When one of the poorest countries in the Americas and a little-known Chinese businessman said they planned to undertake one of the biggest engineering projects in history, few people took them seriously.

A year and a half after the $50 billion project to build a canal across Nicaragua was launched by President Daniel Ortega, a former Marxist guerrilla, the doubts have only grown.

Work officially began this week. At events marking the start of what is meant to be a five- year job, "This is a project by the young, for the young," said Ortega Murillo at the ceremony. "That's why Nicaraguan youth today welcome Wang Jing, to fill him with the strength and the vitality to continue making progress towards the success of this great project."

Supporters point to Monday's start as evidence that the plan is on schedule. At 172 miles (278 km), the waterway is over three times the length of the 100-year-old Panama Canal. "This project,  3      includes the construction of an airport, two ports, highways and the Grand Canal, will benefit Nicaraguans on a scale that we can't even calculate right now," "If the Chinese government is behind this project, it has to be responsible for everything," said an official from Taiwan's embassy in Nicaragua, speaking on condition of anonymity. 

China's involvement would be a direct challenge to the United States, which controlled the Panama Canal until 1999.

Regardless of whether the canal is built, China's presence in Central America looks likely to be strengthened." The aim is the canal," said Cruz, the ex-ambassador. "But even if they only build a Caribbean port, this country will have achieved something it hasn't managed in 500 years."

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1.Which country will built the Nicaragua Canal?

A America

B China

C Japan

D Germany

解析：选B。B 细节理解题。根据文章第一段第二句“When one of the poorest countries in the Americas and a little-known Chinese businessman said they planned to undertake one of the biggest engineering projects in history”可知。

2.How long is the Nicaragua Canal?

A 172 miles

B 278 miles

C 516 miles

D 734 miles

解析：选A。A 细节理解题。根据文章第四段第二句“At 172 miles (278 km), the waterway is over three times the length of the 100-year-old Panama Canal.”可知。

3.You can fill the blanks with the word_______.

A that

B what

C which

D where

解析：选C。C 词义辨析题。根据文章第四段“includes the construction of an airport, two ports, highways and the Grand Canal” 可知，它是一个非限制性定语从句，故选C。

4.Which of the following is not true according to the passage?

A Americans controlled the Panama Canal for a long time.

B This project will cost about 5 years.

C The project will include an airport and the other constructions.

D Few people will support this project.

解析：选D。D 推理判断题。根据第四段的第一句“Supporters point to Monday's start as evidence that the plan is on schedule.”可知。

5.What does the last passage mainly tell us?

A The United States will destroy the project.

B It is a big project that is not easy to build.

C Dig a canal across Nicaragua could be a very bad idea.

D Nicaragua will not get any benefit from the project.

解析：选B。B 推理判断题。 最后一段“But even if they only build a Caribbean port, this country will have achieved something it hasn't managed in 500 years."可知，建设这样的一条运河，实非易事。