Question

1) Put the verbs in brackets into the Simple Past or the Past Continuous:
1) When he (enter) the room, the children (play) with their toys.
2) He (write) his essay when somebody (knock) at the DOOR .
3) The players (train) the whole day yesterday.
4) While she (listen) to the concert, her brother (play) with a noisy toy car.
5) He (stand) a long time in the darkest corner of the room.
6) When the doorbell (ring) she (sleep).
7) The young man (jump) on to the bus while it (run).
8) The little boy (help) himself to another slice of cake when his mother (not look).
9) When the train (arrive) many travellers (wait) on the platform.
10) The electric power (go off) while they (listen) to the radio programme.
11) The fire (burn) brightly when the hikers (reach) the chalet.
12) They (realize) they (travel) in the wrong direction.
13) She (clean) the mirror when it (break).
14) While he (drive) the lorry, a tyre (burst).
15) The guests enjoy themselves when the landlady (tell) them they (have) to leave the house.

2) Put the verbs in brackets into the Simple Past or the Past Continuous:
1) The track (lead) us through the tick jungle where the tress (hang) over us forming a dark roof. Although the sun (shine) its rays (fail) penetrate the heavy green foliage.
2) While I (pump) up my bicycle tyres, a man (look) in over the wall and (ask) me the way to the police-station.
3) While we (stay) in London the dome of St. Paul's (be REPAIRED). It (be repaired) still when I (return) to London a year late.
4) Towards dusk we (come) to a little inn which (stand) on the outskirts of the village. Some church bells (ring) a smoke (rise) from numerous cottage chimneys. The inn itself (be most) pleasant. The landlord (show) us into a large room where a cheerful fire (burn).
5) Napoleon III (live) in England when he (die).
6) I (see) your aunt yesterday. She (wear) a white hat and (carry) a blue bag.
7) It (rain) . I (put) on my mackintosh, (go) out of the front door and (cross) the road to catch the bus which (wait) there. The driver (smoke) a cigarette and (talk) to the conductor.
8) By the time they (arrive) it (rain) hard.
9) The bricklayers (go) on strike on Tuesday morning. When I (look) out of the WINDOW, they all (stand) about in the street with their hands in their pockets. They (wait) for the mass meeting that was to take place that afternoon.
10) He (put) the kettle on and while he (wait) for it to boil he (ring) up the Regal Cinema to find out what film they (show).

Answer 1

1) entered, were playing
2) was writing, knocked
3) trained
4) listened, was playing
5) has stood
6) rang, was sleeping
7) jumped, was running.
8) helped, was not looking
9) arrived, were waiting 
10) went off, were listening.
11) was burning, reached
12) realized, were traveling 
13) was cleaning, broke
14)was driving, bursted
15)told, had

2) Put the verbs in brackets into the Simple Past or the Past Continuous:
1) The track was leading us through the tick jungle where the tress hung over us forming a dark roof. Although the sun was shining, its rays failed penetrate the heavy green foliage.
2) While I was pumping up my bicycle tyres, a man looked in over the wall and asked me the way to the police-station.
3) While we were staying in London the dome of St. Paul's was repaired. It was repairing) still when I returned to London a year late.
4) Towards dusk we came to a little inn which was standing on the outskirts of the village. Some church bells rang  a smokewas rising from numerous cottage chimneys. The inn itself was the most pleasant. The landlord showed us into a large room where a cheerful fire was burning.
5) Napoleon III was living in England when he died.
6) I saw your aunt yesterday. She was wearing a white hat and carrying a blue bag.
7) It rained . I put on my mackintosh, went out of the front door and crossed the road to catch the bus which waited there. The driver was smoking a cigarette and was talking to the conductor.
8) By the time they arrived it was raining hard.
9) The bricklayers went on strike on Tuesday morning. When I looked out of the WINDOW, they all were standing about in the street with their hands in their pockets. They waited (wait) for the mass meeting that was to take place that afternoon.
10) He put the kettle on and while he was waiting for it to boil he rang up the Regal Cinema to find out what film they (show).