A.
READING COMPREHENSION
ENGLISH WRITTEN TEST – CLASS 12 A
Tawakkol Karman, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Leymah Gbowee
win Nobel Peace Prize
The Nobel Peace Prize for 2011 was awarded to three influential
women from Africa and the Middle East, a decision intended to
draw attention to the suppression of women’s rights around
the world and spur their fight for greater equality.
The winners were Tawakkol Karman, a leading figure in Yemen,
who inspired thousands of women to rise up in a region where
women are considered second-class citizens; Liberian President
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the first elected female president in post-
colonial Africa; and peace activist Leymah Gbowee, from the
same country.
This year’s award arrives as women in Africa and the Middle
East find themselves at a crossroads, trying to break away from
a history of restrictions fueled by culture and traditions. While
women have become more visible in government and social
activism, deep challenges remain in many areas, including
education, employment and access to health care.
Tawakkol Karman called the award “a victory for our revolution,
for our methods, for our struggle, for all Yemeni youth, and all
the youth in the Arab world. This will give the people more
strength. Peace is the only way to make a new Yemen,” she
said. Her activism is all the more unusual because it is happening
in patriarchal, deeply conservative Yemen, where women face
restrictions and are often treated violently.
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has been involved in Liberian politics for
more than 30 years. As Liberia’s president, she worked fervently
to promote development in her country and the rights of
women and girls. “We are now going into our ninth year of
peace, and every Liberian has contributed to it,” she said. “We
particularly give this credit to Liberian women, who have
consistently led the struggle for peace, even under conditions
of neglect.”
Leymah Gbowee, the other Liberian laureate, organized Muslim
and Christian women who, wearing white T-shirts,
demonstrated together in large numbers. They were
instrumental in bringing an end to Liberia’s civil war in 2003.
Gbowee now heads the Women Peace and Security Network
Africa. “I’m shocked, I’m numb, I’m still really feeling like it’s all
a dream to me,” said Gbowee. “There is no way we can
negotiate peace and security if we leave out the women of the
world. So there is naturally still a long way to go.”
https://www.washingtonpost.com (abridged and adapted)
4. Find equivalents in the text for the words/expressions below.
a) encourage, stimulate b) rebel, revolt
d) increased, made stronger e) ruled or controlled by men
g) very important, crucial h) exclude
5. Briefly explain what Leymah Gbowee’s feelings are when she says: “I’m shocked, I’m numb, I’m still
really feeling like it’s all a dream to me.”
Read the text and do the tasks below.
1. Match the names of the Nobel Peace
Prize winners with the corresponding
statements. Three do not apply.
(a) Tawakkol Karman
(b) Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
(c) Leymah Gbowee
(1) thinks that, despite the difficult conditions
women have endured, they have never given
up on fighting for peace.
(2) considers that peace is the sole solution
for her country.
(3) fights for religious freedom in Africa.
(4) thinks equality for all women is still far
from being achieved.
(5) is the head of state of her country.
(6) confesses that her achievements have not
transferred into people's everyday lives.
(7) managed to unite women with different
religious beliefs.
(8) has taken an active part in politics for
some decades now.
(9) enabled women to be part of the decision-
making process in her country.
(10) believes the prize will encourage people’s
commitment.
2. Complete the following sentences using
information from the text.
a) According to Ellen Sirleaf, this period of
non-violence in her country is due to Liberian
women’s ___.
b) Gbowee thinks that negotiations for peace
and security ___ unless women are included.
3. Identify what the underlined words refer
to in the text.
a) “a decision”
b) “the same country”
c) “this credit”
c) escape
f) passionately
 B. VOCABULARY

Complete the following text about the importance of women in the world with seven words from
the box below. Use each word only once. Write only the letters and the numbers.
Women are doctors, farmers, engineers, business executives, taxi drivers, architects, 1) providers
authors, journalists. They _____a_)____ their countries by being teachers, politicians 2) disobedience
and soldiers; and, in many cases, they are also _____b_)____ for their families. 3) stem
Despite all this, in many places, women are still victimised because some people 4) lack
believe in women’s _____c_)____ to men. 5) exist
The problems for women in the developing world _____d_)____ not just from 6) inferiority
tradition but also from conflict, poverty and the _____e_)____ of basic health and 7) balance
educational facilities. 8) helpers
Addressing the _____f)_____ of women in the developing world and increasing their 9) serve
participation in the management of their societies would make an impact. Gender 10) unequal
_____g_)____ is essential for the development of any society. Women are important. 11) needs
Without them, no nation can progress.

C. GRAMMAR
1. Read the sentences below and decide which verb best fits each gap using either the gerund or
the infinitive. Three do not apply. Write only the letters and the corresponding answer.

fight ● prove ● learn ● see ● accept ● feel ● end ● give

a) Every minority expects ___ their culture and values respected.

b) It’s totally unacceptable ___ (not) people the chance to express themselves freely.
c) I can’t help ___ upset, when I hear about women trafficking.
d) Many women still struggle ___ their worthiness.
e) ___ intolerance implies admitting that human beings are not born equal.

2. Rewrite the following sentences as started without changing their meaning.

a) It’s not very common to see a woman being elected president of a country. Seldom …
b) There is no way they can work out a long-lasting peace treaty. Under no circumstance …

3. Complete the following text about discrimination with words formed from the ones given in
brackets. Write only the letters and the corresponding words.

Discrimination can be defined as any ____a_)___ (exclude) or preference which is based on the grounds
of racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, ____b_)___ (ability), age, sex or sexual orientation; and
which has the purpose of denying the recognition or exercise by all persons of all rights and freedoms.
Discrimination can be open and direct, as when qualified people are treated badly or ____c_)___ (fair)
simply because they are of a certain race or ethnic origin. However, it can also take more subtle forms
when an apparently unbiased condition is in fact ____d_)___ (favour) to a person or group of people.

D. WRITING

Using about 200 words and bearing in mind The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR),
write an exposition on the following by Jeff Bingaman, an American politician. Remember to
include a thesis, different supporting arguments and a restatement of your position on the issue at
the end.

“I support concrete and progressive immigration reform based on three primary criteria: family
reunification, economic contributions and humanitarian concerns”.
CORRECTION
A.
1. (a) – (2); (10) (b) – (1); (5); (8) (c) – (4); (7)

2. a) … struggle/fight for peace. b) … will never succeed/ be successful

3.
a) awarding the Nobel Prize to three women (from Africa and the Middle East)
b) Liberia
c) (going into) the ninth year of peace / nine years of peace

4. a) spur
b) rise up
c) break away
d) fueled
e) patriarchal
f) fervently
g) instrumental
h) leave out

5. She feels very surprised and can’t believe it.

B
a) – 9) b) – 1) c) – 6) d) – 3) e) – 4) f) – 11) g) – 7)

C.
1.
a) to see b) not to give c) feeling d) to prove e) accepting

2.
a) Seldom do we see a woman being elected president of a country.
b) Under no circumstances can they work out a long-lasting peace treaty.

3.
a) – exclusion
b) – disability
c) – (un)fairly
d) – (un)favourable