Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 has been missing for more than 13 months. The airplane, a Boeing 777, was carrying 239 people on a flight between Malaysia and China. The plane disappeared over the Indian Ocean on March 8, 2014.

Months of air, sea and underwater searchers have yet to find any evidence of the aircraft. Officials involved in the investigation have been considering what to do next if nothing is found in the current area of exploration.

This week, three countries announced plans to double the search area if no evidence of Flight 370 is found soon. The announcement followed a joint meeting of Malaysian, Chinese and Australian officials in Kuala Lumpur.

Malaysia's Transport Minister, Liow Tiong Lai said an expanded search will start to the north of the current search area in the Indian Ocean, off the western coast of Australia.

Looking for wreckage（残骸） in that extended area could take a year. Since last March, crews have explored more than 60 percent of the current search area. The Malaysian, Chinese and Australian officials continue to express hope that the aircraft will be found in those waters. 

Warren Truss is Australia's deputy prime minister. He says crews are using some of the best equipment in the world to look for the plane. Mr. Truss describes the underwater search area as very challenging or difficult. He notes the search area is a five- to six-day trip from the closest port.

"The weather conditions are challenging. The remoteness of the site is challenging. The depth of the sea in the search area is challenging. The roughness of the sea bed is challenging."

Two-thirds of Flight 370's passengers are Chinese nationals. Yang Chuangtang is China's Transportation Minister. He noted his government's desire to discover exactly what happened to the passengers and crew.

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1.When did China,Malaysia and Australia announce to double the search area?

A 41706

B 36958

C February, 2015

D April , 2015

解析：选D。D。细节理解题。根据第1段和第3段内容可知，马航370在去年三月消失，现在已过去13个月。

2.What does the underlined sentence in paragraph 2 imply?

A No evidence has been found.

B They have found some evidence underwater.

C They have found evidence in the air.

D Searchers have nowhere to find evidence.

解析：选A。A。句子理解题。 have yet to do 隐含某种期待的事没有实现之意。

3.The underlined word ‘expand’ in paragraph 4 means_____.

A grow stronger

B add more details

C make bigger in size

D explore

解析：选C。C。词义猜测题。 Expand是一个熟词，准确判断其意，可根据前后线索，前一段用了double the search area, 后面用了start to the north...所以这里是指make bigger in size.

4.The underlined word ‘expand’ in paragraph 4 means______.

A grow stronger

B add more details

C make bigger in size

D explore

解析：选C。C。词义猜测题。 Expand是一个熟词，准确判断其意，可根据前后线索，前一段用了double the search area, 后面用了start to the north...所以这里是指make bigger in size.

5.Why are Chinese government determined to find Flight 370?

A To find the truth and the passengers.

B Because most of the passengers are Chinese.

C To challenge the difficult conditions in the sea.

D Because Flight 370 has been missing for more than 13 months.

解析：选A。A。推理判断题。文章最后一段，中方代表表明中国政府寻找马航是为了找出发生此事的真正原因，找到失踪的乘客和机组人员。