Chapter XXV
Chapter 25
Chapter 25 of The Half-Back is here in full — 80 sentences across 16 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
THE RETURN. "Boom! Boom!" thundered the big drum. "Tootle-toot!" shrilled the fife. "Tarum!
The Half-Back
Chapter XXV · Chapter 25
Chapter 25 of The Half-Back is here in full — 80 sentences across 16 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
English subtitles · tap any word to listen
1 / 5
THE
RETURN.
"Boom!
Boom!"
thundered
the
big
drum.
"Tootle-toot!"
shrilled
the
fife.
"Tarum!
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
The Half-Back
Chapter XXV · Chapter 25
Chapter 25 of The Half-Back is here in full — 80 sentences across 16 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/16 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
Line 1
THE
RETURN.
/ðə rɪˈtɜːrn/
Line 2
"Boom!
/buːm/
Line 3
Boom!"
thundered
the
big
drum.
/buːm ˈθʌndərd ðə bɪɡ drʌm/
Line 4
"Tootle-toot!"
shrilled
the
fife.
Line 5
"Tarum!
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.
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading “Boom!" thundered the big drum.”
Boom
verb
US /buːm/
make a resonant sound, like artillery
From this reading “"Boom!”
drum
noun
US /drʌm/
a musical percussion instrument; usually consists of a hollow cylinder with a membrane stretched across each end
From this reading “Boom!" thundered the big drum.”
fife
noun
US /faɪf/
a small high-pitched flute similar to a piccolo; has a shrill tone and is used chiefly to accompany drums in a marching band
From this reading “"Tootle-toot!" shrilled the fife.”
go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading “THE RETURN.”
thundered
verb
US /ˈθʌndərd/
past form of “thunder” — move fast, noisily, and heavily
From this reading “Boom!" thundered the big drum.”
All words in this reading · 10
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.
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Boom!" thundered the big drum.
BoomverbUS /buːm/
make a resonant sound, like artillery
From this reading "Boom!
drumnounUS /drʌm/
a musical percussion instrument; usually consists of a hollow cylinder with a membrane stretched across each end
From this reading Boom!" thundered the big drum.
fifenounUS /faɪf/
a small high-pitched flute similar to a piccolo; has a shrill tone and is used chiefly to accompany drums in a marching band
From this reading "Tootle-toot!" shrilled the fife.
go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading THE RETURN.
shrilled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Tootle-toot!" shrilled the fife.
Tarum
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Tarum!
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE RETURN.
thunderedverbUS /ˈθʌndərd/
past form of “thunder” — move fast, noisily, and heavily
From this reading Boom!" thundered the big drum.
Tootle-toot
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Tootle-toot!" shrilled the fife.
Chapter 25 of The Half-Back by Ralph Henry Barbour holds 80 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 25 of The Half-Back contain?
Chapter 25 holds 80 sentences of The Half-Back, unabridged, divided into 16 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 25 of The Half-Back by Ralph Henry Barbour exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 80 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 25 of The Half-Back?
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 25 be read aloud to me?
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 25 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 The Half-Back
Common questions about reading The Half-Back by Ralph Henry Barbour on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Is this the complete text of The Half-Back?
Yes. All 3827 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #11041 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Which edition of The Half-Back is used?
Project Gutenberg eBook #11041, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
How long does The Half-Back take to read?
About 318 minutes of reading across 766 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to read The Half-Back section by section
How to work through The Half-Back section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
-
Open a chapter
Choose one of the 25 chapters of The Half-Back to begin.
-
Read one section
Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
-
Listen and tap
Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.
Vocabulary met early in The Half-Back
Words and structures a reader meets early in The Half-Back, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
- Straw
- A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Half-Back; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
- How's
- A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Half-Back; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
- Craps
- A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Half-Back; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
- Country
- A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Half-Back; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.