「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(26)

　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。
(26)
First they came to a great hall in which were many ladies and gentlemen of the court, all dressed in rich ①( )ostumes. These people had nothing to do but talk to each other, but they always came to wait outside the Throne Room every morning, although they were never ②( )ermitted to see Oz. As Dorothy entered they looked at her curiously, and one of them ③( )hispered:

"Are you really going to look upon the face of Oz the Terrible?"

"Of course," answered the girl, "if he will see me."

"Oh, he will see you," said the soldier who had taken her message to the Wizard, "although he does not like to have people ask to see him. Indeed, at first he was angry and said I should send you back where you came from. Then he asked me what you looked like, and when I ④( )entioned your silver shoes he was very much interested. At last I told him about the mark upon your forehead, and he decided he would admit you to his ⑤( )resence."

Just then a bell rang, and the green girl said to Dorothy, "That is the ⑥( )ignal. You must go into the Throne Room alone."

She opened a little door and Dorothy walked ⑦( )oldly through and found herself in a wonderful place. It was a big, round room with a high arched roof, and the walls and ⑧( )eiling and floor were covered with large emeralds set closely together. In the center of the roof was a great light, as bright as the sun, which made the emeralds sparkle in a wonderful ⑨( )anner.

But what interested Dorothy most was the big throne of green marble that stood in the middle of the room. It was ⑩( )haped like a chair and sparkled with gems, as did everything else. In the center of the chair was an ⑪enormo( )( ) Head, without a body to support it or any arms or legs whatever. There was no hair upon this head, but it had eyes and a nose and mouth, and was much bigger than the head of the biggest giant.

As Dorothy ⑫( )azed upon this in wonder and fear, the eyes turned slowly and looked at her sharply and steadily. Then the mouth moved, and Dorothy heard a voice say:

"I am Oz, the Great and Terrible. Who are you, and why do you ⑬see( ) me?"

It was not such an ⑭awf( )( ) voice as she had expected to come from the big Head; so she took ⑮coura( )( ) and answered:

"I am Dorothy, the Small and Meek. I have come to you for help."

The eyes looked at her ⑯( )( )oughtfully for a full minute. Then said the voice:

"Where did you get the silver shoes?"

"I got them from the Wicked Witch of the East, when my house fell on her and killed her," she replied.

"Where did you get the mark upon your forehead?" ⑰( )ontinued the voice.

"That is where the Good Witch of the North kissed me when she bade me good-bye and sent me to you," said the girl.

Again the eyes looked at her sharply, and they saw she was telling the truth. Then Oz asked, "What do you wish me to do?"

"Send me back to Kansas, where my Aunt Em and Uncle Henry are," she answered ⑱( )arnestly. "I don't like your country, although it is so beautiful. And I am sure Aunt Em will be ⑲( )readfully worried over my being away so long."

※(26)の解答①costumes②permitted③whispered④mentioned⑤presence ⑥signal⑦boldly⑧ceiling ⑨manner⑩shaped⑪enormous⑫gazed⑬seek⑭awful⑮courage⑯thoughtfully⑰continued⑱earnestly⑲dreadfully