Simple Past Tense
Exercise 2 1. knocked
2. heard 3. got 4. dropped 5. went 6. Were 7. posted 8. stopped 9. gave
10. planted, moved
Exercise 3
The following sentences are taken from Living Geography Book 1A published by Addison Wesley Longman China Limited.
Fill in the blanks with the simple past form of the verbs in brackets.
e.g. He did not go to school yesterday because he was sick. (not go, be)
1. The British _______________ to Hong Kong in 1842 because they ___________
to find a good port for trade with China. They _____________ Victoria Harbour very useful. It ______________ large and deep enough for the ships of that time.
And it was protected from strong winds and typhoons by the surrounding hills.
Therefore, the British ______________ to build the city along the northern shore of Hong Kong Island. (come, want, find, be, begin)
2. Compared with the market towns in the New Territories, Central _____________
more accessible. At that time, business people ______________ and __________
their goods mainly by sea. They _______________ sea transport _____________
convenient in this area. So, they _______________ their offices and warehouses around Victoria Harbour. It ________________ the most accessible part of the city. (be, import, export, find, be, build, become)
3. As more and more offices and houses were built, land was not enough. The CBD therefore _______________ to Wan Chai and across the harbour to Tsim Sha Tsui on the Kowloon Peninsula. Also, the government _______________ to reclaim
4. To help solve these problems, the Hong Kong government in 1988 ____________
the Hong Kong Land Development Corporation. (establish)
5. It _______________ increasingly difficult to find enough space in the old urban areas to house the ever-growing population of Hong Kong. So the government of Hong Kong ________________ the New Town Development Programme in 1973.
Its aim ________________ to build new urban areas in the New Territories so that more people could live there. (become, start, be)
Answers
Exercise 3
1. came, wanted, found, was, began
2. was, imported, exported, found, was, built, became 3. expanded, began
4. established
5. became, started, was
Exercise 4
The following sentences are taken from Living Geography Book 1B published by Addison Wesley Longman China Limited.
Fill in the blanks with the simple past form of the verbs in brackets.
e.g. He did not go to school yesterday because he was sick. (not go, be)
.
1. In the past, land use planning __________ less important. There ___________ no control over land use. (be, be)
2. In 1994, the government __________ a sewage disposal scheme. (start)
3. In 1996, outward processing in the mainland __________ HK$222,200 million worth of goods. (produce)
4. In the past, Hong Kong products __________ popular in the overseas market because they __________ cheaper. (be, be)
5. In the 1970s and 1980s, the problem of pollution caused by manufacturing industry __________ more serious. Factories __________ noisy. They also __________ out smoke and gas, solid waste and dirty water. All these _________
our environment and __________ harmful to our health. Therefore, the government __________ to pass laws to restrict pollution from factories. (be, be, give, pollute, be, begin)
6. From 1989 to 1996, Guangdong Province __________ the most important production base of Hong Kong’s manufacturing. It __________ 95 per cent of the value of Hong Kong’s imports from the mainland related to outward processing in 1996. (remain, create)
7. In 1997, the average daily traffic figures at the three crossing points __________
about 1,900 at Sha Tau Kok, 8,400 at Man Kam To and 15,700 at Lok Ma Chau.
(be)
8. In 1991, the unemployment rate __________ 1.8 percent, but it __________ a peak of 3.2 per cent in 1995. The unemployment rate also __________ from 1.6 per cent to 2.1 per cent during the same period. (be, reach, rise)
9. In the 1960s and 1970s many people in Hong Kong __________ their farms in the countryside and __________ to the urban areas. They __________ in the factories and offices. Rural-urban migration __________ the growth of the city.
But there __________ not enough urban land for the increased population. Urban problem such as overcrowding and traffic congestion __________. (leave, move, work, cause, be, occur)
10. In the 1960s and 1970s, Hong Kong __________ steady rural-urban migration and urbanization.
Answers
Exercise 4 1. was, was 2. started 3. produced 4. were, were5. was, were, gave, polluted, were, began 6. remained, created
7. were
8. was, reached, rose
9. left, moved, worked, caused, was, occurred 10. experienced
Exercise 5
The following sentences are taken from Journey Through History – A Modern Course Book 1 published by Aristo Educational Press Limited.
Fill in the blanks with the simple past form of the verbs in brackets.
e.g. He did not go to school yesterday because he was sick. (not go, be)
1. History __________ when people first __________ written records in about 4000 BC (or 6000 years old). (begin, make)
2. The Stone Age __________ from about 2500000-4000BC. During this prehistoric period, people mainly __________ stone to make tools and weapons. They __________ no written records. (last, use, leave)
3. Early Old Stone Age people __________ probably apemen. They __________
any clothes. They __________ only 1.5 metres tall. They __________ how to talk.
They __________ate uncooked food. They __________ in caves to keep warm.
(be, not wear, be, not know, eat, live)
4. In the 18th century, some Westerners trading in Guangzhou __________ about Hong Kong. Before sailing to Guangzhou, their ships sometimes __________
fresh water at a waterfall near Shek Pai Wan. There __________ a Hong Kong Village nearby. Westerners __________ few Chinese words. They __________
the place Hong Kong. They __________ it for the name of the whole island. (hear, get, be, know, call, mistake)
5. In 221 BC, Hong Kong __________ a part of the Qin Dynasty. Yet there __________ few official records about Hong Kong. (become, be)
6. One or two hundred years ago, Hong Kong’s rural life __________ quiet. People at that time __________ few entertainments. Rural people __________ the custom of worshipping their ancestors. Ancestor worship __________ a part of the religious life in a rural community. Its main purpose __________ to show filial piety to ancestors. (be, have, have, form, be)
7. Ancient Egyptians __________ an early civilization in the Nile Valley. Their golden age __________ from about 3200-1200BC. (build, last)
8. The Greek civilization __________ in about 800 BC. It mainly __________ from the Minoan civilization. The Minoans __________ on a Mediterranean Island called Crete in about 3000BC. They __________ writing through trade with the Egyptians. So the Minoan civilization __________. It __________ in about 1450BC. That year, the Mycenaeans from Greece __________ Crete. (begin, develop, live, learn, begin, end, conquer)
9. Ancient Greeks __________ democratic rule. They __________ many gods and goddesses. Each god or goddess __________ its own myth. (start, worship, have) 10. Muslims __________ to Mecca to worship idols. Trade __________. Traders
__________ losing money. They __________ Mohammed. They __________ to kill him. To save his life, Mohammed __________ Mecca for Yathrib on July 16,622. (not go, fall, start, hate, want, leave)
11. Feudalism __________ people into the aristocracy. Nobles and their families __________ the aristocracy. They __________ great landowners. (divide, form, be)
12. Craftsmen and traders in medieval Europe __________ to group themselves into guilds. The guilds __________ rules for their trade and craft. They __________
prices, wages and the quality of goods. (like, make, fix)
Answers Exercise 5
1. began, made 2. lasted, used, left
3. were, did not wear, were, did not know, ate, lived 4. heard, got, was, knew, called, mistook
5. became, were
6. was, had, had, formed, was 7. built, lasted
8. began, developed, lived, learned, began, ended, conquered 9. started, worshipped
10. did not go, fell, started, hate, want, leave 11. divided, formed, were
12. liked, made, fixed
The following sentences are taken from Understanding Integrated Science for the 21st Century Book 1A published by Aristo Educational Press Limited.
Fill in the blanks with the simple past form of the verbs in brackets.
e.g. He did not go to school yesterday because he was sick. (not go, be)
1. In 1912, the big ocean liner Titanic ___________ across the Altantic Ocean from England to New York. (sail)
2. Michael Faraday (1791-1867) ____________ a famous scientist. He ___________53 observations when observing a burning candle. (be, make)
3. Around 3000 B.C., the Chinese ____________a ‘fire clock’. It was a rod. (invent) 4. Many living things around us ___________ once living. (be)
5. Robert Hooke ____________ the first one to use a microscope to observe ‘cells’
in 1665. (be)
Answers
Exercise 6