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A Christmas Carol
A Christmas Carol

Chapter II · Stave II: The First of the Three Spirits

Read and study this complete chapter with synchronized narration, pronunciation, and vocabulary support.

STAVE II: THE FIRST OF THE THREE SPIRITS WHEN Scrooge awoke, it was so dark, that looking out of bed, he could scarcely distinguish the transparent window from the opaque walls of his chamber.

Young Scrooge alone at school as Fan arrives, watched by the Ghost of Christmas Past
Context Illustration Reading 18/81 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
"I was bred in this place.
I was a boy here!"
The Spirit gazed upon him mildly.
Its gentle touch, though it had been light and instantaneous, appeared still present to the old man's sense of feeling.
He was conscious of a thousand odours floating in the air, each one connected with a thousand thoughts, and hopes, and joys, and cares long, long, forgotten!
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

A Christmas Carol

Chapter II · Stave II: The First of the Three Spirits

Study this chapter through synchronized reading, listening, pronunciation, and contextual vocabulary.

Reading 18/81 · 5 reading units · Lines 86–90

Line 1
"I was bred in this place.
Line 2
I was a boy here!"
Line 3
The Spirit gazed upon him mildly.
Line 4
Its gentle touch, though it had been light and instantaneous, appeared still present to the old man's sense of feeling.
Line 5
He was conscious of a thousand odours floating in the air, each one connected with a thousand thoughts, and hopes, and joys, and cares long, long, forgotten!

Learner Dictionary

These definitions explain words found in the current reading and keep every example grounded in its original sentence.

Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, and audio.

Forgotten adjective US /fərˈɡɑːt.n̩/

Not remembered; lapsed from memory.

From this reading “He was conscious of a thousand odours floating in the air, each one connected with a thousand thoughts, and hopes, and joys, and cares long, long, forgotten!”

All words in this reading · 50

Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

a

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading I was a boy here!"

air

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He was conscious of a thousand odours floating in the air, each one connected with a thousand thoughts, and hopes, and joys, and cares long, long, forgotten!

and

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Its gentle touch, though it had been light and instantaneous, appeared still present to the old man's sense of feeling.

appeared

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Its gentle touch, though it had been light and instantaneous, appeared still present to the old man's sense of feeling.

been

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Its gentle touch, though it had been light and instantaneous, appeared still present to the old man's sense of feeling.

boy

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading I was a boy here!"

bred

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading "I was bred in this place.

cares

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He was conscious of a thousand odours floating in the air, each one connected with a thousand thoughts, and hopes, and joys, and cares long, long, forgotten!

connected

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He was conscious of a thousand odours floating in the air, each one connected with a thousand thoughts, and hopes, and joys, and cares long, long, forgotten!

conscious

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He was conscious of a thousand odours floating in the air, each one connected with a thousand thoughts, and hopes, and joys, and cares long, long, forgotten!

each

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He was conscious of a thousand odours floating in the air, each one connected with a thousand thoughts, and hopes, and joys, and cares long, long, forgotten!

feeling

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Its gentle touch, though it had been light and instantaneous, appeared still present to the old man's sense of feeling.

floating

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He was conscious of a thousand odours floating in the air, each one connected with a thousand thoughts, and hopes, and joys, and cares long, long, forgotten!

forgottenadjectiveUS /fərˈɡɑːt.n̩/

Not remembered; lapsed from memory.

From this reading He was conscious of a thousand odours floating in the air, each one connected with a thousand thoughts, and hopes, and joys, and cares long, long, forgotten!

gazed

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The Spirit gazed upon him mildly.

gentle

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Its gentle touch, though it had been light and instantaneous, appeared still present to the old man's sense of feeling.

had

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Its gentle touch, though it had been light and instantaneous, appeared still present to the old man's sense of feeling.

He

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He was conscious of a thousand odours floating in the air, each one connected with a thousand thoughts, and hopes, and joys, and cares long, long, forgotten!

here

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading I was a boy here!"

him

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The Spirit gazed upon him mildly.

hopes

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He was conscious of a thousand odours floating in the air, each one connected with a thousand thoughts, and hopes, and joys, and cares long, long, forgotten!

I

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading "I was bred in this place.

in

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading "I was bred in this place.

instantaneous

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Its gentle touch, though it had been light and instantaneous, appeared still present to the old man's sense of feeling.

it

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Its gentle touch, though it had been light and instantaneous, appeared still present to the old man's sense of feeling.

Its

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Its gentle touch, though it had been light and instantaneous, appeared still present to the old man's sense of feeling.

joys

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He was conscious of a thousand odours floating in the air, each one connected with a thousand thoughts, and hopes, and joys, and cares long, long, forgotten!

light

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Its gentle touch, though it had been light and instantaneous, appeared still present to the old man's sense of feeling.

long

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He was conscious of a thousand odours floating in the air, each one connected with a thousand thoughts, and hopes, and joys, and cares long, long, forgotten!

man's

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Its gentle touch, though it had been light and instantaneous, appeared still present to the old man's sense of feeling.

mildly

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The Spirit gazed upon him mildly.

odours

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He was conscious of a thousand odours floating in the air, each one connected with a thousand thoughts, and hopes, and joys, and cares long, long, forgotten!

of

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Its gentle touch, though it had been light and instantaneous, appeared still present to the old man's sense of feeling.

old

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Its gentle touch, though it had been light and instantaneous, appeared still present to the old man's sense of feeling.

one

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He was conscious of a thousand odours floating in the air, each one connected with a thousand thoughts, and hopes, and joys, and cares long, long, forgotten!

place

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading "I was bred in this place.

present

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Its gentle touch, though it had been light and instantaneous, appeared still present to the old man's sense of feeling.

sense

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Its gentle touch, though it had been light and instantaneous, appeared still present to the old man's sense of feeling.

Spirit

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The Spirit gazed upon him mildly.

still

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Its gentle touch, though it had been light and instantaneous, appeared still present to the old man's sense of feeling.

The

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The Spirit gazed upon him mildly.

this

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading "I was bred in this place.

though

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Its gentle touch, though it had been light and instantaneous, appeared still present to the old man's sense of feeling.

thoughts

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He was conscious of a thousand odours floating in the air, each one connected with a thousand thoughts, and hopes, and joys, and cares long, long, forgotten!

thousand

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He was conscious of a thousand odours floating in the air, each one connected with a thousand thoughts, and hopes, and joys, and cares long, long, forgotten!

to

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Its gentle touch, though it had been light and instantaneous, appeared still present to the old man's sense of feeling.

touch

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Its gentle touch, though it had been light and instantaneous, appeared still present to the old man's sense of feeling.

upon

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The Spirit gazed upon him mildly.

was

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading "I was bred in this place.

with

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He was conscious of a thousand odours floating in the air, each one connected with a thousand thoughts, and hopes, and joys, and cares long, long, forgotten!

Chapter Quiz

Use these questions to verify literal comprehension before continuing to the next chapter.

What is the central narrative or theme conveyed in this section of Stave II: The First of the Three Spirits?

Which core linguistic virtue or character attribute is emphasized in this passage?

According to the text: "STAVE II: THE FIRST OF THE THREE SPIRITS...", what tone does the author establish?

Shadowing Practice

Repeat the selected source lines aloud to practice rhythm, stress, and clear US English pronunciation.

Narrator: STAVE II: THE FIRST OF THE THREE SPIRITS
Narrator: "Was I apprenticed here!"