阅读理解
A Nobel Prize is considered by most people one of the highest international honours a person can receive.As you know, the prizes were started by a Swede called Alfred Nobel.Alfred Nobel was born in Stockholm, the capital of Sweden, and lived from 1833 to 1896.
Alfred Nobel was a chemist and inventor.He made two important inventions, and so he became very rich.Although he was rich, Nobel was not a happy man.He never married or had children.Also, he was a sick man in a large part of his life.Nobel died at the age of sixty-three.When he died, he left a fund of $9, 000, 000.The money was to be used in giving prizes to those who made outstanding achievements in physics, chemistry, medicine, literature and the promotion of world peace.
The first Nobel Prizes were given on December 10 th, 1901, five years after Nobel's death.Many famous people from all over the world have been given Nobel Prizes for their achievements.Albert Einstein was one of them.
Each Prize has three parts.The first part is a gold medal.Second, a winner of a Nobel Prize is given a diploma saying that he has been given the Prize.The third part of the Prize is a large amount of money-about $40, 000.
Often a Prize is given to just one person, but not always.Sometimes a Prize is shared.It may be given to two or three people who have worked together.Sometimes a Prize is not given at all if there is no outstanding achievement.In 1972, for example, no Nobel Peace Prize was given.It is the Nobel Foundation in Stockholm that decides whether to give the Prize or not.