Для заполнения пропуска (15) необходимо выбрать глагол, который будет соответствовать контексту предложения. В данном случае, Том Смит всё ещё не был успешным писателем и _________ возвращения своего грабителя. Подходящим по смыслу глаголом является "waited" (ждал).
Полный текст с вставленным глаголом:
Tom Smith was a writer. He 1)... (to write) detective stories for magazines. One evening he 2)... (to be not able) to invent an end for a story. He 3)... (to sit) with his typewriter in front of him, but he 4) ... (to have) no ideas. Then he 5)... (to go) to the cinema. When he 6)... (to leave), a burglar 7)... (to break) into his flat and 8)... (to read) his story. The visitor 9)... (to leave) Tom a note: "I have read your story and I 10)... (not to think) much of it. I 11)... (not to go) to steal anything tonight, but I will return, when you become a successful writer." Tom 12)... (to study) the burglar's suggestions and 13)... (to write) the rest of the story. He 14)... (to be) still not a successful writer, and he 15)... waited for his burglar to return. Before he 16)... (go out) in the evening, he always 17)... (to leave) a half-finished story near his typewriter.
Ответ: waited