Nicolas Sarkozy has been detained for questioning in one of corruption investigations. The former French president arrived early on Tuesday to be questioned by investigators at their offices in Nanterre, west of Paris, over accusations of influence-peddling in connection with France’s highest court.

The detention follows the arrest on Monday of two senior magistrates and Mr Sarkozy’s lawyer. 

Investigators are seeking to establish whether Mr Sarkozy, with the help of his lawyer Thierry Herzog, attempted to pervert the course of justice in a case, which had the possibility to place the ex-president in jail. 

They suspect Sarkozy, 59, sought to obtain inside information from one of the magistrates about the progress of another investigation. He was informed that his mobile phone had been tapped by judges looking into the supposed financing of his 2007 election campaign by former Libyan dictator Moamer Gaddafi.

Mr Sarkozy’s detention will likely damage his hopes of making a political comeback in time for the next presidential campaign in 2017.

Mr Sarkozy is supposed to have been helped in his 2007 presidential campaign victory with up to €50 million (£40m) provided by Gaddafi as well as huge amounts of cash from France’s richest woman, L'Oréal heiress Liliane Bettencourt. But he has declared the Gaddafi claims to be ridiculous and was last year cleared of taking Bettencourt's money when she was too weak to know what she was doing. His campaign treasurer is one of ten people awaiting trial in that case.

Investigators are also examining claims that, while president, Mr Sarkozy influenced a settlement procedure which resulted in businessman Bernard Tapie receiving €400 million from the state. The Tapie payout, it is supposed, was organized in return for political support in 2007.

Sarkozy has been concerned with a number of other scandals which are still being investigated. The most serious of these centers on an accusation that he helped organize kickbacks from a Pakistani arms deal to finance the 1995 presidential campaign of former premier Edouard Balladur.

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1.Why was Nicolas Sarkozy, the former French president, detained on Tuesday?

A Because he wanted to throw the president into prison.

B Because he was involved in an arms deal.

C Because he used his power as president to get profit for himself.

D Because he wanted to get inside information through a magistrate.

解析：选C。细节理解题。根据文章第一段…over accusations of influence-peddling…，结合下文可知，萨科齐因为任职期间以权谋私而受到指控，目前被警方拘留。

2.What can we infer from the passage?

A Sarkozy plans to take part in the presidential election in 2017.

B Sarkozy supported former Libyan dictator Moamer Gaddafi financially.

C Liliane Bettencourt bribed Sarkozy with kickbacks.

D The court believed that Sarkozy won the 2007 election disgracefully.

解析：选A。推理判断题。根据文章第五段…damage his hopes of making a political comeback in time for the next presidential campaign in 2017，由此判断，萨科齐原打算2017年参加总统竞选，重回政治舞台。

3.What was the result of Mr Sarkozy to influence a settlement procedure?

A Bernard Tapie got rich with the money he received.

B Bernard Tapie supported Mr Sarkozy politically in 2007.

C Sarkozy got kickbacks from the money Bernard Tapie received.

D Sarkozy got the money himself to support his 2007 campaign.

解析：选B。细节理解题。根据文章第七段The Tapie payout, it is supposed, was organized in return for political support in 2007.即Tapie用他从萨科齐那里得来的钱资助他在2007年的大选。

4.Who gives Mr Sarkozy legal advice according to the passage?

A Edouard Balladur.

B Moamer Gaddafi.

C Bernard Tapie.

D Thierry Herzog.

解析：选D。细节理解题。根据文章第三段with the help of his lawyer Thierry Herzog可知，萨科齐的律师是Thierry Herzog。

5.What can be the best title of the passage?

A French Former President Detained for Corruption

B Mr Sarkozy Plans to Come Back for 2017 Election

C Mr Sarkozy Got Financial Support from Libyan Dictator Gaddafi

D Mr Sarkozy was Accused of Power Abuse

解析：选A。主旨大意题。通读全文可知，文章报道了萨科齐因贪腐而被拘留的消息，故选A。