95 UE ( Section C )

Q.1-16

1. The writer says that a lot of Russian politicians¡K¡K.

D. would prefer to return to previous government practices.

Source

Explanation

Skill Tested
Lines 4 to 7, ¡§ He is involved in an increasingly bitter power struggle with a conservative parliament nostalgic for the days of Soviet central planning. ¡¨ ¡§Nostalgic¡¨ means wistful longing for sth one has known in the past. The meaning of ¡§nostalgic for the days of Soviet central planning¡¨ implies ¡§return to previous government practices¡¨

Inference

¡@

2. The ¡§old guard¡¨ in line 7 refers to¡K¡K¡K...

B. politicians who support the old Soviet style of government

Source Explanation Skill Tested
Lines 4 to 8, ¡§He is involved in an increasingly bitter power struggle with a conservative parliament nostalgic for the days of Soviet central planning. Yet even if the old guard were restored to dominance.¡¨ Many politicians in the parliament want to return to previous government practice. Therefore, we can know that they are the supporters of the old Soviet style of government. Inference

3. What does the writer say has happened to some of Russia¡¦s nuclear weapons?

  1. They have been taken apart
Source Explanation Skill Tested
Lines 10 to 13, ¡§Some of its nuclear armaments have been dismantled, and some are in the hands of three distrustful countries which were formerly part of the Soviet Union.¡¨ Some of the nuclear weapons are taken by three countries. These three countries are one part of the Soviet Union in the past. In short, the nuclear weapons are taken apart by three countries. Inference

¡@

4. The phrase ¡¥draw in its military horns¡¦ in lines 18 and 19 refers to ¡K¡K.

C. becoming less assertive militarily

Quotation Explanation Skill tested
Lines 17-21 ¡§Yet that could change in America continues to draw in its military horns, withdrawing forces from Germany and the Far East, slashing its defence budget, and leaving Asia and Western Europe to fend for themselves¡¨ ¡§withdrawing¡¨, ¡§slashing its defence¡¨ and ¡§leaving¡¨ implies less assertive militarily Inference

5. What might cause the world to ¡¥become a more dangerous place¡¦ (line 24)?

B. certain countries trying to get control where the US presence previously maintained the peace

Quotation Explanation Skill tested
Lines 21-24 ¡§The fear is that the strongest powers in each region might be tempted to fill the vacuum. The world could rapidly become a more dangerous place.¡¨ ¡§tempted to fill the vacuum¡¨ means ¡§trying to get control¡¨ Reading for specific information

6. In paragraph 3, it is suggested that ¡K

B. the European Economic Community might collapse.

Quotation Explanation Skill tested
Lines 29-33 ¡§With the collapse of the Soviet Union as a common enemy and the growing strains on European unity, the more gloomy prophets of doom see a possible disintegration of NATO and even of the EEC itself.¡¨ ¡§possible disintegration¡¨ suggests the collapse of EEC Inference

7. In lines 38-41, the writer mentions the following:

  1. Islamic alliance,
  2. Japan
  3. China

The writer suggests that problems are likely to be caused by

D. 1 , 2 and 3,
Quotation Explanation Skill tested
Most credible concerns in the short term, and more worrying in an Asian context, are possible Islamic alliances, and the regional ambitions of China and Japan. (Lines 38-41) ¡§Most credible concerns¡¨ and ¡§The most worrying¡¨ imply that ¡§problems may be triggered in Islamic alliances, China and Japan. Reading for specific information

8. The writer feels that the best method of keeping powers evenly balanced is

  1. by making countries dependent on each other economically and militarily.
Quotation Explanation Skill tested
The European model, however, shaky it seems to some, still provides the best answer to balancing the power in Asia. Europe¡¦s strength has been its deliberately-fostered economic interdependence. It is no accident that the first EEC treaties focused on steal and coal as the indispensable inputs of war. (Lines 52-58) ¡§Economic interdependence¡¨ and ¡§the indispensable inputs of war¡¨ suggest the best solution to balancing power in Asia is by making them dependent on each other militarily and economically. Inference

9. Why were the first EEC treaties ¡§focussed on steel and coal¡¨(lines 56-57)?

  1. Steel and coal are two key items which countries need to fight wars.
Quotation Explanation Skill tested
It is no accident that the first EEC treaties focused on steal and coal as the indispensable inputs of war. (Lines 57-58) ¡§the indispensable inputs of war¡¨ suggest the materials that cannot be left out. Reading for specific information.

10. In lines 57-61, the writer suggests that China and Japan

  1. need to join other decision-making countries in helping to promote world peace and security.
Quotation Explanation Skill tested
Lines 52~54, ¡§The European model, however shaky it seems to some, still provides the best answer to balance the powers in Asia¡K¡¨

Line 57-61, ¡§to apply that example in Asia, China and Japan need to become full members of the international establishment, acceptable in all international establishment, integrated in world trade.

¡§that example¡¨ refers to ¡§the European model¡¨;

in European Model, the great powers join many decision-making unions, e.g., NATO, EEC; which lead to an economic interdependence between them, thus keeping peace

 Reading for specific information.
  1. The writer comments that Britain and France ¡K

    2. C. are much less powerful than they used to be

    Quotation Explanation Skill tested
    Line 64, ¡§¡K, even at the risk of offending declining powers like Britain and France.¡¨ Britain and France are ¡§declining powers¡¨, thus they are less powerful than they used to be Reading for specific information.
  2. In lines 70-74, the writer mentions the following:

1. restricting China¡¦s Most Favoured Nation status
  1. trade tensions with Japan

The writer feels that

  1. 1 and 2 are both bad.
Quotation Explanation Skill tested
Line 70, ¡§attempts to freeze it out of the huge US market with conditions on its Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status will, in the end, prove as counterproductive as whipping up trade tensions with Japan.¡¨ For (2), ¡§trade tension with Japan¡¨,

is directly mentioned in the paragraph, and ¡§counterproductive as whipping up the trade tensions¡¨ is negative in sense;

Only option B stated (2) is ¡§bad¡¨, thus the answer is correct

 Reading for specific information.

¡@

13. The phrase ¡§whipping up¡¨ in line 73 means¡K¡K..

  1. increasing.
Source Explanation Skill Tested
Lines 70-74, ¡§Attempts to freeze it out of the huge US market with condition on its Most Favoured Nation(MFN) status will, in the end, prove as counterproductive as whipping up trade tensions with Japan¡¨. ¡§Freeze it up¡¦ is ¡§counterproductive¡¨. ¡§ Whipping up¡¨ implies increasing the trade tension. So the answer is A Guessing the meaning from the context

14. The writer suggests that regional co-operation in Asia¡K¡K.

  1. is really achieving very little indeed.
    2. Source Explanation Skill Tested
    At the same time the rest of Asia needs to rethink its attitude to regional co-operation. Organizations now seem largely as talking shops (Lines 74-76)¡¨ That means at this time they don¡¦t achieve many but little . Inference

    Tone

    15. In line 84 the ¡§remaining super-power¡¨ refer to¡K¡K¡K..

    D. the US

    Source Explanation Skill Tested
    Lines 14-15, ¡§The United States is today the world¡¦s only credible super-power. Economically, Japan and Europe have the muscle to challenge US power.¡¨ In the previous paragraph, the writer had written that the US is the world¡¦s only credible super-power. Therefore, the answer should be D. Theme, and tone

    16. The best title for this article would be¡K¡K¡K

  2. Balancing the power
Source Explanation Skill Tested
¡@ In this essay, the writer tries to write how to balance the powers between the US. Europe, Asian powers. Theme