A Christmas Carol

A Christmas Carol

By Charles Dickens (simplified version)

Ebenezer Scrooge was an old money lender in London. He was rich, but he was a very greedy, stingy and selfish man. He wasn´t friendly to people and he didn´t help anyone. His only friend and partner, Jacob Marley, died many years ago.

His clerk, Bob Cratchit had to work in a cold room because Scrooge didn´t want to spend money on coal to heat the room.

At Christmas Scrooge´s nephew Fred came to invite him to Christmas dinner at his home and to wish a “Merry Christmas”, but Scrooge only answered angrily “Bah, humbug.”

On Christmas Eve, Scrooge was sitting alone in his cold living room at home. Suddenly the ghost of his dead partner, Jacob Marley appeared. He said to Scrooge, “Change your life! You must become a better man. You must be kind to people, you must laugh with them. Three ghosts will visit you this night.” Scrooge was terribly afraid. Then he went to bed.

Tick off 

True or False

	True	False
1. Scrooge wasn´t rich.
2. He didn´t like to spend money.
3. Jacob Marley was Scrooge´s friend.
4. Scrooge went to Fred to have dinner.
5. Scrooge didn´t like Christmas.
6. Marley´s ghost told Scrooge not to change his life.
7. Scrooge wasn´t afraid of ghosts.

Answer the questions!
1. Where did Scrooge live? …………………………………………..	3. Who was Fred? ………………………………………………………..
2. What kind of man was Scrooge? ………………………………………………………..	4. What was Scrooge doing on Christmas Eve? ……………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………..

Choose the correct answer!

1. How was Scrooge as a young boy?

a) unhappy b) friendly c) impolite

2. What did the Ghost of Christmas
Past show to Scrooge?

a) Scrooge having a happy Christmas

b) Scrooge buying presents.

c) Scrooge giving money to the poor.

3. What ghost appeared next?

a) Ghost of Christmas Carols

b) Ghost of Christmas Presents

c) Ghost of Christmas Present

4. What was on the table?

a) Turkey, cakes, and oranges.

b) Apples, pears, and oranges.

c) Christmas puddings and steak.

And while Scrooge was sleeping in his bed, the Ghost of Christmas Past appeared. He took Ebenezer Scrooge back to the happy days when he had been a friendly young man. He saw himself celebrating Christmas with other people. He looked so happy. He also saw all the terrible things he had done when he was older.

Next the Ghost of Christmas Present appeared. Now the room was decorated with holly, ivy and mistletoe and looked so nice. There was a table full of sausages, Christmas puddings, apples and pears, oranges and cakes.

The Ghost of Christmas Present took Scrooge to a poor but clean room. It was the home of his clerk, Bob Cratchit, and his family. Bob, his wife and his two children sat at the table. There wasn´t much food on it, but they all said it was the most wonderful Christmas dinner.

Although they were poor, they were happy and loved each other so much. They saw Scrooge and invited him to sit down and have Christmas dinner with them. Scrooge was very ashamed.

And there was also Tiny Tim. Bob's little boy was handicapped and they had no money for a doctor. “Look!” the ghost told Scrooge, “The boy will die if they don´t get money for a doctor.” “Please, take me away!” Scrooge said to the ghost.

Tick off 

True or False

	True	False
1. The Ghost of Christmas Present took him to the past.
2. Bob Cratchit was Scrooge´s clerk.
3. Bob had three kids.
4. The boy’s name was Tiny Tom.
5. The Cratchit family sat around a table having X-mas dinner.
6. Scrooge was invited to have X-mas dinner with them.
7. The little boy was handicapped and needed medical care.

The third ghost was the Ghost of Christmas Future. He went with Scrooge to a graveyard and showed him a neglected grave. There was Scrooge´s name on the tombstone. “Oh Ghost,” Scrooge shouted, “I will change my life. I will be friendly and generous.” Then the ghost disappeared.

When Scrooge awoke the next morning he remembered the three ghosts and he also remembered what he had seen. It was Christmas morning. He thought “What a wonderful morning!” then he jumped out of bed and he smiled! He dressed quickly, went out into the street, was very friendly, gave money to beggars and wished everyone “A Merry Christmas!”.

He bought very delicious food and many presents and carried them to Bob Cratchit´s house. He gave them the food and the presents and felt very happy. He had never been happier in his life. Then he went to his nephew Fred to celebrate Christmas with him. The ghosts had changed all in only one night. Ebenezer Scrooge had learned his lesson for the rest of his life and he loved his new life.

Answer the questions!

1. Where did the Ghost of Christmas Future take Scrooge to?

………………………………………………………

2. What did Scrooge promise?

………………………………………………………

3. What did Scrooge remember on
Christmas morning?

………………………………………………………

4. What did Scrooge do in the
street?

………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………

5. What did he buy for
Bob Cratchit?

………………………………………………………

Match the sentence halves!

1	The third ghost went with Scrooge to a		Christmas with Fred.
2	I will change my life and		for the rest of his life.
3	He bought very delicious food		graveyard and showed him a neglected grave.
4	Scrooge celebrated		and carried it to Bob´s house.
5	Ebenezer Scrooge had learned his lesson		I will be friendly and generous.

By Charles Dickens (simplified version)

Ebenezer Scrooge was an old money lender in London. He was rich, but he was a very greedy, stingy and selfish man. He wasn´t friendly to people and he didn´t help anyone. His only friend and partner, Jacob Marley, died many years ago.

His clerk, Bob Cratchit had to work in a cold room because Scrooge didn´t want to spend money on coal to heat the room.

At Christmas Scrooge´s nephew Fred came to invite him to Christmas dinner at his home and to wish a “Merry Christmas”, but Scrooge only answered angrily “Bah, humbug.”

On Christmas Eve, Scrooge was sitting alone in his cold living room at home. Suddenly the ghost of his dead partner, Jacob Marley appeared. He said to Scrooge, “Change your life! You must become a better man. You must be kind to people, you must laugh with them. Three ghosts will visit you this night.” Scrooge was terribly afraid. Then he went to bed.

Tick off 

True or False

	True	False
1. Scrooge wasn´t rich.		x
2. He didn´t like to spend money.	x
3. Jacob Marley was Scrooge´s friend.	x
4. Scrooge went to Fred to have dinner.		x
5. Scrooge didn´t like Christmas.	x
6. Marley´s ghost told Scrooge not to change his life.		x
7. Scrooge wasn´t afraid of ghosts.		x

Answer the questions!
1. Where did Scrooge live? In London.	3. Who was Fred? He was Scrooge´s nephew.
2. What kind of man was Scrooge? He was an old, rich, greedy, stingy, and selfish man.	4. What was Scrooge doing on Christmas Eve? He was sitting alone in his cold living room.

Choose the correct answer!

1. How was Scrooge as a young boy?

a) unhappy b) friendly c) impolite

2. What did the Ghost of Christmas
Past show to Scrooge?

a) Scrooge having a happy Christmas

b) Scrooge buying presents.

c) Scrooge giving money to the poor.

3. What ghost appeared next?

a) Ghost of Christmas Carols

b) Ghost of Christmas Presents

c) Ghost of Christmas Present

4. What was on the table?

a) Turkey, cakes, and oranges.

b) Apples, pears, and oranges.

c) Christmas puddings and steak.

And while Scrooge was sleeping in his bed, the Ghost of Christmas Past appeared. He took Ebenezer Scrooge back to the happy days when he had been a friendly young man. He saw himself celebrating Christmas with other people. He looked so happy. He also saw all the terrible things he had done when he was older.

Next the Ghost of Christmas Present appeared. Now the room was decorated with holly, ivy and mistletoe and looked so nice. There was a table full of sausages, Christmas puddings, apples and pears, oranges and cakes.

The Ghost of Christmas Present took Scrooge to a poor but clean room. It was the home of his clerk, Bob Cratchit, and his family. Bob, his wife and his two children sat at the table. There wasn´t much food on it, but they all said it was the most wonderful Christmas dinner.

Although they were poor, they were happy and loved each other so much. They saw Scrooge and invited him to sit down and have Christmas dinner with them. Scrooge was very ashamed.

And there was also Tiny Tim. Bob's little boy was handicapped and they had no money for a doctor. “Look!” the ghost told Scrooge, “The boy will die if they don´t get money for a doctor.” “Please, take me away!” Scrooge said to the ghost.

Tick off 

True or False

	True	False
1. The Ghost of Christmas Present took him to the past.		x
2. Bob Cratchit was Scrooge´s clerk.	x
3. Bob had three kids.		x
4. The boy’s name was Tiny Tom.		x
5. The Cratchit family sat around a table having X-mas dinner.	x
6. Scrooge was invited to have X-mas dinner with them.	x
7. The little boy was handicapped and needed medical care.	x

The third ghost was the Ghost of Christmas Future. He went with Scrooge to a graveyard and showed him a neglected grave. There was Scrooge´s name on the tombstone. “Oh Ghost,” Scrooge shouted, “I will change my life. I will be friendly and generous.” Then the ghost disappeared.

When Scrooge awoke the next morning he remembered the three ghosts and he also remembered what he had seen. It was Christmas morning. He thought “What a wonderful morning!” then he jumped out of bed and he smiled! He dressed quickly, went out into the street, was very friendly, gave money to beggars and wished everyone “A Merry Christmas!”.

He bought very delicious food and many presents and carried them to Bob Cratchit´s house. He gave them the food and the presents and felt very happy. He had never been happier in his life. Then he went to his nephew Fred to celebrate Christmas with him. The ghosts had changed all in only one night. Ebenezer Scrooge had learned his lesson for the rest of his life and he loved his new life.

Answer the questions!

1. Where did the Ghost of Christmas Future take Scrooge to?

To the graveyard.

2. What did Scrooge promise?

To change his life.

3. What did Scrooge remember on
Christmas morning?

The three ghosts.

4. What did Scrooge do in the
street?

He gave money to beggars and wished everyone „A Merry Christmas“.

5. What did he buy for
Bob Cratchit?

Food and presents.

Match the sentence halves!

1	The third ghost went with Scrooge to a	4	Christmas with Fred.
2	I will change my life and	5	for the rest of his life.
3	He bought very delicious food	1	graveyard and showed him a neglected grave.
4	Scrooge celebrated	3	and carried it to Bob´s house.
5	Ebenezer Scrooge had learned his lesson	2	I will be friendly and generous.