TASK DEFINITION: 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".
PROBLEM: Above it circled many vultures and upon its wasted bulk there crawled scavengers and rats, each taking a piece of the great fish for its supper.

SOLUTION: Past

PROBLEM: announces the Speaker with a crash of his gavel like a clap of thunder from a sudden prairie thunderstorm in the middle of the night.

SOLUTION: Present

PROBLEM: His castle stands near this cliff and is forty times larger than my own that we are currently travelling to.

SOLUTION:
Present