Famous Judge Wins Nobel Peace Prize
A South African judge wins the Nobel Peace Prize today. Her name is Navi Pillay. She is eighty-five years old. She works for international law. Some countries are angry about her work. But many friends are happy. She is in Germany now. She thinks the prize is a joke, but she is happy.
It is Friday, October 9, 2026. A woman wins a very big prize. Her name is Navanethem "Navi" Pillay. She is eighty-five years old. She comes from South Africa. She is a famous judge. She wins the Nobel Peace Prize today.
The Nobel Committee is in Norway. The committee leader is Jørgen Watne Frydnes. He speaks about Pillay. He says she works for peace. He says she works for international law. Many people are happy.
But some people are not happy. Pillay works on a big report. The report is about Israel and Gaza. The report says Israel does very bad things. Now, the government of Israel is angry. They do not like this prize. They say bad things about Pillay.
Pillay is not at home today. She is in Germany. She is at a palace in Nuremberg. Many friends are there. They clap for Pillay. Pillay is happy. She laughs. She says she is surprised. She thinks the prize is a joke. She wants to check the news.
Pillay is a very busy judge. She works for the United Nations. She works on a big case now. The case is about Myanmar. She helps many people there.
The Nobel Committee wants to call Pillay. But they cannot reach her. The leader speaks to the crowd. He says she must look at her phone. He wants her to answer.
Last year, a different person wins the prize. Her name is María Corina Machado. She is from Venezuela. This year, Pillay is the winner. People around the world are watching the news.
Take a position. Out loud, if you can.
Four ways to start. Pick one and try saying it before you scroll on.
Tip · Record yourself, use in a notebook, or practice with a language partner.
How old is Navanethem "Navi" Pillay?
Present Simple for Facts
We use the present simple tense to talk about facts, permanent situations, or states that are true now.
“She comes from South Africa.”
What to know · A1
Try saying this aloud
Scenario: You are telling a friend about a famous person you admire.
- 01“She comes from South Africa.”
- 02“She is a famous judge.”
- 03“She wins the Nobel Peace Prize today.”
Register tip · informal
🔑Key Phrases
This identifies the location of the organization that awards the prize.
The Nobel Committee is in Norway, but the winner is in Germany.
Expresses Pillay's initial disbelief upon hearing the news.
She thinks the prize is a joke because she is surprised.
Shows the negative reaction of some groups to the award.
They do not like this prize and they are very angry.
Article Audio — Kokoro TTS
Famous Judge Wins Nobel Peace Prize
💬Discussion Questions
Open-ended questions to talk or write about — alone, with a partner, or in class.
- 1
Do you like watching news about famous prizes?
Personal - 2
Why do people win peace prizes?
Opinion - 3
How do you feel when you receive a surprise gift or award?
Personal - 4
Is it important for judges to be famous?
Opinion - 5
What other big prizes do you know about?
Compare - 6
Do you think the news should focus more on happy events?
Opinion - 7
Why do some countries disagree about who should win awards?
Evaluate - 8
If you could give a prize to anyone, who would you choose?
Personal
News sourced from: CBS News →. LectoPress rewrites the facts as original graded-reader text for language learners.
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