12.2* Complete the sentence with the past simple or past continuous form of the verb in brackets:



Alexander the Great

While he 1) (grow up) was growing up, the philosopher Aristotle was his teacher. Alexander 2) (become) _______ interested in science, medicine, philosophy and literature. While his father Philip 3) (attend) _______ his daughter's wedding, a young nobleman 4) (murder) _______ him. Alexander was king of Macedonia at the age of 20.

While he 5) (fight) _______ his enemies in the north, the Greeks in the south 6) (start) _______ a rebellion. He 7) (destroy) _______ all their cities. He 8) (lead) _______ his army against the Persian Empire through what is now Turkey 9) (stay) _______ in the ancient city of Gordium, he 10) (undo) _______ the Gordian knot. A legend said that only a future king of Asia could do this.

While his army 11) (march) _______ through Persia, it 12) (defeat) _______ Darius, the king of Persia. He 13) (found) _______ the city of Alexandria at the mouth of the Nile while he 14) (visit) _______ Egypt. While he 15 (travel) _______ with his army, he 16) (give) _______ his name to many other towns.

He 17) (kill) _______ his friend Clitus in a quarrel, while they 18) (have) _______ dinner.

While he 19) (attack) _______ the city of Mali in India, he 20) (receive) _______ a serious wound from an arrow.

While he 21) (attend) _______ a banquet in Babylon in 323 BC, he 22) (fall) _______ ill and 23) (die) _______.

2 became 3 was attending 4 murdered5 was fighting 6 started 7 destroyed 8 lead 9 stayed 10 undid 11 was marching 12 defeated 13 found 14 was visiting 15 was traveling 16 gave 17 killed 18 were having 19 was attacking 20 received21 was attending 22 fell 23 died