【特别声明】本文旨在进行英语学习方法的交流与教学研究。所涉及《新概念英语》原文内容版权归原作者L.G. Alexander及出版方外语教学与研究出版社所有。本文内容为基于正版教材的学习笔记和教学参考，仅供学习交流之用。若喜欢本教材，请务必购买正版实体书。
一、课文导读
本课学习目标
今天我们要学习的是新概念英语第二册的第七课，标题是 "Too late"（为时太晚）。
这是一个充满悬念的侦探故事——警方接到情报，有人企图偷窃一批即将空运来的钻石。侦探们在机场布下天罗地网，严密监视包裹的动向。然而，当他们满怀期待地打开包裹时，却发现里面装的竟然是石头和沙子！钻石早已被掉包，"为时太晚"。
本课的重点知识点包括：
文化小知识：海关与 Customs House
课文中提到的 Customs House（海关大楼）是每个国家的出入境关口。海关的主要职责包括检查进出口货物、征收关税、打击走私等。文中两名男子将包裹"carried it into the Customs House"，说明包裹进入了海关监管区域，按理说应该是安全的。但钻石还是在众目睽睽之下被掉包，这更增添了故事的悬念和讽刺意味。
二、课文原文
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!
三、本课核心词汇表
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课文重点词汇
重点短语
近义词辨析
