Why different tenses?

Dear Dr English,

Please consider the following two sentences in a paragraph taken from an American textbook:
ÒThe article below was written by a 19-year-old man, now living in the United States but originally from Cambodia. In it, he describes some of the difficulties he had adjusting to the US culture and changing his expectations...Ó
I would like to know why the second sentence is in the present tense (he describes...) in spite of the fact that the first sentence is in the past tense.

While on this topic, will you please take a look at this scenario: Suppose I am a scientist and reporting my opinion to you, face-to-face.

ÒAdvanced science has shown that Vitamin D is more important than many of us think/thought.Ó
My question is which verb is correct - ÒthinkÓ or ÒthoughtÓ?

Thank you.
Surapon Vatanavigkit

The writing of the article was a one-off event in the past. On the other hand, every time you read the article, the man describes his difficulties. You can read it unchanged as often and whenever you like; it is always the same. This situation is called ÒtimelessÓ since it does not depend on time. This is also the reason why we use present simple tense here - it is always the same.

Regarding your second question, we have to see that a change in thinking has occurred. First we thought that Vitamin D was less important, but advanced science has changed this old thinking and replaced it with a new thought; now we think that vitamin D is more important. Our old thought that Vitamin D is less important is finished and therefore in the past tense.

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Translating 'stale'

Dear Dr English,
How should I translate the word "stale" in the following sentences?
ÒThe bread we had for breakfast was stale and the coffee was cold.Ó
ÒBoth of you have been doing the same job for a long time; you are getting stale.Ó
Thanks for your explanation.

Wirat Chaiyawut

In the first sentence, ÒstaleÓ means Òold and no longer fresh, usually because of being kept for a long timeÓ. So the bread, which was served that morning, was old and not fresh.

In the second sentence, ÒstaleÓ is used with a different meaning: ÒTo be no longer enthusiastic or as full of interesting ideas as before,Ó or basically, ÒboredÓ. The two guys are getting bored.

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