Ⅳ. Reading Comprehension         Since Russia launched a full-scale military invasion into Ukraine on February 24, 2022, fightinghas caused many civilian deaths and pushed Ukrainians to flee to neighboring countries—the majority ofwhom have arrived in Poland, a NATO country where U.S. troops are preparing to offer assistance torefugees. 

       In December 2021, Russia’s foreign ministry issued a set of demands calling for the United Statesand the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to cease any military activity in Eastern Europe andCentral Asia, to commit against further NATO expansion toward Russia, and to prevent Ukraine fromjoining NATO in the future. The United States and other NATO allies rejected these demands.       In early February 2022, U.S. President Joe Biden ordered around 3,000 U.S. troops be deployed toPoland and Romania to counter Russian troops. Negotiations between the United States, Russia, andEuropean powers—including France and Germany—did not result in a resolution.        In late February 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered troops to Luhansk and Donetsk,separatist regions in Eastern Ukraine, claiming the troops served a “peacekeeping” function. On February24, Putin announced the beginning of a full-scale land, sea, and air invasion of Ukraine. Biden has sinceissued severe sanctions, in coordination with European allies, targeting four of Russia’s largest banks, itsoil and gas industry, and U.S. technology exports to the country.        In an emergency United Nations session, 141 of 193 member states voted to condemn Russia’sinvasion of Ukraine and demanded that Russia immediately cease its use of force in Ukraine. The UnitedStates has banned U.S. imports of Russian oil and natural gas. The U.S., following Ukrainian PresidentVolodymyr Zelenskyy’s address to Congress, announced an additional $800 million in military assistance.  Biden also ordered 7,000 U.S. troops to move to Germany. Direct negotiations between Russia andUkraine have continued. Meanwhile, Ukrainian military assets, urban residential areas, communicationand transportation infrastructure, and hospitals have sustained shelling and bombing attacks. Civilianshave been facing a humanitarian crisis with acute shortages of food, water, and heat. Background       Armed conflict in eastern Ukraine erupted in early 2014. The previous year, protests againstUkrainian President Viktor Yanukovych’s decision to reject a deal for greater economic integration withthe European Union (EU) were met with a violent crackdown. The protests widened, escalating theconflict.
       In March 2014, Russian troops took control of Ukraine’s Crimea region. Vladimir Putin cited theneed to protect the rights of Russian citizens, and then formally annexed the peninsula after Crimeansvoted to join the Russian Federation in a disputed local referendum. Two months later, pro-Russianseparatists in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of eastern Ukraine held a referendum to declareindependence from Ukraine. Armed conflict in the region quickly broke out between Russian-backedforces and the Ukrainian military. 

【題組】36. According to the report, which of the following is NOT a reason for Russia’s invasion intoUkraine?
(A) The conflict between the forces supported by Russia and Ukrainian military in easternUkraine.
(B) Russia’s unwillingness about Ukraine’s possibility of participating in NATO.
(C) The U.S.’s and NATO’s military activity in Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
(D) Poland’s humanitarian assistance to a great number of Ukrainian refugees.