Unit 3. Stories

Question 1

Oh, I’ve been pretty lucky u_ u_ n_. (= до настоящего времени, до сих пор)

Answer 1

Oh, I’ve been pretty lucky up until now.

Question 2

I _ (do) some interesting things in the last few years.

Answer 2

I’ve done some interesting things in the last few years.

a past period that includes the present moment => present perfect (simple or continuous)

Question 3

I started a band _ _ _ _ (= в позапрошлом году), though it didn’t last.

Answer 3

I started a band the year before last (= в позапрошлом году), though it didn’t last.

Question 4

Live _ (definitely / be) interesting so far.

Answer 4

Live has definitely been interesting so far.

a past period that includes the present moment => present perfect (simple or continuous)

Question 5

We asked people around the world: what are some of the h_ of your life so far? (лучшие, кульминационные моменты)

Answer 5

We asked people around the world: what are some of the highlights of your life so far?

/ˈhaɪlaɪt/ - notice that the stress is on the FIRST syllable!

Question 6

Oh, I’ve been pretty lucky up until now. F_ o_ th_ (= во-первых, потому что) I’ve travelled a lot.

Answer 6

Oh, I’ve been pretty lucky up until now. For one thing, (= во-первых, потому что) I’ve travelled a lot.

Question 7

I still _ (not decide) what I want to do after I graduate. I _ (not think) too much about it.

Answer 7

I still haven’t decided what I want to do after I graduate. I haven’t thought too much about it.

notice the useful expression: I haven’t thought too much about it = особо об этом не думал

Question 8

I lived in Italy a couple of years ago. That was amazing. T_ af_ Italy, I went to Central America and worked with a team of volunteers.

Answer 8

I lived in Italy a couple of years ago. That was amazing. Then after Italy, I went to Central America and worked with a team of volunteers.

Question 9

Well, we haven’t really done anything except work o_ _ l_ _ y_. (в последние годы)

Answer 9

Well, we haven’t really done anything except work over the last few years. (в последние годы)

Question 10

Oh, I _ (be) pretty lucky up until now.

Answer 10

Oh, I’ve been pretty lucky up until now.

a past period that includes the present moment => present perfect (simple or continuous)

Question 11

Oh, I’ve been pretty lucky up until now. For one thing, (= во-первых, потому что) I _ (travel) a lot.

Answer 11

Oh, I’ve been pretty lucky up until now. For one thing, (= во-первых, потому что) I’ve traveled a lot.

life experience => present perfect

Question 12

Life has definitely been interesing s_ f_ (=до сих пор, пока что).

Answer 12

Life has definitely been interesing so far.

Question 13

We _ (meet) when we _ (be) in college. Sheng _ (get) his master’s, and I _ (study) design.

Answer 13

We met when we were in college. Sheng was getting his master’s, and I was studying design.

Question 14

I’ve done some interesting things i_ _ l_ f_ y_. (за последние несколько лет)

Answer 14

I’ve done some interesting things in the last few years.

Question 15

We _ (meet) when we _ (be) in college. Sheng _ (get) his master’s, and I _ (study) design.

Answer 15

We met when we were in college. Sheng was getting his master’s, and I was studying design. [background situation => past continuous]

Question 16

I _ (live) in Italy a couple of years ago. That _ (be) amazing. Then after Italy, I _ (go) to Central America and _ (work) with a team of volunteers.

Answer 16

I lived in Italy a couple of years ago. [a clear reference to a point in the past]
That was amazing. [the same reference]

Then after Italy, I went to Central America and worked with a team of volunteers. [sequence of events]

Question 17

I started a band the year before last (= в позапрошлом году), though it _ _. (=долго не продлилось, не просуществовала)

Answer 17

I started a band the year before last (= в позапрошлом году), though it didn’t last. (=долго не продлилось, не просуществовала)

Question 18

And I_ (coach) a local soccer team for the last two years. That _ (be) good.

Answer 18

And I’ve been coaching a local soccer team for the last two years. That’s been good.

a past period that includes the present moment => present perfect (simple or continuous)

Question 19

I haven’t thought t_ _ about it = особо об этом не думал

Answer 19

I haven’t thought too much about it.

Question 20

Well, we _ (really / not do - ничего особо не сделали) anything except work over the last few years.

Answer 20

Well, we haven’t really done anything except work over the last few years.

notice the position of the adverb (‘really’): between the two parts of the verb.

Question 21

I _ (start) a band the year before last (= в позапрошлом году), though it didn’t last.

Answer 21

I started a band the year before last (= в позапрошлом году), though it didn’t last.

a time reference in the past => past simple

Question 22

Then Sheng started his PhD. S_ th_ (с тех пор), he’s just been concentrating on school.”

Answer 22

Then Sheng started his PhD. Since then, he’s just been concentrating on school.”

Question 23

We met when we were in college. Sheng _ (учился на магистра), and I was studying design.

Answer 23

We met when we were in college. Sheng was getting his master’s, and I was studying design.

Question 24

Jing-Wei _ an _ (устроилась на стажировку) at a fashion company last year.

Answer 24

Jing-Wei got an internship at a fashion company last year.

BrE /ˈɪntɜːnʃɪp/
AmE /ˈɪntɜːrnʃɪp/

Question 25

Jing-Wei got an internship at a fashion company last year. That was a big thing for her. You _ (enjoy) it so far, _ (да ведь)?

Answer 25

Jing-Wei got an internship at a fashion company last year. That was a big thing for her. You’ve been enjoying it so far, haven’t you?

so far => a period that includes the present point

Question 26

[Present Perfect Simple or Continuous?]
_ (you/listen) to a lot of music lately (= в последнее время)?

Answer 26

Have you been listening to a lot of music lately?

Question 27

_ (you / ever cook) for a large group of people? What _ (you / make)?

Answer 27

Have you ever cooked for a large group of people? (= life experience)

What did you make? (that specific time)

Question 28

[Present Perfect Simple or Continuous?] What dishes _ (you / cook) lately?

Answer 28

What dishes have you been cooking lately?

Question 29

Present Perfect of Past Simple?

1. I ____ (never / live) alone.
2. My great-great-great-grandmother __ (never / live) alone.

Answer 29

Present Perfect of Past Simple?

1. I’ve never lived alone. (life experience of someone who’s alive)
2. My great-great-great-grandmother never lived alone. (life experience of someone who isn’t alive anymore)

Question 30

_ (you / ever break) the law? What _ (you / do)?

Answer 30

Have you ever broken the law? What did you do?

Question 31

Who _ (you / think about) lately?

Answer 31

Who have you been thinking about lately?

Question 32

How many countries _ (you / be) to? When _ (you / go) there? Which country _ (you / like) the most?

Answer 32

How many countries have you been to? When did you go there? Which country did you like the most?

Question 33

_ (you / ever be) in a fight? What _ (be) it about?

Answer 33

Have you ever been in a fight? What was it about?

Question 34

I had been s_ _ the class all semester because I’d missed a number of classes and I’d fallen behind on my work. (= мне было сложно справиться)

Answer 34

I had been struggling with the class all semester because I’d missed a number of classes and I’d fallen behind on my work.

Question 35

Sure enough, 40 minutes _ the test, I had finished all the questions except the very last one. (= через 40 минут после начала теста)

Answer 35

Sure enough, 40 minutes into the test, I had finished all the questions except the very last one.

This is a fixed expression: [15] minutes into the [film/exam/meeting/interview….] something happened

Question 36

But by the day of the test, I had с_ _ _ all the work and I felt pretty confident. (= нагнала, наверстала)

Answer 36

But by the day of the test, I had caught up on all the work and I felt pretty confident.

Question 37

“I’m just wondering,” he said and paused. “Will it really _ my grade if I don’t complete that last question?” (= негативно повлиять)

Answer 37

“I’m just wondering,” he said and paused. “Will it really affect my grade if I don’t complete that last question?”

Question 38

I had been struggling with the class all semester because I’d missed a number of classes and I’d f_ _ _ my work. (= отстала)

Answer 38

I had been struggling with the class all semester because I’d missed a number of classes and I’d fallen behind on my work.

Question 39

Sure enough, 40 minutes into the test, I had finished all the questions except the _ last one (= самый последний).

Answer 39

Sure enough, 40 minutes into the test, I had finished all the questions except the very last one (= самый последний).