In1999, the price of oil hovered around $16 a barrel. By 2008, it had   21 the $100 a barrel mark. The reasons for the surge 22    from the dramatic growth of the economies of china and India to widespread   23   in oil-producing regions, including Iraq and Nigeria's  delta region. Triple-digit oil prices have   24   the  economic  and political map of the world,   25  some old notions of power. Oil-rich nations are enjoying historic gains and opportunities,   26   major importers—including china

and  India, home to a third of the world's population--  27  rising economic and social costs.

   Managing this new order is fast becoming a central   28   of global politics. Countries that need oil are clawing at each other  to   29  scarce supplies, and are willing to deal with any  government,    30   how  unpleasant, to do it .

   In  many  poor  nations  with  oil , the profits are being ,lost to corruption, 31  these countries of their best hope for development. And oil is fueling enormous investment funds run by foreign governments,   32   some in the west see as a new threat.

   Countries like Russia, Venezuela and Iran are well supplied with rising  oil  33, a change reflected in newly aggressive foreign policies. But some unexpected countries are reaping benefits,    34 costs,  from  higher  prices. Consider Germany.  35  it  imports virtually all its oil, it has prospered from extensive trade with a booming Russia and the Middle East. German exports to Russia   36   128 percent from 2001 to 2006.

In the United States, as already high gas prices rose  37  higher in the spring of 2008,the issue cropped up in the presidential campaign, with Senators McCain and Obama  38  for a federal gas tax holiday during the peak summer driving months. And driving habits  began  to  39   ,as sales of small cars jumped and mass transport systems  40  the country reported a sharp increase in riders.

21. A. come            B. gone            C. crossed         D. arrived

22. A. covered         B. discovered        C. arranged        D. ranged

23. A. intensity        B. infinity         C. insecurity       D. instability

24. A. drawn           B. redrawn          C. retained        D. reviewed

25. A. fighting        B. struggling        C. challenging      D. threatening

26. A. and            B. while            C. thus            D. though

27. A. confine         B. conflict         C. conform         D. confront

28. A. problem         B. question         C. matter          D. event

29. A. look for        B. lock up          C. send out        D. keep off

30. A. no matter        B. what if          C. only if         D. in spite of

31. A. abolishing       B. depriving        C. destroying       D. eliminating

32. A. what            B. that            C. which           D. whom

33. A. interests   B. taxes            C. incomes         D. revenues

34. A. as many as       B. as good as        C. as far as        D. as well as

35. A. Although        B. Because          C. Since           D. As

36. A. advanced        B. grew            C.  reduces        D.  multiplied

37. A. even            B. still            C. rather          D. fairly

38. A. asking          B. requesting        C. calling         D. demanding

39. A. change          B. turn            C. shift           D. transform

40. A. for            B. from            C. across          D. over