General training exercises.

Exercise 1. Using the verbs in brackets, complete the text below with the appropriate tenses.

My English is really getting better. I (try) to learn the language since 1985, but only recently have I been able to make some real progress. By the time I started school in 1988, I (study) the language for almost three years. However, I was only able to introduce myself and utter a few memorized sentences. For a couple of years, I (struggle) through grammar and vocabulary lessons, which made absolutely no difference. Nothing worked, so I decided to study abroad.

I found an exchange program in England that sounded like the perfect answer. I (stay) with a host family for one month. It was a huge disappointment! I (sit) there the whole time staring at the host mother and father hoping that there would be some breakthrough. Nothing.

When I returned, I mentioned to a friend that I (have) problems with the language for years. He recommended that I spend a year in an English speaking country. I decided to go abroad again. I (research) exchange programs for a couple of weeks and finally decided on a school in the United States.

Well, it worked. I (live) and (study) in the US for more than two years. I (stay) here for at least another year before I return home. By then, I should be completely fluent.

Exercise 2. Use one of the Present, Past or Future forms in the following sentences.

1. Can’t you see that you (disturb) him? He (work) or at least he (try) to.

2. When he (tell) you this? I never (hear) him express such views.

3. The young man (tear) the envelope open and (take) a small sheet of paper out. His hands (shake) a little.

4. Bill said that he (write) all day and (not eat) anything.

5. If Vera (keep) drinking, she (lose, eventually) her job.

6. Hello, Pat. I (phone) to ask if you (do) anything this Saturday.

7. Stinson is a fantastic writer. He (write) ten very creative short stories in the last year. One day, he (be) as famous as Hemingway.

8. My teacher was really annoyed with me. It was the third time I (arrive) late for school that week.

9. She said the car (travel) at 60 k.p.h. when it (begin) to skid.

10. So far we (not notice) anything unusual, but we (not pay) very close attention.

11. He always (borrow) money but he always (pay) me back.

12. He (clean) his gun when it accidentally (go) off and (kill) him.

13. It is a long time since I (speak) to any of my friends about this. Nobody ever (take) it seriously.

14. What (happen) to his family, if he (lose) all his money.

15. She (look) for someone. She (walk) up and down the platform these ten minutes if not more.

16. By the time Jim (become) a heavy weight boxing champion he (win) over thirty fights.

17. Mr. Brown (come) to visit our company tomorrow. He (travel) by train and his train (arrive) at 10.15. I (meet) him at the station.

18. Listen Donna, I don’t care if you (miss) the bus this morning. You (be) late to work too many times. You are fired!

19. By the time I’m 60 I (lose) all my hair.

20. Nobody (watch), so the little boy (take) the packet of sweets from the shelf and (put) it in his pocket.

21. When I (lose) my temper I often (say) things I really (not mean) at all.

22. I (look) for new lodgings as I have to move out of my flat in two weeks’ time.

23. Harry (leave) home rather suddenly and we (not hear) from him ever since.

24. If you (need) to contact me sometime next week, I (stay) at the Sheraton in San Francisco.

25. Tim was on his hands and knees on the floor. He (look for) his contact lens.

26. She (work) for the company since she (leave) school, so I wasn’t surprised when she took a new job in London.

27. It’s a long time since I (see) your brother Paul. What he (do) lately?

28. Wish me luck! If I (get) the job I (let) you know.

29. I’m afraid you (lose) your temper. You (say) things you will be sorry for later.

30. Why, you (not change) at all. I (recognize) you the moment I (see) you.

31. He refused to go to the theatre because he (have) an exam in a few days.

32. While I (walk) to the bus-stop, I realized I (leave) the cooker on.

33. Danny’s train (arrive) tomorrow evening at 6.00 so we (meet) him at the station.

34. We were late because we had some car problems. By the time we (get) to the train station, Susan (wait) for us for more than two hours.

35. July 10^th is my wedding anniversary. Next month, my husband and I (be married) for twenty years.

36. Sam (try) to change a light bulb when he (slip) and (fall).

37. – anybody (see) him today? – I (see) him about half an hour ago. He (get) ready to leave.

38. I (share) a flat with him when we were students. He always (complain) about my untidiness.

39. Everything is in a mess because we (rearrange) the furniture in the hall.

40. The doctor said that Tom (be) too sick to go to work and that he (need) to stay at home for a couple of days.

41. She (hardly, arrive) when she (start) talking about leaving again.

42. It was the first time we (notice) how old she had become.

43. Most analysts expected that there (be) a change in policy.

44. Matt and Sarah (have) some difficulties in their relationship lately, so they (go) to a marriage counselor. I hope they work everything out.

45. Thomas is an author. He (write) mystery novels. He (write) since he was twenty-eight. Altogether he (write) seven novels and three collections of short stories.

46. She knew that when she (come) they (dance) and no one (notice) her.

47. We (have) fried chicken and apple-pie that night so I asked her to stay for dinner.

48. Jonny, I can’t believe how much you (change) since the last time I (see) you. You (grow) at least a foot.

49. When I (turn) the radio on yesterday, I (hear) a song that was popular when I was in high school. I (hear, not) the song in years, and it (bring) back some great memories.

50. They (build) that bridge when I was here last year. They haven’t finished it yet.

51. I (not see) you for ages. What (you do)?

52. When Jack (enter) the room I (recognize, not) him because he (lose) so much weight and (grow) a beard. He looked totally different.

53. It is already 9.30 PM and I (wait) here for over an hour. If John (get, not) here in the next five minutes, I’m going to leave.

54. Did you hear that Ben was fired last month? He (work) for that company for more than ten years and he (work) in almost every department. Nobody knew the company like he did.

55. Lately, I (think) about changing my career because I (become) dissatisfied with the conditions at my company.

Exercise 3. Translate into English.

1. Я не позвонил ему, потому что думал, что он занят.

2. В школе я не любил учителя математики, потому что он все время придирался ко мне.

3. Уже двадцать лет, как я живу в этом доме.

4. Я уверен, что когда ты вернешься, они все еще будут жить в своей старой квартире.

5. Неужели ты не помнишь номер его телефона?

6. Тебе придется сказать нам, каковы твои планы на ближайшее будущее.

7. Они велели мне прийти ровно в пять часов.

8. Сильный снег шел уже около двух часов, когда мы вышли из дома.

9. К концу года цены на бензин снова вырастут.

10. Никто не помнил, кто начал этот разговор и как он превратился в ссору.

11. Она не знала, что будет делать, если он ее не встретит.

12. Она понятия не имела, сколько денег уже потратила и сколько еще может потратить.

13. Эксперты сказали, что ситуация в стране улучшится через два года.

14. Я не имею ни малейшего представления (the faintest idea) о чем вы говорите.

15. Она утверждала, что компьютер был в полном порядке, когда она пользовалась им в последний раз

Exercise 5. Read the following sample composition.

An examination and an interview

I am going to write about an examination and an interview which I had to take so that I could go to university. When I was in my last year at school, I decided that I wanted to study English at the University of Cambridge. The examination, which lasted for three days, consisted of five examination papers and an interview. My English teacher, who knew all about the examination, warned me that it would be very difficult. She suggested that I should give up the other things that I was doing so that I could spend all my time preparing for the examination. It was a pity I had to give up my jazz group, but I agreed. I promised her I would work as hard as possible.

In December I went to Cambridge for three days. I travelled to Cambridge by train the day before the examination. When I reached Cambridge I went to the college where the examination was to take place. I was given a room which belonged to a university student who was on holiday. The room was full of interesting things. As I sat in the room I felt that I was already a university student myself. Then I remembered that I had not passed my entrance examination yet – I had not even taken it.

At dinner that evening I chatted to some of the young people who had come to take the entrance examination. I am sure we all felt very anxious but we all pretended we were not worried about the examination. That evening as I went to bed I felt sure the other candidates were better than me and that I would not pass the examination.

Next morning I did not eat any breakfast because I felt very nervous. I went straight to the examination room so that I would not be late. I thought the first two papers were very difficult and I doubted I would pass. I felt sure that the other candidates had done better than me. On the second day I had my interview with a lecturer. I was very anxious that the lecturer would ask me questions which I could not answer. But as soon as I went into the room I realized he was very friendly. He suggested I tell him about the poets I was interested in. It was obvious that he wanted me to feel relaxed. We had a very interesting discussion which lasted for about half an hour. Afterwards, I felt confident that I had done well. I felt much more confident that I could answer the remaining two examination papers well.

At the end of three days I was very pleased that the examinations were finished. I hoped the results would come quickly so that I could stop worrying. Two weeks later I received a letter which informed me that I had passed and that I could study at Cambridge.

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