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The Little Match Man
The Little Match Man

Chapter XIV

Chapter 14 of The Little Match Man is here in full — 49 sentences across 10 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Little Match Man
Context Illustration Reading 1/9 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
FIAM OVERLOOKS THE BATTLE I don’t know how he managed it, but he understood the manœuvres of war better than I. You see, Hajis are unusually intelligent.
Often I couldn’t make out what was going on.
I could see soldiers running, firing, apparently turning back, cavalry galloping, and could hear the roar of cannon on all sides, yet I couldn’t tell how the battle was going.
But he explained everything to me.
Look there at that hill.
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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.

The Little Match Man

Chapter XIV

Chapter 14 of The Little Match Man is here in full — 49 sentences across 10 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/9 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
FIAM OVERLOOKS THE BATTLE I don’t know how he managed it, but he understood the manœuvres of war better than I. You see, Hajis are unusually intelligent.
Line 2
Often I couldn’t make out what was going on.
Line 3
I could see soldiers running, firing, apparently turning back, cavalry galloping, and could hear the roar of cannon on all sides, yet I couldn’t tell how the battle was going.
Line 4
But he explained everything to me.
/bʌt hiː ɪkˈspleɪnd ˈevriθɪŋ tuː miː/
Line 5
Look there at that hill.
/lʊk ðer æt ðæt hɪl/

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.

cannon noun US /ˈkænən/

a large artillery gun that is usually on wheels

From this reading “I could see soldiers running, firing, apparently turning back, cavalry galloping, and could hear the roar of cannon on all sides, yet I couldn’t tell how the battle was going.”

cavalry noun US /ˈkævəlri/

troops trained to fight on horseback

From this reading “I could see soldiers running, firing, apparently turning back, cavalry galloping, and could hear the roar of cannon on all sides, yet I couldn’t tell how the battle was going.”

firing noun US /ˈfaɪrɪŋ/

the act of firing weapons or artillery at an enemy

From this reading “I could see soldiers running, firing, apparently turning back, cavalry galloping, and could hear the roar of cannon on all sides, yet I couldn’t tell how the battle was going.”

galloping verb US /ˈɡæləpɪŋ/

-ing form of “gallop” — ride at a galloping pace

From this reading “I could see soldiers running, firing, apparently turning back, cavalry galloping, and could hear the roar of cannon on all sides, yet I couldn’t tell how the battle was going.”

intelligent adjective US /ˌɪnˈtelədʒənt/

having the capacity for thought and reason especially to a high degree

From this reading “FIAM OVERLOOKS THE BATTLE I don’t know how he managed it, but he understood the manœuvres of war better than I. You see, Hajis are unusually intelligent.”

overlooks noun US /ˈoʊvərlʊks/

plural of “overlook” — a high place affording a good view

From this reading “FIAM OVERLOOKS THE BATTLE I don’t know how he managed it, but he understood the manœuvres of war better than I. You see, Hajis are unusually intelligent.”

roar verb US /rɔːr/

make a loud noise, as of wind, water, or vehicles

From this reading “I could see soldiers running, firing, apparently turning back, cavalry galloping, and could hear the roar of cannon on all sides, yet I couldn’t tell how the battle was going.”

unusually adverb US /əˈnjuːʒuːəli/

to a remarkable degree or extent

From this reading “FIAM OVERLOOKS THE BATTLE I don’t know how he managed it, but he understood the manœuvres of war better than I. You see, Hajis are unusually intelligent.”

Word partnerships in these lines

English keeps certain words together, and knowing the pair is worth more than knowing each word alone. Every partnership below was counted across our whole published library, and earns its place by appearing far more often than two unrelated words of the same frequency would.

Shown as this reading writes them, with the form the library counts, what kind of pairing it is, and how often it occurs.

roar of verb + particle

In this reading “I could see soldiers running, firing, apparently turning back, cavalry galloping, and could hear the roar of cannon on all sides, yet I couldn’t tell how the battle was going.”

make out verb + adjective

detect with the senses

In this reading “Often I couldn’t make out what was going on.”

all sides adjective + noun counted as “all side”

In this reading “I could see soldiers running, firing, apparently turning back, cavalry galloping, and could hear the roar of cannon on all sides, yet I couldn’t tell how the battle was going.”

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.

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 I could see soldiers running, firing, apparently turning back, cavalry galloping, and could hear the roar of cannon on all sides, yet I couldn’t tell how the battle was going.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading I could see soldiers running, firing, apparently turning back, cavalry galloping, and could hear the roar of cannon on all sides, yet I couldn’t tell how the battle was going.

apparentlyadverbUS /əˈperəntli/

from appearances alone

From this reading I could see soldiers running, firing, apparently turning back, cavalry galloping, and could hear the roar of cannon on all sides, yet I couldn’t tell how the battle was going.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading FIAM OVERLOOKS THE BATTLE I don’t know how he managed it, but he understood the manœuvres of war better than I. You see, Hajis are unusually intelligent.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading “Look there at that hill.

backadverbUS /bæk/

in or to or toward a former location

From this reading I could see soldiers running, firing, apparently turning back, cavalry galloping, and could hear the roar of cannon on all sides, yet I couldn’t tell how the battle was going.

BATTLEnounUS /ˈbætəl/

a hostile meeting of opposing military forces in the course of a war

From this reading FIAM OVERLOOKS THE BATTLE I don’t know how he managed it, but he understood the manœuvres of war better than I. You see, Hajis are unusually intelligent.

betteradjectiveUS /ˈbetər/

(comparative of “good”) superior to another (of the same class or set or kind) in excellence or quality or desirability or suitability; more highly skilled than another

From this reading FIAM OVERLOOKS THE BATTLE I don’t know how he managed it, but he understood the manœuvres of war better than I. You see, Hajis are unusually intelligent.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading FIAM OVERLOOKS THE BATTLE I don’t know how he managed it, but he understood the manœuvres of war better than I. You see, Hajis are unusually intelligent.

cannonnounUS /ˈkænən/

a large artillery gun that is usually on wheels

From this reading I could see soldiers running, firing, apparently turning back, cavalry galloping, and could hear the roar of cannon on all sides, yet I couldn’t tell how the battle was going.

cavalrynounUS /ˈkævəlri/

troops trained to fight on horseback

From this reading I could see soldiers running, firing, apparently turning back, cavalry galloping, and could hear the roar of cannon on all sides, yet I couldn’t tell how the battle was going.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

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

From this reading I could see soldiers running, firing, apparently turning back, cavalry galloping, and could hear the roar of cannon on all sides, yet I couldn’t tell how the battle was going.

couldn't

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

From this reading Often I couldn’t make out what was going on.

don't

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

From this reading FIAM OVERLOOKS THE BATTLE I don’t know how he managed it, but he understood the manœuvres of war better than I. You see, Hajis are unusually intelligent.

everythingpronounUS /ˈevriθɪŋ/

all things; all of a situation

From this reading But he explained everything to me.

explainedverbUS /ɪkˈspleɪnd/

past form of “explain” — make plain and comprehensible

From this reading But he explained everything to me.

FIAM

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

From this reading FIAM OVERLOOKS THE BATTLE I don’t know how he managed it, but he understood the manœuvres of war better than I. You see, Hajis are unusually intelligent.

firingnounUS /ˈfaɪrɪŋ/

the act of firing weapons or artillery at an enemy

From this reading I could see soldiers running, firing, apparently turning back, cavalry galloping, and could hear the roar of cannon on all sides, yet I couldn’t tell how the battle was going.

gallopingverbUS /ˈɡæləpɪŋ/

-ing form of “gallop” — ride at a galloping pace

From this reading I could see soldiers running, firing, apparently turning back, cavalry galloping, and could hear the roar of cannon on all sides, yet I couldn’t tell how the battle was going.

goingnounUS /ˈɡoʊɪŋ/

the act of departing

From this reading Often I couldn’t make out what was going on.

Hajis

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

From this reading FIAM OVERLOOKS THE BATTLE I don’t know how he managed it, but he understood the manœuvres of war better than I. You see, Hajis are unusually intelligent.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading FIAM OVERLOOKS THE BATTLE I don’t know how he managed it, but he understood the manœuvres of war better than I. You see, Hajis are unusually intelligent.

hearverbUS /hiːr/

perceive (sound) via the auditory sense

From this reading I could see soldiers running, firing, apparently turning back, cavalry galloping, and could hear the roar of cannon on all sides, yet I couldn’t tell how the battle was going.

hillnounUS /hɪl/

a local and well-defined elevation of the land

From this reading “Look there at that hill.

how

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

From this reading FIAM OVERLOOKS THE BATTLE I don’t know how he managed it, but he understood the manœuvres of war better than I. You see, Hajis are unusually intelligent.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading FIAM OVERLOOKS THE BATTLE I don’t know how he managed it, but he understood the manœuvres of war better than I. You see, Hajis are unusually intelligent.

intelligentadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈtelədʒənt/

having the capacity for thought and reason especially to a high degree

From this reading FIAM OVERLOOKS THE BATTLE I don’t know how he managed it, but he understood the manœuvres of war better than I. You see, Hajis are unusually intelligent.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading FIAM OVERLOOKS THE BATTLE I don’t know how he managed it, but he understood the manœuvres of war better than I. You see, Hajis are unusually intelligent.

knowverbUS /noʊ/

be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about

From this reading FIAM OVERLOOKS THE BATTLE I don’t know how he managed it, but he understood the manœuvres of war better than I. You see, Hajis are unusually intelligent.

LookverbUS /lʊk/

perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards

From this reading “Look there at that hill.

makeverbUS /meɪk/

engage in

From this reading Often I couldn’t make out what was going on.

managedverbUS /ˈmænədʒd/

past form of “manage” — be successful; achieve a goal

From this reading FIAM OVERLOOKS THE BATTLE I don’t know how he managed it, but he understood the manœuvres of war better than I. You see, Hajis are unusually intelligent.

manœuvres

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

From this reading FIAM OVERLOOKS THE BATTLE I don’t know how he managed it, but he understood the manœuvres of war better than I. You see, Hajis are unusually intelligent.

mepronounUS /miː/

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading But he explained everything to me.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading FIAM OVERLOOKS THE BATTLE I don’t know how he managed it, but he understood the manœuvres of war better than I. You see, Hajis are unusually intelligent.

OftenadverbUS /ˈɔːfən/

many times at short intervals

From this reading Often I couldn’t make out what was going on.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Often I couldn’t make out what was going on.

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading Often I couldn’t make out what was going on.

OVERLOOKSnounUS /ˈoʊvərlʊks/

plural of “overlook” — a high place affording a good view

From this reading FIAM OVERLOOKS THE BATTLE I don’t know how he managed it, but he understood the manœuvres of war better than I. You see, Hajis are unusually intelligent.

roarverbUS /rɔːr/

make a loud noise, as of wind, water, or vehicles

From this reading I could see soldiers running, firing, apparently turning back, cavalry galloping, and could hear the roar of cannon on all sides, yet I couldn’t tell how the battle was going.

runningadjectiveUS /ˈrʌnɪŋ/

(of fluids) moving or issuing in a stream

From this reading I could see soldiers running, firing, apparently turning back, cavalry galloping, and could hear the roar of cannon on all sides, yet I couldn’t tell how the battle was going.

seeverbUS /siː/

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading FIAM OVERLOOKS THE BATTLE I don’t know how he managed it, but he understood the manœuvres of war better than I. You see, Hajis are unusually intelligent.

sidesnounUS /saɪdz/

plural of “side” — a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location

From this reading I could see soldiers running, firing, apparently turning back, cavalry galloping, and could hear the roar of cannon on all sides, yet I couldn’t tell how the battle was going.

soldiersnounUS /ˈsoʊldʒərz/

plural of “soldier” — an enlisted man or woman who serves in an army

From this reading I could see soldiers running, firing, apparently turning back, cavalry galloping, and could hear the roar of cannon on all sides, yet I couldn’t tell how the battle was going.

tellverbUS /tel/

express in words

From this reading I could see soldiers running, firing, apparently turning back, cavalry galloping, and could hear the roar of cannon on all sides, yet I couldn’t tell how the battle was going.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading FIAM OVERLOOKS THE BATTLE I don’t know how he managed it, but he understood the manœuvres of war better than I. You see, Hajis are unusually intelligent.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading “Look there at that hill.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading FIAM OVERLOOKS THE BATTLE I don’t know how he managed it, but he understood the manœuvres of war better than I. You see, Hajis are unusually intelligent.

thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading “Look there at that hill.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading But he explained everything to me.

turningnounUS /ˈtɜːrnɪŋ/

the act of changing or reversing the direction of the course

From this reading I could see soldiers running, firing, apparently turning back, cavalry galloping, and could hear the roar of cannon on all sides, yet I couldn’t tell how the battle was going.

understoodadjectiveUS /ˌʌndərˈstʊd/

fully apprehended as to purport or meaning or explanation

From this reading FIAM OVERLOOKS THE BATTLE I don’t know how he managed it, but he understood the manœuvres of war better than I. You see, Hajis are unusually intelligent.

unusuallyadverbUS /əˈnjuːʒuːəli/

to a remarkable degree or extent

From this reading FIAM OVERLOOKS THE BATTLE I don’t know how he managed it, but he understood the manœuvres of war better than I. You see, Hajis are unusually intelligent.

warnounUS /wɔːr/

the waging of armed conflict against an enemy

From this reading FIAM OVERLOOKS THE BATTLE I don’t know how he managed it, but he understood the manœuvres of war better than I. You see, Hajis are unusually intelligent.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Often I couldn’t make out what was going on.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading Often I couldn’t make out what was going on.

yetconjunctionUS /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading I could see soldiers running, firing, apparently turning back, cavalry galloping, and could hear the roar of cannon on all sides, yet I couldn’t tell how the battle was going.

YoupronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading FIAM OVERLOOKS THE BATTLE I don’t know how he managed it, but he understood the manœuvres of war better than I. You see, Hajis are unusually intelligent.

Chapter 14 of The Little Match Man by Luigi Barzini holds 49 sentences, grouped into 10 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 14 of The Little Match Man contain?

Chapter 14 holds 49 sentences of The Little Match Man, unabridged, divided into 10 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 14 of The Little Match Man by Luigi Barzini exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 49 sentences, grouped into 10 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 14 of The Little Match Man?

Work through the 10 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 10 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 14 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 14 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 Little Match Man

Common questions about reading The Little Match Man by Luigi Barzini on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Little Match Man?

Yes. All 1293 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #54678 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Little Match Man is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #54678, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Little Match Man take to read?

About 107 minutes of reading across 259 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Little Match Man section by section

How to work through The Little Match Man section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 20 chapters of The Little Match Man 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 The Little Match Man

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Little Match Man, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Translated
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Little Match Man; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Italian
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Little Match Man; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Luigi
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Little Match Man; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Barzini
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Little Match Man; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.