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NCE: 7

Lesson 7

Too late

The plane was late and detectives were waiting at the airport all morning. They were excepting for a valuable parcel of diamonds from South Africa. A few hours earlier, someone had told the police that thieves would try to steal the diamonds. When the plane arrived, some of the detectives were waiting inside the main building while others were waiting on the airfield. Two men took the parcel off the plane and carried it into the Customs House. While two detectives were keeping guard at the door, two others opened the parcel. To their surprise, the precious parcel was full of stones and sand.

Notes

detective n. 侦探

valuable adj. 贵重的

parcel n. 包裹

diamond n. 钻石

airfield n. 飞机起落的场地

guard n. 警戒，守卫

precious adj. 珍贵的

detectives were waiting at the airport all morning. 过去进行时用来表示过去某时正在进行的动作或者情况。

keep guard 守卫，警戒 stand guard 站岗，放哨

to their surprise 令他们吃惊的是 …

Future Notes

  1. detectives were waiting at the airport all morning

    all 一般直接加表示时间的单数名词构成副词短语，如：all day (整整一天)，all night(整夜)，all week(整星期)，all winter(整个冬天)，all year(整年)等。但不说 all hour

    whole 在表达同样的意思时一般要加冠词或数词，如：a whole day/ year(一整天/年)，two whole weeks(整整两星期)

  2. someone had told the police that thieves would try to steal the diamonds

    that 后面的部分为动词 tell 的宾语从句；从句中的时态为过去将来时 (would)

  3. When the plane arrived, some of the detectives were waiting inside the main building while others were waiting on the airfield

    这个长句子由3个部分组成：when 引导的是整个句子的时间状语从句; some of…building 为主句; while 引导的是动作与主句的动作同时进行的时间状语从句。while作为连词表示“和……同时”、“当……时候”时常常引导一个过去进行时从句

    代词 others 常常和 some 连用，表示“有些(人)……，也有些(人)……”或者“有的……，其余的……”

  4. to their surprise

    短语中的所有格形容词 their 也可以换成其他所有格形容词：(much) to my/ his surprise, to our surprise 等；一般不说 to your surprise

Grammar in Use

过去进行时 ( The past progressive tense )

  • 构成：be 的过去式+现在分词(注意现在分词的构成)
  • 过去进行时主要表示过去某个时刻或某段时间正在进行的动作。
  • 过去进行时和一般过去时经常同在一个句子里使用。过去进行时表示过去正在进行的动作或情况，一般过去时则表示比较短暂的动作或事件。
    1. 正在进行中的动作或情况往往由连词 when, while, as, just as等引导

    While/ When/ As I was sweeping the floor, I found your pen.

    • while 通常只引导持续时间较长的动作，并且主句和从句可以同时用过去进行时，而 when 和 as一般不这么用

      John was watching TV while his wife was talking with a neighbour over the phone.

      Just as I was opening the front door, the telephone rang.

      Just as I was leaving the house, you came in.

    • when 也可以引导比较短暂的动作，while 和 as 则一般不行

      We were having supper when the lights went out.

  1. 过去进行时往往与表示一段时间的状语连用，如all morning, all night, all day, all evening, the whole week等，表示这段时间一直在干什么

    They were preparing for the party for two whole days.

短语动词中的小品词（The particles）

许多动词加上介词或副词后就会改变词义。这些介词和副词通常被称为小品词。它们没有词形变化。

有些小品词既可以作介词又可以作副词。判断一个小品词是副词还是介词要看小品词有没有带宾语。有宾语的是介词，没有宾语的是副词；介词的位置相对固定，不能移动

  • I am looking for Tim. (for为介词，位置不能变动)
  • She looked after the baby. (after为介词)
  • He put the fire/ it out. (out为副词)
  • Mother woke the children/ them up. (up为副词)
  • She took the picture/ it down. (down为副词)
  • Please turn the radio/ it off. (off为副词)
  • Put the cake on the table. (on为介词)
  • She is walking up the hill. (up为介词)