Found 12 3 BUILD YOUR VOCABULARY Complete the
phrases with by, off, in or on. Then check your
answers in the text,
1 holiday
2 the rise
3 recent years
search of
5 the beaten track
6 the age of​

1. Rob: Where were you born, Dad?
Dad: No, I was born in a village near Rome.

2. Rob: What was it like in the village?
Dad: No, it wasn't a big village but it was very pretty.

3. Rob: How many people lived in the village?
Dad: Oh, there were about a thousand people. They were very friendly.

4. Rob: Were there any horse-drawn carriages?
Dad: No, there weren't any horse-drawn carriages! I'm not that old!

5. Rob: Were there many cars in the village in those days?
Dad: No, there weren't many cars in our village. Cars were very expensive.

6. Rob: Were you rich?
Dad: No, we weren't rich. There wasn't a lot of work and many people were poor.

The passage is a conversation between Rob and his dad about his dad's birthplace. Rob is asking his dad several questions about the village he was born in. The answer to each question is provided by his dad. The conversation reveals that his dad was born in a village near Rome and it was a pretty place with about a thousand friendly people. There were no horse-drawn carriages, but there weren't many cars either since they were expensive. Rob's dad also mentions that they were not rich and many people in the village were poor.

1. I don't know what to give my brother for his birthday.
Explanation: "I don't know" is in the present simple tense because it describes a general state of not having knowledge about what to give.

2. Are they wanting to publish this book in July?
Explanation: "Are they wanting" is in the present continuous tense because it describes a current desire or intention to publish the book in July.

3. She thinks he is driving dangerously.
Explanation: "She thinks" is in the present simple tense because it describes a general belief or perception. "He is driving" is in the present continuous tense because it describes an action happening at the moment.

4. He understands that he is eating noisily, but he always forgets about it.
Explanation: "He understands" is in the present simple tense because it describes a general understanding. "He is eating" is in the present continuous tense because it describes an action happening at the moment. "He always forgets" is in the present simple tense because it describes a habitual forgetfulness.

5. Who is that man who is standing in the doorway?
Explanation: Both "is" and "is standing" are in the present continuous tense because they describe an action happening at the moment.

6. I have no time now, I am having dinner.
Explanation: "I have" is in the present simple tense because it describes a general lack of time. "I am having dinner" is in the present continuous tense because it describes an action happening at the moment.

7. Is your family leaving St. Petersburg in summer? - Yes, we always go to the seaside. We all like the sea. Mother is staying with us until the end of August, but father is returning much earlier.
Explanation: "Is your family leaving" is in the present continuous tense because it describes a future action or plan. "We always go" is in the present simple tense because it describes a habitual action. "Mother is staying" and "father is returning" are in the present continuous tense because they describe actions happening at the moment.

8. Where are Tom and Nick now? - They are having a smoke in the garden.
Explanation: "Where are" and "are having" are in the present continuous tense because they describe actions happening at the moment.

9. What are you doing here now? - We are listening to tape recordings.
Explanation: "What are you doing" and "are listening" are in the present continuous tense because they describe actions happening at the moment.

10. Do you want to see my father? - Yes, I do.
Explanation: "Do you want" and "I do" are in the present simple tense because they describe a general desire or intention.

11. Michael knows German rather well. He wants to know English, too, but he has little time for it now.
Explanation: "Michael knows" and "he wants to know" are in the present simple tense because they describe general states or desires. "He has" is in the present simple tense because it describes a general lack of time.