VOA标准英语2009-Air France to Replace Speed Sensors on Airbu

As search crews continued to look for more bodies and wreckage¹ from last week's Air France plane crash, the French carrier has decided² to immediately replace suspect speed sensors³ with new ones on all its long-haul Airbus carriers.

The speed sensors are suspected in playing a part in last week's air crash over the Atlantic Ocean. An investigation⁴ into the incident has found the devices appeared to have provided inconsistent data to the pilots. One French pilots union, ALER, has urged its pilots not to fly the Airbus planes in question until these sensors are replaced.
　
Members of Brazilian Air Force carry a body recovered from the Atlantic Ocean by the Brazilian Navy frigate⁵ Constituicao, northeast coast of Brazil, 09 Jun 2009

But on Tuesday, the main French pilots union SPNL announced Air France had agreed to immediately equip all of its Airbus A330 and A340 aircraft with new speed sensors. SPNL spokesman Eric Derivry told French media that Air France was replacing the sensors as of Tuesday, and that all the long-haul craft would have at least two of the new devices. Air France had earlier announced it would put in the new sensors but had offered no calendar. Airbus had also advised its customers to replace the sensors.

Derivry said properly functioning speed sensors were critical for pilots to navigate⁶ planes. He said there appeared a strong possibility that faulty sensors could have caused the crash even if there was no direct link.

Meanwhile, search crews working off Brazil returned the first of more than two dozen recovered bodies to land. According to news reports, they have also recovered a large tail section of the plane. Nearly 228 passengers and crew were aboard the Air France airliner⁷ when it disappeared over the Atlantic last week. The crash was the airline industry's deadliest in years, and the worst in Air France's history.

　

1 wreckage   

n.（失事飞机等的）残骸，破坏，毁坏

参考例句：

• They hauled him clear of the wreckage.他们把他从形骸中拖出来。
• New states were born out of the wreckage of old colonial empires.新生国家从老殖民帝国的废墟中诞生。

2 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

3 sensors   

n.传感器，灵敏元件( sensor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• There were more than 2000 sensors here. 这里装有两千多个灵敏元件。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Significant changes have been noted where sensors were exposed to trichloride. 当传感器暴露在三氯化物中时，有很大变化。 来自辞典例句

4 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。

5 frigate   

n.护航舰，大型驱逐舰

参考例句：

• An enemy frigate bore down on the sloop.一艘敌驱逐舰向这只护航舰逼过来。
• I declare we could fight frigate.我敢说我们简直可以和一艘战舰交战。

6 navigate   

v.航行，飞行；导航，领航

参考例句：

• He was the first man to navigate the Atlantic by air.他是第一个飞越大西洋的人。
• Such boats can navigate on the Nile.这种船可以在尼罗河上航行。

7 airliner   

n.客机，班机

参考例句：

• The pilot landed the airliner safely.驾驶员使客机安全着陆。
• The passengers were shepherded across the tarmac to the airliner.旅客们被引导走过跑道去上飞机。