The verb to be (in the simple present)

verb + ing

Present Continuous
1.
2.
3.
4.

Listen to the birds. They (sing)

Look at that one. It (fly)
The other one (play)
I feel happy because I (have)

high in the sky.

with a worm
a good time here in these woods.

5. Look! Sara (go)

to the movies.
6. On her right hand, Sara (carry)
her handbag.
7. And look, she (take)
an umbrella.

Present Continuous . vs Present Simple

1. Every Monday, Sally (drive)
2. Usually, I (work)

her kids to football practice.

as a secretary at ABT, but this summer I (study)
French at a language school in Paris. That is why I am in Paris.
3. Shhhhh! Be quiet! John (sleep)
4. Don't forget to take your umbrella. It (rain)
5. I hate living in Seattle because it (rain, always)
6. I'm sorry I can't hear what you (say)
because everybody (talk)
so loudly.
7. Justin (write, currently)
a book about his adventures in Tibet. I
hope he can find a good publisher when he is finished.
8. Jim: Do you want to come over for dinner tonight?
Denise: Oh, I'm sorry, I can't. I (go)
to a movie tonight with some friends.
9. The business cards (be, normally )
printed by a company in New York.
Their prices (be)
inexpensive, yet the quality of their work is quite good.
10. This delicious chocolate (be)
made by a small chocolatier in Zurich,
Switzerland.

A Trekking Journal
November 12, 1997
Today (be)
the second day of my trek around Mount Annapurna. I am
exhausted and my legs (shake)
; I just hope I am able to complete the trek.
My feet (kill, really)
me and my toes (bleed)
but I (want,
still)
to continue.
Nepal is a fascinating country, but I have a great deal to learn. Everything (be)
so different, and I (try)
to adapt to the new way of life here. I (learn)
a little bit of the language to make communication easier; unfortunately, I (learn, not)
foreign languages quickly. Although I (understand, not)
much yet, I
believe that I (improve, gradually)
..
I (travel, currently)
with Liam, a student from Leeds University in
England. He (be)
a nice guy, but impatient. He (walk, always )
ahead of me and (complain)
that I am too slow. I (do)
my
best to keep up with him, but he is younger and stronger than I am. Maybe, I am just
feeling sorry for myself because I am getting old.
Right now, Liam (sit)
with the owner of the inn. They (discuss )
the differences between life in England and life in Nepal. I (know, not)
the
real name of the owner, but everybody (call, just)
him Tam. Tam
(speak)
English very well and he (try )
teach Liam
some words in Nepali. Every time Tam (say)
a new word, Liam (try)
to repeat it. Unfortunately, Liam (seem, also)
to have difficulty learning
foreign languages. I just hope we don't get lost and have to ask for directions.

APRIL FOOLS DAY

April Fools' Day or All Fools' Day, although not a holiday, is a day celebrated
in many countries on April 1. The day is marked by playing practical jokes and
spreading hoaxes. The jokes and their victims are called April fools. People
playing April Fool jokes expose their prank by shouting April Fool, the aim of
which is to embarrass the gullible. Traditionally, in some countries, the jokes only
last until noon: like the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and South Africa,
someone who plays a trick after noon is called an "April Fool" Elsewhere, such as
in Ireland, France, and America, the jokes last all day .

CHRISTMAS
Christmas , also referred to as Christmas Day, is an annual holiday celebrated
on December 25 that commemorates the birth of Jesus of Nazareth.
Modern customs of the holiday include gift-giving, Church celebrations, and the
display of various decorationsincluding the Christmas
tree, lights, mistletoe, nativity scenes. Santa Claus (also referred to
as Father Christmas, although the two figures have different origins) is a
popular mythological figure often associated with bringing gifts at Christmas for
children.

EASTER
EASTER is the time for holidays, festivals and a time for giving chocolate Easter
eggs. But Easter means much more.
Easter is an important Christian festival and holiday celebrating the resurrection
of Jesus Christ. There are many different customs for celebrating Easter around
the world.
Early celebrations included the painting of eggs, which represented Jesus' empty
tomb. Now we give Easter eggs - often chocolate - to friends and family, and
have Easter egg hunts for eggs hidden by the Easter bunny.

THANKSGIVING
Thanksgiving Day is a harvest festival. Traditionally, it is a time to give
thanks for the harvest and express gratitude in general. It is a holiday
celebrated primarily in Canada and the United States.

Today, Thanksgiving is celebrated on the second Monday of October in Canada

and on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States. Thanksgiving
dinner (turkey) is held on this day, usually as a gathering of family members and
friends

MAY DAY
It occurs on May 1. In many countries, May Day is synonymous with International
Workers' Day, or Labour Day, which celebrates the social and economic
achievements of the labor movement.
Mother's Day/ Fathers Day
Celebrations which honor mothers and fathers. They are celebrated on various
days in many places around the world.
New Years Day
New Year's Day is the first day of the new year. It is celebrated on January
1, often celebrated with fireworks at the stroke of midnight as the new year
starts.
January 1 marks the end of a period of remembrance of a particular passing year,
especially on radio, television, and in newspapers, which usually starts right
after Christmas Day.

Listening

1. Where does this news program take place?

A. at a shopping center
B. at a local school
C. in a city market place

2. How does the young girl, Elizabeth, celebrate this holiday with her
family?
A. They go out to eat at a restaurant.
B. They visit close relatives.
C. They go to see a movie.

3. What does Johnny and his family eat on this day?

A. turkey
B. ham
C. chicken

4. What sentence best describes Steven's feelings about Christmas?

A. It's a time when people exchange gifts with friends, family, and
teachers.
B. It's a holiday when friends give gifts during an elaborate dinner.

C. It's a day when people think of others without waiting for a gift in
return.

5. The final young woman says that the best thing about Christmas is:
A. receiving presents from classmates.
B. having a vacation from school.
C. sleeping late every day.