「オズの魔法使い」から学ぶ大学入試・英検・TOEIC頻出語彙と読解(31)

　著作権の切れた童話「オズの魔法使い」から、シンプルで、大学入試にもTOEICにも英検にも有効な練習問題を作成しています。楽しみながら英語力を伸ばしていただければ幸いです。( )にアルファベットの一文字を入れて文脈に合う単語を完成してください
(31)
"Go to those people," said the Witch, "and ①tea( ) them to pieces."

"Are you not going to make them your slaves?" asked the ②lead( )( )of the wolves.

"No," she answered, "one is of tin, and one of straw; one is a girl and another a Lion. None of them is ③fi( ) to work, so you may tear them into small pieces."

"Very well," said the wolf, and he ④( )ashed away at full speed, ⑤( )ollowed by the others.

It was ⑥( )ucky the Scarecrow and the Woodman were wide awake and heard the wolves coming.

"This is my ⑦figh( )," said the Woodman, "so get behind me and I will meet them as they come."

He ⑧( )eized his axe, which he had made very sharp, and as the leader of the wolves came on the Tin Woodman swung his arm and chopped the wolf's head from its body, so that it ⑨( )( )mediately died. As soon as he could ⑩rai( )( ) his axe another wolf came up, and he also fell under the sharp edge of the Tin Woodman's ⑪( )eapon. There were forty wolves, and forty times a wolf was killed, so that at last they all lay dead in a ⑫hea( ) before the Woodman.

Then he put down his axe and sat ⑬besi( )( ) the Scarecrow, who said, "It was a good fight, friend."

They waited until Dorothy awoke the next morning. The little girl was quite frightened when she saw the great ⑭pil( ) of shaggy wolves, but the Tin Woodman told her all. She thanked him for ⑮( )aving them and sat down to breakfast, after which they started again upon their journey.

Now this same morning the Wicked Witch came to the door of her castle and looked out with her one eye that could see far off. She saw all her wolves ⑯( )ying dead, and the ⑰( )trangers still traveling through her country. This made her angrier than before, and she blew her silver whistle twice.

Straightway a great ⑱floc( ) of wild crows came flying toward her, enough to ⑲darke( ) the sky.

And the Wicked Witch said to the King Crow, "Fly at once to the strangers; peck out their eyes and tear them to pieces."

The wild crows flew in one great flock toward Dorothy and her ⑳( )ompanions. When the little girl saw them coming she was afraid.

※(31)の解答①tear②leader③fit④dashed⑤followed⑦fight⑧seized⑨immediately⑩raise⑪weapon⑫heap⑬beside⑭pile⑮saving⑯lying⑰strangers⑱flock⑲darken⑳companions

「オズの魔法使い」から学ぶ大学入試・英検・TOEIC頻出語彙と読解(32)

　著作権の切れた童話「オズの魔法使い」から、シンプルで、大学入試にもTOEICにも英検にも有効な練習問題を作成しています。楽しみながら英語力を伸ばしていただければ幸いです。( )にアルファベットの一文字を入れて文脈に合う単語を完成してください
(32)
But the Scarecrow said, "This is my ①batt( )( ), so lie down beside me and you will not be ②( )armed."

So they all lay upon the ground except the Scarecrow, and he stood up and ③( )tretched out his arms. And when the crows saw him they were frightened, as these birds always are by scarecrows, and did not ④( )are to come any nearer. But the King Crow said:

"It is only a ⑤( )tuffed man. I will peck his eyes out."

The King Crow flew at the Scarecrow, who caught it by the head and ⑥( )wisted its neck until it died. And then another crow flew at him, and the Scarecrow twisted its neck also. There were forty crows, and forty times the Scarecrow twisted a neck, until at last all were lying dead beside him. Then he called to his companions to ⑦ris( ), and again they went upon their journey.

When the Wicked Witch looked out again and saw all her crows lying in a heap, she got into a terrible ⑧rag( ), and blew three times upon her silver whistle.

Forthwith there was heard a great buzzing in the air, and a swarm of black bees came flying toward her.

"Go to the strangers and ⑨stin( ) them to death!" ⑩( )( )mmanded the Witch, and the bees turned and flew rapidly until they came to where Dorothy and her friends were walking. But the Woodman had seen them coming, and the Scarecrow had decided what to do.

"Take out my straw and ⑪scatt( )( ) it over the little girl and the dog and the Lion," he said to the Woodman, "and the bees cannot sting them." This the Woodman did, and as Dorothy lay close beside the Lion and held Toto in her arms, the straw covered them ⑫( )ntirely.

The bees came and found no one but the Woodman to sting, so they flew at him and broke off all their stings against the tin, without ⑬( )urting the Woodman at all. And as bees cannot live when their stings are broken that was the end of the black bees, and they lay scattered ⑭thic( ) about the Woodman, like little heaps of fine coal.

Then Dorothy and the Lion got up, and the girl helped the Tin Woodman ⑮pu( ) the straw back into the Scarecrow again, until he was as good as ever. So they started upon their journey once more.

The Wicked Witch was so angry when she saw her black bees in little heaps like fine coal that she ⑯( )tamped her foot and tore her hair and gnashed her teeth. And then she called a dozen of her slaves, who were the Winkies, and gave them sharp spears, telling them to go to the strangers and destroy them.

The Winkies were not a ⑰brav( ) people, but they had to do as they were told. So they marched away until they came near to Dorothy. Then the Lion gave a great roar and ⑱spra( )( ) towards them, and the poor Winkies were so frightened that they ran back as fast as they could.

When they returned to the castle the Wicked Witch ⑲bea( ) them well with a strap, and sent them back to their work, after which she sat down to think what she should do next. She could not understand how all her plans to destroy these strangers had failed; but she was a powerful Witch, as well as a wicked one, and she soon made up her ⑳m( )( )( ) how to act.

※(32)の解答①battle②harmed③stretched④dare⑥twisted⑦rise⑧rage⑨sting⑩commanded⑪scatter⑫entirely⑬hurting⑭thick ⑮put⑯stamped⑰brave⑱sprang⑲beat⑳mind

「オズの魔法使い」から学ぶ大学入試・英検・TOEIC頻出語彙と読解(33)

　著作権の切れた童話「オズの魔法使い」から、シンプルで、大学入試にもTOEICにも英検にも有効な練習問題を作成しています。楽しみながら英語力を伸ばしていただければ幸いです。( )にアルファベットの一文字を入れて文脈に合う単語を完成してください
(33)
There was, in her cupboard, a Golden Cap, with a circle of diamonds and rubies running round it. This Golden Cap had a charm. Whoever owned it could call three times upon the Winged Monkeys, who would ①obe( ) any order they were given. But no person could ②comma( )( ) these strange creatures more than three times. Twice already the Wicked Witch had used the charm of the Cap. Once was when she had made the Winkies her slaves, and set herself to ③rul( ) over their country. The Winged Monkeys had helped her do this. The second time was when she had fought ④( )gainst the Great Oz himself, and driven him out of the land of the West. The Winged Monkeys had also helped her in doing this. Only once more could she use this Golden Cap, for which reason she did not like to do so until all her other powers were ⑤( )xhausted. But now that her fierce wolves and her wild crows and her stinging bees were gone, and her slaves had been ⑥( )cared away by the Cowardly Lion, she saw there was only one way left to destroy Dorothy and her friends.

So the Wicked Witch took the Golden Cap from her cupboard and ⑦( )laced it upon her head. Then she stood upon her left foot and said slowly:

"Ep-pe, pep-pe, kak-ke!"

Next she stood upon her right foot and said:

"Hil-lo, hol-lo, hel-lo!"

After this she stood upon both feet and cried in a loud voice:

"Ziz-zy, zuz-zy, zik!"

Now the charm began to ⑧wo( )( ). The sky was darkened, and a low rumbling sound was heard in the air. There was a rushing of many wings, a great chattering and laughing, and the sun came out of the dark sky to show the Wicked Witch surrounded by a crowd of monkeys, each with a pair of ⑨immen( )( ) and powerful wings on his shoulders.

One, much bigger than the others, seemed to be their leader. He flew close to the Witch and said, "You have ⑩( )alled us for the third and last time. What do you command?"

"Go to the strangers who are within my land and destroy them all except the Lion," said the Wicked Witch. "Bring that ⑪beas( ) to me, for I have a mind to harness him like a horse, and make him work."

"Your commands ⑫sha( )( ) be obeyed," said the leader. Then, with a great deal of chattering and noise, the Winged Monkeys flew away to the place where Dorothy and her friends were walking.

Some of the Monkeys ⑬( )eized the Tin Woodman and carried him through the air until they were over a country thickly covered with sharp rocks. Here they dropped the poor Woodman, who fell a great distance to the rocks, where he lay so battered and dented that he could neither ⑭mov( ) nor groan.

Others of the Monkeys caught the Scarecrow, and with their long fingers pulled all of the straw out of his clothes and head. They made his hat and boots and clothes into a small bundle and threw it into the top ⑮( )ranches of a tall tree.

The ⑯( )emaining Monkeys threw pieces of stout rope around the Lion and wound many coils about his body and head and legs, until he was unable to ⑰bit( ) or ⑱scratc( ) or ⑲strugg( )( ) in any way. Then they lifted him up and flew away with him to the Witch's castle, where he was placed in a small yard with a high iron fence around it, so that he could not ⑳esca( )( ).

※(33)の解答①obey②command③rule④against⑤exhausted⑥scared⑦placed⑧work⑨immense⑩called⑪beast⑫shall⑬seized ⑭move⑮branches⑯remaining⑰bite⑱scratch⑲struggle⑳escape

「オズの魔法使い」から学ぶ大学入試・英検・TOEIC頻出語彙と読解(34)

　著作権の切れた童話「オズの魔法使い」から、シンプルで、大学入試にもTOEICにも英検にも有効な練習問題を作成しています。楽しみながら英語力を伸ばしていただければ幸いです。( )にアルファベットの一文字を入れて文脈に合う単語を完成してください
(34)
But Dorothy they did not harm at all. She stood, with Toto in her arms, watching the sad ①fat( ) of her comrades and thinking it would soon be her ②tur( ). The leader of the Winged Monkeys flew up to her, his long, hairy arms stretched out and his ugly face grinning terribly; but he saw the mark of the Good Witch's kiss upon her forehead and stopped short, motioning the others not to touch her.

"We ③dar( ) not harm this little girl," he said to them, "for she is protected by the Power of Good, and that is greater than the Power of Evil. All we can do is to carry her to the castle of the Wicked Witch and leave her there."

So, carefully and gently, they ④( )ifted Dorothy in their arms and carried her ⑤swift( )( ) through the air until they came to the castle, where they set her down upon the front doorstep. Then the leader said to the Witch:

"We have obeyed you as far as we were able. The Tin Woodman and the Scarecrow are destroyed, and the Lion is tied up in your yard. The little girl we dare not harm, nor the dog she carries in her arms. Your power over our band is now ⑥( )nded, and you will never see us again."

Then all the Winged Monkeys, with much laughing and chattering and noise, flew into the air and were soon out of ⑦( )ight.

The Wicked Witch was both surprised and ⑧( )orried when she saw the mark on Dorothy's forehead, for she knew well that neither the Winged Monkeys nor she, herself, dare hurt the girl in any way. She looked down at Dorothy's feet, and seeing the Silver Shoes, began to ⑨tremb( )( ) with fear, for she knew what a powerful charm belonged to them. At first the Witch was tempted to run away from Dorothy; but she ⑩( )( )ppened to look into the child's eyes and saw how simple the soul behind them was, and that the little girl did not know of the wonderful power the Silver Shoes gave her. So the Wicked Witch laughed to herself, and thought, "I can still make her my slave, for she does not know how to use her power." Then she said to Dorothy, harshly and severely:

"Come with me; and see that you mind everything I tell you, for if you do not I will make an end of you, as I did of the Tin Woodman and the Scarecrow."

Dorothy followed her through many of the beautiful rooms in her castle until they came to the kitchen, where the Witch bade her clean the pots and kettles and ⑪swee( ) the floor and keep the fire fed with wood.

Dorothy went to work meekly, with her mind made up to work as hard as she could; for she was glad the Wicked Witch had decided not to kill her.

With Dorothy hard at work, the Witch thought she would go into the courtyard and harness the Cowardly Lion like a horse; it would ⑫amu( )( ) her, she was sure, to make him ⑬dra( ) her chariot whenever she wished to go to drive. But as she opened the gate the Lion gave a loud roar and bounded at her so fiercely that the Witch was afraid, and ran out and shut the gate again.

"If I cannot harness you," said the Witch to the Lion, speaking through the bars of the gate, "I can ⑭star( )( ) you. You shall have nothing to eat until you do as I wish."

So after that she took no food to the imprisoned Lion; but every day she came to the gate at noon and asked, "Are you ⑮(harnessed / be / ready / to) like a horse?"

And the Lion would answer, "No. If you come in this yard, I will bite you."

The reason the Lion did not have to do as the ⑯(wished / Witch / that / was) every night, while the woman was asleep, Dorothy carried him food from the cupboard. After he had eaten he would lie down on his bed of straw, and Dorothy would lie beside him and put her head on his soft, shaggy mane, while they talked of their troubles and tried to plan some way to escape. But they could find no way to get out of the castle, for it was ⑰( )onstantly guarded by the yellow Winkies, who were the slaves of the Wicked Witch and too afraid of her not to do as she told them.

The girl had to work hard during the day, and often the Witch ⑱( )( )reatened to beat her with the same old umbrella she always carried in her hand. But, in truth, she did not dare to ⑲stri( )( ) Dorothy, because of the mark upon her forehead. The child did not know this, and was full of fear for herself and Toto. Once the Witch struck Toto a blow with her umbrella and the brave little dog flew at her and bit her leg in return. The Witch did not ⑳blee( ) where she was bitten, for she was so wicked that the blood in her had dried up many years before.

※(34)の解答①fate②turn③dare④lifted⑤swiftly⑥ended⑦sight⑧worried⑨tremble⑩happened⑪sweep⑫amuse⑬draw⑭starve⑮(ready to be harnessed)⑯(Witch wished was that ) ⑰constantly⑱treatened⑲strike⑳bleed

「オズの魔法使い」から学ぶ大学入試・英検・TOEIC頻出語彙と読解(35)

著作権の切れた童話「オズの魔法使い」から、シンプルで、大学入試にもTOEICにも英検にも有効な練習問題を作成しています。楽しみながら英語力を伸ばしていただければ幸いです。( )にアルファベットの一文字を入れて文脈に合う単語を完成してください。スラッシュで区切られた整序問題は文の意味が通るように並べ替えてください。
(35)
Dorothy's life became very sad as she ①gre( ) to understand that it would be harder than ever to get back to Kansas and Aunt Em again. Sometimes she would cry bitterly for hours, with Toto sitting at her feet and looking into her face, whining dismally to show how sorry he was for his little mistress. Toto did not really ②car( ) whether he was in Kansas or the Land of Oz so long as Dorothy was with him; but he knew the little girl was unhappy, and ③(made / that / unhappy /him ) too.

Now the Wicked Witch had a great longing to have for her own the Silver Shoes which the girl always wore. Her bees and her crows and her wolves were lying in heaps and drying up, and she had used up all the power of the Golden Cap; but if she could only get hold of the Silver Shoes, they would give her more power than all the ④(had / things / other / she ) lost. She watched Dorothy carefully, to see if she ever took off her shoes, thinking she might ⑤stea( ) them. But the child was so proud of her pretty shoes that she never took them off except at night and when she took her bath. The Witch was too much afraid of the dark to dare go in Dorothy's room at night to take the shoes, and her ⑥drea( ) of water was greater than her fear of the dark, so she never came near when Dorothy was bathing. Indeed, the old Witch never touched water, nor ever let water touch her in any way.

But the wicked creature was very cunning, and she finally thought of a ⑦tric( ) that would give her what she wanted. She placed a bar of iron in the middle of the kitchen floor, and then by her magic arts made the iron ⑧invisib( )( ) to human eyes. So that when Dorothy walked across the floor she stumbled over the bar, ⑨(able / not / to / being ) see it, and fell at full length. She was not much hurt, but in her fall one of the Silver Shoes came off; and before she could ⑩rea( )( ) it, the Witch had snatched it away and put it on her own skinny foot.

The wicked woman was greatly pleased with the ⑪( )uccess of her trick, for as long as she had one of the shoes she ⑫( )wned half the power of their charm, and Dorothy could not use it against her, even ⑬(how / had / known / she ) to do so.

The little girl, ⑭(she / lost / seeing / had ) one of her pretty shoes, grew angry, and said to the Witch, "Give me back my shoe!"

"I will not," retorted the Witch, "for it is now my shoe, and not yours."

"You are a wicked creature!" cried Dorothy. "You have no ⑮( )ight to take my shoe from me."

"I shall keep it, just the same," said the Witch, laughing at her, "and someday I shall get the other one from you, too."

This made Dorothy so very angry that she picked up the bucket of water that stood near and dashed it over the Witch, ⑯(from / wetting / head / her ) to foot.

Instantly the wicked woman gave a loud cry of fear, and then, as Dorothy looked at her in wonder, the Witch began to ⑰shrin( ) and fall away.

"See what you have done!" she ⑱( )creamed. "In a minute I shall melt away."

"I'm very sorry, indeed," said Dorothy, who was truly frightened to see the Witch ⑲( )( )tually melting away like brown sugar before her very eyes.

"Didn't you know water would be the end of me?" asked the Witch, in a wailing, despairing voice.

"Of course not," answered Dorothy. "How should I?"

"Well, in a few minutes I shall be all melted, and you will have the castle to yourself. I have been wicked in my day, but I never thought a ⑳(girl / little / you / like) would ever be able to melt me and end my wicked deeds. Look out--here I go!"

※(35)の解答①grew②care③that made him unhappy④(other things she had)⑤steal⑥dread ⑦trick⑧invisible So that when Dorothy walked across the floor she stumbled over the bar, ⑨(not being able to) see it, and fell at full length. ⑩reach⑪success⑫owned⑬(had she known how)⑭(seeing she had lost)⑮right⑯(wetting her from head )to foot. ⑰shrink⑱screamed⑲actually⑳(little girl like you)
※(35)の解説
◇So that when Dorothy walked across the floor she stumbled over the bar, ⑨(not being able to) see it, and fell at full length.
◇The little girl, ⑭(seeing she had lost) one of her pretty shoes, grew angry, and said to the Witch, "Give me back my shoe!"
◇This made Dorothy so very angry that she picked up the bucket of water that stood near and dashed it over the Witch, ⑮(wetting her from head )to foot.
はいずれも分詞構文と呼ばれるものです。
　⑨は「見えなかったので」という理由、⑩も「失ったのがわかったので」という理由、⑮は「頭から足まで濡らした」という結果と解すればよいでしょう。
　注意しておかなければならないのは、現在分詞が使われているからといって必ずしも「～しながら」という意味になるわけではないということです。⑨(not being able to) see it,「それが見えないながら」と解するようではさっぱり意味がわかりません。状況に合わせて柔軟に理解することが分詞構文に習熟するカギになります。

「オズの魔法使い」から学ぶ大学入試・英検・TOEIC頻出語彙と読解(36)

　著作権の切れた童話「オズの魔法使い」から、シンプルで、大学入試にもTOEICにも英検にも有効な練習問題を作成しています。楽しみながら英語力を伸ばしていただければ幸いです。( )にアルファベットの一文字を入れて文脈に合う単語を完成してください。スラッシュで区切られた整序問題は文の意味が通るように並べ替えてください。
(36)
With these words the Witch fell down in a brown, melted, shapeless mass and began to ①spre( )( ) over the clean boards of the kitchen floor. Seeing that she had really melted away to nothing, Dorothy drew another bucket of water and ②thre( ) it over the mess. She then swept it all out the door. After ③( )icking out the silver shoe, which was all that was left of the old woman, she cleaned and dried it with a cloth, and put it on her foot again. Then, being at last free to do as she ④cho( )( ), she ran out to the courtyard to tell the Lion that the Wicked Witch of the West had come to an end, and that they were no longer ⑤( )risoners in a strange land.

13. The Rescue
The Cowardly Lion was much ⑥( )leased to hear that the Wicked Witch had been melted by a bucket of water, and Dorothy at once unlocked the gate of his prison and set him free. They went in together to the castle, where Dorothy's first act was to call all the Winkies together and tell them that they were no longer slaves.

There was great rejoicing among the yellow Winkies, for they had been made to work hard during many years for the Wicked Witch, who had always treated them with great ⑦( )ruelty. They kept this day as a holiday, then and ever after, and ⑧spen( ) the time in feasting and dancing.

"If our friends, the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman, were only with us," said the Lion, "I should be quite happy."

"Don't you suppose we could ⑨( )escue them?" asked the girl anxiously.

"We can try," answered the Lion.

So they called the yellow Winkies and asked them if they would help to rescue their friends, and the Winkies said that they would be ⑩( )elighted to do all in their power for Dorothy, who had set them free from bondage. So she chose a number of the Winkies who looked as if they knew the most, and they all started away. They traveled that day and part of the next until they came to the rocky plain where the Tin Woodman ⑪( )ay, all battered and bent. His axe was near him, but the blade was rusted and the handle broken off short.

The Winkies ⑫(in / lifted / tenderly / him ) their arms, and carried him back to the Yellow Castle again, Dorothy shedding a few tears by the way at the sad ⑬pligh( ) of her old friend, and the Lion looking sober and sorry. When they reached the castle Dorothy said to the Winkies:

"Are any of your people tinsmiths?"

"Oh, yes. Some of us are very good tinsmiths," they told her.

"Then bring them to me," she said. And when the tinsmiths came, ⑭(with / all / bringing / them) their tools in baskets, she inquired, "Can you straighten out those dents in the Tin Woodman, and bend him back into shape again, and solder him together where he is broken?"

The tinsmiths looked the Woodman over carefully and then answered that they thought they could ⑮men( ) him so he would be as good as ever. So they set to work in one of the big yellow rooms of the castle and worked for three days and four nights, hammering and twisting and bending and soldering and polishing and pounding at the legs and body and head of the Tin Woodman, until at last he was straightened out into his old form, and his joints worked as well as ever. To be sure, there were several patches on him, but the tinsmiths did a good job, and as the Woodman was not a ⑯vai( ) man he did not mind the patches at all.

When, at last, he walked into Dorothy's room and thanked her for rescuing him, he was so pleased that he wept tears of joy, and Dorothy had to ⑰wip( ) every tear carefully from his face with her apron, so his joints would not be rusted. At the same time her own tears fell thick and fast at the joy of meeting her old friend again, and these tears did not need to be wiped away. As for the Lion, he wiped his eyes so often with the tip of his tail that it became quite wet, and he was ⑱( )bliged to go out into the courtyard and hold it in the sun till it dried.

"If we only had the Scarecrow with us again," said the Tin Woodman, when Dorothy had finished ⑲(that / him / telling / everything) had happened, "I should be quite happy."

"We must try to find him," said the girl.

※(36)の解答①spread②threw③picking ④chose⑤prisoners⑥pleased⑦cruelty⑧spent⑨rescue⑩delighted⑪lay⑫(lifted him tenderly in)⑬plight ⑭(bringing with them all)⑮mend⑯vain⑰wipe⑱obliged⑲(telling him everything that)
※(36)の解説
To be sure, there were several patches on him, but the tinsmiths did a good job, and as the Woodman was not a ⑯vain man he did not mind the patches at all.　という一節があります。ここで⑯vain manとはもちろん「無駄な人間」という意味ではなく、「木こりは見栄っ張りではないのでつぎはぎなんて全然気にしなかった」という意味になります。vanityだと名詞で虚栄心となります。

「オズの魔法使い」から学ぶ大学入試・英検・TOEIC頻出語彙と読解(37)

　著作権の切れた童話「オズの魔法使い」から、シンプルで、大学入試にもTOEICにも英検にも有効な練習問題を作成しています。楽しみながら英語力を伸ばしていただければ幸いです。( )にアルファベットの一文字を入れて文脈に合う単語を完成してください。スラッシュで区切られた整序問題は文の意味が通るように並べ替えてください。
(37)
So she called the Winkies to help her, and they walked all that day and part of the next until they came to the tall tree in the branches of which the Winged Monkeys had ①( )ossed the Scarecrow's clothes.

It was a very tall tree, and the trunk was so ②smoo( )( ) that no one could climb it; but the Woodman said at once, "I'll chop it down, and then we can get the Scarecrow's clothes."

Now while the tinsmiths had been at work mending the Woodman himself, another of the Winkies, who was a goldsmith, had made an axe-handle of solid gold and ③( )itted it to the Woodman's axe, instead of the old broken handle. Others polished the blade until all the rust was ④( )( )moved and it glistened like burnished silver.

As soon as he had spoken, the Tin Woodman began to chop, and in a short time the tree ⑤fe( )( ) over with a crash, whereupon the Scarecrow's clothes fell out of the branches and rolled off on the ground.

Dorothy picked them up and had the Winkies carry them back to the castle, where they were stuffed with nice, clean straw; and behold! here was the Scarecrow, as good as ever, ⑥(over / thanking / and / them ) over again for saving him.

Now that they were reunited, Dorothy and her friends spent a few happy days at the Yellow Castle, where they ⑦(everything / found / needed / they ) to make them comfortable.

But one day the girl thought of Aunt Em, and said, "We must go back to Oz, and ⑧clai( ) his promise."

"Yes," said the Woodman, "at last I shall get my heart."

"And I shall get my brains," added the Scarecrow joyfully.

"And I shall get my courage," said the Lion thoughtfully.

"And I shall get back to Kansas," cried Dorothy, ⑨( )lapping her hands. "Oh, let us start for the Emerald City tomorrow!"

This they decided to do. The next day they called the Winkies together and bade them good-bye. The Winkies were sorry ⑩(have / go / to / them), and they had grown so fond of the Tin Woodman that they
⑪( )egged him to stay and rule over them and the Yellow Land of the West. Finding they were ⑫( )etermined to go, the Winkies gave Toto and the Lion each a golden collar; and to Dorothy they presented a beautiful bracelet studded with diamonds; and to the Scarecrow they gave a gold-headed walking stick, to keep him from stumbling; and to the Tin Woodman they offered a silver oil-can, inlaid with gold and set with ⑬precio( )( ) jewels.

Every one of the travelers made the Winkies a pretty speech in return, and all ⑭( )hook hands with them until their arms ⑮( )ched.

Dorothy went to the Witch's cupboard to fill her basket with food for the journey, and there she saw the Golden Cap. She tried it on her own head and ⑯(fitted / it / found / that) her exactly. She did not know anything about the charm of the Golden Cap, but she saw that it was pretty, so she made up her ⑰m( )( )( ) to wear it and carry her sunbonnet in the basket.

Then, being ⑱( )repared for the journey, they all started for the Emerald City; and the Winkies gave them three cheers and many good ⑲( )ishes to carry with them.

※(37)の解答①tossed②smooth③fitted④removed⑤fell⑥( thanking them over and )where they ⑦(found everything they needed )⑧claim⑨clapping⑩(to have them go)⑪begged⑫determined⑬precious⑭shook⑮ached⑯(found that it fitted)⑰mind⑱prepared ⑲wishes
※(37)の解説
◇Now that they were reunited, Dorothy and her friends spent a few happy days at the Yellow Castle, where they ⑦(found everything they needed)to make them comfortable. という整序問題の勘所はeverything とtheyの間に目的格の関係代名詞which(もしくはthat)が省略されているのを見抜くことです。当然neededは他動詞です。

「オズの魔法使い」から学ぶ大学入試・英検・TOEIC頻出語彙と読解(38)

　著作権の切れた童話「オズの魔法使い」から、シンプルで、大学入試にもTOEICにも英検にも有効な練習問題を作成しています。楽しみながら英語力を伸ばしていただければ幸いです。( )にアルファベットの一文字を入れて文脈に合う単語を完成してください。スラッシュで区切られた整序問題は文の意味が通るように並べ替えてください。
(38)
14. The Winged Monkeys
You will remember there was no road--not even a pathway--between the castle of the Wicked Witch and the Emerald City. When the four travelers went in ①sear( )( ) of the Witch she had seen them coming, and so sent the Winged Monkeys to bring them to her. It was much harder to find their way back through the big fields of buttercups and yellow daisies than it was being carried. They knew, of course, they must go straight east, toward the rising sun; and they started off in the right way. But at noon, when the sun was over their heads, they did not know which was east and which was west, and that was the reason they were ②los( ) in the great fields. They kept on walking, however, and at night the moon came out and ③sho( )( ) brightly. So they lay down among the sweet smelling yellow flowers and slept soundly until morning--all ④( )ut the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman.

The next morning the sun was behind a cloud, but they started on, as if they were quite sure which way they were going.

"If we walk far enough," said Dorothy, "I am sure we shall sometime come to some place."

But day by day passed away, and they still saw ⑤(them / nothing / but / before) the scarlet fields. The Scarecrow began to grumble a bit.

"We have surely lost our way," he said, "and ⑥unl( )( )( ) we find it again in time to reach the Emerald City, I shall never get my brains."

"Nor I my heart," declared the Tin Woodman. "It seems to me I can scarcely wait till I get to Oz, and you must ⑦( )dmit this is a very long journey."

"You see," said the Cowardly Lion, with a whimper, "I haven't the courage to keep tramping forever, without getting anywhere at all."

Then Dorothy lost heart. She sat down on the grass and looked at her companions, and they sat down and looked at her, and Toto found that for the first time in his life he was too tired to ⑧cha( )( ) a butterfly that flew past his head. So he put out his ⑨tong( )( ) and panted and looked at Dorothy as if to ask what they should do next.

"Suppose we call the field mice," she ⑩( )( )ggested. "They could probably tell us the way to the Emerald City."

"To be sure they could," cried the Scarecrow. "Why didn't we think of that before?"

Dorothy blew the little whistle she had always carried about her neck since the Queen of the Mice had ⑪(it / given / her / to ). In a few minutes they heard the pattering of tiny feet, and many of the small gray mice came running up to her. Among them was the Queen herself, who asked, in her squeaky little voice:

"What can I do for my friends?"

"We have lost our way," said Dorothy. "Can you tell us where the Emerald City is?"

"Certainly," answered the Queen; "but it is ⑫(way / a / off / great ), for you have had it at your backs all this time." Then she noticed Dorothy's Golden Cap, and said, "Why don't you use the charm of the Cap, and call the Winged Monkeys to you? They will carry you to the City of Oz in less than an hour."

"I didn't know there was a charm," answered Dorothy, in surprise. "What is it?"

"It is written inside the Golden Cap," replied the Queen of the Mice. "But if you are going to call the Winged Monkeys we must run away, for they are full of mischief and think it great fun to ⑬plagu( ) us."

"Won't they hurt me?" asked the girl anxiously.

"Oh, no. They must obey the wearer of the Cap. Good-bye!" And she scampered out of sight, with all the ⑭(her / after / hurrying / mice).

Dorothy looked inside the Golden Cap and saw some words written upon the lining. These, she thought, must be the charm, so she read the ⑮( )( )rections carefully and put the Cap upon her head.

"Ep-pe, pep-pe, kak-ke!" she said, standing on her left foot.

"What did you say?" asked the Scarecrow, who did not know ⑯(she / what / doing / was).

"Hil-lo, hol-lo, hel-lo!" Dorothy went on, standing this time on her right foot.

"Hello!" replied the Tin Woodman calmly.

"Ziz-zy, zuz-zy, zik!" said Dorothy, who was now standing on both feet. This ⑰( )nded the saying of the charm, and they heard a great chattering and flapping of wings, as the band of Winged Monkeys flew up to them.

The King ⑱( )owed low before Dorothy, and asked, "What is your ⑲( )( )mmand?"

"We wish to go to the Emerald City," said the child, "and we have lost our way."

※(38)の解答①search②lost③shone④but⑤(nothing before them but)⑥unless⑦admit⑧chase⑨tongue⑩suggested⑪(given it to her)⑫(a great way off)⑬plague⑭(mice hurrying her after)⑮directions⑯(what she was doing)⑰ended⑲command

※(38)の解説
"But if you are going to call the Winged Monkeys we must run away, for they are full of mischief and think it great fun to ⑬plague us."
におけるplagueは、2009年1月の英検１級一次語彙問題に以下のような形で出題されています。

(5)The city's largest hotel had been( ) for months by allegations of fraud and poor management, so few people were surprised when it closed down yesterday.
1 spliced 2 plagued 3 repelled 4 harnessed

※ここでのplagueの意味はオズの魔法使いと同じ「悩ます」という意味の動詞です。plagueは名詞として「疾病、不快物」などの意味でも使われます。選択肢にある英検１級レベルの重要語彙harnessも、オズの魔法使いに登場しました。
　これはけっして驚くべき事ではありません。日本人であれアメリカ人であれ、ネイティブの小学高学年生の語彙は一万を優に超えているというのが定説で、アメリカの小学高学年生並みの語彙力があれば英検一級語彙問題は十分合格圏です。そのレベルの語彙力を効率よく養成するには子ども向け読み物を多読するに限ります。
　ネイティブの小学高学年生並みの語彙力もない受験生に大人向けの評論を読ませて訳させるような大学入試英語問題がいかに常軌を逸したものか、おわかりいただけると思います。「英語二次対策は直前一年を切るまで絶対に始めるな！」と私が大学受験生に訴えるゆえんです。日本語でも理解しかねるような難解な英文の下線部訳に早くから取り組むよりも、まずは英検やセンター試験のような素直な良問で高得点を目指す方がはるかに合理的な受験英語戦略になります。

「オズの魔法使い」から学ぶ大学入試・英検・TOEIC頻出語彙と読解(39)

　著作権の切れた童話「オズの魔法使い」から、シンプルで、大学入試にもTOEICにも英検にも有効な練習問題を作成しています。楽しみながら英語力を伸ばしていただければ幸いです。( )にアルファベットの一文字を入れて文脈に合う単語を完成してください。スラッシュで区切られた整序問題は文の意味が通るように並べ替えてください。
(39)
"We will carry you," replied the King, and ①(he / no / had / sooner ) spoken than two of the Monkeys caught Dorothy in their arms and flew away with her. Others took the Scarecrow and the Woodman and the Lion, and one little Monkey ②( )eized Toto and flew after them, although the dog tried hard to bite him.

The Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman were ③( )ather frightened at first, for they remembered how badly the Winged Monkeys had ④( )reated them before; but they saw that no harm was ⑤( )ntended, so they ⑥( )ode through the air quite cheerfully, and had a fine time looking at the pretty gardens and woods far ⑦belo( ) them.

Dorothy found herself riding easily between two of the biggest Monkeys, one of them the King himself. They had made a chair of their hands and were ⑧(not / careful / hurt / to ) her.

"Why do you have to obey the charm of the Golden Cap?" she asked.

"That is a long story," answered the King, with a Winged laugh; "but as we have a long journey before us, I will ⑨pas( ) the time by telling you about it, if you wish."

"I shall be glad to hear it," she replied.

"Once," began the leader, "we were a free people, living happily in the great forest, flying from tree to tree, eating nuts and fruit, and doing just as we pleased without calling anybody ⑩mast( )( ). Perhaps some of us were rather too full of ⑪mischi( )( ) at times, flying down to pull the tails of the animals that had no wings, chasing birds, and throwing nuts at the people who walked in the forest. But we were ⑫( )areless and happy and full of fun, and enjoyed every minute of the day. This was many years ago, long before Oz came out of the clouds to rule over this land.

"There lived here then, away at the North, a beautiful princess, who was also a powerful sorceress. All her magic was used to help the people, and she was never known to ⑬(was / who / anyone / hurt ) good. Her name was Gayelette, and she lived in a handsome palace built from great blocks of ruby. Everyone loved her, but her greatest ⑭sorr( )( ) was that she could find no one to love in return, since all the men were much too ⑮stupi( ) and ugly to ⑯mat( ) with one so beautiful and wise. At last, however, she found a boy who was handsome and manly and wise ⑰beyo( )( ) his years. Gayelette made up her mind that when ⑱(to / he / be / grew ) a man she would make him her husband, so she took him to her ruby palace and used all her magic powers to make him as strong and good and lovely as any woman could wish. When he grew to manhood, Quelala, as he was called, was said to be the best and wisest man in all the land, while his manly beauty was so great that Gayelette loved him dearly, and ⑲( )astened to make everything ready for the wedding.

※(39)の解答①(no sooner had he)②seized③rather ④treated⑤intended⑥rode⑦below⑧(careful not to hurt)⑨pass⑩master ⑪mischief⑫careless⑬(hurt anyone who was)⑭sorrow ⑮stupid⑯mate⑰beyond ⑱(he grew to be)⑲hastened

※(39)の解説
◇But we were ⑫careless and happy and full of fun,におけるcarelessの意味はけっして「不注意」ではなく「お気楽」くらいの意味です。careには「注意」という意味だけではなく「心配」という意味があり、carelessも「不注意」だけでなく「苦労知らず」という意味でも使われます。
◇when ⑱(he grew to be) a manはもちろん、「男になるため成長する」ではなく、「成長して大人になったら」です。

「オズの魔法使い」から学ぶ大学入試・英検・TOEIC頻出語彙と読解(40)

　著作権の切れた童話「オズの魔法使い」から、シンプルで、大学入試にもTOEICにも英検にも有効な練習問題を作成しています。楽しみながら英語力を伸ばしていただければ幸いです。( )にアルファベットの一文字を入れて文脈に合う単語を完成してください。スラッシュで区切られた整序問題は文の意味が通るように並べ替えてください。
(40)
"My grandfather was at that time the King of the Winged Monkeys which lived in the forest near Gayelette's palace, and the old fellow loved a joke better than a good dinner. One day, just before the wedding, my grandfather was flying out with his band when he saw Quelala walking beside the river. He was ①( )ressed in a rich costume of pink silk and purple velvet, and my grandfather thought he would see ②wh( )( ) he could do. At his word the band flew down and seized Quelala, carried him in their arms until they were over the ③( )iddle of the river, and then dropped him into the water.

"`Swim out, my fine fellow,' cried my grandfather, `and see if the water has ④( )potted your clothes.' Quelala was much too wise not to swim, and he was not in the least ⑤( )poiled by all his good fortune. He laughed, when he came to the top of the water, and swam in to ⑥shor( ). But when Gayelette came running out to him she found his silks and velvet all ⑥( )uined by the river.

"The princess was angry, and she knew, of course, who did it. She had all the Winged Monkeys brought before her, and she said at first that their wings should be tied and they should be ⑦(they / treated / had / as ) treated Quelala, and dropped in the river. But my grandfather ⑧( )leaded hard, for he knew the Monkeys would ⑨drow( ) in the river with their wings tied, and Quelala said a kind word for them also; so that Gayelette finally spared them, on ⑩( )( )ndition that the Winged Monkeys should ever after do three times the bidding of the owner of the Golden Cap. This Cap had been made for a wedding present to Quelala, and it is said to have ⑪( )ost the princess half her kingdom. Of course my grandfather and all the other Monkeys at once agreed to the condition, and ⑫(is / that / it / how) happens that we are three times the slaves of the owner of the Golden Cap, whosoever he may be."

"And what became of them?" asked Dorothy, who had been greatly interested in the story.

"Quelala being the first owner of the Golden Cap," replied the Monkey, "he was the first to lay his wishes upon us. As his bride could not ⑬bea( ) the sight of us, he called us all to him in the forest after he had married her and ordered us always to keep ⑭wh( )( )( ) she could never again set eyes on a Winged Monkey, which we were glad to do, for we were all afraid of her.

"This was all we ever ⑮(do / to / until / had ) the Golden Cap fell into the hands of the Wicked Witch of the West, who made us enslave the Winkies, and afterward drive Oz himself out of the Land of the West. Now the Golden Cap is yours, and three times you have the ⑯( )ight to lay your wishes upon us."

As the Monkey King finished his story Dorothy looked down and saw the green, shining walls of the Emerald City before them. She wondered at the ⑰( )apid flight of the Monkeys, but was glad the journey was over. The strange creatures set the travelers down carefully before the gate of the City, the King bowed low to Dorothy, and then flew swiftly away, ⑰(by / followed / his / all ) band.

"That was a good ride," said the little girl.

"Yes, and a quick ⑱(our / of / out / way ) troubles," replied the Lion. "How lucky it was you brought away that wonderful Cap!"

※(40)の解答①dressed②what③middle④spotted⑤spoiled⑥ruined⑦(treated as they had)⑧pleaded⑨drown⑩condition⑪cost ⑫(that is how it)⑬bear⑭where⑮(had to do until)⑯right⑰rapid ⑰(followed by all his)⑱(way out of our)

※(40)の解説
◇and he was not in the least ⑤spoiled by all his good fortune.
というのは、「all his good fortune（彼のもろもろの幸運）つまり、イケメンで男らしくて頭が良いことに加えて、才長けて見目麗しい女王のツバメ、いや夫になるといったもろもろの幸運によって少しもspoilされていなかった」ということです。ここでのspoilは「甘やかされて駄目になる」という意味です。
◇Gayelette finally spared them, on ⑩condition thatは、「Gayeletteはとうとうthat以下の条件で彼らを許してやった」という意味になります。
◇⑪cost the princess half her kingdom. は第四文型のVOO構造です。
◇As his bride could not ⑬bear the sight of us, とは「彼の花嫁はわれわれの姿を見ることが我慢ならないので」という意味です。