Episode #011 - English Learning for Curious Minds

The Book That Made Christmas, Christmas

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Today we take a look at the book that is fundamental to our modern understanding of what makes Christmas, Christmas. No, it's not the Bible. It was written in Victorian London, and tells the story of an old miser who discovers the Christmas spirit.

In today's episode we cover:

• The publication of A Christmas Carol
• When and why the British stopped celebrating Christmas
• Summary of the story of A Christmas Carol
• Dickens' moral tale about the importance of Christmas
• The cultural importance of A Christmas Carol
• The linguistic importance of A Christmas Carol
• How the Christmas card was invented
• Merry Christmas

Key vocabulary: Dare say, Tables may be turned, Instrumental, Enduring, Further afield, Consensus, Puritanical, Sabbath, Headed off, Inherently, Sinful, Degenerate, Reluctant, Wholeheartedly, Underlying, Vivid, Seized upon, Recap, Squeezing, Wrenching, Grasping, Scraping, Clutching, Covetous, Sinner, Self-serving, Fate, Befallen, Paralysed, Infamous, Alter, Resonated, Utterly, Horrific, Rallying call, Stamped, Crippled, Vulnerable, Smash hit, Inexorably, Frantically, Civil servant, Caught on, (give) a shot, Deed

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Full transcript and key vocabulary available on the website www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/the-book-that-made-christmas-christmas

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Keywords: Learn English, vocabulary, lessons, idioms, aprende inglés, idiomas, aprender inglês, apprendre l'anglais, imparare l’inglese, ingilizce öğren,英語を習う, تعلم الإنجليزية