II. The Past Simple Tense
Exercise 1
Translate into Russian and comment on the use of the Past Simple Tense.
Yesterday I went to London to see a friend of mine.
Last winter he often worked in the library.
The manager entered the office, sat down at his desk and began to look through the morning mail.
When I arrived at the station, I went to the booking-office and bought a ticket.
He called when I was at the University.
Yesterday it was very cold, but today it is much warmer.
When did he come here first?
You were surprised, weren't you? It gave you a start, didn't it?
Did you go there or not?
Brian came home, switched on the lights and sank into an armchair.
'Did you see Betty yesterday?'
'Oh yes, but she refused to talk.'
Exercise 2
Read the sentences about the present and make up sentences about the past.
Pattern: Tom usually gets up at 7.30. Yesterday morning he got up at 6.30, because he wanted to start jogging.
47
A
1. Tom usually wakes up early. Yesterday ...
2. Tom usually walks to work. Yesterday ...
3. Tom is usually late for work. Yesterday ...
4. Tom usually has a sandwich and a cup of tea for lunch. Yesterday …
5. Tom usually goes out in the evening. Yesterday evening...
B
1. Larry usually drives to work. Yesterday ...
2. Larry usually works in his office. Yesterday ...
3. Larry usually doesn't argue with his boss. Yesterday ...
4. Larry usually watches video in the evening. Yesterday evening ...
5. Larry usually goes to bed late. Yesterday ...
C
Freda usually sleeps till 10.00. Yesterday morning ...
Freda usually eats nothing for breakfast. Yesterday morning ...
Freda usually runs 10 miles before dinner. Yesterday ...
Freda usually walks her dog after dinner. Yesterday ...
Freda usually has guests in the evening. Yesterday evening ...
Exercise 3
Make the following sentences: — negative;
— interrogative.
I arrived home late last night.
They translated this text at the previous lesson.
She enjoyed the party a lot.
Yesterday we tried to fix our car.
He ate his lunch at one o'clock.
6. I met my former classmate last Friday.
7 She left for London two weeks ago.
8. He got an excellent mark for his last test.
9. They were at the seaside last summer.
The breakfast was ready at 8 a. m.
48
She was hungry and tired after that long walk.
He was disappointed and wanted to stay alone for some time.
No one knew that woman. She was a complete stranger.
Christine wrote excellent compositions last year.
Exercise 4
Imagine that your friend has just come back from holiday. Make up questions, using the words given below.
>Pattern: Where/go? Where did you go?
How long/stay there?
How/go there?
Stay in a hotel?
Hotel/good?
The weather/fine?
What/do in the evenings? (at daytime? at weekends?)
Meet any interesting people? (new friends?)
Who/go there with you?
What/do in bad weather?
Food/good?
Excursions/interesting?
Be satisfied?
Exercise 5
Ask questions to the underlined parts of the sentences.
Last year he didn't go to the South because of the exams.
They came to visit his friend yesterday.
He went to the concert two days ago.
He had breakfast at 8.30.
His mother came to his school and had a long conversation with his teacher.
These students were usually late for their lectures last year because they had transport problems.
She didn't tell him the truth.
He wanted to learn the whole story.
Robert took his driving test last week.
No one wanted to learn the truth: everyone was afraid.
49
11. Jane asked her mother to buy her a pullover.
12. Tom bought a lot of Christmas presents for his friends.
Last year Marie worked as an аи pair in Newlingham.
14. Yesterday we went to the concert together. It was great!
Exercise 6
Ask all types of questions to the following sentences.
1. She left her book at home because she was in a hurry.
2. He obtained divorce last year.
3. The police asked him a lot of questions and let him go only
in the morning.
4. There was nobody in the house when we came back.
5. Erik came home very early yesterday.
6. She bought a new car two weeks ago, though her husband
objected.
7. They booked two seats at the Opera.
8. It was so hot last summer that people who have heart trouble suffered a lot.
Exercise 7
The Long Sentence Game.
Begin the game by saying "I went to town and saw a film". The next player repeat this sentence and to add something new, e. g. "I went to town a film and bought a newspaper", and so on. Players get minus points for:
memory mistakes;
— grammar mistakes.
When story becomes too long (e. g., 10 verbs), begin a new round. The player with the least number of minus points at the end of the game is the winner.
Exercise 8
The Twenty Questions Game.
One player chooses a famous person in history. The others try to guess who he/she was by asking the first player questions. If they fail to guess correctly, the first player gives them hints.
Play this game asking: — only general questions;
all sorts of questions.
50
Exercise 9
Work in pairs.
> Pattern: – I went to London last year.
And what did you see when you were there?
I saw the Tower when I was there.
And what did you buy when you were there?
I bought... .
And whom did you meet when you were there?
I met... .
Exercise 10
The Detective "Alibi" Game.
The police believe that a certain man took part in a robbery in Londonlast weekend. He tells them that he was not in London at the weekend. His alibi is that he was in Scotland. Fill in the missing words.
Use the following verbs: travel, see, hire, return, cost, buy, fly, stay, have, catch, arrive, pay, drive, go.
On Friday I ... by tube to Heathrow Airport. I ... some magazines at the airport. I then ... to Edinburgh on a British Airways flight. I ... dinner at the Taj Mahal restaurant in Edinburgh. After dinner I ... a film at the Odeon Cinema. My ticket ... £5.00.
Then I ... at the Cumberland Hotel in Room 546. On Sunday morning I ... a car and ... to St. Andrews. I ... a deposit of £20.00 . In the afternoon I... fishing. In the evening I ... to Edinburgh. On Sunday morning I ... the 11.40 train to London. I ... back in London at 17.50.
Exercise
11
Use the Past Simple Tense instead of the infinitives in brackets.
A
1. I (not to go) to work yesterday because I (not to be) very well.
Tom (not to shave) this morning because he (not to have) time.
We (not to eat) anything because we (not to be) hungry.
51
4. She (not to be) interested in the book because she (not to
understand) it.
5. Fred (to be) very upset yesterday. His parents (not to allow)
him to go out.
6. ‘I (not to understand) anything.’
‘Why? The lecture (to be) so complicated?'
7. Where you (to go) last Christmas?
8. We (to look) at her for a moment with surprise.
9. Eric (to switch on) the wireless and (to sit down) beside it.
10. She (not to smile) when she (to see) him.
11. Three o'clock (to strike), and four, and the half-hour (to
ring), but Dorian Gray (not to stir).
12. When Eddy (to leave) in the morning he (to take) her photograph with him.
13. The stranger (to climb) into his car and (to drive away), and when he (to notice) later that his speedometer (to indicate) seventy-five, he (to laugh) at himself but (not to slow down).
14. Bart’s train (to get) into Central about half past five, and he (to go) to the servicemen's hostel and (to have) a bath and a sleep.
15. ‘Why you (not to take) her with you?’
‘She (to have) a headache.’
16. ‘You (to go) anywhere yesterday?’
‘We (to go) to a party. Sheila (to have) birthday yesterday.
‘We (to have) a wonderful time.’
‘Really? It (to be) so good? Who (to show up)?’
‘Oh, all sorts of people. It's a pity you (not to be) there.’
B
1. ‘Mr. Dorian Gray!'... (to echo) the old gentleman — 'Of course... I (to know) his mother.... I believe I (to be) at her christening. She (to be) an extraordinarily beautiful girl, Margaret Devereux, and (to make) all the men frantic by running away with a penniless young fellow, a mere nobody. ... I remember the whole thing as if it (to happen) yesterday.... He was killed in a duel. There (to be) an ugly story about it. ... She never (to speak) to her father again. Oh, yes, h (to be) a bad business» The girl (to die) too, within a year. So she (to leave) a son?'
(O. Wilde)
52
2. ‘She (to be) the loveliest creature I ever (to see). What on earth (to induce) her to behave as she (to do), I never could understand. ... Carlington (to be) mad after her. She (to be) romantic, though. All the women of that family (to be). ... Carlington (to go) on his knees to her. (To tell) me so himself. She (to laugh) at him, and there (not to be) a girl at the time who (not to be) after him.’
(O. Wilde)
3. Dorian ... (to speak) rapidly, and in authoritative manner. Campbell (to feel) dominated by him. They (to leave) the room together. When they (to reach) the top landing, Dorian (to take out) the key and (to turn) it if the lock. Then he (to stop) and a troubled look (to come) into his eyes. He (to shudder).
...'Leave me now,' (to say) a stern voice behind him. He (to turn) and (to hurry out).
(O. Wilde)
Exercise 12
Translate into English.
A
Она подняла трубку и набрала номер телефона Алисы.
— Когда они уехали?
— Не знаю. Меня не было дома.
Он вернулся позавчера, верно?
В дверь снова постучали. Они не ответили, и вскоре стук прекратился.
Это был незабываемый вечер.
Он положил книги на стол, выключил свет и вышел из комнаты.
Её семья в прошлом году переехала в Лондон.
Он хорошо написал контрольную работу, и учитель похвалил его.
— Почему ты не подходил вчера к телефону, звонил тебе? Тебя не было дома?
— Я был дома. Видимо, что-то было не в телефоном.
10. — Когда Дэнни уехал в Лондон?
53
— Позавчера. Я проводил его. Он не хотел уезжать и выглядел очень расстроенным.
11. Кейт вздохнула с облегчением. Этот ужасный день наконец-то закончился (to be over)! Она выключила компьютер, еще раз оглядела комнату, щелкнула выключателем и заперла дверь.
Письмо пришло вчера, верно? Кто принес его? Почему Вы не отдали мне его сразу?
— Как ты провел вчерашний вечер?
— Как обычно.
Кто вчера уходил из кабинета последним и не закрыл дверь?
— Почему Вы вчера так с ним разговаривали?
— Простите, я плохо себя чувствовал. Я не помню, что говорил.
16. Вчера я пошел в библиотеку. Я хотел взять словарь, но библиотека была, к сожалению, закрыта. Я пришел поздно.
B
И вот мы продали дом и, как стая перелетных ласточек, унеслись на юг от хмурого английского лета.
Мы путешествовали налегке, взяв с собой только то, что мы считали жизненно необходимым. Когда на таможне мы открыли для досмотра свой багаж, содержимое чемоданов ... продемонстрировало характер и интересы каждого из нас. Багаж Марго, например, состоял из вороха ... одежды и трех книг с советами, как сохранить стройную фигуру. ... В. чемодане Лесли оказалось два свитера,... два револьвера и бутыль смазочного масла (oil), которая подтекала (to leak)... Ларри вез с собой два сундука книг и чемоданчик с одеждой. Я взял с собой в путешествие (to travel with)... четыре книги по зоологии, сачок для бабочек и собаку. (Дж. Даррелл)