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The Motor Boys in the Army
The Motor Boys in the Army

Chapter VIII

Chapter 8 of The Motor Boys in the Army is here in full — 156 sentences across 32 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Clarence Young • Curated US English Learning Edition
Cover illustration for The Motor Boys in the Army
Context Illustration Reading 1/31 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
A PRO-GERMAN MEETING “Look here, Chunky!” exclaimed Jerry, after a quick glance at Ned, “I may as well say what’s on my mind, and get it out of my system.
Both Ned and I have been wondering about you, lately.”
“Wondering about me?”
“Yes, about the way you’re acting on this enlistment business.
You want to volunteer and join the army, don’t you?”
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.

The Motor Boys in the Army

Chapter VIII

Chapter 8 of The Motor Boys in the Army is here in full — 156 sentences across 32 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/31 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
A PRO-GERMAN MEETING “Look here, Chunky!” exclaimed Jerry, after a quick glance at Ned, “I may as well say what’s on my mind, and get it out of my system.
Line 2
Both Ned and I have been wondering about you, lately.”
Line 3
“Wondering about me?”
/ˈwʌndərɪŋ əˈbaʊt miː/
Line 4
“Yes, about the way you’re acting on this enlistment business.
Line 5
You want to volunteer and join the army, don’t you?”

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.

acting noun US /ˈæktɪŋ/

the performance of a part or role in a drama

From this reading ““Yes, about the way you’re acting on this enlistment business.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Chunky adjective US /ˈtʃʌŋki/

like or containing small sticky lumps

From this reading “A PRO-GERMAN MEETING “Look here, Chunky!” exclaimed Jerry, after a quick glance at Ned, “I may as well say what’s on my mind, and get it out of my system.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
enlistment noun US /enˈlɪstmənt/

a period of time spent in military service

From this reading ““Yes, about the way you’re acting on this enlistment business.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Jerry noun US /ˈdʒeri/

offensive term for a person of German descent

From this reading “A PRO-GERMAN MEETING “Look here, Chunky!” exclaimed Jerry, after a quick glance at Ned, “I may as well say what’s on my mind, and get it out of my system.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
lately adverb US /ˈleɪtli/

in the recent past

From this reading “Both Ned and I have been wondering about you, lately.””

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
system noun US /ˈsɪstəm/

instrumentality that combines interrelated interacting artifacts designed to work as a coherent entity

From this reading “A PRO-GERMAN MEETING “Look here, Chunky!” exclaimed Jerry, after a quick glance at Ned, “I may as well say what’s on my mind, and get it out of my system.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
volunteer verb US /ˌvɑːlənˈtɪr/

tell voluntarily

From this reading “You want to volunteer and join the army, don’t you?””

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
wondering adjective US /ˈwʌndərɪŋ/

showing curiosity

From this reading “Both Ned and I have been wondering about you, lately.””

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

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.

join the army verb + article + noun counted as “join … army”

In this reading “You want to volunteer and join the army, don’t you?””

496 times in 426,211 chapters
glance at verb + particle

In this reading “A PRO-GERMAN MEETING “Look here, Chunky!” exclaimed Jerry, after a quick glance at Ned, “I may as well say what’s on my mind, and get it out of my system.”

58,318 times in 426,211 chapters

All words in this reading · 50

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.

AdeterminerUS /ə/

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

From this reading A PRO-GERMAN MEETING “Look here, Chunky!” exclaimed Jerry, after a quick glance at Ned, “I may as well say what’s on my mind, and get it out of my system.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading Both Ned and I have been wondering about you, lately.”

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
actingnounUS /ˈæktɪŋ/

the performance of a part or role in a drama

From this reading “Yes, about the way you’re acting on this enlistment business.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading A PRO-GERMAN MEETING “Look here, Chunky!” exclaimed Jerry, after a quick glance at Ned, “I may as well say what’s on my mind, and get it out of my system.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading A PRO-GERMAN MEETING “Look here, Chunky!” exclaimed Jerry, after a quick glance at Ned, “I may as well say what’s on my mind, and get it out of my system.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
armynounUS /ˈɑːrmi/

a permanent organization of the military land forces of a nation or state

From this reading You want to volunteer and join the army, don’t you?”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
asconjunctionUS /æz/

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading A PRO-GERMAN MEETING “Look here, Chunky!” exclaimed Jerry, after a quick glance at Ned, “I may as well say what’s on my mind, and get it out of my system.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading A PRO-GERMAN MEETING “Look here, Chunky!” exclaimed Jerry, after a quick glance at Ned, “I may as well say what’s on my mind, and get it out of my system.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading Both Ned and I have been wondering about you, lately.”

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
BothdeterminerUS /boʊθ/

the two together, not just one

From this reading Both Ned and I have been wondering about you, lately.”

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
businessnounUS /ˈbɪznəs/

a commercial or industrial enterprise and the people who constitute it

From this reading “Yes, about the way you’re acting on this enlistment business.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ChunkyadjectiveUS /ˈtʃʌŋki/

like or containing small sticky lumps

From this reading A PRO-GERMAN MEETING “Look here, Chunky!” exclaimed Jerry, after a quick glance at Ned, “I may as well say what’s on my mind, and get it out of my system.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
don't

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

From this reading You want to volunteer and join the army, don’t you?”

Pending verification
enlistmentnounUS /enˈlɪstmənt/

a period of time spent in military service

From this reading “Yes, about the way you’re acting on this enlistment business.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
exclaimedverbUS /ɪkˈskleɪmd/

past form of “exclaim” — utter aloud; often with surprise, horror, or joy

From this reading A PRO-GERMAN MEETING “Look here, Chunky!” exclaimed Jerry, after a quick glance at Ned, “I may as well say what’s on my mind, and get it out of my system.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
getverbUS /ɡet/

come into the possession of something concrete or abstract

From this reading A PRO-GERMAN MEETING “Look here, Chunky!” exclaimed Jerry, after a quick glance at Ned, “I may as well say what’s on my mind, and get it out of my system.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
glanceverbUS /ɡlæns/

throw a glance at; take a brief look at

From this reading A PRO-GERMAN MEETING “Look here, Chunky!” exclaimed Jerry, after a quick glance at Ned, “I may as well say what’s on my mind, and get it out of my system.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading Both Ned and I have been wondering about you, lately.”

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
hereadverbUS /hiːr/

in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is

From this reading A PRO-GERMAN MEETING “Look here, Chunky!” exclaimed Jerry, after a quick glance at Ned, “I may as well say what’s on my mind, and get it out of my system.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading A PRO-GERMAN MEETING “Look here, Chunky!” exclaimed Jerry, after a quick glance at Ned, “I may as well say what’s on my mind, and get it out of my system.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading A PRO-GERMAN MEETING “Look here, Chunky!” exclaimed Jerry, after a quick glance at Ned, “I may as well say what’s on my mind, and get it out of my system.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
JerrynounUS /ˈdʒeri/

offensive term for a person of German descent

From this reading A PRO-GERMAN MEETING “Look here, Chunky!” exclaimed Jerry, after a quick glance at Ned, “I may as well say what’s on my mind, and get it out of my system.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
joinverbUS /dʒɔɪn/

become part of; become a member of a group or organization

From this reading You want to volunteer and join the army, don’t you?”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
latelyadverbUS /ˈleɪtli/

in the recent past

From this reading Both Ned and I have been wondering about you, lately.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
LookverbUS /lʊk/

perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards

From this reading A PRO-GERMAN MEETING “Look here, Chunky!” exclaimed Jerry, after a quick glance at Ned, “I may as well say what’s on my mind, and get it out of my system.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
maymodal verbUS /meɪ/

used to say something is possible, or to give permission

From this reading A PRO-GERMAN MEETING “Look here, Chunky!” exclaimed Jerry, after a quick glance at Ned, “I may as well say what’s on my mind, and get it out of my system.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
mepronounUS /miː/

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

From this reading “Wondering about me?”

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
MEETINGnounUS /ˈmiːtɪŋ/

a formally arranged gathering

From this reading A PRO-GERMAN MEETING “Look here, Chunky!” exclaimed Jerry, after a quick glance at Ned, “I may as well say what’s on my mind, and get it out of my system.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
mindnounUS /maɪnd/

The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.

From this reading A PRO-GERMAN MEETING “Look here, Chunky!” exclaimed Jerry, after a quick glance at Ned, “I may as well say what’s on my mind, and get it out of my system.

Velmora curated lexicon
mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading A PRO-GERMAN MEETING “Look here, Chunky!” exclaimed Jerry, after a quick glance at Ned, “I may as well say what’s on my mind, and get it out of my system.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
Ned

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

From this reading A PRO-GERMAN MEETING “Look here, Chunky!” exclaimed Jerry, after a quick glance at Ned, “I may as well say what’s on my mind, and get it out of my system.

Pending verification
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading A PRO-GERMAN MEETING “Look here, Chunky!” exclaimed Jerry, after a quick glance at Ned, “I may as well say what’s on my mind, and get it out of my system.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading A PRO-GERMAN MEETING “Look here, Chunky!” exclaimed Jerry, after a quick glance at Ned, “I may as well say what’s on my mind, and get it out of my system.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading A PRO-GERMAN MEETING “Look here, Chunky!” exclaimed Jerry, after a quick glance at Ned, “I may as well say what’s on my mind, and get it out of my system.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
PRO-GERMAN

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

From this reading A PRO-GERMAN MEETING “Look here, Chunky!” exclaimed Jerry, after a quick glance at Ned, “I may as well say what’s on my mind, and get it out of my system.

Pending verification
quickadjectiveUS /kwɪk/

accomplished rapidly and without delay

From this reading A PRO-GERMAN MEETING “Look here, Chunky!” exclaimed Jerry, after a quick glance at Ned, “I may as well say what’s on my mind, and get it out of my system.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
sayverbUS /seɪ/

express in words

From this reading A PRO-GERMAN MEETING “Look here, Chunky!” exclaimed Jerry, after a quick glance at Ned, “I may as well say what’s on my mind, and get it out of my system.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
systemnounUS /ˈsɪstəm/

instrumentality that combines interrelated interacting artifacts designed to work as a coherent entity

From this reading A PRO-GERMAN MEETING “Look here, Chunky!” exclaimed Jerry, after a quick glance at Ned, “I may as well say what’s on my mind, and get it out of my system.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading “Yes, about the way you’re acting on this enlistment business.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading “Yes, about the way you’re acting on this enlistment business.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading You want to volunteer and join the army, don’t you?”

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
volunteerverbUS /ˌvɑːlənˈtɪr/

tell voluntarily

From this reading You want to volunteer and join the army, don’t you?”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
wantverbUS /wɑːnt/

feel or have a desire for; want strongly

From this reading You want to volunteer and join the army, don’t you?”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
waynounUS /weɪ/

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading “Yes, about the way you’re acting on this enlistment business.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
welladverbUS /wel/

(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)

From this reading A PRO-GERMAN MEETING “Look here, Chunky!” exclaimed Jerry, after a quick glance at Ned, “I may as well say what’s on my mind, and get it out of my system.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
what's

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

From this reading A PRO-GERMAN MEETING “Look here, Chunky!” exclaimed Jerry, after a quick glance at Ned, “I may as well say what’s on my mind, and get it out of my system.

Pending verification
wonderingadjectiveUS /ˈwʌndərɪŋ/

showing curiosity

From this reading Both Ned and I have been wondering about you, lately.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
YesnounUS /jes/

an affirmative

From this reading “Yes, about the way you’re acting on this enlistment business.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading Both Ned and I have been wondering about you, lately.”

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
you're

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

From this reading “Yes, about the way you’re acting on this enlistment business.

Pending verification

Chapter 8 of The Motor Boys in the Army by Clarence Young holds 156 sentences, grouped into 32 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 8 of The Motor Boys in the Army contain?

Chapter 8 holds 156 sentences of The Motor Boys in the Army, unabridged, divided into 32 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 8 of The Motor Boys in the Army by Clarence Young exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 156 sentences, grouped into 32 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 8 of The Motor Boys in the Army?

Work through the 32 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 32 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 8 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 8 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 Motor Boys in the Army

Common questions about reading The Motor Boys in the Army by Clarence Young on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Motor Boys in the Army?

Yes. All 3670 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #53320 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Motor Boys in the Army is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #53320, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Motor Boys in the Army take to read?

About 305 minutes of reading across 734 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Motor Boys in the Army section by section

How to work through The Motor Boys in the Army section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 30 chapters of The Motor Boys in the Army 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 Motor Boys in the Army

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Motor Boys in the Army, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Jerry
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Motor Boys in the Army; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Volunteers
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Motor Boys in the Army; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Author
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Motor Boys in the Army; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Motor
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Motor Boys in the Army; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.