harles Dickens, a well－known English writer in the 19th century, was born in 1812 at Portsmouth1, where his father was a clerk in the Navy Pay Office2． But Mr． Dickens was a carefree, irresponsible man3, always “waiting for something to turn up4”．
In 1821, when Charles was only nine years old, the Dickens family moved to Camden town, London, into “a small house”． Mr Dickens was heavily in debt5 and didn＇t know which way to turn for money． The few possessions that they had were sold one by one, and things got no better6, and finally Mr． Dickens was taken to prison． Some time later, Mrs． Dickens and the younger children went to prison too, to join the father．
In 1823, at the age of 11, Charles Dickens got a job in an underground blacking factory7． He earned 6 shillings8 a week to support the family． This was the most unhappy time of all his life． But a few years later, at 16, his fortune took a turn9 for the better． He was able to leave the blacking factory and enter a lawyer＇s office． He learned shorthand10 and was able to do some reporting for newspapers． Finally, in 1834, he was taken on11 the staff of a newspaper, and his life－work of writing had really begun． It was in 1836 that Charles rose to fame in literature world, when he worked as a newspaper reporter12． Since then his life of writing lasted for 34 years． During this period he wrote 14 novels, such as “Oliver Twist” (《雾都孤儿》， 1838), “Nicholas Nickleby”(《尼古拉斯·尼克尔贝》， 1839), “Mertin Chuzzlewit”(《马丁·朱述尔维特》， 1844), “David Copperfield”(《大卫·科波菲尔》， 1850), “A Tale of Two Cities”(《双城记》， 1859), “Great Expectations”(《远大前程》， 1861), etc． Besides, he wrote lots of short stories, travels, plays and notes． His continual hard work of writing brought about13 his sudden death in 1870． He had asked that his burial14 should be quite simple, but the whole nation wanted to give him the highest honour they could, and so, he was buried in Westerminster Abbey15, but as he wished it, with nothing on the stone except his name “Charles Dickens”．
The following is the simplified version of the first sections of the novel “David Copperfield”． It is believed to be the greatest work of all by Charles Dickens, and an autobiography16 of the author himself． David Copperfield, the main character of the novel, was an orphan17, who suffered a lot in his boyhood, working in a factory in London． His early days, growth and his experiences are very similar to those of Charles Dickens．
1． Portsmouth 朴茨茅斯（英国南部一城市）
2． Navy Pay Office 海军军饷办公室
3． a carefree, irresponsible man 一个万事不管而又极不负责的男人
4． turn up （经济情况）好转
5． in debt 负债
6． The few possessions that they had．．．and things got no better他们仅有的少量财物也都一件一件地卖光了，而境况并无好转……
7． underground blacking factory 设在地下的生产黑色鞋油的工厂
8． shilling n．先令（英国钱币，为一镑的1／20）
9． take a turn 发生变化，出现转折
10． shorthand n．速记
11． take on 雇用
12． It was in 1836 that．．．as a newspaper reporter． 这是一个强调句，相当于Charles rose to fame in literature world in 1836, when he worked as a newspaper reporter． 查尔斯于1836年在文学界出了名，当时他是一家报社的记者。
13． bring about 引起，造成
14． burial n．埋葬，葬礼
15．Westerminster Abbey 位于伦敦的威斯敏斯特教堂（举行国葬之处）
16． autobiography n．自传
17． orphan n．孤儿
18． have a baby 怀孕
19．Noble as he looked ．．． 相当于：Though he looked noble