CLOZE TEST: Past tenses. NARRATIVE IN THE PAST: PAST TENSES

The Titanic. A true story

Read the text and write the verbs in brackets in the correct tense.

This story is based on true events that 1   (happen) _________________many, many years ago in Scotland. One day, Mr Clark 2    (walk) __________________home with a smile on his face. He 3    (carry) _________________ something very valuable in his hand: tickets for a long, long journey.

After many years working and saving, Mr Clark 4    (save) _________________ all the money he needed to take all his family to the United States. Earlier that afternoon he 5    (buy) _________________ all the tickets that now he 6   (hold) _________________ in his hand. It was the opportunity of their lives. “The United States of America,” he repeated aloud just to see how nice it 7    (sound) _________________ in his ears.

A few days before their departure, Mr Clark’s son 8    (play) _________________ in the street when a dog 9    (bite) _________________ him. The doctor 10    (go) _________________ to their home and 11   (treat) _________________ the child’s wound. Then he 12    (hang) a yellow sheet on their front door. That yellow sheet meant that they 13     (just/be) _________________ quarantined. They 14  (have) _________________ to stay at home for two weeks because of the possibility of rabies.

Five days later, Mr Clark was at the docks. He 15   (leave) _________________ the house and now he 16   (watch) _________________ their ship leave to the United States without him or his family. When the ship 17   (disappear) _________________ in the horizon, he 18   (stand up) _________________ and 19   (go) _________________ back home, crying.

A few days later, the tragic news spread throughout Scotland – the mighty Titanic 20   (sink) _________________, taking hundreds of lives with it.