WARM-UP VIDEO FOR PAST SIMPLE AND CONTINUOUS

Instructions. Listen to the story and type in verbs in Past Simple and continuous

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Exercise. Complete each gap with suitable words and expressions you hear from the video.

♪♪ When he (1) …………..nine years old, Ron, without my parents or myself knowing his whereabouts, (2) ………….. to take a mile walk from our home down to the library, which (3) ………….. , of course, a public library, but not so public for black folks when you're talking about 1959. So as he (4) ………….. in there, all these folks (5) ………….. at him because it (6) ………….. white folk only and they (7) ………….. at him saying, you know, "Who is this negro?" So he politely positioned himself in line Well, this old librarian, she says, "This library's not for coloreds." He (8) ………….. , "Well, I would like to check out these books." She says, "Young man, if you don't leave this library right now, I'm gonna call the police." So he just propped himself up on the counter... (laughs) and (9) ………….. there and (10) ………….. , "I'll wait." So, she (11) ………….. the police and subsequently (12) ………….. my mother. The police (13) ………….. down, two burly guys, come in and say, "Well, where's the disturbance?" She pointed to the little nine year old boy sitting up on the counter. He says, "Ma'am, what's the problem?" So my mother, in the meanwhile, she (14) ………….. (15) ………….. and she comes down there praying the whole way there, "Lordy, Jesus, please don't let them put my child in jail." And my mother (16) ………….. the librarian, "What's the problem?" "He (17) ………….. to check out the book. You know your son shouldn't be down here." And the police officer (18) ………….., "Why don't you just give the kid the books?" And my mother (19) ………….., "He'll take good care of them." And reluctantly, the librarian (20) ………….. Ron the books. And my mother (21) ………….., "What do you say?" He (22) ………….. , "Thank you, ma'am." (laughs) Later on, as youngsters, a show (23) ………….. on TV (24) ………….. , "Star Trek." Now, Star Trek (25) ………….. the future where there (26) ………….. black folk and white folk working together, and I just (27) …………..at it as science-fiction, because that wasn't gonna happen, really. But Ronald (28) ………….. it as science-possibility, you know. He (29) ………….. up during a time when there (30) ………….. Neil Armstrong and all of those guys. So how (31) ………….. a colored boy from South Carolina, wearing glasses, who never (32) ………….. a plane, how (33) ………….. he gonna become an astronaut? But Ron (34) ………….. the one who (35) ………….. accept societal norms as being his norm. That (36) ………….. for other people. And uh, he (37) ………….. to be aboard his own Starship Enterprise. ♪♪ Closed Captions by CaptionLink www.captionlink.com

Key: Look at the key and say aloud the script from the video to improve your English.

♪♪ When he (1) (was) nine years old, Ron, without my parents or myself knowing his whereabouts, (2) (decided) to take a mile walk from our home down to the library, which (3) (was) , of course, a public library, but not so public for black folks when you're talking about 1959. So as he (4) (was walking) in there, all these folks (5) (were staring) at him because it (6) (was) white folk only and they (7) (were looking) at him saying, you know, "Who is this negro?" So he politely positioned himself in line Well, this old librarian, she says, "This library's not for coloreds." He (8) (said) , "Well, I would like to check out these books." She says, "Young man, if you don't leave this library right now, I'm gonna call the police." So he just propped himself up on the counter... (laughs) and (9) (sat) there and (10) (said) , "I'll wait." So, she (11) (called) the police and subsequently (12) (called) my mother. The police (13) (came) down, two burly guys, come in and say, "Well, where's the disturbance?" She pointed to the little nine year old boy sitting up on the counter. He says, "Ma'am, what's the problem?" So my mother, in the meanwhile, she (14) (was) (15) (called) and she comes down there praying the whole way there, "Lordy, Jesus, please don't let them put my child in jail." And my mother (16) (asked) the librarian, "What's the problem?" "He (17) (wanted) to check out the book. You know your son shouldn't be down here." And the police officer (18) (said) , "Why don't you just give the kid the books?" And my mother (19) (said) , "He'll take good care of them." And reluctantly, the librarian (20) (gave) Ron the books. And my mother (21) (said) , "What do you say?" He (22) (said) , "Thank you, ma'am." (laughs) Later on, as youngsters, a show (23) (came) on TV (24) (called) , "Star Trek." Now, Star Trek (25) (showed) the future where there (26) (were) black folk and white folk working together, and I just (27) (looked) at it as science-fiction, because that wasn't gonna happen, really. But Ronald (28) (saw) it as science-possibility, you know. He (29) (came) up during a time when there (30) (was) Neil Armstrong and all of those guys. So how (31) (was) a colored boy from South Carolina, wearing glasses, who never (32) (flew) a plane, how (33) (was) he gonna become an astronaut? But Ron (34) (was) the one who (35) (didn't) accept societal norms as being his norm. That (36) (was) for other people. And uh, he (37) (got) to be aboard his own Starship Enterprise. ♪♪ Closed Captions by CaptionLink www.captionlink.com

Sources: 

Channel: storycorps. Eyes on the Stars: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okF5UGpivR8

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Compiled by Top Grade Edu