66 Treacle," said the Dormouse, without considering at all this time. Alice did not wish to offend the Dormouse again, so she began very cautiously: "But I Where did they draw the 5 don't understand. treacle from?" You can draw water out of a water-well," said the Hatter; "so I should think you could draw treacle out of a treacle-well - eh, stupid? 10 "But they were in the well," Alice said to the Dormouse, not choosing to notice this last remark. "Of course they were,' " said the Dormouse; "well in." 15 This answer so confused poor Alice, that she let the Dormouse go on for some time without interrupting it. "They were learning to draw," the Dormouse went on, yawning and rubbing its eyes, for it 20 was getting very sleepy; "and they drew all manner of things — everything that begins with an M — ” 66 Why not?" said the March Hare. Alice was silent. 66 The Dormouse had closed its eyes by this time, and was going off into a doze; but, on being pinched by the Hatter, it woke up again with 5 a little shriek, and went on: that begins with an M, such as mouse-traps, and the moon, and memory, and muchness- you know you say things are 'much of a muchness'-did you ever see such a thing as a drawing of a much-10 ness?" 66 Really, now you ask me," said Alice, very much confused, "I don't think -" Then you shouldn't talk," said the Hatter. This piece of rudeness was more than Alice could 15 bear; she got up in great disgust and walked off. The last time she saw them, they were trying to put the Dormouse into the teapot. "At any rate I'll never go there again!" said Alice, as she picked her way through the wood. 20 "It's the stupidest tea-party I ever was at in all my life!" LEWIS CARROLL: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. In England, the afternoon tea, about five o'clock, is as important as breakfast or dinner. Everybody has it, and usually with bread-and-butter and jam. 1. Who are at the table? 2. There are three common expressions that suggest the characters for this scene: As mad as a March hare. As mad as a hatter. To sleep like a dormouse. The dormouse does indeed sleep a great deal. It hibernates; that is, sleeps through the winter, as the bear does. 3. How do the people at the table welcome Alice? 4. What puzzling, nonsensical things do they say? 5. What do they do to the dormouse? 6. Where does Alice go at the end of the scene? REVIEW QUESTIONS 1. Why does the poet ask the woodman to spare the tree? 2. What kind of boy was Daffydowndilly? How did he like school? What did he see on his day out? Who was with him? 3. What had the boy Casabianca been told to do? How did he obey? 4. Who wrote "Home, Sweet Home"? Recite it. 5. Who wrote Alice's Adventures in Wonderland? A LIST OF SYNONYMS KEY TO PRONUNCIATIONS, AS GIVEN IN THE TEXT The diacritical marks employed are those used in Webster's New International Dictionary. An unmarked vowel is a slighted short vowel, usually unaccented. abound to be plentiful (p. 49) abused: ill-treated (p. 102) abyss: a chasm (p. 302) accompany to go with (p. 67) accumulate to amass (p. 189) accustomed: customary (p. 260) agitated excited, perturbed (p. 264) agony suffering, distress (p. 39) alight to get down (p. 59) alter to change (p. 97). amazement: astonishment (p. 219) ambitious: seeking honor (p. 189) anchored: held fast (p. 57) ancient: very old, antique (p. 25) anguish distress, sorrow (p. 302) antics: pranks, tricks (p. 254) approach to come near to (p. 39) appropriateness: suitability (p. 279) approval: liking (p. 331) approve to like (p. 159) assistance: help (p. 49) assurance: confidence (p. 67) attendance: presence (p. 189) augment: to increase (p. 302) aureole a halo (p. 284) autumn fall (p. 284) avowal: confession (p. 302) awful: terrible (p. 159) banish: to drive out (p. 151) banter to tease, to joke (p. 69) bazaar: an Oriental shop (p. 57) beach shore, coast (p. 109) beckon to summon (p. 211) beguile: to charm away (p. 336) ǎ as in story calm: quiet, peaceful (p. 33) caress to fondle (p. 136) cargo freight (p. 170) chagrin annoyance (p. 189) circumstances: conditions (p. 159) civil: polite, well-bred (p. 348) civility politeness, courtesy (p. 44) clumsy awkward, gawky (p. 102) commend: to praise (p. 39) commodities: goods (p. 39) commotion: excitement, turmoil (p. 74) compassion: pity, sympathy (p. 211) compounded: mixed, concocted (p. 292) comrade: companion (p. 109) concussion: a shock (p. 302) conflict: а fight, combat, contest (p. 211) confused: not clear, mixed (p. 19) conjecture: guess, estimate (p. 297) defeated, vanquished conquered: crag: steep rock (p. 170) crouch to kneel (p. 170) dank: damp (p. 198) decrepit: weak, feeble (p. 49) descend to go or come down (p. 39) to avoid (p. 83) doff to take off (p. 192) eager: keen, earnest (p. 178) : fabulous: fanciful (p. 44) fulfilled: satisfied (p. 264) furiously wildly, savagely (p. 109) : |