In this task you are given a sentence. You must judge whether the main verb of the sentence is in present or past tense. Label the instances as "Present" or "Past" based on your judgment. If there is no verb in the given text, answer "Present".

Q: Some of his flippancy fades, as he regards me.

A: Present
****
Q: But with HIV, any attempts to purify it and then photograph it using standard techniques have been total failures. "

A: Present
****
Q: She adjusted her white lace shawl to cover her black hair before she ascended the stone steps leading to the portals of the whitewashed church.

A:
Past
****