《2026年江苏13大市中考名卷优选38套英语》

D
It was Christmas Eve, and Ebenezer Scrooge was in his office, counting money. Scrooge was a lonely, greedy man who cared only about wealth. When his nephew Fred came to wish him a Merry Christmas, Scrooge replied coldly:
"Bah! Humbug! Christmas is just a waste of time!"
Fred tried to explain that Christmas was about kindness, giving, and family, but Scrooge wasn't interested. "Keep Christmas your way," Scrooge snapped. "Let me keep it my way!"
Later that night, as Scrooge was getting ready for bed, the doorbell rang. He opened the door and saw the ghost of his old partner, Jacob Marley, standing before him. Marley was covered with chains(链条), pulling heavy locks behind him.
"What do you want with me?" Scrooge asked, shaking.
"I have come to warn you," said Marley's ghost. "You will be visited by three spirits tonight. They will show you what your life has been, what it is now, and what it will become if you do not change."
Scrooge was frightened but listened carefully. Marley disappeared, and Scrooge was left alone in his dark, cold room.
The first spirit appeared: the Ghost of Christmas Past, dressed in bright clothes. The spirit took Scrooge back in time to his childhood. Scrooge saw himself as a young boy, sitting alone in a classroom on Christmas Eve. Then they visited a scene where Scrooge, as a young man, worked for a kind boss named Mr Fezziwig, who celebrated Christmas with his workers. Scrooge felt sadness as he remembered the joy he once had.
The spirit then showed him how he had fallen in love with a woman named Belle. She had loved him, but as he became more focused on money, he pushed her away. She left him, and Scrooge realized he had lost the most important things in life for wealth.
The second spirit appeared: the Ghost of Christmas Present, a large figure in green. The spirit showed Scrooge the present day, beginning with Fred's Christmas party. Fred continued to show love and kindness to his uncle, even though Scrooge never made any response. Scrooge was moved to see how Fred's happiness was not affected by his uncle's absence.
The spirit also took Scrooge to the home of Bob Cratchit, his employee. Bob's family was poor, but they celebrated Christmas with love. Bob's youngest son, Tiny Tim, was very sick, but the Cratchits stayed hopeful. Scrooge felt sorrow as he saw Tiny Tim's condition and began to care for the people he had paid no attention to.
Finally, the third spirit arrived: the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come, a dark, silent figure dressed in black. It pointed to scenes of the future, showing Scrooge the death of Tiny Tim if nothing changed. Then the spirit showed Scrooge his own lonely death. People spoke badly of him, and no one cried for him. Scrooge was frightened by what he saw.
The spirit pointed to a tomb. Scrooge read the name on the tombstone and saw that it was his own. He fell to his knees, begging for a chance to change.
"Spirit," he cried, "I will not be the same man I was before! I will accept the spirit of Christmas and live a better life!"
37. Why did Scrooge reply "Bah! Humbug!" when Fred wished him a Merry Christmas?
A. He only cared about money.
B. He disliked Fred's behavior.
C. He hated staying with family.
D. He thought Christmas was tiring.
38. How did the Ghost of Christmas Past affect Scrooge?
A. Scrooge didn't care about his past.
B. Scrooge was regretful for lost happiness.
C. Scrooge became angry about his past.
D. Scrooge felt happy remembering his youth.
39. What did Scrooge do after seeing his future death?
A. He didn't care about the future.
B. He saw his troubles would end.
C. He promised to change his ways.
D. He was unsure about what to do.
40. What is the main lesson from the story?
A. The importance of wealth and success.
B. The value of kindness and love.
C. The need to focus on change and growth.
D. The duty to help the poor in need.

答案： 37.A 细节理解。根据第一段第二句和第二段可知，Scrooge因只关心金钱而厌恶圣诞节。
38.B 推理判断。根据第八段末句和第九段末句可知，幽灵让Scrooge回顾了童年孤独、失去爱人的往事，使他因错失幸福而悔恨。
39.C 细节理解。根据文章最后一段可知，Scrooge在看到自己孤独死亡的未来后，跪地恳求改变并承诺践行圣诞精神。
40.B 主旨大意。全文讲述了吝啬鬼Scrooge在圣诞夜被三个幽灵拜访，通过回顾过去、观察现在和预见未来，最终领悟到爱与善良的重要性，决心改变自我的故事。