Free library · 1844

The Chimes

by Charles Dickens

An old ticket-porter is told by his betters that the poor are born bad, and on New Year’s Eve the church bells take him up the tower to show him what that belief does. Angrier than A Christmas Carol, and written in nine weeks.

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Opening lines
There are not many people—and as it is desirable that a story-teller and a story-reader should establish a mutual understanding as soon as possible, I beg it to be noticed that I confine this observation neither to young people nor to little people, but extend it to all conditions of people: little and big, young and o…Charles Dickens, The Chimes
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Good for English learners

The New Year book, and the furious one. Four quarters instead of five staves, and no Tiny Tim to soften it.

Level B1-B2. This is the original text, not a simplified or abridged version, so you read the real classic.

The Chimes: reading level & FAQ

What reading level is The Chimes?↓

The Chimes is around B1-B2 on the CEFR scale. It is a good fit for readers building toward or reading comfortably at that level.

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Yes. The Chimes is in the public domain and free to read online at ReadClassicly, chapter by chapter, with a short comprehension quiz. No account is needed to read it.

Wondering how long it takes? The Chimes is 30,710 words, about 2 hours, broken down by reading speed and by how many minutes a day you give it.

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