3C A traveler's tale 1A Read the introduction to the text and look at the pictures. Answer the questions in pairs. 1. How long do you think Alastair's trip took? How many countries do you think he visited? What type of problems do you think he had on the trip? What kind of person do you think Alastair is? 2 3 4 5 Would you like to go on an adventure like this? Why/Why not? B Read the rest ofthe text and check your answers In 2001, Alastair Humphreys was studying to become a teacher, but he really wanted to do something different. A few months later, he surprised his friends and family by beginning an amazing trip that took him around the world «. on bike! in all, Alastair visited 60 countries and, throughout the trip, he kept a blog to record all of his experiences. Athough there were some special moments on the road, there 'was also disappointment and disaster. One disappointment came early, Alastairs The trip was tough, and Alastair did't have dream was to ride hs bike all the way, except for taking ships to cross the oceans. Unfortunately, this was impossible. The police stopped him while he was traveling through Egypt, and he had to ride in the back of a truck. He was angry, but there 1was no other way to continue. Tie rest ofthe time, he rode, rode, rode. On ‘one occasion, hs bike broke dawn while he \was crossing the Arizona desert. Help came from a surprising place. To his amazement, complete strangers bought him anew bike so that he could continu his incredible journey ‘enough money to stay at nice hotels. While he was riding through Patagonia, he didnt take a shower for 24 days! However, one of the hardest parts of his trip came when he traveled through Russia in the winter Luckiy, a friend joined him, so he wasn't traveling alone, But it was so cold that Alistair's beard froze while they were traveling through Siberia, But none of these problems could stop him {rom completing the trip. Four years and 75,000 km. later, Alastair nally arrived back home in the U.. with ots of stories to tel 2 in pairs, answer the questions. Read the text again and check your answers. 1 Why didnt he ride his bike the whole time? 3 What were his accommodations like? 2. How aid he get a new bike? 4 Where did he experience the worst weather? 3 A Complete the sentences with the correct verbs. Check your answers in the text. 1 He the Arizona desert when his bike down. 2 While they __ their bikes through Siberia, Alastairs beard B Lookaat the sentences again and answer the questions, Then read the Grammar box. 1. Which verbs describe completed actions in the past? 2. Which verbs describe actions happening atthe time of the completed action?3C Past continuous We use the past continuous to describe ations in progress ata particular time inthe past. 1 was sleeping 2t 700 this morning | was working at my desk when the telephone rang. We form the past continuous with the simple past ofthe verb be + te ing form of the main verb started to ain ing when | got to work. The players weren't playing very well Were you tving here atthe beginning ofthe year? Yes,wwewere, No, we weren't Was she working at tis office when you met her? “YIN Yes, she was. No, she wasn't Past continuous and simple past We use the simple past to describe completed actionsin the past. for example a series of actions. Yesterday, |woke up, | had breakfast, and then | tooka shower. woke up. had breakfast. | tooka shower. ‘We use the past continuous with the simple past to describe an action that was in progress when a completed action happened ‘The action in progress can continue. | was having breakfast when | heard the new song on the radio. =| continued having breakfast |1was having breakfast. ‘heard the new song on the radio. Orthe action in progress may stop. | was sleeping when the telephone rang. =| stopped sleeping was sleeping. The telephone rang. ‘We can also use two past continuous verbs together to show that two actions were happening atthe same time | was cooking while Steve was doing his homework. |1was cooking. ee ie Steve was doing his homework. Look! We often use when and while in sentences wit the past continuous. ‘broke my leg while I was playing soccer. Iwas playing soccer when | broke my leg, White | was playing soccer, | broke my leg. 1. Complete the conversations with the past continuous form ofthe verbs in parentheses, aa ian ca 8 (you / watch) TV justnow? BB No, wasnt. Iwas the radi. 2A Why did't you see Paula and Mark? B They wall the dog 3 A Whywas the boss angry with NigeD B He [not work fst enough 4. & Why didn't you pay tennis yesterday? Bit (cain al day 55 A Didyou ask Thomas to come tothe party? B Yes, talked tohim whilewe (have) lunch 2. Change one verb in each sentence tothe past continuous. 41 We had dinner outside while we stayed in Rome. 2. When Lisa crossed the street. she dropped her phone and it broke ‘3 We had dinner outside when it started to rain 4 Idi listen when the teacher told us about the exam next week 5 While we sat inthe tax we checked the address of the hotel 3 Choose the correct form ofthe vers to complete the text about a movie of Alastair Humphreys’ new adventure, > Empty Quarter er 2012, Alastair Humphreys “tained J was taining tion to the South Pole. Unfortunately, he found out ou tat hep coud’take place because tere ih money Soe hada was having to find anew ture uc, One dy, he looted / was ooking trough ls bookswten te Sound wes firing he nse Go back to page 27