English in Mind 3 – Unit 1 – Practical Work – Name:

READING

USE OF ENGLISH
1. Complete the text with the present simple or continuous

A Trekking Journal / November 12, 1997

Today (be) ………………….. the second day of my trek around Mount Annapurna. I am exhausted and my legs
(shake) …………………..; I just hope I am able to complete the trek. My feet (kill) ………………….. me and my toes
(bleed) ………………….., but I (wantl) ………………….. to continue.
Nepal is a fascinating country, but I have a great deal to learn. Everything (be) ………………….. so different, and I (try)
………………….. to adapt to the new way of life here. I (learn) ………………….. a little bit of the language to make
communication easier; unfortunately, I (learn, not) …………………..foreign languages quickly. Although I (understand,
not) …………………..much yet, I believe that I (improve) …………………...
I (travel) …………………..with Liam, a student from Leeds University in England. He (be) ………………….. a nice guy,
but impatient. He (walk, always) ………………….. ahead of me and (complain) ………………….. that I am too slow. I
(do) …………………..my best to keep up with him, but he is younger and stronger than I am. Maybe, I am just feeling
sorry for myself because I am getting old.
Right now, Liam (sit) ………………….. with the owner of the inn. They (discuss) ………………….. the differences
between life in England and life in Nepal. I (know, not) ………………….. the real name of the owner, but everybody (call)
………………….. him Tam. Tam (speak) ………………….. English very well and he (try) ………………….. to teach Liam
some words in Nepali. Every time Tam (say) ………………….. a new word, Liam (try) ………………….. to repeat it.
Unfortunately, Liam (seem) ………………….. to have difficulty learning foreign languages. I just hope we don't get lost
and have to ask for directions.
 2. Complete with the present perfect and for/since

1. I (type).............. seven this morning.

2. I (be) off work.......... almost a week.
3. How long you (wait)?
4. How long you (be) off work?
5. How long you (type)?
6. He (live) in that hotel........... the beginning of August.
7. She (study) English............ five years.
8. How long she (study) English?
9. I (work) for the company............ 1988.
10. Inflation (rise)............ interest rates (lower) by the
government.
11. He (be) teetotal........... his illness.
12. That church (stand)............. centuries.
13. The sun (shine)............. last week.
14. I (sit) in front of this computer screen............. ages and
it is driving me crazy.
15. I not (take) any holidays........ the beginning of last year.
16. What you (do)........... I (see) you last?
17. We (be) on holiday............. the past month.
18. I (try) to complete reading War and Peace ever ..............
I was fifteen years old.
19. ........... how long you (be) here?
20 ............ when you (be) here?
21. So far, it ________ (rain)five hours.
22. Cougars…………(disappear) from the Victoria area ________ humans settled here.
23. The Canadian two-dollar coin…………………..(be)in circulation ________ 1996.
24. I ……………….(not be) snowboarding ________ last winter.
25. First Nations people in British Columbia ………………..(tell) stories about the eagle ________ hundreds
of years.

3. Complete with yet, already, still, just

a) Betty: Have you cleaned the bathroom yet? Billy: I've _________ done it. I did it an hour ago
b) Billy: Do you know anything about Sally? Betty: Oh she's fine. I've _______ spoken to her on the phone
c) Bobby: Can I go online now, please? Begonia: Sorry. I ________ haven't finished using the computer.
d) Daphne ________ hasn't bought the tickets. I hope she does it soon
e) Have you seen the movie Bowling for Columbine ________?
f) I have had a driving licence________ I was eighteen.
g) I have studied non-stop ________9.15.
h) I have worked for International House________ more than eight years.
i) I haven't been to the cinema ________ages.
j) I haven't phoned home________ Christmas.
k) I haven't visited my home town ________I left school.
l) Jim sends his love. I've ________ seen him in the high street
m) I can't decide. I _____ haven't made a decision.
n) Johan has been in England________ more than two weeks now.
o) Monica says she's ________ this minute caught the train so she'll be here in half an hour.
p) Peter has been my best friend________ we were nine.
q) She hasn't had a day off________ 1999.
r) The government ________ hasn't said anything about the oil slick
s) We can't have chips again. We've ________ had them three times this week
t) I haven't phoned Begonia ________. I'll do it when I get back from work
u) We're going to a concert on Friday, but we haven't bought the tickets _____
v) We've been here ________nine o'clock.
w) I want to watch TV, but I haven’t finished writing the sales report ___________.
x) A: Where is Taner? B: He has __________ arrived. He is having a shower.
y) Have you seen the new film of Demi Moore __________?
z) I don’t want to eat anything. I’ve ___________eaten two cheeseburgers.