by Clement Clarke Moore

‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house

Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,

In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,

While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;

And mamma in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap,

Had just settled down for a long winter’s nap,

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,

I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.

Away to the window I flew like a flash,

Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow

Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below,

When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,

But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer,

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,

I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.

More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,

And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;

“Now, DASHER! now, DANCER! now, PRANCER and VIXEN!

On, COMET! on CUPID! on, DONNER and BLITZEN!

To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!

Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!”

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,

When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky,

So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,

With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof

The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.

As I drew in my hand, and was turning around,

Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,

And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;

A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,

And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.

His eyes — how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!

His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!

His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,

And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,

And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath;

He had a broad face and a little round belly,

That shook, when he laughed like a bowlful of jelly.

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,

And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;

A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,

Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,

And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,

And laying his finger aside of his nose,

And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,

And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.

But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,

HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO ALL, AND TO ALL A GOOD-NIGHT!

There are lots of verbs in the past tense in the poem. Give the present tense of the verbs.

Key

When the time came he sat down with the disciples and said:

 “This is the last Passover I’ll eat until we all eat it together in the kingdom of God.”

Taking the bread he broke it and gave it to them, saying:

“This is my blood given for you. Eat it in my memory. This is my blood of the new agreement (testament), which is poured out for the forgiveness of sins. “

Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Getshemane.

Jesus knelt down and prayed:

“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me, yet not my will, but yours be done. “

While he was still praying a crowd with swords came led by Judas who betrayed Jesus. Then seizing him, they led him away.

Jesus was taken to the high priest and the decision was made to put him to death. He was handed over to Pilate the governor. Pilate interrogated him, but Jesus remained silent. Pilate could find no reason to sentence him to death and as the custom was to free a prisoner at this time of year, he asked the crowd:

“Do you want me to release Jesus or this prisoner Barrabas?”

The crowd shouted at Jesus: “Crucify him!”

Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barrabas to them. He had Jesus flogged and handed him over to be crucified.

They mocked him, twisted together a crown of thorns for him and they began to call out, ‘Hail, King of the Jews!’ Then they led him out to crucify him. They forced Jesus to carry the cross. He was nailed to the cross. People around shouted insults saying “Come down from the cross and save yourself!”

One of the criminals hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”

But the other criminal rebuked him. ‘Don’t you fear God?’ ‘We are getting what we deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong. Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’

Jesus answered him: ‘Today you will be with me in Paradise.’

At noon darkness came over the whole land. Jesus cried out in a loud voice:

“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two. The earth shook.

“It is finished!”

After Jesus said this, He died.

When the centurion who stood there in front of Jesus saw how he died, he said:

‘Surely He was the Son of God!’

He was buried in a tomb cut out of the rock.

On the third day the women came to anoint the body.

“Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, he has risen!”

Remember what he told you: The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.

Then they remembered his words.

“For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”

John 3:16

A történet tele van múlt idejű igékkel, közülük sok rendhagyó. Meg tudod mondani a jelen idejű alakjukat?

És vannak harmadik alakok is. Itt is a jelen időt add meg!

Megoldás

1. I …….. to Barcelona.

a) have never been

b) was never

2. When ………. him yesterday?

a) did you meet

b) have you met

3. Peter …….. in the armchair when I came home.

a) have been sitting

b) was sitting

4. Sookie ………. Bill. She has a message.

a) has just called

b) did just call

5. She ……… your breakfast.

a) already made

b) has already made

6. I ……. the fee last month.

a) paid

b) have paid

II. Present Perfect Simple or Present Perfect Continuous?

1. I called the camp yesterday.

The children ……. there for two days now.

2. I didn’t hear the phone ring.

I ……… (clean) the house all day.

3. Anne: How long have you been in the United States?

Blair: I …….. (study) here for a year.

4. They have just moved in the neighbourhood.

We ……… (not know) them for a long time.

5. It’s 9 o’clock.

Patrick ……… (wait) for you for a long time.

6. Kate is in her bed.

She …….. (sleep) for three hours.

III. Fill in the gaps with the words in brackets. Use the right tenses.

1. She ………. (always, be) late. I hate it.

2. I …… (go) to the organic market last week.

3. I ………. (read) a magazine when Eric walked in.

4. Ada …… (ride) her bike every day.

5. Helena ……… (go) to that fancy ball tonight.

6. Zack ……… (finish) painting the wall. What’s next?

Key: 

I. 1-a 2-a 3-b 4-a 5-b 6-a

II. 1- have been 2-have been cleaning 3- have been studying 4-have not known 5-has been waiting 6-has been sleeping

III. 1-is always being 2-went 3-was reading 4-rides 5-is going 6-has finished

Fill in the gaps with the verbs in Past Simple Tense. (Tricky: some verbs fit into more than one sentence!)

a) took
b) made
c) did
d) saw
e) gave
f) went
g) ate
h) lived
i) found
j) had

1) I ………. these photographs last week at his birthday party.
2) My sons ………. me a beautiful necklace for my birthday.
3) We ………. that movie last night.
4) He ………. to the supermarket to buy some wine for tonight.
5) I ………. a whole pizza by myself and now I feel sick.
6) They ………. in America for ten years.
7) I ………. scrambled eggs for breakfast this morning.
8) We ………. a great time in Prague last weekend.
9) She ………. her homework before going out to play.
10) He ………. an old box full of my grandmother’s love letters.

Answers: 1) a, 2, e, 3) d, 4) f, 5) g, 6) h, 7) b, 8) j, 9) c, 10) i