3、Today I find myself in one of the safest cities in the world, Singapore. But the truth is, even here in Singapore, security cannot be taken for granted. It is a small nation that has no natural resources to speak of, even something as basic as water is constantly threatened to be cut off by Malaysia. Months after the September 11^th attacks on US oil, a plot to bomb American soldiers near their military base in Singapore was uncovered by the local authorities.

The United Nations has tried for more than half a century to architect peace for the world. But it has clearly failed. The grand horrors of the World Wars may have stopped but only in the forms they had existed before. When the enemy is unseen and there are no front lines, have we in fact created a more peaceful and secure place?

Where have we gone wrong? Perhaps it is because the international body has never understood that peace was, is, and will never be something it can manage. Not recognizing this truth, the methods it provides are often short-lived and some even dangerous. Solutions for threatening situations tend to require the countries to carry out economic and political reforms so that they will become idealized democratic society like America or Britain. The UN fails to consider that hundreds of years of evolution gave rise to these strong democracies. So the result is further chaos and corruption, worse for all.

Actually, an international organization or a government cannot possess peace to give away, but there are those who do possess it. Those who own peace are us, as individuals who cherish life, not our own but all others'. The act of achieving peace lies in us when we choose to respect social and cultural differences and appreciate that all our lives are fragile.

 

41. The author mentions Singapore to point out that_____.

A. Singapore isn't rich in natural resources

B. Singapore was involved in catching those who launched the September 11th attack

C. Singapore also has problems with security

D. Malaysia possesses a threat to Singapore

42. Why hasn't the UN created peace for the world?

A. Because it hasn’t won the recognition of the world.

B. Because it hasn't found solutions yet.

C. Because it has relied too much on America.

D. Because it has a wrong concept of peace.

43. Who takes the responsibility to bring peace and security to the world?

A. The individuals.

B. The governments.

C. The international bodies.

D. The democratic countries.

44. It can be inferred from the passage that_____.

A. political and economic reforms cause less terrible results

B. democracy is a long process

C. the horrors of World War don't exist.

D. those who value their lives possess peace

45. The purpose of the passage is to show us_____.

A. the UN plays an important role in the world-peace keeping

B. security is a growing problem in the world

C. human beings can achieve peace by cherishing and respecting others

D. the UN is responsible for the trouble of some countries