Growing Old in America

For years, the elderly were the "forgotten" members of American society, but in recent times this ___________ (change). The elderly ____________ (form) groups such as the Gray Panthers to represent their rights. These groups____________ (affect) America politically, economically, and psychologically. Most importantly, they _____________ (remind) America that elderly people are valuable and energetic citizens who shouldn't be forgotten.

Individuals, too, _____________ (make) their mark on the American conscience. For example, sixty-seven-year-old Dorothy Jackson, a widow from Gallup, New Mexico,___________ (become) quite a celebrity because of nationwide stories and articles about her. Dorothy ____________ (travel) from state to state in her mini-motor home for quite a few years. Since 1978, she ____________ (cover) more than 50,000 miles, from New York to California, from Canada to Mexico.

People like Dorothy ______________ (show) Americans of all ages that "age is only a state of mind. Just because you _____________ (grow) old does not mean that your time to enjoy life, to be productive, to grow and learn ____________ (end)."

Ex.109. Put the verbs into the correct tense (Present Perfect Simple or Present Perfect Continuous).

1. Why are you out of breath? - I (run) …………………………… .

2. The toaster is okay again. Dad (repair)…………………………. it.

3. I am so tired, I (work)………………………………… all day.

4. Your shirt is clean now. Maggie (wash)……………………….. it.

5. I'm afraid, I'm getting a cold. I (walk) …………………………home in the rain.

6. Your clothes smell awful! (you / smoke) …………………………..?

7. Peggy is ready for her exam now. I (help) ………………………………..her preparing for it.

8. It is dark in here because we (close) ………………………..the curtains. We want to watch a film and that's better in the dark.

9. His voice is gone now because he (shout) …………………………….all morning.

10. One can see through the windows again. Jane (clean)………………. them.

11. You are absolutely sunburned. You (sit)…………………... in the sun too long.

12. We can watch the film now. Michael (connect) ……………… the DVD player.

13. The room looks much nicer now. I (hang) …………………… up some pictures.

14. Freddy is soaked wet. He (wash) ………………………….. the dog.

15. I am not hungry. I (eat / already) ………………………….. something.

16. Can I go outside? I (do) ………………………. my homework.

17. My eyes are red because I (cut) ……………………………. onions.

18. I (play / not) ………….. the computer for half an hour, only for about 5 minutes. Bob (drive / not) ……………………….. a car for eight years.

Carla (go / not) ……………………… on holiday for three years.

CONTEXT

Ex.110 Put each verb in brackets into the Simple Past, Present Perfect or Present Perfect Continuous.

Ever since the day I (to decide) …………………. to move to London, I (worry) ……………… whether the decision I (to take) ………………….. was the right one. As I already (to sell) ………………… my house and (to arrange) ……………….. a new job, it is too late to change my mind. However, since then I (to hear) ………………… a lot of negative things about living in the capital, and lately some of them (to begin) ………………….. to bother me. I (to grow up) ………………………. in a fairly small town and I (to spend) …………………… all my life there. I always (to want) …………………… to live in a big city and so when my company (to offer) ………………….. me a job in their London office, I (to grab) …………………….. at the chance. But according to a programme I just (to hear) …………………….. on the radio, more and more people (to stop) ……………………. working in London recently, and a lot of large companies (to choose) ………………….. to move away from the center. Of course, I (to tell) ………………… my parents that I'm moving and they (to accept) ………………… my decision, but when I (to tell) ………………. my friends they (to seem) ………………….. rather shocked. Since then I (to hope) …………………….. secretly that the company would tell me that the move was off.

COMMUNICATIVE ACTIVITY

Ex.111 Comment on the following questions.

1. What did you do when you learnt that you were admitted to the University? (Speak about your emotions.)

2. What was your first impression on the University and the teachers? (Is it right to go by first impressions?)

3. Have you made any friends? (What do you do together?)

4. What have you been doing since you entered the University?

5. Have you had a good night’s sleep since you entered the University? (Have you been sitting up?)

6. What subjects do you take at the University?

7. Have you had a heavy or light work load? (Have you had any problems yet?)

8. Have you had much fun lately?

9. Do you look back on your school-days with pleasure now?

10. What were you doing at this time last year?

Ex. 112. Put the verbs into the correct tense (Present Perfect Simple or Present Perfect Continuous).

1. We (run / not) ………………………….. for 40 minutes yet - there are still 10 minutes left.

2. They (smoke / not) ……………………….for 10 days now.

3. I (eat / not) ………………………anything since two o'clock.

4. Anna (work / not) …………………….. here for five years, but for seven years.

5. I (read / not) ………………………. for a long time - just 10 minutes, not more.

6. You (cycle / not) ……………………. for two hours. It was only about one hour.

7. Catherine (speak / not) ………………… French for 10 years, so her French isn't very good now.

8. Since I bought my car, I (travel / not) ………………………….by train.

9. He (learn / not) ……………………. English for two years yet, but he speaks it very well.

10. We (party / not) ………………………for a long time, but there's no food left.

11. My sister and her boyfriend (go / not) ………………….. out together for a long time. They only met three weeks ago.

12. James (tidy / not) ……………………….up his room for a long time. It's a complete mess.

13. We (practise / not) ………………………for hours - 15 minutes were enough.

14. Louis is absolutely tired as he (sleep / not) ……………………… well for days.

15. Dana (work / not) ………………………… for days because she is ill.