Open the brackets. Use the Past Simple or the Past Continuous. Type the sentence in the space provided. I (write) the business plan when my computer (crash) and I (loose) 50 pages.
We (prepare) to launch the product when there (be) a fire in the factory.
Sales (rise) fast when our sales manager (leave) the company.
We (get into) the Asian market when there (be) a financial crash there.
I (talk) to a possible client when I (find out) they had already signed an agreement with a competitor.
I (go) to see a venture capital company when I (hear) it was bankrupt.

was writing, crashed, lost

were preparing, was

were rising, left

were getting into, was

was talking, found out

was going to see, heard

Sure! Here are the answers to the exercise:

1. I was writing the business plan when my computer crashed and I lost 50 pages.
Explanation: The sentence is describing an action that was happening in the past. We use the Past Continuous tense (was writing) to describe the ongoing action, and the Past Simple tense (crashed and lost) to describe the sudden event that interrupted the action.

2. We were preparing to launch the product when there was a fire in the factory.
Explanation: The sentence is describing two ongoing actions that were happening simultaneously in the past. We use the Past Continuous tense (were preparing) to describe the ongoing action of preparing, and the Past Simple tense (was) to describe the event of a fire occurring.

3. Sales were rising fast when our sales manager left the company.
Explanation: The sentence is describing an ongoing action (sales were rising) that was happening in the past. We use the Past Continuous tense (were rising) to describe the ongoing action, and the Past Simple tense (left) to describe the event of the sales manager leaving.

4. We were getting into the Asian market when there was a financial crash there.
Explanation: The sentence is describing two ongoing actions that were happening in the past. We use the Past Continuous tense (were getting) to describe the ongoing action of getting into the Asian market, and the Past Simple tense (was) to describe the event of a financial crash happening there.

5. I was talking to a possible client when I found out they had already signed an agreement with a competitor.
Explanation: The sentence is describing two ongoing actions that were happening in the past. We use the Past Continuous tense (was talking) to describe the ongoing action of talking to a possible client, and the Past Simple tense (found out) to describe the sudden event of discovering that they had already signed an agreement.

6. I was going to see a venture capital company when I heard it was bankrupt.
Explanation: The sentence is describing two ongoing actions that were happening in the past. We use the Past Continuous tense (was going) to describe the ongoing action of going to see a venture capital company, and the Past Simple tense (heard) to describe the sudden event of hearing that it was bankrupt.

I hope this explanation helps! Let me know if you have any further questions.