Task 1
Directions: After reading the following passage, you will find 5 questions or unfinished statements, numbered 36 through 40. For each question or statement there are 4 choices marked A, B, C, and D. You should make the correct choice.
Relations between the United States and Colombia suffered for many years because of an incident involving the Republic of Panama. By the end of the Spanish-American War in 1898, many Americans felt that an easier and faster way was needed to get ships from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. Some people in the United States first believed that a canal across Nicaragua was the answer. However, President Theodore Roosevelt decided that a canal through Panama would be a better choice.
In order to build the canal, the United States had to negotiate a treaty with Colombia, which at that time controlled Panama. Roosevelt offered Colombia $10 million plus $250,000 a year for 99 years for a six-mile-wide strip of land across panama. Colombia rejected the United States' offer. This angered President Roosevelt, and negotiations with Colombia ended.
1903, a revolution broke out in Panama. United States ships were sent by President Roosevelt to protect Panamanian revolutionaries from Colombian forces. The revolution succeeded, and Panama declared its independence from Colombia. The United States then negotiated with the newly formed government and began to build the canal
According to the passage, it can be concluded that the United States ______.

A. wanted to build a canal because it was considering starting a war
B. felt that building a canal through Panama was worth the risk
C. believed that a canal through Nicaragua would be profitable
D. had lost the Spanish-American War