🔊 Once when I was six years old I saw a magnificent picture in a book, called True Stories from Nature, game da the primeval forest. It was a picture of a boa constrictor in the act of swallowing an animal. Here is a copy of the drawing.

When I was six, I saw a wonderful picture in a book called True Stories from Nature. It was about the ancient forest. The picture showed a boa constrictor swallowing an animal. Here is a copy of that drawing.

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magnificent /mæɡˈnɪfɪs(ə)nt/

adj. Extremely beautiful, impressive, or grand.

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primeval forest /praɪˈmiːvl ˈfɒrɪst/

n. phrase. A forest that has existed since ancient times in its original state.

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boa constrictor /ˈbəʊə kənˈstrɪktə(r)/

n. phrase. A large snake that kills its prey by coiling around it and squeezing.

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swallowing /ˈswɒləʊɪŋ/

v. causing something to pass down the throat and into the stomach.

🔊 In the book it said"Boa constrictors swallow their prey whole, without chewing it. After that they are not able to move, and they sleep through the six months that they need for digestion."

The book said: "Boa constrictors swallow their food whole, without chewing. Then they cannot move, and they sleep for six months while they digest it."

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prey /preɪ/

n. An animal that is hunted and killed by another for food.

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digestion /daɪˈdʒestʃən/

n. the process of breaking down food in the stomach and intestines.

🔊 I pondered deeply, then, over the adventures of the jungle. And after some work with a colored pencil I succeeded in making my first drawing. My Drawing Number One. It looked something like this:

Na yi tunani sosai game da safari za mwituni. Kisha, kwa kalamu ya rangi, nilichora mchoro wangu wa kwanza. Niliuita Mchoro Nambari Moja. Ulionekana kama hivi:

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pondered /ˈpɒndəd/

v. Yayi tunani akan wani abu a hankali na wani lokaci.

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jungle /ˈdʒʌŋɡ(ə)l/

n. Dajin dazuzzukan wurare masu zafi mai yawa da ciyayi mai kauri.

🔊 I gosipụtara my ọrụ nka kacha mma to the grown-ups, and asked them whether the drawing frightened them. But they answered"Frighten? Why should any one be frightened by a hat?"

I showed my best drawing to the adults and asked if it scared them. But they said: "Scared? Why would anyone be scared by a hat?"

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ọrụ nka kacha mma /ˈmɑːstəpiːs/

n. A work of outstanding artistry, skill, or workmanship.

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frightened /ˈfraɪt(ə)nd/

adj. kama pilin ike anu pilin pi wile ala.

🔊 My drawing was not a picture of a hat. It was a picture of a boa constrictor moku li kama telo lon insa sijelo. an elephant. But since the grown-ups were not able to understand it, I made another drawing: I drew the inside of a boa constrictor, so that the grown-ups could see it clearly. They always need to have things explained. My Drawing Number Two looked like this:

My drawing was not a picture of a hat. It was a picture of a boa constrictor digesting an elephant. But since the adults did not understand, I made another drawing. I drew the inside of the boa constrictor so they could see it clearly. Adults always need things explained. My Drawing Number Two looked like this:

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moku li kama telo lon insa sijelo. /daɪˈdʒestɪŋ/

v. breaking down food in the stomach and intestines.

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understand /ˌʌndəˈstænd/

v. to perceive the meaning, significance, or nature of something.

🔊 The grown-ups' response, this time, was to advise me to lay aside my drawings of boa constrictors, whether from the inside or the outside, and devote myself instead to geography, history, arithmetic, and grammar. That is why, at the age of six, I ya ba daina what might have been a magnificent career as a painter. I had been disheartened by the failure of my Drawing Number One and my Drawing Number Two. Grown-ups never understand anything by themselves, and it is tiresome for yara to be always and har abada bayyana things to them.

This time, the adults told me to put away my drawings of boa constrictors, inside or outside, and focus on geography, history, math, and grammar. So, at age six, I gave up what could have been a great career as a painter. I was discouraged by the failure of my first two drawings. Adults never understand anything by themselves, and it is tiring for children to always explain things to them.

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advise /ədˈvaɪz/

v. to offer suggestions about the best course of action to someone.

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lay aside /leɪ əˈsaɪd/

v. phrase. To stop doing or using something, often temporarily; to put something to one side.

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arithmetic /əˈrɪθmətɪk/

n. The branch of mathematics dealing with the properties and manipulation of numbers.

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disheartened /dɪsˈhɑːt(ə)nd/

adj. having lost determination or confidence; discouraged.

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failure /ˈfeɪljə(r)/

n. kasa da nasara wajen cimma buri; mutum ko abu da bai yi nasara ba.

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tiresome /ˈtaɪəs(ə)m/

adj. yana sa mutum ya ji gajiya ko haushi; mai ban gajiya.

🔊 So then I chose another profession, and learned to pilot airplanes. I have flown a little over all parts of the world; and it is true that geography has been very useful to me. At a glance I can distinguish China from Arizona. If one gets lost in the dare, irin ilmi is valuable.

So I chose a different job and learned to fly airplanes. I have flown a little over many parts of the world. Geography has been very useful to me. I can tell China from Arizona at a glance. If you get lost at night, this knowledge is valuable.

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profession /prəˈfeʃ(ə)n/

n. A paid occupation, especially one that requires prolonged training and formal qualifications.

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pilot /ˈpaɪlət/

v. Kana kana jirgin sama.

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airplanes /ˈeəpleɪnz/

n. power-driven flying vehicles with fixed wings and a weight greater than that of the air they displace.

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distinguish /dɪˈstɪŋɡwɪʃ/

v. to recognize or treat someone or something as different.

🔊 In the course of this life I have had a suli mute encounters with a suli mute people who have been concerned with matters of consequence. I have lived a suli deal among grown-ups. I have seen them intimately, close at hand. And that ba da yawa improved my opinion of them.

In my life, I have met many people who care about important matters. I have lived a lot among adults. I have seen them closely. And that has not much improved how I think of them.

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encounters /ɪnˈkaʊntəz/

n. unexpected or casual meetings with someone or something.

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concerned with /kənˈsɜːnd wɪð/

adj. phrase. interested in or involved with something.

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consequence /ˈkɒnsɪkwəns/

n. importance or relevance; a result or effect of an action or condition.

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intimately /ˈɪntɪmətli/

adv. a cikin hanya ta kusa da cikakke.

🔊 A duk lokacin da I met one of them who seemed to me at all clear-sighted, I tried the experiment of showing him my Drawing Number One, which I have always kept. I would try to find out, so, if this was a person of true kumahamahia. But, ko wai ra it was, he, or she, would always say"That is a hat."

A lokacin da na haɗu da wanda ya yi kama da mai hangen nesa, sai in yi ƙoƙari in nuna musu Zane Na ɗaya, wanda koyaushe nake riƙe da shi. Ina so in gane ko da gaske sun fahimta. Amma, ko wanene ya kasance, koyaushe sukan ce: "Wannan hula ce."

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clear-sighted /ˌklɪə ˈsaɪtɪd/

adj. having a clear understanding of situations; perceptive.

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experiment /ɪkˈsperɪmənt/

n. a scientific procedure undertaken to make a discovery, test a hypothesis, or demonstrate a known fact.

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kumahamahia /ˌʌndəˈstændɪŋ/

n. the ability to understand something; comprehension.

🔊 Then I would never talk to that person game da boa constrictors, or primeval forests, or stars. I would bring myself down to his level. I would talk to him game da bridge, and golf, and politics, and neckties. And the mtu mzima would be sana ameridhika to have met irin a sensible man.

Then I would never talk to that person about boa constrictors, ancient forests, or stars. I would lower myself to their level. I would talk to them about bridge, golf, politics, and neckties. And the adult would be very pleased to meet such a sensible person.

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sensible /ˈsensəbl/

adj. having or showing good judgment; reasonable.

Chapter one