课文内容：
The plane was late and detectives were waiting at the airport all morning. They were expecting a valuable parcel of diamond 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!
本文语法：一般过去时和过去进行时的区别
语法归纳：1)一般过去时：仅描述在过去某一时间发生的某一动作。
2)过去进行时：描述在过去的某一时间段内正在发生的事情。
3)一般过去时和过去进行时在时间状语行句中的应用：
1、动作可延续，用过去进行时;动作为瞬间性的，用一般过去时。
2、动作延续时间长，用过去进行时;动作延续时间短，用一般过去时。
3、都是瞬间性动作，均用一般过去时。
4、表述多次重复或习惯性的动作时多用一般过去时。
精讲笔记：
1.The plane was late and detectives were waiting at the airport all morning.
飞机晚点了，侦探们在机场等了整整一个上午。
语言点1 late在此译为“晚点了”比译为“迟了”要好。
The train was late again.飞机又晚点了。
语言点2 all morning=the whole morning整个上午
2.They were expecting a valuable parcel of diamond from South Africa.
他们正在等候从南非运来的一个装有钻石的贵重包裹。
语言点1 原文上一句谓语动词用wait，此句用expect，均表示“期待，等待”，避免了重复用词。
语言点2 有关“一包，一条，一排”的表达：
1)a pocket/bag of sth.一袋
2)a packet/pocket of sth.一包
3)a bar of sth.一长条
4)a block of sth.一块
5)a row of sth.一排
语言点3 South Africa南非
总结学习“七大洲”：Asia亚洲，Africa非洲，Oceania大洋洲，Europe欧洲，North America北美洲，South America南美洲，the Antarctic南极洲
3.A few hours earlier, someone had told the police that thieves would try to steal the diamonds.
几个小时前，有人向警察举报说一群贼想设法偷走这些钻石。
语言点1 a few hours earlier=a few hours ago几个小时前
语言点2 the police警察(总称)一般为复数。
定冠词指“某一类”时的两种不同用法：
the+名词：the lion狮子
the+形容词：the poor穷人
语言点3 tell sb. that...意思是“告诉某人关于某事”，that引导的宾语从句的内容为真正讲述的内容，作直接宾语，而sb.为间接宾语。
He told us that the bus was late.他告诉我们公交车晚点了。
语言点4 would用于过去将来时态，其原形为will。因为事情发生在相对于过去时间的将来，故用would.
My mother said that she would leave 20,000 dollars for me.我妈说她会留两万美金给我。
语言点5 比较学习：
1)try to do sth.尽力做某事
Bill tried to write an English book.比尔在竭尽全力写一本英语书。
2)try doing sth.试着做某事
The little boy tried phoning his home number.这个小男孩试着给他家里打电话。
文中选用try to steal the diamonds,可见这小偷有多么“敬业”。
