That I Try / To Not Ask / To Pay / Not Giving Up
That I Try / To Not Ask / To Pay / Not Giving Up
That I Try / To Not Ask / To Pay / Not Giving Up
SECOND EDITION
PART 2: COMPLETE THE SENTENCES WITH THE CORRECT PASSIVE FORM OF THE VERB
IN PARENTHESES. GRAMMAR
Example: Nobody has been told (tell) the time of the exam yet.
1. It’s difficult to avoid __being photographed___ (photograph) by paparazzi when you’re famous.
2. The gym is closed this week – it __has been redecorated______________ (redecorate).
3. I saw Miranda in the art exhibition. She __was being showed____ (show) around by one of the artists.
4. Drivers shouldn’t _____be fined_________ (fine) for parking ten minutes longer than they’ve paid for.
5. The Cubs refused ____to be beaten_____________ (beat) and ended up winning the game.
6. The couple ___have been thought________________ (think) to have escaped to France.
A WRITER’S LIFE
My biggest dream has always been to become an author. As an enthusiastic reader since I was a toddler,
books have been a steady influence, a friend, and an escape. (1__F___) To me, reading is second only to
breathing. From cereal boxes to fiction, I devour anything and everything I can get hold of. I read from
morning, while eating breakfast, to night, before going to sleep. Some of my favorite genres include
contemporary women’s novels and thrillers.
I guess this love of books is what drove me to become a writer. The fact that I am always talking, thinking,
and plotting helped me with my ambition. I have a need to create and to put into words feelings, thoughts,
and desires. To me, books should present a welcome break from the stresses of every day, a way to relax
and unwind. There are horrors all around us. (2__C____) Novels can carry people away to another place
and allow them to forget, for a short time at least, all the awful things in life. Any type of reading inspires
the brain and gives a change of pace. Children require fantasy and play, and adults also need a break from
reality.
Exciting as it is to be able to inspire others, an author’s career is lonely and often dull. Writing requires
self-control and determination, and writers, as well as having knowledge of the difficulty of getting
published, need to be able to deal with criticism. For every potential writer that there is out there, many
give up or fail. I kept trying with the burning desire to do well. (3__A_____) I needed to try to see if I
could do it.
My first writing experience was as a reporter for a small newspaper almost twenty years ago. I submitted
two articles for each of the three months the paper was published. The first month, I was given a bridal
show to cover, and I had to write an article on how to prepare an elegant, yet inexpensive, wedding. Two
local newspapers gave me assignments for various topics, and I realized this is an excellent way to learn
the basics as a writer. (4__E____)
My goal was to write fiction. Whether creating short stories or ”the great American novel,” I enjoy fantasy
and making up fictitious people and tales about their lives. Although I prefer genres suited to adults, I
decided to try writing a children’s book. I first started working on this in 1995, and after reading the
extremely rough draft, I recognized the text was a mix of information just thrown together and was too
much for children to understand. I broke up the ideas, planning to turn them into four books.
Unfortunately, life took over, and I had to put the book on hold for a while. After my husband and I
moved, I returned to reporting, receiving several assignments for a local magazine and two national and
international food-trade magazines.
(5___D___) The desire to complete and submit the book for publication was as strong as ever.
Fortunately, I became a member of a wonderful group that offered support as well as excellent
suggestions. My book, a children’s book intended for ages 8 – 12, was accepted by a publisher and
released three years ago. The sequel is almost completed for submission, and to this, I hope to add two or
three more to the series, though all of the books work equally well on their own.
Between writing, reading, reviewing, and being with family, I enjoy a busy and happy life. I may never
become well-known, but my dream has been satisfied. I encourage anyone who wants to write to ”just do
it.”
A. I could not go through life wondering if I would be successful or not.
B. Nevertheless, I kept returning to the children’s novel I had in my head.
C. After all, we just have to pick up a newspaper or turn on the news to realize how much crime there is in
society.
D. Meanwhile, four unfinished adult contemporary novels are calling to me, and I plan to get to them one
day.
E. Although I found reporting enjoyable, I recognized this was not the type of writing I wanted to do.
F. I cannot imagine living without the written word.