Simple past tense is used to indicate the action / event which happened in the past . Here the same is indicated. The syntax for simple past tense in active voice is: verb in the second form. The syntax for simple past tense in passive voice is: was / were +verb in the third form. Active voice is used when the doer is more important than the action. Passive voice is used when the action is more important than the doer. The doer is more important in the first sentence, therefore active voice is used. The action is more important in the second sentence, therefore the passive voice is used. Therefore the correct option is : died ............. were brought