英语听力精选进阶版 13274

Air France crash. Who's to blame?

Report

This is not the final report into the causes of the crash, but with the new evidence from the flight recorders, it's the most substantial analysis to date - and what's new is a clear signal from the investigators¹ that pilot error may have been partly to blame. 

The initial problem it's now certain was the failure of outside speed monitors, which froze over. But in response to that, the bureau says, the three man crew failed to take the correct steps. 

The 32 year-old co-pilot who was at the controls kept the plane on an upward trajectory², which caused the plane to stall. But even though a warning then sounded for nearly a minute, at no point, says the report, did the crew formally identify a stall situation. 

No announcement was made to the passengers as the plane then plunged³ for three and a half minutes before hitting the sea. 

The shifting of blame towards the pilots - and by implication away from the machinery⁴ of the plane - is a highly sensitive matter, and Air France has already reacted angrily. 

It says there's no cause to question the professionalism of its crew, and pointing the finger at the manufacturer, Airbus, it says that confusing signals from the stall alarm system in the cockpit hindered the pilots in their task of analysing the crisis.

Hugh Schofield, BBC News

1 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》

2 trajectory   

n.弹道，轨道

参考例句：

• It is not difficult to sketch the subsequent trajectory.很容易描绘出它们最终的轨迹。
• The path followed by a projectile is called its trajectory.抛物体所循的路径称为它的轨道。

3 plunged   

v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降

参考例句：

• The train derailed and plunged into the river. 火车脱轨栽进了河里。
• She lost her balance and plunged 100 feet to her death. 她没有站稳，从100英尺的高处跌下摔死了。

4 machinery   

n.(总称)机械，机器；机构

参考例句：

• Has the machinery been put up ready for the broadcast?广播器材安装完毕了吗？
• Machinery ought to be well maintained all the time.机器应该随时注意维护。