Accidents, crimes, investigations

Task 1. Read the text and underline the verbs in the Past Continuous, then answer the questions.

Jim’s father was driving him to school when the accident happened. They were waiting to turn into the road that led to the school when a lorry hit them. They were both rushed to hospital, and taken to the operating theatre. The doctors called a famous surgeon, who hurried to the hospital. The surgeon walked into the operating theatre where the boy was lying, then stopped and said, “I can’t operate. That's my son on the operating table!”

1. Where was Jim’s father driving him?

2. Which road were they waiting to turn into?

3. Where were they rushed into?

4. Who did the doctors call?

5. What did the surgeon do?

6. Who was lying on the operating table?

7. Why couldn’t the surgeon operate?

8. How is it possible?

Task 2. Read the following text and complete it with the verbs in the Past Continuous.

An accident

Two cars __________ (go) along Cambridge Street. An Englishman __________ (drive) a Rolls-Royce, and a foreign student __________ (drive) a VW. The Englishman __________ (drive) slowly and carefully. The student __________ (not drive) carefully… he __________ (look) at a girl. She __________ (walk) along the street. She __________ (wear) a short skirt, and she __________ (carry) a handbag. The traffic lights were green. A dog __________ (sit) beside the traffic lights. A cat __________ (sit) on the opposite corner. The dog __________ (think) about a bone. Suddenly the dog saw the cat. It ran across the road. The English driver saw the dog. He braked quickly. The VW crashed into the Rolls-Royce. The girl _________ (watch) the accident. Then she ran to a telephone box. The police came immediately. So, who is to blame?

Task 3. Read the first part of the story and answer the questions.

An investigation (I)

Last night at 9.18 the Director of a school was walking from his office to his car when he was attacked from behind. The attacker hit the Director on the head. The police thought the attacker was a student… maybe a girl student! They were going to interview every student in the school.

1. When did it happen?

2. What time did it happen?

3. Where was the Director going?

4. Where was he coming from?

5. Did the attacker hit him?

6. Where did the attacker hit him?

7. What did the police think?

8. What were they going to do?

Now read the second part of the text and try to reconstruct the questions of the police.

An investigation (II)

A policeman interviewed the Director at the hospital last night.

Policeman Now, Mr Snow … (what / you / remember about the attack)?

Mr Snow Well, I was working late yesterday evening…

Policeman (What time / you / leave your office)?

Mr Snow About quarter past nine.

Policeman (you / sure)?

Mr Snow Oh, yes… I looked at my watch.

Policeman (What / you / do at that time)?

Mr Snow Well, I locked the door… and I was walking to my car, when somebody hit me on the head.

Policeman (you / see the attacker)?

Mr Snow No, he was wearing a stocking over his head.

Policeman Sorry, (what / he / wear)?

Mr Snow A stocking, a black one.

Policeman Tell me, Mr Snow… (how / you / break your leg)?

Mr Snow Well, when they were putting me into the ambulance, they dropped me!

Task 4. Choose one of the forms (the Past Simple or Past Continuous) to fill in the gaps in the following story.

Liz was waking up / woke up at 7 o’clock. She was getting up / got up, was putting on / put on her dressing gown and was going / went downstairs. She was making / made some toast and some coffee. The phone was ringing / rang while she was having / had a shower, but she wasn’t answering / didn’t answer it. After her shower she was getting / got dressed and was taking / took the dog for a walk in the park. It seemed strange, but while they were walking / walked they weren’t meeting / didn’t meet anyone there. At eight o’clock Liz was leaving / left the house to go to work. But as she was driving / drove down the motorway, she was turning on / turned on the radio and was hearing / heard the newsreader say, “Good morning. I hope you are all enjoying a relaxing Bank Holiday Monday!”

Task 5. Complete this text with either the Past Simple or Past Continuous form of the verbs in brackets. Where alternatives are possible, think about any difference in meaning.

I (1) __________ (buy) a new alarm clock the other day in Taylor’s the jewelers, when I actually (2) __________ (see) somebody shoplifting. I’d just finished paying for my clock and as I (3) __________ (turn) round, an elderly woman (4) __________ (slowly put) a silver plate into a bag that she (5) __________ (carry). Then she (6) __________ (walk) over to another part of the shop and (7) __________ (pick up) an expensive-looking watch a number of times. When she (8) __________ (think) that nobody (9) __________ (look), she (10) __________ (drop) it into the bag. Before I (11) __________ (have) a chance to tell the staff in the shop, she (12) __________ (notice) that I (13) __________ (watch) her and (14) __________ (hurry) out. Unfortunately for her, two police officers (15) __________ (walk) past just at that moment and she (16) __________ (run) straight into them.

Task 6. Translate the story. Pay attention to the use of the Past Simple and Continuous forms.

Пока Sue Barnes, репортер журнала “New Musical Express”, путешествовала по США, ей пришлось пережить неприятную историю (to have an unpleasant experience). Она взяла интервью у джазового певца, записала это интервью на кассету. Кассета находилась на переднем сиденье ее машины вместе с другими личными вещами.

Sue возвращалась на машине к себе в мотель после вечеринки в Голливуде в свой последний вечер, когда она вдруг поняла, что заканчивается бензин (to run out of…). Она остановилась у ночной бензоколонки чуть в стороне от основной трассы. Она наполнила бак, взяла 20 долларов из своего бумажника и пошла к киоску, чтобы заплатить за бензин. Пока она платила, из тени неожиданно появился мальчик, открыл дверь ее машины и взял ее бумажник, паспорт и обратный авиабилет – и даже ее кассету с интервью!