1.用于某些动词(tell, say, hear, learn, gather等)表示不确定的过去时间：
John tells me you will leave tomorrow. 约翰告诉我你明天离开。
I hear that he got married last month. 我听说他上个月结婚了。
I hear you want a secretary. 我听说你需要一个秘书。
He says the matter is rather urgent. 他说这事相当紧急。
Mary says you told her to come over here. 玛丽说是你让她到这儿来的。
It really gets me when he says those stupid things. 他说那些傻话真让我生气。
2．当要陈述一个客观事实时，有时即使有过去时间状语也可用一般现在时：
The story is set in the summer of 1937. 故事的背景是1937年夏天。
The story begins in the year 1937. 故事开始于1937年。