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Under Fire: The Story of a Squad
Under Fire: The Story of a Squad

Chapter V · Chapter 5

Chapter 5 of Under Fire: The Story of a Squad is here in full — 401 sentences across 81 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Under Fire: The Story of a Squad
Context Illustration Reading 1/80 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
As we are going back, two strollers come up--Carassus and Cheyssier.
They announce that mess-man Pepere is going to the rear, to be sent to a Territorial regiment, having come under the operation of the Dalbiez Act.
"That's a hint for Blaire," says Carassus, who has a funny big nose in the middle of his face that suits him ill.
In the village groups of poilus go by, or in twos, joined by the crossing bonds of converse.
We see the solitary ones unite in couples, separate, then come together again with a new inspiration of talk, drawn to each other as if magnetized.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Under Fire: The Story of a Squad

Chapter V · Chapter 5

Chapter 5 of Under Fire: The Story of a Squad is here in full — 401 sentences across 81 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/80 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
As we are going back, two strollers come up--Carassus and Cheyssier.
Line 2
They announce that mess-man Pepere is going to the rear, to be sent to a Territorial regiment, having come under the operation of the Dalbiez Act.
Line 3
"That's a hint for Blaire," says Carassus, who has a funny big nose in the middle of his face that suits him ill.
Line 4
In the village groups of poilus go by, or in twos, joined by the crossing bonds of converse.
Line 5
We see the solitary ones unite in couples, separate, then come together again with a new inspiration of talk, drawn to each other as if magnetized.
/wiː siː ðə ˈsɑːləteri wʌnz ˈjuːnaɪt ɪn ˈkʌpəlz ˈsepəreɪt ðen kʌm təˈɡeðər əˈɡen wɪð ə nuː ˌɪnspərˈeɪʃən ʌv tɔːk drɔːn tuː iːtʃ ˈʌðər æz ɪf ˈmæɡnɪtaɪzd/

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.

announce verb US /əˈnaʊns/

make known; make an announcement

From this reading “They announce that mess-man Pepere is going to the rear, to be sent to a Territorial regiment, having come under the operation of the Dalbiez Act.”

converse verb US /ˈkɑːnvərs/

carry on a conversation

From this reading “In the village groups of poilus go by, or in twos, joined by the crossing bonds of converse.”

couples noun US /ˈkʌpəlz/

plural of “couple” — a pair who associate with one another

From this reading “We see the solitary ones unite in couples, separate, then come together again with a new inspiration of talk, drawn to each other as if magnetized.”

magnetized adjective US /ˈmæɡnɪtaɪzd/

having the properties of a magnet; i.e. of attracting iron or steel

From this reading “We see the solitary ones unite in couples, separate, then come together again with a new inspiration of talk, drawn to each other as if magnetized.”

strollers noun US /ˈstroʊlərz/

plural of “stroller” — someone who walks at a leisurely pace

From this reading “As we are going back, two strollers come up--Carassus and Cheyssier.”

Territorial adjective US /ˌterɪˈtɔːriəl/

of or relating to a territory

From this reading “They announce that mess-man Pepere is going to the rear, to be sent to a Territorial regiment, having come under the operation of the Dalbiez Act.”

twos noun US /tuːz/

plural of “two” — the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number

From this reading “In the village groups of poilus go by, or in twos, joined by the crossing bonds of converse.”

unite verb US /ˈjuːnaɪt/

act in concert or unite in a common purpose or belief

From this reading “We see the solitary ones unite in couples, separate, then come together again with a new inspiration of talk, drawn to each other as if magnetized.”

All words in this reading · 78

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 They announce that mess-man Pepere is going to the rear, to be sent to a Territorial regiment, having come under the operation of the Dalbiez Act.

ActverbUS /ækt/

perform an action, or work out or perform (an action)

From this reading They announce that mess-man Pepere is going to the rear, to be sent to a Territorial regiment, having come under the operation of the Dalbiez Act.

againadverbUS /əˈɡen/

anew

From this reading We see the solitary ones unite in couples, separate, then come together again with a new inspiration of talk, drawn to each other as if magnetized.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading As we are going back, two strollers come up--Carassus and Cheyssier.

announceverbUS /əˈnaʊns/

make known; make an announcement

From this reading They announce that mess-man Pepere is going to the rear, to be sent to a Territorial regiment, having come under the operation of the Dalbiez Act.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading As we are going back, two strollers come up--Carassus and Cheyssier.

AsconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading As we are going back, two strollers come up--Carassus and Cheyssier.

backadverbUS /bæk/

in or to or toward a former location

From this reading As we are going back, two strollers come up--Carassus and Cheyssier.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading They announce that mess-man Pepere is going to the rear, to be sent to a Territorial regiment, having come under the operation of the Dalbiez Act.

bigadjectiveUS /bɪɡ/

above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading "That's a hint for Blaire," says Carassus, who has a funny big nose in the middle of his face that suits him ill.

Blaire

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

From this reading "That's a hint for Blaire," says Carassus, who has a funny big nose in the middle of his face that suits him ill.

bondsnounUS /bɑːndz/

plural of “bond” — an electrical force linking atoms

From this reading In the village groups of poilus go by, or in twos, joined by the crossing bonds of converse.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading In the village groups of poilus go by, or in twos, joined by the crossing bonds of converse.

Carassus

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

From this reading As we are going back, two strollers come up--Carassus and Cheyssier.

Cheyssier

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

From this reading As we are going back, two strollers come up--Carassus and Cheyssier.

comeverbUS /kʌm/

move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading As we are going back, two strollers come up--Carassus and Cheyssier.

converseverbUS /ˈkɑːnvərs/

carry on a conversation

From this reading In the village groups of poilus go by, or in twos, joined by the crossing bonds of converse.

couplesnounUS /ˈkʌpəlz/

plural of “couple” — a pair who associate with one another

From this reading We see the solitary ones unite in couples, separate, then come together again with a new inspiration of talk, drawn to each other as if magnetized.

crossingnounUS /ˈkrɔːsɪŋ/

traveling across

From this reading In the village groups of poilus go by, or in twos, joined by the crossing bonds of converse.

Dalbiez

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

From this reading They announce that mess-man Pepere is going to the rear, to be sent to a Territorial regiment, having come under the operation of the Dalbiez Act.

drawnadjectiveUS /drɔːn/

showing the wearing effects of overwork or care or suffering

From this reading We see the solitary ones unite in couples, separate, then come together again with a new inspiration of talk, drawn to each other as if magnetized.

eachdeterminerUS /iːtʃ/

every one of two or more people or things, taken separately

From this reading We see the solitary ones unite in couples, separate, then come together again with a new inspiration of talk, drawn to each other as if magnetized.

facenounUS /feɪs/

the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear

From this reading "That's a hint for Blaire," says Carassus, who has a funny big nose in the middle of his face that suits him ill.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading "That's a hint for Blaire," says Carassus, who has a funny big nose in the middle of his face that suits him ill.

funnyadjectiveUS /ˈfʌni/

arousing or provoking laughter

From this reading "That's a hint for Blaire," says Carassus, who has a funny big nose in the middle of his face that suits him ill.

goverbUS /ɡoʊ/

change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading In the village groups of poilus go by, or in twos, joined by the crossing bonds of converse.

goingnounUS /ˈɡoʊɪŋ/

the act of departing

From this reading As we are going back, two strollers come up--Carassus and Cheyssier.

groupsnounUS /ɡruːps/

plural of “group” — any number of entities (members) considered as a unit

From this reading In the village groups of poilus go by, or in twos, joined by the crossing bonds of converse.

hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/

the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading "That's a hint for Blaire," says Carassus, who has a funny big nose in the middle of his face that suits him ill.

havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/

the -ing form of “have”

From this reading They announce that mess-man Pepere is going to the rear, to be sent to a Territorial regiment, having come under the operation of the Dalbiez Act.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading "That's a hint for Blaire," says Carassus, who has a funny big nose in the middle of his face that suits him ill.

hintnounUS /hɪnt/

an indirect suggestion

From this reading "That's a hint for Blaire," says Carassus, who has a funny big nose in the middle of his face that suits him ill.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading "That's a hint for Blaire," says Carassus, who has a funny big nose in the middle of his face that suits him ill.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading We see the solitary ones unite in couples, separate, then come together again with a new inspiration of talk, drawn to each other as if magnetized.

illadjectiveUS /ɪl/

affected by an impairment of normal physical or mental function

From this reading "That's a hint for Blaire," says Carassus, who has a funny big nose in the middle of his face that suits him ill.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading "That's a hint for Blaire," says Carassus, who has a funny big nose in the middle of his face that suits him ill.

inspirationnounUS /ˌɪnspərˈeɪʃən/

arousal of the mind to special unusual activity or creativity

From this reading We see the solitary ones unite in couples, separate, then come together again with a new inspiration of talk, drawn to each other as if magnetized.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading They announce that mess-man Pepere is going to the rear, to be sent to a Territorial regiment, having come under the operation of the Dalbiez Act.

joinedadjectiveUS /dʒɔɪnd/

of or relating to two people who are married to each other

From this reading In the village groups of poilus go by, or in twos, joined by the crossing bonds of converse.

magnetizedadjectiveUS /ˈmæɡnɪtaɪzd/

having the properties of a magnet; i.e. of attracting iron or steel

From this reading We see the solitary ones unite in couples, separate, then come together again with a new inspiration of talk, drawn to each other as if magnetized.

mess-man

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

From this reading They announce that mess-man Pepere is going to the rear, to be sent to a Territorial regiment, having come under the operation of the Dalbiez Act.

middlenounUS /ˈmɪdəl/

an area that is approximately central within some larger region

From this reading "That's a hint for Blaire," says Carassus, who has a funny big nose in the middle of his face that suits him ill.

newadjectiveUS /nuː/

not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered

From this reading We see the solitary ones unite in couples, separate, then come together again with a new inspiration of talk, drawn to each other as if magnetized.

nosenounUS /noʊz/

the organ of smell and entrance to the respiratory tract; the prominent part of the face of man or other mammals

From this reading "That's a hint for Blaire," says Carassus, who has a funny big nose in the middle of his face that suits him ill.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading They announce that mess-man Pepere is going to the rear, to be sent to a Territorial regiment, having come under the operation of the Dalbiez Act.

onesnounUS /wʌnz/

plural of “one” — the smallest whole number or a numeral representing this number

From this reading We see the solitary ones unite in couples, separate, then come together again with a new inspiration of talk, drawn to each other as if magnetized.

operationnounUS /ˌɑːpərˈeɪʃən/

the state of being in effect or being operative

From this reading They announce that mess-man Pepere is going to the rear, to be sent to a Territorial regiment, having come under the operation of the Dalbiez Act.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading In the village groups of poilus go by, or in twos, joined by the crossing bonds of converse.

otheradjectiveUS /ˈʌðər/

not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied

From this reading We see the solitary ones unite in couples, separate, then come together again with a new inspiration of talk, drawn to each other as if magnetized.

Pepere

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

From this reading They announce that mess-man Pepere is going to the rear, to be sent to a Territorial regiment, having come under the operation of the Dalbiez Act.

poilus

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

From this reading In the village groups of poilus go by, or in twos, joined by the crossing bonds of converse.

rearnounUS /rɪr/

the back of a military formation or procession

From this reading They announce that mess-man Pepere is going to the rear, to be sent to a Territorial regiment, having come under the operation of the Dalbiez Act.

regimentverbUS /ˈredʒəmənt/

subject to rigid discipline, order, and systematization

From this reading They announce that mess-man Pepere is going to the rear, to be sent to a Territorial regiment, having come under the operation of the Dalbiez Act.

saysnounUS /sez/

plural of “say” — the chance to speak

From this reading "That's a hint for Blaire," says Carassus, who has a funny big nose in the middle of his face that suits him ill.

seeverbUS /siː/

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading We see the solitary ones unite in couples, separate, then come together again with a new inspiration of talk, drawn to each other as if magnetized.

sentnounUS /sent/

100 senti equal 1 kroon in Estonia

From this reading They announce that mess-man Pepere is going to the rear, to be sent to a Territorial regiment, having come under the operation of the Dalbiez Act.

separateverbUS /ˈsepəreɪt/

act as a barrier between; stand between

From this reading We see the solitary ones unite in couples, separate, then come together again with a new inspiration of talk, drawn to each other as if magnetized.

solitaryadjectiveUS /ˈsɑːləteri/

characterized by or preferring solitude

From this reading We see the solitary ones unite in couples, separate, then come together again with a new inspiration of talk, drawn to each other as if magnetized.

strollersnounUS /ˈstroʊlərz/

plural of “stroller” — someone who walks at a leisurely pace

From this reading As we are going back, two strollers come up--Carassus and Cheyssier.

suitsnounUS /suːts/

plural of “suit” — a set of garments (usually including a jacket and trousers or skirt) for outerwear all of the same fabric and color

From this reading "That's a hint for Blaire," says Carassus, who has a funny big nose in the middle of his face that suits him ill.

talkverbUS /tɔːk/

exchange thoughts; talk with

From this reading We see the solitary ones unite in couples, separate, then come together again with a new inspiration of talk, drawn to each other as if magnetized.

TerritorialadjectiveUS /ˌterɪˈtɔːriəl/

of or relating to a territory

From this reading They announce that mess-man Pepere is going to the rear, to be sent to a Territorial regiment, having come under the operation of the Dalbiez Act.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading They announce that mess-man Pepere is going to the rear, to be sent to a Territorial regiment, having come under the operation of the Dalbiez Act.

That's

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

From this reading "That's a hint for Blaire," says Carassus, who has a funny big nose in the middle of his face that suits him ill.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading They announce that mess-man Pepere is going to the rear, to be sent to a Territorial regiment, having come under the operation of the Dalbiez Act.

thenadverbUS /ðen/

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading We see the solitary ones unite in couples, separate, then come together again with a new inspiration of talk, drawn to each other as if magnetized.

TheypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading They announce that mess-man Pepere is going to the rear, to be sent to a Territorial regiment, having come under the operation of the Dalbiez Act.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading They announce that mess-man Pepere is going to the rear, to be sent to a Territorial regiment, having come under the operation of the Dalbiez Act.

togetheradverbUS /təˈɡeðər/

in contact with each other or in proximity

From this reading We see the solitary ones unite in couples, separate, then come together again with a new inspiration of talk, drawn to each other as if magnetized.

twonounUS /tuː/

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

From this reading As we are going back, two strollers come up--Carassus and Cheyssier.

twosnounUS /tuːz/

plural of “two” — the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number

From this reading In the village groups of poilus go by, or in twos, joined by the crossing bonds of converse.

underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading They announce that mess-man Pepere is going to the rear, to be sent to a Territorial regiment, having come under the operation of the Dalbiez Act.

uniteverbUS /ˈjuːnaɪt/

act in concert or unite in a common purpose or belief

From this reading We see the solitary ones unite in couples, separate, then come together again with a new inspiration of talk, drawn to each other as if magnetized.

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading As we are going back, two strollers come up--Carassus and Cheyssier.

villagenounUS /ˈvɪlədʒ/

a community of people smaller than a town

From this reading In the village groups of poilus go by, or in twos, joined by the crossing bonds of converse.

wepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading As we are going back, two strollers come up--Carassus and Cheyssier.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading "That's a hint for Blaire," says Carassus, who has a funny big nose in the middle of his face that suits him ill.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading We see the solitary ones unite in couples, separate, then come together again with a new inspiration of talk, drawn to each other as if magnetized.

Chapter 5 of Under Fire: The Story of a Squad by Henri Barbusse holds 401 sentences, grouped into 81 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, 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 5 of Under Fire: The Story of a Squad contain?

Chapter 5 holds 401 sentences of Under Fire: The Story of a Squad, unabridged, divided into 81 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 5 of Under Fire: The Story of a Squad by Henri Barbusse exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 401 sentences, grouped into 81 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 5 of Under Fire: The Story of a Squad?

Work through the 81 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 81 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 5 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 5 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 Under Fire: The Story of a Squad

Common questions about reading Under Fire: The Story of a Squad by Henri Barbusse on this page, its source edition and its audio.

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Yes. All 6647 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #4380 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

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Project Gutenberg eBook #4380, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Under Fire: The Story of a Squad take to read?

About 553 minutes of reading across 1330 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

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Vocabulary met early in Under Fire: The Story of a Squad

Words and structures a reader meets early in Under Fire: The Story of a Squad, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Memory
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Under Fire: The Story of a Squad; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Comrades
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Under Fire: The Story of a Squad; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Crouy
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Under Fire: The Story of a Squad; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Blanc
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Under Fire: The Story of a Squad; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.