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The Truants
The Truants

Chapter XVIII

Chapter 18 of The Truants is here in full — 258 sentences across 52 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By A. E. W. (Alfred Edward Woodley) Mason • Curated US English Learning Edition
Cover illustration for The Truants
Context Illustration Reading 1/51 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
SOUTH OF OUARGLA "Halt!" cried Captain Tavernay.
The bugler at his side raised his bugle to his lips and blew.
The dozen chasseurs d'Afrique and the ten native scouts who formed the advance guard stopped upon the signal.
A couple of hundred yards behind them the two companies of the Foreign Legion came to a standstill.
The convoy of baggage mules upon the right flank, the hospital equipment, the artillery section, the herd of oxen which was driven along in the rear, in a word, the whole expedition, halted in a wood of dwarf-oaks and junipers at three o'clock in the afternoon.
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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 Truants

Chapter XVIII

Chapter 18 of The Truants is here in full — 258 sentences across 52 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/51 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
SOUTH OF OUARGLA "Halt!" cried Captain Tavernay.
Line 2
The bugler at his side raised his bugle to his lips and blew.
Line 3
The dozen chasseurs d'Afrique and the ten native scouts who formed the advance guard stopped upon the signal.
Line 4
A couple of hundred yards behind them the two companies of the Foreign Legion came to a standstill.
/ə ˈkʌpəl ʌv ˈhʌndrəd jɑːrdz bɪˈhaɪnd ðem ðə tuː ˈkʌmpəniːz ʌv ðə ˈfɔːrən ˈliːdʒən keɪm tuː ə ˈstændstɪl/
Line 5
The convoy of baggage mules upon the right flank, the hospital equipment, the artillery section, the herd of oxen which was driven along in the rear, in a word, the whole expedition, halted in a wood of dwarf-oaks and junipers at three o'clock in the afternoon.

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.

bugle noun US /ˈbjuːɡəl/

a brass instrument without valves; used for military calls and fanfares

From this reading “The bugler at his side raised his bugle to his lips and blew.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
convoy noun US /ˈkɑːnvɔɪ/

a procession of land vehicles traveling together

From this reading “The convoy of baggage mules upon the right flank, the hospital equipment, the artillery section, the herd of oxen which was driven along in the rear, in a word, the whole expedition, halted in a wood of dwarf-oaks and junipers at three o'clock in the afternoon.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
equipment noun US /ɪˈkwɪpmənt/

an instrumentality needed for an undertaking or to perform a service

From this reading “The convoy of baggage mules upon the right flank, the hospital equipment, the artillery section, the herd of oxen which was driven along in the rear, in a word, the whole expedition, halted in a wood of dwarf-oaks and junipers at three o'clock in the afternoon.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
flank noun US /flæŋk/

the side of military or naval formation

From this reading “The convoy of baggage mules upon the right flank, the hospital equipment, the artillery section, the herd of oxen which was driven along in the rear, in a word, the whole expedition, halted in a wood of dwarf-oaks and junipers at three o'clock in the afternoon.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
junipers noun US /ˈdʒuːnɪpərz/

plural of “juniper” — desert shrub of Syria and Arabia having small white flowers; constitutes the juniper of the Old Testament; sometimes placed in genus Genista

From this reading “The convoy of baggage mules upon the right flank, the hospital equipment, the artillery section, the herd of oxen which was driven along in the rear, in a word, the whole expedition, halted in a wood of dwarf-oaks and junipers at three o'clock in the afternoon.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Legion noun US /ˈliːdʒən/

archaic terms for army

From this reading “A couple of hundred yards behind them the two companies of the Foreign Legion came to a standstill.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
oxen noun US /ˈɑːksən/

domesticated bovine animals as a group regardless of sex or age

From this reading “The convoy of baggage mules upon the right flank, the hospital equipment, the artillery section, the herd of oxen which was driven along in the rear, in a word, the whole expedition, halted in a wood of dwarf-oaks and junipers at three o'clock in the afternoon.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
standstill noun US /ˈstændstɪl/

a situation in which no progress can be made or no advancement is possible

From this reading “A couple of hundred yards behind them the two companies of the Foreign Legion came to a standstill.”

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.

hundred yards noun + noun counted as “hundred yard”

In this reading “A couple of hundred yards behind them the two companies of the Foreign Legion came to a standstill.”

17,988 times in 225,867 chapters
advance guard verb + noun

In this reading “The dozen chasseurs d'Afrique and the ten native scouts who formed the advance guard stopped upon the signal.”

674 times in 225,867 chapters
in the rear preposition + article + noun counted as “in … rear”

In this reading “The convoy of baggage mules upon the right flank, the hospital equipment, the artillery section, the herd of oxen which was driven along in the rear, in a word, the whole expedition, halted in a wood of dwarf-oaks and junipers at three o'clock in the afternoon.”

9,685 times in 225,867 chapters
in the afternoon preposition + article + noun counted as “in … afternoon”

In this reading “The convoy of baggage mules upon the right flank, the hospital equipment, the artillery section, the herd of oxen which was driven along in the rear, in a word, the whole expedition, halted in a wood of dwarf-oaks and junipers at three o'clock in the afternoon.”

23,409 times in 225,867 chapters
in a wood preposition + article + noun counted as “in … wood”

In this reading “The convoy of baggage mules upon the right flank, the hospital equipment, the artillery section, the herd of oxen which was driven along in the rear, in a word, the whole expedition, halted in a wood of dwarf-oaks and junipers at three o'clock in the afternoon.”

8,171 times in 225,867 chapters
halted in verb + particle counted as “halt in”

In this reading “The convoy of baggage mules upon the right flank, the hospital equipment, the artillery section, the herd of oxen which was driven along in the rear, in a word, the whole expedition, halted in a wood of dwarf-oaks and junipers at three o'clock in the afternoon.”

2,229 times in 225,867 chapters

All words in this reading · 70

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 couple of hundred yards behind them the two companies of the Foreign Legion came to a standstill.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
advanceverbUS /ədˈvæns/

move forward, also in the metaphorical sense

From this reading The dozen chasseurs d'Afrique and the ten native scouts who formed the advance guard stopped upon the signal.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
afternoonnounUS /ˌæftərˈnuːn/

the part of the day between noon and evening

From this reading The convoy of baggage mules upon the right flank, the hospital equipment, the artillery section, the herd of oxen which was driven along in the rear, in a word, the whole expedition, halted in a wood of dwarf-oaks and junipers at three o'clock in the afternoon.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/

following the length of something from one end toward the other

From this reading The convoy of baggage mules upon the right flank, the hospital equipment, the artillery section, the herd of oxen which was driven along in the rear, in a word, the whole expedition, halted in a wood of dwarf-oaks and junipers at three o'clock in the afternoon.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading The bugler at his side raised his bugle to his lips and blew.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
artillerynounUS /ɑːrˈtɪləri/

large but transportable armament

From this reading The convoy of baggage mules upon the right flank, the hospital equipment, the artillery section, the herd of oxen which was driven along in the rear, in a word, the whole expedition, halted in a wood of dwarf-oaks and junipers at three o'clock in the afternoon.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading The bugler at his side raised his bugle to his lips and blew.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
baggagenounUS /ˈbæɡədʒ/

cases used to carry belongings when traveling

From this reading The convoy of baggage mules upon the right flank, the hospital equipment, the artillery section, the herd of oxen which was driven along in the rear, in a word, the whole expedition, halted in a wood of dwarf-oaks and junipers at three o'clock in the afternoon.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/

at or toward the back of something

From this reading A couple of hundred yards behind them the two companies of the Foreign Legion came to a standstill.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
blewverbUS /bluː/

inflected form of “blow” — exhale hard

From this reading The bugler at his side raised his bugle to his lips and blew.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
buglenounUS /ˈbjuːɡəl/

a brass instrument without valves; used for military calls and fanfares

From this reading The bugler at his side raised his bugle to his lips and blew.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
buglernoun

someone who plays a bugle

From this reading The bugler at his side raised his bugle to his lips and blew.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
cameverbUS /keɪm/

inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading A couple of hundred yards behind them the two companies of the Foreign Legion came to a standstill.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
CaptainnounUS /ˈkæptən/

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

From this reading SOUTH OF OUARGLA "Halt!" cried Captain Tavernay.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
chasseurs

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

From this reading The dozen chasseurs d'Afrique and the ten native scouts who formed the advance guard stopped upon the signal.

Pending verification
companiesnounUS /ˈkʌmpəniːz/

plural of “company” — an institution created to conduct business

From this reading A couple of hundred yards behind them the two companies of the Foreign Legion came to a standstill.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
convoynounUS /ˈkɑːnvɔɪ/

a procession of land vehicles traveling together

From this reading The convoy of baggage mules upon the right flank, the hospital equipment, the artillery section, the herd of oxen which was driven along in the rear, in a word, the whole expedition, halted in a wood of dwarf-oaks and junipers at three o'clock in the afternoon.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
couplenounUS /ˈkʌpəl/

a pair who associate with one another

From this reading A couple of hundred yards behind them the two companies of the Foreign Legion came to a standstill.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
criedverbUS /kraɪd/

inflected form of “cry” — utter a sudden loud cry

From this reading SOUTH OF OUARGLA "Halt!" cried Captain Tavernay.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
d'Afrique

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

From this reading The dozen chasseurs d'Afrique and the ten native scouts who formed the advance guard stopped upon the signal.

Pending verification
dozennounUS /ˈdʌzən/

the cardinal number that is the sum of eleven and one

From this reading The dozen chasseurs d'Afrique and the ten native scouts who formed the advance guard stopped upon the signal.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
drivenadjectiveUS /ˈdrɪvən/

compelled forcibly by an outside agency

From this reading The convoy of baggage mules upon the right flank, the hospital equipment, the artillery section, the herd of oxen which was driven along in the rear, in a word, the whole expedition, halted in a wood of dwarf-oaks and junipers at three o'clock in the afternoon.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
dwarf-oaks

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

From this reading The convoy of baggage mules upon the right flank, the hospital equipment, the artillery section, the herd of oxen which was driven along in the rear, in a word, the whole expedition, halted in a wood of dwarf-oaks and junipers at three o'clock in the afternoon.

Pending verification
equipmentnounUS /ɪˈkwɪpmənt/

an instrumentality needed for an undertaking or to perform a service

From this reading The convoy of baggage mules upon the right flank, the hospital equipment, the artillery section, the herd of oxen which was driven along in the rear, in a word, the whole expedition, halted in a wood of dwarf-oaks and junipers at three o'clock in the afternoon.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
expeditionnounUS /ˌekspəˈdɪʃən/

a military campaign designed to achieve a specific objective in a foreign country

From this reading The convoy of baggage mules upon the right flank, the hospital equipment, the artillery section, the herd of oxen which was driven along in the rear, in a word, the whole expedition, halted in a wood of dwarf-oaks and junipers at three o'clock in the afternoon.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
flanknounUS /flæŋk/

the side of military or naval formation

From this reading The convoy of baggage mules upon the right flank, the hospital equipment, the artillery section, the herd of oxen which was driven along in the rear, in a word, the whole expedition, halted in a wood of dwarf-oaks and junipers at three o'clock in the afternoon.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ForeignadjectiveUS /ˈfɔːrən/

of concern to or concerning the affairs of other nations (other than your own)

From this reading A couple of hundred yards behind them the two companies of the Foreign Legion came to a standstill.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
formedadjectiveUS /fɔːrmd/

having or given a form or shape

From this reading The dozen chasseurs d'Afrique and the ten native scouts who formed the advance guard stopped upon the signal.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
guardnounUS /ɡɑːrd/

a person who keeps watch over something or someone

From this reading The dozen chasseurs d'Afrique and the ten native scouts who formed the advance guard stopped upon the signal.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
HaltverbUS /hɔːlt/

cause to stop

From this reading SOUTH OF OUARGLA "Halt!" cried Captain Tavernay.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
haltedverbUS /ˈhɔːltəd/

past form of “halt” — cause to stop

From this reading The convoy of baggage mules upon the right flank, the hospital equipment, the artillery section, the herd of oxen which was driven along in the rear, in a word, the whole expedition, halted in a wood of dwarf-oaks and junipers at three o'clock in the afternoon.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
herdnounUS /hɜːrd/

a group of cattle or sheep or other domestic mammals all of the same kind that are herded by humans

From this reading The convoy of baggage mules upon the right flank, the hospital equipment, the artillery section, the herd of oxen which was driven along in the rear, in a word, the whole expedition, halted in a wood of dwarf-oaks and junipers at three o'clock in the afternoon.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading The bugler at his side raised his bugle to his lips and blew.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
hospitalnounUS /ˈhɑːspɪtəl/

a health facility where patients receive treatment

From this reading The convoy of baggage mules upon the right flank, the hospital equipment, the artillery section, the herd of oxen which was driven along in the rear, in a word, the whole expedition, halted in a wood of dwarf-oaks and junipers at three o'clock in the afternoon.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
hundrednounUS /ˈhʌndrəd/

ten 10s

From this reading A couple of hundred yards behind them the two companies of the Foreign Legion came to a standstill.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading The convoy of baggage mules upon the right flank, the hospital equipment, the artillery section, the herd of oxen which was driven along in the rear, in a word, the whole expedition, halted in a wood of dwarf-oaks and junipers at three o'clock in the afternoon.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
junipersnounUS /ˈdʒuːnɪpərz/

plural of “juniper” — desert shrub of Syria and Arabia having small white flowers; constitutes the juniper of the Old Testament; sometimes placed in genus Genista

From this reading The convoy of baggage mules upon the right flank, the hospital equipment, the artillery section, the herd of oxen which was driven along in the rear, in a word, the whole expedition, halted in a wood of dwarf-oaks and junipers at three o'clock in the afternoon.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
LegionnounUS /ˈliːdʒən/

archaic terms for army

From this reading A couple of hundred yards behind them the two companies of the Foreign Legion came to a standstill.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
lipsnounUS /lɪps/

plural of “lip” — either of two fleshy folds of tissue that surround the mouth and play a role in speaking

From this reading The bugler at his side raised his bugle to his lips and blew.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
mulesnounUS /mjuːlz/

plural of “mule” — hybrid offspring of a male donkey and a female horse; usually sterile

From this reading The convoy of baggage mules upon the right flank, the hospital equipment, the artillery section, the herd of oxen which was driven along in the rear, in a word, the whole expedition, halted in a wood of dwarf-oaks and junipers at three o'clock in the afternoon.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
nativeadjectiveUS /ˈneɪtɪv/

characteristic of or existing by virtue of geographic origin

From this reading The dozen chasseurs d'Afrique and the ten native scouts who formed the advance guard stopped upon the signal.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
o'clockadverbUS /əˈklɑːk/

according to the clock

From this reading The convoy of baggage mules upon the right flank, the hospital equipment, the artillery section, the herd of oxen which was driven along in the rear, in a word, the whole expedition, halted in a wood of dwarf-oaks and junipers at three o'clock in the afternoon.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
OFprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading SOUTH OF OUARGLA "Halt!" cried Captain Tavernay.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
OUARGLA

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

From this reading SOUTH OF OUARGLA "Halt!" cried Captain Tavernay.

Pending verification
oxennounUS /ˈɑːksən/

domesticated bovine animals as a group regardless of sex or age

From this reading The convoy of baggage mules upon the right flank, the hospital equipment, the artillery section, the herd of oxen which was driven along in the rear, in a word, the whole expedition, halted in a wood of dwarf-oaks and junipers at three o'clock in the afternoon.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
raisedadjectiveUS /reɪzd/

located or moved above the surround or above the normal position

From this reading The bugler at his side raised his bugle to his lips and blew.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
rearnounUS /rɪr/

the back of a military formation or procession

From this reading The convoy of baggage mules upon the right flank, the hospital equipment, the artillery section, the herd of oxen which was driven along in the rear, in a word, the whole expedition, halted in a wood of dwarf-oaks and junipers at three o'clock in the afternoon.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
rightadverbUS /raɪt/

precisely, exactly

From this reading The convoy of baggage mules upon the right flank, the hospital equipment, the artillery section, the herd of oxen which was driven along in the rear, in a word, the whole expedition, halted in a wood of dwarf-oaks and junipers at three o'clock in the afternoon.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
scoutsnounUS /skaʊts/

plural of “scout” — a person employed to keep watch for some anticipated event

From this reading The dozen chasseurs d'Afrique and the ten native scouts who formed the advance guard stopped upon the signal.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
sectionnounUS /ˈsekʃən/

a self-contained part of a larger composition (written or musical)

From this reading The convoy of baggage mules upon the right flank, the hospital equipment, the artillery section, the herd of oxen which was driven along in the rear, in a word, the whole expedition, halted in a wood of dwarf-oaks and junipers at three o'clock in the afternoon.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
sidenounUS /saɪd/

a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location

From this reading The bugler at his side raised his bugle to his lips and blew.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
signalnounUS /ˈsɪɡnəl/

any nonverbal action or gesture that encodes a message

From this reading The dozen chasseurs d'Afrique and the ten native scouts who formed the advance guard stopped upon the signal.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
SOUTHnounUS /saʊθ/

the region of the United States lying to the south of the Mason-Dixon line

From this reading SOUTH OF OUARGLA "Halt!" cried Captain Tavernay.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
standstillnounUS /ˈstændstɪl/

a situation in which no progress can be made or no advancement is possible

From this reading A couple of hundred yards behind them the two companies of the Foreign Legion came to a standstill.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
stoppedadjectiveUS /stɑːpt/

(of a nose) blocked

From this reading The dozen chasseurs d'Afrique and the ten native scouts who formed the advance guard stopped upon the signal.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Tavernay

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

From this reading SOUTH OF OUARGLA "Halt!" cried Captain Tavernay.

Pending verification
tennounUS /ten/

the cardinal number that is the sum of nine and one; the base of the decimal system

From this reading The dozen chasseurs d'Afrique and the ten native scouts who formed the advance guard stopped upon the signal.

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 The bugler at his side raised his bugle to his lips and blew.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading A couple of hundred yards behind them the two companies of the Foreign Legion came to a standstill.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
threenounUS /θriː/

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one

From this reading The convoy of baggage mules upon the right flank, the hospital equipment, the artillery section, the herd of oxen which was driven along in the rear, in a word, the whole expedition, halted in a wood of dwarf-oaks and junipers at three o'clock in the afternoon.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading The bugler at his side raised his bugle to his lips and blew.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
twonounUS /tuː/

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number

From this reading A couple of hundred yards behind them the two companies of the Foreign Legion came to a standstill.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading The dozen chasseurs d'Afrique and the ten native scouts who formed the advance guard stopped upon the signal.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading The convoy of baggage mules upon the right flank, the hospital equipment, the artillery section, the herd of oxen which was driven along in the rear, in a word, the whole expedition, halted in a wood of dwarf-oaks and junipers at three o'clock in the afternoon.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading The convoy of baggage mules upon the right flank, the hospital equipment, the artillery section, the herd of oxen which was driven along in the rear, in a word, the whole expedition, halted in a wood of dwarf-oaks and junipers at three o'clock in the afternoon.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading The dozen chasseurs d'Afrique and the ten native scouts who formed the advance guard stopped upon the signal.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
wholeadjectiveUS /hoʊl/

including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete

From this reading The convoy of baggage mules upon the right flank, the hospital equipment, the artillery section, the herd of oxen which was driven along in the rear, in a word, the whole expedition, halted in a wood of dwarf-oaks and junipers at three o'clock in the afternoon.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
woodnounUS /wʊd/

the hard fibrous lignified substance under the bark of trees

From this reading The convoy of baggage mules upon the right flank, the hospital equipment, the artillery section, the herd of oxen which was driven along in the rear, in a word, the whole expedition, halted in a wood of dwarf-oaks and junipers at three o'clock in the afternoon.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
wordnounUS /wɜːrd/

a unit of language that native speakers can identify

From this reading The convoy of baggage mules upon the right flank, the hospital equipment, the artillery section, the herd of oxen which was driven along in the rear, in a word, the whole expedition, halted in a wood of dwarf-oaks and junipers at three o'clock in the afternoon.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
yardsnounUS /jɑːrdz/

plural of “yard” — a unit of length equal to 3 feet; defined as 91.44 centimeters; originally taken to be the average length of a stride

From this reading A couple of hundred yards behind them the two companies of the Foreign Legion came to a standstill.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

Chapter 18 of The Truants by A. E. W. (Alfred Edward Woodley) Mason holds 258 sentences, grouped into 52 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 18 of The Truants contain?

Chapter 18 holds 258 sentences of The Truants, unabridged, divided into 52 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 18 of The Truants by A. E. W. (Alfred Edward Woodley) Mason exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 258 sentences, grouped into 52 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 18 of The Truants?

Work through the 52 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 52 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 18 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 18 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 Truants

Common questions about reading The Truants by A. E. W. (Alfred Edward Woodley) Mason on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Truants?

Yes. All 7569 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #38685 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Truants is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #38685, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Truants take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 1514 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Truants section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 36 chapters of The Truants 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 Truants

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

Diphthong
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Truants; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Represented
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Truants; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Feathers
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Truants; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Clementina
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Truants; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.