A Malaysian airplane was shot down over eastern Ukraine on Thursday evening. All 298 passengers and crew died in the tragedy. Malaysians are still in shock after the loss of another airplane that disappeared in March. There are many questions over who shot the plane above Ukraine. The Ukrainian government is blaming pro-Russian rebels from east Ukraine. The rebels are saying they do not have the technology to shoot down an airplane flying above 10,000 metres. They blame Ukraine for the tragedy. The plane was flying from Amsterdam, Holland to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Air traffic controllers told the pilot that the route above Ukrainian skies was safe, even though there was fighting on the ground.

All efforts are now on the investigation to find out what happened to the flight. There are many problems with this. The crash site near the village of Grabovo is in an area controlled by the rebels. There are worries that investigators will not get the airplane's black box. This will provide important information about the last moments of the flight. Experts say the plane was shot down by a surface-to-air missile. A Ukrainian government spokesman said rebels used a Russian-made Buk missile launcher to shoot the plane. Rebel leader Alexander Borodai blamed the Ukrainian government. Since the crash, all air space above Ukraine has been closed. Planes already in the sky changed direction to go around Ukraine.

1. TRUE / FALSE:Read the headline. Guess if a-h below are true (T) or false (F).

a.The article says the Malaysia Airlines plane was shot down.T / F

b.The government of Ukraine is blaming pro-Russian rebels.T / F

c.The rebels said they had weapons that could reach 10,000 metres.T / F

d.Air traffic controllers said the route the plane took was not safe.T / F

e.There should be few problems getting the investigation started.T / F

f.Investigators fear they might not get access to the black box.T / F

g.Ukraine said the missile that hit the plane was made in Russia.T / F

h.Planes are continuing to fly over eastern Ukraine.T / F

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

1.In which part of Ukraine did the plane come down?

2.When did Malaysia Airlines lose another airplane?

3.What did the rebels say they do not have the technology for?

4.Who do the rebels blame for the tragedy?

5.What did air traffic controllers say was safe?

6.What does the article say there are "many problems" with?

7.What are people worried that investigators will not get?

8.Who said the plane was shot down by a surface-to-air missile?

9.Who is Alexander Borodai?

10.What has happened to the air space above Ukraine?

答案

TRUE / FALSE

a T b T c F d F e F f T g T h F

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

1.Eastern Ukraine

2.March

3.To shoot down a plane at 10,000 metres

4.Ukraine

5.The sky above Ukraine

6.Finding out what happened

7.The black box

8.Experts

9.A rebel leader

10.It has been closed