The Winter I Spent in Italy

                             

In 2005, I was fortunate enough to spend a month in Italy. I spent a majority of the time down south with my family, but I also spent time traveling. First, my family and I went to Rome. While I was a tourist in Rome, I was able to visit many places like the Trevi Fountain, The Vatican, and the Colosseum. After we went to Rome, we traveled to Pompeii. In Pompeii I was able to see the aftermath of the destruction caused by the eruption of the Mount Vesuvius. Lastly, after we visited Pompeii, we spent the rest of the time down south with my family. During this time I went to the beach, went shopping, ate great food, and relaxed.

Vocabulary Words:

Fortunate: lucky

Traveling (travel): to visit a foreign place

Tourist: someone who is traveling/ visiting a new place

Destruction: damage

Eruption: explosion

Relaxed: be calm

Vocabulary Exercise: Match the vocabulary word to its definition

Lucky Relaxed

To visit a foreign place Travel

Explosion Eruption

Damage Fortunate

Someone who is traveling Destruction

Be calm Tourist

Grammar:

The tense of a verb shows the time of action or event. Verbs in present present tense show that an event is happening now or regularly. Verbs in past tense show that an event has already happened.

Example: I am in the store (present tense)

   I went to the store (past tense)

Grammar Exercise:

Read the following sentences. Determine whether or not these are in present tense or in past tense.

1. I went to the movies ______________.
2. I am in the food store _____________
3. I ate an apple yesterday ___________.
4. Yesterday I had a fever _____________.
5. I am smiling ______________.
6. I am in first place _____________.
7. He lived in Manhattan _________________.
8. She is studying __________________.
9. He played tennis _______________.
10. She washed her hands _______________.