grammar exercises 3

[hela]

Dear teachers,

Here is another set of exercises. Would you be so kind as to correct them?

1) Select the verb with the correct meaning from the list below, and put the correct form of that verb in the blank in the appropriate sentence.
[Word List: be, start, trade, donate, die, enter, extend, invest, form, own, total, have, leave, learn, arrive]

The Richest Man in the United States:
John Jacob Astor 1. left his home in Germany and 2. arrived in America in 1783 after the American Revolution. He 3. learnt the fur-trading business and 4. started his own fur-gathering expeditions in New York State. By 800, Astor 5. had a quarter of a million dollars. In 1808, he 6. formed the American Fur Company and 7. extended his fur-trading business into the Northwest Territory and the Louisiana Territory. Astor also 8. entered the Oriental trade business and 9. traded American furs for Oriental silk, tea, and glassware.
He 10. invested most of his profits from the fur and Oriental trade business in farm lands, and within a few years, he 11. ownedthe property of present day New York, City. When he 12. diedin 1848, he 13. was the richest man in America. His real estate holdings and property rentals 14. totalled more than $20 million.
John Jacob Astor 15. donatedmuch of this money to libraries, universities, and charities across the United States.

2) The students have arrived, but the teacher hasn't arrived yet. Fill in each blank with the right modal.

A: Where's the teacher today?
B: No one knows. She 1. might be absent.
A: I'll go to the English office. They 2. shouldknow if she's absent or not.
(A few minutes later.)
A: I asked the secretary in the English office. He said that the teacher called and said she had a flat tire, but she 3. will behere for sure tonight. She's not far, so she 4. couldbe here by 7:30.
B: We 5. are to have a test today. Why don't we practice modals while we're waiting? That 6. will make her happy.

Thank you for your help.
Hela

[Casiopea]

It reads well, Hela.

[hela]

Thank you Casiopea.

See you soon,
Hela

[Ouisch]

I don't know if it matters, but I thought I'd point out that "learnt" is strictly used in British English; in American English, it's "learned."

[hela]

Yes, I know that Ouisch, but thanks anyway.

[hela]

Dear teachers,
When re-reading this exercise I simply realised that something was rather strange to me. How can a teacher come to class at 7:30 pm (cf. "tonight") and the pupils still waiting to have a test ???
Are the answers in green correct too? Are there other possibilities you can think of?
2) The students have arrived, but the teacher hasn't arrived yet. Fill in each blank with the right modal.
A: Where's the teacher today?
B: No one knows. She 1. might could / may be absent.
A: I'll go to the English office. They 2. should / ought to / must / will know if she's absent or not.
(A few minutes later.)
A: I asked the secretary in the English office. He said that the teacher called and said she had a flat tire, but she 3. will / should (?) be here for sure tonight. She's not far, so she 4. could / can / may / should (combined with the "will" above) be here by 7:30.
B: We 5. are to / could / may / might have a test today. Why don't we practice modals while we're waiting? That 6. will / should / would / ought to make her happy.

3) In this sentence what are the different tenses that could be accepted?
She was afraid that her friend a) would tell b) had told c) anything else? her parents the truth.
Thank you for your help again.
Regards

[queenbu]

It could be an evening class for adult students.Does anyone remember 'Mind your Language' on TV?

[hela]

I would be grateful if someone could give me some advice about the choice of modals above.

Regards

[hela]

I'll ask the question one more time. Is there anybody online?

And more particularly, I'd like to know if "can" and "could" can be used is # 3 & 4, and why, please.