Определить видовременной глагол и его инфинитив. There was nothing interesting to read than newspapers.

There was nothing interesting to read than newspapers. - was - to be - Past Indefinite. - Не было ничего интересного читать, чем газеты.

The sentence is in Past Indefinite. The auxiliary verb is was. Was is the second form of the auxiliary verb to be. To be has two forms for the second form. They are was and were. Was is used with singular and were is used with plural.

I was. We were.

You were. You were.

He was. They were.

She was.

It was.

Interrogative.

Was there nothing interesting to read than newspapers?

There is nothing interesting to read than newspapers. (Present Indefinite).