3.1 The Simple Past—Form

COMPREHENSION Based on the reading, write T for true or F for false.

1. Salomon Andrée was the first person to reach the North Pole. 2. The weather caused problems with the balloon. 3. Robert Ballard successfully climbed Mt. Everest.

THINK ABOUT IT Discuss the questions with a partner or in a small group.

1. What did Peter Athans mean when he said, “I learned how not to climb the first four times I tried to summit

Everest.”? Do you think he eventually climbed Everest? 2. Do you agree that without failure, success would be impossible? Do you have any examples from your life of failing at something before eventually succeeding?

EXAMPLES

Andrée's balloon landed far from the North Pole. Peter Athans learned from his mistakes.

They had bad weather. Hunters found the bodies.

Shackleton's expedition was a failure. The men were safe.

EXPLANATION

Some simple past verbs are regular. Regular verbs end in –ed. land—landed learn—learned

Some simple past verbs are irregular. Irregular verbs do not end in –ed. have—had find—found

The verb be is irregular. It has two forms in the past: was and were.

Notes: 1. Except for be, the simple past form is the same for all subjects. I had an idea. He had an idea. 2. The verb after to does not use the past form. He wanted to reach the North Pole.

EXERCISE 1 Listen to the article. Then write T for true or F for false. 3.2

1. Robert Ballard became interested in the ocean when he was young. 2. There were many unsuccessful attempts to find the Titanic. 3. Robert Ballard was not successful in finding the Titanic.

EXERCISE 2 Listen again. Fill in the blanks with the words you hear. 3.2

The famous ship Titanic sank

1.

floor for over 70 years. There

3.

unsuccessful. Oceanographer Robert Ballard in 1912. It

2. on the ocean

many attempts to find it—all of them

4. to look for it.

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