Let me just provide some basic facts about the flight today. It was American Airlines Flight 587, an Airbus A3005 aircraft en route6 from New York Kennedy to Santo Domingo. The airplane was lost today shortly after take off from Kennedy Airport. The preliminary passenger list indicated the aircraft carried 246 passengers and a crew of nine .

　　Family members wishing to receive information about passengers may contact American Airlines at our toll-free7 number at 800 245 0999.

　　As you would imagine, today’s news comes at a difficult time for the nation, for the airline industry and for American Airlines. Given the changed world we live in today, it will be as important as it has ever been to quickly and accurately determine the cause of this accident. First and foremost8 , however, our thoughts and prayers are with the families of our passengers and employees of those lost today. I will be leaving immediately for New York.

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　　閱讀練習題：

　　Ⅰ. Fill in e ach bla nk with a p rop er word, the first letter is given :

　　1. Depression g him much for he would have no money to support his family.

　　2. Our p concern is the safety of the pupils in their vacations.

　　3. There is no i of who is behind this terrorist attack.

　　4. We endeavor to carry a complete i to find the technical problem of this

　　Ⅱ. Questions :

　　1. Who is the head of New York State ?

　　2. Who is the mayor of New York City?

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　　參考答案

　　Ⅰ. 1. grieves 2. primary 3 . indication 4. investigation / accident

　　Ⅱ. 1. Pataki 2 . Guiliani

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　　參考譯文：

　　唐納德·卡蒂的聲明

　　這 是不幸的一天。我懷著萬分悲痛的心情向各位宣布, 今天上午美洲航空公司的一架飛機在紐約失事。針對今天的事件,“ 美洲航空公司救援組”已經組成, 我將立即趕往紐約主持救援工作。我們的工作重點是向航班上遇難乘客和機組人員的家屬, 向美洲航空公司的全體員工和飛機墜毀所殃及的紐約市民盡可能地提供幫助。

　　目前飛機失事的原因還不清楚。但是我們已經對此次事故做出迅速的反應, 并且盡一切力量配合事故原因的調查工作。為此, 我已經與布什政府參謀長安德魯· 卡德、紐約朱利安尼、紐約州州長帕塔基以及多米尼加共和國首都圣多明各的官員取得了聯系。讓我來告訴大家一些關于此次飛行的基本情況。失事飛機是美洲航空公司587 次航班, 一架正從紐約肯尼迪機場飛往多米尼加共和國首都圣多明各的空中客車A300 型客機。此次航班從肯尼迪機場起飛后不久便墜毀, 乘客名單顯示航班上共有246 名乘客, 9 名機組人員。

　　乘客家屬可以撥打美洲航空公司的免費電話800 - 245 - 0999 , 查詢機上乘客的有關具體情況。

　　大家可以想象, 在這個多事之秋, 今天的這起機毀人亡的事件對我們的國家、對航空業以及美洲航空公司無疑是雪上加霜。鑒于目前的國際形勢的變化, 盡快地、準確地找到飛機失事的原因是我們目前的重要任務。但首先還是讓我們向在此次事故中遇難的乘客和機組人員的家屬表示慰問。我將立即動身前往紐約。