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DOMINOES

A Christmas Carol Charles Dickens

Series Editor: Nicole Irving Text adaptation by Bill Bowler Illustrated by Mike McCarthy Charles Dickens (1812–1870) was born in Portsmouth, England, and for most of his life, he lived in or near London. His family was poor, and he had to go to work in a factory at the age of twelve. Dickens never forgot this difficult time, and many of his books describe the problems of poor people, especially poor children, and the wide differences between the rich and the poor. When he was older, Dickens started working for a newspaper and then he wrote some of the most famous novels in English, including A Christmas Carol, Hard Times, and Nicholas Nickleby, which are also available as Dominoes.

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1 Great Clarendon Street, Oxford, ox2 6dp, United Kingdom Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford. It furthers the University’s objective of excellence in research, scholarship, and education by publishing worldwide. Oxford is a registered trade mark of Oxford University Press in the UK and in certain other countries © Oxford University Press 2018 The moral rights of the author have been asserted First published in Dominoes 2018 2022  2021  2020  2019  2018 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 No unauthorized photocopying All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior permission in writing of Oxford University Press, or as expressly permitted by law, by licence or under terms agreed with the appropriate reprographics rights organization. Enquiries concerning reproduction outside the scope of the above should be sent to the ELT Rights Department, Oxford University Press, at the address above You must not circulate this work in any other form and you must impose this same condition on any acquirer Links to third party websites are provided by Oxford in good faith and for information only. Oxford disclaims any responsibility for the materials contained in any third party website referenced in this work isbn: 978 0 19 462710 8 Book isbn: 978 0 19 462712 2 Book and Audio Pack Audio not available separately Printed in China This book is printed on paper from certified and well-managed sources acknowledgements Cover and all main illustrations by: Mike McCarthy/Astound US Project page illustrations by: Zdenko Bašić p.41 (The faithful Ghost); Oliver Cuthbertson/The Bright Agency p.41 (Macbeth); János Orbán/Astound US p.41 (Hamlet). The publisher would like to thank the following for permission to reproduce photographs: Rex/ Shutterstock p.41 (Columbia/Feigco/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock). Title page illustrated by: Mike McCarthy Back page illustrated by: Mike McCarthy/Astound US

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Contents Before Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv

Chapter 1   Ebenezer Scrooge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Chapter 2   Two visitors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Chapter 3   Jacob Marley’s ghost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Chapter 4   The Ghost of Christmas Past . . . . . . . . 20 Chapter 5   The Ghost of Christmas Present . . . 28 Chapter 6   The Ghost of the Future . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Projects. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Grammar Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 About Dominoes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

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ACTIVITIES BEFORE READING 1 This is Ebenezer Scrooge when the story begins. What do you think about him? Read and tick (✓) Yes or No. a He lives in London. b He’s always happy. c His sister is dead. d His only friend is dead. e He loves helping people. f He likes giving money to people.

Yes No                        

2 Here are some characters from A Christmas Carol. Match them with the sentences. Use a dictionary to help you. This character … 1 helps her brother Ebenezer when she is thirteen and he is fifteen. 2 doesn’t marry Scrooge because he loves money more than her. 3 wants to be friends with his old Uncle Scrooge. 4 comes back after many years to help his old friend Scrooge. 5 works for Scrooge in his offices in London.

a Belle

b Fanny

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c Bob Cratchit

d Fred

e Jacob Marley

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Chapter 1 – Ebenezer Scrooge

When our story begins, Jacob Marley is dead. Does Ebenezer Scrooge know that? Of course he does. ‘Scrooge and Marley’ are the names on the front of his offices in London. Scrooge remembers his old friend well. ‘What a good worker!’ he thinks. But then Marley dies. Not many people are sorry. Scrooge is Marley’s only friend in the end. He leaves Marley’s name over the front door. New visitors to the office sometimes call Ebenezer ‘Mr Scrooge’ and sometimes ‘Mr Marley’. It doesn’t matter to him. 1

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thin  not fat Christmas  25th December, a Christian festival clerk  this person does the writing work in an office fire  this is red and hot, and it burns

Old Scrooge has a cold face. He is careful with money. His eyes are red. His thin mouth is blue, and his hair is white. His office is always cold. He doesn’t feel it. He walks through the coldest rain and never stops. Scrooge always speaks angrily. He has no friends. When he is walking through the streets, nobody smiles. Nobody says, ‘Scrooge! When can you visit me?’ No hungry man asks Scrooge for money. No little child says to him, ‘What’s the time, please?’ No visitor asks him, ‘Where’s Oxford Street?’ The street dogs run when Scrooge arrives because they are afraid. All of this pleases Ebenezer. He doesn’t like being nice. He loves it when people stay away from him. At three o’clock in the afternoon on 24th December, the day before Christmas, Scrooge is in his office. It’s a cold, dark day. The door to Scrooge’s office is open. He’s watching his clerk, Bob Cratchit, at work. The fire in Scrooge’s office isn’t big. But the fire next to Bob is very little.

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Bob wants a bigger fire, but when he asks for it, Scrooge says, ‘Do you want to stay in your job, Cratchit?’ The clerk goes back to his desk. He wants to feel warm, so he wears his old scarf in the office. But it doesn’t help much. Just then, Scrooge’s nephew, Fred, arrives. ‘Happy Christmas, Uncle!’ he smiles. His face is red from the cold street. ‘Bah!’ Scrooge says. His mouth is thinner than usual. ‘Humbug!’ ‘Christmas a humbug, Uncle? You don’t truly think that!’ ‘I do,’ Scrooge answers. ‘Why are you happy at Christmas, Nephew? You don’t have much money. And Christmas things are always expensive!’ ‘So why are you angry, Uncle?’ Fred laughs. ‘You have lots of money!’ Scrooge says, ‘Bah! Humbug!’ again. ‘Smile, Uncle,’ Fred tells him. ‘It’s Christmas time!’

job work desk  a table in an office scarf  you wear this around your neck nephew your sister’s or brother’s son uncle your mother’s or father’s brother humbug an old word for something that is not true

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‘Smile? Why?’ Scrooge says. ‘I don’t like Christmas. Every Christmas I’m a year older. It’s an expensive time, a time when I have no money. When people say, “Happy Christmas”, I say “Humbug!”’ ‘Uncle, please! Christmas is a nice time. It’s a time for friends and family, a time when we give.’ Bob Cratchit is listening. He claps excitedly at this. Scrooge looks angrily at his clerk. ‘Any more of that, and you’re going to lose your job for Christmas!’ Bob says nothing. He goes back to his work. ‘Uncle, come and eat with us tomorrow!’ Fred says. ‘No! Get out of here!’ Scrooge answers. ‘Oh, come and eat with us.’ ‘No, I don’t like your wife! Why are you with her?’ ‘Because I love her!’ ‘Because you love her!’ Scrooge answers. ‘That’s worse than “Happy Christmas”! Good afternoon.’ ‘But you never visit my house, Uncle. Not now, and not before! So why are you speaking about my wife now?’ ‘Good afternoon,’ Scrooge says. ‘I want nothing from you, Uncle,’ Fred answers. ‘But let’s be friends!’ ‘Good afternoon,’ Scrooge says. ‘Oh Uncle, why can’t you say “yes” and eat with us on Christmas Day? I’m sorry, and I don’t understand. But now I must go. Happy Christmas and a very Happy New Year to you!’ ‘Good afternoon,’ Scrooge says. Bob Cratchit takes Fred to the front door. He says ‘Happy Christmas’ quietly before Fred leaves. Just then, two fat men in tall hats come through the open door. They give their hats to Bob and tell him their names. Bob takes the two men through to Scrooge’s office.

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clap  to hit your hands together noisily many times to show that you like something wife  the woman that someone is married to

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ACTIVITIES READING CHECK Are these sentences true or false? Tick (✓) the boxes. a b c d e f g h

True

False

   ✔                            

Scrooge’s old friend Marley is alive when the story begins. The story begins in the afternoon on 24th December. Scrooge is careful with his money, and he always speaks angrily. Ebenezer Scrooge wears his scarf in the office. Fred arrives and says ‘Happy Christmas!’ to his Uncle Scrooge. Fred has a lot of money but Scrooge doesn’t have much money. Scrooge is going to eat at Fred’s house the next day. Two fat men arrive at Scrooge’s office soon after Fred leaves.

WORD WORK

u

rk cle

bu

hum

ire

kf

 n e p h e

w

indes

p  s

wife

th

ncles carfcla

ris h C

t ma s j o b

g

1 Find eleven more words from Chapter 1 in Bob Cratchit’s scarf.

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ACTIVITIES 2 Use the words from Activity 1 to complete the sentences. a Ebenezer Scrooge often says ‘Bah! Humbug  !’ when he doesn’t like something. b Many British people like being with their families at time. c Bob Cratchit is a at Scrooge and Marley’s offices. d Bob writes a lot every day at his little . e Bob wants a bigger because he feels cold. f Bob wears his old in the office because he wants to feel warm. g Bob doesn’t want to lose his and have no money. h When Fred speaks about friends and family, Bob . i Scrooge is a cold man with a mouth. j Fred visits his Scrooge at his offices. k ‘My  , Fred, wants my money!’ thinks Scrooge. l Scrooge doesn’t like Fred’s .

GUESS WHAT Which of these things does Scrooge do in the next chapter? Tick (✓) four boxes. a b c d e f g

  He listens to the two fat men in his office.   He gives some money to the two fat men.  He closes his office at eight o’clock in the evening.  He tells Bob Cratchit, ‘You must work all day tomorrow!’  He walks through the dark London streets to his home.  He walks past Fred’s house and looks in through the front window.  He sees Jacob Marley’s face in front of him when he arrives home.

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Chapter 2 – Two visitors

poor without money; we also say this when we feel sorry for somebody prison  a place where people must stay when they do something wrong workhouse a building where poor people work a lot for some food and a bed for the night

The taller of the two fat men looks in his little black book. ‘Is this Scrooge and Marley’s office?’ he asks. ‘It is,’ Scrooge answers. ‘And are you Mr Scrooge or Mr Marley?’ the man asks. ‘Marley’s dead – seven years to this day!’ says Scrooge. He remembers the night before Christmas seven years earlier. ‘Oh, I’m sorry. But perhaps you can give something for poor families,’ the man says. ‘No, thank you,’ Scrooge answers quickly. ‘At Christmas time, we must help more than usual,’ the man tells him. ‘Why?’ Scrooge asks. ‘Are there no prisons or workhouses?’ ‘Hmmm, yes, there are.’ ‘Good,’ Scrooge says. ‘So poor people can go and live there. It’s better than the streets.’ ‘But most people don’t want to do that. They want to be with friends and family at Christmas. They want warm beds, and they want to eat and drink well. Your money can help. How much can I put under your name in my book, Mr Scrooge?’ ‘Nothing.’ ‘Do you want to give money but not put your name?’ ‘I want you to go. I don’t like eating and drinking a lot at Christmas. So I don’t want to help poor people to do these things. I give lots of money every year to the prisons and workhouses. Poor people with no homes must go there.’ ‘Most of them don’t need a prison. And they don’t like workhouses. Lots of people die there.’

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carol people sing this at Christmas time keyhole you open a door by putting a key in this and moving it; you can look through it, too holiday a day when you don’t work

‘So they can die. We don’t need all these people alive today. Look, there’s the door. Good afternoon.’ Scrooge does not want to help, the two men understand. So they leave. The afternoon is darker now, and colder. People are getting the last things from the shops for Christmas. A boy stands out in the street in front of Scrooge’s office. He begins singing a Christmas carol through the keyhole. But when he looks through the keyhole, he sees Scrooge’s angry face. The boy runs away. At eight o’clock, it is time to close the office. ‘Are you going to want a holiday tomorrow?’ Scrooge asks his clerk. ‘Yes, Mr Scrooge. Is that OK?’ Bob Cratchit says. ‘No, it’s not OK,’ Scrooge answers. ‘I lose money when you don’t work.’ ‘But it’s my only holiday in the year, Mr Scrooge,’ Bob says. ‘Have it, then,’ Scrooge answers. ‘But you must come in earlier the next morning.’ ‘All right,’ Bob says with a smile. Then he runs home to his family, and plays happily with his children.

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Scrooge walks alone through the dark London streets to a big, old office building. He lives and sleeps in it. But his home is the only home there. It is his building now – ‘Jacob Marley’s old building,’ Scrooge remembers, ‘But Marley’s dead these seven years and doesn’t need it,’ he thinks. Scrooge stands at the front door with his keys. He sees the big knocker before him. Suddenly, it is not a knocker. It is the face of Jacob Marley, and it is looking at him. Scrooge looks back at Marley’s face. But now it is a door knocker again. ‘Humbug,’ Scrooge says. But is it humbug? Scrooge opens the front door, and goes in. Then he lights a candle and goes up to his rooms. He closes his room door behind him with the key. After that, he puts his hat and coat on a chair near the door. Then he lights a second candle.

alone with nobody key  you can close or open a door with this knocker you make a noise on a door with it light  to give fire to something; this stops a place being dark candle  it burns and gives light; in the past, people used candles to see at night

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ACTIVITIES READING CHECK Correct the mistakes in these sentences.

black

a The taller of the two fat men looks at his little red book before he speaks. b This man asks Bob Cratchit for some help for poor people. c Scrooge likes to eat a lot at Christmas time. d He is interested in poor people with no homes. e The two fat men leave after Scrooge gives some money to them. f A young girl sings in the street in front of Scrooge’s office. g Scrooge feels happy when he hears the singer. h Scrooge closes his office at six o’clock in the evening. i Bob Cratchit wants to stay at home on New Year’s Day. j After Scrooge says ‘No’ to Bob’s day at home, Bob runs home to his family. k Bob plays happily with his dogs when he arrives. l When Scrooge is at his front door, he sees Fred’s face in front of him. m He walks in through the front door and goes down to his rooms.

WORD WORK 1 Unscramble the words from Chapter 2 in the hats and write them.

e y k

a  _k e _y _

o r p o

b  _ _ _ _

n e o a l

c  _ _ _ _ _

c o l a r

d  _ _ _ _ _

t

h

g l i

e  _ _ _ _ _

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ACTIVITIES s i n p o r f  _ _ _ _ _ _

n l a e c d g  _ _ _ _ _ _

k r o e k n c h  _ _ _ _ _ _ _

a

y

d i h l o i  _ _ _ _ _ _ _

e h l eo k y j  _ _ _ _ _ _ _

2 Use the correct form of the words from Activity 1 to complete the sentences. a b c d e f g h i j

lights  ? This room is very dark. What’s the matter with the We have a beautiful old on our front door. Those people haven’t got much money. They’re  . Some children like singing Christmas in the street. Many people have a on 1st January. It’s New Year’s Day. Don’t forget your house  ! I’m going out later. There’s nobody with me. I’m here. After people do very bad things, they must often go to  . ‘What are they saying in there?’ ‘I don’t know. Let’s listen through the ‘It’s dark. Get a  !’

 !’

GUESS WHAT What do you think happens in the next chapter? Put these sentences in the correct order (from 1–6). a b c d e f

Scrooge hears noises in the building. Scrooge has a hot drink at home. Scrooge feels tired and goes to bed. Scrooge’s old friend walks in through his door. Scrooge’s friend leaves through the window. Scrooge and his only friend sit and talk.

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