AIRMEN’S JOURNAL
PILOT’S TALK
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PILOT’S TALK · GRAMMAR PRACTICE

Mount Etna · Level A · Unit 1

Name: __________________________ Date: ______________

Unit 1. Telling the Story: Past Simple

Words from the text: divert, cancel, change, start, work, continue, volcano, airport, flight, ash, airspace, passenger, aircraft

A We use Past Simple to tell a story about finished events. Most verbs are regular: we add -ed to the verb.

Airlines diverted their flights to Palermo.

KM Malta Airlines canceled two flights.

Aeroitalia changed its flights to Comiso.

Для правильных глаголов в Past Simple просто добавляем -ed: start→started, work→worked, divert→diverted.

B Some verbs are irregular. They do not take -ed. They have a special past form that you must learn.

SAC said: all flights will stop.

Three flights went to Trapani.

The ash cloud began to move south.

Некоторые глаголы (say-said, go-went, begin-began) имеют особую форму прошедшего времени, её нужно запомнить отдельно.

C To tell a story in order, use Past Simple for every event. Words like First, Then, and After that show the order of events.

First, the airport worked with less capacity.

Then the ash cloud continued to move south.

After that, all flights stopped completely.

Чтобы рассказать историю по порядку, используем Past Simple для каждого события плюс слова first, then, after that.

Exercises

1.1 Put the verb in brackets into Past Simple.

Example: Mount Etna (be) ______ active again. → was

  1. The volcano (start) ________________ making problems for flights.
  2. SAC (say) ________________ all flights would stop.
  3. Airlines (divert) ________________ their flights to other airports.
  4. KM Malta Airlines (cancel) ________________ two flights.
  5. Aeroitalia (change) ________________ its flights to Comiso.
  6. The airport (work) ________________ with less capacity at first.
  7. The ash cloud (continue) ________________ to move south.

1.2 Put the events in order (1-5). Use the verbs to help you.

Example: The airport worked with less capacity. (this is the first event) → 1

  1. All arrivals and departures stopped completely.
  2. The airport worked with less capacity.
  3. The ash cloud came closer.
  4. Airlines began to divert their flights.
  5. The airport made the rules stricter.

1.3 Answer the questions about the text. Use one sentence with Past Simple.

Example: What happened on September 26? → SAC suspended flight operations because of the volcano.

  1. What happened to KM Malta Airlines flight KM642?
  2. Where did Aeroitalia's flight go instead of Catania?
  3. What happened to the Delta flight from New York?
  4. How many flights diverted in total?
  5. What happened to the Brussels Airlines flight on September 26?
  6. Where did passengers from the Brussels flight go by bus?

1.4 Complete the sentences. Use the Past Simple of a verb from the box: divert, cancel, change, start, work, continue.

Example: The ash cloud ______ to move south. → continued

  1. The volcano ________________ making problems for air flights.
  2. The airport ________________ with less capacity before it closed.
  3. Airlines ________________ their flights to Palermo and Trapani.
  4. KM Malta Airlines ________________ two flights.
  5. Passengers' travel plans ________________ because of the volcano.

Answer key

Mount Etna · Level A · Unit 1. Open-ended responses are model answers, not the only correct responses.

Unit 1. Telling the Story: Past Simple

1.1

  1. started
  2. said
  3. diverted
  4. canceled
  5. changed
  6. worked
  7. continued

1.2

  1. 5
  2. 1
  3. 2
  4. 3
  5. 4

1.3

  1. KM Malta Airlines canceled flight KM642.
  2. Aeroitalia's flight went to Comiso instead.
  3. The Delta flight diverted to Rome Fiumicino.
  4. At least 10 flights diverted.
  5. Brussels Airlines canceled the flight to Brussels.
  6. Passengers went to Catania by bus.

1.4

  1. started
  2. worked
  3. diverted
  4. canceled
  5. changed