1.Alan ___out almost every day last year, but now he can\'t afford it.
used to eat
ate
was eating
had eaten
2.I didn\'t see Linda last month because she___around Europe at that time.
travelled
was travelling
had travelled
had been travelling
3.While I ____the dishes last night, I dropped a plate and broke it.
washed
was washing
had washed
had been washing
4.It wasn\'t raining when I looked out of the window; the sun was shining. But it___ earlier. That\'s why the ground was wet.
rained
was raining
had rained
had been raining
5.The trouble started when Mrs. Leslie Cady ____control of her car on a narrow mountain road.
was losing
lost
had lost
had been losing
6.When Alice was small, she ____of darkness and always slept with the light on.
used to be afraid
was afraid
had been afraid
afraided
7.Greg didn\'t want to be late for the theatre. He drove as fast as he could. The play ____as he walked in the door of the theatre.
was just beginning
had just began
just began
had been just beginning
8.
She was not interested in the book because she ____it.
hadn\'t understood
didn\'t understand
wasn\'t understanding
hadn\'t been understanding
9.Before I went to bed I decided to check the front door. I was sure my sister ____ it. And I was right!
didn\'t lock
hadn\'t locked
locked
had locked
10.Rescue workers _____ a man, a woman, and two children from cold rushing water.
had pulled
pulled
were pulling
had been pulling
11.Our neighbours called the police when they found out that somebody ___ into their house.
broke
was breaking
had broken
had been breaking
12.Her face was stained with tears and her eyes were red. She ____ .
cried
was crying
had been crying
had cried
13.He didn\'t see me as he was reading when I ___ into the room.
had come
came
had been coming
was coming
14.I saw Paul at the airport. He ___ for his brother\'s plane to arrive from Canada.
had been waiting
was waiting
waited
had waited
15.A man once built a house and ___ his friends to visit him.
had invited
was inviting
invited
had been inviting

Вот подробные ответы на предложенные вопросы с объяснением выбора каждого варианта:

1. Alan used to eat out almost every day last year, but now he can't afford it.

   • Правильный ответ: used to eat.
   • Объяснение: Фраза "used to" используется для выражения действия, которое регулярно происходило в прошлом, но больше не происходит.

2. I didn't see Linda last month because she was travelling around Europe at that time.

   • Правильный ответ: was travelling.
   • Объяснение: Используем was travelling для описания длительного действия, происходившего в определенный момент в прошлом.

3. While I was washing the dishes last night, I dropped a plate and broke it.

   • Правильный ответ: was washing.
   • Объяснение: Используется для описания действия, которое происходило в определенный момент времени в прошлом и было прервано другим событием.

4. It wasn't raining when I looked out of the window; the sun was shining. But it had been raining earlier. That's why the ground was wet.

   • Правильный ответ: had been raining.
   • Объяснение: Мы используем had been raining, чтобы подчеркнуть, что действие началось в прошлом и закончилось к определенному моменту в прошлом (до того, как выглянули в окно).

5. The trouble started when Mrs. Leslie Cady lost control of her car on a narrow mountain road.

   • Правильный ответ: lost.
   • Объяснение: Здесь описывается конкретное событие в прошлом, которое произошло в определенный момент.

6. When Alice was small, she was afraid of darkness and always slept with the light on.

   • Правильный ответ: was afraid.
   • Объяснение: В данном контексте речь идет о постоянном состоянии в прошлом, для чего подходит was afraid.

7. Greg didn't want to be late for the theatre. He drove as fast as he could. The play had just begun as he walked in the door of the theatre.

   • Правильный ответ: had just begun.
   • Объяснение: Здесь используется Past Perfect (had just begun) для обозначения действия, которое завершилось непосредственно перед другим действием в прошлом.

8. She was not interested in the book because she hadn't understood it.

   • Правильный ответ: hadn't understood.
   • Объяснение: Используется hadn't understood, так как речь идет о действии, которое произошло раньше другого действия в прошлом.

9. Before I went to bed I decided to check the front door. I was sure my sister had locked it. And I was right!

   • Правильный ответ: had locked.
   • Объяснение: Had locked используется для описания действия, которое произошло раньше другого действия в прошлом (до того, как я проверил дверь).

10. Rescue workers pulled a man, a woman, and two children from cold rushing water.

    • Правильный ответ: pulled.
    • Объяснение: Здесь описывается конкретное завершившееся действие в прошлом.

11. Our neighbours called the police when they found out that somebody had broken into their house.

    • Правильный ответ: had broken.
    • Объяснение: Используем had broken для описания действия, которое произошло раньше другого действия в прошлом (перед тем, как соседи вызвали полицию).

12. Her face was stained with tears and her eyes were red. She had been crying.

    • Правильный ответ: had been crying.
    • Объяснение: Had been crying подчеркивает продолжительность действия до определенного момента в прошлом (следы на лице).

13. He didn't see me as he was reading when I came into the room.

    • Правильный ответ: came.
    • Объяснение: Came используется для описания действия, которое произошло в конкретный момент в прошлом.

14. I saw Paul at the airport. He was waiting for his brother's plane to arrive from Canada.

    • Правильный ответ: was waiting.
    • Объяснение: Was waiting описывает действие, которое происходило в определенный момент в прошлом.

15. A man once built a house and invited his friends to visit him.

    • Правильный ответ: invited.
    • Объяснение: Здесь речь идет о конкретном завершенном действии в прошлом, для чего подходит invited.

Таким образом, каждая форма времени была выбрана в зависимости от контекста и временных рамок действий в предложениях.