阅读理解
Since it was first published in1843, the novella(中篇小说)A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens has been loved by millions of people, and perhaps has encouraged them to love more and give more.
When Charles Dickens was a child, his father had been thrown in prison(监狱)for debt (债务)in 1824. But his novella was not well received at first. He needed new ideas and inspiration, but he was running out of time.
As he walked through the street which he called the "black streets"of London, he saw the poor, who had little food or warmth in the cold weather, and the closed-up houses, like the doors of the hearts of many who did not want to love and give.
He happened to find the idea of a Christmas story that could show this. He filled the story with characters and scenes which he had already written about in his other stories, Scrooge, the main character, is a selfish man who hates Christmas—the time of giving. His late business partner Jacob, also a greedy man, comes back from the dead as a ghost to warn Scrooge. You can read the story yourself to see how Scrooge finally change s his ways.
As he wrote about Christmas and the wonderful time of gift giving, family gathering, carol singing and feast sharing, his own heart was cheered and he remembered those things that really mattered to him. He loved writing the book and produced a special story, which is still loved around the world.