Task 1

Write the expression under the picture.

crops, dormant volcano, to erupt, explosion, hospital admission, mountainous, road
maintenance

crops mountainous road maintenance

hospital admission a dormant volcano to erupt

explosion

● crops /krɒps/
● dormant volcano /ˈdɔːmənt vɒlˈkeɪnəʊ/
● erupt /ɪˈrʌpt/
● explosion /ɪksˈpləʊʒən/
● hospital admission /ˈhɒspɪtl ədˈmɪʃən/
● mountainous /ˈmaʊntɪnəs/
● road maintenance /rəʊd ˈmeɪntənəns/

Task 2
Read the following news reports. Match each story to the photo. Are these basically good or
bad news stories?
 A B C

1C
Much awaited cool weather is likely to arrive in our area over the weekend. This is good news
for the thousands of families who have been suffering day-time temperatures of around 45°
for the last two weeks. During that time, many head teachers have closed their schools and
there has been a rise in hospital admissions. Farmers in the area have been hoping for cooler
weather and rain to help save this season's crops. Forest fires have already burned an
estimated 2,000 square miles and destroyed over 100 buildings. As far as we know, no one
has died.
2B
According to latest reports, people in some of the most mountainous areas of the country
have been unable to leave their homes due to the heavy snow which has been falling
continuously for five days. In the worst affected area, the snowfall has reached 200
centimetres in depth, and although road maintenance crews have been working round the
clock, they have not managed to reach motorists trapped in their cars.
3A
Reports are coming in that a volcano which has been dormant for the past 50 years has
erupted in a popular tourist area in the west of the country. During the initial explosion,
which lasted just half an hour, rocks fell on nearby villages causing serious damage. Ever
since, people have been getting into their cars and driving away from their homes as fast as
they can. Many have left all but their most precious belongings behind and fled.

Task 3
Read the stories again.
a) How has the situation affected people?
b) What time periods are mentioned in the story?

Task 4
 a) Read the text again and highlight all the verbs in the Present Perfect Simple and
Present Perfect Continuous. Put the verbs you have underlined in the right column.
Present Perfect Simple Present Perfect Continuous
Have closed have been suffering
Has been Have been hoping
have already burned an estimated has been falling
have been unable have been working
has reached have been getting
have not managed Have been driving away
has been dormant
has erupted
have left

ACTION DURATION (TIME)

b) How are these verb tenses formed?
Present Perfect Simple: Have/ has + V3
Present Perfect Continuous: have / has + been + present participle (-ing)

The volcano has erupted. / ðə vɒlˈkeɪnəʊ həz ɪˈrʌptɪd./

The heavy snow has been falling continuously for five days.
/ðə ˈhɛvi snəʊ həz biːn ˈfɔːlɪŋ kənˈtɪnjʊəsli fɔː faɪv deɪz./

Task 5
Complete the sentences with verbs in the Present Perfect Simple or Present Perfect
Continuous form.
a) My hands are very dirty. I have been repairing the car. (repair)
b) The car is okay now. I have repaired it. (repair)
c) Joe has been eating too much recently. He should eat less. (eat)
d) Somebody has eaten all my chocolates. The box is empty. (eat)
e) You look tired. Have you been working hard? (work)
f) ‘Have you__________ ever _worked__ in a factory?’ ‘No, never.’ (work)
g) My brother is an actor. He _____________________ in several films. (appear)
h) ‘Sorry I’m late.’ ‘That’s all right. I _____________________ long.’ (not wait)
i) ‘Is it still raining?’ ‘No, it _____________________.’ (stop)
j) I _have been reading_ the book you lent me, but I haven’t finished it yet. It’s very
interesting. (read, not finished)
k) I _have read the book you lent me, so you can have it now. (read)
Task 6
You are news reporters and have to prepare a report on a recent story for a news program.
Choose a story you are familiar with. Note down the most important facts.
Report your news story to the whole class – remember to use Present Perfect Simple and
Present Perfect Continuous.