Exercise 6. If a word or phrase in bold is correct, put a tick. If it is incorrect, write the correct form on the line.
People (1) have been dreaming of having a personal means of communication for a long time. In the late 1960s, the idea (2) had seemed so far in the future that it (3) was included in the science fiction series, Star Trek. Since the 1980s, however, mobiles (4) became a part of everyday life. Although they (5) were initially seen as a status symbol for successful business people, mobile use (6) had spread to include practically everyone in the developed world, old and young alike.
The impact on social life (7) had been enormous. We have got used to the idea of having constantly changing social plans, where a quick phone call is all it takes to rearrange things. Before this was possible, there were many occasions when friends who (8) had arranged to meet completely (9) had missed each other because of a slight misunderstanding. People would often have to make very careful arrangements to be sure of meeting up.
As mobiles (10) have been becoming more popular, so they (11) have become more powerful. The large, unreliable mobile phone of the 1980s (12) has evolved into the small, stylish camera phone of today.