Chapter 7 of Fighting in France is here in full — 126 sentences across 26 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter VII
Chapter 7 of Fighting in France is here in full — 126 sentences across 26 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
IN THE DITCH The time passed slowly. The cannonade slackened in intensity and at times almost ceased entirely. The men spent their time in improving their positions and enlarging the ditches in which they were lying. "What are you doing, Jacques?" demanded Leon suddenly. "Watch me," was the young Frenchman's only reply.
Chapter 7 of Fighting in France is here in full — 126 sentences across 26 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/25 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
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.
a long narrow excavation in the earth
From this reading “IN THE DITCH The time passed slowly.”
plural of “ditch” — a long narrow excavation in the earth
From this reading “The men spent their time in improving their positions and enlarging the ditches in which they were lying.”
-ing form of “enlarge” — make larger
From this reading “The men spent their time in improving their positions and enlarging the ditches in which they were lying.”
getting higher or more vigorous
From this reading “The men spent their time in improving their positions and enlarging the ditches in which they were lying.”
the amount of energy transmitted (as by acoustic or electromagnetic radiation)
From this reading “The cannonade slackened in intensity and at times almost ceased entirely.”
a historical area and former kingdom in northwestern Spain
From this reading “"What are you doing, Jacques?" demanded Leon suddenly.”
plural of “position” — the particular portion of space occupied by something
From this reading “The men spent their time in improving their positions and enlarging the ditches in which they were lying.”
past form of “slacken” — become slow or slower
From this reading “The cannonade slackened in intensity and at times almost ceased entirely.”
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.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading The cannonade slackened in intensity and at times almost ceased entirely.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The cannonade slackened in intensity and at times almost ceased entirely.
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading "What are you doing, Jacques?" demanded Leon suddenly.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The cannonade slackened in intensity and at times almost ceased entirely.
intense and continuous artillery fire
From this reading The cannonade slackened in intensity and at times almost ceased entirely.
past form of “cease” — put an end to a state or an activity
From this reading The cannonade slackened in intensity and at times almost ceased entirely.
past form of “demand” — request urgently and forcefully
From this reading "What are you doing, Jacques?" demanded Leon suddenly.
a long narrow excavation in the earth
From this reading IN THE DITCH The time passed slowly.
plural of “ditch” — a long narrow excavation in the earth
From this reading The men spent their time in improving their positions and enlarging the ditches in which they were lying.
-ing form of “do” — engage in
From this reading "What are you doing, Jacques?" demanded Leon suddenly.
-ing form of “enlarge” — make larger
From this reading The men spent their time in improving their positions and enlarging the ditches in which they were lying.
to a complete degree or to the full or entire extent (“whole” is often used informally for “wholly”)
From this reading The cannonade slackened in intensity and at times almost ceased entirely.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Watch me," was the young Frenchman's only reply.
getting higher or more vigorous
From this reading The men spent their time in improving their positions and enlarging the ditches in which they were lying.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading IN THE DITCH The time passed slowly.
the amount of energy transmitted (as by acoustic or electromagnetic radiation)
From this reading The cannonade slackened in intensity and at times almost ceased entirely.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "What are you doing, Jacques?" demanded Leon suddenly.
a historical area and former kingdom in northwestern Spain
From this reading "What are you doing, Jacques?" demanded Leon suddenly.
the deliberate act of deviating from the truth
From this reading The men spent their time in improving their positions and enlarging the ditches in which they were lying.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "Watch me," was the young Frenchman's only reply.
the force of workers available
From this reading The men spent their time in improving their positions and enlarging the ditches in which they were lying.
and nothing more
From this reading "Watch me," was the young Frenchman's only reply.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading IN THE DITCH The time passed slowly.
plural of “position” — the particular portion of space occupied by something
From this reading The men spent their time in improving their positions and enlarging the ditches in which they were lying.
a statement (either spoken or written) that is made to reply to a question or request or criticism or accusation
From this reading "Watch me," was the young Frenchman's only reply.
past form of “slacken” — become slow or slower
From this reading The cannonade slackened in intensity and at times almost ceased entirely.
without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)
From this reading IN THE DITCH The time passed slowly.
depleted of energy, force, or strength
From this reading The men spent their time in improving their positions and enlarging the ditches in which they were lying.
happening unexpectedly
From this reading "What are you doing, Jacques?" demanded Leon suddenly.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading IN THE DITCH The time passed slowly.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading The men spent their time in improving their positions and enlarging the ditches in which they were lying.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The men spent their time in improving their positions and enlarging the ditches in which they were lying.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading IN THE DITCH The time passed slowly.
a more or less definite period of time now or previously present
From this reading The cannonade slackened in intensity and at times almost ceased entirely.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "Watch me," was the young Frenchman's only reply.
look attentively
From this reading "Watch me," was the young Frenchman's only reply.
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The men spent their time in improving their positions and enlarging the ditches in which they were lying.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading "What are you doing, Jacques?" demanded Leon suddenly.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The men spent their time in improving their positions and enlarging the ditches in which they were lying.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "What are you doing, Jacques?" demanded Leon suddenly.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading "Watch me," was the young Frenchman's only reply.
Chapter 7 of Fighting in France by Ross Kay holds 126 sentences, grouped into 26 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.
Chapter 7 holds 126 sentences of Fighting in France, unabridged, divided into 26 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 7 of Fighting in France by Ross Kay exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 126 sentences, grouped into 26 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.
Work through the 26 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 26 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.
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 7 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.
Common questions about reading Fighting in France by Ross Kay on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 3321 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #20995 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #20995, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 276 minutes of reading across 665 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Fighting in France section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 27 chapters of Fighting in France to begin.
Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.
Words and structures a reader meets early in Fighting in France, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
