- Oct 2019
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earlybritishlit.pressbooks.com earlybritishlit.pressbooks.com
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It is interesting to read the discovery of the "New World" from the point of view of someone who lived in the "Elder World" during these times. I had really only heard/read/learned about this discover... and Columubs.. from the point of view of text books in grade school. Loved the wording in these 6 lines.
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- Sep 2019
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ascender.pressbooks.com ascender.pressbooks.com
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The book, which she has described as a necklace of stories of working-class Mexican-American girls, has sold over 6 million copies, been translated into 20 languages, and is required reading in many high schools and universities
I love the idea that many students from generations to come are going to be reading this book, especially the Hispanic/Latino community. It is an good book for boys and girls that can relate and have some influence from this short memoir stories.
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“the world we live in is a house on fire and the people we love are burning.” Writing for her is not just a political act but also a spiritual one
I respect her words because we do live in a world were there is a lot political problems, and sometimes we got to speak from our hearts to lift many spirits. Especially the Hispanic/Latino community who are going through a hard time but reading the words, people have to make an act and work smarter and move one forward because we can't be living ang going through this. We got to make an act.
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ascender.pressbooks.com ascender.pressbooks.com
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But much of the skill is mechanical. The rest is instinct—knowing how to make the other person relax, when to push, when to listen, when to stop.
Being able to see the persons reaction and facial expressions tells you how comfortable or uncomfortable they are, so that where the interviewer can come in and either change the question or say "tell me more".
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coherent
having order and things place together into a more logical and intelligent way. Like in interviews have to be kept in order on what you are trying to write about expose to the reader, and having interviews and their answers fit well on what you are trying to say.
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If you are interviewing a town official, know his or her voting record. If it’s an actress, know what plays or movies she has been in. You will be resented if you inquire about facts you could have learned in advance
in other words, you got to know his/her background before you get to talk to them, because if you go and just interview you are not going to gain any good answers.
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Choose, in short, someone who touches some corner of the reader’s life.
In this case it does not matter how much importance a person has or success, I mean it could gain a lot of quality information and interest for the reader. Though someone who has life experiences and not so much success but someone that has a good job and has some experiences can speak a lot too. Other words, it can be anyone.
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‘Well, people may not like it very much, but nobody can deny that it gives a lot of reading for your money.’ Its tremendous success was, I must say, about as surprising to us as to anybody else.”
People this days dislike hearing the truth, nowadays, because it hurts them and its a fact and its true. No one can deny it. I think the book that he wrote was helpful towards its readers but not many people like it because its speaks some truth that no one wants to face. That is how society is now a days.
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patent
A form of intellectual that gives the owner right to exclude others from making, using, selling, and publishing their invention and enabling from public disclosure.
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idiosyncrasies
Idiosyncrasies means a characteristics or habit done to a specific person, so the author is trying to say how the person is use to putting sentences together.
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ascender.pressbooks.com ascender.pressbooks.com
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bird by bird
its saying word by word and comparing it to a talking bird who is saying what he is trying to say. I don't know or im probably thinking it through too much haha. He is writing his descriptive reviews and writing his points across like a bird talking, but the critics are not paying attention to him. No matter how hard he works there is always going to be someone criticizing and he compares his critics as cartoon characters.
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From: Bird by Bird
judging from the title it seems to be poetic or talking about poems.
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umbrage
the feeling of displeasure and annoyance. Having vaguest feelings of doubt, suspicion on something.
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rapturous
Full of feeling and emotion. joy and delight.
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It’s not like you don’t have a choice, because you do — you can either type, or kill yourself.” We all often feel like we are pulling teeth, even those writers whose prose ends up being the most natural and fluid
I can somehow relate to do this because sometimes you feel like this is a lot of work but if you don't do it it will affect the future and disappoint the ones I love. There is no other choice but to end up doing the work, even if you're afraid it will turned out wrong or not good enough. You feel stuck.
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and not one of them sits down routinely feeling wildly enthusiastic and confident
The author is trying to point to the reader that not everyone has to feel full of enthusiasm to do great things, because not everyone is perfect. Everything has its pace and when you want to do something and take your time with it, you will have great results.
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uninitiated
So to initiate is to begin, to start, and to introduce a knowledge of art or subject. I think uninitiated is the antonym or the complete opposite of initiate.
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earlybritishlit.pressbooks.com earlybritishlit.pressbooks.com
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north of the Humber.
The Humber is located on the east coast of Northern England. I learned the Humber actually served as a boundary between north and south during the 5th century.
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Horsa being there slain, Hengest afterwards took to the kingdom
From the beginning of this reading, the two brothers, Horsa and Hengest, came off as a troubling pair. After Horsa's death, Hengest continued to wreak havoc and makes me wonder if he was the more dominant of the two warriors..
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Marcian
In order to get a better understanding of this reading, I did a little research to get a better idea who Marcian and Valentinian were. I learned Marcian was the Eastern Roman Emperor and Valentinian the Western Roman Emperor at the beginning of this reading.
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under colour of this
The meaning of "under colour of this" confuses me. It sounds like it may be that them leaving during the night was suspicious? I am unsure though. Any thoughts?
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in the disorder
Although I have never heard of an illness referred to this way, I understood what was meant by it. It is interesting how words evolve and translate over time.
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Overall The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle was a fairly interesting read. Often I needed to reread many sentences and even whole paragraphs to get a better understanding, as the text is very different then text I typically read. I specifically liked how it read like a timeline and expounded upon the more significant events versus little details.
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- Aug 2019
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ascender.pressbooks.com ascender.pressbooks.com
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Here is my mother. She is not crying. She cannot look into the lens because the sun is bright. The woman, the one my father knows, is not here. She does not come till later.
What does her mom who struggles to see have to do with what she is saying, I felt like it was random. Is it the same woman her father knows or is it another woman? because later she describes her mom becoming really mad towards him.
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This is my father with his eyes half-closed.
Reading this reminds me of the family photos we have in a huge plastic box. Photos of memories taken from when I was little from birthday parties or trips we have gone. Half of them being random photos just like this one, where half of their eyes are close.
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It just goes to the property boundary When my neighbor steps back and says, “Oh. You’re not from here, are you?”
Did your neighbor ask you that since you just moved into the neighborhood? Why did it bother you that he said that?
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Can you earn being from a place?
Why is this a question in the article? Maybe trying to state since it's such an asked question everywhere ou go, you should get payed for being from "somewhere".
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doesn’t have roots like trees.
I like this phrase, I think this is a good phrase for this article because he's talking about how he has moved from state to state and unlike him, trees have roots that don't move from places. So he doesn't have roots like trees. Like a metaphor that he can't use to compare himself with.
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I am from the things I hang on my wall
What do you have hanging on your wall?
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I am from the work my father did.
What work did your father do?
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I am from three states and six different cities.
What was the cause of moving from place to place?
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where are you from?”
Is the answer a place you're not proud of sharing?
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22
Why did you choose 22 as your header? Age?
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gave it fruit and seeds
This probably means the family grew big.
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and invented mine
Do you know how he came up with the name? Any meanings behind it?
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He lost his family’s name
How did he lose the family's name?
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His legend
How do you know he was a legend? How did you find out about him? Who mentioned him to you?
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I carve my crooked name, my name.
She refers her name as "crooked" as she's writing it several times, why?
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I carve my crooked name, and again at night until my hand and arm are sore,
I like this because she is printing a picture in my mind showing me that her handwriting is probably not as neat.
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Something like Zeze the X will do
How does this name define who Esperanza believes she is?
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I have inherited her name, but don’t want to inherit her place by the window.
She doesn't want to inherit the experiences her great-grandmother had, just because she has inherited the same name as her.
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She looked out the window her whole life, the way so many women sit their sadness on an elbow.
Her grandmother never looked passed that and never forgived him for doing that to her. An image of what her name reminds her of.
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It was my great-grandmother’s name and now it is mine.
Does it mean something to the writer? Is it something to feel grateful?
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a name more like the real me, the one nobody sees
This sentence confuses me because I don't know what the author is trying to say by "the one nobody sees." But I think she is trying to indicate that she would like to change her name into a new one, because she wants a name that could make her feel more like herself. Also a name that she will only know the meaning of and feel more comfortable with.
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- Jul 2019
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earlybritishlit.pressbooks.com earlybritishlit.pressbooks.com
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My practice was to have my box removed from the place where the performers sat, as far as I could, then to shut the doors and windows of it, and draw the window-curtains, after which I found their music not disagreeable.
They have to accommodate to how little he is it's kinda cute how they have to move his little box because his little ears can't handle the music.
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I was frequently rallied by the queen upon account of my fearfulness; and she used to ask me, whether the people of my country were as great cowards as myself?
Well he is tiny so of course the world is going to appear more scary. His cowardly-ness is justified.
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She would craunch the wing of a lark, bones and all, between her teeth, although it were nine times as large as that of a full-grown turkey; and put a bit of bread in her mouth as big as two twelve-penny loaves.
It must be so gross to see this happening. Being so small he gets to see small details that go unnoticed but are magnified to him.
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I hope the gentle reader will excuse me for dwelling on these and the like particulars, which, however insignificant they may appear to grovelling vulgar minds, yet will certainly help a philosopher to enlarge his thoughts and imagination, and apply them to the benefit of public as well as private life, which was my sole design in presenting this and other accounts of my travels to the world; wherein I have been chiefly studious of truth, without affecting any ornaments of teaming or style.
He is mentioning that everything he says has a purpose, he is saying things for specific reasons and intentions. I think that's what makes the best writing, when everything serves a purpose, no gaps or any unnecessary information.
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as women in England do at the sight of a toad or a spider
This comparison is so weird. So she screams because she is terrified. She is terrified because it is inferred that women scream out of fear of toads and spiders and not with joy. So it is comparing him to a toad or spider, that makes sense. But why does he limit it to only women in England? Could've just said "women".
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It is not easy to express the joy I was in, upon the unexpected hope of once more seeing my beloved country, and the dear pledges I left in it.
just his happiness in being home- but also the irony of saying "seeing" his beloved country after he was almost blinded
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I would gladly have taken a dozen of the natives, but this was a thing the emperor would by no means permit; and, besides a diligent search into my pockets, his majesty engaged my honor not to carry away any of his subjects, although with their own consent and desire.
he wasn't allowed take any of the people on the ship with him
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I was not able to forbear groaning and shedding tears, and turning my head towards my sides; letting him know, as well as I could, how cruelly I was hurt by the pressure of his thumb and finger.
Even though he doesn't have the strength to use his body to express how he feels, he does the bare minimum by just turning his head and that motion alone speaks for him.
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Being quite dispirited with toil, and wholly overcome by grief and despair, I lay down between two ridges, and heartily wished I might there end my days. I bemoaned my desolate widow and fatherless children.
He really saw his life flash before his eyes
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while I had liberty, the whole strength of that empire could hardly subdue me, and I might easily with stones pelt the metropolis to pieces; but I soon rejected that project with horror, by remembering the oath I had made to the emperor, the favors I received from him, and the high title of nardac he conferred upon me.
Gulliver thought about how easily it would have been to take out the community when he was free, but he stopped himself when he thought about the promise he had made to them and how they kept him fed and stuff
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I shall not trouble the reader with the particular account of my reception at this court, which was suitable to the generosity of so great a prince; nor of the difficulties I was in for want of a house and bed, being forced to lie on the ground, wrapped up in my coverlet.
I always think it's funny when in stories, movies, or real life when people tell stories when they decide to skip over things they present as unimportant yet they still mention details of it that make the listener sympathetic. It's like they don't want pity, but they really want pity.
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whereby you are only condemned to the loss of your eyes
thats all, we are just going to blind you.. This guy is talking about it so nonchalantly
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his majesty’s subjects might in two or three days cut your flesh from your bones, take it away by cart-loads, and bury it in distant parts, to prevent infection,
gross but kind of smart
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who extinguished the fire in that unprincipled manner, might at another time inundate and drown the whole palace; and the same strength, which enabled you to bring over the enemy’s fleet, might serve, upon the first discontent, to carry it back: that he had good reasons to think you were a Big-endian in your heart; and, as treason begins in the heart, before it appears in overt acts, so he accused you as a traitor on that account, and therefore insisted you should be put to death.
they assumed gulliver may be a traitor
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As to persons of quality, they give security to appropriate a certain sum for each child, suitable to their condition; and these funds are always managed with good husbandry and the most exact justice.
social status really defines them and determines how they will be viewed and treated.
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Some of your servants were to have private orders to strew a poisonous juice on your shirts and sheets, which would soon make you tear your own flesh, and die in the utmost torture.
ewww
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they have more regard to good morals than to great abilities
They seek individuals who believe in what they do in ways that go beyond just carrying out the task at hand.
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Thus, the young ladies there are as much ashamed of being cowards and fools as the men, and despise all personal ornaments beyond decency and cleanliness: neither did I perceive any difference in their education, made by their difference of sex,
whattt?!! crazy idea that men and women could have similar schooling experiences!
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The pension from each family, for the education and entertainment of a child, upon failure of due payment, is levied by the emperor’s officers.
taxes for tuition
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those intended for apprentices are dismissed at seven years old, the rest are kept to eleven.
school for some ends at 7 years old if they are to learn a trade and others are taught until age 11
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to show she was more disposed to reward than to punish.
psychologically speaking, you will see more positive behaviors than negative behaviors if you seek to reward the positive behaviors more than you look for bad behaviors.
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but they suppose truth, justice, temperance, and the like, to be in every man’s power, the practice of which virtues, assisted by experience, and a good intention, would qualify any man for the service of his country,
their core values and beliefs in their society... this seems like a great place to live
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They bury their dead with their heads directly downwards, because they hold an opinion, that in eleven thousand moons they are all to rise again, in which period the earth (which they conceive to be flat) will turn upside down, and by this means they shall, at the resurrection, be found ready, standing on their feet.
this seems strange to us, but with the beliefs this community has is smart or it makes sense. This whole book thus far just reminds me not to be judgmental of other people and cultures because to them I seem just as strange.
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My greatest apprehension was for mine eyes, which I should have infallibly lost, if I had not suddenly thought of an expedient. I kept, among other little necessaries, a pair of spectacles, in a private pocket, which, as I observed before, had escaped the emperor’s searchers. These I took out, and fastened as strongly as I could upon my nose, and thus armed, went on boldly with my work, in spite of the enemy’s arrows, many of which struck against the glasses of my spectacles, but without any other effect, farther than a little to discompose them.
using glasses to protect his eyes is pretty smart
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The enemy were so frightened, when they saw me, that they leaped out of their ships, and swam to shore,
standing in the sea he scared the enemies
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and it was impossible for me to stride over them without infinite damage to the pile, though the walls were strongly built of hewn stone, and four inches thick.
he was going to hurt the infrastructure
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By which the reader may conceive an idea of the ingenuity of that people, as well as the prudent and exact economy of so great a prince.
they calculated the volume of his body in comparison to theirs to see how much food he would need
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liberty.
he always uses liberty instead of freedoms
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Lastly. That upon his solemn oath to observe all the above articles, the said man-mountain shall have a daily allowance of meat and drink sufficient for the support of 1724 of our subjects, with free access to our royal person, and other marks of our favor. Given at our palace at Belfaborac, the twelfth day of the ninety-first moon of our reign.
free food!!!
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and whose head strikes against the sun;
metaphor- saying he was so tall his head it close enough to the sun to touch it
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except Skyrris Bolgolam who was pleased, without any provocation, to be my mortal enemy.
Skyrris realllly wants to hate him
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my hat
after reading the communities description of the hat I i was confused, but as I read it a second time knowing what it is now it sounds funny
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For my own part, I swam as fortune directed me, and was pushed forward by wind and tide. I often let my legs drop, and could feel no bottom;
This fills me with so much anxiety. I'm so afraid of open waters so to be in water and not being able to tell where the ground ends and ocean begins is so terrifying.
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I took nine of these sticks, and fixing them firmly in the ground in a quadrangular figure, two feet and a half square, I took four other sticks and tied them parallel at each corner, about two feet from the ground; then I fastened my handkerchief to the nine sticks that stood erect, and extended it on all sides, till it was as tight as the top of a drum; and the four parallel sticks, rising about five inches higher than the handkerchief, served as ledges on each side.
is this structure similar to a trampoline?
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These diversions are often attended with fatal accidents, whereof great numbers are on record. I myself have seen two or three candidates break a limb. But the danger is much greater when the ministers themselves are commanded to show their dexterity! for, by contending to excel themselves and their fellows, they strain so far that there is hardly one of them who hath not received a fall, and some of them two or three. I was assured that a year or two before my arrival, Flimnap would have infallibly broke his neck if one of the king’s cushions, that accidentally lay on the ground, had not weakened the force of his fall.
it seems like they are doing circus tricks or gymnastics
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The emperor had a mind, one day, to entertain me with one of the country shows, wherein they exceed all nations I have known, both for dexterity and magnificence. I was diverted with none so much as that of the rope-dancers, performed upon a slender white thread, extended about two feet, and twelve inches from the ground
they grew to trust him enough to let him see a show
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I first cautioned the emperor not to be afraid, and then let it off in the air
he shot an empty round of his pistol for them to show them what it does
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for the sun shone clear, and the reflection dazzled their eyes,
i like they way he describes how shiny it is
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with a wonderful kind of engine at the bottom
a pocket watch described as an engine
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the great man-mountain
they called him the great man mountain.. is this only because of his size ?
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nine hundred yards round the city to deliver in, every morning, six beeves, forty sheep, and other victuals, for my sustenance; together with a proportionable quantity of bread and wine, and other liquors; for the due payment of which his majesty gave assignments upon his treasury.
they had animals and other food delivered for him daily because they started to like him
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He directed that those who had already beheld me should return home, and not presume to come within fifty yards of my house without license from court;
people were wasting too much time going to see him
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thought no punishment so proper as to deliver them bound into my hands
they figured he would do the most harm if he wanted to
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, High and Low Dutch, Latin, French, Spanish, Italian, and Lingua Franca;[15] but all to no purpose.
he studied to be a traveler so it would make sense he knows many languages, but this is still a language he doesn't know
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He was then past his prime, being twenty-eight years and three-quarters old,
past his prime?? How old is prime in this time period? is it closer to 20?
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he country around, appeared like a continued garden, and the enclosed fields, which were generally forty feet square, resembled so many beds of flowers. These fields were intermingled with woods of half a stang,[12] and the tallest trees, as I could judge, appeared to be seven feet high. I viewed the town on my left hand, which looked like the painted scene of a city in a theatre.
Author uses a lot of imagery- this place looks to him like a large garden
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30 degrees and 2 minutes south.
Horse latitude or latitude is 30 degrees both north and south from the equator. In this case it would be 30 degrees north since London is in the northern hemisphere.
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edifice
a building, especially a large, imposing one
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Five hundred carpenters and engineers were immediately set to work, to prepare the greatest engine they had. It was a frame of wood, raised three inches from the ground, about seven feet long and four wide, moving upon twenty-two wheels. The shout I heard was upon the arrival of this engine, which, it seems, set out in four hours after my landing.
what type of engine are they talking about because I didn't think they were invented for another 100 years...
is this more like a large wagon? because horses still pulled it
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and it was no wonder, for the physicians, by the emperor’s order, had mingled a sleepy potion in the hogsheads of wine
they had drugged his drink to make him sleep
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for so I interpreted my submissive behavior
he was learning to be submissive to the community rather than fight against them for fear of what they might all do together
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orator
a public speaker, especially one who is eloquent or skilled
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who seemed to be a person of quality, made me a long speech, whereof I understood not one syllable.
the community built a stage next to where they had captured him so that somebody important could give a speech. I think the last part is funny. Just talking to him in a different language and expecting that he would understand
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prudent
acting with or showing care and thought for the future
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confused noise about me
a noise that confused him
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I often let my legs drop, and could feel no bottom; but, when I was almost gone, and able to struggle no longer, I found myself within my depth; and, by this time, the storm was much abated.
he is saying that he was swimming/ treading water and then kept trying to see if it was shallow enough to touch the bottom. When he was super tired and worn out it was shallow enough for him to stand.
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It would not be proper, for some reasons, to trouble the reader with the particulars of our adventures in those seas.
where the particulars inappropriate or is it just too lengthy and a waste of time
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I laid them out in learning navigation, and other parts of the mathematics useful to those who intend to travel,
This is an interesting look into the past. People would study navigation and learn skills that would help them read a mad, follow directions or land marks, etc. Comparing his schooling to something like pilot school today is very different.
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Old Jewry
The Old Jewry is a one-way street in London that has s dense history. In medieval London this street was known as a ghetto or slum. It also contained the site for the only permitted Jew burial ground. source: https://www.british-history.ac.uk/old-new-london/vol1/pp425-435
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Newgate Street
Newgate street was once used by the Romans as a fortress for defense. source: https://medievallondon.ace.fordham.edu/exhibits/show/medieval-london-sites/newgatestreet
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“Swallow,”
The ship's name is The Swallow, and is where Gulliver served as a surgeon on for three and a half years.
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In a little time, I and my family and friends came to a right understanding: but my wife protested I should never go to sea any more; although my evil destiny so ordered, that she had not power to hinder me, as the reader may know hereafter. In the meantime I here conclude the second part of my unfortunate voyages.
I definitely enjoyed this story and its ending. I am glad he finds his way back home. I love happy endings like this.
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pygmies
a very small person, animal, or thing.
It is actually funny to hear him describe these people to be so small. Did anyone else find humor in this?
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pernicious
having a harmful effect, especially in a gradual or subtle way.
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HE MOST VIOLENT EXERCISE
I already dont like the title of this. I hate the way that Gulliver is treated and now the read further about is going to be quite heart wrenching
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lest
with the intention of preventing (something undesirable); to avoid the risk of.
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However, an unlucky school-boy aimed a hazel-nut directly at my head, which very narrowly missed me: otherwise, it came with so much violence, that it would have infallibly knocked out my brains, for it was almost as large as a small pumpion,
I definitely do not like the way that Gulliver is treated by people. The fact that people just want to hurt for no reason just seems vey inhuman.
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I was at the pains of making ropes and cables, by twisting ten, twenty, or thirty of the thickest and strongest of theirs.
Transporting him is quite painful to him because of all the tights ropes and the fabric holding him. I think it quite fascinating to see men handle such a huge body like that.
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have prepared articles of impeachment against you, for treason, and other capital crimes. This preface made me so impatient, being conscious of my own merits and innocence, that I was going to interrupt; when he entreated me to be silent, and thus proceeded.
Gulliver it seems is in the middle of a situation where they are trying to influence him. But it seems that he is not believing him so far.
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I desired the secretary to present my humble duty to the emperor, and to let him know that I thought it would not become me, who was a foreigner, to interfere with parties; but I was ready, with the hazard of my life, to defend his person and state against all invaders.
Even though it is in his interest to stay out of it, he still wants to help. These type of decisions made by Gulliver lets us know what kind of character he is.
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draymen
A drayman was historically the driver of a dray, a low, flat-bed wagon without sides, pulled generally by horses or mules that were used for transport of all kinds of goods. Now the term is really only used for brewery delivery men, even though routine horse-drawn deliveries are almost entirely extinct.
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In the large pocket on the right side of his middle cover (so I translate the word ranfu-lo, by which they meant my breeches), we saw a hollow pillar of iron, about the length of a man, fastened to a strong piece of timber, larger than the pillar; and upon one side of the pillar were huge pieces of iron sticking out, cut into strange figures, which we know not what to make of. In the left pocket, another engine of the same kind. In the smaller pocket on the right side were several round flat pieces of white and red metal, of different bulk; some of the white, which seemed to be silver, were so large and so heavy, that my comrade and I could hardly lift them. In the left pocket, were two black pillars irregularly shaped; we could not without difficulty reach the top of them, as we stood at the bottom of his pocket. One of them was covered, and seemed all of a piece; but at the upper end of the other, there appeared a white and round substance, about twice the bigness of our heads. Within each of these was enclosed a prodigious plate of steel, which, by our orders, we obliged him to show us, because we apprehended they might be dangerous engines. He took them out of their cases, and told us
This entire section and forward until the paragraph ends is very descriptive and creates great imagery for the readers.
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They apprehended my breaking loose; that my diet would be very expensive, and might cause a famine.
it seems they want to keep him in because they don't want all of there would to be gone. But, do they feel like he would be a threat to them, or are they only keeping him because they dont want him to eat everything?
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famine
extreme scarcity of food.
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These people are most excellent mathematicians, and arrived to a great perfection in mechanics, by the countenance and encouragement of the emperor, who is a renowned patron of learning.
Since these people are very smart, it seems that they may serve a huge purpose in this story for either helping him or presenting him with a challenge.
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My father had a small estate in Nottinghamshire; I was the third of five sons. He sent me to Emmanuel College in Cambridge at fourteen years old, where I resided three years, and applied myself close to my studies; but the charge of maintaining me, although I had a very scanty allowance, being too great for a narrow fortune, I was bound apprentice to Mr. James Bates, an eminent surgeon in London, with whom I continued four years; and my father now and then sending me small sums of money, I laid them out in learning navigation, and other parts of the mathematics useful to those who intend to travel, as I always believed it woul
The author did a great job with presenting all valid information about the writer himself, where he comes from and what it is that he is dealing with. This gives us background information so that the story could be read through a clearer lens.
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a whig or a tory
two major political parties in Swift's time
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.
Gulliver's Travels was a really fun and easy read. The author's ideas of the Lilliputians and Brobdingnagians were so imaginative and interesting symbols to represent society. The Lilliputians really do represent how mighty humans think we are, and the Brobdingnagians give an interesting perspective over our physical features and how we are perceived by other creatures. Really enjoyed reading this story and excited to see Gulliver's next adventure.
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A strange effect of narrow principles and short views!
Gulliver is surprised with the viewpoint of the giants.
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produce.
Gulliver does not seem happy with the current political state of Europe.
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as if I had been pelted with tennis-balls,
The simile comparing hail to tennis balls gives the reader an idea to what size the hail was.
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defend myself against these detestable animals
Flies were huge to Gulliver, which was excruciating to deal with.
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which to me was for some time a very nauseous sight.
Since the Queen was so large, watching her eat up close was disgusting.
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I made her a low bow, took out my knife and fork, and fell to eat, which gave them exceeding delight.
First Gulliver is the giant on an island, and now he is on an island of giants. How ironic.
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; but my heart leaped
Personification of Gulliver's heart conveys his joy and excitement of seeing his native country.
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alacrity
"brisk and cheerful readiness."
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Ingratitude is, among them, a capital crime
Gulliver has been nothing but kind and gracious to them, so why don't let him go?
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perform.
So he's "free", but not really. He still has to follow all their rules and cannot leave to go home.
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like that of a water-mill; and we conjecture it is either some unknown animal,
They don't know what the watch is so they automatically assume it is something negative.
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rabble
"a disorderly crowd; a mob."
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When this shower of arrows was over,
The personification of the arrows helps the reader picture the arrows raining down onto Gulliver's hand.
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ligatures
"a thing used for tying or binding something tightly."
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get clear of the ship and the rock
If you stay where the ship is sinking, it will pull you down with it.
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I accepted an advantageous offer
Gulliver wasn't successful in other businesses, and had to continue life at sea.
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Adventure,”
A very fitting name.
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for my insatiable desire of seeing foreign countries would suffer me to continue no longer.
Well I guess his near death experience didn't really effect him, and i'm not sure about his relationship with his family? He's gone so long but then so addicted to travelling he must go on.
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September twenty-sixth
It only takes him two days to complete the journey?
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propagate the breed
I have a feeling they won't survive...
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that he was very glad of my resolution, and so were most of his ministers.
I'm really surprised the emperor believes in fortune and fate.
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e was pleased to grant.
I'm really surprised he granted that to him, I was expecting a no.
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I shall not trouble the reader with the difficulties I was under,
He's more descriptive with the land and the people and their rules than he is with other aspects of the novels.
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LUCKY ACCIDENT
Good fortune ( a reverse to how he came onto the island).
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not question you will gratefully and humbly submit to
I like how they think he will just sit there calmly as they remove his eyes.
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The treasurer was of the same opinion
I wonder if they really agree or is they agree with the popular opinion?
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painful and ignominious death, by setting fire on your house at night; and the general was to attend
This is really graphic.
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.
But he was praised by some people for his attacks on the ships?
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have prepared articles of impeachment against you, for treason, and other capital crimes
I wonder if this is actually true, or is he is the one lying to cause Gulliver to break a promise.
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DESIGN TO ACCUSE HIM OF HIGH TREASON, MAKES HIS ESCAPE TO BLEFUSCU. HIS RECEPTION THERE.
He's going to break the rules... I wonder if this will result in a further punishment for him.
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cost his majesty above a million and a half of sprugs
Everything seems to be about politics or money here...
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parents are the last of all others to be trusted with the education
Because parents might have the tendency to praise their children more than correct and teach them?
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Ingratitude is, among them, a capital crime
This is interesting... they definitely teach respect and appreciation here.
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And these people thought it a prodigious defect of policy among us, when I told them that our laws were enforced only by penalties, without any mention of reward.
The idea of rewards is interesting here, in modern day all know and comprehend are punishments and therefore we abide by solely fear.
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Europeans; nor from the right to the left, like the Arabians; nor from up to down, like the Chinese, but aslant, from one corner of the paper to the other, like ladies in England.
He's displaying his geographic knowledge here.
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tallest horses and oxen are between four and five inches in height, the sheep an inch and a half
This is so specific.
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yet I could not tell how his majesty might resent the manner by which I had performed it
Since it was the middle of the night did he see her in sleepwear or in another clothing that wasn't normally acceptable? Is that why she is so mad?
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adventure
This adventure might be more of a challenge.
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who were my secret enemies
I think he's gained quite a few more enemies now...
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encomiums
A speech with a lot of praise.
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bars of the length and size of a knitting needle
I feel like that's really small...
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, PREVENTS AN INVASION. A HIGH TITLE OF HONOR IS CONFERRED UPON HIM
The author is so descriptive about every part of the story- yet he's not on this part?
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and to let him know that I thought it would not become me,
I wonder if he's going to keep the promise he made...
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for six-and-thirty moons past.
Does 36 moons mean 36 months or three years?
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For, said he, as flourishing a condition as we may appear to be in to foreigners, we labor under two mighty evils: a violent faction at home, and the danger of an invasion, by a most potent enemy, from abroad
So he got his freedom to become their protector.
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There I saw the empress and the young princes in their several lodgings
I feel like this might be controversial, he's kind of peeping into their private home.
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The town is capable of holding five hundred thousand souls
There's a lot more of these people than I initially thought.
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Sixth. He shall be our ally against our enemies in the island of Blefuscu, and do his utmost to destroy their fleet, which is now preparing to invade us.
I guess this is one of the reasons the people agreed to keep him alive.
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This body consisted of three thousand foot and a thousand horse
Again swift keeps mentioning the size comparison to continuously show to how small these people are.
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discharged blunt arrows, drew their sword
Swift describes this other world in extreme detail, i'm guessing so the reader can picture everything clearly.
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which often happens)
Why does this happen often? Do they have a short life span or something?
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They are trained in this art from their youth, and are not always of noble birth or liberal education
These people seem to have a better world than ours, from gender equality to earning respect rather than being born great.
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HIS NOBILITY OF BOTH SEXES
There seems to be equality between both genders (that's more than I can say about the human world).
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pygmies
Pygmies means a member of certain peoples of very short stature in equatorial Africa and parts of Southeast Asia
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here
My reflection: This was by far (I think) the longest reading from all of the other stories. Much easier to understand than the other stories, I was just confused with some of the words that were made up? Jonathan Swift has a lot of creativity. I would have never though of doing a business in a ship. A lot goes on after the shipwreck. He is kept for amusement and then sold to the queen.
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merits
Merit means the quality of being particularly good or worthy, especially so as to deserve praise or reward.
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Blefuscu,
How do you pronounce this word?
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we do the leg of a lark
I've never heard of this saying before. What does this mean?
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glumgluffs
Is there an actual meaning to the word glumgluffs? Is it made a up word?
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packthread
packthread means thick thread for sewing or tying up packages.
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I would sometimes lie down, and let five or six of them dance on my hand,
really good imagery.. but what does this mean exactly?
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Hekinah degul
Does this have an actual meaning or is it a made up word? I tried looking it up and it said that the author made it up and also used Hebrew words?
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for as I happened to lie on my back, I found my arms and legs were strongly fastened on each side to the ground; and my hair, which was long and thick, tied down in the same manner. I likewise felt several slender ligatures across my body, from my arm-pits to my thighs. I could only look upwards, the sun began to grow hot, and the light offended my eyes.
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Presently two rats crept up the curtains, and ran smelling backwards and forwards on my bed. One of them came almost up to my face; whereupon I rose in a fright, and drew out my hanger to defend myself. The horrible animals had the boldness to attack me both sides, and one of them held his forefeet at my collar; but I killed him before he could do me any mischief.
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The mother out of pure indulgence took me up, and put me towards the child, who presently seized me by the middle and got my head in its mouth, where I roared so loud that the urchin was frighted, and let me drop, and I should infallibly have broke my neck if the mother had not held her apron under me. The nurse, to quiet her babe, made use of a rattle, which was a kind of hollow vessel filled with great stones, and fastened by a cable to the child’s waist.
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But advancing forwards towards my master (as I shall henceforth call him), his youngest son, who sat next him, an arch boy of about ten years old, took me up by the legs, and held me so high in the air, that I trembled in every limb; but his father snatched me from him, and at the same time gave him such a box in the left ear as would have felled an European troop of horse to the earth, ordering him to be taken from the table. But being afraid the boy might owe me a spite, and well remembering how mischievous all children among us naturally are to sparrows, rabbits, young kittens, and puppy dogs, I fell on my knees, and, pointing to the boy, made my master to understand as well as I could, that I desired his son might be pardoned. The father complied, and the lad took his seat again; whereupon I went to him and kissed his hand, which my master took, and made him stroke me gently with it.
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I had three hundred cooks to dress my victuals, in little convenient huts built about my house, where they and their families lived, and prepared me two dishes a-piece. I took up twenty waiters in my hand, and placed them on the table; an hundred more attended below on the ground, some with dishes of meat, and some with barrels of wine and other liquors, flung on their shoulders; all of which the waiters above drew up, as I wanted, in a very ingenious manner, by certain cords, as we draw the bucket up a well in Europe.
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The seamen threw me the end of the cord, which I fastened to a hole in the forepart of the boat, and the other end to a man-of-war. But I found all my labor to little purpose; for, being out of my depth, I was not able to work. In this necessity, I was forced to swim behind, and push the boat forwards as often as I could with one of my hands, and, the tide favoring me, I advanced so far, that I could just hold up my chin and feel the ground.
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The emperor holds a stick in his hands, both ends parallel to the horizon, while the candidates, advancing one by one, sometimes leap over the stick, sometimes creep under it, backwards and forwards several times, according as the stick is advanced or depressed. Sometimes the emperor holds one end of the stick, and his first minister the other: sometimes the minister has it entirely to himself. Whoever performs his part with most agility, and holds out the longest in leaping and creeping, is rewarded with the blue-colored silk; the yellow is given to the next, and the green to the third, which they all wear girt twice about the middle; and you see few great persons round about this court who are not adorned with one of these girdles.
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but the rest of my goods were returned to me.
The people are demonstrating that they trust him.
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There were two pockets which we could not enter: these he called his fobs.
So they knew about his secret pockets, but he still doesn't show the pockets to them, this might cause their distrust.
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wherein I had some little necessaries that were of no consequence to any but myself.
They might view these unknown objects as dangerous (even if they aren't).
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that this must be a work of time
He must prove he deserves his freedom, one good deed isn't going to set him free.
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: but again they considered that the stench of so large a carcase might produce a plague in the metropolis, and probably spread through the whole kingdom.
I love how this is the reason they mention in opposition to killing him. Other than the argument that he hasn't harmed anyone and it would be unjust to harm him.
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embroidered with figures of gold and silver.
Everyone seems to be dressed in wealth.
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I viewed the town on my left hand, which looked like the painted scene of a city in a theatre.
The whole time I was reading the description, I kept thinking how the scenes felt like a painting.
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Phaeton
a son of Apollo who was dashed into the river Endanus for his foolhardiness in attempting to drive the steeds of the sun for one day.
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thrifty
economical
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