When a plane crashes（坠毁）, the first thing people do is to ask, "What went wrong? How can we keep it from happening again?" At this point, someone will probably mention the "black box".【小题1】 Because it is bright orange, it is easier for people to find the box after a crash. Almost all the planes carry black boxes, and because of this, air safety has improved.

What is a black box? A black box is a data（数据）recorder.【小题2】. For example, it records a plane's speed. Also, it records things pilots say to each other and over the radio. This helps people know just what happened before a crash.

In what part of a plane is a black box put? Many people are surprised to learn that a black box is not in the front of a plane.【小题3】

How do the recording devices（设备）inside a black box survive（幸免于）a crash? A black box is made of very strong materials.【小题4】 It gives protection from the crash itself. And it protects against very high temperatures and fire.

Why is a black box so important? A black box records important information. Without it, many questions about an accident could never be answered. 【小题5】 As a result, plane makers can make changes so the problem will not happen again.