🔍 Too late

新概念英语第二册 Lesson 7 · 语法精读与固定搭配分类

NCE Book 2 · Lesson 7（课本印刷页 36-39）· 13 个生词和短语 · 课文 7 句

一全文逐句语法解读

本课是「机场等钻石」的侦破短文，语言点集中在 过去进行时 was/were + doing、过去完成时 had told、过去将来时 would try 三层时态的配合，以及 while 引导的时间状语从句。

句子	语法点
The plane was late and detectives were waiting at the airport all morning.	过去进行时 were waiting 描述过去某段时间里持续的动作 · all morning 配合进行时表「一上午都在等」
They were expecting a valuable parcel of diamonds from South Africa.	expect 用进行时表示「一直盼着」· a parcel of + 复数名词，表示「一包…」
A few hours earlier, someone had told the police that thieves would try to steal the diamonds.	过去完成时 had told 表「在等之前就已经发生」· would try 是过去将来时，与 told 呼应

句子	语法点
When the plane arrived, some of the detectives were waiting inside the main building while others were waiting on the airfield.	while 连接两个同时进行的动作 · some … others … 表「一些…另一些…」
Two men took the parcel off the plane and carried it into the Customs House.	take … off 拿下、carry … into 抬进，介词不同、方向词对应

句子	语法点
While two detectives were keeping guard at the door, two others opened the parcel.	keep guard 意为「守卫」· while 从句用进行时、主句用一般过去时，一长一短
To their surprise, the precious parcel was full of stones and sand!	to one's surprise 令某人吃惊的是 · be full of 装满 · 句末感叹号收束全文

短语	用法与例句
be full of	装满、充满：The parcel was full of stones and sand.
to one's surprise	令某人吃惊的是，放句首。
keep guard	守卫、站岗：keep guard at the door。
some … others …	一些…另一些…，用于分成两类的人或物。

过去进行时

was/were + doing，表过去某时正在进行的动作

过去完成时

had + 过去分词，表「过去的过去」

过去将来时

would + 动词原形，与过去时的 told 呼应

连词

when 后接短暂动作 · while 后接持续动作

三层时态的分工：had told（更早）→ were waiting（当时正在进行）→ would try（当时还没发生），一句话里能同时出现三种过去时态。
when 与 while：when 后常接短暂动作（the plane arrived）；while 后接持续性动作（were waiting / were keeping guard）。
take … off 与 carry … into：介词决定方向，off 表「离开表面」，into 表「进入内部」。