Dalam pelajaran ini, Anda akan dibimbing menyatakan waktu secara umum berkenaan dengan kegiatan-kegiatan Anda. Martin sedang di kantornya bercakap-cakap dengan teman-teman sekerja mengenai kegiatan-kegiatan mereka.
MARTIN: Cara, when are you going to Europe?
CARA: We’re going next month.
WALEED: Can we go to lunch now?
CARA: Howard isn’t here.
WALEED: When is he coming?
MARTIN: In a few minutes.
WALEED: Where are you going in Europe?
CARA: We’re going in many places.
WALEED: Are you going to Bulgaria?
CARA: Yes, we are.
WALEED: When are you going there?
CARA: Let me see.. In about three weeks.
WALEED: I have an uncle in Bulgaria. Can you phone him?
CARA: Of course. Please give me his phone number.
WALEED: OK. I’m going to bring it next week.
MARTIN: When did your uncle go to Bulgaria?
WALEED: Many years ago. He was a student. He studied engineering. Then he worked in one of the factories for three years.
MARTIN: Did he stay there?
WALEED: Yes, he did. He married. He had children.
MARTIN: When did you see him.
WALEED: Twenty years ago. He came to see my father. He is my father’s brother.
HOWARD: I am here.
WALEED: Good. Can we go now?
HOWARD: Were you waiting for me?
WALEED: Of course.
HOWARD: Yes, let’s go.
MUSIC
CARA: Martin, when are we going to Georgetown University?
MARTIN: Next week. The demonstration is on Wednesday.
HOWARD: What demonstration is that?
CARA: It is Environmental Day. There is a big demonstration.
WALEED: What is Environmental Day?
MARTIN: The students are having a demonstration about environmental problems. Cara and I are going to write a story.
WALEED: What problems are they demonstrating about?
CARA: Many problems.
MARTIN: We’re going to write about river pollution.
CARA: Yes. The university is on the river. We want to listen to the speakers. We want to write about pollution.
MARTIN: We had a story about ocean pollution.
WALEED: When?
CARA: A few weeks ago. We visited the Atlantic Ocean.
HOWARD: When did you go to the Atlantic Ocean?
MARTIN: In the summer.
WALEED: Did you see pollution in the ocean?
CARA: Yes, we did. We saw pollution in some places.
MARTIN: We saw pollution in the river too.
HOWARD: When?
MARTIN: Last week. Last month. Last year. We want to write about pollution.
Ingatlah bawah banyak frasa yang menyatakan waktu umum atau sesuatu masa. Dengarkan beberapa contoh dari pelajaran ini. Frasa-frasa itu menyatakan waktu di masa lampau.
WALEED: Many years ago. Twenty years ago.
CARA: A few weeks ago.
MARTIN: Last week. Last month. Last year.
Frasa-frasa berikut menyatakan waktu di masa datang.
CARA: Next month. MARTIN: In a few minutes.
CARA: In about three weeks.
WALEED: Next week.
Tentu saja, beberapa frasa dapat dipakai untuk menyatakan baik masa lalu, maupun masa depan.
WALEED: For three years.
MARTIN: On Wednesday. In the summer.
Jawablah sekarrang pertanyaan-pertanyaan Martin dengan menggunakan frasa yang menyatakan waktu secara umum.
MARTIN: When are you going to see your family?
ANDA: …………………………….
MARTIN: When are you going to study English?
ANDA: …………………………..
MARTIN: When did you visit your family?
ANDA: ………………………
MARTIN: When did you eat?
ANDA: ……………………..
Anda baru saja mengikuti ENGLISH USA Suara Amerika, Pelajaran Ke 33, Bagian Ke 2. Jangan lupa mengikuti pelajaran selanjutnya.