Chapter 4 of One Man's Initiation—1917 is here in full — 293 sentences across 59 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter IV
Chapter 4 of One Man's Initiation—1917 is here in full — 293 sentences across 59 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Martin, rolled up in his bedroll on the floor of the empty hayloft, woke with a start. "Say, Howe!" Tom Randolph, who lay next him, was pressing his hand. "I think I heard a shell go over." As he spoke there came a shrill, loudening whine, and an explosion that shook the barn.
Chapter 4 of One Man's Initiation—1917 is here in full — 293 sentences across 59 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/58 · 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.
an outlying farm building for storing grain or animal feed and housing farm animals
From this reading “As he spoke there came a shrill, loudening whine, and an explosion that shook the barn.”
a violent release of energy caused by a chemical or nuclear reaction
From this reading “As he spoke there came a shrill, loudening whine, and an explosion that shook the barn.”
a loft in a barn where hay is stored
From this reading “Martin, rolled up in his bedroll on the floor of the empty hayloft, woke with a start.”
United States editor (1920-1993)
From this reading “"Say, Howe!"”
ammunition consisting of a cylindrical metal casing containing an explosive charge and a projectile; fired from a large gun
From this reading “"I think I heard a shell go over."”
having or emitting a high-pitched and sharp tone or tones
From this reading “As he spoke there came a shrill, loudening whine, and an explosion that shook the barn.”
move with a whining sound
From this reading “As he spoke there came a shrill, loudening whine, and an explosion that shook the barn.”
inflected form of “wake” — be awake, be alert, be there
From this reading “Martin, rolled up in his bedroll on the floor of the empty hayloft, woke with a start.”
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.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Martin, rolled up in his bedroll on the floor of the empty hayloft, woke with a start.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading As he spoke there came a shrill, loudening whine, and an explosion that shook the barn.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading As he spoke there came a shrill, loudening whine, and an explosion that shook the barn.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As he spoke there came a shrill, loudening whine, and an explosion that shook the barn.
an outlying farm building for storing grain or animal feed and housing farm animals
From this reading As he spoke there came a shrill, loudening whine, and an explosion that shook the barn.
bedding rolled up for carrying
From this reading Martin, rolled up in his bedroll on the floor of the empty hayloft, woke with a start.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading As he spoke there came a shrill, loudening whine, and an explosion that shook the barn.
make void or empty of contents
From this reading Martin, rolled up in his bedroll on the floor of the empty hayloft, woke with a start.
a violent release of energy caused by a chemical or nuclear reaction
From this reading As he spoke there came a shrill, loudening whine, and an explosion that shook the barn.
the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)
From this reading Martin, rolled up in his bedroll on the floor of the empty hayloft, woke with a start.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading "I think I heard a shell go over."
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading Tom Randolph, who lay next him, was pressing his hand.
a loft in a barn where hay is stored
From this reading Martin, rolled up in his bedroll on the floor of the empty hayloft, woke with a start.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading As he spoke there came a shrill, loudening whine, and an explosion that shook the barn.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading "I think I heard a shell go over."
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Tom Randolph, who lay next him, was pressing his hand.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Martin, rolled up in his bedroll on the floor of the empty hayloft, woke with a start.
United States editor (1920-1993)
From this reading "Say, Howe!"
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "I think I heard a shell go over."
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Martin, rolled up in his bedroll on the floor of the empty hayloft, woke with a start.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading Tom Randolph, who lay next him, was pressing his hand.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As he spoke there came a shrill, loudening whine, and an explosion that shook the barn.
French bishop who is a patron saint of France (died in 397)
From this reading Martin, rolled up in his bedroll on the floor of the empty hayloft, woke with a start.
immediately following in time or order
From this reading Tom Randolph, who lay next him, was pressing his hand.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Martin, rolled up in his bedroll on the floor of the empty hayloft, woke with a start.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Martin, rolled up in his bedroll on the floor of the empty hayloft, woke with a start.
above and across; more than
From this reading "I think I heard a shell go over."
the act of pressing; the exertion of pressure
From this reading Tom Randolph, who lay next him, was pressing his hand.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Tom Randolph, who lay next him, was pressing his hand.
especially of petals or leaves in bud; having margins rolled inward
From this reading Martin, rolled up in his bedroll on the floor of the empty hayloft, woke with a start.
express in words
From this reading "Say, Howe!"
ammunition consisting of a cylindrical metal casing containing an explosive charge and a projectile; fired from a large gun
From this reading "I think I heard a shell go over."
a disassembled barrel; the parts packed for storage or shipment
From this reading As he spoke there came a shrill, loudening whine, and an explosion that shook the barn.
having or emitting a high-pitched and sharp tone or tones
From this reading As he spoke there came a shrill, loudening whine, and an explosion that shook the barn.
support consisting of a radial member of a wheel joining the hub to the rim
From this reading As he spoke there came a shrill, loudening whine, and an explosion that shook the barn.
take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading Martin, rolled up in his bedroll on the floor of the empty hayloft, woke with a start.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading As he spoke there came a shrill, loudening whine, and an explosion that shook the barn.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Martin, rolled up in his bedroll on the floor of the empty hayloft, woke with a start.
in or at that place or location
From this reading As he spoke there came a shrill, loudening whine, and an explosion that shook the barn.
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading "I think I heard a shell go over."
male cat
From this reading Tom Randolph, who lay next him, was pressing his hand.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Martin, rolled up in his bedroll on the floor of the empty hayloft, woke with a start.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Tom Randolph, who lay next him, was pressing his hand.
move with a whining sound
From this reading As he spoke there came a shrill, loudening whine, and an explosion that shook the barn.
which person or people
From this reading Tom Randolph, who lay next him, was pressing his hand.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Martin, rolled up in his bedroll on the floor of the empty hayloft, woke with a start.
inflected form of “wake” — be awake, be alert, be there
From this reading Martin, rolled up in his bedroll on the floor of the empty hayloft, woke with a start.
Chapter 4 of One Man's Initiation—1917 by John Dos Passos holds 293 sentences, grouped into 59 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 4 holds 293 sentences of One Man's Initiation—1917, unabridged, divided into 59 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 4 of One Man's Initiation—1917 by John Dos Passos exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 293 sentences, grouped into 59 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 59 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 59 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 4 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 One Man's Initiation—1917 by John Dos Passos on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 2003 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #24202 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #24202, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 166 minutes of reading across 401 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through One Man's Initiation—1917 section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 10 chapters of One Man's Initiation—1917 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 One Man's Initiation—1917, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
