「ドリトル先生航海記」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「ドリトル先生航海記」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。コロンで区切られているのが四語選択問題、スラッシュで区切られているのが四語整序問題になっています。
　わからない単語が四語選択問題の中にあれば辞書で調べて、どの単語が文脈に合うか考えるだけでも英語力がつきます。英英辞典を使えれば効果倍増です。
ネイティブの発想でわかりやすく書かれた英英辞典は英語の万能細胞と言っても過言ではありません。
　英英辞典が使えるかどうかは
英英実力判定テストでお調べください。使いにくければ
english x englishをお試しください。英英辞典を使うのが楽になります。

※(31)の解答①(look as though he)②(popped out from under)③(had to squabble for)④(I saw her awake)⑤(worn)⑥(hard time getting here )⑦(passage)⑧(waiting to say something)⑨(deliver)⑩(to hide away from)⑪(in coming to you)⑫(scratched)⑬(flight)⑭(ran)⑮(wrecked vessel floating in)⑯(to take that rest)⑰(to find out whereabouts)⑱(coast)⑲(mountains looking for rare)⑳(trust)

(32)
"No. That was the last that was seen or heard of him. I questioned the sea-birds around the ①(out / shores / find / to) if he had left the island in a canoe. But they could tell me nothing."

"Do you think that some accident has happened to him?" asked the Doctor in a fearful voice.

"I'm afraid it must have," said Miranda shaking her head.

"Well," said John Dolittle slowly, "if I could never meet Long Arrow face to face it would be the greatest disappointment in my whole life. Not only that, but it would be a great loss to the knowledge of the human race. For, from ②(you / told / what / have) me of him, he knew more natural science than all the ③(put / rest / us / of) together; and if he has gone without any one to write it down for him, so the world may be the better for it, it would be a terrible thing. But you don't really think that he is dead, do you?"

"What else can I think?" asked Miranda, bursting into tears, "when for six whole months he has not been seen by flesh, fish or fowl."

THE ELEVENTH CHAPTER. BLIND TRAVEL
THIS news about Long Arrow made us all very sad. And I could see from the silent dreamy way the Doctor took his tea that he was dreadfully ④*(awkward : upset : reluctant : thin). Every once in a while he would stop eating altogether and sit staring at the spots on the kitchen table-cloth as though his ⑤(were / thoughts / away / far); till Dab-Dab, who was ⑥(that / see / to / watching) he got a good meal, would cough or rattle the pots in the sink.

I did my best to cheer him up ⑦(for : to : by : on)reminding him of all he had done for Luke and his wife that afternoon. And when that didn't seem to ⑧(make : work : take : go), I went on talking about our preparations for the voyage.

"But you see, Stubbins," said he as we rose from the table and Dab-Dab and Chee-Chee began to clear away, "I don't know where to go now. I feel sort of lost since Miranda brought me this news. On this voyage I had planned going to see Long Arrow. I had been looking forward to it for a whole year. I felt he might ⑨(in / help / learning / me) the language of the shellfish—and perhaps in finding some way of getting to the bottom of the sea. But now?—He's gone! And all his great knowledge has gone with him."

Then he seemed to fall a-dreaming again.

"Just to think of it!" he murmured. "Long Arrow and I, two students—Although I'd never met him, I felt as though I knew him quite well. For, in his way—without any schooling—he has, all his life, been trying to do the very things which I have tried to do in mine—And now he's gone!—A whole world lay between us—And only a bird knew us both!"

We went back into the study, where Jip brought the Doctor his slippers and his pipe. And after the pipe was lit and the smoke began to fill the room the old man seemed to cheer up a little.

"But you will go on some voyage, Doctor, won't you?" I asked—"even if you can't go to find Long Arrow."

He looked up sharply into my face; and I suppose ⑩(saw / he / anxious / how) I was. Because he suddenly smiled his old, boyish smile and said,

"Yes, Stubbins. Don't worry. We'll go. We mustn't stop working and learning, even if poor Long Arrow has disappeared—But where to go: that's the question. Where shall we go?"

There were so many places that I wanted to go that I couldn't make up ⑪(right / my / away / mind). And while I was still thinking, the Doctor sat up in his chair and said,

"I tell you what we'll do, Stubbins: it's a game I used to play when I was young—before Sarah came to live with me. I used to call it Blind Travel. Whenever I wanted to go on a voyage, and I couldn't make up my mind where to go, I would take the atlas and open it ⑫(shut / with / eyes / my). Next, I'd wave a pencil, still without looking, and stick it down on whatever page had fallen open. Then I'd open my eyes and look. It's a very exciting game, is Blind Travel. Because you have to ⑬*(swear : dismay : tolerate : retreat), before you begin, that you will go to the place the pencil touches, come what way. Shall we play it?"

"Oh, let's!" I almost ⑭*(grabbed : confessed : yelled : calculated). "How thrilling! I hope it's China—or Borneo—or Bagdad."

And in a moment I had scrambled up the bookcase, ⑮**(betrayed : dragged : inherited : transformed) the big atlas from the top shelf and laid it on the table before the Doctor.

I knew every page in ⑯(heart / that / by / atlas). How many days and nights I had ⑰(over / lingered / old / its) faded maps, following the blue rivers from the mountains to the sea; wondering what the little towns really looked like, and how wide were the sprawling lakes! I had had a lot of fun with that atlas, traveling, in my mind, all over the world. I can see it now: the first ⑱(had / map / page / no); it just told you that it was printed in Edinburgh in 1808, and a whole lot more about the book. The next page was the Solar System, showing the sun and planets, the stars and the moon. The third page was the chart of the North and South Poles. Then came the hemispheres, the oceans, the continents and the countries.

As the Doctor began sharpening his pencil a thought came to me.

"What if the pencil falls upon the North Pole," I asked, "will we have to go there?"

"No. The rules of the game ⑲(take : make : say : get) you don't have to go any place you've been to before. You are allowed another try. I've been to the North Pole," he ended quietly, "so we shan't have to go there." I could hardly speak with astonishment.

"YOU'VE BEEN TO THE NORTH POLE!" I managed to gasp out at last. "But I thought it was still undiscovered. The map shows all the ⑳(have / places / reached / explorers) to, TRYING to get there. Why isn't your name down if you discovered it?"

解答は次回発表。ご意見、ご要望等はsuzuyasu@wmail.plala.or.jpでも承っております。

「ドリトル先生航海記」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「ドリトル先生航海記」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。コロンで区切られているのが四語選択問題、スラッシュで区切られているのが四語整序問題になっています。
　著作権の関係でお示しすることはできないとはいえ、英検１級レベルの長文(TIME,NEWSWEEKのやさしめの記事程度)から作成した四語選択問題と四語整序問題がすらすら解けるようになれば英検１級・TOEIC900点レベル到達は十分可能です。

※(30)の解答①(stands any chance of)②(for)③(crowd won't be denied)④(appointment)⑤(muttered)⑥(managed to get away)⑦(dared to slow down)⑧(clamoring)⑨(although)⑩(had begun to fear)⑪(excited way in which)⑫(insulted)⑬(persuading her to wait)⑭(frowned)⑮(beautiful but looked dreadfully)⑯(nuisance)⑰(get Miranda to stay)⑱(not to look guilty)⑲(offended)⑳(forgiven)

(31)
Sheepishly, but still trying to ①(as / he / look / though) didn't care, Cheapside hopped out into the passage and Dab-Dab closed the door.

The Doctor went up to the beautiful bird on the ink-stand and gently stroked its back. Instantly its head ②(from / popped / under / out) its wing.

THE TENTH CHAPTER. LONG ARROW, THE SON OF GOLDEN ARROW
"WELL, Miranda," said the Doctor. "I'm terribly sorry this has happened. But you mustn't mind Cheapside; he doesn't know any better. He's a city bird; and all his life he has ③(to / had / for / squabble) a living. You must make allowances. He doesn't know any better."

Miranda stretched her gorgeous wings wearily. Now that ④(her / I / awake / saw) and moving I noticed what a superior, well-bred manner she had. There were tears in her eyes and her beak was trembling.

"I wouldn't have minded so much," she said in a high silvery voice, "if I hadn't been so dreadfully ⑤(taken : worn : figured : made) out—That and something else," she added beneath her breath.

"Did you have a ⑥(here / getting / time / hard)?" asked the Doctor.

"The worst ⑦*(passage : right : desire : shame) I ever made," said Miranda. "The weather—Well there. What's the use? I'm here anyway."

"Tell me," said the Doctor as though he had been impatiently ⑧(say / waiting / something / to) for a long time: "what did Long Arrow say when you gave him my message?"

The Purple Bird-of-Paradise hung her head.

"That's the worst part of it," she said. "I might almost as well have not come at all. I wasn't able to ⑨*(borrow : deliver : invent : assist) your message. I couldn't find him. LONG ARROW, THE SON OF GOLDEN ARROW, HAS DISAPPEARED!"

"Disappeared!" cried the Doctor. "Why, what's become of him?"

"Nobody knows," Miranda answered. "He had often disappeared before, as I have told you—so that the Indians didn't know where he was. But it's a mighty hard thing ⑩(hide / from / to / away) the birds. I had always been able to find some owl or martin who could tell me where he was—if I wanted to know. But not this time. That's why I'm nearly a fortnight late ⑪(you / in / to / coming): I kept hunting and hunting, asking everywhere. I went over the whole length and breadth of South America. But there wasn't a living thing could tell me where he was."

There was a sad silence in the room after she had finished; the Doctor was frowning in a peculiar sort of way and Polynesia ⑫*(crammed : conformed : folded : scratched) her head.

"Did you ask the black parrots?" asked Polynesia. "They usually know everything."

"Certainly I did," said Miranda. "And I was so upset at not being able to find out anything, that I forgot all about observing the weather-signs before I started my ⑬*(destiny : flight : trend : habit) here. I didn't even bother to break my journey at the Azores, but cut right across, making for the Straits of Gibraltar—as though it were June or July. And of course I ⑭(made : put : ran : began) into a perfectly frightful storm in mid-Atlantic. I really thought I'd never come through it. Luckily I found a piece of a ⑮(vessel / in / wrecked / floating) the sea after the storm had partly died down; and I roosted on it and took some sleep. If I hadn't been able ⑯(take / to / rest / that) I wouldn't be here to tell the tale."

"Poor Miranda! What a time you must have had!" said the Doctor. "But tell me, were you able ⑰(whereabouts / to / out / find) Long Arrow was last seen?"

"Yes. A young albatross told me he had seen him on Spidermonkey Island?"

"Spidermonkey Island? That's somewhere off the ⑱*(custom : term : coast : pollution) of Brazil, isn't it?"

"Yes, that's it. Of course I flew there right away and asked every bird on the island—and it is a big island, a hundred miles long. It seems that Long Arrow was visiting some peculiar Indians that live there; and that when last seen he was going up into the ⑲(looking / mountains / rare / for) medicine-plants. I got that from a tame hawk, a pet, which the Chief of the Indians keeps for hunting partridges with. I nearly got caught and put in a cage for my pains too. That's the worst of having beautiful feathers: it's as much as your life is worth to go near most humans—They say, 'oh how pretty!' and shoot an arrow or a bullet into you. You and Long Arrow were the only two men that I would ever ⑳*(assume : trust : argue : react) myself near—out of all the people in the world."

"But was he never known to have returned from the mountains?"

解答は次回発表。ご意見、ご要望等はsuzuyasu@wmail.plala.or.jpでも承っております。

「ドリトル先生航海記」から学ぶ大学入試・英検・TOEIC頻出語彙と読解(30)

　著作権の切れた童話「ドリトル先生航海記」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。
　いままでにここのブログで連載した「オズの魔法使い」から学ぶ頻出語彙と読解、ドリトル先生アフリカゆきで学ぶ語彙・読解は並べ替えて冒頭から通読できるようにしましたので、ご利用頂ければ幸いです。ペーパーバックを一冊読み終える効用は非常に大きいです。おおむねの目安としては実用英検準２級一次でコンスタントに九割以上得点できるようであれば、やさしいペーパーバックは読めます。高校二年の夏休みあたりにペーパーバックを読んでおけば入試英語でも有利になるでしょう。やさしくても天然英語を大量インプットすれば強いです。合格ラインが５～６割といった入試問題に早くから手を出すのは得策ではありません。
　ドリトル先生航海記で学ぶ語彙・読解も連載終了後には冒頭から通読できるように並べ替える予定です。コロンで区切られているのが四語選択問題、スラッシュで区切られているのが四語整序問題になっています。

※(29)の解答①(saw)②(on)③(I swear it is)④(terrific)⑤(help)⑥(evidence)⑦(against)⑦(are at liberty to)⑧(prove his evidence untrue)⑨(what)⑩(sank)⑪(be helped out of)⑫(up their minds whether)⑬(talk it over in)⑭(breath)⑮(verdict)⑯(standing on top of)⑰(glad they were that)⑱(sudden shriek rang out)⑲(missed)⑳(congratulated)

(30)
"Come along, Stubbins," said the Doctor, taking me by the arm, "let's get out of this while we can."

"But aren't you going to speak to Luke?" I said—"to ask him if he'll come on the voyage?"

"It wouldn't be a bit of use," said the Doctor. "His wife's come for him. No man ①(chance / stands / of / any) going on a voyage when his wife hasn't seen him in fifteen years. Come along. Let's get home to tea. We didn't have any lunch, remember. And we've earned something to eat. We'll have one of those mixed meals, lunch and tea combined—with watercress and ham. Nice change. Come along."

Just as we were going to step out at a side door I heard the crowd shouting,

"The Doctor! The Doctor! Where's the Doctor? The Hermit would have hanged if it hadn't been ②(from : by : to : for) the Doctor. Speech! Speech!—The Doctor!"

And a man came running up to us and said,

"The people are calling for you, Sir."

"I'm very sorry," said the Doctor, "but I'm in a hurry."

"The ③(be / crowd / denied / won't), Sir," said the man. "They want you to make a speech in the marketplace."

"Beg them to excuse me," said the Doctor—"with my compliments. I have an ④*(insight : origin : enthusiasm : appointment) at my house—a very important one which I may not break. Tell Luke to make a speech. Come along, Stubbins, this way."

"Oh Lord!" he ⑤**(boasted : muttered : assented : negotiated) as we got out into the open air and found another crowd waiting for him at the side door. "Let's go up that alleyway—to the left. Quick!—Run!"

We took to our heels, darted through a couple of side streets and just ⑥(away / managed / get / to) from the crowd.

It was not till we had gained the Oxenthorpe Road that we ⑦(slow / down / dared / to) to a walk and take our breath. And even when we reached the Doctor's gate and turned to look backwards towards the town, the faint murmur of many voices still reached us on the evening wind.

"They're still ⑧***(provoking : clamoring : mourning : enhancing) for you," I said. "Listen!"

The murmur suddenly swelled up into a low distant roar; and ⑨(because : when : although : so) it was a mile and half away you could distinctly hear the words,

"Three cheers for Luke the Hermit: Hooray!—Three cheers for his dog: Hooray!—Three cheers for his wife: Hooray!—Three cheers for the Doctor: Hooray! Hooray! HOO-R-A-Y!"

THE NINTH CHAPTER. THE PURPLE BIRD-OF-PARADISE
POLYNESIA was waiting for us in the front porch. She looked full of some important news.

"Doctor," said she, "the Purple Bird-of-Paradise has arrived!"

"At last!" said the Doctor. "I ⑩(begun / fear / had / to ) some accident had befallen her. And how is Miranda?"

From the ⑪(in / excited / which / way) the Doctor fumbled his key into the lock I guessed that we were not going to get our tea right away, even now.

"Oh, she seemed all right when she arrived," said Polynesia—"tired from her long journey of course but otherwise all right. But what DO you think? That mischief-making sparrow, Cheapside, ⑫**(consulted : insulted : apired : signified) her as soon as she came into the garden. When I arrived on the scene she was in tears and was all for turning round and going straight back to Brazil to-night. I had the hardest work ⑬(wait / to / her / persuading) till you came. She's in the study. I shut Cheapside in one of your book-cases and told him I'd tell you exactly what had happened the moment you got home."

The Doctor ⑭**(confronted : frowned : bloomed : guaranteed), then walked silently and quickly to the study.

Here we found the candles lit; for the daylight was nearly gone. Dab-Dab was standing on the floor mounting guard over one of the glass-fronted book-cases in which Cheapside had been imprisoned. The noisy little sparrow was still fluttering angrily behind the glass when we came in.

In the centre of the big table, perched on the ink-stand, stood the most beautiful bird I have ever seen. She had a deep violet-colored breast, scarlet wings and a long, long sweeping tail of gold. She was unimaginably ⑮(but / beautiful / dreadfully / looked) tired. Already she had her head under her wing; and she swayed gently from side to side on top of the ink-stand like a bird that has flown long and far.

"Sh!" said Dab-Dab. "Miranda is asleep. I've got this little imp Cheapside in here. Listen, Doctor: for Heaven's sake send that sparrow away before he does any more mischief. He's nothing but a vulgar little ⑯***(controversy : nuisance : advocate : revenue). We've had a perfectly awful time trying to ⑰(to / get / stay / Miranda). Shall I serve your tea in here, or will you come into the kitchen when you're ready?"

"We'll come into the kitchen, Dab-Dab," said the Doctor. "Let Cheapside out before you go, please."

Dab-Dab opened the bookcase-door and Cheapside strutted out trying hard ⑱(guilty / not / look / to).

"Cheapside," said the Doctor sternly, "what did you say to Miranda when she arrived?"

"I didn't say nothing, Doc, straight I didn't. That is, nothing much. I was picking up crumbs off the gravel path when she comes swanking into the garden, turning up her nose in all directions, as though she owned the earth—just because she's got a lot of colored plumage. A London sparrow's as good as her any day. I don't hold by these gawdy bedizened foreigners nohow. Why don't they stay in their own country?"

"But what did you say to her that got her so ⑲**(obliged : refrained : offended : yielded)?"

"All I said was, 'You don't belong in an English garden; you ought to be in a milliner's window. That's all."

"You ought to be ashamed of yourself, Cheapside. Don't you realize that this bird has come thousands of miles to see me—only to be insulted by your impertinent tongue as soon as she reaches my garden? What do you mean by it?—If she had gone away again before I got back to-night I would never have ⑳*(regretted : disappointed : amazed : forgiven) you—Leave the room."

解答は次回発表。ご意見、ご要望等はsuzuyasu@wmail.plala.or.jpでも承っております。

「ドリトル先生航海記」から学ぶ大学入試・英検・TOEIC頻出語彙と読解(29)

　著作権の切れた童話「ドリトル先生航海記」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。
　コロンで区切られているのが四語選択問題になり*の数は単語の難易度の目安で無印は語法、文法等の問題です。スラッシュで区切られているのが四語整序問題になっています。
　整序問題はTOEICには出題されないものの、英語を学ぶにあたって語順の習得は最重要事項のひとつです。試験に出ることだけをやるような「楽」を目指さず、理解する「楽しみ」を大事にしていけば学習モティベーションも維持しやすいと思います。

※(28)の解答①(dog shall be admitted)②(screamed)③(roared)④(solemn)⑤(astonished) ⑥(ask Bob what he)⑦(turned it into English)⑧(hunting) ⑨(suspected of being bad)⑩(arrange)⑪(wicked)⑫(sneaked out when no)⑬(make him understand that)⑭(let him out of)⑮(haul)⑮(Mendoza come out of)⑯(sneaking up behind Luke)⑰(no notice of me)⑱(bit my master in)⑲(scolding)⑳(be put in prison)

(29)
"And soon my master leave : grew afraid; for he ①(heard : looked : took : saw) that if Mendoza only told enough lies to the police, it WOULD look as though he had killed Bill ②(from : to : on : at) purpose. So while Mendoza was gone he and I stole away together secretly and came to England. Here he shaved off his beard and became a hermit. And ever since, for fifteen years, we've remained in hiding. This is all I have to say. And ③(swear / is / I / it) the truth, every word."

When the Doctor finished reading Bob's long speech the excitement among the twelve men of the jury was positively ④*(selfish : terrific : jealous : manual). One, a very old man with white hair, began to weep in a loud voice at the thought of poor Luke hiding on the fen for fifteen years for something he couldn't ⑤(make : take : help : leave). And all the others set to whispering and nodding their heads to one another.

In the middle of all this up got that horrible Prosecutor again, waving his arms more wildly than ever.

"Your Honor," he cried, "I must object to this ⑥*(evidence : device : conduct : structure) as biased. Of course the dog would not tell the truth ⑦(by : from : against : for) his own master. I object. I protest."

"Very well," said the judge, "you ⑦(to / are / liberty / at) cross-examine. It is your duty as Prosecutor to ⑧(untrue / evidence / prove / his). There is the dog: question him, if you do not believe ⑨(that : which : in : what) he says."

I thought the long-nosed lawyer would have a fit. He looked first at the dog, then at the Doctor, then at the judge, then back at the dog scowling from the witness-box. He opened his mouth to say something; but no words came. He waved his arms some more. His face got redder and redder. At last, clutching his forehead, he ⑩*(directed : joined : sank : defended) weakly into his seat and had to ⑪(of / be / out / helped) the court-room by two friends. As he was half carried through the door he was still feebly murmuring, "I protest—I object—I protest!"

THE EIGHTH CHAPTER. THREE CHEERS
NEXT the judge made a very long speech to the jury; and when it was over all the twelve jurymen got up and went out into the next room. And at that point the Doctor came back, leading Bob, to the seat beside me.

"What have the jurymen gone out for?" I asked.

"They always do that at the end of a trial—to make ⑫(their / up / whether / minds ) the prisoner did it or not."

"Couldn't you and Bob go in with them and help them make up their minds the right way?" I asked.

"No, that's not allowed. They have to ⑬(it / in / talk / over) secret. Sometimes it takes—My Gracious, look, they're coming back already! They didn't spend long over it."

Everybody kept quite still while the twelve men came tramping back into their places in the pews. Then one of them, the leader—a little man—stood up and turned to the judge. Every one was holding his ⑭*(practice : breath : range : affair), especially the Doctor and myself, to see what he was going to say. You could have heard a pin drop while the whole court-room, the whole of Puddleby in fact, waited with craning necks and straining ears to hear the weighty words.

"Your Honor," said the little man, "the jury returns a ⑮***(diversity : verdict : transition : conference)of NOT GUILTY."

"What's that mean?" I asked, turning to the Doctor.

But I found Doctor John Dolittle, the famous naturalist, ⑯(on / standing / of / top ) a chair, dancing about on one leg like a schoolboy.

"It means he's free!" he cried, "Luke is free!"

"Then he'll be able to come on the voyage with us, won't he?"

But I could not hear his answer; for the whole court-room seemed to be jumping up on chairs like the Doctor. The crowd had suddenly gone crazy. All the people were laughing and calling and waving to Luke to show him how ⑰(that / glad / were / they) he was free. The noise was deafening.

Then it stopped. All was quiet again; and the people stood up respectfully while the judge left the Court. For the trial of Luke the Hermit, that famous trial which to this day they are still talking of in Puddleby, was over.

In the hush while the judge was leaving, a ⑱(shriek / out / sudden / rang), and there, in the doorway stood a woman, her arms out-stretched to the Hermit.

"Luke!" she cried, "I've found you at last!"

"It's his wife," the fat woman in front of me whispered. "She ain't seen 'im in fifteen years, poor dear! What a lovely re-union. I'm glad I came. I wouldn't have ⑲*(regarded : missed : accomplished : claimed) this for anything!"

As soon as the judge had gone the noise broke out again; and now the folks gathered round Luke and his wife and shook them by the hand and ⑳*(cured : aimed : congratulated : revealed) them and laughed over them and cried over them.

解答は次回発表。ご意見、ご要望等はsuzuyasu@wmail.plala.or.jpでも承っております。

「ドリトル先生航海記」から学ぶ大学入試・英検・TOEIC頻出語彙と読解(28)

　著作権の切れた童話「ドリトル先生航海記」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。
　コロンで区切られているのが四語選択問題になり*の数は単語の難易度の目安で無印は語法、文法等の問題です。スラッシュで区切られているのが四語整序問題になっています。


※(27)の解答①(dead)②(great hive of bees)③(protest)④(dignity)⑤(demonstration)⑥(of amusement come into)⑦(quite sure you can)⑧(satisfy)⑨(shall be admitted as)⑩(yelled)⑪(wish me to talk)⑫(have him brought in)⑬(fetched)⑭(what)⑮(get so interested that)⑯(pretending)⑰(take that long just)⑱(went on to tell)⑲(what answer he gave)⑳(playing cards for money)

　記憶力は人間の知的能力の重要な要素です。しかし、記憶力しか取り柄のない人間が世の中で役に立つ機会はあまりないでしょう。思考能力がなければ知識も宝の持ち腐れになることが多いです。試験における英語は記憶力だけでもある程度の点を稼げるため、記憶よりも思考が得意な受験生から嫌われたり、暗記物と軽視されることもありました。たしかに、試験で点が取りやすいからといって暗記物に重点を置くのは長期的に賢明な学習方法ではなく、より思考力が問われる上の学校に進むにつれて伸び悩むことにもなりかねません。
　ただ、英語もやり方次第で「脱暗記物」化し思考力を鍛えることが可能です。そのひとつが英英辞典の活用です。
　たとえば"I ③*(violate : ban : consent : protest), Your Honor," he cried, waving his arms wildly to the judge. "I object.という四択問題で選択肢にわからない単語があれば、Longman English Dictionary Online で調べると以下のような検索結果が無料で得られます。
violate = to disobey or do something against an official agreement, law, principle etc
ban = to say that something must not be done, seen, used etc
consent = to give your permission for something or agree to do something
protest = to say that you strongly disagree with or are angry about something because you think it is wrong or unfair
　ここの文脈ではprotest以外に正解はあり得ません。英語の定義文を読み続けて英英辞典を自在に使えるようになれば、語彙力だけではなく読解力も向上します。

(28)
"That will do," the judge interrupted, "I am satisfied you can do as you say. The prisoner's ①(shall / admitted / dog / be) as a witness."

"I protest, I object!" ②*(scattered : attended : screamed : cultivated) the Prosecutor. "Your Honor, this is—"

"Sit down!" ③**(roared : teased : underwent : leaped) the judge. "I say the dog shall be heard. That ends the matter. Put the witness in the stand."

And then for the first time in the ④***(juvenile : toxic : fertile : solemn) history of England a dog was put in the witness-stand of Her Majesty's Court of Assizes. And it was I, Tommy Stubbins (when the Doctor made a sign to me across the room) who proudly led Bob up the aisle, through the ⑤**(derived : astonished : accustomed : stumbled) crowd, past the frowning, spluttering, long-nosed Prosecutor, and made him comfortable on a high chair in the witness-box; from where the old bulldog sat scowling down over the rail upon the amazed and gaping jury.

THE SEVENTH CHAPTER. THE END OF THE MYSTERY
THE trial went swiftly forward after that. Mr. Jenkyns told the Doctor to ⑥(he / ask / what / Bob) saw on the "night of the 29th;" and when Bob had told all he knew and the Doctor had ⑦(it / turned / English / into ) for the judge and the jury, this was what he had to say:

"On the night of the 29th of November, 1824, I was with my master, Luke Fitzjohn (otherwise known as Luke the Hermit) and his two partners, Manuel Mendoza and William Boggs (otherwise known as Bluebeard Bill) on their gold-mine in Mexico. For a long time these three men had been ⑧*(gaining : hunting : guessing : rewarding) for gold; and they had dug a deep hole in the ground. On the morning of the 29th gold was discovered, lots of it, at the bottom of this hole. And all three, my master and his two partners, were very happy about it because now they would be rich. But Manuel Mendoza asked Bluebeard Bill to go for a walk with him. These two men I had always ⑨(being / suspected / bad / of). So when I noticed that they left my master behind, I followed them secretly to see what they were up to. And in a deep cave in the mountains I heard them ⑩*(select : arrange : exist : deny) together to kill Luke the Hermit so that they should get all the gold and he have none."

At this point the judge asked, "Where is the witness Mendoza? Constable, see that he does not leave the court."

But the ⑪**(absurd : modest : wicked : stable) little man with the watery eyes had already ⑫(when / sneaked / no / out) one was looking and he was never seen in Puddleby again.

"Then," Bob's statement went on, "I went to my master and tried very hard to ⑬(him / that / make / understand) his partners were dangerous men. But it was no use. He did not understand dog language. So I did the next best thing: I never ⑭(him / let / of / out) my sight but stayed with him every moment of the day and night.

"Now the hole that they had made was so deep that to get down and up it you had to go in a big bucket tied on the end of a rope; and the three men used to ⑮***(ally : swell : emit : haul) one another up and let one another down the mine in this way. That was how the gold was brought up too—in the bucket. Well, about seven o'clock in the evening my master was standing at the top of the mine, hauling up Bluebeard Bill who was in the bucket. Just as he had got Bill halfway up I saw ⑮(come / of / Mendoza / out) the hut where we all lived. Mendoza thought that Bill was away buying groceries. But he wasn't: he was in the bucket. And when Mendoza saw Luke hauling and straining on the rope he thought he was pulling up a bucketful of gold. So he drew a pistol from his pocket and came ⑯(Luke / up / behind / sneaking) to shoot him.

"I barked and barked to warn my master of the danger he was in; but he was so busy hauling up Bill (who was a heavy fat man) that he took ⑰(notice / no / me / of). I saw that if I didn't do something quick he would surely be shot. So I did a thing I've never done before: suddenly and savagely I ⑱(my / in / bit / master) the leg from behind. Luke was so hurt and startled that he did just what I wanted him to do: he let go the rope with both hands at once and turned round. And then, CRASH! down went Bill in his bucket to the bottom of the mine and he was killed.

"While my master was busy ⑲*(scolding : recovering : doubting : removing) me Mendoza put his pistol in his pocket, came up with a smile on his face and looked down the mine.

"'Why, Good Gracious'!" said he to Luke, 'You've killed Bluebeard Bill. I must go and tell the police'—hoping, you see, to get the whole mine to himself when Luke should ⑳(prison / be / in / put). Then he jumped on his horse and galloped away."

解答は次回発表。ご意見、ご要望等はsuzuyasu@wmail.plala.or.jpでも承っております。

「ドリトル先生航海記」から学ぶ大学入試・英検・TOEIC頻出語彙と読解(27)

　著作権の切れた童話「ドリトル先生航海記」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。動物の証言が法廷で認められるのかどうか・・・楽しみながら英語力を伸ばしていただければ幸いです。
　コロンで区切られているのが四語選択問題になり*の数は単語の難易度の目安で無印は語法、文法等の問題です。スラッシュで区切られているのが四語整序問題になっています。六語整序問題や八語整序問題をウンウン唸りながらやるよりも大量の四語整序問題をこなした方がずっと英語センスはよくなります。

※(26)の解答①(his desk with it)②(as though he were)③(take)④(went on talking with)⑤(witness)⑥(present)⑦(degree)⑧(any more for they) ⑨(by asking questions which)⑩(contempt)⑪(keeping)⑫(him stand up at)⑬(step)⑭(made his way across)⑮(way which made me)⑯(surrender)⑰(this to do with)⑱(though he were on)⑲(With) ⑳(eminent)

(27)
THE SIXTH CHAPTER. THE JUDGE'S DOG
AT first there was a ①(live : dead : active : bad) silence in the Court. Then everybody began whispering or giggling at the same time, till the whole room sounded like a ②(of / great / bees / hive). Many people seemed to be shocked; most of them were amused; and a few were angry.

Presently up sprang the nasty lawyer with the long nose.

"I ③*(violate : ban : consent : protest), Your Honor," he cried, waving his arms wildly to the judge. "I object. The ④*(dignity : sentence : drought : tragedy) of this court is in peril. I protest."

"I am the one to take care of the dignity of this court," said the judge.

Then Mr. Jenkyns got up again. (If it hadn't been such a serious matter, it was almost like a Punch-and-Judy show: somebody was always popping down and somebody else popping up).

"If there is any doubt on the score of our being able to do as we say, Your Honor will have no objection, I trust, to the Doctor's giving the Court a ⑤**(garbage : infection : demonstration : caution) of his powers—of showing that he actually can understand the speech of animals?" I thought I saw a twinkle ⑥(come / of / into / amusement) the old judge's eyes as he sat considering a moment before he answered.

"No," he said at last, "I don't think so." Then he turned to the Doctor.

"Are you ⑦(you / quite / can / sure) do this?" he asked.

"Quite, Your Honor," said the Doctor—"quite sure."

"Very well then," said the judge. "If you can ⑧*(earn : satisfy : seek : explode) us that you really are able to understand canine testimony, the dog ⑨(be / as / shall / admitted) a witness. I do not see, in that case, how I could object to his being heard. But I warn you that if you are trying to make a laughing-stock of this Court it will go hard with you."

"I protest, I protest!" ⑩**(astonished : convicted : yelled : strived) the long-nosed Prosecutor. "This is a scandal, an outrage to the Bar!"

"Sit down!" said the judge in a very stern voice.

"What animal does Your Honor ⑪(to / wish / talk / me) with?" asked the Doctor.

"I would like you to talk to my own dog," said the judge. "He is outside in the cloak-room. I will ⑫(in / brought / him / have); and then we shall see what you can do."

Then someone went out and ⑬**(acknowledged : isolated : fetched : sweeped) the judge's dog, a lovely great Russian wolf-hound with slender legs and a shaggy coat. He was a proud and beautiful creature.

"Now, Doctor," said the judge, "did you ever see this dog before?—Remember you are in the witness-stand and under oath."

"No, Your Honor, I never saw him before."

"Very well then, will you please ask him to tell you ⑭(while : that : which : what) I had for supper last night? He was with me and watched me while I ate."

Then the Doctor and the dog started talking to one another in signs and sounds; and they kept at it for quite a long time. And the Doctor began to giggle and ⑮(so / that / get / interested) he seemed to forget all about the Court and the judge and everything else.

"What a time he takes!" I heard a fat woman in front of me whispering. "He's only ⑯*(increasing : aiding : pretending : improving). Of course he can't do it! Who ever heard of talking to a dog? He must think we're children."

"Haven't you finished yet?" the judge asked the Doctor. "It shouldn't ⑰(just / take / long / that) to ask what I had for supper."

"Oh no, Your Honor," said the Doctor. "The dog told me that long ago. But then he ⑱(on / went / tell / to) me what you did after supper."

"Never mind that," said the judge. "Tell me ⑲(answer / gave / what / he ) you to my question."

"He says you had a mutton-chop, two baked potatoes, a pickled walnut and a glass of ale."

The Honorable Eustace Beauchamp Conckley went white to the lips.

"Sounds like witchcraft," he muttered. "I never dreamed—"

"And after your supper," the Doctor went on, "he says you went to see a prize-fight and then sat up ⑳(for / playing / money / cards) till twelve o'clock and came home singing, 'We wont get—'"

解答は次回発表。ご意見、ご要望等はsuzuyasu@wmail.plala.or.jpでも承っております。

「ドリトル先生航海記」から学ぶ大学入試・英検・TOEIC頻出語彙と読解(26)

　著作権の切れた童話「ドリトル先生航海記」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。
　いままでにここのブログで連載した「オズの魔法使い」から学ぶ頻出語彙と読解、ドリトル先生アフリカゆきで学ぶ語彙・読解は並べ替えて冒頭から通読できるようにしましたので、ご利用頂ければ幸いです。ペーパーバックを一冊読み終える効用は非常に大きいです。おおむねの目安としては実用英検準２級一次でコンスタントに九割以上得点できるようであれば、やさしいペーパーバックは読めます。
　ドリトル先生航海記で学ぶ語彙・読解も連載終了後には冒頭から通読できるように並べ替える予定です。コロンで区切られているのが四語選択問題、スラッシュで区切られているのが四語整序問題になっています。

※(25)の解答①(with brass buttons standing)②(person you spoke to)③(keep people in order)④(leaving us shut in)⑤(dim)⑥(brings)⑦(to ask you if)⑧(thinking they were after)⑨(cheer)⑩(miserable)⑪(saw this business happen)⑫(I tell you to)⑬(matter what they may)⑭(spoil)⑮(solemn)⑯(at which lawyers in)⑰(reminded)⑱(jury)⑲(one of those men)⑳(which)

(26)
Then I saw the judge take up a funny little wooden hammer and knock on ①(desk / it / his / with). This, it seemed, was to make people keep quiet, for immediately every one stopped buzzing and talking and began to listen very respectfully. Then another man in a black gown stood up and began reading from a paper in his hand.

He mumbled away exactly ②(he / as / were / though) saying his prayers and didn't want any one to understand what language they were in. But I managed to catch a few words:

"Biz—biz—biz—biz—biz—otherwise known as Luke the Hermit, of—biz—biz—biz—biz—for killing his partner with—biz—biz—biz—otherwise known as Bluebeard Bill on the night of the—biz—biz—biz—in the biz—biz—biz—of Mexico. Therefore Her Majesty's—biz—biz—biz—"

At this moment I felt some one ③(push : make : take : put) hold of my arm from the back, and turning round I found the Doctor had returned with one of the men in white wigs.

"Stubbins, this is Mr. Percy Jenkyns," said the Doctor. "He is Luke's lawyer. It is his business to get Luke off—if he can."

Mr. Jenkyns seemed to be an extremely young man with a round smooth face like a boy. He shook hands with me and then immediately turned and ④(talking / went / with / on) the Doctor.

"Oh, I think it is a perfectly precious idea," he was saying. "Of COURSE the dog must be admitted as a ⑤**(trigger : reception : ritual : witness); he was the only one who saw the thing take place. I'm awfully glad you came. I wouldn't have missed this for anything. My hat! Won't it make the old court sit up? They're always frightfully dull, these Assizes. But this will stir things. A bulldog witness for the defense! I do hope there are plenty of reporters ⑥*(vacant : fake : present : tremendous)—Yes, there's one making a sketch of the prisoner. I shall become known after this—And won't Conkey be pleased? My hat!"

He put his hand over his mouth to smother a laugh and his eyes fairly sparkled with mischief. "Who is Conkey?" I asked the Doctor.

"Sh! He is speaking of the judge up there, the Honorable Eustace Beauchamp Conckley."

"Now," said Mr. Jenkyns, bringing out a notebook, "tell me a little more about yourself, Doctor. You took your ⑦*(degree : vice : biography : pity) as Doctor of Medicine at Durham, I think you said. And the name of your last book was?"

I could not hear ⑧(more / any / they / for) talked in whispers; and I fell to looking round the court again.

Of course I could not understand everything that was going on, though it was all very interesting. People kept getting up in the place the Doctor called the witness-box, and the lawyers at the long table asked them questions about "the night of the 29th." Then the people would get down again and somebody else would get up and be questioned.

One of the lawyers (who, the Doctor told me afterwards, was called the Prosecutor) seemed to be doing his best to get the Hermit into trouble ⑨(which / by / questions / asking) made it look as though he had always been a very bad man. He was a nasty lawyer, this Prosecutor, with a long nose.

Most of the time I could hardly keep my eyes off poor Luke, who sat there between his two policemen, staring at the floor as though he weren't interested. The only time I saw him take any notice at all was when a small dark man with wicked, little, watery eyes got up into the witness-box. I heard Bob snarl under my chair as this person came into the court-room and Luke's eyes just blazed with anger and ⑩**(surge : contempt : dispute : victim).

This man said his name was Mendoza and that he was the one who had guided the Mexican police to the mine after Bluebeard Bill had been killed. And at every word he said I could hear Bob down below me muttering between his teeth,

"It's a lie! It's a lie! I'll chew his face. It's a lie!"

And both the Doctor and I had hard work ⑪(taking : standing : keeping : looking)the dog under the seat.

Then I noticed that our Mr. Jenkyns had disappeared from the Doctor's side. But presently I saw ⑫(stand / at / him / up) the long table to speak to the judge.

"Your Honor," said he, "I wish to introduce a new witness for the defense, Doctor John Dolittle, the naturalist. Will you please ⑬(leave : make : take : step) into the witness-stand, Doctor?"

There was a buzz of excitement as the Doctor ⑭(his / made / across / way) the crowded room; and I noticed the nasty lawyer with the long nose lean down and whisper something to a friend, smiling in an ugly ⑮(which / me / way / made) want to pinch him.

Then Mr. Jenkyns asked the Doctor a whole lot of questions about himself and made him answer in a loud voice so the whole court could hear. He finished up by saying,

"And you are prepared to ⑯**(impose : plead : surrender : swear), Doctor Dolittle, that you understand the language of dogs and can make them understand you. Is that so?"

"Yes," said the Doctor, "that is so."

"And what, might I ask," put in the judge in a very quiet, dignified voice, "has all ⑰(do / with / to / this) the killing of er—er—Bluebeard Bill?"

"This, Your Honor," said Mr. Jenkyns, talking in a very grand manner as ⑱(on / were / he / though) a stage in a theatre: "there is in this court-room at the present moment a bulldog, who was the only living thing that saw the man killed. ⑲(As : With : For : Despite) the Court's permission I propose to put that dog in the witness-stand and have him questioned before you by the ⑳**(entire : tense : eminent : irrelevant) scientist, Doctor John Dolittle."

解答は次回発表。ご意見、ご要望等はsuzuyasu@wmail.plala.or.jpでも承っております。

「ドリトル先生航海記」から学ぶ大学入試・英検・TOEIC頻出語彙と読解(25)

　著作権の切れた童話「ドリトル先生航海記」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。
　いままでにここのブログで連載した「オズの魔法使い」から学ぶ頻出語彙と読解、ドリトル先生アフリカゆきで学ぶ語彙・読解は並べ替えて冒頭から通読できるようにしましたので、ご利用頂ければ幸いです。ペーパーバックを一冊読み終える効用は非常に大きいです。おおむねの目安としては実用英検準２級一次でコンスタントに九割以上得点できるようであれば、やさしいペーパーバックは読めます。
　ドリトル先生航海記で学ぶ語彙・読解も連載終了後には冒頭から通読できるように並べ替える予定です。コロンで区切られているのが四語選択問題、スラッシュで区切られているのが四語整序問題になっています。

※(24)の解答①(recognized)②(suspicious)③(did that killing in)④(took him to prison)⑤(fault)⑥(while Luke is there)⑦(trial)⑧(prove)⑨(rest of his life)⑩(what)⑪(hesitated)⑫(upset)⑬(take)⑭(tried)⑮(nothing special to do) ⑯(mystery which had hung)⑰(trying to get seats)⑱(state)⑲(packed)⑳(hanging on to his)

(25)
"I want to see Luke," said the Doctor to a very grand person in a blue coat ①(buttons / with / standing / brass) at the door.

"Ask at the Superintendent's office," said the man. "Third door on the left down the corridor."

"Who is that ②(you / person / to / spoke), Doctor?" I asked as we went along the passage.

"He is a policeman."

"And what are policemen?"

"Policemen? They are to ③(people / order / keep / in). They've just been invented—by Sir Robert Peel. That's why they are also called 'peelers' sometimes. It is a wonderful age we live in. They're always thinking of something new—This will be the Superintendent's office, I suppose."

From there another policeman was sent with us to show us the way.

Outside the door of Luke's cell we found Bob, the bulldog, who wagged his tail sadly when he saw us. The man who was guiding us took a large bunch of keys from his pocket and opened the door.

I had never been inside a real prison-cell before; and I felt quite a thrill when the policeman went out and locked the door after him, ④(us / leaving / in / shut) the dimly-lighted, little, stone room. Before he went, he said that as soon as we had done talking with our friend we should knock upon the door and he would come and let us out.

At first I could hardly see anything, it was so ⑤**(earnest : dim : stiff : stubborn) inside. But after a little I made out a low bed against the wall, under a small barred window. On the bed, staring down at the floor between his feet, sat the Hermit, his head resting in his hands.

"Well, Luke," said the Doctor in a kindly voice, "they don't give you much light in here, do they?"

Very slowly the Hermit looked up from the floor.

"Hulloa, John Dolittle. What ⑥*(makes : goes :comes : brings) you here?"

"I've come to see you. I would have been here sooner, only I didn't hear about all this till a few minutes ago. I went to your hut ⑦(you / to / if / ask) you would join me on a voyage; and when I found it empty I had no idea where you could be. I am dreadfully sorry to hear about your bad luck. I've come to see if there is anything I can do."

Luke shook his head.

"No, I don't imagine there is anything can be done. They've caught me at last. That's the end of it, I suppose."

He got up stiffly and started walking up and down the little room.

"In a way I'm glad it's over," said he. "I never got any peace, always ⑧(they / after / thinking / were) me—afraid to speak to anyone. They were bound to get me in the end—Yes, I'm glad it's over."

Then the Doctor talked to Luke for more than half an hour, trying to ⑨**(retrieve : persecute : cheer : forsake) him up; while I sat around wondering what I ought to say and wishing I could do something.

At last the Doctor said he wanted to see Bob; and we knocked upon the door and were let out by the policeman.

"Bob," said the Doctor to the big bulldog in the passage, "come out with me into the porch. I want to ask you something."

"How is he, Doctor?" asked Bob as we walked down the corridor into the Court-house porch.

"Oh, Luke's all right. Very ⑩*(bright : miserable : damp : plain) of course, but he's all right. Now tell me, Bob: you ⑪(happen / business / this / saw), didn't you? You were there when the man was killed, eh?"

"I was, Doctor," said Bob, "and I tell you—"

"All right," the Doctor interrupted, "that's all I want to know for the present. There isn't time to tell me more now. The trial is just going to begin. There are the judge and the lawyers coming up the steps. Now listen, Bob: I want you to stay with me when I go into the court-room. And whatever ⑫(you / I / to / tell) do, do it. Do you understand? Don't make any scenes. Don't bite anybody, no ⑬(may / matter / they / what) say about Luke. Just behave perfectly quietly and answer any question I may ask you—truthfully. Do you understand?"

"Very well. But do you think you will be able to get him off, Doctor?" asked Bob. "He's a good man, Doctor. He really is. There never was a better."

"We'll see, we'll see, Bob. It's a new thing I'm going to try. I'm not sure the judge will allow it. But—well, we'll see. It's time to go into the court-room now. Don't forget what I told you. Remember: for Heaven's sake don't start biting any one or you'll get us all put out and ⑭*(imitate : lack : arrest : spoil) everything."

THE FIFTH CHAPTER. MENDOZA
INSIDE the court-room everything was very ⑮***(chronic : solemn : notorious : unanimous) and wonderful. It was a high, big room. Raised above the floor, against the wall was the judge's desk; and here the judge was already sitting—an old, handsome man in a marvelous big wig of gray hair and a gown of black. Below him was another wide, long desk ⑯(which / in / at / lawyers) white wigs sat. The whole thing ⑰*(translated : reminded : derived : maintained) me of a mixture between a church and a school.

"Those twelve men at the side," whispered the Doctor—"those in pews like a choir, they are what is called the ⑱**(comrade : jury : habitat : asset). It is they who decide whether Luke is guilty—whether he did it or not."

"And look!" I said, "there's Luke himself in a sort of pulpit-thing with policemen each side of him. And there's another pulpit, the same kind, the other side of the room, see—only that one's empty."

"That one is called the witness-box," said the Doctor. "Now I'm going down to speak to ⑲(of / one / men / those) in white wigs; and I want you to wait here and keep these two seats for us. Bob will stay with you. Keep an eye on him—better hold on to his collar. I shan't be more than a minute or so."

With that the Doctor disappeared into the crowd ⑳(where : what : which :when) filled the main part of the room.

「ドリトル先生航海記」から学ぶ大学入試・英検・TOEIC頻出語彙と読解(24)

　著作権の切れた童話「ドリトル先生航海記」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。コロンで区切られているのが四語選択問題で*は単語の難易度の目安です。スラッシュで区切られているのが四語整序問題になっています。

※(23)の解答①(cold wind blowing from)②(come out to meet)③(three of us thinking)④(frowning)⑤(something queer about this)⑥(stern)⑦(guilty)⑧(look in your eye)⑨(no use our standing)⑩(pretending)⑪(expression)⑫(it told him something)⑬(signs we couldn't see)⑭(disappeared)⑮(home ahead of us)⑯(moment he comes in)⑰(make)⑱(swore)⑲(got to save him)⑳(it to see if)

(24)
"HE KILLED A MAN!"
"Lord preserve us!" cried the Doctor, sitting down heavily in a chair and mopping his forehead with a handkerchief. "When did he do it?"

"Fifteen years ago—in a Mexican gold-mine. That's why he has been a hermit ever since. He shaved off his beard and kept away from people out there on the marshes so he wouldn't be ①*(obtained : recognized : proposed : expressed). But last week, it seems these new-fangled policemen came to Town; and they heard there was a strange man who kept to himself all alone in a shack on the fen. And they got ②*(wicked : outstanding : intense : suspicious). For a long time people had been hunting all over the world for the man that ③(killing / did / in / that) the Mexican gold-mine fifteen years ago. So these policemen went out to the shack, and they recognized Luke by a mole on his arm. And they ④(him / took / prison / to)."

"Well, well!" murmured the Doctor. "Who would have thought it?—Luke, the philosopher!—Killed a man!—I can hardly believe it."

"It's true enough—unfortunately," said Jip. "Luke did it. But it wasn't his ⑤*(necessity : fault : method : belief). Bob says so. And he was there and saw it all. He was scarcely more than a puppy at the time. Bob says Luke couldn't help it. He HAD to do it."

"Where is Bob now?" asked the Doctor.

"Down at the prison. I wanted him to come with me here to see you; but he won't leave the prison ⑥(Luke / there / while / is). He just sits outside the door of the prison-cell and won't move. He doesn't even eat the food they give him. Won't you please come down there, Doctor, and see if there is anything you can do? The ⑦*(emotion : burden : trial : estate) is to be this afternoon at two o'clock. What time is it now?"

"It's ten minutes past one."

"Bob says he thinks they are going to kill Luke for a punishment if they can ⑧*(differ : separate : prove : devote) that he did it—or certainly keep him in prison for the ⑨(his / rest / life / of). Won't you please come? Perhaps if you spoke to the judge and told him ⑩(that : what : who : when) a good man Luke really is they'd let him off."

"Of course I'll come," said the Doctor getting up and moving to go. "But I'm very much afraid that I shan't be of any real help." He turned at the door and ⑪*(warned : hesitated : replaced : rescued) thoughtfully.

"And yet—I wonder—"

Then he opened the door and passed out with Jip and me close at his heels.

THE FOURTH CHAPTER. BOB
DAB-DAB was terribly ⑫*(excellent : upset : precise : casual) when she found we were going away again without luncheon; and she made us ⑬(give : leave : take : lose) some cold pork-pies in our pockets to eat on the way.

When we got to Puddleby Court-house (it was next door to the prison), we found a ⑭(around / gathered / crowd / great) the building.

This was the week of the Assizes—a business which happened every three months, when many pick-pockets and other bad characters were ⑭*(developed : contributed : tried : suggested) by a very grand judge who came all the way from London. And anybody in Puddleby who had ⑮(special / nothing / do / to) used to come to the Court-house to hear the trials.

But to-day it was different. The crowd was not made up of just a few idle people. It was enormous. The news had run through the countryside that Luke the Hermit was to be tried for killing a man and that the great ⑯(hung / mystery / had / which) over him so long was to be cleared up at last. The butcher and the baker had closed their shops and taken a holiday. All the farmers from round about, and all the townsfolk, were there with their Sunday clothes on, ⑰(to / trying / seats / get) in the Court-house or gossipping outside in low whispers. The High Street was so crowded you could hardly move along it. I had never seen the quiet old town in such a ⑱*(value : state : district : grain) of excitement before. For Puddleby had not had such an Assizes since 1799, when Ferdinand Phipps, the Rector's oldest son, had robbed the bank.

If I hadn't had the Doctor with me I am sure I would never have been able to make my way through the mob ⑲*(published : traced : packed : floated) around the Court-house door. But I just followed behind him, ⑳(to / hanging / his / on) coat-tails; and at last we got safely into the jail.

「ドリトル先生航海記」から学ぶ大学入試・英検・TOEIC頻出語彙と読解(23)

　著作権の切れた童話「ドリトル先生航海記」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。
　いままでにここのブログで連載した「オズの魔法使い」から学ぶ頻出語彙と読解、ドリトル先生アフリカゆきで学ぶ語彙・読解は並べ替えて冒頭から通読できるようにしましたので、ご利用頂ければ幸いです。ペーパーバックを一冊読み終える効用は非常に大きいです。おおむねの目安としては実用英検準２級一次でコンスタントに九割以上得点できるようであれば、やさしいペーパーバックは読めます。
　ドリトル先生航海記で学ぶ語彙・読解も連載終了後には冒頭から通読できるように並べ替える予定です。コロンで区切られているのが四語選択問題、スラッシュで区切られているのが四語整序問題になっています。

※(22)の解答①(keep from dancing round)②(Therefore)③(roam)④(longer)⑤(despised)⑥(whispered)⑦(eyes would have opened)⑧(afraid)⑨(work waiting for me)⑩(see)⑪(to get ready in)⑫(people to sail her)⑬(trouble)⑭(hire)⑮(we take with us)⑯(particular) ⑰(all alone except for)⑱(drove them away if)⑲(set)⑳(he heard us coming)

(23)
This afternoon, crossing the marshes we faced a ①(wind / from / cold / blowing) the East. As we approached the hut Jip put up his ears and said,

"That's funny!"

"What's funny?" asked the Doctor.

"That Bob hasn't ②(to / come / meet / out ) us. He should have heard us long ago—or smelt us. What's that queer noise?"

"Sounds to me like a gate creaking," said the Doctor. "Maybe it's Luke's door, only we can't see the door from here; it's on the far side of the shack."

"I hope Bob isn't sick," said Jip; and he let out a bark to see if that would call him. But the only answer he got was the wailing of the wind across the wide, salt fen.

We hurried forward, all ③(thinking / three / us / of) hard.

When we reached the front of the shack we found the door open, swinging and creaking dismally in the wind. We looked inside. There was no one there.

"Isn't Luke at home then?" said I. "Perhaps he's out for a walk."

"He is ALWAYS at home," said the Doctor ④**(frowning : flattering : asserting : reviving) in a peculiar sort of way. "And even if he were out for a. walk he wouldn't leave his door banging in the wind behind him. There is ⑤(this / about / queer / something)—What are you doing in there, Jip?"

"Nothing much—nothing worth speaking of," said Jip examining the floor of the hut extremely carefully.

"Come here, Jip," said the Doctor in a ⑥**(gradual : stern : loyal : deliberate) voice. "You are hiding something from me. You see signs and you know something—or you guess it. What has happened? Tell me. Where is the Hermit?"

"I don't know," said Jip looking very ⑦**(crude : notable : energetic : guilty) and uncomfortable. "I don't know where he is."

"Well, you know something. I can tell it from the ⑧(in / look / eye / your). What is it?"

But Jip didn't answer.

For ten minutes the Doctor kept questioning him. But not a word would the dog say.

"Well," said the Doctor at last, "it is ⑨(our / no / standing / use) around here in the cold. The Hermit's gone. That's all. We might as well go home to luncheon."

As we buttoned up our coats and started back across the marsh, Jip ran ahead ⑩*(rejecting : pretending : suffering : resting) he was looking for water-rats.

"He knows something all right," whispered the Doctor. "And I think he knows what has happened too. It's funny, his not wanting to tell me. He has never done that before—not in eleven years. He has always told me everything—Strange—very strange!"

"Do you mean you think he knows all about the Hermit, the big mystery about him which folks hint at and all that?"

"I shouldn't wonder if he did," the Doctor answered slowly. "I noticed something in his ⑪*(literature : incident : expression : region) the moment we found that door open and the hut empty. And the way he sniffed the floor too—⑫(told / it / something / him), that floor did. He saw ⑬(see / signs / couldn't / we)—I wonder why he won't tell me. I'll try him again. Here, Jip! Jip!—Where is the dog? I thought he went on in front."

"So did I," I said. "He was there a moment ago. I saw him as large as life. Jip—Jip—Jip—JIP!"

But he was gone. We called and called. We even walked back to the hut. But Jip had ⑭*(replied : disappeared : resolved : cooperated).

"Oh well," I said, "most likely he has just run ⑮(us / of / ahead / home). He often does that, you know. We'll find him there when we get back to the house."

But the Doctor just closed his coat-collar tighter against the wind and strode on muttering, "Odd—very odd!"

THE THIRD CHAPTER. JIP AND THE SECRET
WHEN we reached the house the first question the Doctor asked of Dab-Dab in the hall was,

"Is Jip home yet?"

"No," said Dab-Dab, "I haven't seen him."

"Let me know the ⑯(he / in / moment / comes), will you, please?" said the Doctor, hanging up his hat.

"Certainly I will," said Dab-Dab. "Don't be long over washing your hands; the lunch is on the table."

Just as we were sitting down to luncheon in the kitchen we heard a great racket at the front door. I ran and opened it. In bounded Jip.

"Doctor!" he cried, "come into the library quick. I've got something to tell you—No, Dab-Dab, the luncheon must wait. Please hurry, Doctor. There's not a moment to be lost. Don't let any of the animals come—just you and Tommy."

"Now," he said, when we were inside the library and the door was closed, "turn the key in the lock and ⑰(take : make : have : call) sure there's no one listening under the windows."

"It's all right," said the Doctor. "Nobody can hear you here. Now what is it?"

"Well, Doctor," said Jip (he was badly out of breath from running), "I know all about the Hermit—I have known for years. But I couldn't tell you."

"Why?" asked the Doctor.

"Because I'd promised not to tell any one. It was Bob, his dog, that told me. And I ⑱**(compelled : restricted : swore : dominated) to him that I would keep the secret."

"Well, and are you going to tell me now?"

"Yes," said Jip, "we've ⑲(him / got / save / to). I followed Bob's scent just now when I left you out there on the marshes. And I found him. And I said to him, 'Is it all right,' I said, 'for me to tell the Doctor now? Maybe he can do something.' And Bob says to me, 'Yes,' says he, 'it's all right because—'"

"Oh, for Heaven's sake, go on, go on!" cried the Doctor. "Tell us what the mystery is—not what you said to Bob and what Bob said to you. What has happened? Where IS the Hermit?"

"He's in Puddleby Jail," said Jip. "He's in prison."

"In prison!"

"Yes."

"What for?—What's he done?"

Jip went over to the door and smelt at the bottom of ⑳(see / if / it / to ) any one were listening outside. Then he came back to the Doctor on tiptoe and whispered,