Problema 1 · Inglés PAU Castilla y León Ordinaria 2025

READ THE TEXT CAREFULLY, AND ANSWER THE FOUR QUESTIONS BELOW

ZELENSKY HAS LOST THE RACE FOR THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE AFTER BEING CLEAR FAVORITE

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has lost out on the Nobel Peace Prize, despite being a favorite. It was announced on X that the Norwegian Nobel Committee had decided to award the 2023 Nobel Peace Prize to Narges Mohammadi, an Iranian human-rights activist, for her fight against the oppression of women in Iran and her promotion of human rights and freedom for all. At that time she was serving a sentence of 10 years and 9 months, accused of propaganda against the Iranian state and actions against its national security.

Zelensky was a favorite to win the international prize, with some betting companies placing his chances of winning at +220 in the U.S. Speaking to CNN, Henrik Urdal, director of the Peace Research Institute Oslo, said many who take bets cynically pointed Zelensky for the award simply because his name is well-known. While betting houses may have placed the Ukrainian leader at the front of the pack, Nobel Prize experts were less convinced he would win. Dan Smith, director of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, told CNN: “It would be like saying in 1941 that (then British Prime Minister) Winston Churchill should get the Nobel Peace Prize. What he was doing at the time was trying to win a war. That’s what Zelensky is trying to do now.” “My view is, if and when he gets the chance to lead his country into peace, then he will probably get the award and be widely seen as a very worthy winner,” Smith added.

Announcing Mohammadi as the winner, Berit Reiss-Andersen, the chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee who announced the prize in Oslo, said: “This prize is first and foremost a recognition of the very important work of a whole movement in Iran with its undisputed leader, Narges Mohammadi. The impact of the prize is not for the Nobel committee to decide upon. We hope that it is an encouragement to continue the work in whichever form this movement finds to be fitting.” (Fragment adapted from Newsweek.)

1) ARE THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS TRUE OR FALSE? JUSTIFY YOUR ANSWER BY WRITING THE CORRESPONDING WORDS OR SENTENCES OF THE TEXT (2 POINTS; 0.5 POINTS EACH).

1.

The Nobel Committee has awarded the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize to Narges Mohammadi for her fight against the oppression of women in Iran.

TRUE

FALSE

2.

Some betting companies in US suggested that both Zelenski and Mohammadi had equal chances to win the Nobel Prize.

TRUE

FALSE

3.

Dan Smith thought that Zelenski would not receive the Prize because his country was still at war.

TRUE

FALSE

4.

The chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee hopes that the Prize will encourage the work in favour of peace in Ukraine.

TRUE

FALSE