2006年VOA标准英语-Crash Sparks Debate Over Air Safety in Nigeria

By Gilbert da Costa
Abuja
19 September 2006   

Nigeria

Nigeria's military and civil aviation have suffered a series of disasters over the past two decades. Hundreds of lives have been lost in crashes. Sunday's crash of a military plane has renewed concerns over air safety in Nigeria.

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In a country where aircraft maintenance is always suspect, experts warn that human error or weather cannot be ruled out in Sunday's crash of a military plane. Some reports suggest there were thunderstorms in the area at the time of the crash.

Experienced pilots say the hilly terrain¹ could be a problem for most pilots, especially during the rainy season.

Air force spokesman Emeka Ozoemena says until ongoing² investigations⁴ are concluded, it would be inappropriate to guess the probable cause of the crash.

"It is too early to talk about the cause of the crash," he said. "The recovery effort is still on and though we have recovered the bodies of the dead and those who survived, but the other process of recovery is still on. So, it might be too premature⁵ to talk about the cause of the crash. An accident investigation³ has been set up and until they turn in their preliminary result, it might be difficult to say well, this is the cause."

Nigeria has had several fatal commercial airline crashes in the past two years, claiming the lives of hundreds of people.

Sunday's crash was the deadliest for the military since 1992, when an aircraft plunged⁶ into a creek⁷ near Lagos, a few minutes after take off, killing⁸ nearly 200 officers on board.

The authorities have taken steps to ease out the country's aging fleet of privately⁹ owned passenger planes and improve ramshackle airport infrastructure¹⁰ in the past few months.

Dele Ore, a retired¹¹ airline pilot and an aviation consultant¹² in Lagos, says poor standard is still a problem in the Nigeria air force.

"Let's face it, the standards and regulation, the strict regulation to which the civil aircraft and civil certification and crewing are subjected to, the military is not subjected to that," said Ore. "So that when we are talking about training standards, we are talking about qualification and experience and all that, that is put together, their own standard is much, much lower than civil."

Captain Ozoemena rejects the claim that standards in the air force are below par¹³, arguing that Nigerian air force personnel are some of the best trained.

"All over the world you know that military training is of very high standard. Most of these officers who fly these airplanes have gone to the best military academies and military flying schools all over the world," said Ozoemena. "Our military officers go through the best training and the civil aviation industry depends on the air force to replenish¹⁴ their pilots and technicians. Our safety standard is of very high quality. We operate very sophisticated machines, very fast machines and so on. You cannot compare military pilots with civil pilots because they do two different jobs, even though they fly."

One fact is certain though; the crash is bound to further erode¹⁵ confidence in the troubled Nigerian aviation industry.

1 terrain   

n.地面，地形，地图

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• He knows the terrain of this locality like the back of his hand.他对这一带的地形了如指掌。

2 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

3 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

4 investigations   

（正式的）调查( investigation的名词复数 )； 侦查； 科学研究； 学术研究

参考例句：

• His investigations were intensive and thorough but revealed nothing. 他进行了深入彻底的调查，但没有发现什么。
• He often sent them out to make investigations. 他常常派他们出去作调查。

5 premature   

adj.比预期时间早的；不成熟的，仓促的

参考例句：

• It is yet premature to predict the possible outcome of the dialogue.预言这次对话可能有什么结果为时尚早。
• The premature baby is doing well.那个早产的婴儿很健康。

6 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。

7 creek   

n.小溪，小河，小湾

参考例句：

• He sprang through the creek.他跳过小河。
• People sunbathe in the nude on the rocks above the creek.人们在露出小溪的岩石上裸体晒日光浴。

8 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

9 privately   

adv.以私人的身份，悄悄地，私下地

参考例句：

• Some ministers admit privately that unemployment could continue to rise.一些部长私下承认失业率可能继续升高。
• The man privately admits that his motive is profits.那人私下承认他的动机是为了牟利。

10 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

11 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

12 consultant   

n.顾问；会诊医师，专科医生

参考例句：

• He is a consultant on law affairs to the mayor.他是市长的一个法律顾问。
• Originally,Gar had agreed to come up as a consultant.原来，加尔只答应来充当我们的顾问。

13 par   

n.标准，票面价值，平均数量；adj.票面的，平常的，标准的

参考例句：

• Sales of nylon have been below par in recent years.近年来尼龙织品的销售额一直不及以往。
• I don't think his ability is on a par with yours.我认为他的能力不能与你的能力相媲美。

14 replenish   

vt.补充；(把…)装满；(再)填满

参考例句：

• I always replenish my food supply before it is depleted.我总是在我的食物吃完之前加以补充。
• We have to import an extra 4 million tons of wheat to replenish our reserves.我们不得不额外进口四百万吨小麦以补充我们的储备。

15 erode   

v.侵蚀，腐蚀，使...减少、减弱或消失

参考例句：

• Once exposed,soil is quickly eroded by wind and rain.一旦暴露在外，土壤很快就会被风雨侵蚀。
• Competition in the financial marketplace has eroded profits.金融市场的竞争降低了利润。