Specific reduction of certain functional groups Consider the compound $\ce{Alkyl-(4 oxocyclopent-2-ene)carboxylate (A)}$. For example consider-
  
  Now consider the operations:
  
  $\ce{1. (A) + (i)BH3/THF (ii) H+}$ 
  
  $\ce{2. (A) + H2/Pt}$
  
  $\ce{3. (A) + H2/Pd-C}$
  
  Products
  
  In $1.$ ester group reduced to an alcohol.
  
  In $2.$ double bond reduced to a single bond, and
  
  In $3.$ double bond reduced to a single bond, ester group reduced to an alcohol.


However, on the next page addition of $\ce{(i)BH3/THF (ii) H+}$ selectively reduced carboxylic acid when both ester and carboxylic acid were present.

My questions:

$(i)$ I know that $\ce{(i)BH3/THF (ii) H+}$ can reduce carboxylic acid, but I am unaware if it can reduce ester.

$(ii)$ I only knew that, the reduction of ester in presence of carbonyl group could be done by first protecting the carbonyl group (converting it to cyclic ketal by reacting with ethylene glycol) and then using $\ce{LiAlH4}$. Is reaction $3.$ correct?

$(iii)$ Why aren't product $2.$ and $3.$ same? I've always seen the two work same.

Note:

My chemistry teacher gave me few notes for Chemistry Olympiad preparation, so I can not cite source. I don't know how to make compounds, so will completely reside on IUPAC nomenclature.
1.The selective reduction of the carboxylic group is explained in this article. Link:https://www.ch.imperial.ac.uk/rzepa/blog/?p=5114. It could reduce esters but is not favourable at all and difficult.So if u only have an ester grp and its treated with bh3, then you can reduce it. However if both carboxylic and ester grps are present, carboxylic acid gets reduced .


Regarding reduction with h2/pt and h2/pd-c not much can be said. The thing is at higher temperatures and pressures(extreme conditions)both could reduce esters. Generally esters are NOT reduced via cataytic hydrogenation (it is just not favourable).However reduction has been performed in mild conditions via other complexes like ruthenium.(https://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdfplus/10.1021/op4003278