1 用but,表示转折.如果一定要用when的话,句子必须是：
They HAD wantED to charge 5000yuan for the car WHEN we managed to bring the price down.下面的表达也是正确的：
They wanted to charge 5000yuan for the car before we managed to bring the price down.
2 第二个the more修饰的是过去分词做形容词的equipped,而不是修饰名词life.
3 在生活英语中,any other的後面也可以是复数名词：
She works harder and more efficiently than any other people in her office.
所以,any other plants可以解释为any other plant或者any of the other plants.any == all.
any other + 单数名词------往往用於学生英语.