【趣谈英语】黑匣子是橙色的-A Black Box Is Actually Orange（在线收听）

 Pre-Listening Vocabulary

• aviation: related to aircraft
• data: information
• combine: put together
• beacon: 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 investigators. 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 computing 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 airliners have been equipped with flight data and cockpit recorders.