Look at the picture below and say what you think has happened. Use modals for speculation why the city council have put a sculpture in the park: could have, may have, might have, must have. Write your sentences in your notebook.

• The city may have won an award.
• The sculpture could have been donated by a local businessman.
• The city council must have decided the park needed to attract more tourists.

Unit 4: I Wonder What Happened

A. Complete the sentences. Use the words in the box.

1. We stayed near an awesome lake on our vacation. A meteorite had made a crater thousands of years ago.
Then the huge hole filled with water and made the lake.
2. Mount St. Helens looks like half of a mountain. Actually it is a volcano.
When it erupted in 1980, it destroyed the trees that had grown around it for hundreds of years.
3. I had never been to the state of Texas before I went there with my family.
We rented a car and drove across the state. We had been in the car for about thirty minutes when we saw a very strange sign.
It was yellow and had the image of a black tornado on it. We later learned that there are a lot of them in Texas.
These powerful windstorms can destroy trees and buildings and leave a lot of debris to clean up.

4. During our vacation in Texas, we also went to a rodeo. Rodeos are very popular and a lot of fun.

We saw cowboys, horses, bulls, and even clowns. After the rodeo, we met one of the clowns we had seen in one of the events.

B. Write sentences for each picture. Use the simple past and the past perfect in each sentence.

1. Carl and John (look) in the living room for the keys, but their little brother (take) them into the bedroom.

Carl and John looked in the living room for the keys, but their little brother had taken them into the bedroom.

2. When the football game (come) on TV, they (not clean up) the living room yet.

when the football game came on TV, they hadn't cleaned up yet from the party.

3. It (start) to rain, but Karen (leave) her umbrella at home.

it started to rain, but Karen had left her umbrella at home.

4. They (not take) any photos on their vacation because they (forget) their camera.

They didn't take any photos on their vacation because they had forgotten their camera.

5. He (fall) asleep while studying because he (stay) up late every night this week.

He fell a sleep while studying because he had stayed up late every night this week.

C. Complete the story. Use the simple past or the past perfect form of the verbs in parentheses.

Hanan: Last month I (1) (go) went to the different art museums in the city.
I (2) (never be) had never been to many museums before last month.

Amina: You probably (3) (see) saw some really famous paintings and pieces of art.

Hanan: I did! But there (4) (be) was one piece of art that I (5) (never see) had never been before.

Amina: (6) (Be) was it in the Nouveau Art Museum?

Hanan: Yes! How (7) (know) did you know?

Amina: (8) (Be) was it a tall, silver tree?

Hanan: Well, I think so.

Amina: And the artist (9) (hang) had hung clothes on all the branches?

Hanan: Yes! The artist also (10) (place) had placed a big clock in the middle of the tree.

Amina: Right. The artist (11) (put) had put the tree on a DVD player, too.

Hanan: I think you definitely (12) (see) saw the same piece of art.
Can you believe it (13) (be) was in a museum?!

Amina: Oh, absolutely! The artist has so much talent. I’m a huge fan of his.

Hanan: Really? I (14) (not like) didn't like it at all. The artist has no talent.
I can’t even remember his name, can you?

Amina: Oh, yes. He’s my uncle!

D. Complete the sentences. Use can’t, must, or might.

1. Jerry has to work all day. He can't go to the football game.
2. Linda must be tired. She stayed up all night to study for her big test.
3. I’m not sure, but Greg might be at the library. He has a report due tomorrow.
4. Lee didn’t eat breakfast or lunch. He must be hungry now.
5. We can't stay long because we have to go to the store before it closes.
6. I think my mother might know who the people are in that old photo.

E. Look at the photos. Explain what you think must have happened, might have happened, and could have happened.

1. He must have gone buying a car.
He might have received a parking ticket.
He could have had the car repaired.

2. He must have called a friend.
He might have been late for a meeting.
He might have forgotten an address.

3. He must have studied too much.
He might have been bored.
He could have not slept well last night.

F. READING

Answer the questions.

1. Before the meteorite, how had Patricia’s grandparents lived?
They had lived a very quiet life on their fram.
2. What had Patricia’s grandparents never done before?
They had never talked to so many people before.
3. What had the people in Union City, Michigan never seen before?
They had never seen a meteor before.
4. What does Patricia still carry with her?
She still carries a piece of the meteorite.

H. Read what the person is saying to a friend on the phone. Write answers using can’t, must, or might in present or past form.

My son drove me home and I looked for my wallet all over the place, but I couldn’t find it anywhere.
And there was quite a lot of money in it. I was devastated!

You must have forgotten to put it in your bag. / You must have left it at home.
You must have dropped it in the car. / Someone must have stolen it.

And then my daughter, who was also looking, stopped and said. “Are you sure you didn’t leave it at grandma’s yesterday?
I remember you taking it out and leaving it on the little table next to the door”.

I might have left it at my mother's house it must still be on the little table.
I must have forgotten that I'd taken it out of my bag.

I don’t know why I keep on doing things like that. I don’t normally forget where I put things.

I must have forgotten I put it there.
I might have taken it out of my bag and gone off to do something else.

I. Study the picture and write words under each heading in the chart. Write sentences about what happened before the picture was taken and what probably happened afterwards.

1. The fire must have started in one of the 5th floors flats.
2. The building had been evacuated when the fire fighters arrived.
3. The building will probably be torn down.

K. Combine the sentences with: and, but, or, so, or yet.

1. The man ate the pizza and drank the soda. He wasn’t hungry. He wasn’t thirsty.
The man ate the pizza and drank the soda so he wasn't hungry or thirsty.
2. We can study hurricanes. We can study the planetary system.
We can study hurricanes or the planetary system.
3. I read the science book. I saw the scientific documentary, too.
I read the science book and I saw the scientific documentary, too.
4. I like hot air balloons. I am scared of heights.
I like hot air balloons but/yet I am scared of heights.

5. It could be a helicopter. It could be a plane.
It could be a helicopter or a plane.

6. I don’t like guessing. I will wait for the facts.
I don't like guessing so I will wait for the facts.

7. It might be a weather balloon. It could be a UFO.
It might be a weather balloon or a UFO.

8. I wanted to get home quickly. I took a shortcut through the park.
I wanted to get home quickly so I took a shortcut through the park.

9. I don’t think the human race can live on another planet. Scientists are investigating the possibility.
I don't think the human race can live on another planet but/ yet scientists are investigating the possibility.

10. The remote control can turn off the TV. It can switch channels. The remote control can’t switch on my computer.
The remote control can turn off the TV and switch channels but it can't switch on computer.

L. Look at the picture below and say what you think has happened. Use modals for speculation why the city council have put a sculpture in the park: could have, may have, might have, must have. Write your sentences in your notebook.

• The city may have won an award.
• The sculpture could have been donated by a local businessman.
• The city council must have decided the park needed to attract more tourists.

M. The residents of the city want the sculpture removed.
Complete the sentences and give some reasons why.
Use the information given below.

1. The sculpture is expensive to maintain. If the city removes the sculpture and puts a bench in its place,
The sculpture is expensive to maintain. If the city removes the sculpture and puts a bench in its place, more people might visit the park.

2. The sculpture is an eyesore. If it is replaced with trees, The sculpture is an eyesore. If it is replaced with trees, the city will be reefer. people will visit the park and appreciate the beauty of nature.

3. If we leave the sculpture in the park, birds might sit on it and If we leave the sculpture in the park, birds might sit on it and make the place messy.
4. If this happens, the council will If this happens, the council will have to clean it all the time.