Charles Dickens was born in 1812 in Portsmouth, where his father was the oldest of a large family, eight in all. He got his education at a small day-school and from his mother, who was a well-educated woman. In 1821 the Dickens family moved to London. Mr. Dickens was heavily in debt. The few possessions that they had were sold one by one, and finally Mr. Dickens was taken to prison for debt. Later Mrs. Dickens and the younger children went to the prison, too, to join their father. Charles got a job at a blacking factory in the East End of London. He was lonely and hungry and hated the coarse, rough boys with whom he had to work.
Look at these children: they are skating very well.
Did you skate last Sunday? — Yes, we were skating the whole day last Sunday. We will skate again next Sunday.
My brother can skate very well. He skates every Sunday.
What are you doing now? — I am washing the dishes.
What were you doing at three o'clock yesterday? — I was having dinner.
Are you having dinner now?
Where your brother works? — He works at an institute.
Was your grandmother sleeping when you came home yesterday?
What will your brother do tomorrow?
I didn't go to the shop yesterday. I will go to the shop tomorrow.
Where Kate was going when you met her yesterday?
Every day the boss enters the office at nine o'clock.
Yesterday the boss entered the office at half past nine.
When will the secretary come tomorrow?
At six o'clock yesterday we were listening to a very interesting lecture.
When I entered the office, the secretary was typing some letters.
My friend rang me up at eight o'clock yesterday.
