Put the verbs in brackets into past simple
many years ago people believed that some women (be) witches. these women (not/live) in big cities. they (live) in small villages. people (think) they (behave) strangely because they (make) unusual medicines from plants and they (not/act) like other people. they (say) that they (not/walk) but that they (fly) in brooms. do you believe in witches?
To put the verbs in brackets into the past simple, we have to change them to their past tense form according to the regular rules:
Many years ago people believed that some women were witches. These women did not live in big cities. They lived in small villages. People thought they behaved strangely because they made unusual medicines from plants and they did not act like other people. They said that they did not walk but that they flew in brooms. Do you believe in witches?
Note: The verb "be" changes from "are" to "were" in the past simple.
The verb "live" changes from "do not live" to "did not live" in the past simple.
The verb "think" remains the same in the past simple.
The verb "behave" changes from "behave" to "behaved" in the past simple.
The verb "make" changes from "make" to "made" in the past simple.
The verb "act" changes from "do not act" to "did not act" in the past simple.
The verb "say" changes from "say" to "said" in the past simple.
The verb "walk" changes from "do not walk" to "did not walk" in the past simple.
The verb "fly" remains the same in the past simple.
The verb "believe" remains the same in the past simple.
Therefore, the final sentence in the past simple is:
Many years ago people believed that some women were witches. These women did not live in big cities. They lived in small villages. People thought they behaved strangely because they made unusual medicines from plants and they did not act like other people. They said that they did not walk but that they flew in brooms. Do you believe in witches?