Page 15 - m reading 일부

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Reading Practice
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Conflict Diamonds

Africa is home to some of the poorest nations in the world. Ironically, many of the poorest
nations in Africa hold some of the world’s greatest natural resources. Sierra Leone, Liberia, Angola,

and Congo are all rich in diamonds, but most of the citizens in these nations live lives of poverty
and fear. This is true because in each case, the nation’s wealth of natural resources has helped to
5 • fuel conflicts which are both brutal and bloody. Both rebel groups and the governments in these

nations use the profits from diamond sales to buy weapons and supply their armies, and the
conflicts are now essentially fought over the control of the diamond trade. In such situations, the
citizens of these nations are the victims. Not only are many innocent people killed in the fighting,

the conflict also prevents the country from developing. Schools are destroyed and not rebuilt,
10 • and clean water and electricity are often lacking. Without such basic services, disease and hunger
spread throughout the country.

While the governments and the rebels who actually do the
fighting hold much of the responsibility for the suffering of their

citizens, developed countries are also to blame. The diamonds
15 • from these countries, often called conflict diamonds, are sold
in jewelry shops across Europe and the United States. The

money from these diamond sales simply ensures that the wars
will continue. In an effort to stop this, the United Nations has

passed agreements under which advanced nations agree not to
20 • buy diamonds from conflict areas. This way, these terrible wars will
perhaps come to an end.

22 M TOEFL READING