Lesson 7   Too late

   The plane was late and detectives were waiting at the airport all morning. They were expecting 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!

飞机误点了，侦探们在机场等了整整一上午。他们正期待从南非来的一个装着钻石的贵重包裹。数小时以前，有人向警方报告，说有人企图偷走这些钻石。当飞机到达时，一些侦探等候在主楼内，另一些侦探则守候在停机坪上。有两个人把包裹拿下飞机，进了海关。这时两个侦探把住门口，另外两个侦探打开了包裹。令他们吃惊的是，那珍贵的包裹里面装的全是石头和沙子！

Grammar

1. 过去进行时的意义，提示词，结构和用法。

2. while从句

表示过去某时间两个动作同时发生，通常使用过去进行时来表示较长的动作（即持续性的动作），用一般过去时来表示较短的动作（即短暂性的动作）；若两个动作都是延续性，通常用while引导。

Exercise

1. As I __________ a letter to my teacher, Robert __________ to visit me.

A. was writing; came

B. wrote; came

C. was writing; was coming

D. wrote; was coming

2. - Do you think Brazil will beat Korea in the next month?

 - Yes, they have better players, so I __________ them to win.

A. hope   B. except   C. expect   D. prefer

1. 解析：本题考查while从句，第一空写信的动作为持续性动作，故用过去进行时；过来拜访为短暂性动作，所以用一般过去时。故答案选A。

2. 解析：本题考查固定搭配expect sb. to do sth.意为“期待某人做某事”，所以答案为C。