Extract information from a short biography

My Courses Practical English – Intermediate Skills – Unit 3 Extract information from a short biography

Read the short biography below and decide if the audio statements are true or false.

From the lesson: One artist, one passion.

Charles Dickens, 1812-1870

Charles Dickens was possibly the most famous English writer. During his lifetime, his works enjoyed unprecedented popularity. He is now considered a literary genius because he created some of the world’s best-known fictional characters, despite only writing 24 novels.

He was born in 1812 in Portsmouth, England. His father was a clerk, but due to the family’s extreme debt, he was sent to prison in 1824 when Charles was just 12 years old.

After his father was sent to prison, Charles was forced to find a job in a factory that made boots. During his time at the factory, he edited a weekly newspaper and wrote short stories in his spare time. Thanks to Charles’ success, he was able to leave the factory and go back to school.

Charles was an advocate for women’s rights to education, and even built a school for women that 100 people graduated from.
Charles’ most famous character was Ebenezer Scrooge in A Christmas Carol. The story is so famous that over 25 film adaptations have been made!

Charles Dickens died on June 9, 1870 of a stroke. He was buried in Poet’s Corner at Westminster Abbey. Thousands of mourners came to pay their respects at the grave and throw in flowers.