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Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of Medal of Honor is here in full — 495 sentences across 99 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Medal of Honor
Context Illustration Reading 1/99 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
_According to tradition, the man who held the Galactic Medal of Honor could do no wrong.
In a strange way, Captain Don Mathers was to learn that this was true._ Don Mathers snapped to attention, snapped a crisp salute to his superior, said, "Sub-lieutenant Donal Mathers reporting, sir."
The Commodore looked up at him, returned the salute, looked down at the report on the desk.
He murmured, "Mathers, One Man Scout V-102.
Sector A22-K223."
0:00 / 0:00
Speed 0.75x
AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Medal of Honor

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of Medal of Honor is here in full — 495 sentences across 99 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/99 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
_According to tradition, the man who held the Galactic Medal of Honor could do no wrong.
/əˈkɔːrdɪŋ tuː trəˈdɪʃən ðə mæn huː held ðə ɡəˈlæktɪk ˈmedəl ʌv ˈɑːnər kʊd duː noʊ rɔːŋ/
Line 2
In a strange way, Captain Don Mathers was to learn that this was true._ Don Mathers snapped to attention, snapped a crisp salute to his superior, said, "Sub-lieutenant Donal Mathers reporting, sir."
Line 3
The Commodore looked up at him, returned the salute, looked down at the report on the desk.
/ðə ˈkɑːmədɔːr lʊkt ʌp æt hɪm rɪˈtɜːrnd ðə səˈluːt lʊkt daʊn æt ðə riˈpɔːrt ɑːn ðə desk/
Line 4
He murmured, "Mathers, One Man Scout V-102.
Line 5
Sector A22-K223."

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.

Commodore noun US /ˈkɑːmədɔːr/

a commissioned naval officer who ranks above a captain and below a rear admiral; the lowest grade of admiral

From this reading “The Commodore looked up at him, returned the salute, looked down at the report on the desk.”

crisp adjective US /krɪsp/

(of something seen or heard) clearly defined

From this reading “In a strange way, Captain Don Mathers was to learn that this was true._ Don Mathers snapped to attention, snapped a crisp salute to his superior, said, "Sub-lieutenant Donal Mathers reporting, sir."”

Galactic adjective US /ɡəˈlæktɪk/

of or relating to a galaxy (especially our galaxy the Milky Way)

From this reading “_According to tradition, the man who held the Galactic Medal of Honor could do no wrong.”

Medal noun US /ˈmedəl/

an award for winning a championship or commemorating some other event

From this reading “_According to tradition, the man who held the Galactic Medal of Honor could do no wrong.”

reporting noun US /riˈpɔːrtɪŋ/

the news as presented by reporters for newspapers or radio or television

From this reading “In a strange way, Captain Don Mathers was to learn that this was true._ Don Mathers snapped to attention, snapped a crisp salute to his superior, said, "Sub-lieutenant Donal Mathers reporting, sir."”

salute verb US /səˈluːt/

propose a toast to

From this reading “In a strange way, Captain Don Mathers was to learn that this was true._ Don Mathers snapped to attention, snapped a crisp salute to his superior, said, "Sub-lieutenant Donal Mathers reporting, sir."”

Scout noun US /skaʊt/

a person employed to keep watch for some anticipated event

From this reading “He murmured, "Mathers, One Man Scout V-102.”

Sector noun US /ˈsektər/

a plane figure bounded by two radii and the included arc of a circle

From this reading “Sector A22-K223."”

All words in this reading · 58

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.

102

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

From this reading He murmured, "Mathers, One Man Scout V-102.

22

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

From this reading Sector A22-K223."

223

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

From this reading Sector A22-K223."

adeterminerUS /ə/

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

From this reading In a strange way, Captain Don Mathers was to learn that this was true._ Don Mathers snapped to attention, snapped a crisp salute to his superior, said, "Sub-lieutenant Donal Mathers reporting, sir."

AccordingadjectiveUS /əˈkɔːrdɪŋ/

(followed by “to”) in agreement with or accordant with

From this reading _According to tradition, the man who held the Galactic Medal of Honor could do no wrong.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading The Commodore looked up at him, returned the salute, looked down at the report on the desk.

attentionnounUS /əˈtenʃən/

the process whereby a person concentrates on some features of the environment to the (relative) exclusion of others

From this reading In a strange way, Captain Don Mathers was to learn that this was true._ Don Mathers snapped to attention, snapped a crisp salute to his superior, said, "Sub-lieutenant Donal Mathers reporting, sir."

CaptainnounUS /ˈkæptən/

an officer holding a rank below a major but above a lieutenant

From this reading In a strange way, Captain Don Mathers was to learn that this was true._ Don Mathers snapped to attention, snapped a crisp salute to his superior, said, "Sub-lieutenant Donal Mathers reporting, sir."

CommodorenounUS /ˈkɑːmədɔːr/

a commissioned naval officer who ranks above a captain and below a rear admiral; the lowest grade of admiral

From this reading The Commodore looked up at him, returned the salute, looked down at the report on the desk.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading _According to tradition, the man who held the Galactic Medal of Honor could do no wrong.

crispadjectiveUS /krɪsp/

(of something seen or heard) clearly defined

From this reading In a strange way, Captain Don Mathers was to learn that this was true._ Don Mathers snapped to attention, snapped a crisp salute to his superior, said, "Sub-lieutenant Donal Mathers reporting, sir."

desknounUS /desk/

a piece of furniture with a writing surface and usually drawers or other compartments

From this reading The Commodore looked up at him, returned the salute, looked down at the report on the desk.

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading _According to tradition, the man who held the Galactic Medal of Honor could do no wrong.

DonnounUS /dɑːn/

a Spanish gentleman or nobleman

From this reading In a strange way, Captain Don Mathers was to learn that this was true._ Don Mathers snapped to attention, snapped a crisp salute to his superior, said, "Sub-lieutenant Donal Mathers reporting, sir."

Donal

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

From this reading In a strange way, Captain Don Mathers was to learn that this was true._ Don Mathers snapped to attention, snapped a crisp salute to his superior, said, "Sub-lieutenant Donal Mathers reporting, sir."

downadjectiveUS /daʊn/

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading The Commodore looked up at him, returned the salute, looked down at the report on the desk.

GalacticadjectiveUS /ɡəˈlæktɪk/

of or relating to a galaxy (especially our galaxy the Milky Way)

From this reading _According to tradition, the man who held the Galactic Medal of Honor could do no wrong.

HepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading He murmured, "Mathers, One Man Scout V-102.

heldadjectiveUS /held/

occupied or in the control of; often used in combination

From this reading _According to tradition, the man who held the Galactic Medal of Honor could do no wrong.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading The Commodore looked up at him, returned the salute, looked down at the report on the desk.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading In a strange way, Captain Don Mathers was to learn that this was true._ Don Mathers snapped to attention, snapped a crisp salute to his superior, said, "Sub-lieutenant Donal Mathers reporting, sir."

HonornounUS /ˈɑːnər/

a tangible symbol signifying approval or distinction

From this reading _According to tradition, the man who held the Galactic Medal of Honor could do no wrong.

InprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading In a strange way, Captain Don Mathers was to learn that this was true._ Don Mathers snapped to attention, snapped a crisp salute to his superior, said, "Sub-lieutenant Donal Mathers reporting, sir."

KnounUS /keɪ/

the basic unit of thermodynamic temperature adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites

From this reading Sector A22-K223."

learnverbUS /lɜːrn/

gain knowledge or skills

From this reading In a strange way, Captain Don Mathers was to learn that this was true._ Don Mathers snapped to attention, snapped a crisp salute to his superior, said, "Sub-lieutenant Donal Mathers reporting, sir."

lookedverbUS /lʊkt/

past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards

From this reading The Commodore looked up at him, returned the salute, looked down at the report on the desk.

mannounUS /mæn/

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading _According to tradition, the man who held the Galactic Medal of Honor could do no wrong.

Mathers

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

From this reading In a strange way, Captain Don Mathers was to learn that this was true._ Don Mathers snapped to attention, snapped a crisp salute to his superior, said, "Sub-lieutenant Donal Mathers reporting, sir."

MedalnounUS /ˈmedəl/

an award for winning a championship or commemorating some other event

From this reading _According to tradition, the man who held the Galactic Medal of Honor could do no wrong.

murmuredverbUS /ˈmɜːrmərd/

past form of “murmur” — speak softly or indistinctly

From this reading He murmured, "Mathers, One Man Scout V-102.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading _According to tradition, the man who held the Galactic Medal of Honor could do no wrong.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading _According to tradition, the man who held the Galactic Medal of Honor could do no wrong.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading The Commodore looked up at him, returned the salute, looked down at the report on the desk.

OnepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading He murmured, "Mathers, One Man Scout V-102.

reportverbUS /riˈpɔːrt/

to give an account or representation of in words

From this reading The Commodore looked up at him, returned the salute, looked down at the report on the desk.

reportingnounUS /riˈpɔːrtɪŋ/

the news as presented by reporters for newspapers or radio or television

From this reading In a strange way, Captain Don Mathers was to learn that this was true._ Don Mathers snapped to attention, snapped a crisp salute to his superior, said, "Sub-lieutenant Donal Mathers reporting, sir."

returnedverbUS /rɪˈtɜːrnd/

past form of “return” — go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before

From this reading The Commodore looked up at him, returned the salute, looked down at the report on the desk.

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading In a strange way, Captain Don Mathers was to learn that this was true._ Don Mathers snapped to attention, snapped a crisp salute to his superior, said, "Sub-lieutenant Donal Mathers reporting, sir."

saluteverbUS /səˈluːt/

propose a toast to

From this reading In a strange way, Captain Don Mathers was to learn that this was true._ Don Mathers snapped to attention, snapped a crisp salute to his superior, said, "Sub-lieutenant Donal Mathers reporting, sir."

ScoutnounUS /skaʊt/

a person employed to keep watch for some anticipated event

From this reading He murmured, "Mathers, One Man Scout V-102.

SectornounUS /ˈsektər/

a plane figure bounded by two radii and the included arc of a circle

From this reading Sector A22-K223."

sirnounUS /sɜːr/

term of address for a man

From this reading In a strange way, Captain Don Mathers was to learn that this was true._ Don Mathers snapped to attention, snapped a crisp salute to his superior, said, "Sub-lieutenant Donal Mathers reporting, sir."

snappedverbUS /snæpt/

inflected form of “snap” — utter in an angry, sharp, or abrupt tone

From this reading In a strange way, Captain Don Mathers was to learn that this was true._ Don Mathers snapped to attention, snapped a crisp salute to his superior, said, "Sub-lieutenant Donal Mathers reporting, sir."

strangeadjectiveUS /streɪndʒ/

being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird

From this reading In a strange way, Captain Don Mathers was to learn that this was true._ Don Mathers snapped to attention, snapped a crisp salute to his superior, said, "Sub-lieutenant Donal Mathers reporting, sir."

Sub-lieutenant

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

From this reading In a strange way, Captain Don Mathers was to learn that this was true._ Don Mathers snapped to attention, snapped a crisp salute to his superior, said, "Sub-lieutenant Donal Mathers reporting, sir."

superioradjectiveUS /suːˈpɪriər/

of high or superior quality or performance

From this reading In a strange way, Captain Don Mathers was to learn that this was true._ Don Mathers snapped to attention, snapped a crisp salute to his superior, said, "Sub-lieutenant Donal Mathers reporting, sir."

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading In a strange way, Captain Don Mathers was to learn that this was true._ Don Mathers snapped to attention, snapped a crisp salute to his superior, said, "Sub-lieutenant Donal Mathers reporting, sir."

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading _According to tradition, the man who held the Galactic Medal of Honor could do no wrong.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading In a strange way, Captain Don Mathers was to learn that this was true._ Don Mathers snapped to attention, snapped a crisp salute to his superior, said, "Sub-lieutenant Donal Mathers reporting, sir."

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading _According to tradition, the man who held the Galactic Medal of Honor could do no wrong.

traditionnounUS /trəˈdɪʃən/

an inherited pattern of thought or action

From this reading _According to tradition, the man who held the Galactic Medal of Honor could do no wrong.

trueadjectiveUS /truː/

consistent with fact or reality; not false

From this reading In a strange way, Captain Don Mathers was to learn that this was true._ Don Mathers snapped to attention, snapped a crisp salute to his superior, said, "Sub-lieutenant Donal Mathers reporting, sir."

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading The Commodore looked up at him, returned the salute, looked down at the report on the desk.

VnounUS /viː/

a unit of potential equal to the potential difference between two points on a conductor carrying a current of 1 ampere when the power dissipated between the two points is 1 watt

From this reading He murmured, "Mathers, One Man Scout V-102.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading In a strange way, Captain Don Mathers was to learn that this was true._ Don Mathers snapped to attention, snapped a crisp salute to his superior, said, "Sub-lieutenant Donal Mathers reporting, sir."

waynounUS /weɪ/

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading In a strange way, Captain Don Mathers was to learn that this was true._ Don Mathers snapped to attention, snapped a crisp salute to his superior, said, "Sub-lieutenant Donal Mathers reporting, sir."

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading _According to tradition, the man who held the Galactic Medal of Honor could do no wrong.

wrongadjectiveUS /rɔːŋ/

not correct; not in conformity with fact or truth

From this reading _According to tradition, the man who held the Galactic Medal of Honor could do no wrong.

Chapter 1 of Medal of Honor by Mack Reynolds holds 495 sentences, grouped into 99 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 1 of Medal of Honor contain?

Chapter 1 holds 495 sentences of Medal of Honor, unabridged, divided into 99 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of Medal of Honor by Mack Reynolds exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 495 sentences, grouped into 99 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 1 of Medal of Honor?

Work through the 99 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 99 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 1 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 1 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 Medal of Honor

Common questions about reading Medal of Honor by Mack Reynolds on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Medal of Honor?

Yes. All 981 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #27393 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Medal of Honor is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #27393, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Medal of Honor take to read?

About 81 minutes of reading across 197 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Medal of Honor section by section

How to work through Medal of Honor section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 2 chapters of Medal of Honor 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 Medal of Honor

Words and structures a reader meets early in Medal of Honor, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

According
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Medal of Honor; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Tradition
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Medal of Honor; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Galactic
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Medal of Honor; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Medal
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Medal of Honor; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.