Read the three sentences and label each as referring to the past, present or future.

Present
Future
Past

Speaking in short, matter-of-fact phrases, they worry aloud over the fickle weather and fields of sunflowers still too wet to cut, while above their heads Ross Perot's* sneering visage flickers across a silent television screen. In eight days the nation will elect Bill Clinton president. It’s been nearly two months now since the body of Chris McCandless turned up in Alaska.

*Ross Perot was a candidate for president of the United States in 1992

What effect does the use of each different time reference have?