「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(10)

　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。

(10)
"`I wonder if that farmer thought to fool me in this ①clum( )( ) manner. Any crow of ②sen( )( ) could see that you are only stuffed with straw.' Then he hopped down at my feet and ate all the corn he wanted. The other birds, seeing he was not harmed by me, came to eat the corn too, so in a short time there was a great ③floc( ) of them about me.

"I felt sad at this, for it showed I was not such a good Scarecrow after all; but the old crow ④( )omforted me, saying, `If you only had brains in your head you would be as good a man as any of them, and a better man than some of them. Brains are the only things ⑤wor( )( ) having in this world, no matter whether one is a crow or a man.'

"After the crows had gone I thought this over, and ⑥( )( )cided I would try hard to get some brains. By good luck you came along and pulled me off the stake, and from what you say I am sure the Great Oz will give me brains as soon as we get to the Emerald City."

"I hope so," said Dorothy earnestly, "since you seem ⑦anxi( )( )( ) to have them."

"Oh, yes; I am anxious," returned the Scarecrow. "It is such an uncomfortable feeling to know one is a fool."

"Well," said the girl, "let us go." And she handed the basket to the Scarecrow.

There were no fences at all by the roadside now, and the land was rough and untilled. Toward evening they came to a great ⑧fore( )( ), where the trees grew so big and close together that their ⑨( )ranches met over the road of yellow brick. It was almost dark under the trees, for the branches shut out the daylight; but the travelers did not stop, and went on into the forest.

"If this road goes in, it must come out," said the Scarecrow, "and as the Emerald City is at the other end of the road, we must go wherever it leads us."

"Anyone would know that," said Dorothy.

"⑩Certai( )( )( ); that is why I know it," returned the Scarecrow. "If it required brains to ⑪figu( )( ) it out, I never should have said it."

After an hour or so the light ⑫( )aded away, and they found themselves stumbling along in the darkness. Dorothy could not see at all, but Toto could, for some dogs see very well in the dark; and the Scarecrow ⑬( )eclared he could see as well as by day. So she took hold of his arm and ⑭( )anaged to get along ⑮( )airly well.

"If you see any house, or any place where we can pass the night," she said, "you must tell me; for it is very uncomfortable walking in the dark."

Soon after the Scarecrow stopped.

"I see a little cottage at the right of us," he said, "built of logs and branches. Shall we go there?"

"Yes, indeed," answered the child. "I am all tired out."

So the Scarecrow led her through the trees until they reached the cottage, and Dorothy ⑯( )( )tered and found a bed of dried leaves in one corner. She lay down at once, and with Toto beside her soon fell into a sound sleep. The Scarecrow, who was never tired, stood up in another corner and waited ⑰( )( )tiently until morning came.

5. The Rescue of the Tin Woodman
When Dorothy awoke the sun was shining through the trees and Toto had long been out ⑱( )hasing birds around him and squirrels. She sat up and looked around her. Scarecrow, still standing patiently in his corner, waiting for her.

"We must go and ⑲sear( )( ) for water," she said to him.

"Why do you want water?" he asked.

"To wash my face clean after the dust of the road, and to drink, so the dry bread will not ⑳stic( ) in my throat."

※(10)の解答①clumsy②sense ③flock④comforted⑤worth⑥decided⑦anxious⑧forest⑨branches⑩Certainly⑪figure⑫faded ⑬declared⑭managed⑮fairly⑯entered⑰patiently⑱chasing⑲search⑳stick