Present Simple

Antarctica

19. Antarctica is the ________ (DRY) place on Earth. Parts of the continent have seen no rain for two million years.

20. A desert is technically defined as a place that receives less than 10 inches of rain a year. The Sahara __________ (GET) just 1 inch of rain a year.

21. Moreover, Antarctica can also claim to be the wettest and the windiest. Seventy percent of the world’s fresh water is found there in the form of ice, and ___________ (IT) wind speeds are the fastest ever recorded.

22. The unique conditions in the Dry Valleys of Antarctica _________ (CAUSE) by so-called katabatic winds.

23. _______ (THIS) occur when cold, dense air is pulled downhill simply by the force of gravity.

24. Though Antarctica is a desert, these completely dry parts of it are called, somewhat ironically, _________ (OASIS). They are so similar to conditions on Mars that NASA used them to test the Viking mission.

19. War and Peace, a novel by Leo Tolstoy, is a picture of Russian life set against a background of Napoleon’s invasion. It is one of the _________ (GREAT) novels of world literature. 

20. Considerable parts of the book __________ (DEVOTE) to Tolstoy’s theory of history. 

21. However, the greatness of War and Peace ___________ (NOT LIE) in its philosophy or in any contribution to the facts or theory of history. It depends on the building of a vast panorama of the whole society out of innumerable minute realistic details. 

Moscow

22. What do you know about Moscow? It ___________ (BE) the capital of Russia for a long time. However, when it was first mentioned in historical records around 1147, it was nothing more than a tiny town of little importance.

23. Muscovites today consider Prince Yuri Dolgorukiy their city’s founding father, but it was only recorded that he dined with friends in the town of “Moskov,” ___________ (NAME) after the local Moscow River.

24. It remains unclear exactly when this town was established. A small fortress was built on Borovitsky Hill by Dolgorukiy’s son, Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky; it was the first in a long succession of structures that eventually became the Moscow Kremlin. Moscow remained a small town while the nearby city of Vladimir ___________ (RISE) in prominence and overtook Kiev, the old capital, in importance.

19. The vegetarian movement started in the 19-th century. Why do more and more people join it? Some think that it is __________ (HEALTHY) not to eat meat.  
20. Others believe that it is crucial to eat animals. The famous writer Georged Bernard Shaw once said, “Animals are my friends - and I _________ (NOT EAT) my friends” 

21. Finally there are some people who think that __________ (GROW) food for cows and pigs to eat is not very economical. 

A special day

22. March 8 is a very special day. It is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of ___________ (WOMAN). 

23. It _____________ (MEAN) to appreciate and acknowledge the contribution of all special females in our life. 

24. She can be a mom who balances work and home beautifully or grandma who amazes us with her spirit and courage or might be a sister, daughter, wife or a special friend who brings love and cheer in our ____________ (LIFE). It is perfect time to express your feelings and send warm wishes to all those females close to your heart. 

Marriage   

19. A six-year-old boy walked up to his father one day and said, “Daddy, I'd like to get married. His father replied hesitantly,”Sure, son, do you have anyone in mind? Maybe it’s one of our neighbours’ ____________ (CHILD)?” 

20. “No,” answered the boy. “I want to marry Grandma.” 

“Now, wait a minute,” said his father. “You _________ (THINK) I'd let you marry my mother, do you?”

“Why not?” the boy asked. “You married mine.”

Supermarket encounter    

21. A young man was walking through a supermarket. Suddenly he noticed that he ___________ (FOLLOW) by an old lady. 

22. When he went to the checkout line, she got in front of him. “Pardon me,” she said, “I’m sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable. It’s just that you look exactly like my son whom I ____________ (NOT SEE) for about 10 years.” 

23. “I’m very sorry,” replied the young man, “Is there anything I can do for you?” “Yes,” she said. “As I’m leaving, can you say ’Goodbye mother’? It would make me feel much __________ (GOOD).” “Sure,” answered the young man. 

24. As the old woman was leaving, he called out, “Goodbye mother!” As he stepped up to the checkout counter, he saw that his total was $127.50. “How can that be?” he asked, “I only bought a few things!” “Your mother said that you __________ (PAY) for her,” said the clerk. 

The largest snowfall in decades 

19. This week’s snowfall in Brazil is one of the largest in decades. As snow on the ground is not a very common sight in a so-called tropical country, everybody _____________ (FEEL) excited when they saw streets in snow. 

20. In the cities by the sea people are used to spending the summer sun bathing. They ____________ (SURPRISE) when they saw snow covering the city. 

21. It ______________ (NOT BE) long before social media became loaded with pictures of white fields and roads, and snowmen.

The largest snowfall in decades 

22. The usual images of the North-Pole are impressive ice sheets, but scenes from a webcam there reveal a different story. Meteorologists have reported that temperatures in early July were one to three degrees Celsius ______________ (HIGH) than the year’s average over most of the Arctic Ocean.

23. Thanks to rapidly melting ice, Santa Claus now ________________ (HAVE) his own swimming pool. The North Pole is currently a lake, the media reports. The lake is about a foot deep, consisting entirely of the melted ice itself. It shows a dramatic change is the Arctic climate. 

24. In fact, a pool of melted water __________________ (FORM) at the North Pole every year now since 2002. The mythical home of Santa Claus has been officially flooded.