A、The Culture Minister didn’t know the Nobel winner. B、The Culture Minister hasn’t read a single novel in the past two years. C、

There has been a shock in France at the revelation that the country’s Culture Minister hasn’t read a single novel in the past two years. The minister Fleur Pellerin made the admission while being interviewed on the television about the French winner of this year’s Nobel Prize in Literature Patrick Modiano. Our correspondent Lucy Williamson was reporting from Paris. “In the interview yesterday, Mrs. Pellerin described having had a wonderful lunch with the writer in question, Patrick Modiano, but wasn’t able to say which of his titles she preferred because she said she hadn’t had time to read his books or indeed any others since taking up a ministerial post two years ago. Mrs. Pellerin’s comments have caused a lively debate on social media with some accusing her of being a technocrat but many sympathize with her situation.”
1. What shocked the French?
2. When did the minister make the admission?