Read the following text. Choose the best word(s) for each numbered blank
and mark A,B,C or D on ANSWER SHEET 1(10 points)
FOREIGN financiers mouthing off about the legal wars they will unleash to
recover bad debts in Russia rarely mean much. The expense of a lawsuit 1 the
satisfaction; the chances of getting any money are 2 .
Yet Noga, a company owned by Nessim Gaon, a 78-year-old businessman 3 in
Geneva, has been suing the Russian government since 1993, attempting to 4
Russian assets abroad. At Mr Gaon\'s request, bailiffs last week very nearly 5
two of Russia\'s most advanced warplanes at the Paris air 6 . The organisers 7
off the Russian authorities, and the planes flew home, just 8 time. 9
near-misses include a sail-training ship, the Sedov, nuclear- waste shipments,
and the president\'s plane.
Mr Gaon, whose previous business partners include regimes in Nigeria and
Sudan, put an 10 clause in his original export deals: Russia must waive its
sovereign immunity. An arbitration court in Stockholm has found in his 11 , so
far, to the 12 of $110m, out of a total 13 of $420m. Other courts 14 the world
have let him have a 15 at any Russian assets 16 reach.
The odd thing is 17 Russia, now awash with cash, does not simply pay up. Mr
Gaon says he was told at one point that a 10% 18 on the debt to someone high up
in the finance ministry would solve things. 19 off Mr Gaon costs much in legal
fees. Not accepting international judgments sits ill with the current Kremlin
line 20 the rule of law. Mr Gaon says his next move will be to seize Russia\'s
embassy in Paris.
1.A. outdoes B. outperform C. outshine D. outweighs
2.A. thin B. slim C. lean D.wiry
3.A. based B. found C.established D. set
4.A. grasp B.hold C. seize D. snatch
5.A. caught B seized C. grabbed D arrested
6.A. show B. exhibition C. display D. demonstration