Ex. 65. complete the sentences with the simple past or the past continuous. 1.it (begin) … to rain while ann and i (walk) … to school. 2.while i (wash) … dishes, i (drop) … a plate and (break) … it. 3. i (hit) … my thumb while i (use) … the hammer. 4. while i (walk) … under an apple tree, an apple (fall) … and (hit) me on the head. 5. last month, both my brother and mynext-doorneighbor were in thailand, and neither of them (know) … that the other was there. while they (attend) … my daughter’s wedding reception last week, my 33 neighbor (mention) … her trip, and my brother was very surprised. it seems that they (be) … in bangkok for three days at exactly the same time and (stay) … in hotels that were only a few blocks away from each other. 6. while i (look) … at the computer screen, i (start) … to feel a little dizzy, so i(take) … a little break. while i (take) … a short break outdoors and (enjoy) … the warmth of the sun on my face, an elderly gentleman (come) … up to me and (ask) … for directions to the public library. after i (tell) … him how to go there, he(thank) … me and (go) … on his way. soon a big cloud (come) … and (cover) … the sun, so i (go) … back inside to work. ex. 66. use the simple past or the past continuous. late yesterday afternoon while i (prepare) … dinner, the doorbell (ring) … . i (put) … everything down and (rush) … to answer it. i (open) … the door and (smile) … at the stranger standing in my doorway. he (hold) … a small vacuum cleaner. while he (tell) … me about this wonderful vacuum cleaner that he wanted to sell me, the phone (ring) … . i (excuse) … myself and (reach) … for the phone. while i (try) … to talk on the phone and to listen to the vacuum cleaner salesman at the same time, my young son (run) … up to me to tell me about the cat. the cat (try) … to catch a big fish in my husband’s prized aquarium. the fish (swim) … on the bottom to avoid the cat’s paw. i (say) … goodbye to the vacuum salesman and (shut) … the door. i(say) … goodbye to the person on the phone and (hang) … up. i(yell) … at the cat and (shoo) … her away from the fish. then i(sit) … down in an easy chair and (catch) … my breath. while i(sit) … there, the doorbell(ring) … again. then the phone (ring) … . then my son (say) … “mom! mom! the dog is in the refrigerator! ” i (move, not) … . “what’s next? ” i said to myself.
