作者：狄更斯
出版社：外语教学与研究出版社
格式: AZW3, DOCX, EPUB, MOBI, PDF, TXT
圣诞颂歌(轻松英语名作欣赏-中学版)(3级上)试读：
致读者
童年时代动人的童话故事和经典名著永远是人无法抹去的温情回忆。现在，你可以尽情沉浸在英文经典殿堂中，欣赏英文作品的原汁原味。“轻松英语名作欣赏”专为需要提高英语阅读及听力水平的各类读者而设计，系列中收录的都是大家耳熟能详的故事，简单而亲切。通过阅读和收听这套有声读物，你的英语阅读水平和理解能力都会得到明显的提高。
本系列分为五个级别，词汇量逐级扩大，“如何使用本书”和“如何提高英语阅读水平”提供了概括性的指导。另外，本系列还针对不同的故事内容设计了“你读懂了多少”（Comprehension Quiz），帮助你检测阅读理解的效果。“阅读准备”（Before You Read）以图文并茂的形式让读者对生词形成一定的感性认识，并在文中给出更详尽的注释。书后附有译文，帮助你更好地理解故事。本系列还配有精美的插图和“背景知识”（Understanding the Story），让你的阅读更加多姿多彩。
各书的内容由英语国家的专业编辑人员在标准美国英语的基础上，根据不同级别读者的语言水平进行改编，也可应用于英语课堂教学。
现在，让我们开始“轻松英语名作欣赏”听读的快乐体验吧！
关于故事和说故事的人
查尔斯·狄更斯（1812～1870）Charles Dickens查尔斯·狄更斯，英国小说家。由于出身贫寒，从小没有在学校接受过正规的教育，他12岁便开始在工厂工作。19世纪初，资本主义开始盛行，这为英国大城市带来了繁荣，同时也造成了许多阴暗面：童工泛滥，工人阶级的生活极度困苦。狄更斯亲身体验到了社会的不公平，他开始通过自学创作小说，同时坚信只有学习才能使他脱离贫困。狄更斯凭借自己的亲身经历在小说中生动地描写了工人阶级大众的日常生活以及他们的喜怒哀乐，因而他的作品很受欢迎。狄更斯还通过诙谐的描写大胆地揭露了社会的不公正现象和社会矛盾。狄更斯最著名的作品包括《远大前程》和《雾都孤儿》等。1870年6月9日，查尔斯·狄更斯去世。他安息于威斯敏斯特教堂，与英国其他伟大的作家葬在一起。尽管人们常批评狄更斯为迎合读者的口味而过于多愁善感，但狄更斯仍与伟大的英国剧作家莎士比亚一样备受尊重，究其原因就是狄更斯创造的人物不仅被赋予了人性和幽默，同时还体现出人类真正的乐观和生命力。《圣诞颂歌》创作于1843年，是一篇讲述吝啬鬼斯克罗吉的圣诞故事。对于斯克罗吉这个心胸狭窄、吝啬贪婪的老头儿来说，过圣诞节只不过是一个荒谬可笑、让人挥金如土的阴谋。一天，斯克罗吉已故生意伙伴雅各布·马利的鬼魂来看望了他，马利告诉斯克罗吉在整个圣诞夜中将会有三个幽灵来找他。正如马利所说，三个幽灵—昔日圣诞幽灵、今日圣诞幽灵和未来圣诞幽灵各来找了斯克罗吉一次，并为他指明了过去、现在和未来他为人处事的错误之处：昔日圣诞幽灵带着斯克罗吉见证了他从无邪少年逐渐堕落成一个吝啬鬼的全过程；今日圣诞幽灵领着他看了他的雇员和外甥的快乐生活；而最后一位幽灵—未来圣诞幽灵则把斯克罗吉带到未来他自己的坟墓前，他孤独的死是他贪婪、自私一生的痛苦终结。在三位幽灵的帮助下，斯克罗吉在圣诞节早晨醒来时大彻大悟了，他改变了自己的生活，变得慷慨大方，有了仁慈的好心肠。专为孩子们改编的《圣诞颂歌》深受读者的喜爱。它告诉我们什么才是真正快乐的生活。
如何使用本书
❶ 原汁原味的作品
英文简洁流畅，易于理解。
❷ 重点词汇（Key Words）
结合上下文给出了词性和词义。
❸ 一点通（One Point Lesson）
语法讲解简单明了。
如何提高英语阅读能力
第一步：避免不必要的阅读干扰，抓住关键词汇。
在阅读中，练习通过抓住句中关键词来把握整句的核心意义。如果你不认识某个单词，试着猜猜它的意思，不要马上就去查词典。培养根据上下文推测词义的能力非常关键，因为上下文是判断单词意思的重要途径。之后再通过查词典检查其释义。
第二步：切分长句。
本书的正文部分是由长句拆分成的短句构成，便于初学者阅读。当你发现自己开始不满足于不断分行的短句时，就说明你的阅读水平已经提高了，可以阅读更高级别的图书了。
第三步：经常性大量阅读。
想学好英语并没有捷径。只有那些进行大量阅读的学习者才能登上语言学习的顶峰。如果你经常大量地阅读英语作品，相信你的英语水平会有一个令人惊喜的提高。The Christmas Carol
圣诞颂歌
Before You Read阅读准备Scrooge 斯克罗吉My name is Ebenezer Scrooge. I hate to spend money or give money away. I have only one thing to say about Christmas, "Bah, humbug!"
我叫埃比尼泽·斯克罗吉。我讨厌花钱，也不喜欢捐钱做善事。对于圣诞节，我只会说：“呸，骗人的东西！”Marley 马利
I am Jacob Marley. I used to be partners with Ebenezer Scrooge. Unfortunately, I died seven years ago. Now, I must wear a chain and walk through the world of the living.
我叫雅各布·马利。我过去是埃比尼泽·斯克罗吉的合伙人。不幸的是我七年前去世了。现在，我必须戴着一条链子在活人的世界里行走。Bob Crachit 鲍勃·克拉奇蒂
I am Bob Crachit. I work for Mr. Scrooge as a clerk. I have a beautiful family and a good life. I work very hard, but sadly I don't make much money.
我叫鲍勃·克拉奇蒂。我受雇于斯克罗吉先生。我有一个幸福的家庭，过着快乐的生活。我工作非常努力，但可惜赚的钱不多。Fred 弗雷德
My name is Fred. I am Mr. Scrooge's nephew. I am quite different from my uncle. I like to laugh and spend time with my lovely family. I guess I take after my mother.
我叫弗雷德，是斯克罗吉先生的外甥。我与我的舅舅截然不同。我喜欢笑，喜欢与我可爱的家人在一起。我猜我像妈妈。Chistmas Ghost of Past 昔日圣诞幽灵
I am the Ghost of Christmas Past. I show Ebenezer Scrooge his past Christmases. I try to make him see his faults by reminding him of better times.
我是昔日圣诞幽灵。我让埃比尼泽·斯克罗吉看到他过去过圣诞节的场景。通过让他想起从前美好的时光，我想帮助他看到自己的过错。Christmas Ghost of Present 今日圣诞幽灵
I am the Ghost of Christmas Present. I show Ebenezer Scrooge scenes from this Christmas, which will hopefully convince him to change his miserly ways.
我是今日圣诞幽灵。我带埃比尼泽·斯克罗吉看了这次圣诞节的一些场景，希望能够说服他改变自己吝啬的行为。Christmas Ghost of Future 未来圣诞幽灵
I am the Ghost of Christmas Future. I must show Ebenezer Scrooge what waits for him in the future if he remains a heartless, mean old man.
我是未来圣诞幽灵。我必须让埃比尼泽·斯克罗吉知道，如果他继续做一个无情、吝啬的老头儿的话，未来等待他的会是什么。第1章斯克罗吉CHAPTER 1 Scrooge
A long, long time ago, Scrooge and Marley had been good business partners. Each had tried to work harder than the other. Each had wanted to be richer than the other.
Even now, seven years after Marley had died, the company was still called 'Scrooge and Marley.'
If you went to their office, that is what you would see on the door, 'Scrooge and Marley.' But now the only owner was Scrooge.
Scrooge was known by everyone to be mean, miserly, and cold.
He hated spending money and he hated giving money away even more. And cold? Scrooge's thin white lips, icy blue nose, and tiny red eyes showed the cold. His weak, brittle voice could make you hear the cold. Feeling the cold was the worst — he kept his office very, very cold, especially at Christmas. He hated to buy charcoal for the fire, so his office was always cold and dark.
Though it was only three o'clock in the afternoon, it was already getting dark because of the heavy, wet fog. The only other person in the office was Bob Cratchit, Scrooge's clerk. Bob was sitting next to a tiny fire. He tried warming his hands over the candle he was using for light, but that couldn't help.
"Merry Christmas, Uncle!" a cheerful voice suddenly said. It was Scrooge's young nephew, Fred.
"Bah, humbug," answered Scrooge. He looked angry about having his work interrupted.
"Humbug?! Why do you think Christmas is a humbug, Uncle?" Fred looked warm. "Surely you don't mean that. Everyone likes Christmas."
"Yes, I do mean it," said Scrooge. "Merry Christmas, what is there to be merry about? Aren't you poor? You have nothing to be happy about."
"Well, why aren't you happy, Uncle? You are very rich," Fred answered with a smile.
Scrooge was getting angry. "There are many fools in the world wishing each other 'Merry Christmas' when they don't even have any money!"
"Uncle, please! It's such a nice time of year."
"Nice?! What is nice? I never make any money on Christmas because no one ever works."
Scrooge didn't understand Christmas.
"But Christmas isn't about money, Uncle." said Fred. "I love Christmas. It's a time to be happy and generous!"
Bob, in his tiny office, agreed.
"You are right, sir. Merry Christmas to you."
"You get back to work," Scrooge ordered.
"Or you won't have a job to be merry about."
"Don't be angry, Uncle. I just came to invite you to Christmas dinner." Fred knew his uncle didn't like Christmas, but he felt sorry for Scrooge. Scrooge had no family.
"No, I'm too busy. You have your Christmas, and I'll have mine. Now leave me alone."
"But won't you join us, Uncle? We are family, and we should be friends."
"Bye," was Scrooge's only answer.
"Well, I'm sorry to hear that. But I wish you a merry Christmas all the same."
As Fred walked out, he said, "Merry Christmas!" to poor Bob in his cold office.
"Yes, a happy Christmas to you, too," Bob answered warmly. Then he opened the door for Fred and watched him walking away into the fog.
"Two poor fools wishing each other a merry Christmas," Scrooge said.
Just then two fat gentlemen wearing expensive clothes came into the office.
"Excuse us, is this 'Scrooge and Marley's office'?"
"Yes, it is," answered Scrooge, again looking angry about an interruption.
"May I ask, are you Mr. Scrooge or Mr. Marley?" one of the men asked.
"Mr. Marley is dead. He died on Christmas Eve seven years ago, in 1836."
"Oh, I'm sorry," said the same man. "But we are here, at this blessed time of year, to ask if you would like to give some money to the poor. So many people have nothing to eat."
"Aren't there any prisons?" asked Scrooge. "Or any orphanages?"
"Well, yes, sir, there are still many prisons and orphanages."
"What about poorhouses for the poor?" Scrooge said with a mean look.
"It's sad, but there are still many poorhouses, orphanages, and prisons," said the same man. "But many people can't go there. They are cold and have little to eat. Could you please help them by donating some money?"
"No, I will give no money to people who are too lazy to work." said Scrooge.
"But sir, some of them could die. Won't you help them?"
"I do help them. They already get too much money from me and my taxes. Besides, there are too many people in the world now. A few lazy fools dying is a good thing!"
The two men could tell Scrooge would never give them anything. They gave Bob a sorrowful look.
"Now get back to work and no more interruptions!" Scrooge shouted at his clerk.
The afternoon slowly became night. It was time to go home.
"I guess you want the whole day tomorrow," Scrooge said angrily to his clerk. "You want to sit at home all day and still get paid?"
"Well, yes, sir, if it isn't a bother. It is Christmas."
Bob was worried about not being able to be with his family.
"Bah, humbug! It is a bother. Every year on December 25th, you don't work, but I have to pay you. It's money for nothing!"
Bob just looked down, holding his hat tightly in his hands.
"All right, I have no choice. But be here early on the 26th."
"Yes, sir. Thank you, sir." Bob left quickly before Scrooge could change his mind. Once he was outside, he forgot all about the work — it was Christmas Eve. He was happy to be going home to his family.KEY WORDS
business partner 生意伙伴
call v. 叫做
owner n. 所有者
mean adj. 吝啬的
miserly adj. 贪婪的
cold adj. 冷漠的
hate v. 不愿，讨厌
give away 赠送
tiny adj. 极小的
weak adj. （声音）虚弱的
brittle adj. （声音）尖利的
charcoal n. 木炭
though conj. 虽然
heavy adj. （雾气）浓重的
clerk n. 雇员，职员
warm v. 使温暖
cheerful adj. 高兴的
suddenly adv. 突然
nephew n. 外甥
bah int. （表示轻蔑、厌恶等）呸！
humbug n. 骗人的东西，胡扯
angry adj. 生气的
interrupt v. 打断
surely adv. 想必
mean v. 意指
(mean-meant-meant)
wish v. 祝愿
each other 互相
make money 挣钱
generous adj. 慷慨的
get back to 回去……
order v. 命令
invite v. 邀请
feel sorry for 为……感到难过
leave sb. alone 不打扰某人
join v. 加入
all the same 仍然
poor adj. 可怜的
just then 就在这时
wear v. 穿着
(wear-wore-worn)
expensive adj. 昂贵的
blessed adj. 幸福的，快乐的
prison n. 监狱，看守所
orphanage n. 孤儿院
What about... ?（提出建议、询问消息或征求意见时用）……怎么样？
poorhouse n. 救济院，济贫院
look n. 目光
donate v. 捐献，捐赠
too ... to ... 太……以至不能……
tax n. 税
besides adv. 此外
tell v. 断定，知道
(tell-told-told)
sorrowful adj. 伤心的
guess v. 猜想
whole adj. 整个的
all day 整天
pay v. 给……报酬
(pay-paid-paid)
bother n. 麻烦
be worried about 担心……
for nothing 徒然，白白地
hold v. 拿着，握住
(hold-held-held)
tightly adv. 紧紧地
change one's mind 改变主意
once conj. 一旦One Point Lesson
Each had tried to work harder than the other.
他们俩谁都想比对方更努力地工作。
had＋过去分词：过去完成时态，表示在过去的某一时间之前已经完成该动作。
e.g. I had lived in Beijing before I moved to Shanghai two years ago.
我两年前搬到上海之前住在北京。
But we are here, at this blessed time of year, to ask if you would like to give some money to the poor.
而我们在一年中这个幸福的日子里来到你这儿，就是想问问你是否愿为穷人们捐点钱。
the＋形容词：～人（泛指一类人）
e.g. the poor
穷人
the rich
富人
the living
活人
the dead
死人CHAPTER 1第1章Comprehension Quiz你读懂了多少
A 根据故事内容，找出与斯克罗吉相关的词。
B 根据故事内容，将下列两栏相关的内容用线连接起来。
C 根据词意，将下列两栏相关的内容用线连接起来。
D 选择正确的答案。
❶ Fred came to Scrooge's office _________________.
(a) to make his uncle angry
(b) to invite him to Christmas dinner
(c) to give him charcoal for the fire
❷ The gentlemen came to Scrooge's office _________________.
(a) to get a donation
(b) to ask him to pay taxes
(c) to wish him a merry Christmas
E 根据故事内容判断正误，正确的选T，错误的选F。
❶ Scrooge and Marley worked together for seven years.
T F
❷ Christmas was only a time for Scrooge to be generous.
T F
❸ Fred felt sorry for Scrooge because Scrooge had no family.
T F
❹ Bob didn't have to work on Christmas.
T F答案
A ❶ miserly, cold, mean
B ❶ - ⓒ
❷ - ⓑ
❸ - ⓐ
C ❶ - ⓑ
❷ - ⓐ
❸ - ⓒ
D ❶ (b)
❷ (a)
E ❶ F
❷ F
❸ T
❹ T第2章马利的鬼魂CHAPTER 2 Marley's Ghost
Bob went home to see his family; Scrooge went back to his empty house. The house was cold and dark. For some people the darkness was scary, but Scrooge liked it — it was cheap.
That night when he got home, however, the house seemed strange. Maybe it was because it was Marley's house and he had died exactly seven years ago this very day. Maybe it was just because the heavy fog made it darker than normal. It seemed like there was someone or something else in the house.
Scrooge lit a candle and looked around the room.
"Bah, humbug," he said, "no one is here." Still, he carefully locked the door and then made a little fire in the fireplace.
As the fire started to burn, Scrooge thought he heard something in the house. He looked around again, but it was just the ticking of the clock.
In the quiet, Scrooge could hear something else. It was far away, but it was coming closer.
It sounded like chains being dragged across the floor above.
Scrooge nervously shook his head.
"This can't be happening. I must be dreaming," he thought to himself.
Just then the doorbell began to ring loudly. Scrooge wasn't dreaming. Slowly, something came into the room. It wore Marley's old clothes, while its whole body was wrapped in a chain. Many familiar things were attached to the chain — the account books, heavy cashboxes, keys and locks. But the most familiar thing of all was the face.
The face! He recognized it right away as Marley's.
"Who are you?" asked Scrooge.
"Ask not who I am, ask who I was."
"Who were you?" Scrooge cried out. "What do you want from me?"
"You know who I am. I can see it in your eyes."
"It can't be you. That's impossible," Scrooge said.
"No! Scrooge, you know it is I, Jacob Marley, your old business partner!" The ghost shouted in anger.
The sudden loud noise scared Scrooge. He didn't want to believe it, but looking into those cold eyes frightened him. He didn't know how or why, but he knew it was Marley. Scrooge began to be very afraid.
"Yes, I know it is you, Jacob. Why are you here? What do you want?"
Scrooge's voice trembled as he spoke. His heart grew cold with fear.
"If a man stays away from other people while he is alive, that man becomes like me," the ghost answered shaking its chain sadly. "Though I am dead, I must walk through the world of the living. I can see people laugh, but I cannot laugh with them. Happiness, sadness, joy — I can see them all, but none of them are for me."
"But why are you here, before me?" Scrooge's voice shook as he spoke. "And why are you wearing that chain?"
"This chain, this heavy chain of sorrow and pain? You have one just like it, Ebenezer Scrooge. Only yours is far longer and far heavier," the ghost said. "This is the chain I made during my lifetime. Every time I refused to help those in need, the chain became a little longer. When I died, our chains were about the same, Scrooge, but now, after seven years, yours is so much longer than mine."
"But what can I do, Jacob? Please, tell me what I can do," Scrooge was now begging for help.
试读结束[说明：试读内容隐藏了图片]