🔊 Once when I was six years old I saw a magnificent picture in a book, called True Stories from Nature, about 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.

🔊

magnificent /mæɡˈnɪfɪs(ə)nt/

adj. extremely beautiful, impressive, or grand.➕

🔊

primeval forest /praɪˈmiːvl ˈfɒrɪst/

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

🔊

boa constrictor /ˈbəʊə kənˈstrɪktə(r)/

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

🔊

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."

🔊

prey /preɪ/

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

🔊

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:

I thought deeply about jungle adventures. Then, with a colored pencil, I made my first drawing. I called it Drawing Number One. It looked something like this:

🔊

pondered /ˈpɒndəd/

v. thought about something carefully for a period of time.➕

🔊

jungle /ˈdʒʌŋɡ(ə)l/

n. a dense, tropical forest with thick vegetation.➕

🔊 I showed my masterpiece 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?"

🔊

masterpiece /ˈmɑːstəpiːs/

n. a work of outstanding artistry, skill, or workmanship.➕

🔊

frightened /ˈfraɪt(ə)nd/

adj. afraid or anxious.➕

🔊 My drawing was not a picture of a hat. It was a picture of a boa constrictor digesting 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:

🔊

digesting /daɪˈdʒestɪŋ/

v. breaking down food in the stomach and intestines.➕

🔊

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 gave up 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 children to be always and forever explaining 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.

🔊

advise /ədˈvaɪz/

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

🔊

lay aside /leɪ əˈsaɪd/

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

🔊

arithmetic /əˈrɪθmətɪk/

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

🔊

disheartened /dɪsˈhɑːt(ə)nd/

adj. having lost determination or confidence; discouraged.➕

🔊

failure /ˈfeɪljə(r)/

n. lack of success in achieving a goal; an unsuccessful person or thing.➕

🔊

tiresome /ˈtaɪəs(ə)m/

adj. causing one to feel bored or annoyed; tedious.➕

🔊 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 night, such knowledge 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.

🔊

profession /prəˈfeʃ(ə)n/

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

🔊

pilot /ˈpaɪlət/

v. to operate the controls of an aircraft.➕

🔊

airplanes /ˈeəpleɪnz/

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

🔊

distinguish /dɪˈstɪŋɡwɪʃ/

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

🔊 In the course of this life I have had a great many encounters with a great many people who have been concerned with matters of consequence. I have lived a great deal among grown-ups. I have seen them intimately, close at hand. And that hasn't much 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.

🔊

encounters /ɪnˈkaʊntəz/

n. unexpected or casual meetings with someone or something.➕

🔊

concerned with /kənˈsɜːnd wɪð/

adj. phrase. interested in or involved with something.➕

🔊

consequence /ˈkɒnsɪkwəns/

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

🔊

intimately /ˈɪntɪmətli/

adv. in a very close and detailed way.➕

🔊 Whenever 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 understanding. But, whoever it was, he, or she, would always say: "That is a hat."

Whenever I met someone who seemed clear-sighted, I would try showing them my Drawing Number One, which I always kept. I wanted to find out if they truly understood. But, whoever it was, they would always say: "That is a hat."

🔊

clear-sighted /ˌklɪə ˈsaɪtɪd/

adj. having a clear understanding of situations; perceptive.➕

🔊

experiment /ɪkˈsperɪmənt/

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

🔊

understanding /ˌʌndəˈstændɪŋ/

n. the ability to understand something; comprehension.➕

🔊 Then I would never talk to that person about boa constrictors, or primeval forests, or stars. I would bring myself down to his level. I would talk to him about bridge, and golf, and politics, and neckties. And the grown-up would be greatly pleased to have met such 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.

🔊

sensible /ˈsensəbl/

adj. having or showing good judgment; reasonable.➕

Chapter one