II. Open the brackets using the Past Simple, the Past Continuous, the Past the Past Perfect Continuous Tense

1. Nick (to practise) the Italian for 2 years (ta enter) the university

in Rome,

2. My friend after (to volunteer) wher he was a student

3. A terrible earthquake (to leave) a lot of people home ess in 2010,

4. By the time they got tu the station, the train a ready (to learn)

5. group males (to wark) heir project for weeks before they (to dacide) to present it

6. Teu (to learn) the new words the whole evening yesterday. Thousands of teus (to burn) in last summer's forest fires,

8. The treasure hunters (to examine, the area for some days they (to go) hunting,

9. The students (to plant, bushes and trees in the yard from 2 till o'clock yesterday. 10. Sam (to find) a lot of information about this insect and (to decide) to take

part in the scientific conference,

11. Pete said that he (to min) the first prize in the English contest.​

You know, I have a best friend. Her name is Karina. She is the dearest one for me. She is small and thin, but she has an athletic build. She is a professional skier. Karina likes skiing very much, even in summer, because there is a special version of the summer skis. I like to spending time with her. We often go to the cinema. Sometimes in the winter we go skating or skiing. But our favorite activity is talking about trifles. When you see her for the first time, you will surely fall in love with her.
Do you have any plans for your winter holidays? What are you going to do? You will go to a ski resort?

How I spend my winter holidays 
Winter holidays are shorter than summer ones. They begin at the end of December and last about two weeks. It is so nice to have a rest from school. 
During winter holidays we celebrate the New Year’s Eve and Christmas. There are New Year parties for children at schools and theatres. Cinemas show children films and cartoons. 
It is usually very cold in winter, but frost and snow can’t keep children indoors. It’s so great to go skiing down a hill. Boys like to play hockey on the ice. Many children go to the skating-rinks to skate. Small children play snowballs and make snowmen, or ride on the sledges happily. 
When the weather is bad, I stay at home and watch TV. There is always something interesting on during winter holidays. Sometimes my friends come to see me and we play computer games or listen to music. There is also more time for reading, drawing, making model planes and other hobbies. 
Holidays pass quickly and soon it’s time to go to school again.