3-0-0-2 Chapter 3-2

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Chapter 3_2
    But everyone worked according to his capacity. The hens and ducks, for instance, saved five bushels of corn at the harvest by gathering up the stray grains. Nobody stole, nobody grumbled over his rations, the quarrelling and biting and jealousy which had been normal features of life in the old days had almost disappeared. Nobody shirked - or almost nobody. Mollie, it was true, was not good at getting up in the mornings, and had a way of leaving work early on the ground that there was a stone in her hoof. And the behaviour of the cat was somewhat peculiar. It was soon noticed that when there was work to be done the cat could never be found. She would vanish for hours on end, and then reappear at meal-times, or in the evening after work was over, as though nothing had happened. But she always made such excellent excuses, and purred so affectionately, that it was impossible not to believe in her good intentions. Old Benjamin, the donkey, seemed quite unchanged since the Rebellion. He did his work in the same slow obstinate way as he had done it in Jones’s time, never shirking and never volunteering for extra work either. About the Rebellion and its results he would express no opinion. When asked whether he was not happier now that Jones was gone, he would say only ‘Donkeys live a long time. None of you has ever seen a dead donkey,’ and the others had to be content with this cryptic answer.

※單字及片語※according to (prep.)根據
capacity (n.)能力
for instance (phr.) 例如
save (v.) 挽救
bushel (n.) 蒲式耳(穀物,水果等容量單位,美=35.238升,英=36.368升)
gather up (phr.)揀拾
stray (a.)零星的
grain (n.)穀粒
grumble (v.)抱怨
over (prep.)對於；關於;在...方面
ration (n.) 配給；配額
quarrelling (n.)爭吵
biting (n.)咬
jealousy (n.) 妒忌;猜忌
feature (n.)特色
in the old days (phr.) 以前
disappear (v.)消失
shirk (v.) 逃避義務(或責任等),偷懶
be good at (phr.) 擅長於…
a way of (phr.) 一種…的習慣 ＊way (n.)：習慣
on the ground that (phr.)以…為藉口；以…為理由 ＊ground (n.) 根據；理由
hoof (n.)蹄
somewhat (adv.)有一點
peculiar (a.)奇怪的
vanish (v.)消失
on end (phr.)連續地
reappear (v.) 再出現；重新顯露
at meal-time (phr.)在用餐時
as though = as if (phr.) 宛如
excuse (n.)藉口 ＊make excuses : 編藉口
purr (v.) (貓等滿足地)嗚嗚叫
affectionately (adv.) 充滿深情地；出於柔情地
so… that (phr.) 如此...以至於
believe in (phr.) 相信
intention (n.) 意圖；動機；目的
obstinate (a.) 頑固的；固執的
＊in the same slow obstinate way : in…way  以…方式
volunteer (v.)發心；自願
express (v.) 表示；表達
now that (phr.)既然
opinion (n.) 意見
content (a.)滿意的
cryptic (a.) 神祕的；奧秘的

    On Sundays there was no work. Breakfast was an hour later than usual, and after breakfast there was a ceremony which was observed every week without fail. First came the hoisting of the flag. Snowball had found in the harness-room an old green tablecloth of Mrs. Jones’s and had painted on it a hoof and a horn in white. This was run up the flagstaff in the farmhouse garden every Sunday morning. The flag was green, Snowball explained, to represent the green fields of England, while the hoof and horn signified the future Republic of the Animals which would arise when the human race had been finally overthrown. After the hoisting of the flag all the animals trooped into the big barn for a general assembly which was known as the Meeting. Here the work of the coming week was planned out and resolutions were put forward and debated. It was always the pigs who put forward the resolutions. The other animals understood how to vote, but could never think of any resolutions of their own. Snowball and Napoleon were by far the most active in the debates. But it was noticed that these two were never in agreement: whatever suggestion either of them made, the other could be counted on to oppose it. Even when it was resolved - a thing no one could object to in itself - to set aside the small paddock behind the orchard as a home of rest for animals who were past work, there was a stormy debate over the correct retiring age for each class of animal. The Meeting always ended with the singing of ‘Beasts of England’, and the afternoon was given up to recreation.

※單字及片語※
ceremony (n.) 儀式,典禮
observe (v.) 慶祝(節日等)
without fail (phr.)無誤地；一定…；絕對…
hoisting (n.)升起
harness-room (n.)馬具房
tablecloth (n.)桌布
hoof (n.)蹄
horn (n.) 角;觸角
run up (phr.)升起
farmhouse (n.)農舍
garden (n.) 花園;菜園;果園;庭院
flagstaff (n.) 旗杆
explain (v.)說明；解釋
represent (v.)代表
field (n.) 原野;田地;牧場
while (conj.)而
signify (v.)象徵 = represent
future (a.)未來的
Republic of the Animals : 動物共和國
arise (v.)開始；出現
overthrown (v.) 打倒;推翻;廢除 throw 的P.P.
troop (v.) 成群結隊地走
general (a.)全體的
assembly (n.) 集會；集合；大會
plan out (phr.)為…做準備
the coming week (phr.)接下來這星期
resolution (n.) (會議等的)正式決定,決議
put forward (phr.)提出
debate (v.) (n.) 辯論
vote (v.)投票
think of (phr.) 想出 = come up with
by far (phr.)顯然地
active (a.) 活躍的
in agreement (phr.)一致
whatever (a.) 不管什麼樣的,無論怎麼的
suggestion (n.)決議；建議
either (pron.) (兩者之中)任何一個
count on (phr.)依靠
oppose (v.)反對
resolved (a.)已決定的
object to(phr.) 對...反對
set aside (phr.)保留
paddock (n.) (用來放牧、馴馬的)小牧場
orchard (n.)果園
home (n.)收容所
rest (n.) 安養
past (prep.) (指範圍,程度,能力等)超過
object to (phr.)反對
in itself (phr.) 以其本身而言;本質上
stormy (a.)激烈的
over (prep.)針對；對於
correct (a.)正確的
retiring (a.) 退休的
age (n.)年齡
class (n.)種類
give up (phr.) 讓出；挪出
recreation (n.)娛樂