Test 36. Read the text and put the verbs in brackets into the correct past forms.

Last year Sam and Joanna decided to buy a house. They (1)(save up) for ages, and by the end of April they (2)(put by) enough for the deposit on a house. They (3)(live) in a tiny flat at the time and Joanna (4)(insist) that she wanted a house with a big garden. They (5)(search) for only a few days when they found exactly what they (6)(look for) – a two-bedroomed house in nearly an acre of garden. Unfortunately the owner (7)(ask) much more than they (8)(be) willing to pay, and when they (9)(look) more closely at the interior, they (10)(see) that whoever (11)(live) there before, (12)(make) an absolute mess of the walls and floors. Still Joanna (13)(like) the garden and the location so much that she (14)(manage) to convince Sam that, despite the price, it (15)(be) the perfect house for them.

Test 37. Read the text and put the verbs in brackets into the correct form.

Farmers, as we all (1)(know), (2)(have) а hard time of it in Britain lately, and (3)(turn) to new ways of earning income from their land. This (4)(involve) not only planting new kinds of crops, but some strange ways of making money, the most unusual of which has got to be sheep racing. Yes, you (5)(hear) me correctly! А farmer in the West of England now (6)(hold) sheep races on а regular basis, and during the past year over 100 000 people (7)(turn up) to watch the proceedings. ‘I (8)(pass) the farm on my way to the sea for а holiday, ’ one punter told me, ‘and I (9)(think) I’d have а look. I (10)(not believe) it was serious, to tell you the truth.’

According to а regular visitor, betting on sheep is more interesting than betting on horses. ‘At proper horse races everyone (11)(already study) the form of the horses in advance, and there are clear favourites. But nobody (12)(hear) anything about these sheep! Most people (13)(find) it difficult to tell one from another in any case.’

‘I (14)(stay) to watch the races, and I must admit that I (15)(find) it quite exciting. In а typical race, half а dozen sheep (16)(race) downhill over а course of about half а mile. Food (17)(wait) for them at the other end of the track, I ought to add! The sheep (18)(run) surprisingly fast, although presumably they (19)(not eat) for а while just to give them some motivation. At any rate, the crowd around me (20)(obviously enjoy) their day out at the races, judging by their happy faces and the sense of excitement.’

Test 38. Read the text and put the verbs in brackets into the correct form.

Ask hundreds of people what they (1)(do) on а certain day in August next year, or the year after, and there (2)(be) only one reply. Provided of course that the people you (3)(ask) (4)(belong) to the Elvis Presley Fan Club. Although the King of Rock and Roll (5)(die) nearly two decades ago, his fans (6)(meet) every year since then outside his home in Memphis, Tennessee, to show respect for the singer they (7) (love) so much. Fans like Jean Thomas, from Catford in South London. Jean (8)(visit) Gracelands, the house where Elvis (9)(suffer) his fatal heart attack, twice in the past five years. ‘The first time I (10)(borrow) the money from my Mum, as I (11)(not work) then. But two years ago I (12)(get) married and since then I (13)(work) in my husband Chris’s garage. Chris and I (14)(go) together last year, and we (15)(think) of spending two or three months in the USA next year. I (16)(always want) to visit some of the places where Elvis (17)(perform). Like Las Vegas for example.’ Jean says that Elvis (18)(be) her obsession ever since she (19)(be) ten years old, and she (20)(own) every single one of his records, good and bad.