【趣谈英语】黑匣子是橙色的-A Black Box Is Actually Orange

 Pre-Listening Vocabulary

• aviation: related to aircraft
• data: information
• combine: put together
• beacon¹: a light or device that sends out a warning or signal

A Black Box Is Actually Orange-黑匣子实际上是橙色的

 

After an aviation accident, the search for the black box is one of the top priorities of investigators². The black box typically refers to two separate items of equipment: the flight data recorder and the cockpit data recorder. These items are sometimes combined into one unit. An airplane’s recorder is about the size of a shoebox, and weighs approximately 10 kg. The word black box is a computing³ term. It means that the inner workings of a device are mysterious or unseen to the user. The colour of a plane’s black box is usually bright orange. This makes it easier for investigators to locate. The black box also has a beacon that pings under water. The battery signal only lasts for a certain amount of time, which is why there is so much pressure to locate the black box quickly after an accident. Information on the recorders gives investigators a better understanding of what happened prior to the crash. Since 1960, all commercial airliners⁴ have been equipped with flight data and cockpit recorders.

1 beacon   

n.烽火，（警告用的）闪火灯，灯塔

参考例句：

• The blink of beacon could be seen for miles.灯塔的光亮在数英里之外都能看见。
• The only light over the deep black sea was the blink shone from the beacon.黑黢黢的海面上唯一的光明就只有灯塔上闪现的亮光了。

2 investigators   

n.调查者，审查者( investigator的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• This memo could be the smoking gun that investigators have been looking for. 这份备忘录可能是调查人员一直在寻找的证据。
• The team consisted of six investigators and two secretaries. 这个团队由六个调查人员和两个秘书组成。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 computing   

n.计算

参考例句：

• to work in computing 从事信息处理
• Back in the dark ages of computing, in about 1980, they started a software company. 早在计算机尚未普及的时代（约1980年），他们就创办了软件公司。

4 airliners   

n.客机，班机( airliner的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The fog grounded the airliners. 大雾迫使班机停飞。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They placed very stable and accurate atomic clocks on regularly scheduled jet airliners. 他们将非常稳定、准确的原子钟装在定期飞行的喷气式班机上。 来自辞典例句