1.1.1. Put the verb in brackets into the appropriate present tense form. 1) Please, don’t make so much noise. I am trying (try) to concentrate.

2) Is Ann good at tennis? – Yes, she (play) it

twice a week.

3) Where is John? – He (play) tennis.

4) Are you keen on volleyball? – Not any more. I

(play) it for a year.

5) Ron (play) football this week. He

(hurt) his leg.

6) Sue’s parents are Irish. They (come) from

Ireland.

7) Let’s go out. It (not rain) any more.

8) We can leave now. It (stop) raining.

9) There is a lot of snow. It (snow) all night.

10) It’s the best book I (read).

1.1.2. Underline the verb in the appropriate tense form.

1) When our fl ight was announced, we (were checking / have checked) in

our luggage.

2) I was late for the concert. When I (arrived / had arrived), it (started /

had started).

6

3) Jim was late for the concert. He (arrived / had arrived) at 7.30 p.m.

4) It (began / had begun) to rain when we (had driven / were driving) to

the airport.

5) I (didn’t go / wasn’t going) out last night, because I (was / had been)

very tired.

6) It (stopped / had stopped) raining by the time we (left / had left) for the

airport.

7) Tom (needed / was needing) some pocket money, so he (found / had

found) a Saturday job.

8) Ann (was / had been) late for the meeting. But we (waited / were waiting)

for her when she (came / was coming).

9) Alex (passed / had past) his English exam last week. He (was working /

had been working) hard for it.

10) Margaret was late for the concert. When she (arrived / had arrived), the

orchestra (was playing / had been playing) for about 15 minutes.

1.1.3. Complete the questions with missing auxiliary verbs.

1) Have you ever been to a rock music concert?

2) What Nick doing when you phoned him?

3) you know where Ann is?

4) the toaster working? – No, it broke down yesterday.

5) How long Tom looking for a job?

6) you speak German? – No, but I learning.

7) Nick doing anything special tonight?

8) What your father do for a living?

9) anybody at home when you arrived?

10) it your fi rst fl ight? you ever fl own before?

11) Helen going to college next year?

1.1.4. Underline the verb in the appropriate tense form.

1) I (will leave / am leaving) for Spain in a few days. This time on Wednesday

I (will fl y / will be fl ying) to Madrid.

2) Do you know that Sue and Jim (will get / are getting) married?

3) Next year my parents (will be / will have been) married for 20 years.

4) There’s no sugar left. – Don’t worry, I (will / am going to) buy it on my

way home.

5) Oh, dear! It’s 8.30! I (will / am going to) be late for school. The classes

(will start / will have started) by the time I arrive.

7

6) (Will you help / Will you be helping) me about the house? – I’m sorry,

I can’t. I (will see / am seeing) my friend today.

7) I’m very tired. By the time you are back I (will go / will have gone) to bed.

8) Tom (will watch / will be watching) a football match at 8 p.m. So, don’t

phone him. He (won’t answer / isn’t answering).

People do usually say that nature is our mother. It gives a person everything that is necessary for life, even though we don't always appreciate its gifts. What could be better than the warm sun, majestic mountains, and blooming trees in the spring? The world of nature is very rich and varied. There are hundreds of thousands of species, many of which we've never seen in our life.

We all used to live in a world that seems to be built by ourselves. We live in big houses equipped with high-tech consumer devices; we are able to travel long distances using cars, trains, and planes. We are able to know what is happening thousands of miles away, over the Internet or television. But all of this is secondary. We use the knowledge of the laws of nature and its power to create all these technologies anyway.

Nauryz is the most important holiday in the Kazakh calendar.

Nauryz means ‘new day’, it is celebrated over several days from March 21st and marks Persian New Year which begins on the Vernal Equinox. The month of March is known as Nauryz in Kazakhstan.

Since 2009, there have been officially three days of bank holidays for Nauryz beginning on March 21st. If the holiday falls over a weekend, the holiday will be extended to the following weekdays.

History of Nauryz 

This is a very ancient holiday, known to have been celebrated for over five thousand years by different cultures in central Asia. Certainly noticing that the days were starting to get longer than nights on the exposed plains of the steppes must have come as welcome relief to the tribes living there after a harsh winter.

As with other Spring festivals around the world, traditional customs focus on the idea of renewal, rebirth and a chance to start again. Acts such as house cleaning, settling debts and forgiving past offences by others are common.

Nauryz celebrations today are a mixture of old and new, ranging from preparing rich food to rock concerts. In fact, these days it seems that anything goes in marking Nauryz, with the prevailing rule being the more festive, the better.

Two key traditional elements of Nauryz are feasting, starting with a tasty yoghurt-like dish known as Nauryz kozhe, and the erecting of yurts, or traditional nomad homes.

Nauryz kozhe is the most important dish related to the festival and a main symbol of Nauryz. A yoghurt like dish, Nauryz kozhe is traditionally made with seven different ingredients, which can vary but generally include water, meat, salt, milk, one type of grain (rice, corn or wheat) and two other ingredients. These seven ingredients symbolize the seven virtues of joy, success, intelligence, health, wealth, agility and security.

During Nauryz, in urban areas, traditional felt nomad dwellings called Yurts will be erected. These yurts act as focal points for people to find out more about the culture and lifestyle of the traditional nomads through Kazakh songs, dance and national clothing.

More modern festivities such as firework displays and music concerts will also take place during Nauryz.

In 1926 Kazakhstan became part of the Soviet Union and celebrating Nauryz was banned as the regime did not tolerate any reference to traditional or ethnic heritage as it was seen to detract from the formation of a pure Marxist state and a Soviet ethnicity.

It was only in 1988, shortly before the collapse of the Soviet Union that Nauryz became a holiday once more, and was officially recognised by a presidential decree on March 15th 1991. Since then it has regained its position as the most important and popular festival in Kazakhstan.