Barack Obama ‘surprised’ and ‘humbled’ by Nobel Peace Prize-Elementary level

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Barack Obama ‘surprised’ and ‘humbled’ by Nobel Peace Prize
Level 1 Elementary
1 Key words
Fill the gaps in the sentences using these key words from the text.
sceptical deadline escalate charity inspired

breakthrough stable challenge confrontation disarmament
1. A ____________________ is a discovery or achievement that comes after a lot of hard work.
2. ____________________ is a situation in which people or groups are arguing angrily or fighting.
3. A ____________________ is a specific time or date by which you have to do something.
4. ____________________ is a process by which a country reduces or gets rid of its weapons.
5. If people are ____________________ about something that other people think is true or right, they express
doubts about it.
6. A ____________________ is a task that needs a lot of skill, energy and determination to achieve.
7. A ____________________ country is one that is peaceful and in which the situation doesn’t change suddenly
or become worse.
8. If you ____________________ a situation, you make it worse or more serious.
9. A ____________________ is an organization to which you give money so that it can help people who are poor
or ill.
10. If something is ____________________, it is very special or impressive.
2 Find the information
Look in the text and find the following information as quickly as possible.
1. How long has Barack Obama been US president?
2. How much money comes with the Nobel Peace Prize?
3. In which country is the Nobel Peace Prize Committee based?
4. Where did Barack Obama make his speech to the Muslim world?
5. Who is Mahmoud Ahmadinejad?
6. When did Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson win the Nobel Peace Prize?
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©N EMWacSm LiEllSanS OPuNbSli s/ hBearsra Lcktd O 2b0a0m9a ‘surprised’ and ‘humbled’ by Nobel Peace Prize / Elementary •PHCOATN OBFE CRDOOOMP WINWALEOBBSAIDTEED
Barack Obama ‘surprised’ and ‘humbled’ by Nobel Peace Prize
Level 1 Elementary
Barack Obama ‘surprised’ and angry debate in the US where Republicans
‘humbled’ by Nobel Peace Prize said he had not done anything to deserve the
award and called it a political statement. Some
Chris McGreal in Washington and Gwladys
conservative talk show hosts described the
Fouché in Oslo
award as an insult to the former president,
9 October, 2009
George Bush, rather than for any particular
1 Barack Obama was as surprised as most of achievements by Obama. “This is crazy,” said
America, and much of the world, when he radio host, Mike Gallagher, on Fox News. “It’s
heard he had won the Nobel Peace Prize. He all about President Bush. That’s the reason for
has been president for just nine months and the Nobel Peace Prize. It’s because Obama
he is still deciding whether to escalate the war doesn’t act like a cowboy.”
in Afghanistan. The Nobel Committee said it
6 The Norwegian Nobel Committee said that it
chose Obama “for his extraordinary efforts
was not too early to award Obama the Prize.
to strengthen international diplomacy and
They highlighted his speech to the Muslim world
cooperation between peoples” and for creating
in Cairo and his attempts to start the Israeli-
“a new international climate”.
Palestinian peace process, his emphasis on
2 “It is very rare for someone to capture the dialogue over confrontation in international
world’s attention and give its people hope for a diplomacy and his commitment to nuclear
better future like Obama has,” the Committee disarmament. “We want to emphasize that he
said in a statement. “His diplomacy is based on has already made significant changes,” said
the idea that people who lead the world must the Committee secretary, Geir Lundestad. “All
lead it on the basis of values and attitudes that these things have already taken place and this
the majority of the world’s population has already had a very significant impact on
also share.” international relations.”
3 Obama recognized that many people were 7 The former UN secretary general, Kofi Annan,
sceptical about giving the Prize to a president described the award as an “unexpected
who had been in office less than two weeks but inspired choice”. A Taliban spokesman,
when the deadline for nominations passed. Zabihullah Mujahid, thought differently. “He has
Critics said that Obama has not yet achieved not taken a single step for peace in Afghanistan
any significant breakthroughs in his attempts or to make this country stable ... We think this
to promote Middle East peace or stop Iran’s year’s Peace Prize is unfair,” he said. The
nuclear plans and he is still running a major war Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, said
in Afghanistan. “I do not feel that I deserve to he was “not upset” by the award.
be in the company of so many important figures
8 It is not certain whether the award of the Prize
that have won this Prize in the past,”
will strengthen Obama’s position or weaken it
the president said.
in the United States, where many people are
4 But Obama said he would accept the Prize as a critical of weakness in international affairs.
recognition of the struggles of others for peace, Many conservatives expect the US president
and said it must be “shared by everyone who to confront unfriendly foreigners who cannot
works for justice and dignity”.“I will accept this be trusted. Obama has received the award at a
award as a call to action, a call to all nations, to time when he is under pressure from US military
meet the challenges of the twenty-first century,” leaders to send tens of thousands more troops
he said. He will give to charity the $1.4m to Afghanistan and when his national security
(£880,000) cash award that comes with advisers are telling him he should hunt al-Qaida
the Prize. in Pakistan.
5 In the middle of the official congratulations 9 The chairman of the Prize Committee said the
from the rest of the world, the Prize led to an war in Afghanistan does not affect the award.
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©N EMWacSm LiEllSanS OPuNbSli s/ hBearsra Lcktd O 2b0a0m9a ‘surprised’ and ‘humbled’ by Nobel Peace Prize / Elementary •PHCOATN OBFE CRDOOOMP WINWALEOBBSAIDTEED
Barack Obama ‘surprised’ and ‘humbled’ by Nobel Peace Prize
Level 1 Elementary
“The situation in Afghanistan is very difficult but 10 Obama is only the third sitting president to win
we cannot ignore all the other positive things the Prize, with the others awarded to Theodore
he [Obama] is trying to do,” he said. The award Roosevelt in 1906 and Woodrow Wilson
also surprised many liberals who have become in 1919.
more and more critical of Obama for failing to
© Guardian News & Media 2009
close Guantánamo Bay and make changes in
First published in The Guardian, 09/10/09
American politics such as recognition of

gay rights.
3 Comprehension check
Match the beginnings with the endings to make sentences about the text.
1. President Obama did not expect … a. … a political statement.
2. He is planning … b. … win the Nobel Peace Prize.
3. His critics say that he did not deserve to … c. … his failure to close Guantánamo Bay.
4. The Prize Committee said it was for … d. … to win the Nobel Peace Prize.
5. Some talk show hosts described the award as … e. … his work in international diplomacy.
6. Some liberals have criticized Obama for … f. … to give all the money to charity.
4 Chunks
Rearrange the words to make phrases from the text.
1. just for months nine
2. the population of the world’s majority
3. two than weeks less
4. rest world the of the
5. challenges of the the century twenty-first
6. on significant relations a international impact
5 Prepositions
Complete the phrases using prepositions. Check your answers in the text.
1. hope _______ a better future
2. on the basis _______ values
3. sceptical _______ awarding the Prize
4. the deadline _______ nominations
5. his emphasis _______ dialogue
6. critical _______ weakness
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©N EMWacSm LiEllSanS OPuNbSli s/ hBearsra Lcktd O 2b0a0m9a ‘surprised’ and ‘humbled’ by Nobel Peace Prize / Elementary •PHCOATN OBFE CRDOOOMP WINWALEOBBSAIDTEED
Barack Obama ‘surprised’ and ‘humbled’ by Nobel Peace Prize
Level 1 Elementary
6 Two-word expressions
Match the words in the left-hand column with those in the right-hand column to make expressions from the
text
1. international a. process
2. nuclear b. adviser
3. political c. diplomacy
4. peace d. statement
5. talk e. disarmament
6. security f. show

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©N EMWacSm LiEllSanS OPuNbSli s/ hBearsra Lcktd O 2b0a0m9a ‘surprised’ and ‘humbled’ by Nobel Peace Prize / Elementary •PHCOATN OBFE CRDOOOMP WINWALEOBBSAIDTEED
Barack Obama ‘surprised’ and ‘humbled’ by Nobel Peace Prize
Level 1 Elementary
KEY
4 Chunks
1 Key words
1. for just nine months
1. breakthrough 2. the majority of the world’s population
2. Confrontation 3. less than two weeks
3. deadline 4. the rest of the world
4. Disarmament 5. the challenges of the twenty-first century
5. sceptical 6. a significant impact on international relations
6. challenge
7. stable
8. escalate 5 Prepositions
9. charity
10. inspired 1. for
2. of
3. about
2 Find the information 4. for
5. on
1. nine months 6. of
2. $1.4m (£880,000)
3. Norway
4. Cairo 6 Two-word expressions
5. the president of Iran
6. 1906 and 1919 1. c
2. e
3. d
3 Comprehension check 4. a
5. f
1. d 6. b
2. f
3. b
4. e
5. a
6. c
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©N EMWacSm LiEllSanS OPuNbSli s/ hBearsra Lcktd O 2b0a0m9a ‘surprised’ and ‘humbled’ by Nobel Peace Prize / Elementary •PHCOATN OBFE CRDOOOMP WINWALEOBBSAIDTEED