Text # 7 “Air Force One - A Special Plane for the American President”
Air Force One is a symbol of the United States Presidency. Each time the President travels overseas or across the country he does so in his high-tech jet. It is his own flying office and serves as a commando bunker in times of war and when the United States is at danger, as during the 9/11 attacks. The plane is a Boeing 747 that has been changed and reconstructed to suit the president’s needs. It is as tall as a six storey building and as long as a city block. Air Force One can travel at a speed of up to one thousand km an hour and fly as high as 15 000 metres. With a full tank it can travel half way around the world. Inside Air Force One looks more like a business office than an airplane. There are three decks: The lowest deck of the plane is the cargo area. It holds the luggage, food and other equipment. The middle deck is the passenger area. The President and his staff work here. In addition to the President’s bedroom, there are bathrooms, and other private rooms. The president and his advisors get together for meetings in special conference rooms. There is a separate area for reporters who travel with the president. The upper deck consists of the cockpit and the communications room. All together about 70 passengers and 26 crew members can travel on board Air Force One. As Air Force One is not a normal plane it has special features that other jetliners do not have. An onboard doctor travels with the President at all times and there is even a small operating room on the plane.
Mark the following statements as true or false (T/F):
1. Each time the U.S. President travels overseas or across the country he does so in his high-tech jet “Air Force One”, which is a symbol of the United States Presidency. T / F
2. “Air Force One” is President’s own flying office and serves as a commando bunker in times of natural disasters and other emergency situations. T / F
3. The plane Boeing 747 has been changed and reconstructed to suit the president’s needs and it is as tall as a ten storey building. T / F
4. Inside Air Force One looks more like a business office than an airplane and the plane has 4 decks. T / F
5. The president and his advisors get together for meetings in special conference rooms of the plane. T / F
6. All together about 80 passengers and 36 crew members can travel on board Air Force One. T / F
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