Animal Farm study guide

AULA ESCOLA EUROPEA
ENGLISH LANGUAGE DEPARTMENT 2013-2014

3ºESO STUDY GUIDE

Dust jacket: 2008 edition Animal Farm by George Orwell

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Table of Contents
I. George Orwell biography
II. Vocabulary
III. Political Background
IV. Animal Farm Vocabulary and Comprehension Questions
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
i.
j.

Chapter I
Chapter II
Chapter III
Chapter IV
Chapter V
Chapter VI
Chapter VII
Chapter VIII
Chapter IX
Chapter X

V. Additional Resources
a. http://www.george-orwell.org/
George Orwell biography, pictures, quotes, essays and ELECTRONIC BOOKS
(including Animal Farm and 1984)

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GEORGE ORWELL

ANIMAL FARM

George Orwell

The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition | 2008 |
George Orwell, pseudonym of Eric Arthur Blair, 1903-50, British novelist and essayist, b. Bengal,
India. He is best remembered for his scathingly satirical and frighteningly political novels, Animal
Farm and Nineteen Eighty-Four. After attending Eton, he served (1922-27) with the Indian imperial police in Burma (now Myanmar). He returned to Europe in 1927, living penuriously in Paris and later in London. In 1936 he fought with the Republicans in the Spanish civil war and was seriously wounded. His writings—particularly such early works as Down and Out in Paris and London
(1933), Burmese Days (1934), The Road to Wigan Pier (1937), and Homage to Catalonia (1938)— are highly autobiographical.
A socialist, Orwell was a keen critic of imperialism, fascism, Stalinism, and capitalism. His works are concerned with the socio-political conditions of his time, notably with the problem of human freedom. Animal Farm (1946) is a witty, satirical fable about the failure of Soviet-style Communism, and Nineteen Eighty-Four (1949) is a prophetic novel describing the dehumanization of humanity in a mechanistic, totalitarian world. Orwell 's other novels include A Clergyman 's Daughter (1935),
Keep the Aspidistra Flying (1936), and Coming Up for Air (1940). The master of a superbly lucid prose style, Orwell wrote many literary essays, which some critics find superior to his novels. His volumes of essays include Dickens, Dali and Others (1946), Shooting an Elephant (1950), and the
Collected Essays, Journalism and Letters of George Orwell (4 vol., 1968, repr. 2000).
Bibliography: See biographies by B. Crick (1980), M. Shelden (1991), J. Meyers (2000), G.
Bowker (2003), and D. J. Taylor (2003); studies by J. Meyers, ed. (1975), R. Williams (1981), L.
Hunter (1984), A. Coppard and B. Crick, ed. (1985), R. Alok (1989), J. Rodden (1989, repr. 2002), and C. Hitchens (2002). 1

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George Orwell Photograph: Wikimedia Commons (Public Domain)

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VOCABULARY

ANIMAL FARM

Match the following terms with their definition

SOCIALISM

DICTATORSHIP

COMMUNISM

CAPITALISM

REVOLUTION

1. ………………..………………………the economic system, where money and property are owned privately and businesses are run for profit by their owners rather than by the state

2. ………………..………………………the belief that in a state the means of production, distribution and exchange should be controlled by the people, that the people should be cared for by the state and that wealth should be shared equally

3. ………………..………………………a political, economic and social system in which all property is owned and shared by society as a whole, with none belonging to individual citizens. 4. ………………..………………………an armed rising against a government or state or the entire social system

5. ………………..………………………rule by someone with complete power
POLITICAL BACKGROUND

ANIMAL FARM
POLITICAL BACKGROUND

Orwell wrote Animal Farm between November 1943 and February 1944, so it was written at the height of the Second World War. He could not find a publisher for the book for some time and it was in fact rejected by Gollancz, Cape and Faber and Faber, three of London’s leading firms. It was eventually put on the market in August 1945 by Secker and Warburg, but not before Orwell had thought of bringing it out at his own expense. T.S. Eliot, who was a director of Faber at the time, sums up the attitude of the enterprise, unwilling to take the book. Faber, he says, has ‘no conviction … that this is the right point of view from which to criticize the political situation at the present time.’ Why, in the eyes of three publishers was it ‘not the right point of view’?
In 1944 Stalinist Russia was an ally in the war against Germany. The Russian defence of
Stalingrad until 1943, against all that Nazi power could pour in to take the city, won the admiration of the British public. Also the offensive against Russia had diverted Hitler’s attention from England, and she was grateful for that. So, it seemed like ingratitude on Orwell’s part to produce a fable in
1944 which attempted to remind the British public that only five years before, in 1939, Stalin had been Hitler’s ally. Indeed the Nazi-Soviet pact had helped bring about Hitler’s invasion of Poland,

"George Orwell" Biography: The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 22 Jun. 2010 http://www.encyclopedia.com. 4

and so had been a cause of the war itself. Orwell, like Benjamin in the story, has a clear memory of what happened, but unlike Benjamin, he was not, in 1944, prepared to keep quiet about it.
A brief outline of the links between modern Russian history and the story of Animal Farm helps provide a fuller understanding of this animal fable. These links are spread out over a long period of time, from 1917, in fact, to 1941 and beyond. Orwell can get away with this telescoping of historical events, and the inevitable simplification that must result, because he is writing neither a history nor a novel. If he were writing a history, he would have to go into the details of each event, and show how it came about. If he were writing a novel, he would have to show why people behaved the way they did, what combinations of self-interest and idealism there were, and how they interacted in the clash of temperaments. But he was writing an animal fable, a political fairy story, so the simplifications involved in sweeping through such a long period of time in so short a narrative space are reasonably acceptable.
The main links between the plot of Animal Farm and the features of modern Russian history can be set down as follows:
(i)

Old Major’s speech corresponds to the thought of Marx, Engels and Lenin.
The Seven Commandments correspond to the Communist Manifesto of 1848, putting into animal terms the main principles of socialism.

(ii)

The Rebellion: corresponds to the Bolshevik Rebellion of 1917, led by Lenin.

(iii)

Battle of the Cowshed: corresponds to the counter-revolutionary war which raged
Russia until 1920. Those Russians fighting the Bolsheviks were helped by Britain and France, just as Jones is aided by his neighbouring farmers. Trotsky was in charge of the Red Army, just as in the Battle of the Cowshed Snowball leads the animals. (iv)

Napoleon: corresponds to Stalin, who came to power in Russia in 1922. He and
Trotsky were opposed almost from the start, just as Napoleon and Snowball are in the story.

(v)

Confessions and executions in Chapter 7: correspond to the Moscow trials of the
1930s, when leading Soviet officials confessed publicly all sorts of offences against the state, and then were shot or imprisoned. The man behind these, it is thought, was Stalin, just as in the story it is quite clear that Napoleon has arranged the confessions, as a warning to the other animals.
The sale of timber to Frederick of Pinchfield: corresponds to the Nazi-Soviet pact of
1939. Hitler invaded Russia in 1941, just as Frederick attacks the farm and blows up the windmill having deceived Napoleon with false money.

(vi)

(vii)

The visit of Pilkington and other neighbours (without Frederick of course): corresponds to the mutual aid agreements between Stalin and Churchill in 1941.

Other links could be detected, but the main point is clear: Orwell is intent on presenting the unpleasant facts (as he sees them) of the Russian Revolution up to his own day. Soon after the book was published, relationships between Russia and the Western allies became much cooler; in fact it was the beginning of what is now called the Cold War.

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ORWELL’S PURPOSE IN WRITING ANIMAL FARM
Orwell’s purpose in writing Animal Farm goes beyond the particular example of the Russian
Revolution, he criticizes something inherent in all revolutions and he was conscious of this. Russia is the immediate example, but the book, Orwell himself said ‘is intended as a satire on dictatorships in general’. The details of Russian history may be forgotten with the passing of time but Animal Farm can always be read as a bitter, ironic analysis of the stages all revolutions tend to go through. In Animal Farm, Orwell is thinking of the French Revolution and of the Spanish Civil
War as well as the Bolshevik Rebellion of 1917. After the initial excitement and enthusiasm, when personal interests are almost forgotten, Orwell seems to say, the hard facts of life begin to make themselves felt again. To survive one must produce food, and to produce food one must organize.
To organize one needs administrators, and they will be among the most intelligent and the most ambitious. Administrative authority gradually becomes power and power becomes tyranny. Orwell sees this process as something that is almost inevitable in human affairs, Revolutions among them. In Animal Farm this process works itself out with a logic that is simple and effective.
Was it Orwell’s purpose then to present the reader with a view of man’s inability to change himself? Such a view would be directly contrary to Orwell’s own, very personal brand of socialism, there is no doubt but that part of him, at least, felt that there was something wrong with human nature and political systems, because they were human, had a tendency towards corruption and tyranny. Animal Farm is a powerful parable of that tendency.
It would be possible to take the view that Animal Farm confronts its readers with tendencies towards tyranny in Revolution so that they may be warned. Such things having happened before, they may very well happen again if care is not taken to avoid them. The reader will have to make up his / her own mind as to whether Orwell was a moral pessimist or a moralistic socialist.
Animal Farm is a work that raises questions not just about political systems, but about human nature itself. Can man change, or is he condemned to a see-saw of systems that all end up the same? Because one of Orwell’s deepest purposes was primarily moral, it is not surprising that he chose a form traditionally associated with the moral as a means of achieving his aim: the animal fable. MAIN SETTING / FIGURES IN THE FABLE & POSSIBLE CORRESPONDENCES
1. MANOR FARM = Imperial Russia
2. ANIMAL FARM = Soviet Union
3. MR. JONES = Lazy, privileged upper classes, those who control wealth and exploit others.
The Russian Czar.
4. ANIMALS IN GENERAL = The exploited working class in general and the Russian peasants before the revolution.
5. HORSES = Uncomplaining working class.
a. BOXER: - Honest, hardworking, loyal, simple, good-natured labourer. Believer in the
Rebellion.
b. CLOVER: - Affectionate, motherly hard-worker. Combines care for others and obedience. 6

c. MOLLIE: - Foolish, vain person who defects from the revolution when deprived of unessential comforts.
6. DONKEY = The only character who understands what the authorities (pigs) are up to. He remains silent. It is sometimes suggested that Benjamin is the closest the reader gets to
Orwell in the book.
7. PIGS IN GENERAL = Bolshevik intellectuals.
a. (BOAR) OLD MAJOR: - Marx, Lenin, Engels - 19th C theorists of socialism
b. (BOAR) NAPOLEON: - Josef Stalin
c. (BOAR) SNOWBALL: - Leon Trotsky
d. (PORKER) SQUEALER: - Persuasive communist propaganda representative.
8. DOGS IN GENERAL (PUPPIES) = Stalin’s dreaded police
a. BLUEBELL, JESSIE AND PINCHER: - Mothers and father providing and suffering for the cause.
9. NEIGHBOURING FARMERS = Prospective allies / enemies.
a. MR PILKINGTON: - Easy-going gentleman farmer. Sir Winston Churchill.
b. FOXWOOD FARM: - Pilkington’s farm, neglected, old-fashioned. Britain.
c. MR FREDERICK: - Tough, hard-working, shrewd farmer. Hitler.
d. PINCHFIELD FARM: - Frederick’s smaller, but better kept farm. Nazi Germany.
10. MOSES THE RAVEN = Clergy. Satire on religion.
OTHER ANIMALS
SHEEP = Mindless, stupid masses acceptance of power.
PIGEONS = Communicators with the outside world. Sources of information about the outside world. MURIEL THE GOAT = Individual capable of limited thought. (Slightly more intelligent than other animals apart from Benjamin and the pigs.)
OTHER HUMANS
MR WHYMPER = Negotiator representing the Revolution.
MRS JONES= Quick thinking survivor.

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CHAPTER I

ANIMAL FARM

1. to lock (v) - to fasten
2. to be drunk (expr) – intoxicated, overcome by alcoholic liquor
3. to lurch (v) – to sway forward
4. to kick off (v) - remove
5. to draw oneself smth (expr) – to take
6. scullery (n) – room next to the kitchen where cleaning jobs are done
7. to snore (v) – to breathe with harsh sounds while sleeping
8. a stirring and a fluttering (adj) – rapid movements
9. barn (n) – a large farm building for storing crops or keeping animals in
10. to be highly regarded (expr) –to be well thought of
11. ensconced (v) – settled comfortably
12. stout (adj) – sturdy, corpulent
13. benevolent (adj) - generous
14. tushes (n) – tusk, long pointed tooth
15. to settle down (v) – to stop moving and stay in one place
16. perch (v) – to set on
17. a steadiness of character (expr) – stability of character
18. to keep off (v) – to not trespass
19. paddock (n) – a small field near a stable, in which horses are exercised
20. orchard (n) an area of land where fruit trees grow
21. to graze (v) – to feed on pasture
22. lay down (v) – rest on the ground
23. a brood of ducklings – a group of ducks
24. a mare (n) – a female horse
25. to mince (v) – to cut up, chop up
26. to flirt (v) – to trifle, to act or talk jokingly
27. a tame raven (n)– domesticated, docile black bird
28. wisdom (n)– power of judging rightly based on knowledge, experience
29. a stall (n)– a compartment for one animal in a stable
30. to be slaughtered (v)- to be killed in a brutal manner
31. leisure (n)– having free or spare time
32. to dwell upon (v)– to live as a resident; reside
33.to be summed up (expr)– to conclude
34. to abolish (v)– to do away with completely
35. a plough (n)– a farm implement to cut, turn up and break up the soil
36. starve (v)- to suffer from lack of food
37. to grumble (v)– to make low, unintelligible sounds in the throat
38. knacker (n) - a person who buys worn-out / old livestock and kills them to sell the meat or hides.
39. a brick (n)– clay molded into oblong blocks, used for building and pavements
40. to get rid of (v)– to remove
41. to falter (v)– show uncertainty
42. to lead smone astray (expr)– guide off the right path
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43. uproar (n)– loud, confuse noise
44. to creep out (v)– to slowly crawl, move, out
45. hindquarters (n)– two back legs
46. sows (n)– an adult female pig or hog
47. harness (n)– leather straps and metal pieces a horse wears when fastened to a vehicle
48. whips (n)– sharp strikes of a cord on a surface
49. to low (v)– the cry of a cow. whine – the cry of a dog, bleat – the cry of sheep, quack – the cry of ducks
50. pellets (n)– small, round metal balls fired from guns
51. to flee (v)- to escape
COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
1. What is the setting for the story?

2. What four characteristics are noted about Boxer the horse?

3. What comment does Benjamin the donkey make that shows his cynicism and bad-temper?

4. How does Clover help the other animals at the meeting in the barn?

5. What does Old Major say is the reason the animals have such miserable lives?

6. What is Major’s prediction about Boxer?

7. What decision is made concerning the status of wild creatures such as rats and rabbits?

8. What is the name of the song Old Major teaches the animals?

9. What are the main ideas expressed in Old Major’s speech?

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CHAPTER II

ANIMAL FARM

1. to have a new outlook on life (expr) – to have a different perspective
2. duty (n) - responsibility
3. boars (n) – an uncastrated male hog or pig
4. vivacious (adj) – lively, animated, spirited
5. nimble movements (adj) – alert, moving or acting quickly and lightly
6. a shrill voice (adj)– a high-pitched voice
7. to skip (v) – to jump lightly from one foot to another
8. to whisk (v) – act of brushing with a quick, light, sweeping motion
9. apathy (n) – lack of interest
10. a badge of slavery (n) – an emblem or token signifying slavery
11. a pet (n) – a domesticated animal
12. hedges (n) – a row of closely planted shrubs, bushes
13. to fall on evil days (expr) – the beginning of bad days
14. to become disheartened (expr) – to lack enthusiasm, interest, courage
15. to lounge (v) – to lie, move, sit in a lazy way, to be idle
16. crusts of bread(n) – the outer, baked layer of bread
17. to be idle (v) – to be lazy
18. to be unfed (v) – to not have been given food to eat
19. bins (n) – barrels where food is stored
20. to but and kick (v) – quick, violent movements made by horses
21. to take to ones heels (v) – to flee, to run quickly
22. to pursue (v) – to follow in order to capture
23. to slip out of (v) – to quietly exit
24. to spring off (v) – to jump off
25. to flap (v)– to quickly move wings
26. to croak (v) – a cry of a bird
27. to slam (v) – to violently close a door, gate
28. to carry through (v) – to execute, to do
29. to expel (v) – to remove
30. to gallop(v) – a fast pace
31. boundary (a) – a marked space
32. to wipe out (v) – to remove
33. stables (n)– a building in which horses and cattle are sheltered
34. to caper with joy (v)– to jump, play
35. to go up in flames (expr) – to burn
36. to fetch (v) – to go after and come back with
37. to lead back (v) – to return
38. pasture (n) – a filed of grass where sheep, cattle feed
38. a knoll (n) – a small hill
39. hay harvest (n) – hay=cut and dried grass. Harvest= the gathering of crop
40. a heap (n) – a pile, mound or mass of things jumbled together
41. knuckles (n) – a joint of the finger or foot
42. ladder (n) – a piece of equipment used for climbing up to or down from high places
43. learn by heart (expr)- to memorize
44. buckets (n) –an open container with a handle, for carrying and holding things, especially liquids
45. froth (v) – to rise as air escapes
46. mash (v) – soft, smooth wet food
COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
1. What happens to Old Major?

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2. Who are Napoleon, Snowball and Squealer?

3. What qualities do they each possess?

4. What are some of the problems the pigs have to face in organizing the other farm animals?

5. Who is Moses and what role does he play on the farm?

6. What is Sugarcandy Mountain?

7. What is the immediate cause of the Rebellion?

8. What are the immediate results of the Rebellion?

9. What are the Seven Commandments?

10. What early indications does Orwell give to show that not all the animals are treated equally?

CHAPTER III

ANIMAL FARM

1. toiled and sweated (v) to work hard
2. rewarded (v) act or give compensation in recognition of someone 's behaviour or actions
3. drawback (n) a disadvantage or the negative part of a situation
4. hind (adj) located at or near the back part of an animal (hind legs=back legs)
5. mowing (v) (to mow): to cut grass with a machine
6. raking (v) (to rake): to pull a rake (a garden tool) over the ground in order to gather dead leaves together or make the earth level.
7. tramp (v) to tread or walk with a firm, heavy, resounding step.
8. steadily (adv) in a firm or steady manner (steady: even or regular in movement)
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9. to and fro (expr) a continuous or regular movement backward and forward; an alternating movement 10. wisps (n) a small bundle of straw or hay
11. wastage (n) anything lost by wear or waste
12. stalk (n) a slender or elongated structure that supports a plant, fungus, plant part, plant organ
13. went like clockwork (expr) with complete regularity and precision
14. doled out (v) to hand or give out shares of
15. grudging (adj) reluctant, unwilling
16. worthless (adj) low, despicable
17. tread (v) to walk on, over, along
18. blow away the chaff (expr) To separate grain from chaff. To separate the good from the bad.
19. threshing (adj) the separation of grain or seeds from the husks and straw
20. pull through (v) to come or bring successfully through trouble or illness.
21. mighty (adj) having or showing great strength or force or intensity.
22. made an arrangement (expr) a provision or plan made in preparation for an undertaking.
23. cockerels (n) a young rooster
24. setback (n) an unfortunate happening that hinders or impedes
25. motto (n) a maxim adopted as a guide to one 's conduct.
26. stray (adj) random or separated from the main group of things of their kind
27. grains (n) foodstuff prepared from the starchy grains of cereal grasses
28. quarrelling (n/v) an angry dispute or altercation
29. features (n) a prominent aspect of something
30. shirked (v) to avoid or neglect (duty, work or responsibility)
31. purred (v) the soft vibrant sound made by a cat
32. hoisting (v) move from one place to another by lifting
33. flag (n) emblem usually consisting of a rectangular piece of cloth of distinctive design
34. flagstaff (n) a tall staff or pole on which a flag is raised
35. arise (v) to come into being; originate
36. put forward (v) to propose for consideration.
37. set aside (v) to separate or reserve for special purpose
38. headquarters (n) a center of operations or administration
39. blacksmithing (n) the work of a blacksmith (blacksmith: One that forges and shapes iron with an anvil and hammer)
40. carpentering (n) the trade or work of a carpenter (carpenter: a person who builds or repairs wooden structures, as houses, scaffolds, or shelving.)
41. failure (n) the condition or fact of not achieving the desired end or ends. Unsuccessful
42. behave (n) to conduct oneself in a specified way
43. took advantage of (expr) to use an opportunity to get or achieve something
44. sparrows (n) small brownish European songbird
45. paw (n) a clawed foot of an animal especially a quadruped
46. fairly (adv) moderately; to a reasonable degree.
47. scraps (n) a small piece or bit; a fragment
48. trace out (v) to draw (a line or figure); sketch; delineate.
49. dust (n) Fine, dry particles of matter.
50 forelock (n) (of a horse) a tuft of hair above or on the forehead
51 might (n) The power, force, or influence held by a person or group.
52. refused (v) to say firmly that you will not do something
53. neatly (adv) in a tidy and careful way
54. twig (n) a thin stem of wood that grows from a branch on a tree
55. thoroughly (adv) executed without negligence or omissions
56. grasped (v) to take hold of intellectually; comprehend
57. safe (adj) secure from liability to harm, injury, danger, or risk
58. mischief (n) damage, destruction, or injury caused by a specific person or thing
59. whelped (v) to give birth to whelps or a whelp (whelp: A young offspring of a mammal, such as a dog or wolf)
60. give birth to (v) cause to be born
61. puppies (n) a young dog, esp. one less than a year old
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62. loft (n) a room, storage area, or the like within a sloping roof; attic; g
63. ripening (v) To make or become ripe or riper; mature
64. littered with (expr) to scatter or be scattered in an untidy fashion
65. windfalls (n) a fruit blown off a tree by the wind
66. shared out (v) distributed in portions (often equal) on the basis of a plan or purpose
67. murmured (v) speak softly or indistinctly
68. selfishness (n) stinginess resulting from a concern for your own welfare and a disregard of others 69. sole (adj) being the only one
70. health (n) the general condition of body and mind
71. welfare (n) health, happiness, prosperity, and general wellbeing
72. for somebody’s sake (expr) for the benefit or interest of someone or oneself
73. pleading (v) to appeal earnestly; beg
74. whisking (v) to move or cause to move with quick light sweeping motions
COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
1. What is the result of the harvest after the Rebellion and why?

2. What part do the pigs play in the harvest?

3. What is Boxer’s personal motto?

4. What is the attitude of Mollie and the cat toward work on the farm?

5. What is Benjamin’s attitude after the rebellion?

6. What is Benjamin fond of saying and what does it mean?

7. What committees does Snowball organize on the farm?

8. What is the maxim that Snowball teaches the sheep?

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9. How does Napoleon deal with “the education of the young”?

10. What happened to the milk taken from the cows?

CHAPTER IV

ANIMAL FARM

1. spread across (v) – extend, diffuse
2. to mingle (v) – to mix, blend
3. to be turned out (v) - expelled
4. misfortune (n) – bad luck, ill fortune
5. to be on bad/good terms (expr) – to have a good/bad relationship with smn
6. neglect (v) – to fail to care for or attend to sufficiently or properly
7. overgrown (adj) – overspread with foliage
8. worn out (v)- wasted
9. tough (adj)- strong
10. shrewd (adj)– cunning, astute
11. to scorn (v)– to ridicule
12. a fortnight (n) – two weeks
13. rage (adj)– violent anger
14. contemptible rubbish (adj) – worthless trash
15. a flogging (n) – a beating
16. to launch (v)– to send forth with some force, to send off
17. retreat (n) – a movement away from the enemy after a defeat
18. ambush (n) – a sudden attack by sb who has been hiding and waiting
19. hoofs (n) – horse’s shoes
20. stable-lad (n) – a boy who works in a stable
21. to gore (v) – to wound smth with an animal’s horns
22. to trample on (v) – to step heavily on something
23. to leap off / on (v) – to jump off/on
24. exploits (n) – daring actions
25. impromptu (adj) – without preparation
26. graveside (n) – beside a grave, esp when sb is being buried
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COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
1. How did the other farmers react to the rebellion in Animal Farm?

2. What did Jones and men from Foxwood and Pinchfield intend to do?

3. How did the animals face the combat?

4. What happened to the stable-boy?

5. What happened to Mollie?

6. What is the significance of the “Battle of the Cowshed”?

CHAPTER V

ANIMAL FARM

1. to draw on – to near
2. oversleep – to not wake up at a determined time
3. a pretext – an excuse
4. to gaze – to look at something for a long time
5. to stroke – a gentle, caressing motion with the hand
6. shafts – poles between which horse is tied to pull a vehicle
7. breeches and gaiters – short trousers that end just below the knees;
8. to ratify – to make an agreement official
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9. disputes - arguments
10. scheme – a secret or underhanded plan
11. biding his time (expr) - to wait for further developments.
12. windmill – a mill operated by the wind’s rotation of large sails
13. a saw – a tool consisting of a thin blade with a sharp edge
14. a shed – a building used for storing things
15. aloof – unfriendly because you think are better than others
16. to snuff at – to sniff(smell) noisily like an animal
17. starve – to die of hunger
18. factions – a small group with different ideas from other members of the larger group
19. refuse to – to reject, to decline
20. nonsense – absurd, foolishness
21. eloquence – the ability to express yourself well in speech
22. sordid – dirty, filthy
23. brass-studded collar – collars with large brass nails fixed to them
24. snapping – to bite suddenly
25. to chase – to pursue, to follow
26. to spurt – a sudden increase in speed
27. to rear – to look after an animal until it is fully grown
28. dismayed (adj/v) - To cause to lose enthusiasm; disillusion, or to cause alarm
29. menace – to threaten someone with harm
30. bravery (v)- The condition or quality of being brave; courage
31. to shut up – to close
32. to rub off – to erase
33. reverent manner – showing respect
34. to advocate – to support
35. sly – clever in you use of tricks and dishonesty
COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
1. Why does Clover confront Mollie?

2. What happens to Mollie?

3. How does Napoleon use the sheep’s bleating of “Four legs good, two legs bad” to his advantage?

4. What does Snowball see for the animals as a result of building the windmill?

5. How does Napoleon show his disapproval of Snowball’s plans?

6. What is Benjamin’s opinion of the windmill?
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7. What happens to Snowball?

8. What changes on Animal Farm does Napoleon announce to the animals?

9. How does Squealer explain these changes and Napoleon’s intent to build the windmill after all?

CHAPTER VI

ANIMAL FARM

1. grudge (v): to be unwilling for sb to have sth. In context, to not complain
2. a pack of idle (n): a bunch of
3. roots (n) Root vegetable, e.g. potato
4. quarry (n/v): a place where large amounts of stone or sand are dug out of the ground
5. boulders. (n) – a large stone or piece of rock.
6. drag (v) – to cause to trail along a surface, especially the ground
7. topple over (v) – to make something or someone fall
8. shatter (adj) - break into small pieces
9. to do one’s share (expr)- everyone contributes as best s/he can.
10. slip (v) - Your feet or object move accidentally and you fall or almost fall
11. overstrain (n): too much worry or work
12. arable (adj) – suitable for growing crops on
13. shortages (n) - situation in which there is not enough of sth necessary
14. engage in trade / to have dealings with (exp) – to do business
15. resolution (n) – a formal decision
16. awkwardness (n) – not comfortable or relaxed
17. to take a burden upon ones shoulders (exp) - to take personal responsibility for heavy/difficult work.
18. solicitor (n) - a lawyer in Britain who gives legal advice and works in the lower courts.
19. intermediary (n) sb who tries to help two people to reach an agreement
20. sly-looking (adj) - Clever in the use of tricks and dishonesty.
21. a broker (n) - a person who buys and sells things for people.
22. dread (n) – a fear of sth that may happen
23. prosper (v) – to do well and be successful
24. bankrupt (adj) – unable to pay your debts
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25. take up residence (expr) – place where sb lives
26. a sty (n) – place where pigs live
27. to puzzle out (v) – to work out
28. gale (n) – strong wings
30. tiles (n) - a flat piece of baked clay used on a roof
31. radish (n) – a small red or white root vegetable
32. despair (n/v) – a feeling of great unhappiness w/o hope for the future
COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
1. How did the lives of the animals become more difficult in the beginning of Chapter VI?

2. How does Boxer deal with these new difficulties?

3. How do conditions on the farm under Napoleon’s leadership compare to when Jones was the owner?

4. Who is Mr. Whymper and why does he come to the farm?

5. How does Squealer address the animals’ concerns about engaging in trade with the humans?

6. What change occurs to the living conditions of the pigs?

7. What happens to the Fourth Commandment?

8. How does Squealer answer their questions concerning the Fourth Commandment?

CHAPTER VII

ANIMAL FARM
1. sleet (n) – a mixture of snow and rain
2. frost (n) - white ice that covers outside surfaces in very cold weather.
3. out of spite (expr) - feeling of wanting to annoy or upset sb
4. snowdrifts (n) - a large pile of snow that has been blown by the wind.
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5. to lose heart (expr) - to become disheartened; disappointed so that you lose hope.
6. emboldened (v) - to give sb courage
7. famine (n) – a lack of food in a community over a long period of time.
8. resort to (v) - to do sth when everything else fails.
9. brim (n) - the top edge of a container.
10. thwart (v) - to prevent sb from doing what they want.
11. ruthlessly (adj) – without pity
12. mischief (n) – bad behaviour
13. mislay (v) - to put sth somewhere and then forget where it is.
14. to be in league with (exp) – to be working with sb secretly
15. rally (v) – to call people together
16. lure sb to doom (expr) - lead sb into a situation that will harm them
17. send shivers down sbs spine (exp) – to tremble in fear
18. slink away (v) - to move quietly away, especially bcs you are frightened or ashamed.
19. to be bruised (v) - marked after a fall or blow to your body
20. ringleaders (n) - the leader of a group that is doing sth wrong.
21. slay (v) - to kill
22. treachery (n) - a disloyal action against sb who trusts you.
23. retribution (n) - Punishment that is deserved
24. huddle (v) - To crowd together
25. mournfully (adv) – sadly
26. longing (n) - A strong desire for sth
COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
1. How do the animals plan to prevent the second windmill from being destroyed?

2. Besides the work on the windmill, what other hardships do the animals have to face?

3. How does Napoleon hope to prevent the outside world from finding out about the food shortages on Animal Farm?

4. What is the cause of concern among the chickens?

5. How do the hens react to Napoleon’s news about the eggs?

6. How does Napoleon deal with the Mutiny of the Hens and what are the results?

7. Besides the destruction of the windmill, for what other things is Snowball blamed?

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CHAPTER VIII

ANIMAL FARM
1. to square with (v) - To be acceptable together although they are different.
2. meddle (v) - To involve yourself in a situation which is not your business.
3. retinue (n) - A group of helpers or supporters
4. to plot (n/v) – a secret plan
5. bribe (v) - To pay money for help, especially with sth dishonest.
6. title / deed (n) - An official paper that shows who owns a property.
7. to flog (v) – to beat
8. furnace (n) - A large container for a very hot fire.
9. scoundrel (n) – a bad or dishonest man
10. forsake (v) – to leave
11. ecstasy (n) – great happiness
12. hullabaloo (n) – a lot of noise
13. sally forth (v) - To leave somewhere safe for a more dangerous place
14. halt (v) – to stop
15. vile (adj) – very unpleasant
16. unscathed (adj) – not hurt
17. limp (v) - To walk with difficulty bcs one leg is injured.
18. hearse (n) - A large car used to carry a dead body in its box to a funeral.
19. bowler hat (n) - A round, hard black hat worn by some men.
20. muzzle (n) - The mouth and nose of an animal.
COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
1. How does the Sixth Commandment change?

2. What are the titles invented for Napoleon?

3. What happens when Minimus composes the poem “Comrade Napoleon”?

4. What other confessions are made by animals in this chapter and what are the results?

5. What is the latest information Squealer reveals to the animals about Snowball?

6. What does Napoleon do with the woodpile?

7. How does Frederick cheat Napoleon?

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8. What happens in the Battle of the Windmill?

9. Why does Squealer tell the animals that Napoleon is dying?

10. How is the Fifth Commandment changed?

CHAPTER IX

ANIMAL FARM
1. split hoof (v/n) - the hoof, horses foot, broken in two
2. heal (v) - To get better.
3. poultice (n) – wet material put onto sb’s skin to make it less painful
4. retirement (n) - When you stop working because you are over 65 years old.
5. readjustment (n) – a small change
6. harsh (adj) – hard and cruel
7. bare (adj) – empty
8. scent (n) – a smell
9. waft (v) - To move gently through the air
10. precinct (n) - land round a building
11. banner (n) – flag
12. complicity with (n) - Involvement with others in doing sth wrong.
13. hard to bear (expr) – difficult to tolerate
14. haunch (n) - Back leg of an animal
15. shrink (v) – grow smaller
16. pick up (v) – recover
17. drag a load (v/n) – to carry a heavy weight
18 glazed ( adj) – without expression because you are tired or bored
19. sweat (n) – perspiration
20. distress (n/v) – great unhappiness
21. medicine chest (n) – small box containing medicine, plaster, )
22. drawn by (v) – to be pulled by
23. knacker (n) - A person who buys and kills old horses and sells the meat.
24. brute (n) – a rough, cruel man; an animal
25. wreath (n) - A circle of leaves and flowers that you put on a grave.
COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
1. What is Boxer’s ambition after the Battle of the Windmill?

2. How do the animals’ lives become harder after the windmill is blown up?

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3. How does Squealer convince them that their lives are better?

4. What is a “Spontaneous Demonstration”?

5. What new information does Squealer reveal about Snowball?

6. What purpose does Moses the raven’s return to the farm serve?

7. How do the pigs react to Moses’ return?

8. What happens to Boxer?

9. How does Squealer explain the events surrounding Boxer’s removal from the farm and death?

10. What happens to pigs that night?

CHAPTER X

ANIMAL FARM

1. inebriate (n) - sb who is often drunk
2. stiff in the joints (expr) – no longer flexible
3. morose (adj) – unhappy, bad-tempered
4. dim (adj) - weak; no longer clear in your memory
5. luxuries (n) - something expensive that you do not need, but you buy for pleasure and enjoyment 6. insoluble (adj) – impossible to solve
7. hardship (n) – difficult
8. disappointment (n) - feeling of unhappiness because something is not as good as you expected, or has not happened in the way you hoped
9. marvel (v) - To feel surprise or admiration for sth
10. stroll (v) – to walk casually
11. unsteady (v) – no stable, straight
12. haughty (adj) – in a superior manner
13. wear off (v) – slowly disappear
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14. leggings (n) – covering for your legs
15. tiptoe (n/v) – to walk quietly on your toes
16. to drink a toast (expr) - To lift glasses and drink with other people bcs you want to thank sb or celebrate sth.
17. jug (n) - A container with a handle, for pouring liquids from
18. clash of interest (n) – an argument
19. wit (n) - The ability to say things that are clever and amusing.
20. subversive (adj) - Dangerous because it is against traditional idea.
21. stir up (v) – to upset
22. linger (v) - To continue to exist for a time.
23. melt (v) – to slowly fade away / disappear
COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
1. What happens to Mr. Jones?

2. How does the farm prosper in the years after Boxer’s death?

3. What kind of work do the pigs do on the now-prosperous farm?

4. What is the new slogan learned by the sheep and why?

5. What happens to the Seven Commandments?

6. What modern conveniences do the pigs enjoy after they learn to walk on two legs?

7. What observations has Mr. Pilkington made on his tour of Animal Farm?

8. What changes does Napoleon announce at his meeting with the humans?

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9. What causes the fight between Napoleon and Pilkington?

10. What happens as the animals quarrel?

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Bibliography: See biographies by B. Crick (1980), M. Shelden (1991), J. Meyers (2000), G. Bowker (2003), and D. J. Taylor (2003); studies by J. Meyers, ed. (1975), R. Williams (1981), L. Hunter (1984), A. Coppard and B. Crick, ed. (1985), R. Alok (1989), J. Rodden (1989, repr. 2002), and C "George Orwell" Biography: The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 22 Jun. 2010 http://www.encyclopedia.com.