Read Madonnas biography. Put the verbs in brackets in the correct tense forms, Present Simple, Past Simple or Present Perfect Simple.
Madonna (1) (be) an American recording artist and actress. She (2) (be) born August 16, 1958 in Michigan. In 1977 she (3) (move) to New York City to make a career in modern dance. After performing in pop groups, she (4) (release) her debut album. She (5) (follow) it with a number of albums which (6) (be) very popular. Madonna (7) (always/be) famous for her variable musical productions.
Her career as an actress (8) (begin) in 1985. She (9) (win) several awards, including a Golden Globe Award which she (10) (receive) in 1996. However her other film roles (11) (not be) successful since then. During her life Madonna (12) (try) many things fashion design, writing books for children, directing and producing films. She also (13) (own) a recording company now. She (14) (be) quite successful in business so far.
Madonna (15) (sell) more than 250 million records within her career. In 2000 Guinness World Records (16) (list) her as the world's most successful female recording artist of all time.
Exercise 5.8
Complete the interview using the correct tense form, Present Perfect or Past Simple.
Interviewer: Today Im talking to Darren Ramshaw, the American film director. Tell me, Darren, how long (1) (you/be) a film director?
Darren: I (2) (study) film-making at university in the 1980s, and I (3) (work) as a director for more than 20 years now.
Interviewer: What (4) (be) the first film that you (5) (make)?
Darren: Happy together in 1987, but it (6) (not be) popular at all, so nobody (7) (see) it since then. My first successful film (8) (come) out three years later.
Interviewer: And how many countries (9) (you/be) to? (10) (you/work) outside the US?
Darren: I (11) (make) films in many countries France, Brazil, even Russia. Last month I (12) (fly) to Tokyo and (13) (spend) a week there.
Interviewer: When (14) (you/go) to Russia?
Darren: In 2003. I (15) (want) to make a film about World War II, and I (16) (walk) along Moscow streets for three hours every day.
Interviewer: What do you like best about your job?
Darren: I (17) (travel) to almost all countries of the world. And I (18) (meet) a huge number of interesting people!
Interviewer: (19) (you/begin) any new projects lately?
Darren: Yes, two weeks ago I (20) (sign) a new contract, but its still a secret.
Interviewer: Thank you, Darren. It (21) (be) very interesting talking to you.