英语听力精选进阶版 14089

Child directs air traffic at JFK

Summary

5 March 2010

US officials are investigating how a child was apparently¹ allowed to direct planes at JFK airport. Pilots heard the voice of a surprisingly young boy instructing them from air traffic control.

Reporter:

James Gordon

Report

JFK Airport in New York is one of the largest airports in the country, handling nearly a thousand take-offs and landings a day. But just after 8pm on the 16th of February, there was somebody else in the control tower directing air traffic and giving instructions to pilots.

Recording² from air traffic control:

Boy: JetBlue 171 clear for take off.

Pilot: Clear for take off JetBlue 171.

The boy was speaking to an airbus A320 heading for Sacramento. The child's father, who is a certified³ controller, brought his son to work and then put him to work as well.

Recording from air traffic control:

Boy: JetBlue 171 contact departure.

Pilot: Over to departure JetBlue 171. Awesome⁴ job.

The young boy continued directing pilots for several take-offs, pilots appearing to be more amused than worried.

The Federal Aviation Administration, which regulates Americas airports, hasn't released the names of the controllers involved but it's not treating it as a joke. It's investigating the controller, as well as his supervisor⁵. Both have been relieved of their duties.

Some are saying the incident is being blown out of proportion since the youngster was repeating standard, routine directions to pilots with the adults, presumably, alongside him. It's been revealed the controller in question brought his daughter in the following evening.

The FAA has released a statement saying "This lapse⁶ in judgement not only violated the FAA's own policies but common sense standards for professional conduct. These kinds of distractions⁷ are totally unacceptable."

James Gordon, BBC News, New York

1 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

2 recording   

n.录音，记录

参考例句：

• How long will the recording of the song take?录下这首歌得花多少时间？
• I want to play you a recording of the rehearsal.我想给你放一下彩排的录像。

3 certified   

a.经证明合格的；具有证明文件的

参考例句：

• Doctors certified him as insane. 医生证明他精神失常。
• The planes were certified airworthy. 飞机被证明适于航行。

4 awesome   

adj.令人惊叹的，难得吓人的，很好的

参考例句：

• The church in Ireland has always exercised an awesome power.爱尔兰的教堂一直掌握着令人敬畏的权力。
• That new white convertible is totally awesome.那辆新的白色折篷汽车简直棒极了.

5 supervisor   

n.监督人，管理人，检查员，督学，主管，导师

参考例句：

• Between you and me I think that new supervisor is a twit.我们私下说，我认为新来的主管人是一个傻瓜。
• He said I was too flighty to be a good supervisor.他说我太轻浮不能成为一名好的管理员。

6 lapse   

n.过失，流逝，失效，抛弃信仰，间隔；vi.堕落，停止，失效，流逝；vt.使失效

参考例句：

• The incident was being seen as a serious security lapse.这一事故被看作是一次严重的安全疏忽。
• I had a lapse of memory.我记错了。

7 distractions   

n.使人分心的事[人]( distraction的名词复数 )；娱乐，消遣；心烦意乱；精神错乱

参考例句：

• I find it hard to work at home because there are too many distractions. 我发觉在家里工作很难，因为使人分心的事太多。
• There are too many distractions here to work properly. 这里叫人分心的事太多，使人无法好好工作。 来自《简明英汉词典》