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  • Past Continuous Tense: Earthquake in San Francisco (Review)

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    • Unfinished
    • High Beginner
    • Past continuous
    • Earthquake

    Past continuous Earthquake

  • What's Inside?

    Review the conversation "Earthquake in San Francisco". Do a speaking exercise, then do multiple choice questions to review the past continuous tense.

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Earthquake in San Francisco

(1) Lacy: Listen
It's really nice meeting you. Where are you from?
(2) Harry: Listen
I was born in L.A. and grew up in San Francisco.

L.A. is Los Angeles (a city in California, USA).

(3) Lacy: Listen
I grew up in San Francisco, too. I grew up in the 90s. How about you?
(4) Harry: Listen
In the 80s. Then, I moved to New York to attend university.
(5) Lacy: Listen
Oh. Were you there when the big [vocab word=earthquake]earthquake[/vocab] hit?
(6) Harry: Listen
Yes, I was. It was October 17th in the evening. I remember that day like it was yesterday.

"remember like it was yesterday" is a common English expression. It means you remember it well.

(7) Lacy: Listen
Tell me about your experience, if you don't mind. What were you doing when the earthquake hit?

"Tell me if you don't mind" is also a common expression. Some people don't want to talk about a scary experience. "If you don't mind" means "If it's okay with you".

(8) Harry: Listen
My friends and I were driving down the [vocab word=interstate]interstate[/vocab]. We were driving to a football stadium to watch a game. I remember we were listening to "You Got It" by New Kids On The Block. Do you remember them?

"Interstate" is a type of highway in US. It spans across many states. "You Got It" is the name of a song. New Kids On The Block is the name of a band.

(9) Lacy: Listen
No. That was before my time.

Lacy was too small. She doesn't remember New Kids On The Block.

(10) Harry: Listen
Anyways, we were driving and listening to music. Suddenly, we felt the ground move. We didn't know what was happening.
(11) Lacy: Listen
What did you do?
(12) Harry: Listen
The ground was [vocab word=tilt]tilting[/vocab]. I panicked and stepped on the brake. [vocab word=apparent]Apparently[/vocab], you shouldn't step on the brake suddenly during an earthquake. Another car [vocab word=rear-end]rear-ended[/vocab] us and we hit the [vocab word=guard rail]guard rail[/vocab].
(13) Lacy: Listen
Really!
(14) Harry: Listen
We were too scared to get out of the car. People were [vocab word=scream]screaming[/vocab] and some buildings were [vocab word=burn]burning[/vocab]. We stayed in the car for 20 minutes or so.

"too ... to ..." is a common pattern. They were really scared, so they couldn't get out of the car.

(15) Lacy: Listen
It must have been scary.
(16) Harry: Listen
Indeed. It was really [vocab word=chaotic]chaotic[/vocab]. [vocab word=fortunately]Fortunately[/vocab], no one was hurt, and we were very [vocab word=grateful]grateful[/vocab] for that.
  • RECORDING
    HOLD DOWN AND SPEAK
    PRESS
    HIT
  • Your answer: A Suggestion
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Result:

  • Total:

Earthquake in San Francisco

(1) Lacy: Listen
It's really nice meeting you. Where are you from?
(2) Harry: Listen
I was born in L.A. and grew up in San Francisco.

L.A. is Los Angeles (a city in California, USA).

(3) Lacy: Listen
I grew up in San Francisco, too. I grew up in the 90s. How about you?
(4) Harry: Listen
In the 80s. Then, I moved to New York to attend university.
(5) Lacy: Listen
Oh. Were you there when the big [vocab word=earthquake]earthquake[/vocab] hit?
(6) Harry: Listen
Yes, I was. It was October 17th in the evening. I remember that day like it was yesterday.

"remember like it was yesterday" is a common English expression. It means you remember it well.

(7) Lacy: Listen
Tell me about your experience, if you don't mind. What were you doing when the earthquake hit?

"Tell me if you don't mind" is also a common expression. Some people don't want to talk about a scary experience. "If you don't mind" means "If it's okay with you".

(8) Harry: Listen
My friends and I were driving down the [vocab word=interstate]interstate[/vocab]. We were driving to a football stadium to watch a game. I remember we were listening to "You Got It" by New Kids On The Block. Do you remember them?

"Interstate" is a type of highway in US. It spans across many states. "You Got It" is the name of a song. New Kids On The Block is the name of a band.

(9) Lacy: Listen
No. That was before my time.

Lacy was too small. She doesn't remember New Kids On The Block.

(10) Harry: Listen
Anyways, we were driving and listening to music. Suddenly, we felt the ground move. We didn't know what was happening.
(11) Lacy: Listen
What did you do?
(12) Harry: Listen
The ground was [vocab word=tilt]tilting[/vocab]. I panicked and stepped on the brake. [vocab word=apparent]Apparently[/vocab], you shouldn't step on the brake suddenly during an earthquake. Another car [vocab word=rear-end]rear-ended[/vocab] us and we hit the [vocab word=guard rail]guard rail[/vocab].
(13) Lacy: Listen
Really!
(14) Harry: Listen
We were too scared to get out of the car. People were [vocab word=scream]screaming[/vocab] and some buildings were [vocab word=burn]burning[/vocab]. We stayed in the car for 20 minutes or so.

"too ... to ..." is a common pattern. They were really scared, so they couldn't get out of the car.

(15) Lacy: Listen
It must have been scary.
(16) Harry: Listen
Indeed. It was really [vocab word=chaotic]chaotic[/vocab]. [vocab word=fortunately]Fortunately[/vocab], no one was hurt, and we were very [vocab word=grateful]grateful[/vocab] for that.
  • RECORDING
    HOLD DOWN AND SPEAK
    PRESS
    HIT
  • Your answer: A Suggestion