WinstonChurchilloncedescribedRussiaas“ariddlewrappedinamystery（谜）insideapuzzle”.ObserversofRussiainthe21stcenturycouldsurelysaythesameofthecountry’spresidentVladimirPutin.

BorninLeningradsixmonthsbeforethedeathofStalintheyoungPutinexperiencedapoverty-strickenchildhoodbutreceivedagoodeducation.HedevelopedlifelonginterestsinjudoandspynovelsandfirstappliedtotheKGB(苏联国家安全委员会)attheageof17.Whentheytoldhimtogoawayandcomebackwithadegreehecompletedwithanefficiency(效率)thatwouldlaterservehimwell.

PutinusedhisKGBtrainingplushisowndisciplineandcommonsenseinaseriesofjobs.HebecameactingPresidenton31December1999whenpresidentBorisYeltsinresignedinasurprisingmove.Putinwonthe2000presidentialelectionandin2004hewasre-electedforasecondtermlastinguntil7May2008.

DuetotermlimitsPutinwasunabletorunforathirdpresidentialterm.Afterthevictoryof DmitryMedvedevinthe2008presidentialelectionshewasappointedtobeRussia’sPrimeMinister.

Putinisregardedasonebringingpoliticalstabilityandre-establishingtheruleoflaw.DuringhispresidencyRussia’seconomy(经济)bouncedbackseeingGDPincreaseby72%povertycutmorethanhalfandaveragemonthlysalariesincreasefrom$80to$640.AnalystshavedescribedPutin'seconomicreformsasimpressive.AtthesametimehisconductinofficehasbeenquestionedbypoliticaloppositionathomeforeigngovernmentsandhumanrightsorganizationsforleadingtheSecondChechenWarandforhisrecordonhumanrightsandfreedoms.

WhetherhewantstodriveRussiaintoanewstageorbelievesinthevaluesofitsSovietpastheisdeterminedtoputhisnationbackonitsfeet.TodothisVladimirPutinmayhavetoshowhistruecolorssoonerratherthanlater.

小题1:Whatwouldbethebesttitleforthetext?A．TheMysteriousPresidentofRussiaB．Russia’sHigh-growthEconomyC．Russia’sFarPastandNearFutureD．ThePoliticalSituationinRussia小题2:WhichofthefollowinghelpsPutin’ssuccessinpresidentialelection?A．Hisfamilybackground.B．Hisbe