Runaway horse stopped before Santa Fe parade

1. Have you ever seen a parade? What was it like?
2. What animals live near your town or city?
3. What should you do if you see a loose animal?

parade

a public event where people march or ride along a street

escape

to get away from a place or person

unharmed

not hurt or injured

motorbike

a two-wheeled vehicle with an engine

corner

to force a person or animal into a place with no way out

lasso

a long rope with a loop, used to catch animals

cowboy

a person who works with cattle and horses, often on a ranch

department

a part of an organisation, such as the police in a city

1. Where did the horse run away?
2. When did the horse escape?
3. How did the police follow the horse?
4. Who used a lasso to catch the horse?
5. Where was the horse taken after it was caught?

Past continuous

Use the past continuous (was/were + verb‑ing) to describe actions that were in progress at a specific time in the past. It often appears with while/when/as to show an action happening when something else occurred. (Example 2 constructed.)

• People were waiting for a parade in Santa Fe on 13 September.
• We were eating lunch when the parade began.

Practise this grammar: Narrative tenses (B2)

Complete the sentences with the correct past continuous form.

1. Officers (ride) ___ motorbikes while they chased the horse.
2. The cowboy (hold) ___ a lasso when he arrived.
3. As the horse ran, officers (try) ___ to keep it away from cars.
4. I (watch) ___ TV when I saw the news about the horse.
5. My friends (stand) ___ near the street when the horse ran past.

1. Would you like to watch this parade? Why or why not?
2. What is the best way to calm a scared animal?
3. Should police use motorbikes for animal chases? Why?
4. What public events are popular in your country?