Eight People Die in Plane Crash in California
加州發生飛機墜毀事故，造成8人死亡
Introduction
A big B-52 plane crashed on Monday at Edwards Air Force Base. All eight people on the plane died.
週一在愛德華茲空軍基地發生一起 B-52 大型飛機墜毀事故，機上全部 8 人均不幸喪生。
Main Body
The plane crashed at 11:20 a.m. The crew had soldiers and workers from Boeing. They were testing a new radar system.
飛機於上午 11 點 20 分墜毀。機組人員包含軍方人員及波音公司的員工，當時他們正在測試一套新的雷達系統。
These B-52 planes are very old. They started flying in the 1950s. The Air Force is spending a lot of money to make them new again.
這些 B-52 飛機非常老舊，於 1950 年代開始服役。空軍目前正投入大量資金對其進行翻新。
Experts think the engine failed. They also think the pilot could not control the plane. The Air Force will check the plane's records.
專家認為是引擎故障，同時認為飛行員可能無法控制飛機。空軍將會檢查飛機的紀錄。
The Air Force closed the airfield for a short time. A special team is now studying the crash. This study will take six months.
空軍短暫關閉了機場。目前有一個專門小組正在研究此次墜毀事故，這項研究將耗時六個月。
Conclusion
The Air Force does not know why the plane crashed. Flights will start again next week.
空軍目前尚不清楚飛機墜毀的原因。航班將於下週恢復。
Vocabulary Learning
🕒 The 'Then' vs 'Now' Shift
In this story, we see two different ways to talk about time. To reach A2, you must know when to use a finished action and when to describe a current state.
1. Finished Actions (Past) These are things that happened and are over. We usually add -ed to the word.
- crashed → happened on Monday.
- started → happened in the 1950s.
- failed → happened during the flight.
2. Current States (Present) These are things that are true right now.
- are old → the planes are old today.
- is spending → the Air Force is doing this now.
- is studying → the team is working on it now.
💡 Quick Tip for A2: If you see a specific time (like Monday or 1950s), use the -ed form. If you see words like now or next week, use the present form.