问答题Practice 4　　For much of the past year, Europe has been divided over America and its war in Iraq. Now it is divided against itself. The chief culprits: France and Germany. The worm has turned. France and Germany assailed the United States for riding rou

The longest war that the United States has fought is _____.

After World War I, League of Nations mandates divided Cameroon, ______ a German colony, between France and England.

Practice 2　　“To be a Negro in America is to hope against hope,” wrote Martin Luther King in the last year Of his life. The advance the black man in the United States, from the position of slave to that of proud and equal citizen, is slow. The black man’s hopes have often ended in despair.　　“Of the good things in life he has about one-half those Of whites；Of the bad he has twice those Of whites, ”wrote Dr. King. Half of all black people lived in poor houses. They’re received about half as much pay as whites. They had twice as many of their people out Of work and twice as many babies dead for lack Of proper care. Allowing for their numbers, twice as many black men as white fought in the war in Vietnam, and twice as many died in that war. Most black people sti11 did work that was unpleasant and poorly paid. That was the only work they could get.(from Great People of Our Time, ed., by Carol Christian Macmillan Education,1977)

Britain.s leading customers and suppliers are France,Germany and（）

Practice 8　　The United States has long been known as a “melting pot”, because many of its people are descended from settlers who came from all over the world to make their homes in the new land. The first immigrants in American history came from England and the Netherlands. Attracted by reports of great economic opportunities and religious and political freedom, immigrants from many other countries flocked to the United States in increasing numbers, reaching a peak in the years 1880—1914. Between 1820 and 1980 the United States admitted almost 50 million immigrants.　　Some 1,360,000 American Indians, descendants of North America's first inhabitants, now reside in the United States. Most live in the West, but many are in the south and north central areas. Of the more than 300 separate tribes, the largest is the Navaho in the Southwest.　　Black people were first brought to America from Africa as slaves. Their descendants now make up nearly 12 percent of the population. They once lived mainly in the agricultural South but now are scattered throughout the nation.

Practice 1　　France today is no superpower, but French influence in some spheres is significant. Nothing has cemented French influence in the world like the decision made by the victorious World War II powers in 1945 to include France as one of the five permanent, veto-wielding members of the Security Council. Until the end of the Cold War, France rarely found itself in disagreement with Britain or the U.S. on major issues. But the U. N. veto today takes on larger significance as France struggles to decide whether it wants to lead the European Union in defiance of American power or in partnership with it.　　As America’s great media outlets have begun preparing for coverage of the D-Day celebrations, the question of a “grand gesture” by the French toward the American war in Iraq, has been raised. Administration officials hint that. perhaps，just perhaps，the French President wm use the occasion of France's rescue as an opportunity to square the accounts—to issue a blanket endorsement of America 78 plan for Iraq’s future and throw its support behind the transfer of power looming at the end of the month. France certainly wants the United States-to be successful in Iraq at this point. But France seems unlikely to see D-Day as an opportunity to make good on a 60-year-old debt. Beyond nice speeches and some truly fine cuisine, don't expect France to liberate America from Iraq.

Practice 4　　Europeans have long aspired to end American dominance as the world’s economic leader. The single market and the euro are widely seen as essential steps in this direction. But is Europe ready to lead? Do Europeans understand what it would take?　　Despite a budding recovery, the United States is hardly the model of economic health that it once was. On several issues—from steel tariffs to the resurgent deficit to shady corporate practices—America has demonstrated a growing failure of leadership. Over the past two decades the United States has shown what it takes to be an economic superpower—a strong currency, openness to imports, concessions in trade negotiations and articulating an economic philosophy for the rest of the world. Now that it’s apparently fading on so many counts, the question becomes: is Europe willing and prepared to do what the United States once did, in order to supplant it?　　First the exchange-rate issue. The euro will probably continue strengthening against the dollar, if only because of America’s huge and growing $400 billion-a-year current-account deficit. This means that, every year, the United States borrows about 4 percent of its GDP on world markets. If international investors lose confidence in the U.S. economy, fewer people will want to hold dollar assets. The dollar will fall—and the euro will appreciate.　　This may be a normal market cycle, but there will be consequences. Among others, European companies will see their U.S. profits erode. What happens if the dollar falls farther and faster than anticipated? Are European industrial companies ready to compete with a euro worth $1.10, $1.15 or $1.25? The flip side of the much-desired strong euro would almost certainly be a surge in imports from the United States and the rest of the world. Exports might fall, resulting in job losses—perhaps even a trade deficit for the European Union.　　Europeans are rightfully angry at new U.S. steel tariffs. But given the sheer size of America’s trade deficit, Washington’s policies are actually relatively moderate. The question remains: if Europe were in a similar position, would its voters and politicians be equally sensitive to what’s best for the global economy? Would European politicians be able to face the incredible pressures that would build for protectionist measures if it were Europe, and not the United States, that ran a persistent trade deficit? Not likely, I fear.　　America’s retreat from its leading role presents an opportunity for the European Union. Trouble is, its political institutions have yet to mature to the point where they can resolve trade disputes, say, by looking beyond the immediate and narrow self-interests of its member states.　　Europe’s chance for economic leadership may come sooner than expected. But too many Europeans haven’t yet grasped the basic secret of America’s leadership—the hard work and tough choices that are involved. That’s what Europeans now face, in this season of elections and decision making that will shape their future. Let’s hope they recognize that such sacrifices will pay off for them, as well as for the rest of the world.

Practice 6　　If there's a threat of dangerous deflation—a general fall in prices—the causes lie as much in Europe and Japan as in the United States. The inevitable collapse of America's speculative boom need not have been especially damaging if the world's other advanced economies were healthy. Their expanding appetite for imports would have bolstered the United States and so-called emerging market countries, from Brazil to South Korea. The trouble is that other advanced economies aren't healthy.　　Deflation could emerge from simultaneous slumps in the world's three major economies. Prices drop because there's too little global demand chasing too much global supply—everything from steel to shoes. Japan's ills are well known. Its banks are awash in bad loans. Less understood (at least in the United States) is the fact that Europe's troubles stem significantly from Germany. Germany is Europe's “sick man”, just as Japan is Asia's. Only 15 years ago, these countries seemed poised to assume leadership of the world economy. Now they are dragging it down.

“To be a Negro in America is to hope against hope,” wrote Martin Luther King in the last year of his life. The advance the black man in the United States, from the position of slave to that of proud and equal citizen, is slow. The black man’s hopes have often ended in despair.“Of the good things in life he has about one-half those of whites; of the bad he has twice those of whites,” wrote Dr. King. Half of all black people lived in poor houses. They have received about half as much pay as whites. They had twice as many of their people out of work and twice as many babies dead for lack of proper care. Allowing for their numbers, twice as many black men as white fought in the war in Vietnam, and twice as many died in that war. Most black people still did work that was unpleasant and poorly paid. That was the only work they could get.