1 . Directions: Complete the following passage by using the words in the box Each word can only be used once. Note that there is one word more than you need. (1’*7=7’)

A. executive B. substantially C. borders D. minority E. fiercely F. unrest G. efficient H. move

Ukraine, a nation whose history has experienced long periods of occupation from other countries, today wrestles(摔跤，全力应付)between war and peace, as well as between corruption and reform. The nation     1    the Black and Azov seas to the south and lies next to several Eastern European nations, including Russia.

Ukraine declared independence from the former Soviet Union in 1991. Its president is directly elected by voters. The prime minister is the head of the central government, which is separated along     2    , legislative and judicial branches.

The country’s post-Soviet political life has been controversial, disturbed by persistent charges of government corruption and fraud. Large-scale protests at the end of 2013 turned violent in 2014, leading to the ouster(罢免)of the government and     3    in the heavily ethnic Russian eastern regions of Ukraine. Russia annexed(抢占)the Crimea region of Ukraine in early 2014, a     4    by Moscow that has been widely criticized by the international community.

Ukraine joined into a free trade area at the beginning of 2016, and the World Bank noted that the country’s economy did begin to show signs of a weak recovery. A broader recovery has been held back, the World Bank says, by continuing conflict in the east and the need for reforms.

Ukraine entered a long-awaited agreement with the European Union in September 2017, a move that brings the country a step closer to the goal of joining the European Union and NATO.

Services, industry and agriculture are Ukraine’s three largest economic sectors. The nation     5    relies on natural gas imports from Russia to meet its energy needs. Agricultural production and energy consumption can be made more     6    , and in doing so Ukraine could play an important role in global food security, according to the World Bank. Culturally, Ukraine is influenced by Western and Central Europe, Russia to the east and by religion— the predominant faith in the country is Eastern Orthodoxy. The country has a rich history in literature, music, architecture and folk art, including “pysanky”, Ukrainian Easter eggs. Ethnic Ukrainians form the overwhelming majority of the country’s population, with ethnic Russians serving as the largest     7    group.

Ukraine is a member of major international and regional organizations, including the United Nations, the World Trade Organization, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the Commonwealth of Independent States.