LESSON 9

The Past Simple Tense. Сравнение The Past Simple Tense и The Present Perfect Tense.

Text 1

Read the text and tell your group-mates about your day off.

My Day off

When a school-girl I always envied those students who went to school five but not six days a week, as we did. So you may guess, I had the only day off – Sunday. On Sunday, I didn’t hurry anywhere, that’s why, I got up at nine or ten o’clock. I wasn’t an early riser. I made my bed, washed myself and went to the kitchen. In the kitchen the table had already been laid and I always had something tasty on Sunday: fried potatoes, meat salad or my favourite apple-pies.

After breakfast, if the weather was sunny, I usually didn’t stay indoors, I went to see my friends. We often played volleyball or basketball in the yard and in winter if there was much snow we went skating and skiing in the woods.

But sometimes the day happened to be rainy and gloomy. I preferred to be in watching TV, listening to music, reading books, speaking over the phone or just lying on the sofa idling away the time. Some of my classmates could watch all TV-programmes from morning till night, but I think it’s rather boring, and I always felt sorry for those TV-addicts. It’s much more interesting to play a game of chess with your grandfather, or help your mother about the house, or argue with your father about the latest events at home and abroad.

In the evening, when all the family were together, we had some tea with a cake or biscuits, we listened to my younger sister playing the piano, sometimes we sang folk songs.

Read the following questions and find the answers in the text.

1.What day was your day off?

2.When did you get up on Sunday?

3.Were you an early riser?

4.What did you have for breakfast on Sunday?

5.What did you do if the weather was sunny?

6.Did you like to stay indoors when the day was rainy and gloomy?

7.Do you think to watch TV from morning till night is rather boring?

8.What did you do in the evening?

Text 2

Read the text and find the sentences with the Present Perfect Tense and the Present Simple Tense.

A Letter

Dear Frieda,

I’ve been in England three months now. I hope you don’t think I have forgotten you. There have been so many places to see and so many things to do that I’ve not had much time for writing letters.

I’ve started my studies at King’s College. I’ve learnt much about England and British ways of living. I’m sure you want to know what I think about life here.

I find some of the customs new and interesting. Many Englishmen are very good to their wives in the house. Very few people, even people with quite a lot of money, have servants in their homes. It’s very difficult to get servants, they say, and servants’ wages are high. So the men help their wives in many ways. They clean the windows when they are at home on Saturday afternoons. They often wash up the dishes after supper in the evening. That’s something very few men in our country do, isn’t it? I think I’ll marry an Englishman! It’s very difficult to know whether an Englishman is married if you haven’t been told. Married men do not wear wedding-rings in England.

I always thought that the last meal of the day was dinner. My English friends usually call it supper. They tell me that with no servants it’s easier to have a light meal about 7 or 7.30. Years ago when people had servants they had dinner in the evening. Of course, they still have dinner in the evening if they are very rich.

It’s a long letter, isn’t it? I must stop and say “Good-bye” to you now. Please write and tell me how you are.

Love from Natalie

GRAMMAR EXERCISES

Exercise 1. Insert the verbs “go”, “walk”, “come”:

1. People, who want some medical advice usually … to the doctor. 2. You don’t look well, you must … home. 3. And it all … about through my own foolishness. 4. Darkness … at 8 o’clock. 5. The train slowly … into the station. 6. The sun … and … again it was cloudy. 7. This is the way I … now. See you in the morning. 8. Our train … to Moscow in the morning. 9. The moon … up and they could see the road perfectly well. 10. She … to the open door and stood in it. 11. She … out of his heart. 12. I’ll … the other way. 13. She … 2 miles every evening. 14. After spring summer … and the family moved into the country house. 15. Do you like to … after classes?

Exercise 2. Mix and match.

Exercise 3. Put the verbs in brackets into the correct tense: Present Perfect or Past Simple.

1. We (to travel) around Europe last year. 2. My father knows so much because he (to travel) a lot. 3. I (to see) Pete today. 4. She (to see) this film last Sunday. 5. Alex (to meet) his friend two hours ago. 6.I just (to meet) our teacher. 7. The children already (to decide) what to do with the books. 8. Yesterday they (to decide) to help their grandmother. 9. Helen speaks French so well because she (to live) in France. 10. She (to live) there last year. 11. The rain (to stop) and the sun is shining in the sky again. 12. The rain (to stop) half an hour ago. 13. Mary (to buy) a new hat. 14. I (to buy) a pair of gloves yesterday. 15. The wind (to blow) off the man’s hat, and he cannot catch it. 16. The weather (to change), and we can go for a walk. 17. The wind (to change) in the morning.

Exercise 4. Put the verbs in brackets into the correct tense: Present Perfect or Past Simple.

1. I already (to do) my homework. Now I can go for a walk. 2. I (to do) my homework yesterday. 3. He just (to come) home. 4. He (to come) home a minute ago. 5. Nick (to play) football yesterday. 6. She already (to come) from school. Now she is doing her homework. 7. I (to read) this book last year. 8. I (to read) this book this year. 9. I never (to be) to Washington. 10. You ever (to be) to New York? 11. You ever (to see) the eruption of a volcano? 12. I (not yet to eat) today. 13. He (not to eat) yesterday. 14. You (to play) the piano yesterday? 15. You (to play) the piano today? 16. What you (to prepare) for today? 17. Look at this bird-house. Mike (to make) it himself. He (to make) it last Sunday. 18. Where you (to put) my pen? I cannot find it. 19. You (to see) Mary today? 20. When you (to see) Mary? – I (to see) her last week. 21. Your mother (to promise) to take you to the theatre? 22. Look at my new dress! I (to make) it myself. 23. He is not at school today, he (to fall) ill. – When he (to fall) ill? – He (to fall) ill yesterday.

Exercise 5. Fill in the blanks with “can”, “may”, “must”, “have to”, “needn’t” according to the sense.

1. You ... not smoke here. 2. She ... read and write now. 3. Last summer it was very dry and I ... watered the garden every day. 4. ... you see anything? – Nothing at all. 5. ... I have a cup of tea, please? 6. You ... be careful. 7. 1 like the house, but I ... not decide yet. My wife ... see it first. 8. ... I do it. now? – No, you ... . I’ll do it myself tomorrow. 9. Let’s go into the livingroom. We ... have our coffee there. 10. ... you go so early? It’s only nine o’clock. 12. ... you come at 2 p.m.? – No, that’s very late. 12. ... we go on foot? – No, we ... . We ... catch a bus. 13. ... I come in?

Exercise 6. Put the verbs in brackets into the correct tense: Present Perfect, Present Continuous, Present Simple or Past Simple.

1. Please give me a pencil, I (to lose) mine. 2. I (not to meet) Peter since Monday. 3. Nina just (to finish) work. 4. Where Sergei (to be)? – He (to go) home. He (to leave) the room a minute ago. 5. What you (to read) now? – I (to read) “Jane Eyre” by Charlotte Bronte. 6. They (to read) “Ivanhoe” by Walter Scott a month ago. What about you? You (to read) “Ivanhoe”? 7. My watch (to stop). There (to be) something wrong with it. 8. You (to see) Jack today? – Yes, I (to see) him at the institute. 9. You (to hear) the new symphony by M.? – Yes, I.... – When you (to hear) it? – I (to hear) it last Sunday. 10. You (to change) so much. Anything (to happen)? 11. What you (to do) here at such a late hour? You (to write) your composition? – No, I (to write) it already. I (to work) at my report. – And when you (to write) your composition? – I (to finish) it two days ago. 12. I say, Tom, let’s have dinner. – No, thank you, I already (to have) dinner. 13. What the weather (to be) like? It still (to rain)? – No, it (to stop) raining.

Exercise 7. Use prepositions:

1. The book is ... the desk. 2. He put the letter ... my hands. 3. The ship was 3 miles ... the port. 4. I’ll meet you ... front .... the building. 5. The wind blew the paper ...the window. 6. They walked ... the street and looked at the shop windows. 7. The thief climbed ... the house ... an open window. 8. Children don’t go ... school on Sundays. 9. His home is ... London but he was born ... Leeds. 10. As he was coming ... me, he threw some orange-peel ... the fence. 11. They were standing ... the two houses. 12. We had to go ...the, hill

... a little house ... the top. 13. Read... line 5 ... line 12 ... page 11. 14. The stream ran ... a little tunnel... the roadway. 15. The first space vehicle travelled ... the planet hundreds of times ... a few weeks. 16. Don’t go out ... the rain without a hat. 17. The cat is hiding from us ... the table.

Exercise 8. Put the verbs in brackets into the correct tense: Past Simple or Past Perfect.

1. When I (to come) home, mother already (to cook) dinner. 2. When father (to return) from work, we already (to do) our homework. 3. When the teacher (to enter) the classroom, the pupils already (to open) their books. 4. Kate (to give) me the book which she (to buy) the day before. 5. Nick (to show) the teacher the picture which he (to draw). 6. The boy (to give) the goats the grass which he (to bring) from the field. 7. Mother (to see) that Nick (not to wash) his hands. 8. The teacher (to understand) that Lena (not to do) her homework. 9. I (to know) that my friend (not yet to come). 10. Tom (to return) from the cinema at five o’clock. 11. Tom (to return) from the cinema by five o’clock. 12. I (to finish) my homework at seven o’clock. 13. I (to finish) my homework by seven o’clock. 14. He (to think) that he (to lose) the money. 15. Ann (to tell) me that she (to see) an interesting film. 16. When I (to wake) up yesterday, father already (to go) to work. 17. Nick (to think) that his father (not yet to come) home. 18. Mary (to tell) us that she (to cook) a good dinner. 19. Yesterday I (to find) the book which I (to lose) in summer. 20. When we (to come) to the station, the train already (to leave).

Exercise 9. Is it right or wrong to put the article “a” to replace the dots?

1. He won’t get the letter in ... time. 2. Don’t throw ... rubbish on the floor. 3. I live ... long way from the Institute. 4. I wrote to him ... fortnight ago, but he hasn’t answered my letter yet. 5. It isn’t ... time to go home. 6. We’ve played ten football matches this year, but we haven’t won ... single game. 7. The poor man has been out of ... work for a year. 8. My friend can’t find ... good job.

Exercise 10. Supply the sentences with either the Present Perfect Tense or the Past Simple Tense.

1. The sun (not to rise) yet, but the sky in the east is getting lighter every minute. 2. I (to see) you walking along the street the other day with a heavy bag. 3. I (not to read) the newspaper today. 4. It is very late, and trams (to stop) running: we must find a taxi to get home. 5. How many times you (to be) to St. Petersburg? 6. At last I (to translate) this article: now I will have a little rest. 7. We (to go) to the country yesterday, but the rain (to spoil) all the pleasure. 8. My watch was going in the morning, but now it (to stop). 9. The lecture (not yet to begin) and the students are talking in the classroom. 10. She just (to go) out. 11. She (to leave) the room a moment ago. 12. We (not yet to solve) the problem. 13. When it all (to happen)? 14. The morning was cold and rainy, but since ten o’clock the weather (to change)

and now the sun is shining brightly. 15. Show me the dress which you (to make). 16. Oh, how dark it is! A large black cloud (to cover) the sky. I think it will start raining in a few minutes. 17. Oh, close the window! Look, all my papers (to fall) on the floor because of the wind. 18. When you (to open) the window? – I (to open) it ten minutes ago.

Exercise 11. Insert the definite or indefinite article where necessary in the following sentences:

1. I have … spoon in my … plate, but I have no … soup in it. 2. Is this your … pencil? – No, it’s my sister’s … pencil. 3. … children are playing in the garden. 4. … milk is too hot. I don’t like … hot milk. 4. I can see … pencil on your … table, but I can see no … paper. 5. Is this … watch? – No. It’s not … watch. It’s … pen. 6. Give me … chalk, please. 7. He has two … cats and … dog. 8. He is writing … letter. He is not reading … magazine. 9. He walked … home. 10. …pupils are writing their … test. 11. I went to … dentist yesterday. 12. I have bought … new carpet. Come and look at it! 13. He has … dinner at 4 o’clock. 14. I don’t speak …German. 15. How many bottles did … milkman leave? 16. This is … letter. …letter is long. 17. Our … room isn’t large. It’s not really … large room! 18. She has … ball. …ball is big. 19. She has … bad mood today. 20. In … evening I have … sandwich and drink … tea. 21. There is … cake on the table. … cake is tasty. 22. We are at … home, but my … sister is at … school. 23. My father is still at … work. He is … doctor and works even at … night.

ADDITIONAL READING

Being Famous

Singers, actors, politicians, painters, and members of the Royal Family are exposed to all the dangers of fame. Wherever they go, people turn out to greet them. Some crazy fans of pop and film stars will do anything to have a glimpse of the known faces, to touch their clothes and see their smile. They go mad about their colourfully dressed idols. They read magazines full of gossip about new marriages, romances and failures of their stars, their children’s births and careers. The stars are transported in luxury cars, private helicopters etc. They are surrounded by newspapermen, TV-reporters, managers, photographers and bodyguards. They are adored by the crowds, because their life is idealised. Fame brings them money which cannot be even calculated as it is so much. On the other hand they are no longer private individuals. Their life becomes public property.

Although they are rich they are hard to satisfy. Money does not bring happiness. They look for stability, peacefulness, real friendship and love. Therefore they change husbands (wives) and dream of being unknown.

Men and women who attempt to become famous take enormous risks. They know that the work and efforts of many years may be either rewarded with a great success or a complete failure. They try with all their strengths to achieve fame and high renumeration not being aware that then they will be deprived of privacy.

The more they get and succeed the more they are expected by their fans to achieve. This is an immense stress for them. All their lives they want to keep pace with other famous people and do their best to go beyond their own possibilities and capabilities. That state of constant stress pushes many of them to alcoholism, drug-addiction and depression. They have to be cared for, protected and given the spiritual support of those who love them. Without the feeling of being loved they consider their life useless and a successful career is no cure for their sick souls. The more they have achieved the more they risk. And that is the essence of fame.

What’s your line?

University! Lessons, friends, clubs, homework. A bell rings. You go to a classroom. A bell rings. You have lunch. A bell rings. You go home.

But one day you go to the university for the last time. What to do after that? You realize that the time to choose one job out of the hundreds has come. It’s going to be a hard choice and nobody can make it for you.

Before you can choose, you ask yourself quite a lot of questions. What do you know you are good at? What do you enjoy doing? Perhaps you enjoy working with your hands. Or you may prefer using your head – your brains. Are you interested in machines? Or do you like meeting people? It’s difficult to know all the answers to these questions until you have left the university and actually begun work.

Many young people consider teaching as a career. It’s not surprising: after your parents, your teacher may be the most important person in your life. With all the teachers you meet, you think there isn’t anything you don’t know about the work. That’s where you are wrong, since only those who are in it can appreciate it. Have you ever asked yourself why most teachers are so devoted to their work and privately think, though they may not like to admit it openly, that they serve humanity doing the most vital job of all? Those of us who spend our days at the university or schools know how rewarding the job is. At the same time it is not easy and a real challenge to your character, abilities and talent, as teaching is a constant stream of decisions.

Students in your group aren’t just boys and girls. Every one is a unique individual who has never been before and will never again exist. If you like people, you will love teaching. To be a good teacher you must be genuinely interested in what you are doing.

The most important things in the world are awareness and learning – wanting to know every day of your life more and more and more. Because every time you learn something new you become somewhat new. An ignorant teacher teaches boredom. But a good teacher catalyzes in his pupils the burning desire to know and love truth and beauty.

John Steinbeck, writing about his school days said, “I’ve come to believe that a great teacher is a great artist and you know how few great artists there are in the world. Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since its medium is the human mind and the human spirit.”