The Old Man and The Sea by Ernest Hemingway- page 13

The bird went higher in the air and circled again, his wings motionless.

• The bird: Refers to a specific bird, indicating the subject of the sentence [ðə bərd]
• went higher: moved to a greater altitude [wɛnt haɪər]
• in the air: specifies the location of the bird's movement [ɪn ðə ɛr]
• and circled: moved in a circular path [ənd ˈsərkəld]
• again: repeated the circular movement [əˈgɛn]
• his wings: possessive pronoun referring to the bird's wings [hɪz wɪŋz]
• motionless: without movement; still [ˈmoʊʃənləs]

Then he dove suddenly and the old man saw flying fish spurt out of the water and sail desperately over the surface.

• Then he dove: Suddenly descended or plunged downwards [ðɛn hi dəv]
• suddenly: quickly and unexpectedly [ˈsədənli]
• and the old man: introduces another character in the scene [ənd ðə oʊld mæn]
• saw: perceived with his eyes [sɔ]
• flying fish: fish that can leap out of the water and glide through the air [flaɪɪŋ fɪʃ]
• spurt out: suddenly emerge or burst forth [spərt aʊt]
• of the water: indicates the origin of the flying fish [əv ðə ˈwɔtər]
• and sail: glide or move smoothly through the air [ənd seɪl]
• desperately: with great urgency or effort [ˈdɛspərətli]
• over the surface: above the top layer of the water [ˈoʊvər ðə ˈsərfəs]

''Dolphin,'' the old man said aloud. ''Big dolphin.''

• Dolphin: The old man identifies the creature as a dolphin [ˈdɑlfən]
• the old man: refers to the character [ðə oʊld mæn]
• said aloud: spoke in a voice loud enough to be heard [sɛd əˈlaʊd]
• Big dolphin: He emphasizes the size of the dolphin [bɪg ˈdɑlfən]

He shipped his oars and brought a small line from under the bow.

• He shipped his oars: He lifted his oars out of the water and brought them into the boat [hi ʃɪpt hɪz ɔrz]
• and brought: and retrieved [ənd brɔt]
• a small line: a thin rope or cord used for fishing [ə smɔl laɪn]
• from under the bow: from beneath the front part of the boat [frəm ˈəndər ðə boʊ]

It had a wire leader and a medium-sized hook and he baited it with one of the sardines.

• It had: The line possessed [ɪt hæd]
• a wire leader: a short length of wire attached to the fishing line to prevent the fish from biting through it [ə waɪər ˈlidər]
• and a medium-sized hook: a hook of average size used for catching fish [ənd ə medium-sized hʊk]
• and he baited it: He attached bait to the hook [ənd hi ˈbeɪtɪd ɪt]
• with one of the sardines: using a sardine as bait [wɪθ wən əv ðə sɑrˈdinz]

He let it go over the side and then made it fast to a ring bolt in the stern.

• He let it go: He released the line and hook [hi lɛt ɪt goʊ]
• over the side: over the edge of the boat [ˈoʊvər ðə saɪd]
• and then made it fast: and then secured it tightly [ənd ðɛn meɪd ɪt fæst]
• to a ring bolt: to a metal ring fixed to the boat [tɪ ə rɪŋ boʊlt]
• in the stern: at the back of the boat [ɪn ðə stərn]

Then he baited another line and left it coiled in the shade of the bow.

• Then he baited: Next, he prepared bait [ðɛn hi ˈbeɪtɪd]
• another line: a different fishing line [əˈnəðər laɪn]
• and left it coiled: and placed it in a circular or spiral arrangement [ənd lɛft ɪt kɔɪld]
• in the shade of the bow: in the shaded area at the front of the boat [ɪn ðə ʃeɪd əv ðə boʊ]

He went back to rowing and to watching the long-winged black bird who was working, now, low over the water.

• He went back: He returned [hi wɛnt bæk]
• to rowing: to propelling the boat with oars [tɪ roʊɪŋ]
• and to watching: and to observing [ənd tɪ ˈwɑʧɪŋ]
• the long-winged black bird: a bird with long wings and black plumage [ðə long-winged blæk bərd]
• who was working, now: which was actively hunting or searching for food [hu wɑz ˈwərkɪŋ naʊ]
• low over the water: flying close to the surface of the water [loʊ ˈoʊvər ðə ˈwɔtər]

As he watched the bird dipped again slanting his wings for the dive and then swinging them wildly and ineffectually as he followed the flying fish.

• As: conjunction used to indicate that two events happen at the same time [ɛz]
• he: third-person singular pronoun referring to the old man or another male character [hi]
• watched: past tense of 'watch', meaning to observe something [wɔʧt]
• the bird: a general reference to a bird, likely the one previously mentioned [ðə bərd]
• dipped: past tense of 'dip', meaning to move downwards quickly [dɪpt]
• again: once more; repeating an action [əˈgɛn]
• slanting: present participle of 'slant', meaning to incline or angle [sˈlæntɪŋ]
• his: possessive pronoun referring to the bird [hɪz]
• wings: plural of 'wing', referring to the bird's wings [wɪŋz]
• for: preposition indicating purpose [fər]
• the dive: a rapid descent through the air [ðə daɪv]
• and: conjunction connecting two clauses [ənd]
• then: adverb indicating sequence [ðɛn]
• swinging: present participle of 'swing', meaning to move back and forth [sˈwɪŋɪŋ]
• them: pronoun referring to the wings [ðɛm]
• wildly: in an uncontrolled manner [ˈwaɪldli]
• and: conjunction connecting two adjectives [ənd]
• ineffectually: without producing the desired effect [ineffectually]
• as: conjunction indicating simultaneous action [ɛz]
• he: pronoun referring to the bird [hi]
• followed: past tense of 'follow', meaning to move behind or track [ˈfɑloʊd]
• the flying fish: fish that can leap out of the water and glide through the air [ðə flaɪɪŋ fɪʃ]

The old man could see the slight bulge in the water that the big dolphin raised as they followed the escaping fish.

• The old man: reference to the old man character [ðə oʊld mæn]
• could see: past tense of 'can see', meaning was able to observe [kʊd si]
• the slight bulge: a small swelling or protuberance [ðə slaɪt bəlʤ]
• in the water: location of the bulge [ɪn ðə ˈwɔtər]
• that: relative pronoun referring to the bulge [ðət]
• the big dolphin: large marine mammal [ðə bɪg ˈdɑlfən]
• raised: past tense of 'raise', meaning to cause to appear [reɪzd]
• as: conjunction indicating simultaneous action [ɛz]
• they: pronoun referring to the dolphins [ðeɪ]
• followed: past tense of 'follow', meaning to move behind or track [ˈfɑloʊd]
• the escaping fish: fish trying to avoid capture [ðə ɪˈskeɪpɪŋ fɪʃ]

The dolphin were cutting through the water below the flight of the fish and would be in the water, driving at speed, when the fish dropped.

• The dolphin: plural of dolphin [ðə ˈdɑlfən]
• were cutting: past continuous tense of 'cut', meaning moving through [wər ˈkətɪŋ]
• through: preposition indicating movement within [θru]
• the water: the body of water [ðə ˈwɔtər]
• below: preposition indicating position underneath [bɪˈloʊ]
• the flight: the act of flying [ðə flaɪt]
• of the fish: belonging to the fish [əv ðə fɪʃ]
• and: conjunction connecting two clauses [ənd]
• would be: conditional form of 'be', indicating a future possibility [wʊd bi]
• in the water: location of the action [ɪn ðə ˈwɔtər]
• driving: present participle of 'drive', meaning to move forcefully [ˈdraɪvɪŋ]
• at speed: moving quickly [æt spid]
• when: conjunction indicating time [wɪn]
• the fish: referring to the flying fish [ðə fɪʃ]
• dropped: past tense of 'drop', meaning to fall [drɑpt]

It is a big school of dolphin, he thought.

• It: pronoun referring to the school [ɪt]
• is: present tense of 'be' [ɪz]
• a big school: a large group [ə bɪg skul]
• of dolphin: belonging to dolphins [əv ˈdɑlfən]
• he: pronoun referring to the old man [hi]
• thought: past tense of 'think', meaning to have an opinion [θɔt]

They are widespread and the flying fish have little chance.

• They: pronoun referring to the dolphins [ðeɪ]
• are: present tense of 'be' [ər]
• widespread: distributed over a large area [ˈwaɪdˈsprɛd]
• and: conjunction connecting two clauses [ənd]
• the flying fish: fish that can leap out of the water and glide through the air [ðə flaɪɪŋ fɪʃ]
• have: present tense of 'have', indicating possession [hæv]
• little chance: small possibility of success [ˈlɪtəl ʧæns]

The bird has no chance.

• The bird: reference to the bird [ðə bərd]
• has: present tense of 'have', indicating possession [həz]
• no chance: zero possibility of success [noʊ ʧæns]

The flying fish are too big for him and they go too fast.

• The flying fish: fish that can leap out of the water and glide through the air [ðə flaɪɪŋ fɪʃ]
• are: present tense of 'be' [ər]
• too big: excessively large [tu bɪg]
• for him: in relation to the bird [fər ɪm]
• and: conjunction connecting two clauses [ənd]
• they: pronoun referring to the flying fish [ðeɪ]
• go: present tense of 'go', meaning to move [goʊ]
• too fast: excessively quickly [tu fæst]

He watched the flying fish burst out again and again and the ineffectual movements of the bird.

• He: refers to a male person or character [hi]
• watched: past tense of 'watch', meaning to look at something for a period of time [wɔʧt]
• the flying fish: fish that can leap out of the water and glide through the air [ðə flaɪɪŋ fɪʃ]
• burst out: to suddenly emerge or appear [bərst aʊt]
• again and again: repeatedly; many times [əˈgɛn ənd əˈgɛn]
• and: conjunction used to connect words or phrases [ənd]
• the ineffectual movements: movements that are not producing any significant or desired effect [ðə ˌɪnəˈfɛkʧuəl ˈmuvmənts]
• of the bird: referring to a specific bird [əv ðə bərd]

That school has gotten away from me, he thought.

• That school: referring to a group of fish [ðət skul]
• has gotten away: past participle of 'get away', meaning to escape or leave [həz ˈgɔtən əˈweɪ]
• from me: away from the speaker [frəm mi]
• he thought: internal monologue of the character [hi θɔt]

They are moving out too fast and too far.

• They: referring to the school of fish [ðeɪ]
• are moving out: to leave or depart from a place [ər ˈmuvɪŋ aʊt]
• too fast: at an excessive speed [tu fæst]
• and: conjunction used to connect words or phrases [ənd]
• too far: at an excessive distance [tu fɑr]

But perhaps I will pick up a stray and perhaps my big fish is around them.

• But: conjunction used to introduce a statement that contrasts with or contradicts something that has been said previously [bət]
• perhaps: maybe; possibly [pərˈhæps]
• I will pick up: to acquire or obtain something [aɪ wɪl pɪk əp]
• a stray: something that has wandered away or been separated from its group [ə streɪ]
• and: conjunction used to connect words or phrases [ənd]
• perhaps: maybe; possibly [pərˈhæps]
• my big fish: referring to a large fish the speaker is trying to catch [maɪ bɪg fɪʃ]
• is around them: located near or in the vicinity of the school of fish [ɪz əraʊnd ðɛm]

My big fish must be somewhere.

• My big fish: referring to a large fish the speaker is trying to catch [maɪ bɪg fɪʃ]
• must be: expressing necessity or obligation [məst bi]
• somewhere: in an unspecified or unknown place [ˈsəmˌwɛr]

The clouds over the land now rose like mountains and the coast was only a long green line with the gray blue hills behind it.

• The clouds: visible masses of condensed water vapor floating in the atmosphere [ðə klaʊdz]
• over the land: above the ground or earth [ˈoʊvər ðə lænd]
• now: at the present time [naʊ]
• rose: past tense of 'rise', meaning to increase in size or height [roʊz]
• like mountains: resembling mountains in size or shape [laɪk ˈmaʊntənz]
• and: conjunction used to connect words or phrases [ənd]
• the coast: the land along the sea [ðə koʊst]
• was: past tense of 'be' [wɑz]
• only: merely; just [ˈoʊnli]
• a long green line: a lengthy, verdant boundary [ə lɔŋ grin laɪn]
• with: accompanied by [wɪθ]
• the gray blue hills: hills with a grayish-blue color [ðə greɪ blu hɪlz]
• behind it: at the back of it [bɪˈhaɪnd ɪt]

The water was a dark blue now, so dark that it was almost purple.

• The water: a clear, colorless, odorless, and tasteless liquid [ðə ˈwɔtər]
• was: past tense of 'be' [wɑz]
• a dark blue: a deep shade of blue [ə dɑrk blu]
• now: at the present time [naʊ]
• so dark: to such a degree of darkness [soʊ dɑrk]
• that: used to introduce a clause of result [ðət]
• it was: referring to the water [ɪt wɑz]
• almost purple: nearly the color purple [ˈɔlˌmoʊst ˈpərpəl]

As he looked down into it he saw the red sifting of the plankton in the dark water and the strange light the sun made now.

• As: while; when [ɛz]
• he looked down: to direct one's gaze downward [hi lʊkt daʊn]
• into it: into the water [ˈɪntu ɪt]
• he saw: past tense of 'see', meaning to perceive with the eyes [hi sɔ]
• the red sifting: the scattering or dispersing of red particles [ðə rɛd ˈsɪftɪŋ]
• of the plankton: microscopic organisms drifting in water [əv ðə ˈplæŋktən]
• in the dark water: water with little or no light [ɪn ðə dɑrk ˈwɔtər]
• and: conjunction used to connect words or phrases [ənd]
• the strange light: unusual or peculiar illumination [ðə streɪnʤ laɪt]
• the sun made: produced by the sun [ðə sən meɪd]
• now: at the present time [naʊ]

He watched his lines to see them go straight down out of sight into the water and he was happy to see so much plankton because it meant fish.

• He watched: past tense of 'watch', meaning to look at something for a period of time [hi wɔʧt]
• his lines: referring to fishing lines [hɪz laɪnz]
• to see: in order to see [tɪ si]
• them: referring to the fishing lines [ðɛm]
• go straight down: to descend vertically [goʊ streɪt daʊn]
• out of sight: no longer visible [aʊt əv saɪt]
• into the water: into the body of water [ˈɪntu ðə ˈwɔtər]
• and: conjunction used to connect words or phrases [ənd]
• he was happy: feeling pleasure or contentment [hi wɑz ˈhæpi]
• to see: in order to see [tɪ si]
• so much plankton: a large quantity of microscopic organisms drifting in water [soʊ məʧ ˈplæŋktən]
• because: for the reason that [bɪˈkəz]
• it meant fish: it indicated the presence of fish [ɪt mɛnt fɪʃ]

The strange light the sun made in the water, now that the sun was higher, meant good weather and so did the shape of the clouds over the land.

• The strange light: unusual or peculiar illumination [ðə streɪnʤ laɪt]
• the sun made: produced by the sun [ðə sən meɪd]
• in the water: in the body of water [ɪn ðə ˈwɔtər]
• now that: since; because [naʊ ðət]
• the sun: the star that provides light and heat to Earth [ðə sən]
• was higher: at a greater altitude [wɑz haɪər]
• meant: past tense of 'mean', meaning to signify or indicate [mɛnt]
• good weather: pleasant atmospheric conditions [gʊd ˈwɛðər]
• and: conjunction used to connect words or phrases [ənd]
• so did: also did [soʊ dɪd]
• the shape: the external form or outline [ðə ʃeɪp]
• of the clouds: visible masses of condensed water vapor floating in the atmosphere [əv ðə klaʊdz]
• over the land: above the ground or earth [ˈoʊvər ðə lænd]

But the bird was almost out of sight now and nothing showed on the surface of the water but some patches of yellow, sun-bleached Sargasso weed and the purple, formalized, iridescent, gelatinous bladder of a Portuguese man-of-war floating dose beside the boat.

• But: conjunction used to introduce a statement that contrasts with or contradicts something that has been said previously [bət]
• the bird: a feathered animal [ðə bərd]
• was: past tense of 'be' [wɑz]
• almost out of sight: nearly invisible [ˈɔlˌmoʊst aʊt əv saɪt]
• now: at the present time [naʊ]
• and: conjunction used to connect words or phrases [ənd]
• nothing: not anything; no single thing [ˈnəθɪŋ]
• showed: past tense of 'show', meaning to be visible [ʃoʊd]
• on the surface: the outermost layer or top part [ɔn ðə ˈsərfəs]
• of the water: the body of water [əv ðə ˈwɔtər]
• but: except; only [bət]
• some patches: small areas or spots [səm ˈpæʧɪz]
• of yellow: a bright color [əv ˈjɛloʊ]
• sun-bleached: faded or lightened by the sun [sun-bleached]
• Sargasso weed: a type of brown seaweed [sɑrˈgæsoʊ wid]
• and: conjunction used to connect words or phrases [ənd]
• the purple: a color between red and blue [ðə ˈpərpəl]
• formalized: given a definite form or structure [ˈfɔrməˌlaɪzd]
• iridescent: displaying a play of lustrous colors like those of the rainbow [ˌɪrəˈdɛsənt]
• gelatinous bladder: a sac-like structure with a jelly-like consistency [ʤəˈlætənəs ˈblædər]
• of a Portuguese man-of-war: a marine hydrozoan with a venomous sting [əv ə ˈpɔrʧəˌgiz man-of-war]
• floating: resting or moving on the surface of a liquid without sinking [ˈfloʊtɪŋ]
• dose beside: near or close to [doʊs ˌbiˈsaɪd]
• the boat: a small vessel for traveling on water [ðə boʊt]

It turned on its side and then righted itself.

• It: referring to the Portuguese man-of-war [ɪt]
• turned: past tense of 'turn', meaning to change direction or orientation [tərnd]
• on its side: onto one of its lateral surfaces [ɔn ɪts saɪd]
• and then: after that [ənd ðɛn]
• righted itself: returned to an upright position [ˈraɪtɪd ˌɪtˈsɛlf]

It floated cheerfully as a bubble with its long deadly purple filaments trailing a yard behind it in the water.

• It: referring to the Portuguese man-of-war [ɪt]
• floated: past tense of 'float', meaning to rest or move on the surface of a liquid without sinking [ˈfloʊtɪd]
• cheerfully: in a happy or optimistic way [ˈʧɪrfəli]
• as a bubble: like a globule of air or gas in a liquid [ɛz ə ˈbəbəl]
• with: having; possessing [wɪθ]
• its long deadly purple filaments: long, thin, poisonous threads of purple color [ɪts lɔŋ ˈdɛdli ˈpərpəl ˈfɪləmənts]
• trailing: hanging or dragging behind [ˈtreɪlɪŋ]
• a yard: a unit of length equal to 3 feet [ə jɑrd]
• behind it: at the back of it [bɪˈhaɪnd ɪt]
• in the water: in the body of water [ɪn ðə ˈwɔtər]