This section presents terms and phrases that are central to understanding the text and may present a challenge to the reader. Use this list to create a vocabulary quiz or worksheet, to prepare flashcards for a standardized test, or to inspire classroom word games and other group activities.

1. rucksack (noun):

a backpack, usually made of strong, waterproof material and used for hiking

“They were not love letters, but Lieutenant Cross was hoping, so he kept them folded in plastic at the bottom of his rucksack.” (“The Things They Carried,” Page 9)

2. SOP (abbreviation):

Standard Operating Procedure

“Because the land was mined and booby-trapped, it was SOP for each man to carry a steel-centered, nylon-covered flak jacket, which weighed 6.7 pounds, but which on hot days seemed much heavier.” (“The Things They Carried,” Page 10)

3. grunts (informal noun):

a low-ranking soldier

“As PFCs or Spec 4 s, most of them were common grunts and carried the standard M-16 gas-operated assault rifle.” (“The Things They Carried,” Page 12)

4. paddies (plural noun):

a field where rice is grown

“When dark came, they would move out single file across the meadows and paddies to their ambush coordinates, where they would quietly set up the Claymores and lie down and spend the night waiting.” (“The Things They Carried,” Page 15)

5.