2.16 Choose the correct time expression:
1. Karen usually cooks dinner in the evening / now.
2. It isn’t snowing at the moment / at the weekend.
3. Are they having a piano lesson every Monday / now?
4. Do you go out at present / at the weekend?
5. She seldom / at the moment visits her grandparents.
6. Paul is repairing his bike on Monday / at the moment.
7. They’re running to catch the bus now / at night.

2.17 Put the verbs into the correct form: Present Continuous or Present Simple:
Tony Hunt, a journalist, is interviewing Leila Markham, an environmental scientist.
T.: So tell me, Leila, why is it important to save the rainforests?
L.: There are a number of reasons. One is that many plants which could be useful in medicine …… (grow) in the rain forest. We …… (not / know) all the plants, but there are thousands and thousands of them. Researches …… (try) to discover their secrets before they are destroyed.
T.: I see. What other reasons are there?
L.: Well, have you heard that the world …… (get) warmer?
T.: Do you mean what scientists call “global warming”?
L.: That’s right. The rainforests have always had an important influence on our weather. They …… (disappear) at a terrifying rate and people …… (not / do) enough to save them.
T.: But I …… (enjoy) warm sunshine. Is global warming really such a problem?
L.: You know that the polar regions …… (consist) of millions tons of ice. If they …… (melt), the level of the sea will rise and cause terrible floods. Many scientists …… (believe) that temperatures …… (already / rise). We must do everything we can to prevent global warming, and that includes preserving the rainforests!
T.: Thank you, Leila, and good luck in your camping.
L.: Thank you.

2.18 Choose the correct alternative:
From: Pedro Martinez
To: Karen Miller
Subject: Trip to England
Hi, Karen
I’m having / I have a great time here in England. My college term isn’t starting / doesn’t start until next month, so I’m taking / I take the opportunity to earn some money. I’m staying / I stay with my English friend, Robby. His parents are owning / own a software business. In the evenings I’m driving / I drive into London to go clubbing. I’m making / I make a lot of new friends.
I think / I’m thinking my pronunciation is much better than when I arrived, and I’m understanding / I understand almost everything now. On weekends I’m helping / I help Robbie’s dad. At the moment he’s working / he works on a new website and he’s needing / he needs help with it. It’s quite tiring work, but I’m liking / I like it and I’m learning / I learn some really useful stuff about the Web.
Do you come / Are you coming to visit me soon? I’m spending / I spend the winter holiday here at Robbie’s. His parents are wanting / want to meet you and there’s plenty of space. But you must bring your warmest clothes. It’s getting / It gets very cold here in the winter.
Let me know as soon as you’re deciding / you decide. And tell me what you’re doing / you do these days. Do you miss me?
Love, Pedro.

2.16. Choose the correct time expression

1. Karen usually cooks dinner in the evening.
   Usually указывает на регулярное действие, поэтому подходит выражение «по вечерам».

2. It isn’t snowing at the moment.
   Present Continuous описывает действие, происходящее сейчас.

3. Are they having a piano lesson now?
   Форма are having означает, что урок проходит в настоящий момент.

4. Do you go out at the weekend?
   Present Simple используется для регулярных действий и привычек.

5. She seldom visits her grandparents.
   Seldom — наречие частоты, которое употребляется с Present Simple и ставится перед смысловым глаголом.

6. Paul is repairing his bike at the moment.
   Форма is repairing описывает действие, происходящее сейчас.

7. They’re running to catch the bus now.
   Форма are running указывает на действие в настоящий момент.

Ответы:

1. in the evening

2. at the moment

3. now

4. at the weekend

5. seldom

6. at the moment

7. now

2.17. Present Continuous or Present Simple

Tony Hunt, a journalist, is interviewing Leila Markham, an environmental scientist.

T.: So tell me, Leila, why is it important to save the rainforests?

L.: There are a number of reasons. One is that many plants which could be useful in medicine grow in the rainforest. We do not know all the plants, but there are thousands and thousands of them. Researchers are trying to discover their secrets before they are destroyed.

T.: I see. What other reasons are there?

L.: Well, have you heard that the world is getting warmer?

T.: Do you mean what scientists call “global warming”?

L.: That’s right. The rainforests have always had an important influence on our weather. They are disappearing at a terrifying rate and people are not doing enough to save them.

T.: But I enjoy warm sunshine. Is global warming really such a problem?

L.: You know that the polar regions consist of millions of tons of ice. If they melt, the level of the sea will rise and cause terrible floods. Many scientists believe that temperatures are already rising. We must do everything we can to prevent global warming, and that includes preserving the rainforests!

T.: Thank you, Leila, and good luck in your campaign.

L.: Thank you.

Объяснение

• grow — общеизвестный факт о растениях, поэтому Present Simple.

• do not know — глагол состояния know обычно не употребляется в Continuous.

• are trying — учёные занимаются этим в настоящее время.

• is getting — постепенное изменение температуры.

• are disappearing — процесс, происходящий в настоящее время.

• are not doing — текущая ситуация.

• enjoy — постоянное отношение или предпочтение.

• consist — глагол состояния, поэтому Present Simple.

• melt — после if при обозначении реального условия используется Present Simple.

• believe — глагол мнения, обычно не употребляется в Continuous.

• are already rising — продолжающийся процесс изменения температуры.

2.18. Choose the correct alternative

From: Pedro Martinez
To: Karen Miller
Subject: Trip to England

Hi, Karen,

I’m having a great time here in England. My college term doesn’t start until next month, so I’m taking the opportunity to earn some money. I’m staying with my English friend, Robbie. His parents own a software business. In the evenings I drive into London to go clubbing. I’m making a lot of new friends.

I think my pronunciation is much better than when I arrived, and I understand almost everything now. On weekends I help Robbie’s dad. At the moment he’s working on a new website and he needs help with it. It’s quite tiring work, but I like it and I’m learning some really useful stuff about the Web.

Are you coming to visit me soon? I’m spending the winter holiday here at Robbie’s. His parents want to meet you and there’s plenty of space. But you must bring your warmest clothes. It’s getting very cold.

Объяснение

• I’m having — временная ситуация, происходящая сейчас.

• doesn’t start — расписание или установленная дата начала семестра.

• I’m taking — временное занятие в текущий период.

• I’m staying — временное проживание.

• own — глагол состояния и принадлежности, поэтому не используется форма are owning.

• I drive — регулярное действие по вечерам.

• I’m making — продолжающийся в настоящий период процесс.

• I think — мнение; в этом значении используется Present Simple.

• I understand — глагол состояния, поэтому не используется форма I’m understanding.

• I help — регулярное действие по выходным.

• he’s working — действие происходит в настоящий момент.

• he needs — глагол need обычно не употребляется в Continuous.

• I like — глагол отношения или предпочтения.

• I’m learning — процесс обучения продолжается сейчас.

• Are you coming — вопрос о запланированном приезде.

• I’m spending — запланированное действие в будущем.

• want — глагол желания, обычно не употребляется в Continuous.

• It’s getting — постепенное изменение погоды: становится всё холоднее.