入门级-狄更斯-圣诞颂歌（2）

一、原文文章：

Scrooge kept his office door open，in order to check that his clerk，Bob Cratchit，was working．Bob spent his days in a dark little room，a kind of cupboard，next to his employer's office．Scrooge had a very small fire，but Bob's fire was much smaller．It was very cold in the cupboard，and Bob had to wear his long white scarf to try to keep warm．

‘Merry Christmas，uncle！God bless you！’cried a happy voice．Scrooge's nephew had arrived．

‘Bah！’said Scrooge crossly．‘Humbug！’

‘Christmas is humbug！Surely you don't mean that， uncle？’said his nephew．

‘I do，’said scrooge．‘Why do you call it “merry” Christmas？You're too poor to be merry．’

‘Well，’replied the nephew，smiling，‘why are you so cross？You're too rich to be unhappy．’

‘Of course I'm cross，’answered the uncle，‘when I live in a world full of stupid people like you！You say “Merry Christmas”！But what is Christmas？Just a time when you spend too much，when you find yourself a year older and not an hour richer，when you have to pay your bills．Everyone who goes around saying “Merry Christmas” should have his tongue cut out．Yes，he should！’

二、同义词：高兴

1. happy：突出心里高兴但不一定表露出来

2. merry：高兴的情绪激动兴奋

三、一词多义：

humbug：胡说；薄荷糖

四、圣诞节和圣诞老人的由来：

1. Christmas=Christ+mass

2. Saint