Simple present tense vs. present progressive?
I often get myself confused when I am asked to choose between simple present or present progressive.

Simple Present or Present Progressive.

1. Our teacher (is not standing) up right now. She (is sitting) on the corner of her desk.
2. It (is not raining) right now. The sun (shines), and the sky (is) blue.
3. (Does) it (rain) a lot in southern California?
4. It's 7:30 A.M. and the Wilsons are in their kitchen. Mrs. Wilson (is sitting) at the breakfast table. She (is reading) the morning paper. She (reads) the newspaper every morning. Mr. Wilson (is pouring) a cup of coffee. He (drinks) two cup of coffee every morning before he (goes) to work. There is a cartoon on TV, but the children (aren't watching) it. They (are playing) with their toys instead. They usually (watch) cartoons in the morning, but this morning they (don't pay) any attention to the TV. Mr. and Mrs. Wilson (don't watch) the TV either. They (don't like) to watch cartoons.

Those are my answers. Are they correct?

Question

Simple present tense vs. present progressive?
I often get myself confused when I am asked to choose between simple present or present progressive.

Simple Present or Present Progressive.

1. Our teacher (is not standing) up right now. She (is sitting) on the corner of her desk.
2. It (is not raining) right now. The sun (shines), and the sky (is) blue.
3. (Does) it (rain) a lot in southern California?
4. It's 7:30 A.M. and the Wilsons are in their kitchen. Mrs. Wilson (is sitting) at the breakfast table. She (is reading) the morning paper. She (reads) the newspaper every morning. Mr. Wilson (is pouring) a cup of coffee. He (drinks) two cup of coffee every morning before he (goes) to work. There is a cartoon on TV, but the children (aren't watching) it. They (are playing) with their toys instead. They usually (watch) cartoons in the morning, but this morning they (don't pay) any attention to the TV. Mr. and Mrs. Wilson (don't watch) the TV either. They (don't like) to watch cartoons.

Those are my answers. Are they correct?

Answer

1. Our teacher (isn't standing) up right now. She (is sitting) on the corner of her desk.
2. It (is not raining) right now. The sun (is shining), and the sky (is) blue.
3. (Does) it (rain) a lot in southern California?
4. It's 7:30 A.M. and the Wilsons are in their kitchen. Mrs. Wilson (is sitting) at the breakfast table. She (is reading) the morning paper. She (reads) the newspaper every morning. Mr. Wilson (is pouring) a cup of coffee. He (drinks) two cup of coffee every morning before he (goes) to work. There is a cartoon on TV, but the children (aren't watching) it. They (are playing) with their toys instead. They usually (watch) cartoons in the morning, but this morning they (aren't paying) any attention to the TV. Mr. and Mrs. Wilson (aren't watching) the TV either. They (don't like) to watch cartoons.

Answer

"The sun is shining..."
"...but this morning they aren't paying any attention to the TV. Mr. and Mrs. Wilson aren't watching the TV either..."

Answer

The two are different.  Out teacher stands up means that s/he is in the act of moving from whatever s/he was doing to begin standing.  If the teacher is standing then s/he could have been that way for a long time.  Present progressive seems to indicate transition, but it the present that really describes the change.