A Christmas Carol（《圣诞颂歌》）《圣诞颂歌》是1843年查尔斯·狄更斯创作的小说，该小说是查尔斯·狄更斯三部圣诞小说之一。主要讲的是一个吝啬鬼的故事。

一个吝啬鬼积攒了许多钱，然而他却不舍得为职员的炉火加一块儿煤，他的侄子美意的邀请他到场圣诞夜的晚会，他却认为侄子是为了沾他的自制而推辞，社会运动者请他为穷人施舍一点圣诞的饭菜，也被他无情地断然拒绝。他晚上回到了家，夜幕里他瞥见了一张鬼脸，这真的是鬼？还是他的幻像？然而，鬼的泛起却使他发生了天翻地覆的变化......听小说朗读并对照原文阅读小说，文末有测试题哦听音频训练听力及跟读In this episode, you'll get to know Ebenezer Scrooge. Nobody seems to be able to get a kind word or even a smile out of him.TranscriptChapter 1 Marley's GhostNarratorThis is the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, a man who loved money and didn't like Christmas. There he was, on Christmas Eve, in his office. He was keeping an eye on his clerk Bob Cratchit. Scrooge wanted to get every little bit of work from Cratchit before allowing him to spend Christmas Day at home. Scrooge thought Christmas was a waste of time! Even his nephew couldn't convince him that it wasn't.IN SCROOGE'S OFFICEScrooge's NephewA Merry Christmas, uncle!ScroogeBah! Humbug!Scrooge's NephewYou don't mean that, I'm sure!ScroogeWhat's Christmas time to you but a time for paying bills without money? You find yourself a year older, but not an hour richer! What good has it ever done you?Scrooge's NephewI've always thought of Christmas as a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time. A time when men and women seem to open their hearts freely. It's never put money in my pocket, but I believe that it's done me good!ScroogeHumbug!Scrooge's NephewCome on, uncle, come and have dinner with us tomorrow.NarratorScrooge's nephew was persistent but the old man wouldn't change his mind. He was in his usual bad mood when two gentlemen came to his office to ask for a donation to offer Christmas dinner to the poor. Scrooge worked in the money-lending business. No donation from him...ScroogeGentlemen, are there no prisons and workhouses, where the poor receive food and accommodation in return for some work?GentlemanWe wish we could say there aren't any, Mr Scrooge. Many poor people would rather die than go to prison or the...ScroogeThey should die and decrease the surplus population. And... well, it's none of my business anyway. They cost a lot of money, and the poor should go there. Goodbye, sir.NarratorTypical Scrooge! He feels sorry for no-one, helps no-one. With him, it's all about money. He thought of nothing else. His partner, Jacob Marley, had died seven years before, at Christmas. Marley was like Scrooge when he was alive. But now he was gone. Or was he?AT SCROOGE'S HOUSEScroogeWho's there? I'm finally home and I want some peace!MarleyScroooge... Scrooooooge...ScroogeWhat is this? A ghost?! It's not possible! I must be having indigestion and seeing things that aren't there!MarleyScrooge. In life I was your partner, Jacob Marley.ScroogeMarley, is it really you?! And what is this strange metal chain you are wearing? It's made of cash-boxes, keys, locks, heavy purses...MarleyI wear the chain I made in life. Of my own free will I wore it when I was alive. Is its pattern strange to you? Or do you wish to know the weight and length of the heavy chain you are carrying yourself?ScroogeDon't say that, Jacob. And why is this happening to you? You were always a good man of business…MarleyBusiness!? Mankind was my business. Charity, kindness - were all my business. Why did I walk through crowds of people with my eyes turned down? I'm here to warn you, that you still have a chance of escaping my fate. You'll be visited by three spirits. Expect the first spirit tomorrow at one o'clock in the morning. And remember what I've told you.NarratorMarley disappeared into the night, flying out of an open window with other ghosts which looked as miserable as him. Scrooge was shocked. I'll tell you about the visit of the first spirit next time.词汇解说Vocabulary①keeping an eyewatching closely②clerkoffice worker③humbugold expression meaning 'fake' which came to be closely associated with this story by Charles Dickens④persistentsomeone who does not give up on things easily⑤donationarticle or money that you give to somebody when you don't expect to get anything back⑥workhouses(singular: workhouse) places where people got food and accommodation in return for some work⑦surplusexcess; too much of something⑧indigestiondiscomfort in the stomach after eating too much food or bad food阅读小测试Quiz相信听完故事的你对这些已经有谜底了，快把你的谜底写在下方的留言中与大家一起讨论吧！Question 1:Who is Bob Cratchit?a) Scrooge's nephewb) Scrooge's clerkc) Scrooge's partnerQuestion 2: Why did Scrooge refuse to donate money to the poor?a) He didn't have much money for himselfb) He thought they were robbing him and should be in prisonc) He said he paid taxes to support places where the poor could go to and he didn't need to give moreQuestion 3: Why did Marley's ghost pay Scrooge a visit?a) To wish him Merry Christmasb) To give him indigestionc) To tell him he was going to be visited by three spirits。

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