Argentina's first elected woman President

Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner won Argentina's Presidential elections and will take over as the country's first elected woman President from her husband, Nestor Kirchner. She won a clear victory with more than 40% of the vote - enough to avoid a second round of voting. Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner called her victory a triumph for all Argentines. Addressing supporters at her campaign headquarters in a hotel in Buenos Aires, she urged the whole of society to work together. A country, she said, could not be built by a government alone. Mrs Kirchner also thanked her husband, Nestor, who she will replace as President, before being drowned out by the cheering crowd. With more than forty percent of the vote she's won an outright victory with no need for a second round next month. The former economy minister, Roberto Lavagna, finished a distant second, and the ex-beauty queen, Elisa Carrio, was third. Some of the candidates alleged fraud but the official results merely confirmed what the opinion polls had been saying for several months - that Cristina Kirchner would be the first elected woman president of Argentina.

Part A. Reading Comprehension. I. Answer the following questions using your own words but taking into account the information in the text. (2 points: 1 point each) a) What did Cristina Kirchner tell supporters at her campaign headquarters? b) What has Cristina Kirchner won with more than 40% of the vote?

II. Are the following statements true (T) or false (F)? Identify the part of the text that supports your answer. (1.5 point: 0.5 each) a. Nestor Kirchner was President before Cristina. b. Cristina Kirchner is not the first elected woman president of Argentina. c. Cristina is Nestor Kirchners sister.

III. Find a synonym for each of the four words below from these six options: (1 point: 0.25 each) outright merely triumph urged headquarters drowned out

a) purely b) great success c) strongly advised d) complete

IV. Choose a, b, or c, in each question below. Only one choice is correct (1.5 points: 0.5 each) 1. With more than forty percent Cristina Kirchner a) has won the right to vote. b) does not need a second round. c) has got the vote of the right. 2. The official results merely confirmed a) Cristina Kirchners victory. b) Cristina Kirchners opinion. c) what Cristina Kirchner had been saying for months. 3. Some of the candidates a) were not happy with the results. b) confirmed what the opinion polls had been saying. c) were ex-beauty queens.

Part B. Composition (130-150 words approximately). Choose one of the following topics. (4 points) 1. What do you think of politics? (OPINION) 2. What are the (ARGUMENTATIVE) advantages and disadvantages of being a politician?

3. Describe a Spanish politician (DESCRIPTION)

4. What can we do to encourage young Spanish people to vote in the next General Elections (PROBLEM SOLVING) ************************************************

POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS I. Answer the following questions using your own words but taking into account the information in the text (2 points: 1 point each) a) What did Cristina Kirchner tell supporters at her campaign headquarters? She told supporters to work together because a country could not be built by a government alone. She told supporters that it was important to work together in order to build a country She told supporters that a government could not build a country alone (by itself / on its own)

b) What has Cristina Kirchner won with more than 40% of the vote? She has avoided a second round of voting She has managed to avoid a second round of voting She does not need a second vote She has won the elections without needing a second vote

II. Are the following statements true (T) or false (F)? Identify the part of the text that supports your answer. (1.5 point: 0.5 each) a. Nestor Kirchner was President before Cristina. T Nestor, who she will replace as President b. Cristina Kirchner is not the first elected woman president of Argentina. F will take over as the country's first elected woman President c. Cristina is Nestor Kirchners sister F Mrs Kirchner also thanked her husband, Nestor

III. Find a synonym for each of the four words below from these six options: (1 point: 0.25 each) a) purely (merely) b) great success (triumph) c) strongly advised (urged) d) complete (outright)

IV. Choose a, b, or c, in each question below. Only one choice is correct (1.5 points: 0.5 each) 1. With more than forty percent Cristina Kirchner B b) does not need a second round. 2. The official results merely confirmed A a) Cristina Kirchners victory. 3. Some of the candidates A a) were not happy with the results