Иностранный язык. Учебное пособие. Мартемьянова Н.В - 13 стр.

                                           13
For the USA dominated the economic life of an island by controlling, directly and
indirectly, the sugar industry and by preventing any dynamic modification of the
island’s one-crop economy. It defined clear and narrow limits on the island’s
political system. It tolerated the torture and terror by Cuba’s rulers. But it intervened
with economic and diplomatic pressure and with force of arms, when Cubans
threatened to transgress the economic and political restrictions established by
American leaders.
That sad result was not the result of malice, indifference, or ruthless and predatory
exploitation. American leaders did not conceive and excuse some dreadful
conspiracy. They believed deeply in the ideals they proclaimed, and they were
sincere in arguing that their policies would ultimately create a Cuba that would be
responsibly self-governed, economically prosperous, and socially stable and happy.
Precisely for those reasons, however, American diplomacy contained the
fundamental elements of tragedy. It held within itself several contradictory truths.
There was first the truth of American power. Measured in relative or absolute terms,
the USA has possessed overweening power in relation to Cuba.
There was secondly the truth that the use of that power failed to create in Cuba or in
its relationship with America a reality that enjoyed any persuasive correlation with
the ideals avowed as the objectives of the power.
A third truth resulted from that deployment and use of American power. Gradually,
but with increasing momentum, Cubans evolved a coalition of groups committed to
important changes in their society. In turn, that objective implied significant
modifications in Cuba’s relations with the USA.

Vocabulary Notes

I Match the meaning in column B with the right word in column A:

                    A                                       B
             1 eruption                             a aim, goal
             2 ultimatum                            b plot
             3 objectives                           c burst
             4 welfare                              d warning
             5 torture                              e cruelty
             6 transgress                           f limitations
             7 conspiracy                           g to declare
             8 restrictions                         h affluence
             9 to proclaim                          i alliance
             10 coalition                           j prosperity


II Insert the words from the column A in the gaps:
1. The demonstration … between the police and students.
2. On 3 August Belgium rejected the … and war was declared.