Vocabulary: Pistols, firearms, close combat
Military English: Short text & vocabulary building.
Military English: Short text & vocabulary building
Pistol Overview
- "A pistol is a sidearm. Soldiers can aim and fire it with one hand.
- Pistols are smaller than other firearms, making them useful in close combat.
Modern Pistols
- Modern pistols, such as the Beretta M9, are semi-automatic.
- This means that they do not need to be charged between rounds.
Usage and Symbolism
- Officers most often carry handguns. In fact, service pistols have great symbolic meaning.
- When a unit is defeated, the commanding officer often gives his sidearm to the enemy commander. This shows that the unit surrenders."
Source: various Military English ESL coursebooks, handouts and blogs.
![A Waffen SS Officer surrenders to a US Army Sergeant on the West side of the Elbe River bridge near Tangermünde Germany in 1945 LIFE Magazine Archives - William Vandivert Photographer [910x1440]](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgtYxQEQ8yUO1KQe-LJPiA3VyNf21Of4-djUCdas5oE7P44gUUmQwwbJy-mh4YqG2900dHb77WGEy7IQd6rS15zwHzKKxAXSwQxBvr-QBJUHkX7cwP_xXPrCroiDcxn_xU1BuBOdj4NSIQ4Yp384SULIrqr7YeQ1MKpXsE9ac5U4ccIse_4EM8hfcc2Q2o=w203-h320-rw "A Waffen SS Officer surrenders to a US Army Sergeant on the West side of the Elbe River bridge near Tangermünde Germany in 1945 LIFE Magazine Archives - William Vandivert Photographer [910x1440]")
A Waffen SS Officer surrenders to a US Army Sergeant on the West side of the Elbe River bridge near Tangermünde Germany in 1945 LIFE Magazine Archives - William Vandivert Photographer [910x1440]
Vocabulary Focus
- pistol
- sidearm
- to aim
- to fire
- firearm
- close combat
- semi-automatic
- to charge a pistol
- rounds
- handguns
- service pistol
- an army unit
- to be defeated
- commanding officer
- commander
- to surrender
Vocabulary Building Questions
In these following questions, "soldier" can be replaced by any of the following: Soldiers, Marines, Airmen, & Sailors.
Speaking Discussion Questions
- Pistol
- What is a pistol?
- How is a pistol typically used by soldiers?
- Sidearm
- Define the term "sidearm."
- Why might a pistol be considered a sidearm?
- To aim
- What does it mean to aim a pistol?
- Why is aiming important in using a pistol?
- To fire
- Explain what it means to fire a pistol.
- What actions does a soldier take to prepare to fire a pistol?
- Firearm
- What is a firearm?
- How does a pistol compare to other firearms?
- Close combat
- Define "close combat."
- Why are pistols particularly useful in close combat?
- Semi-automatic
- What does it mean for a pistol to be semi-automatic?
- Give an example of a modern semi-automatic pistol mentioned in the text.
- To charge a pistol
- What does it mean to charge a pistol?
- Why do semi-automatic pistols not need to be charged between rounds?
- Rounds
- Define "rounds" in the context of firearms.
- How does the concept of rounds relate to semi-automatic pistols?
- Handguns
- What are handguns?
- Who most often carries handguns according to the text?
- Service pistol
- What is a service pistol?
- What symbolic meaning do service pistols have?
- An army unit
- Define "an army unit."
- What happens to an army unit when it is defeated?
- To be defeated
- What does it mean for an army unit to be defeated?
- What action does the commanding officer take when their unit is defeated?
- Commanding Officer
- Who is a commanding officer?
- What role does the commanding officer play in the context of surrender?
- Commander
- Define "commander."
- What is the significance of the commanding officer giving their sidearm to the enemy commander?
- To surrender
- What does it mean to surrender?
- How is surrender symbolized in the context of the text?
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