Animal Farm by George Orwell- page 30

Throughout the spring and summer they worked a sixty-hour week, and in August Napoleon announced that there would be work on Sunday afternoons as well.

• 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 was strictly voluntary, but any animal who absented himself from it would have his rations reduced by half.

• 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 it was found necessary to leave certain tasks undone.

• 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 was a little less successful than in the previous year, and two fields which should have been sown with roots in the early summer were not sown because the ploughing had not been completed early enough.

• 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 was possible to foresee that the coming winter would be a hard one.

• 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 presented unexpected difficulties.

• 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 a good quarry of limestone on the farm, and plenty of sand and cement had been found in one of the outhouses, so that all the materials for building were at hand.

• 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 the problem the animals could not at first solve was how to break up the stone into pieces of suitable size.

• 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 no way of doing this except with picks and crowbars, which no animal could use, because no animal could stand on his hind legs.

• 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 of vain effort did the right idea occur to somebody-namely, to utilise the force of gravity.

• 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, far too big to be used as they were, were lying all over the bed of the quarry.

• 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 lashed ropes round these, and then all together, cows, horses, sheep, any animal that could lay hold of the rope – even the pigs sometimes joined in at critical moments-they dragged them with desperate slowness up the slope to the top of the quarry, where they were toppled over the edge, to shatter to pieces below.

• 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 the stone when it was once broken was comparatively simple.

• 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 carried it off in cartloads, the sheep dragged single blocks, even Muriel and Benjamin yoked themselves into an old governess-cart and did their share.

• 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 a sufficient store of stone had accumulated, and then the building began, under the superintendence of the pigs.

• 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]