no difficulty; requiring little effort

From this reading "Easy, easy there, fellows," he protested laughing.

everywhereadverbUS /ˈevriwer/

to or in any or all places

From this reading There he was, the same old Tom, with face and body thin, with hair unkempt and matted, with traces showing everywhere of the anxiety and suffering he had undergone, and yet with the same indomitable spirit that neither captivity nor threatened death had broken, and the same smile upon his lips and twinkle in his eyes.

exclaimingnounUS /ɪkˈskleɪmɪŋ/

an abrupt excited utterance

From this reading At the same instant Tom, too, began to run, and in a moment they had their arms around him, and were hugging him, pounding him, mauling him, exclaiming, questioning, laughing, rejoicing, all in one breath.

eyesnounUS /aɪz/

opinion or judgment

From this reading There he was, the same old Tom, with face and body thin, with hair unkempt and matted, with traces showing everywhere of the anxiety and suffering he had undergone, and yet with the same indomitable spirit that neither captivity nor threatened death had broken, and the same smile upon his lips and twinkle in his eyes.

facenounUS /feɪs/

the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear

From this reading There he was, the same old Tom, with face and body thin, with hair unkempt and matted, with traces showing everywhere of the anxiety and suffering he had undergone, and yet with the same indomitable spirit that neither captivity nor threatened death had broken, and the same smile upon his lips and twinkle in his eyes.

fatenounUS /feɪt/

an event (or a course of events) that will inevitably happen in the future

From this reading Tom was back with them again, good old Tom, their chum, their comrade, Tom, over whose fate they had spent so many sleepless hours, Tom, for whom any one of them would have risked his life, Tom who they knew was captured, and who they feared might be dead.

fearedverbUS /fɪrd/

past form of “fear” — be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event

From this reading Tom was back with them again, good old Tom, their chum, their comrade, Tom, over whose fate they had spent so many sleepless hours, Tom, for whom any one of them would have risked his life, Tom who they knew was captured, and who they feared might be dead.

fellowsnounUS /ˈfeloʊz/

plural of “fellow” — a boy or man

From this reading "Easy, easy there, fellows," he protested laughing.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Tom was back with them again, good old Tom, their chum, their comrade, Tom, over whose fate they had spent so many sleepless hours, Tom, for whom any one of them would have risked his life, Tom who they knew was captured, and who they feared might be dead.

goodadjectiveUS /ɡʊd/

having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified

From this reading Tom was back with them again, good old Tom, their chum, their comrade, Tom, over whose fate they had spent so many sleepless hours, Tom, for whom any one of them would have risked his life, Tom who they knew was captured, and who they feared might be dead.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading At the same instant Tom, too, began to run, and in a moment they had their arms around him, and were hugging him, pounding him, mauling him, exclaiming, questioning, laughing, rejoicing, all in one breath.

hairnounUS /her/

a covering for the body (or parts of it) consisting of a dense growth of threadlike structures (as on the human head); helps to prevent heat loss

From this reading There he was, the same old Tom, with face and body thin, with hair unkempt and matted, with traces showing everywhere of the anxiety and suffering he had undergone, and yet with the same indomitable spirit that neither captivity nor threatened death had broken, and the same smile upon his lips and twinkle in his eyes.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading Tom was back with them again, good old Tom, their chum, their comrade, Tom, over whose fate they had spent so many sleepless hours, Tom, for whom any one of them would have risked his life, Tom who they knew was captured, and who they feared might be dead.

hepronounUS /hiː/

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading There he was, the same old Tom, with face and body thin, with hair unkempt and matted, with traces showing everywhere of the anxiety and suffering he had undergone, and yet with the same indomitable spirit that neither captivity nor threatened death had broken, and the same smile upon his lips and twinkle in his eyes.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading A JOYOUS REUNION Shouting like so many maniacs, they rushed toward him.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading Tom was back with them again, good old Tom, their chum, their comrade, Tom, over whose fate they had spent so many sleepless hours, Tom, for whom any one of them would have risked his life, Tom who they knew was captured, and who they feared might be dead.

hoursnounUS /ˈaʊərz/

a period of time assigned for work

From this reading Tom was back with them again, good old Tom, their chum, their comrade, Tom, over whose fate they had spent so many sleepless hours, Tom, for whom any one of them would have risked his life, Tom who they knew was captured, and who they feared might be dead.

huggingnounUS /ˈhʌɡɪŋ/

affectionate play (or foreplay without contact with the genital organs)

From this reading At the same instant Tom, too, began to run, and in a moment they had their arms around him, and were hugging him, pounding him, mauling him, exclaiming, questioning, laughing, rejoicing, all in one breath.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading At the same instant Tom, too, began to run, and in a moment they had their arms around him, and were hugging him, pounding him, mauling him, exclaiming, questioning, laughing, rejoicing, all in one breath.

indomitableadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈdɑːmətəbəl/

impossible to subdue

From this reading There he was, the same old Tom, with face and body thin, with hair unkempt and matted, with traces showing everywhere of the anxiety and suffering he had undergone, and yet with the same indomitable spirit that neither captivity nor threatened death had broken, and the same smile upon his lips and twinkle in his eyes.

instantnounUS /ˈɪnstənt/

a very short time (as the time it takes the eye to blink or the heart to beat)

From this reading At the same instant Tom, too, began to run, and in a moment they had their arms around him, and were hugging him, pounding him, mauling him, exclaiming, questioning, laughing, rejoicing, all in one breath.

JOYOUSadjectiveUS /ˈdʒɔɪəs/

full of or characterized by joy

From this reading A JOYOUS REUNION Shouting like so many maniacs, they rushed toward him.

knewverbUS /nuː/

inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about

From this reading Tom was back with them again, good old Tom, their chum, their comrade, Tom, over whose fate they had spent so many sleepless hours, Tom, for whom any one of them would have risked his life, Tom who they knew was captured, and who they feared might be dead.

laughingadjectiveUS /ˈlæfɪŋ/

showing or feeling mirth or pleasure or happiness

From this reading At the same instant Tom, too, began to run, and in a moment they had their arms around him, and were hugging him, pounding him, mauling him, exclaiming, questioning, laughing, rejoicing, all in one breath.

lifenounUS /laɪf/

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading Tom was back with them again, good old Tom, their chum, their comrade, Tom, over whose fate they had spent so many sleepless hours, Tom, for whom any one of them would have risked his life, Tom who they knew was captured, and who they feared might be dead.

likeverbUS /laɪk/

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading A JOYOUS REUNION Shouting like so many maniacs, they rushed toward him.

lipsnounUS /lɪps/

plural of “lip” — either of two fleshy folds of tissue that surround the mouth and play a role in speaking

From this reading There he was, the same old Tom, with face and body thin, with hair unkempt and matted, with traces showing everywhere of the anxiety and suffering he had undergone, and yet with the same indomitable spirit that neither captivity nor threatened death had broken, and the same smile upon his lips and twinkle in his eyes.

maniacsnounUS /ˈmeɪniæks/

plural of “maniac” — an insane person

From this reading A JOYOUS REUNION Shouting like so many maniacs, they rushed toward him.

manyadjectiveUS /ˈmeni/

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number

From this reading A JOYOUS REUNION Shouting like so many maniacs, they rushed toward him.

mattedadjective

tangled in a dense mass

From this reading There he was, the same old Tom, with face and body thin, with hair unkempt and matted, with traces showing everywhere of the anxiety and suffering he had undergone, and yet with the same indomitable spirit that neither captivity nor threatened death had broken, and the same smile upon his lips and twinkle in his eyes.

mauling

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading At the same instant Tom, too, began to run, and in a moment they had their arms around him, and were hugging him, pounding him, mauling him, exclaiming, questioning, laughing, rejoicing, all in one breath.

mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading Tom was back with them again, good old Tom, their chum, their comrade, Tom, over whose fate they had spent so many sleepless hours, Tom, for whom any one of them would have risked his life, Tom who they knew was captured, and who they feared might be dead.

momentnounUS /ˈmoʊmənt/

a particular point in time

From this reading At the same instant Tom, too, began to run, and in a moment they had their arms around him, and were hugging him, pounding him, mauling him, exclaiming, questioning, laughing, rejoicing, all in one breath.

neitherdeterminerUS /ˈniːðər/

not one and not the other of two

From this reading There he was, the same old Tom, with face and body thin, with hair unkempt and matted, with traces showing everywhere of the anxiety and suffering he had undergone, and yet with the same indomitable spirit that neither captivity nor threatened death had broken, and the same smile upon his lips and twinkle in his eyes.

norconjunctionUS /nɔːr/

and not; used after a negative to add a second negative

From this reading There he was, the same old Tom, with face and body thin, with hair unkempt and matted, with traces showing everywhere of the anxiety and suffering he had undergone, and yet with the same indomitable spirit that neither captivity nor threatened death had broken, and the same smile upon his lips and twinkle in his eyes.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Tom was back with them again, good old Tom, their chum, their comrade, Tom, over whose fate they had spent so many sleepless hours, Tom, for whom any one of them would have risked his life, Tom who they knew was captured, and who they feared might be dead.

oldadjectiveUS /oʊld/

(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

From this reading Tom was back with them again, good old Tom, their chum, their comrade, Tom, over whose fate they had spent so many sleepless hours, Tom, for whom any one of them would have risked his life, Tom who they knew was captured, and who they feared might be dead.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading At the same instant Tom, too, began to run, and in a moment they had their arms around him, and were hugging him, pounding him, mauling him, exclaiming, questioning, laughing, rejoicing, all in one breath.

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading Tom was back with them again, good old Tom, their chum, their comrade, Tom, over whose fate they had spent so many sleepless hours, Tom, for whom any one of them would have risked his life, Tom who they knew was captured, and who they feared might be dead.

poundingnounUS /ˈpaʊndɪŋ/

repeated heavy blows

From this reading At the same instant Tom, too, began to run, and in a moment they had their arms around him, and were hugging him, pounding him, mauling him, exclaiming, questioning, laughing, rejoicing, all in one breath.

protestedverbUS /prəˈtestɪd/

past form of “protest” — utter words of protest

From this reading "Easy, easy there, fellows," he protested laughing.

questioningadjectiveUS /ˈkwestʃənɪŋ/

perplexed (as if being expected to know something that you do not know)

From this reading At the same instant Tom, too, began to run, and in a moment they had their arms around him, and were hugging him, pounding him, mauling him, exclaiming, questioning, laughing, rejoicing, all in one breath.

rejoicingnounUS /rɪˈdʒɔɪsɪŋ/

a feeling of great happiness

From this reading At the same instant Tom, too, began to run, and in a moment they had their arms around him, and were hugging him, pounding him, mauling him, exclaiming, questioning, laughing, rejoicing, all in one breath.

REUNIONnounUS /riˈuːnjən/

a party of former associates who have come together again

From this reading A JOYOUS REUNION Shouting like so many maniacs, they rushed toward him.

riskedverbUS /rɪskt/

past form of “risk” — expose to a chance of loss or damage

From this reading Tom was back with them again, good old Tom, their chum, their comrade, Tom, over whose fate they had spent so many sleepless hours, Tom, for whom any one of them would have risked his life, Tom who they knew was captured, and who they feared might be dead.

runverbUS /rʌn/

move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time

From this reading At the same instant Tom, too, began to run, and in a moment they had their arms around him, and were hugging him, pounding him, mauling him, exclaiming, questioning, laughing, rejoicing, all in one breath.

rushedadjectiveUS /rʌʃt/

done under pressure

From this reading A JOYOUS REUNION Shouting like so many maniacs, they rushed toward him.

sameadjectiveUS /seɪm/

Identical; not different.

From this reading At the same instant Tom, too, began to run, and in a moment they had their arms around him, and were hugging him, pounding him, mauling him, exclaiming, questioning, laughing, rejoicing, all in one breath.

ShoutingnounUS /ˈʃaʊtɪŋ/

encouragement in the form of cheers from spectators

From this reading A JOYOUS REUNION Shouting like so many maniacs, they rushed toward him.

showingnounUS /ˈʃoʊɪŋ/

the display of a motion picture

From this reading There he was, the same old Tom, with face and body thin, with hair unkempt and matted, with traces showing everywhere of the anxiety and suffering he had undergone, and yet with the same indomitable spirit that neither captivity nor threatened death had broken, and the same smile upon his lips and twinkle in his eyes.

sleeplessadjectiveUS /ˈsliːpləs/

experiencing or accompanied by sleeplessness

From this reading Tom was back with them again, good old Tom, their chum, their comrade, Tom, over whose fate they had spent so many sleepless hours, Tom, for whom any one of them would have risked his life, Tom who they knew was captured, and who they feared might be dead.

smileverbUS /smaɪl/

change one's facial expression by spreading the lips, often to signal pleasure

From this reading There he was, the same old Tom, with face and body thin, with hair unkempt and matted, with traces showing everywhere of the anxiety and suffering he had undergone, and yet with the same indomitable spirit that neither captivity nor threatened death had broken, and the same smile upon his lips and twinkle in his eyes.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading A JOYOUS REUNION Shouting like so many maniacs, they rushed toward him.

spentadjectiveUS /spent/

depleted of energy, force, or strength

From this reading Tom was back with them again, good old Tom, their chum, their comrade, Tom, over whose fate they had spent so many sleepless hours, Tom, for whom any one of them would have risked his life, Tom who they knew was captured, and who they feared might be dead.

spiritnounUS /ˈspɪrət/

the vital principle or animating force within living things

From this reading There he was, the same old Tom, with face and body thin, with hair unkempt and matted, with traces showing everywhere of the anxiety and suffering he had undergone, and yet with the same indomitable spirit that neither captivity nor threatened death had broken, and the same smile upon his lips and twinkle in his eyes.

sufferingnounUS /ˈsʌfərɪŋ/

a state of acute pain

From this reading There he was, the same old Tom, with face and body thin, with hair unkempt and matted, with traces showing everywhere of the anxiety and suffering he had undergone, and yet with the same indomitable spirit that neither captivity nor threatened death had broken, and the same smile upon his lips and twinkle in his eyes.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading There he was, the same old Tom, with face and body thin, with hair unkempt and matted, with traces showing everywhere of the anxiety and suffering he had undergone, and yet with the same indomitable spirit that neither captivity nor threatened death had broken, and the same smile upon his lips and twinkle in his eyes.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading At the same instant Tom, too, began to run, and in a moment they had their arms around him, and were hugging him, pounding him, mauling him, exclaiming, questioning, laughing, rejoicing, all in one breath.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading At the same instant Tom, too, began to run, and in a moment they had their arms around him, and were hugging him, pounding him, mauling him, exclaiming, questioning, laughing, rejoicing, all in one breath.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading Tom was back with them again, good old Tom, their chum, their comrade, Tom, over whose fate they had spent so many sleepless hours, Tom, for whom any one of them would have risked his life, Tom who they knew was captured, and who they feared might be dead.

ThereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading There he was, the same old Tom, with face and body thin, with hair unkempt and matted, with traces showing everywhere of the anxiety and suffering he had undergone, and yet with the same indomitable spirit that neither captivity nor threatened death had broken, and the same smile upon his lips and twinkle in his eyes.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading A JOYOUS REUNION Shouting like so many maniacs, they rushed toward him.

thinadjectiveUS /θɪn/

Having little thickness or extent.

From this reading There he was, the same old Tom, with face and body thin, with hair unkempt and matted, with traces showing everywhere of the anxiety and suffering he had undergone, and yet with the same indomitable spirit that neither captivity nor threatened death had broken, and the same smile upon his lips and twinkle in his eyes.

threatenedadjectiveUS /ˈθretənd/

(of flora or fauna) likely in the near future to become endangered

From this reading There he was, the same old Tom, with face and body thin, with hair unkempt and matted, with traces showing everywhere of the anxiety and suffering he had undergone, and yet with the same indomitable spirit that neither captivity nor threatened death had broken, and the same smile upon his lips and twinkle in his eyes.

toparticleUS /tuː/

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading At the same instant Tom, too, began to run, and in a moment they had their arms around him, and were hugging him, pounding him, mauling him, exclaiming, questioning, laughing, rejoicing, all in one breath.

TomnounUS /tɑːm/

male cat

From this reading At the same instant Tom, too, began to run, and in a moment they had their arms around him, and were hugging him, pounding him, mauling him, exclaiming, questioning, laughing, rejoicing, all in one breath.

tooadverbUS /tuː/

to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits

From this reading At the same instant Tom, too, began to run, and in a moment they had their arms around him, and were hugging him, pounding him, mauling him, exclaiming, questioning, laughing, rejoicing, all in one breath.

towardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/

in the direction of

From this reading A JOYOUS REUNION Shouting like so many maniacs, they rushed toward him.

tracesnounUS /ˈtreɪsəz/

plural of “trace” — a just detectable amount

From this reading There he was, the same old Tom, with face and body thin, with hair unkempt and matted, with traces showing everywhere of the anxiety and suffering he had undergone, and yet with the same indomitable spirit that neither captivity nor threatened death had broken, and the same smile upon his lips and twinkle in his eyes.

twinkleverbUS /ˈtwɪŋkəl/

gleam or glow intermittently

From this reading There he was, the same old Tom, with face and body thin, with hair unkempt and matted, with traces showing everywhere of the anxiety and suffering he had undergone, and yet with the same indomitable spirit that neither captivity nor threatened death had broken, and the same smile upon his lips and twinkle in his eyes.

undergoneverbUS /ˌʌndərˈɡɔːn/

inflected form of “undergo” — pass through

From this reading There he was, the same old Tom, with face and body thin, with hair unkempt and matted, with traces showing everywhere of the anxiety and suffering he had undergone, and yet with the same indomitable spirit that neither captivity nor threatened death had broken, and the same smile upon his lips and twinkle in his eyes.

unkemptadjectiveUS /ənˈkempt/

not neatly combed

From this reading There he was, the same old Tom, with face and body thin, with hair unkempt and matted, with traces showing everywhere of the anxiety and suffering he had undergone, and yet with the same indomitable spirit that neither captivity nor threatened death had broken, and the same smile upon his lips and twinkle in his eyes.

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading There he was, the same old Tom, with face and body thin, with hair unkempt and matted, with traces showing everywhere of the anxiety and suffering he had undergone, and yet with the same indomitable spirit that neither captivity nor threatened death had broken, and the same smile upon his lips and twinkle in his eyes.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading Tom was back with them again, good old Tom, their chum, their comrade, Tom, over whose fate they had spent so many sleepless hours, Tom, for whom any one of them would have risked his life, Tom who they knew was captured, and who they feared might be dead.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading At the same instant Tom, too, began to run, and in a moment they had their arms around him, and were hugging him, pounding him, mauling him, exclaiming, questioning, laughing, rejoicing, all in one breath.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading Tom was back with them again, good old Tom, their chum, their comrade, Tom, over whose fate they had spent so many sleepless hours, Tom, for whom any one of them would have risked his life, Tom who they knew was captured, and who they feared might be dead.

whompronounUS /huːm/

the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading Tom was back with them again, good old Tom, their chum, their comrade, Tom, over whose fate they had spent so many sleepless hours, Tom, for whom any one of them would have risked his life, Tom who they knew was captured, and who they feared might be dead.

whosedeterminerUS /huːz/

belonging to which person

From this reading Tom was back with them again, good old Tom, their chum, their comrade, Tom, over whose fate they had spent so many sleepless hours, Tom, for whom any one of them would have risked his life, Tom who they knew was captured, and who they feared might be dead.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Tom was back with them again, good old Tom, their chum, their comrade, Tom, over whose fate they had spent so many sleepless hours, Tom, for whom any one of them would have risked his life, Tom who they knew was captured, and who they feared might be dead.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading Tom was back with them again, good old Tom, their chum, their comrade, Tom, over whose fate they had spent so many sleepless hours, Tom, for whom any one of them would have risked his life, Tom who they knew was captured, and who they feared might be dead.

yetconjunctionUS /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading There he was, the same old Tom, with face and body thin, with hair unkempt and matted, with traces showing everywhere of the anxiety and suffering he had undergone, and yet with the same indomitable spirit that neither captivity nor threatened death had broken, and the same smile upon his lips and twinkle in his eyes.

Chapter 21 of Army Boys on the Firing Line by Homer Randall holds 79 sentences, grouped into 16 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the source edition, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.

What does chapter 21 of Army Boys on the Firing Line contain?

Chapter 21 holds 79 sentences of Army Boys on the Firing Line, unabridged, divided into 16 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 21 of Army Boys on the Firing Line by Homer Randall exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 79 sentences, grouped into 16 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.

How do I study chapter 21 of Army Boys on the Firing Line?

Work through the 16 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 16 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.

Can chapter 21 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 21 can be played aloud in United States English.

Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.

Questions about reading Army Boys on the Firing Line

Common questions about reading Army Boys on the Firing Line by Homer Randall on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Army Boys on the Firing Line?

Yes. All 2980 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #21671 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Army Boys on the Firing Line is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #21671, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Army Boys on the Firing Line take to read?

About 248 minutes of reading across 596 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Army Boys on the Firing Line section by section

How to work through Army Boys on the Firing Line section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 24 chapters of Army Boys on the Firing Line to begin.

  2. Read one section

    Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.

  3. Listen and tap

    Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.

Vocabulary met early in Army Boys on the Firing Line

Words and structures a reader meets early in Army Boys on the Firing Line, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Shock
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Army Boys on the Firing Line; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Heavy
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Army Boys on the Firing Line; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Instant
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Army Boys on the Firing Line; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Combatants
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Army Boys on the Firing Line; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.