Final answer:
The preterite is used for actions that interrupt ongoing activities, whereas the imperfect is used for attitudes/ desires and ongoing actions without definite beginnings or ends in the past. Examples include 'Yo quería' (imperfect) and 'sonó el teléfono' (preterite) for desires and actions that interrupt, respectively.
Step-by-step explanation:
In Spanish, choosing between the preterite and the imperfect involves understanding the nuances of these past tense forms.
The preterite is used for actions that interrupt a continual action, while the imperfect is typically used for describing past habits, ongoing past actions without a specific beginning or end, background states, and for expressing attitudes and desires in the past.
For example, you would use the imperfect to describe an attitude: "Yo quería ir a la fiesta" (I wanted to go to the party). If you're talking about an action that interrupts another ongoing action, you would use the preterite: "Mientras estudiaba, sonó el teléfono" (While I was studying, the phone rang).
Verb tenses and mood in Spanish, such as the indicative and imperative, should not be confused with the preterite and imperfect, which are aspects of verb tenses specifically showing a point in time in the past. The thorough understanding of these distinctions aids in mastering the Spanish past tense.
The correct answer is 1. attitude/desires.