Exercise 1. We shocked our parents. We used to do things that they never did

Memories – Linda Carr

We shocked our parents. We used to do things that they never did. We wore mini-skirts, we went dancing at discos, and we went to pop concerts. I got tickets to a Beatles concert in 1965 and I traveled all the way to Liverpool to see them. My parents bought me a record player for my fourteenth birthday. My friends and I listened to the records nearly every night. We didn’t watch TV much, but our parents did.

Our family had a Mini and we once went camping to France in it.

When we were students we wanted to change the world. We said “Make love not War”. We often marched to ban the bomb. In 1968 there were students revolutions in many parts if the world. So many things happened in 60s: President Kennedy was killed in 1963, they landed on the moon in ’69, and they built this Berlin Wall in 1961. I’m pleased some things changed!

1. What did she do that shocked her parents?
2. What did she do in 1965?
3. What did she and her friends do in their free time?
4. What did her parents do in their free time?
5. How did the students try to change the world?
6. What are some important days of the 60s?

Exercise 2Complete the sentences with the correct form of used to and the word in brackets.

1. People _____________________________ (think) that the Earth was flat.
2. ___________________________________________ (you/believe) in Santa Claus?
3. The Sahara Desert _________________ (not/ be) sandy, it _______________ (be) green.
4. Where _____ you ____________________ (spend) your holidays when you were a child.
5. _______________________________ (the River Thames/freeze) when it was very cold?
6. Our grandparents _____________________________ (nor have) CDs or mobile phones.

Exercise 3Choose the correct answer. If both answers are possible, choose both.

1__________ Britney Spear’s life ____________ very difficult when she was young? Yes! She 2 _________________ gymnastics when she was a young girl and she 3 __________________ in tournaments in Louisiana. She also 4 ________---_________ in dance shows and, one night, she 5 ________________ in her local church. At that time, she 6 __________________ professionally. She also 7 ____________________ in a Disney programme on TV for two years. She 8 _______________ her first solo record in 1998 and she’s been famous since then.

1. a. Was 5. a. sang

b. Did ……. use to be b. used to sing

2. a. started 6. a. didn’t sing

b. used to start b. didn’t use to sing

3. a. competed 7. a. appeared

b. used to compete b. used to appear

4. a. performed 8. a. released

b. used to perform b. used to release

Exercise 4Rewrite the text using used to or didn’t use to

Life was very difficult 200 years ago. Most houses didn’t have bathrooms or water inside. There weren’t any radiators to keep the house warm. Winters were freezing so people wore lots of clothes. In the evening they sat round the fire and told stories because there was no electricity.

Exercise 5Complete the text with correct forms of the verbs in brackets.

Use used to or didn’t use to where possible.