"Don't you want to conquer the world?" asked Betsy.

 

"No; I've changed my mind about that," admitted the Queen. "The world is too big for one person to conquer and I was happier with my own people in Oogaboo. I wish—Oh, how earnestly I wish—that I was back there this minute!"

 

"So do I!" yelled every officer in a fervent² tone.

 

Now, it is time for the reader to know that in the far-away Land of Oz the lovely Ruler, Ozma, had been following the adventures of her Shaggy Man, and Tik-Tok, and all the others they had met. Day by day Ozma, with the wonderful Wizard of Oz seated beside her, had gazed upon a Magic Picture in a radium frame, which occupied one side of the Ruler's cosy³ boudoir in the palace of the Emerald City. The singular thing about this Magic Picture was that it showed whatever scene Ozma wished to see, with the figures all in motion, just as it was taking place. So Ozma and the Wizard had watched every action of the adventurers from the time Shaggy had met shipwrecked Betsy and Hank in the Rose Kingdom, at which time the Rose Princess, a distant cousin of Ozma, had been exiled by her heartless subjects.

 

When Ann and her people so earnestly wished to return to Oogaboo, Ozma was sorry for them and remembered that Oogaboo was a corner of the Land of Oz. She turned to her attendant and asked:

 

"Can not your magic take these unhappy people to their old home, Wizard?"

 

"It can, Your Highness," replied the little Wizard.

 

"I think the poor Queen has suffered enough in her misguided effort to conquer the world," said Ozma, smiling at the absurdity⁴ of the undertaking⁵, "so no doubt she will hereafter be contented

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1 cavern
n.洞穴，大山洞
参考例句：
The cavern walls echoed his cries.大山洞的四壁回响着他的喊声。 It suddenly began to shower,and we took refuge in the cavern.天突然下起雨来，我们在一个山洞里避雨。

2 fervent
adj.热的，热烈的，热情的
参考例句：
It was a debate which aroused fervent ethical arguments.那是一场引发强烈的伦理道德争论的辩论。 Austria was among the most fervent supporters of adolf hitler.奥地利是阿道夫希特勒最狂热的支持者之一。

3 cosy
adj.温暖而舒适的，安逸的
参考例句：
We spent a cosy evening chatting by the fire.我们在炉火旁聊天度过了一个舒适的晚上。 It was so warm and cosy in bed that Simon didn't want to get out.床上温暖而又舒适，西蒙简直不想下床了。

4 absurdity
n.荒谬，愚蠢；谬论
参考例句：
The proposal borders upon the absurdity.这提议近乎荒谬。 The absurdity of the situation made everyone laugh.情况的荒谬可笑使每个人都笑了。

5 undertaking
n.保证，许诺，事业
参考例句：
He gave her an undertaking that he would pay the money back with in a year.他向她做了一年内还钱的保证。 He is too timid to venture upon an undertaking.他太胆小，不敢从事任何事业。

6 contented
adj.满意的，安心的，知足的
参考例句：
He won't be contented until he's upset everyone in the office.不把办公室里的每个人弄得心烦意乱他就不会满足。 The people are making a good living and are contented,each in his station.人民安居乐业。

7 rite
n.典礼，惯例，习俗
参考例句：
This festival descends from a religious rite.这个节日起源于宗教仪式。 Most traditional societies have transition rites at puberty.大多数传统社会都为青春期的孩子举行成人礼。

8 vibrations
n.摆动( vibration的名词复数 )；震动；感受；（偏离平衡位置的）一次性往复振动
参考例句：
We could feel the vibrations from the trucks passing outside. 我们可以感到外面卡车经过时的颤动。 I am drawn to that girl; I get good vibrations from her. 我被那女孩吸引住了，她使我产生良好的感觉。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 wireless
adj.无线的；n.无线电
参考例句：
There are a lot of wireless links in a radio.收音机里有许多无线电线路。 Wireless messages tell us that the ship was sinking.无线电报告知我们那艘船正在下沉。

10 converse
vi.谈话，谈天，闲聊；adv.相反的，相反
参考例句：
He can converse in three languages.他可以用3种语言谈话。 I wanted to appear friendly and approachable but I think I gave the converse impression.我想显得友好、平易近人些,却发觉给人的印象恰恰相反。

11 disappearance
n.消失，消散，失踪
参考例句：
He was hard put to it to explain her disappearance.他难以说明她为什么不见了。 Her disappearance gave rise to the wildest rumours.她失踪一事引起了各种流言蜚语。

12 enchantment
n.迷惑，妖术，魅力
参考例句：
The beauty of the scene filled us with enchantment.风景的秀丽令我们陶醉。 The countryside lay as under some dread enchantment.乡村好像躺在某种可怖的魔法之下。

13 rugged
adj.高低不平的，粗糙的，粗壮的，强健的
参考例句：
Football players must be rugged.足球运动员必须健壮。 The Rocky Mountains have rugged mountains and roads.落基山脉有崇山峻岭和崎岖不平的道路。

14 delightful
adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的
参考例句：
We had a delightful time by the seashore last Sunday.上星期天我们在海滨玩得真痛快。 Peter played a delightful melody on his flute.彼得用笛子吹奏了一支欢快的曲子。

15 muster
v.集合，收集，鼓起，激起；n.集合，检阅，集合人员，点名册
参考例句：
Go and muster all the men you can find.去集合所有你能找到的人。 I had to muster my courage up to ask him that question.我必须鼓起勇气向他问那个问题。

16 stuffy
adj.不透气的，闷热的
参考例句：
It's really hot and stuffy in here.这里实在太热太闷了。 It was so stuffy in the tent that we could sense the air was heavy with moisture.帐篷里很闷热，我们感到空气都是潮的。

17 confinement
n.幽禁，拘留，监禁；分娩；限制，局限
参考例句：
He spent eleven years in solitary confinement.他度过了11年的单独监禁。 The date for my wife's confinement was approaching closer and closer.妻子分娩的日子越来越近了。

18 kindly
adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地
参考例句：
Her neighbours spoke of her as kindly and hospitable.她的邻居都说她和蔼可亲、热情好客。 A shadow passed over the kindly face of the old woman.一道阴影掠过老太太慈祥的面孔。

19 trudging
vt.& vi.跋涉，吃力地走（trudge的现在分词形式）
参考例句：
There was a stream of refugees trudging up the valley towards the border. 一队难民步履艰难地爬上山谷向着边境走去。 来自《简明英汉词典》 Two mules well laden with packs were trudging along. 两头骡子驮着沉重的背包，吃力地往前走。 来自辞典例句

20 musingly
adv.沉思地，冥想地
参考例句：

21 mischievous
adj.调皮的，恶作剧的，有害的，伤人的
参考例句：
He is a mischievous but lovable boy.他是一个淘气但可爱的小孩。 A mischievous cur must be tied short.恶狗必须拴得短。

22 mule
n.骡子，杂种，执拗的人
参考例句：
A mule is a cross between a mare and a donkey.骡子是母马和公驴的杂交后代。 He is an old mule.他是个老顽固。

23 suite
n.一套(家具)；套房；随从人员
参考例句：
She has a suite of rooms in the hotel.她在那家旅馆有一套房间。 That is a nice suite of furniture.那套家具很不错。

24 decided
adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的
参考例句：
This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。 There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

25 puff
n.一口(气)；一阵(风)；v.喷气，喘气
参考例句：
He took a puff at his cigarette.他吸了一口香烟。 They tried their best to puff the book they published.他们尽力吹捧他们出版的书。

26 pungent
adj.（气味、味道）刺激性的，辛辣的；尖锐的
参考例句：
The article is written in a pungent style.文章写得泼辣。 Its pungent smell can choke terrorists and force them out of their hideouts.它的刺激性气味会令恐怖分子窒息，迫使他们从藏身地点逃脱出来。