In chapter 7, the friends have to figure out how to cross two large ditches. But why would there be ditches there at all?
Explore these websites and videos to find out more about ditches. One reason people use ditches is to defend themselves. This video is from Maiden Castle, a hillfort that was built about 2500 years ago. The ditches are huge!
If you fill a ditch with water, it’s called a moat. You mainly see moats around castles.
Of course, people still need ditches, or trenches to give them another name, perhaps for bringing cables or pipes coming into your house. In the past, people had to dig the trenches by themselves, but nowadays there are machines instead.
Challenge yourself!
In Chapter 7, L. Frank Baum uses the words ditch, ravine and gulf to mean a deep wide hole in the ground. Words that mean similar things are called synonyms. Can you make a list of your own synonyms for ditch? How many words can you come up with?
You can also look at the Help with Challenges page to come up with your own ditch challenge.
