Помогите объяснить past simple на английском языке

We use the past simple:

1) to talk about action or situation in the past with in finished. We often say when in happened (yesterday, last week)

Exemple:Chris phoned me. He wanted to ask me something.

2) to talk about something that continued for a period of time, and ended in the past.

Exemple:I lived in Rome for two years.