Complete the sentences with for or since and your own ideas. Then work in pairs and ask and answer questions with How long ...?

1. Helen asked Pete if he had played chess with his father the day before
 2. Kate said to her grandmother to help her to cook the soup.
 3. Mike said to the teacher that his sister knew two foreign languages.
4. The teacher asked children what they had prepared for that day.
5. Tom said to his sister he had seen her friend at the library the day before.
6. The teacher said to the pupils not to open their books.
7. She asked him if he could borrow her his textbook
8. My mother said to me that I would go to the cinema the next day
9. Mother said to Tom to go to bed
10. Nellie said to Pete that she had never seen his toys
11. He asked her if she had bought the dictionary
12. Grandfather asked Mary if she had got some marks at school
 13.  Our grandmother said to us we would go to the zoo the next day. 14. Mother said to Pete not to forget to wash his hands.
15. Nick said to his mother he was doing his homework.
16. Tom asked her if she knew the name of the man
17. Mike said to the teacher he had learnt a long poem
18. The man said to the boys not to play in the street.
19. My mother asked  me why I don't  drink my tea.
20. My friend asked me when I had received that letter.
21. Johnny said to his mother he had seen his friend at the stadium the day before.
 22.  The boys asked to Pete if he would play football with them.
23. The teacher said to the 8BIA grade they had already understood the theme speech and she was so happy then.
24. Ada asked me where I had seen such trees.

Life today seems to be much better than 50 years ago. It became much easier to do many basic things. For example, people don't have to wash clothes without a washing machine. There is a microwave, a vacuum cleaner, a dishwasher, an electric cooker almost in every house. Modern technology has fully changed our lives to the better. Fifty years ago people couldn't even imagine that household chores would be done by smart appliances. To think only, they didn't know that computers would instantly send messages, take photos, or allow making video calls. Nobody had cell phones back then. On the one hand, it might have been difficult to live without these gadgets. On the other hand, children were much happier without cell phones and hand-held computers. My grandparents often tell me about their childhood and youth. They say it was a happy time and people were different.People of their generation weren't commercially-minded at all. Our generation lives at the era of consumerism. We don’t value things and clothes that much. When we break or spoil something, we go to the store and easily buy a new one. My grandmother tells that she could wear the same pair of shoes for ten years and more, while I want to buy new shoes almost every season. Women’s rights have also been modified. Fifty years ago they were supposed to be diligent housewives. Today women are seen at many high positions. They can be leading lawyers, politicians, financiers, top managers and superintendants. Another modern step forward is the development of travel opportunities. It has become faster, cheaper and more convenient to travel from one country to another. It is beneficial nearly for everyone: international students, curious adults, international commerce and trade, etc.