The year is 2040. Global oil reserves have dwindled to a critical low, triggering a cascade of economic and political crises. Nation A, a major oil importer, faces crippling energy shortages, leading to widespread social unrest. Amidst the chaos, allegations of bribery and corruption within the government surface, implicating high-ranking officials in deals with questionable energy companies. These accusations are met with fierce resistance from the ruling party, which uses its control over state media to suppress dissenting voices and portray the allegations as foreign interference. Meanwhile, a small group of investigative journalists, risking imprisonment under newly enacted restrictive media laws, doggedly pursues the truth. They publish their findings online, circumventing state censorship through encrypted platforms. Their reports detail the intricate web of corruption, linking the energy crisis to the government's deliberate mismanagement of national resources and its collusion with private entities seeking to maximize profits. The resulting public outcry forces an international investigation, revealing not only the scale of the bribery but also the government's systematic violation of freedom of expression. The journalists' work highlights the complex interplay between economic vulnerability, political corruption, and the suppression of free speech. The scarcity of oil has exacerbated existing power imbalances, enabling the government to exploit the crisis for its own gain. The fight for information, for the truth, becomes intertwined with the struggle for economic stability and political accountability. The international community grapples with the question of how to balance its need for energy resources with its commitment to upholding democratic values and the rule of law. This case underscores the urgency of establishing robust mechanisms for transparency and accountability in government, and the critical role of a free press in holding power to account, especially in times of crisis.
1. What is the central conflict depicted in the passage?
2. How does the government of Nation A respond to accusations of corruption?
3. What role do the investigative journalists play in the narrative?
4. What is the passage's main point regarding the relationship between oil scarcity and freedom of expression?
5. Which of the following best describes the international community's dilemma as presented in the passage?