The pigs(Referring to the pigs as a group, the main characters in this context [ðə pɪgz]) had set aside(To reserve or allocate for a specific purpose [hæd sɛt əˈsaɪd]) the harness-room(A room where harnesses and other equipment for horses are stored [ðə harness-room]) as a headquarters(A place from which operations are planned and directed [ɛz ə ˈhɛdˌkɔrtərz]) for themselves(For their own exclusive use [fər ðɛmˈsɛlvz]). Here(In this place; referring to the harness-room [hir]), in the evenings(During the evening time [ɪn ðə ˈivnɪŋz]), they studied(They engaged in learning and acquiring knowledge [ðeɪ ˈstədid]) blacksmithing(The craft of working with iron and steel to make objects [blacksmithing]), carpentering(The skill of working with wood to build or repair structures [carpentering]), and other necessary arts(Other essential skills or crafts [ənd ˈəðər ˈnɛsəˌsɛri ɑrts]) from books(Using books as a source of information [frəm bʊks]) which they had brought out(That they had taken from inside to outside [wɪʧ ðeɪ hæd brɔt aʊt]) of the farmhouse(From the main house on the farm [əv ðə ˈfɑrmˌhaʊs]). Snowball(A character's name [sˈnoʊˌbɔl]) also busied himself(Also kept himself occupied or engaged [ˈɔlsoʊ ˈbɪzid hɪmˈsɛlf]) with organising(With the act of planning and arranging [wɪθ organising]) the other animals(The remaining animals on the farm [ðə ˈəðər ˈænəməlz]) into what he called(Into groups or committees that he named [ˈɪntu wət hi kɔld]) Animal Committees(Committees made up of animals [ˈænəməl kəˈmɪtiz]). He was indefatigable(He was tireless and persistent [hi wɑz ˌɪndɪˈfætɪgəbəl]) at this(In this endeavor or activity [æt ðɪs]). He formed(He created or established [hi fɔrmd]) the Egg Production Committee(A committee focused on increasing egg production [ðə ɛg pərˈdəkʃən kəˈmɪti]) for the hens(Specifically for the female chickens [fər ðə hɛnz]), the Clean Tails League(A group dedicated to keeping tails clean [ðə klin teɪlz lig]) for the cows(Specifically for the cows [fər ðə kaʊz]), the Wild Comrades’ Re-education Committee(A committee aimed at retraining wild animals to be cooperative [ðə waɪld ˈkɑmˌrædz re-education kəˈmɪti]) (the object of this(The purpose or goal of this committee [(ðə ˈɑbʤɛkt əv ðɪs]) was to tame(Was to domesticate or control [wɑz tɪ teɪm]) the rats and rabbits(Specifically the rats and rabbits [ðə ræts ənd ˈræbəts)])), the Whiter Wool Movement(A movement focused on making wool whiter [ðə ˈwaɪtər wʊl ˈmuvmənt]) for the sheep(Specifically for the sheep [fər ðə ʃip]), and various others(And several other committees or groups [ənd ˈvɛriəs ˈəðərz]), besides instituting(In addition to establishing or starting [ˌbiˈsaɪdz ˈɪnstɪˌtutɪŋ]) classes in reading and writing(Lessons to teach reading and writing skills [ˈklæsɪz ɪn ˈrɛdɪŋ ənd ˈraɪtɪŋ]). On the whole(Generally speaking; overall [ɔn ðə hoʊl]), these projects(These plans or initiatives [ðiz ˈprɑʤɛkts]) were a failure(Did not succeed [wər ə ˈfeɪljər]). The attempt(The effort or try [ðə əˈtɛmpt]) to tame(To domesticate or control [tɪ teɪm]) the wild creatures(The undomesticated animals [ðə waɪld ˈkriʧərz]), for instance(As an example [fər ˈɪnstəns]), broke down(Failed or collapsed [broʊk daʊn]) almost immediately(Very quickly after starting [ˈɔlˌmoʊst ˌɪˈmiˌdiətli]). They continued(They persisted or kept on [ðeɪ kənˈtɪnjud]) to behave(To act or conduct themselves [tɪ bɪˈheɪv]) very much as before(In a similar way as they did previously [ˈvɛri məʧ ɛz ˌbiˈfɔr]), and when treated(And when they were given [ənd wɪn ˈtritɪd]) with generosity(With kindness and abundance [wɪθ ˌʤɛnərˈɑsəti]), simply took advantage(Just exploited or used unfairly [ˈsɪmpli tʊk ædˈvæntɪʤ]) of it(Of the generosity [əv ɪt]). The cat(A feline character [ðə kæt]) joined(Became a member of [ʤɔɪnd]) the Reeducation Committee and was very active(And participated a lot [ənd wɑz ˈvɛri ˈæktɪv]) in it(In the committee [ɪn ɪt]) for some days(For a few days [fər səm deɪz]). She was seen(Someone observed her [ʃi wɑz sin]) one day(On a particular day [wən deɪ]) sitting(Resting in a seated position [ˈsɪtɪŋ]) on a roof(On the top covering of a building [ɔn ə rʊf]) and talking(Speaking or conversing [ənd ˈtɔkɪŋ]) to some sparrows(To a few small birds [tɪ səm ˈspɛroʊz]) who were just out(That were just beyond [hu wər ʤɪst aʊt]) of her reach(The distance she could extend her paw [əv hər riʧ]). She was telling them(She was informing them [ʃi wɑz ˈtɛlɪŋ ðɛm]) that all animals(That every animal [ðət ɔl ˈænəməlz]) were now comrades(Were now friends or allies [wər naʊ ˈkɑmˌrædz]) and that any sparrow(And that any bird [ənd ðət ˈɛni ˈspɛroʊ]) who chose(That wanted to [hu ʧoʊz]) could come(Was allowed to come [kʊd kəm]) and perch(And sit or rest [ənd pərʧ]) on her paw(On her foot [ɔn hər pɔ]); but the sparrows(But the birds [bət ðə ˈspɛroʊz]) kept their distance(Maintained a safe space away [kɛpt ðɛr ˈdɪstəns]).
The reading and writing classes(Referring to specific classes focused on improving reading and writing skills [ðə ˈrɛdɪŋ ənd ˈraɪtɪŋ ˈklæsɪz]), however(A transitional word indicating a contrast or shift in thought [ˌhaʊˈɛvər]), were a great success(Indicates that the classes achieved positive results and were well-received [wər ə greɪt səkˈsɛs]). By the autumn(Indicates a time frame; specifically, when autumn arrived [baɪ ðə ˈɔtəm]) almost every animal on the farm(Implies a near-universal participation among the animals residing on the farm [ˈɔlˌmoʊst ˈɛvəri ˈænəməl ɔn ðə fɑrm]) was literate(Means having the ability to read and write [wɑz ˈlɪtərət]) in some degree(Indicates varying levels of literacy; not all animals were equally proficient [ɪn səm dɪˈgri]).
As for the pigs(Regarding the pigs; focusing on their abilities [ɛz fər ðə pɪgz]), they could already read and write perfectly(Indicates the pigs possessed advanced literacy skills [ðeɪ kʊd ɔˈrɛdi rɛd ənd raɪt ˈpərfəktli]). The dogs learned to read fairly well(The dogs achieved a moderate level of reading proficiency [ðə dɔgz ˈlərnɪd tɪ rɛd ˈfɛrli wɛl]), but were not interested in reading anything except the Seven Commandments(The dogs' reading interest was limited to a specific set of rules or principles [bət wər nɑt ˈɪntəˌrɛstɪd ɪn ˈrɛdɪŋ ˈɛniˌθɪŋ ɪkˈsɛpt ðə ˈsɛvən kəˈmændmənts]). Muriel, the goat(Identifying a specific character, Muriel, who is a goat [mˈjʊriəl ðə goʊt]), could read somewhat better than the dogs(Muriel's reading ability surpassed that of the dogs [kʊd rɛd ˈsəmˈwət ˈbɛtər ðən ðə dɔgz]), and sometimes used to read to the others(Muriel occasionally read aloud to the other animals [ənd ˈsəmˌtaɪmz juzd tɪ rɛd tɪ ðə ˈəðərz]) in the evenings(Specifies the time of day when Muriel read [ɪn ðə ˈivnɪŋz]) from scraps of newspaper(The source of Muriel's reading material was discarded newspaper pieces [frəm skræps əv ˈnuzˌpeɪpər]) which she found on the rubbish heap(Indicates where Muriel obtained the newspaper scraps [wɪʧ ʃi faʊnd ɔn ðə ˈrəbɪʃ hip]). Benjamin could read as well as any pig(Benjamin's reading ability was comparable to that of the pigs [ˈbɛnʤəmən kʊd rɛd ɛz wɛl ɛz ˈɛni pɪg]), but never exercised his faculty(Benjamin chose not to use his reading ability [bət ˈnɛvər ˈɛksərˌsaɪzd hɪz ˈfækəlti]). So far as he knew(According to Benjamin's knowledge or perspective [soʊ fɑr ɛz hi nu]), he said(Attribution of the following statement to Benjamin [hi sɛd]), there was nothing worth reading(Benjamin's opinion that no reading material was valuable or interesting [ðɛr wɑz ˈnəθɪŋ wərθ ˈrɛdɪŋ]). Clover learnt the whole alphabet(Clover successfully memorized all the letters of the alphabet [ˈkloʊvər lərnt ðə hoʊl ˈælfəˌbɛt]), but could not put words together(Clover struggled to form words despite knowing the alphabet [bət kʊd nɑt pʊt wərdz təˈgɛðər]). Boxer could not get beyond the letter D(Boxer's literacy progress was limited to the first four letters of the alphabet [ˈbɑksər kʊd nɑt gɪt bɪɔnd ðə ˈlɛtər di]). He would trace out A, B, C, D(Boxer physically wrote the letters A, B, C, and D [hi wʊd treɪs aʊt ə bi si di]), in the dust with his great hoof(The location and tool Boxer used to write the letters [ɪn ðə dəst wɪθ hɪz greɪt huf]), and then would stand staring at the letters(Boxer would gaze intently at the letters he had written [ənd ðɛn wʊd stænd ˈstɛrɪŋ æt ðə ˈlɛtərz]) with his ears back(A physical description of Boxer, possibly indicating concentration or frustration [wɪθ hɪz ɪrz bæk]), sometimes shaking his forelock(Another physical description of Boxer, possibly indicating effort or confusion [ˈsəmˌtaɪmz ˈʃeɪkɪŋ hɪz forelock]), trying with all his might(Boxer exerted maximum effort [traɪɪŋ wɪθ ɔl hɪz maɪt]) to remember what came next(Boxer attempted to recall the subsequent letters in the alphabet [tɪ rɪˈmɛmbər wət keɪm nɛkst]) and never succeeding(Boxer consistently failed to remember the letters after D [ənd ˈnɛvər səkˈsidɪŋ]). On several occasions, indeed(Emphasizes that this happened multiple times [ɔn ˈsɛvərəl ɔˈkeɪʒənz ˌɪnˈdid]), he did learn E, F, G, H(Boxer temporarily learned the letters E, F, G, and H [hi dɪd lərn i ɛf ʤi eɪʧ]), but by the time he knew them(Indicates a time delay between learning and application [bət baɪ ðə taɪm hi nu ðɛm]), it was always discovered that he had forgotten A, B, C, and D(Boxer would forget the initial letters while learning new ones [ɪt wɑz ˈɔlˌweɪz dɪˈskəvərd ðət hi hæd fərˈgɑtən ə bi si ənd di]). Finally he decided to be content with the first four letters(Boxer accepted his limitations and focused on mastering the first four letters [ˈfaɪnəli hi ˌdɪˈsaɪdɪd tɪ bi ˈkɑntɛnt wɪθ ðə fərst fɔr ˈlɛtərz]), and used to write them out once or twice every day(Boxer regularly practiced writing the first four letters [ənd juzd tɪ raɪt ðɛm aʊt wəns ər twaɪs ˈɛvəri deɪ]) to refresh his memory(The purpose of Boxer's practice was to maintain his knowledge of the letters [tɪ rɪˈfrɛʃ hɪz ˈmɛməri]). Mollie refused to learn any but the six letters which spelt her own name(Mollie's learning was limited to the letters in her name [ˈmɑli rɪfˈjuzd tɪ lərn ˈɛni bət ðə sɪks ˈlɛtərz wɪʧ spelt hər oʊn neɪm]). She would form these very neatly out of pieces of twig(Mollie created the letters using small branches [ʃi wʊd fɔrm ðiz ˈvɛri ˈnitli aʊt əv ˈpisɪz əv twɪg]), and would then decorate them with a flower or two(Mollie embellished the letters with floral decorations [ənd wʊd ðɛn ˈdɛkərˌeɪt ðɛm wɪθ ə flaʊər ər tu]) and walk round them admiring them(Mollie took pleasure in admiring her creations [ənd wɔk raʊnd ðɛm ædˈmaɪrɪŋ ðɛm]).