Oliver Twist: A Classic Novel of Poverty and Social Injustice, Lecture notes of Voice

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Oliver Twist

By Charles Dickens

Contents

• Chapter One: The Workhouse .....................................................................
• Chapter Two: Mr Sowerberry's Shop.........................................................
• Chapter Three: On the road to London......................................................
• Chapter Four: Fagin's Game.....................................................................
• Chapter Five: Mr Brownlow......................................................................
• Chapter Six: The Crime..............................................................................
• Chapter Seven: A New Home.....................................................................
• Chapter Eight: Nancy's Secret...................................................................
• Chapter Nine: Old Friends Meet...............................................................
• Chapter Ten: Monks...................................................................................
• Chapter Eleven: The End of Our Story....................................................
• Track 1: Chapter One Exercise 3...........................................................
• Track 2: Chapter Four Exercise 1..........................................................
• Track 3: Chapter Nine Exercise 1...........................................................

Oliver and his companions①^ were very hungry and very unhappy. They never asked for a second bowl of porridge. They were afraid. But after three months they became terribly hungry. One day Oliver took his empty bowl to the master. "Please sir," he said, "I want some more porridge." The master looked at Oliver. He was surprised. "What?" he said. "Please sir," he said, "I want some more porridge." The master hit Oliver with his big spoon. Then he called Mr Bumble. He was an important officer of the town. "What!" cried②^ Mr Bumble. He took Oliver to the directors of the workhouse and said, "Oliver Twist asked for more porridge!" "For more porridge!" they cried. They looked at each other. They were surprised. "He must leave the workhouse!" Mr Bumble put Oliver in a cold, dark room for one week. Every morning Mr Bumble beat Oliver with a stick in front of his friends. Oliver cried③^ all day and he did not sleep at night. One day Mr Bumble met his friend Mr Sowerberry. Mr Sowerberry was a tall thin man. He made coffins for dead bodies. Many of the dead bodies came from the workhouse. Mr Bumble asked, "Do you want a boy to work in your shop? You will pay nothing and we will give you five pounds④!" Mr Sowerberry thought a moment and said, "Yes, I want the boy and the five pounds."

① (^) companions：同伴。 ② (^) cried：喊叫。 ③ (^) cried：哭。 ④ (^) pounds：英镑。

Mr Bumble was happy. In the evening he took Oliver to Mr Sowerberry's shop. Oliver looked at Mr Bumble and started crying, "I want to be a good boy. I am a very little boy, sir. And it is so ... lonely. So very lonely!" Oliver's thin face was covered with tears.

Oliver a special black hat and dark jacket. Oliver became a mourner①^ at

many funerals. After the first funerals Mr Sowerberry asked, "Well, do you like funerals?" Oliver said, "Not very much, sir." One day Noah said bad things about Oliver's mother. Oliver's face became red with anger. He was furious. He hit the table and the chair. He hit Noah Claypole. He began beating him. Noah was bigger than Oliver, but Oliver wasn't afraid. "Help!" Noah cried, "He's killing me!" Mrs Sowerberry and a servant came to the kitchen. Together they beat Oliver for a long time. Then Mrs Sowerberry locked②^ Oliver in a dark room.

Noah went to call Mr Bumble. "Oh, Mr Bumble, sir!" cried Noah. "Oliver wanted to kill me and Mrs Sowerberry. Please come with me!" When Mr Bumble and Noah arrived at the shop, Mr Bumble cried, "Oliver!" "I want to go out!" cried Oliver from the dark room. "Do you know this voice, Oliver?" asked Mr Bumble. "Yes," answered Oliver. "Aren't you afraid," asked Mr Bumble. "No!" said Oliver in a courageous voice. Mr Bumble was surprised. "He's crazy③," said Mrs Sowerberry. "No, he's not crazy," said Mr Bumble. "It's the meat." "What!" said Mrs Sowerberry.

① (^) mourner：哀悼者。 ② (^) locked：锁着。 ③ (^) crazy：疯狂。

"It's the meat! You gave him too much meat to eat. At the workhouse we give them porridge and this never happens!" When Mr Sowerberry came home he beat Oliver too. But he forgot to lock the door. That night Oliver fell to the floor and cried all night. He cried too many tears for a little boy. Early the next morning he put a few clothes in a handkerchief. Then he quietly left Mr Sowerberry's shop.

The boy smiled and asked, "Are you going to London?" "Yes," answered Oliver. "Do you want a place to sleep?" "Oh, yes please," said Oliver. "I slept outside in the cold for seven nights." "Stay with me! I know an old man in London. You can sleep at his house." Oliver was happy to accept his help. "My name's Jack Dawkins, but they call me 'Dodger'." The two boys walked to the big city together. It was almost 11 p.m. when they arrived in London. Oliver followed Dodger. He looked at the small, dirty streets and the old houses. The ground was wet. Everything was ugly. There was an awful①^ smell everywhere. Dodger stopped in front of an old, black house. He and Oliver went up some broken stairs. They entered a dark, dirty room. There were a lot of young boys. There was an ugly old man near the fire. He had red hair and a red beard. He wore dirty clothes. He smiled at Oliver and said, "I'm happy to meet you. I'm Fagin." Oliver looked at all the handkerchiefs hanging in the room. Fagin said, "We washed them. Now sit down and eat some sausages." Oliver was happy to eat some hot food in a warm room. He soon fell asleep. The next morning Oliver woke up late. Fagin prepared a cup of coffee. He turned around and looked at Oliver. Oliver closed his eyes and didn't move. Fagin thought, "Oliver is still asleep." So he took a box from a secret place in the floor. He put the box on the table and opened it. He took out many beautiful watches and splendid②^ jewels. Suddenly, Fagin saw Oliver wake up. Fagin quickly closed the box. He was angry and said, "Why are you

① (^) awful：极坏的。 ② (^) splendid：极漂亮的。

awake①?" "I'm sorry, sir. I just opened my eyes," said Oliver. "Uh, did you see those pretty②^ things?" asked Fagin. "Yes, sir," said Oliver. "I'm an old man and they are all I have. Now go and wash your face." Oliver thought, "Fagin must be a miser③. He lives in a dirty place and has many jewels." At that moment Dodger and his friend Charley Bates arrived.They all sat down and had breakfast. "Did you boys work this morning?" Fagin asked. "Yes, we did. Look, here are some wallets and some handkerchiefs."

① (^) awake：醒着的。 ② (^) pretty：漂亮的。 ③ (^) miser：守财奴。

mystery of Fagin's watches and jewels. He began to run. At that moment the old man put his hand in his pocket. He did not find his handkerchief. He turned around and cried, "Stop thief①!" Other people cried, "Stop thief!" Dodger and Charley Bates cried, "Stop thief!" Everyone ran after poor Oliver. Oliver ran and fell. A policeman caught him and said, "Get up!" "I didn't steal the handkerchief!" cried Oliver. "Two other boys stole it, but they aren't here." "You're the thief,’ said the policeman. "No, no! Stop! I work at the bookshop and I saw everything," said another man. "This boy is innocent②. Two other boys stole the handkerchief." Oliver was free. But he was very weak and fell to the ground. The old man was very kind and said, "Oh, the poor boy! Look at his white face. He must come home with me." He called a carriage and took Oliver to his house. The old man's name was Mr Brownlow. He lived in a very nice house in a quiet London street. When Dodger and Charley Bates arrived home Fagin asked, "Where's Oliver?" "A policeman took him away," said Dodger. "What!" cried Fagin. He was furious. "Oliver can tell the police about us. We must find him." A strong man opened the door and entered the room. He had dirty clothes. He was about 35 years old and had angry eyes. His name was Bill Sikes. He was Fagin's friend. An old dog followed him.

① (^) thief ：贼。 ② (^) innocent ：无辜的。

"You're angry today, Mr Sikes," said Fagin. "Give me something to drink, Fagin," said Sikes angrily. Fagin told Sikes about Oliver. Sikes said, "We must find that boy! I have a plan. Listen carefully."

One sunny day Mr Brownlow said, "Oliver, can you please take these books to the bookshop? Give this £5 note① to the man in the shop." "I am happy to do this for you," said Oliver smiling. He took the books and walked happily down the street. Nancy was standing in a small street. When he walked into the small street Nancy saw him. She put her arms around him. "Oh, my dear brother! I found you! You must come home with me now. You are a bad boy!" Oliver cried, "Help! Help!" Just then Bill Sikes arrived. He said, "It's young Oliver! Come home with us. Mother is waiting for us." Sikes and Nancy pulled Oliver to Fagin's shop. When they arrived at Fagin's shop he said, "Oliver, I'm happy to see you!" Charley Bates took Oliver's new clothes. Sikes took the five pound note and Fagin took the books. "You can keep me here all my life." cried Oliver, "But please return these books and the five pound note to Mr Brownlow. Please! He mustn't think I am a thief." "Oh, yes, he must!" said Fagin. Everyone laughed at Oliver. Oliver jumped up and ran to the door. Fagin hit Oliver with a big stick. Nancy pulled the stick out of Fagin's hand. She threw it in the fire. "Don't hit the boy again!" she said. Sikes pushed Nancy to the floor and Fagin laughed. Then they locked Oliver in a dark room. It was night time at Mr Brownlow's house. He and Mrs Bedwin waited for Oliver all night, but he never came home. Mr Brownlow was very sad and worried. Where was Oliver? ① (^) £ 5 note：面值 5 英镑的纸币。

Chapter Six: The Crime

One rainy night Fagin went to see Bill Sikes. "I want to talk about that big house outside London. There are many precious①^ things to steal! It's perfect for us!" He was very excited. "Yes, it's a very rich house," said Sikes. "But it will be difficult. The house is completely closed at night. There's one small window at the back. It's easy to open, but only a small boy can enter." "Oliver is the boy for you, Sikes," said Fagin. "He must start working for his bread." The next morning Oliver found a new pair of shoes near his bed. He was very happy. "Tonight you must go to see Bill Sikes," said Fagin. "Why?" asked Oliver. "Sikes can tell you. Be careful, Oliver, he's a cruel man. Do what he tells you," Fagin said. Oliver was afraid. He prayed②^ God to help him. Nancy came and took Oliver to Sikes. "Be good and quiet. Give me your hand," she said. When Sikes saw Oliver he put a pistol to his head. "Do what I say or I'll shoot you! Do you hear me?" Oliver heard him and was terrified③. He didn't say a word. "Now come with me!" said Sikes. Sikes and Oliver walked together in the cold fog. After some time they arrived in the country. They met another thief called Toby Crackit. Oliver

① (^) precious：宝贵的。 ② (^) prayed：祈祷。 ③ (^) terrified：很害怕的。

anything," said Mr Giles. The two men returned to the country house. They didn't see Oliver's body. Oliver stayed on the cold wet ground all night.

Chapter Seven: A New Home

The next morning it was raining. Olive woke up. His left arm was covered with blood. He got up slowly and tried to wake. He saw the country house and thought, "Perhaps the people in that house can help me." He knocked at①^ the door and fell to the ground. Mr Giles and Mr Brittles opened the door. "A boy!" said Mr Giles. Then he saw the blood on Oliver's clothes. "Look! It's one of the thieves!" He told the ladies, "Here he is" I shot②^ him, madam. Do you want to see him?" "Oh, not now," said Rose Maylie. She was a beautiful girl of seventeen. She had blue eyes and a kind smile. She lived with her aunt, Mrs Maylie. "Take him upstairs to Mr Giles' room. Mr Brittles, please go to town and ask Doctor Losberne to come immediately." When Dr Losberne arrived he said, "What a terrible thing, thieves in the night! Are you ladies well?" "Yes, thank you. But please look at the boy upstairs. He's hurt." "Of course," Doctor Losberne said. He stayed upstairs a long time. Finally he came down and said, "Ladies, please come upstairs with me." Rose and Mrs Maylie followed the doctor. They had a big surprise. They did not see a bad criminal in bed. They saw a little boy sleeping. They looked at him in silence. Rose sat down near the bed. Oliver smiled in his sleep. "This poor boy cannot be a thief," said Mrs Maylie. "He's so young!" said Rose with tears in her eyes.

① (^) knocked at: 敲。 ② (^) shot: 动词 shoot 的过去式。