Throughout(During the entire period of [θruaʊt]) the spring(The season after winter and before summer [ðə spərɪŋ]) and(A conjunction connecting two similar elements [ənd]) summer(The warmest season of the year [ˈsəmər]) they(Referring to the animals [ðeɪ]) worked(Engaged in labor or effort [wərkt]) a sixty-hour week(Working for sixty hours each week [ə sixty-hour wik]), and(A conjunction indicating addition [ənd]) in August(The eighth month of the year [ɪn ˈɔgəst]) Napoleon(Referring to the pig leader on the farm [nəˈpoʊljən]) announced(Made a public or formal statement [əˈnaʊnst]) that(Introducing a clause stating what was announced [ðət]) there would be(There will be [ðɛr wʊd bi]) work(Labor or effort [wərk]) on Sunday afternoons(Work performed during the afternoon of Sundays [ɔn ˈsənˌdi ˌæftərˈnunz]) as well(In addition; also [ɛz wɛl]). This work(The work on Sunday afternoons [ðɪs wərk]) was(Linking verb indicating equality or identity [wɑz]) strictly voluntary(Done by choice and not required [ˈstrɪktli ˈvɑləntɛri]), but(A conjunction indicating a contrast or exception [bət]) any animal(Any one of the animals [ˈɛni ˈænəməl]) who absented himself(Who did not attend or participate [hu absented hɪmˈsɛlf]) from it(From the Sunday afternoon work [frəm ɪt]) would have(Would experience [wʊd hæv]) his rations(His allocated food supply [hɪz ˈræʃənz]) reduced(Decreased or lessened [rɪˈdust]) by half(By fifty percent [baɪ hæf]). Even so(Despite that; nevertheless [ˈivɪn soʊ]) it(Refers to the situation or circumstances [ɪt]) was found necessary(Was deemed essential or required [wɑz faʊnd ˈnɛsəˌsɛri]) to leave(To omit or not complete [tɪ liv]) certain tasks(Specific jobs or duties [ˈsərtən tæsks]) undone(Not completed [ənˈdən]). The harvest(The process of gathering crops [ðə ˈhɑrvəst]) was(Linking verb indicating equality or identity [wɑz]) a little less successful(Slightly less productive or fruitful [ə ˈlɪtəl lɛs səkˈsɛsfəl]) than(Used for comparison [ðən]) in the previous year(Compared to the year before [ɪn ðə ˈpriviəs jɪr]), and(A conjunction indicating addition [ənd]) two fields(Two areas of land [tu fildz]) which should have been sown(That ought to have been planted [wɪʧ ʃʊd hæv bɪn soʊn]) with roots(With root vegetables [wɪθ ruts]) in the early summer(At the beginning of summer [ɪn ðə ˈərli ˈsəmər]) were not sown(Were not planted [wər nɑt soʊn]) because(For the reason that [bɪˈkəz]) the ploughing(The act of tilling the soil [ðə ploughing]) had not been completed(Had not been finished [hæd nɑt bɪn kəmˈplitɪd]) early enough(Sufficiently early [ˈərli ɪˈnəf]). It(Refers to the situation or circumstances [ɪt]) was possible(Was feasible or likely [wɑz ˈpɑsəbəl]) to foresee(To predict or anticipate [tɪ fɔrˈsi]) that(Introducing a clause stating what could be foreseen [ðət]) the coming winter(The approaching winter season [ðə ˈkəmɪŋ ˈwɪntər]) would be(Would be [wʊd bi]) a hard one(A difficult or challenging period [ə hɑrd wən]).
The windmill(A structure with sails that convert wind power into rotational energy, typically used to grind grain or pump water. In this context, it's a specific windmill being discussed [ðə ˈwɪndˌmɪl]) presented(offered; introduced; brought to attention [pərˈzɛnəd]) unexpected difficulties(problems or challenges that were not anticipated or foreseen [ˌənɪkˈspɛktɪd ˈdɪfɪˌkəltiz]). There was(Indicates the existence of something [ðɛr wɑz]) a good quarry(a large pit from which stone or other materials are extracted; 'good' implies it's of high quality or quantity [ə gʊd kˈwɔri]) of limestone(a sedimentary rock composed mainly of calcium carbonate [əv ˈlaɪmˌstoʊn]) on the farm(located on the agricultural land [ɔn ðə fɑrm]), and plenty of sand and cement(a large amount of sand (a granular material) and cement (a binder that sets and hardens to adhere construction aggregates [ənd ˈplɛnti əv sænd ənd sɪˈmɛnt]) had been found(were discovered [hæd bɪn faʊnd]) in one of the outhouses(a small building separate from the main house, used for storage or other purposes [ɪn wən əv ðə ˈaʊˌthaʊsɪz]), so that(as a result; therefore [soʊ ðət]) all the materials(everything needed [ɔl ðə məˈtɪriəlz]) for building(to construct something [fər ˈbɪldɪŋ]) were at hand(were readily available; nearby [wər æt hænd]). But(however; introduces a contrast [bət]) the problem(a difficulty or challenge [ðə ˈprɑbləm]) the animals(referring to the animals on the farm [ðə ˈænəməlz]) could not at first solve(were initially unable to find a solution to [kʊd nɑt æt fərst sɑlv]) was how to break up(the specific challenge was the method of dividing [wɑz haʊ tɪ breɪk əp]) the stone(the limestone material [ðə stoʊn]) into pieces(smaller portions [ˈɪntu ˈpisɪz]) of suitable size(appropriate dimensions for the intended purpose [əv ˈsutəbəl saɪz]). There seemed(it appeared; it gave the impression [ðɛr simd]) no way(no method or possibility [noʊ weɪ]) of doing this(of accomplishing the task of breaking the stone [əv duɪŋ ðɪs]) except with picks and crowbars(the only apparent method involved using tools like pickaxes and crowbars [ɪkˈsɛpt wɪθ pɪks ənd crowbars]), which no animal could use(the animals were unable to utilize these tools [wɪʧ noʊ ˈænəməl kʊd juz]), because(for the reason that [bɪˈkəz]) no animal could stand(the animals were unable to balance [noʊ ˈænəməl kʊd stænd]) on his hind legs(on their back legs [ɔn hɪz haɪnd lɛgz]). Only after weeks(not until several weeks had passed [ˈoʊnli ˈæftər wiks]) of vain effort(of wasted or unsuccessful attempts [əv veɪn ˈɛfərt]) did the right idea occur(did the correct solution come to mind [dɪd ðə raɪt aɪˈdiə əˈkər]) to somebody(to one of the animals [tɪ ˈsəmˌbɑdi])-namely(that is to say; specifically [-ˈneɪmli]), to utilise(to make use of [tɪ utilise]) the force of gravity(the natural force that attracts objects with mass towards each other [ðə fɔrs əv ˈgrævɪti]). Huge boulders(very large rocks [juʤ ˈboʊldərz]), far too big(much too large [fɑr tu bɪg]) to be used(for application [tɪ bi juzd]) as they were(in their current state [ɛz ðeɪ wər]), were lying(were situated [wər laɪɪŋ]) all over(covering the entire surface of [ɔl ˈoʊvər]) the bed of the quarry(the bottom of the stone pit [ðə bɛd əv ðə kˈwɔri]). The animals(referring to the animals on the farm [ðə ˈænəməlz]) lashed ropes(tied ropes tightly [læʃt roʊps]) round these(around the boulders [raʊnd ðiz]), and then(subsequently [ənd ðɛn]) all together(everyone working as a group [ɔl təˈgɛðər]), cows, horses, sheep(listing examples of animals [kaʊz ˈhɔrsɪz ʃip]), any animal(every animal [ˈɛni ˈænəməl]) that could lay hold(that was able to grip [ðət kʊd leɪ hoʊld]) of the rope(the rope being used [əv ðə roʊp]) – even the pigs(including even the pigs [–* ˈivɪn ðə pɪgz]) sometimes joined in(occasionally participated [ˈsəmˌtaɪmz ʤɔɪnd ɪn]) at critical moments(during important times [æt ˈkrɪtɪkəl ˈmoʊmənts])-they dragged them(they pulled the boulders [-ðeɪ drægd ðɛm]) with desperate slowness(with extreme slowness due to the difficulty of the task [wɪθ ˈdɛspərɪt sˈloʊnəs]) up the slope(towards the higher ground [əp ðə sloʊp]) to the top of the quarry(to the highest point of the stone pit [tɪ ðə tɔp əv ðə kˈwɔri]), where they were toppled(where the boulders were pushed [wɛr ðeɪ wər ˈtɑpəld]) over the edge(over the boundary of the cliff [ˈoʊvər ðə ɛʤ]), to shatter(to break violently [tɪ ˈʃætər]) to pieces below(into fragments at the bottom [tɪ ˈpisɪz bɪˈloʊ]). Transporting(moving; carrying [trænˈspɔrtɪŋ]) the stone(the broken limestone [ðə stoʊn]) when it was once broken(after it had been fragmented [wɪn ɪt wɑz wəns ˈbroʊkən]) was comparatively simple(was relatively easy [wɑz kəmˈpærətɪvˌli ˈsɪmpəl]). The horses(referring to the horses on the farm [ðə ˈhɔrsɪz]) carried it off(transported it away [ˈkɛrid ɪt ɔf]) in cartloads(in amounts that filled carts [ɪn cartloads]), the sheep(referring to the sheep on the farm [ðə ʃip]) dragged single blocks(pulled individual pieces of stone [drægd ˈsɪŋgəl blɑks]), even Muriel and Benjamin(including even the named animals Muriel and Benjamin [ˈivɪn mˈjʊriəl ənd ˈbɛnʤəmən]) yoked themselves(harnessed themselves [joʊkt ðɛmˈsɛlvz]) into an old governess-cart(into an outdated cart originally used for transporting a governess [ˈɪntu ən oʊld governess-cart]) and did their share(and contributed their part of the work [ənd dɪd ðɛr ʃɛr]). By late summer(towards the end of the summer season [baɪ leɪt ˈsəmər]) a sufficient store(an adequate amount [ə səˈfɪʃənt stɔr]) of stone(of the broken limestone [əv stoʊn]) had accumulated(had been gathered [hæd əˈkjumjəˌleɪtɪd]), and then(subsequently [ənd ðɛn]) the building began(the construction started [ðə ˈbɪldɪŋ bɪˈgæn]), under the superintendence(under the supervision [ˈəndər ðə superintendence]) of the pigs(the pigs were in charge [əv ðə pɪgz]).