A. Serious social disorder. B. Military overthrow by army officers. C. Fierce international political and economic competition. D. Struggle between modernization and the sentiments of tradition. 参考答案:D 答案解析:这个短语的原意是拔河比赛,也可以指互有胜负的激烈的竞争。在这里就可以理解为struggle,见文中最后一段。