2016年12月大学英语四级阅读练习及答案(十六)

　　Liberia, the oldest independent Negro state in West A frica, has been struggling for survial ever since its foundation in 1822. Progress has been hampered by constant hostility between the American Negroes whose families returned there in the early 19th century, and the West Africans whose ancestors never left the continent. Though the two groups are of the same race, they are divided by language and outlook and regard each other with deep suspicion creating a conflict which was not foreseen by Liberia's founders.

　　In addition, neighboring states, native tribel, disease, and poverty have made life dangerous and difficult. The government has tried desperately, through loans and a trickle of trade, to make ends meet. Anxiety about financial matters lessened somewhat when, in 1910, the United States accepted responsibility for Liberia's sruvival. However, not until Harvey Firestone, the American rubber king, decided that the United States must produce itsown rubber - with Liberia as the site of the rubber plantations - did liberia have much hope of paying its debts and balancing its budget.

　　The rubber industry, founded in the 1920's, and the activity that followed it brought both progerss and profit to Liberia. Before that time Liberia had no roads, no mechanical transport and no good port; its people had little education and few tools. Liberians feel that the country is being ruled by rubber. For this reason, the recent discovery of iron ore is important. Liberian leaders are trying to moderate the power of the ruvver industry and to estaglish the country's political and economic independence.

　　1. Liberia has been in idffculty since its independence mainly because ________.

　　a. the american negroes do not want to help the country.

　　b. there have been constant hostillity and suspicion between different tribes in the country.

　　c. there haven been constant hostility and suspicion between two groups of the same tride.

　　d. the goverment has adoped a wrong policy

　　2."The government has tried desperately, through loans and a trickle of trade, to make ends meet."to make ends meet" means ________.

　　a. the goverment has to borrow money from others

　　b. the goverment has to lend money to others

　　c. the goverment doesn't have to borrow or lend money

　　d. the goverment has either to borrow or to lend money

　　3. The country's finance began to improve a bit in ________.

　　a.1822

　　b.1910

　　c.1920

　　d.1920's

　　4. The Liberians's attitude on to improve a bit in ________.

　　a. a total agreement

　　b. a total disagreement

　　c. a hostility

　　d. not a total agreement

　　5. The best title for this passage is ________.

　　a. American Negroes in West Africa

　　b. liberia - a poor country

　　c. liberia and its development

　　d. liberia - a country with rich rubber and iron

　　答案：ccbdc