Grammar in speech.

8. Supply the correct form of the verbs given in brackets. (Present tenses)

I study law at university with twenty other students. We (1) _________ (to spend) most of the time together, so we have come to know each other fairly well. Some of my co-students are so interesting that I (2) __________ (to think) of writing a book about them some day. Take Susie Walsh, for example. She (3) _________ (to be) nice to everybody because she (4) ________________ (to think) of running for University president this year. I, however, (5) ______________ (not to think) she is going to win because she (6) ________________ (not to be) sincere at all. Besides, she always (7) ________________ (to break) university rules. For example, it (8) ___________________ (to forbid) to smoke on the campus, but whenever I (9) _____________ (to see) her in some dark corner, she always (10) _______________ (to smoke). At the moment she (11) _____________ (to go out) with Jack Goodwin and she (12) ______________ (to seem) to be quite happy about it. However, everybody, except Susie, (13) ___________ (to know) that Jack always (14) ________________ (to make) eyes at Rebecca Smith. But I (15) _____________ (to happen) to know that Rebecca (16) _______________ (to hate) the sight of him. “I can’t stand people who (17) _______________ (to cheat) all the time,” she says. She means to say that Jack often (18) ________________ (to cheat) at exams and besides he (19) _________________ (to deceive) Susie because he (20) ___________________ (to see) Linda Fletcher, too. And lots of other interesting things (21) _________________ (to go on).

Role Play. Suppose you are Susie Walsh (Jack Goodwin, Rebecca Smith). Describe the given situation the way you see it.

9. Supply the correct form of the verbs given in brackets (past tenses)and perform the role play given below. Fears over Rail Safety

The Japanese government ordered train operators to carry out emergency equipment checks yesterday after four people (1) ___________ (to kill) and 32 others (2) _______________ (to injure) when an express train (3) ________________ (to blow) from the tracks by fierce winds.

The train (4) ___________________ (to travel) at 62 mph in Yamagata prefecture, 180 miles north of Tokyo, when it (5) ______________ (to derail) on Sunday evening. Three of the train’s six carriages (6) _________ (to slide) along a snow-covered embankment after they (7) _____________ (to flip) on their sides, and the front carriage (8) ____________ (to plough) into a farm building. The train (9) _______________ (to carry) 44 passengers and two crew. Rescue workers said the dead (10) ___________ (to be) in the front carriage.

In a strong warning yesterday the transport ministry (11) __________ (to accuse) train operator JR East of eroding public trust in rail safety and (12) _________________ (to order) all rail companies to check wind gauges. The firm’s chief executive, Mutsutake Otsukava (13) __________ (to apologise) for the accident and (14) ______________ (to promise) a full investigation while he (15) ___________ (to make) a statement for Tokyo TV.

When the investigation (16) ____________ (to start) JR East (17) __________________ (to ask) to explain why the train, which (18) _______________ (to run) an hour late, (19) _______________ (to travel) at high speed amid atrocious weather with high winds.

A passenger said on television: “It felt as though I (20) ___________ (to lift) from my seat, and then everything (21) ______________ (to go) black. The rain (22) _________________ (to hit) the windows and there (23) _______________ (to be) flashes of lightning.”

(From ‘The Guardian’, abridged)

Role play.

Role 1. You are Justin McCurry, a TV correspondent working in Tokyo. Interview the people who were in the train and find out as many details about the crash as possible.

Role 2. You are Yamata Kashida, the train driver. Explain to the TV correspondent why your train was late and describe what was going on when the crash occurred. Your cues: Trains – not to run on time due to bad weather conditions (high winds, heavy rain). Your train – to go fast but not above the speed limit. At the time of the crash you – to go at 62 mph; a curve in the road; a gust of wind.

Role 3. You are Mutsutake Otsukava, JR East chief executive. Apologise for the accident. You can’t give any explanation before a full investigation is carried out. Your cues: The company – to feel responsible for rail safety. You – to discuss safety problems only last week; equipment check – to be among them.

Role 4. You are Cotzumi Tanaka, a passenger who survived the crash. Describe the crash. Your cues: You – to read. The train – to go at its full speed. Suddenly – shock. You – fall over and faint. When you – to come to, people around you … .