1)поставьте глаголы в скобках в нужную форму (past simple or past continuous) mary………………) the dishes when tom………… in). the astronauts…………. (travel) in space for two years. a terrible earthquake………………….(shake) the ground from 5 till 9 pm. last autumn a tornado……………(destroy) my city. when they …………….(watch) the stars they …….(see) a spaceship.

1. Mary was washing the dishes when Tom came in.
2. The astronauts were travelling in space for 2 years.
3. A terrible earthquake was shaking the ground from 5 till 9 p.m.
4. Last autumn a tornado destroyed my city.
5. When they were watching the stars they saw a spaceship.
P.S.
Past Simple обозначает действие в которое не связано с настоящим (когда речь идет об историческом событии, например)
Past Continuous  обозначает действие, которое протекало в определённый момент или ограниченный промежуток времени в индикаторыall day yesterday, the whole dayfrom 7 to 9, at this time etc.)