Watch your words

Insight Terminale
(2008)
Extrait : Unit 1
Unit
1
Speak
Are you afraid of meeting strangers?
IN THIS UNIT:
OUTLINE
Student exchange / Speed dating
TEXT 1
Take the couch (The Boston Globe, 2007)
TEXT 2
Trick or treat? (David Sedaris, 1997)
LANGUAGE WATCH
Grammarama: As ou like ?
Les noms composés
Phonology: US English / UK English
VIEWS
Étude d’image
TEXT 3
LANGUAGE WATCH
Mumbai night (Gregory David Roberts,
2005)
Grammarama: Comparatif de supériorité
et superlatif / L’ordre des adjectifs
Phonology: Les sons \e\, \”E\ et \eI\
BAC PASS
Write a dialogue
ISSUE
Are you the ideal flatmate?
EXTRA TEXT
A lovely chat (Jenny Colgan, 2000)
Student CD: tracks 1, 2, 3, 4
Unit words
Meeting people: bump into sb: rencontrer qqn
par hasard • chance meeting: rencontre fortuite •
have an unpleasant encounter: faire une mauvaise
rencontre • trust ≠ distrust = mistrust sb • distrustful
= suspicious = wary \"w”ErI\ • beware of strangers:
se méfier des étrangers
Making friends: get to know sb: apprendre à
connaître qqn • get along = get on well (with sb):
bien s’entendre (avec qqn) • make friends with sb: se
lier d’amitié avec qqn • friendly: amical • friendship:
l’amitié • pal = mate (UK) = buddy (US): copain, pote •
keep in touch = keep in contact with sb
16
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Close
encounters
There are no strangers, only
friends you haven’t met yet.
17
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Outline
Student exchange
A
B
Stay abroad for free!
Host a student!
With our programme, you will attend a local school
and live in a host family for two months. You’ll share
the life of a local resident who is your age. This is
more rewarding than tourism and more fun than
language lessons. You will gain independence and
make new friends.
There are many students overseas who are looking
forward to staying in your home and sharing your
life.
If you host one of them, you will take part in a great
international experience ... without leaving your home!
The student will quickly become part of the family.
Over to you!
Read documents A and B.
a. Say who is supposed to read each document.
b. Explain what the programme consists in.
1
Game: the English-speaking world
Play an easy game with one or several partners.
a. The first player has to name an English-speaking
country, the second player has to name another, etc.
The winner is the one who names the last country. If
other players have doubts about a country, the speaker
must explain where it is.
At the end, check your answers on the map in the back
flap of your book.
b. In 2 minutes, say which country you would most
like to go to if you went on an exchange programme.
Explain your opinion. Then decide who gave the most
convincing answer.
2
Pairwork: conversation
You have decided to go and live in an English-speaking
country for two months. You have found a host family,
but the student you will be living with wants to talk to
you on the phone to make sure everything is all right.
The host student is going to ask questions about your
3
habits, likes & dislikes, etc. You want to know about
the place, the food, etc.
Prepare some questions, then act out the dialogue and
be ready to report on it.
Starters
How long / often / far / old …?
I can’t wait to …!
Are you sure that you really …?
Are you aware that …?
Are you ready to …?
I’d rather (not) … (Je préférerais …)
Do you mind if …? (Cela vous dérange-t-il si … ?)
Watch your words
feel at home: se sentir à l’aise • spare room:
chambre d’amis • be eager \"i…gE\ to = keen
to (do sth): être impatient de (faire qqc) • be
used to doing sth: avoir l’habitude de faire qqc
• miss sb (I miss you: tu me manques) • be
homesick: avoir le mal du pays • be fussy =
difficult (about one’s food)
18
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Close encounters
Unit 1
Speed dating
A
Over to you!
1 Describe the photo (document A). Say where you
think it was taken and what is happening.
2 Document B.
a. Say what type of document this is.
b. Find the words or phrases that mean:
patrimoine personnel • fortunés • plans de retraite
c. What can you deduce about Dwight’s personality?
d. Do you think Miranda and Dwight are going to see
each other again? Explain your answer.
B
Miranda & Dwight
Miranda: Hi. I’m Miranda Hobbes.
Dwight: Dwight Owens. Private wealth group at
Morgan Stanley Investment Management for high
net-worth individuals and pension plans. Like my
job, been there five years, divorced, no kids, not
religious. I live in New Jersey, speak French and
Portuguese. Any of this appealing?
Miranda: Sure. Portuguese, that’s impressive.
Dwight: Obrigado. What about you, Mandy?
Miranda: Miranda. I’m a lawyer at a mid-sized
firm.
Sex and the City, Episode 42, 2000.
3 Pairwork
You are new in town and have decided to attend a new
type of event: “Quick friends”. You have exactly 10
minutes to meet somebody and find as many things
as possible that you both like or dislike.
You may use the Starters and talk about the topics
you will find in Watch your words. Every time you learn
something about your partner, try to say something
about yourself and ask one more question to get more
details. After the meeting, be ready to report on it.
Starters
Have you ever (pp) ...?
What is your favourite ...?
Are you interested in V-ing ...?
What about ...?
I like V-ing ... too. / So do I.
I don’t ... either. / Neither do I.
Watch your words
Topics: favourite \"feIvErIt\ • music • gig \gIg\ =
concert • movies = films • sports • arts • politics •
going out • religion • family • future job • colour
• hangout: lieu où l’on aime traîner
Report: have little / a lot in common with sb •
both (of us): tous les deux • none (of us): aucun
(de nous deux) • (dis)agree with sb on sth: (ne
pas) être d’accord avec qqn au sujet de qqc •
tastes: les goûts • be like sb ≠ be different
from sb
Chance meeting
Listen and use your Workbook for help.
19
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Text 1
Take the couch
SOMERVILLE – On a recent Saturday morning, five twentysomethings
5
The Boston Globe
was founded in 1872
and is the main daily
newspaper in Boston,
New England. The Boston
Globe, which belongs
to the New York Times
Company, sells about
380,000 copies daily
and 560,000 copies
on Sundays.
Word help
10
15
20
1. gather
2. plan
3. \"bevI\ a lot of
4. had
25
30
35
huddle1 in a cozy living room to map out2 their day. Two are from
Montreal. Another is from Chicago. The hosts, Jesse Fenton and Erin
Benoit, have lived in the apartment for three years. The guests have had
plans to visit for more than a month, but their only contact with their
hosts has been through computer screens.
The five met through CouchSurfing.com, an online network of travelers,
mostly in their 20s, who are tired of staying in hotels and hostels and
who want to see the world with a free place to crash – often on someone’s
couch. But what sets CouchSurfing.com apart from a bevy of 3 similar
free services such as hospitalityclub.org is its focus on its mission, which
according to the group’s website “is not just about free accommodations”
but about human interaction.
“It makes the world a smaller place,” says Benoit, 25, a medical technologist
at Boston Medical Center. “Eventually, we’ll have friends all over the
world.”
Hosts offer the use of their couches, bathrooms, kitchens, and spare
beds. They sometimes provide meals and even the use of their cars.
They give their guests tips about local attractions and often show them
around. [...]
Jesse Fenton’s brother Casey, a New Hampshire resident [...], hatched4 the
idea for the website after planning a last-minute weekend trip to Iceland.
Instead of booking a hotel, he e-mailed 1,500 Icelanders through the
University of Iceland student directory, looking for a place to stay. Within
days, he received more than 50 responses offering free digs. “When I
was leaving there after the long weekend, I said to myself, ‘This is how
it should be every time I travel,’” he says. [...]
Vincent Fugere, a 23-year-old graduate student from McGill University
in Montreal [...], says CouchSurfing has changed his perception of the
United States. “Americans aren’t as bad as the press makes them out to be,”
Fugere said jokingly. “I thought all Americans carried guns – obviously
that is not the case.”
“We’re still maturing as an organization, but over time we will make a
difference,” Casey Fenton says. “People use CouchSurfing for different
reasons, whether just to travel or to connect with people in a strange
place. I think most participate to learn as much as they can about other
cultures – and about themselves.”
The Boston Globe, August 22, 2007.
20
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Close encounters
Overview
1 Introduce the document, using the information at the
bottom of the text.
2 Say where the scene takes place, who is present or
mentioned, and how the people are related.
3 In a few words, explain what the following elements
refer to.
a. a couch
b. couchsurfing
c. CouchSurfing.com
Zoom in
Hospitality
1 Match the following words with words from the
article.
§ 1: confortable • hôte (qui reçoit) • hôte (invité)
§ 2: auberge (de jeunesse) • s’inviter (à l’improviste)
§ 4: lit supplémentaire • faire visiter
§ 5: réserver • hébergement (familier)
2
Explain why some people decide to go couchsurfing.
3
Say what couchsurfers are looking for.
4
List all the services couchsurfers may be offered.
The organization
5 Read paragraph 5 again, then close your book and
explain Casey Fenton’s story in your own words.
6 Say whether the following statements are true or
false. Justify your answer with elements from the last
two paragraphs.
Unit 1
a. Couchsurfing is a way to fight against prejudice.
b. CouchSurfing.com works perfectly now.
c. Casey Fenton is full of hope.
d. People use couchsurfing mainly because it is cheaper
than hotels.
Zoom out
1 Would you be ready to surf other people’s couches?
Explain why or why not.
2 You would like to host some couchsurfers in your
home, but your parents disagree. Write a dialogue and /
or act it out.
33 Bac pass, p. 29
Translate
Translate the last paragraph into French. Be careful how
you translate “over time”, “whether” and “in a strange
place”.
Watch your words
Travelling: backpacker: routard • accommodation:
logement • room and board: pension • full board:
pension complète • extra = spare \sp”E\: en plus •
cheap ≠ expensive • for free: gratuitement • I can’t
afford (to do) sth: je ne peux pas me permettre /
m’offrir qqc
The organization: join sth: devenir membre de qqc •
website • sign \saIn\ up for sth: s’inscrire à qqc •
log in = log on to sth: se connecter à qqc • put sb in
touch / in contact with sb else
21
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Text 2
Trick or treat?
Mrs Dunbar is writing an “annual holiday newsletter” to let her family and
friends know about what happened during the year.
To those of you who live in a cave and haven’t heard the news, allow us
5
David Sedaris
(born in 1961) is
an American writer
and commentator for
National Public Radio.
Sedaris, who is known
for his social critique,
also writes essays (for
Esquire and The New
Yorker) and short stories.
His books are best sellers and he was named
humorist of the year by
Time magazine in 2001.
David Sedaris currently
lives in Paris.
10
15
20
Culture flash
Khe Sanh is the name
of a Vietnam War
battle that took place
in 1968. Although the
US Marines won the
battle, many historians
believe that the People’s
Army of Vietnam used
Khe Sanh as a ruse to
divert American forces
from the interior of the
country.
25
30
Word help
1. corvée, besogne
2. destiny
3. étui servant à protéger
une canette de bière
4. aigu
5. a deadly virus that is
transmitted from pigs
to humans
35
40
to introduce Khe Sahn Dunbar who, at the age of twenty-two, happens
to be the newest member of our family.
Surprised?
JOIN THE CLUB!!!!!!!
It appears that Clifford, husband of yours truly and father to our three
natural children, accidentally planted the seeds for Khe Sahn twenty-two
years ago during his stint1 in ... where else?
VIETNAM!!!!
This was, of course, years before Clifford and I were married. […]
Clifford Dunbar, twenty-two years ago, a young man in a war-torn country,
made a mistake. A terrible, heinous mistake. A stupid, thoughtless,
permanent mistake with dreadful, haunting consequences. […]
When his tour of duty ended Clifford returned home, where, after
making the second biggest mistake of his life (I am referring to his brief
eight-month “marriage” to Doll Babcock), he and I were reunited. We
lived, you might remember, in that tiny apartment over on Halsey Street.
Clifford had just begun his satisfying career at Sampson Interlock and
I was working part-time, accounting for Hershel Beck when ... along
came the children!!!!!! We struggled and saved and eventually (finally!!)
bought our house on Tiffany Circle, number 714, where the Dunbar clan
remains nested to this very day!!!!
It was here, 714 Tiffany Circle, where I first encountered Khe Sahn, who
arrived at our door on (as fate2 would have it) Halloween!!!
I recall mistaking her for a Trick-or-Treater! She wore, I remember,
a skirt the size of a beer cozy3, a short, furry jacket, and, on her face,
enough rouge, eye shadow, and lipstick to paint our entire house, inside
and out. She’s a very small person and I mistook her for a child. A child
masquerading as a prostitute. I handed her a fistful of chocolate nougats,
hoping that, like the other children, she would quickly move on to the
next house.
But Khe Sahn was no Trick-or-Treater.
I started to close the door but was interrupted by her interpreter, a very
feminine-looking man carrying an attaché case. […] Khe Sahn responded
to the interpreter, her voice as high-pitched4 and relentless as a car alarm.
The two of them stood on my doorstep, screeching away in Vietnamese
while I stood by, frightened and confused.
I am still, to this day, frightened and confused. Very much so. Out of
nowhere this young woman has entered our lives with the force and
mystery of the Swine Flu5 and there appears to be nothing we can do
about it. Out of nowhere this land mine knocks upon our door and we
are expected to recognize her as our child!!!!????????
David Sedaris, Holidays on Ice, 1997.
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Close encounters
Unit 1
4 Read again from line 10 to line 13.
a. Find the words that mean:
atroce • irréfléchi • affreux • obsédant
b. How does Mrs Dunbar feel about what her husband
did in Vietnam? Explain your answer.
Khe Sahn
5 Khe Sahn knocked on the Dunbars’ door on Halloween.
Explain why time and place are so important for the letter
writer.
6 Pick a noun to describe the narrator’s first reaction
towards Khe Sahn (l. 25). Justify your choice.
indifference • repulsion • attraction
7 Khe Sahn poses a threat to the Dunbar family. Show
how this is made clear (from line 23 down) through the
author’s choice of metaphors and comparisons.
8 Explain what Mrs Dunbar hates about Khe Sahn and
what she blames her for.
9 Focus on the punctuation used throughout the letter.
Say what it is supposed to reveal about Mrs Dunbar’s
personality.
10 Suggest why David Sedaris chose Khe Sahn as a name
for a character. Read Culture flash.
Zoom out
1 Imagine a dialogue between Mrs Dunbar and her
husband when he gets home from work on the day Khe
Sahn visited their house.
33 Bac pass, p. 29
The Hallowe’en Lantern, postcard by Samuel Schmucker,
ca. 1913.
2 Mr Dunbar reads his wife’s “annual holiday newsletter”
and decides to write a letter too, but from his point of
view. Write his letter.
Translate
Overview
Translate from line 1 to line 5. Try to show Mrs Dunbar’s
feelings as best you can.
1 Identify the writer of the letter. List the other characters
mentioned and say how they are related to her.
2 Explain what happened to the narrator a few weeks
ago.
3 Pick one adjective to define the tone of the letter.
Briefly explain your answer.
enthusiastic • friendly • sarcastic • respectful
Zoom in
The Dunbars
1 Find at least two elements that prove the story is set
in the USA.
2 Would you say that Mr and Mrs Dunbar’s relationship
is idyllic? Explain your answer.
3 List the important things that happened to the
characters (marriage, children, etc.) until the day the
letter was written. Put them in chronological order.
Watch your words
The Dunbars: ups and downs • blame sb for doing
sth = reproach sb for doing sth • resent \rI"zent\
sth: être contrarié par qqc • upset =
annoyed: peiné, contrarié, bouleversé • loathe \lEÁD\
= hate (sth / sb)
Khe Sahn: love child = illegitimate \ IlI"dZItImIt\
"
child • born out of wedlock: né hors mariage •
Eurasian \jÁE"reIZn\: eurasien • woman of mixed
blood \blØd\ • stepdaughter: belle-fille • war veteran:
ancien combattant • US trooper: soldat américain •
repulsive: repoussant • nuisance \"nju…sns\: peste,
fléau
23
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Text 2
Language Watch
Grammarama
As ou like ?
4. ... your wife, I expect you to prevent Khe Sahn from
treating me ... that.
Observation
5. This young woman is ... dangerous ... a land mine!
a. A child masquerading as a prostitute. (l. 28)
b. … hoping that like the other children, she would move
on … (l. 30)
c. … recognize her as our child ... (l. 42)
d. … her voice as high-pitched and relentless as a car
alarm. (l. 35)
Les noms composés
As et like permettent de lier deux termes de deux
façons différentes. Observez les phrases a., b. et c.
et dites pour chaque phrase si on établit une relation
d’identité entre les deux termes, ou alors une relation
de comparaison entre eux.
1
Comment traduiriez-vous as et like dans chacune des
phrases ci-dessus ?
2
Comment traduiriez-vous alors « en tant que » : par
as ou like ?
3
Concluez : pour traduire « comme », si c’est un outil
de comparaison ou de ressemblance, on utilisera … . Si
c’est un outil établissant une identité (de personne, de
fonction, etc.), on utilisera … .
4
5 Dans le segment d., as introduit-il un complément de
temps, un comparatif d’égalité, ou une cause ?
6 Indiquez d’autres usages de as. Aidez-vous d’un
dictionnaire si besoin.
Observation
a. a beer cozy (l. 26)
b. eye shadow (l. 27)
c. lipstick (l. 27)
d. a car alarm (l. 35)
e. my doorstep (l. 36)
f. an attaché case (l. 34)
g. chocolate nougats (l. 29)
h. this land mine (l. 41)
1 Observez les noms composés ci-dessus et décomposez
ceux qui sont en un seul mot.
2 Dans tous ces exemples, que remarquez-vous quant
à la place du nom principal ?
3 Pour chacun des noms composés ci-dessus, dites
quel genre de précision apporte le nom secondaire.
4 Traduisez les éléments b., c., d., e. et g. Quelle
différence constatez-vous entre le français et
l’anglais ?
5 Formulez une règle en complétant la phrase suivante.
Lorsque deux noms communs sont associés, ils forment
un nom … . Le nom principal se place … .
Mise en pratique
Mise en pratique
Traduisez en utilisant des noms composés.
Complétez les blancs avec as ou like.
1. When Clifford married Doll Babcock, I felt … an idiot.
2. A few years ago, I worked ... an accountant.
3. We worked ... dogs to paint our house in 1978.
1. la nuit d’Halloween 2. une réunion de famille 3. des
bonbons à la vanille 4. un costume de vampire 5. un
chapeau en cuir 6. des lunettes de soleil 7. un film
d’horreur 8. une pierre tombale 9. du gâteau à la
citrouille 10. une fête à la maison 11. une lanterne en
papier
33 Précis grammatical 15, p. 214
Phonology
US English / UK English
a. Pour chacun des mots suivants, dites si la transcription
phonétique correspond à une prononciation anglaise ou
américaine.
news
planted
duty
after
bought
\nju…z\
\"plA…ntId\
\"du…dI\
\"A…ftE\
\bA…t\
\nu…z\
\"plœnId\
\"dju…tI\
\"œftEr\
\bO…t\
b. Vérifiez vos réponses en écoutant ces mots, puis
expliquez ce qui différencie les deux prononciations.
c. Entraînez-vous à répéter les mots du tableau avec
les deux accents pour mieux les différencier. Essayez
également de prononcer les mots suivants avec les deux
accents :
encountered • chocolate • started • knocks.
Écoutez-les ensuite pour vérifier vos hypothèses.
24
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S
W
E
I
V
Close encounters
Unit 1
Over to you!
1
What type of document is this? Say who made it and what for.
You have decided to help the person who made this picture.
Use the notes in the drawing to speak about him in a radio
message or a podcast.
2
3 Imagine you get this picture in your email. Give your opinion
on this initiative. Use one or more adjectives from the list.
innovative • crazy • brilliant • hopeless • quirky / odd / weird
• stupid • touching
4 Imagine how the girl in question will react if she learns about
this picture.
5 Patrick is invited to a TV show. Act out his interview in pairs:
Patrick and an interviewer.
6 What would you be prepared to do if you wanted to find
someone who attracted your attention?
Watch your words
The story: rush hour: heure de pointe • crowded
\"kraÁdId\ = packed: bondé • feel drawn to sb =
feel attracted to sb • it was love at first sight •
fall in love with sb = have a crush on sb •
spot sb = notice sb • wish sb had done sth •
announcement • set up = make = create a
website • let sb know about sth • make sth
public
Attitudes: shy = timid = reserved = introverted
≠ outgoing = extroverted = genial \"dZi…nIEl\ •
absent-minded = distracted • approach sb = go
up to sb = come up to sb • address sb • take the
initiative = make the first move / step • rely on
appearances: se fier aux apparences
25
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Text 3
Mumbai night
Lin, the narrator, has just arrived in India. He strikes up a conversation
with two young Canadians.
T
5
Gregory David Roberts
was born in Australia in
1952. At 24, he became a
heroin addict and started
to commit armed bank
robberies. He was jailed
in a maximum-security
prison but managed
to escape and flee to
India. Shantaram is a
bestselling novel based
on the author’s life after
his escape, and now a
movie starring Johnny
Depp.
10
15
20
Culture flash
Mumbai (formerly
known as Bombay)
is situated on the west
coast of India and is
the capital of the state
of Maharashtra. With
19 million people, the
Mumbai metropolitan
area is the 5th most
populated in the world.
An ashram is a religious
place of retreat for
Hindus.
Gotham city is a nickname used to refer to
New York City. It is also
the name of the city
where Batman is
supposed to live.
Word help
1. moving
2. murmurs
25
30
35
“ his is your first time?” he asked in reply. I nodded. “I thought so.
Don’t worry. From here on, it gets a little better. Not so many slums and
all. But it ain’t good anywheres in Bombay. This here is the crummiest
city in India, y’can take my word.”
“You got that right,” the shorter man agreed.
“But from here on in, you got a couple nice temples and some big British
buildings that are okay − stone lions and brass street lights and like
that. But this ain’t India. [...] You gotta get outta the city to find the real
India.”
“Where are you guys headed?”
“We’re going to stay at an ashram,” his friend announced. “It’s run by the
Rajneeshis, at Poona. It’s the best ashram in the country.” [...]
“You checkin’ in?”
“Sorry?”
“You checkin’ into a room, or you passin’ on through Bombay today?”
“I don’t know,” I replied. [...]
“Well, we’re stayin’ overnight, and catchin’ the train tomorrow. If you
want, we can share a room. It’s a lot cheaper with three.”
I met the stare in his guileless, blue eyes. Maybe it would be better to
share a room at first, I thought. Their genuine documents and their easy
smiles would smother my false passport. Maybe it would be safer.
“And it’s a lot safer,” he added.
“Yeah, right,” his friend agreed.
“Safer?” I asked, assuming a nonchalance I didn’t feel.
The bus was moving more slowly, along narrow channels of three- and
four-storey buildings. Traffic churned through the streets with wondrous
and mysterious efficiency − a ballistic1 dance of buses, trucks, bicycles,
cars, ox-carts, scooters, and people. The open windows of our battered bus
gave us the aromas of spices, perfumes, diesel smoke, and the manure of
oxen, in a steamy but not unpleasant mix, and voices rose up everywhere
above ripples2 of unfamiliar music. [...]
“Oh, sure, it’s a lot safer. This is Gotham City, man. The street kids here
have more ways to take your money than hell’s casino.”
“It’s a city thing, man,” the short one explained. [...]
“And the goddamn hotels are in on it,” the tall one added. “You can get
ripped off just sittin’ in your hotel room and smokin’ a little weed. They
do deals with the cops to bust you and take all your money. Safest thing
is to stick together and travel in groups, take my word.”
“And get outta the cities as fast as you can,” the short one said.
Gregory David Roberts, Shantaram, 2005.
26
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Close encounters
Overview
1 List the characters present in the scene and say where
they are.
2 Explain what the narrator’s problem is, and what the
other characters suggest.
What general impression of the city is given in the
passage? Pick adjectives from the following list.
safe • dangerous • lively • dead • contrasted
3
Zoom in
1 Use the text to help you match the following words
with the correct equivalents.
a. slum (l. 2)
e. smother (l. 21)
b. crummy (l. 3)
f. churn (l. 26)
c. guileless (l. 19)
g. battered (l. 28)
d. genuine (l. 20)
authentic • of the poorest quality • hide • move violently
• very poor neighbourhood • old and damaged • frank
and honest
Rephrase the following expressions in standard
English.
a. “but it ain’t good” (l. 3)
b. “you gotta get outta the city” (l. 8)
2
The narrator
3 Choose adjectives from the list to describe the
narrator’s state of mind. Quote from the text to justify
your answer.
frightened • nonchalant • determined • confident •
secretive • aimless • trustful
Find quotations to justify the following statements.
a. The narrator has never been to Bombay before.
b. He is hiding his true identity.
c. He seems to enjoy what he sees of Bombay.
4
5 Imagine all the reasons why the narrator may be
travelling with a false passport.
Unit 1
The two men
6 True or false? Justify with quotations.
a. They like Bombay a lot.
b. They think Bombay isn’t truly Indian.
c. They want to spend several nights in Bombay.
7 a. Quote the two main reasons why they want to share
a room with the narrator.
b. Is the narrator interested? Explain why.
8
What two pieces of advice do they finally give him?
They advise him (not) to ...
Zoom out
1 The narrator starts a diary about his new life in
Bombay. Write the first page.
2
Imagine what will happen next.
3 If you were wanted by the police and had to go abroad,
where would you go and why? Give details about what
you would do.
Translate
Translate from line 1 to line 5. Make sure you use a
conversational level of language.
Watch your words
The city: hazards = dangers • shabby: miteux •
unhealthy: insalubre • overcrowded: surpeuplé •
teeming with: grouillant de • dilapidated: délabré •
uproar: vacarme • get into trouble: s’attirer des
ennuis
The narrator: suit \su…t\ sb: convenir à qqn • keep
composed: rester maître de soi • consider sth:
réfléchir à qqc • risk (doing) sth
The two men: get worked up (about sth): s’emballer •
complain about sth: se plaindre de qqc • deter sb
from (doing) sth: dissuader quelqu’un de • entice
\In"taIs\ sb to do sth: amener qqn à faire qqc
27
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Text 3
Language Watch
Grammarama
Comparatif de supériorité
et superlatif
Observation
a. This here is the crummiest city in India ... (l. 3)
b. “You got that right,” the shorter man agreed. (l. 5)
c. It’s the best ashram in the country. (l. 12)
d. It’s a lot cheaper with three. (l. 18)
e. Maybe it would be safer. (l. 21)
f. [The] safest thing is to stick together ... (l. 37)
1 Repérez les comparatifs et les superlatifs dans les
phrases ci-dessus. Rappelez comment ils sont construits,
et dites ce que vous remarquez pour la forme de la
phrase c.
Dans quelles phrases ci-dessus compare-t-on :
– une chose à une autre ?
– une chose à toutes les autres ?
2
3 Reformulez les phrases d. et e. en mentionnant l’autre
élément de la comparaison (par exemple staying alone).
Par quelle conjonction introduisez-vous cet élément ?
Opérez les remplacements suivants et dites ce qui se
passe au niveau du comparatif ou du superlatif.
a. Dans les phrases e. et f., remplacez l’adjectif par
secure.
b. Dans la phrase a., remplacez l’adjectif par horrible.
4
5 À partir des exemples ci-dessus, énoncez la règle de
formation du comparatif et du superlatif pour les adjectifs
longs, les adjectifs courts, les adjectifs de deux syllabes
terminés par -y, et certaines exceptions.
6 Traduisez la phrase b. en français. Shorter est-il un
comparatif ou un superlatif ? Déduisez-en une règle
supplémentaire en complétant la phrase suivante : lorsque
deux éléments sont comparés entre eux, on utilise un … ,
contrairement au français.
Mise en pratique
Traduisez les phrases suivantes en utilisant soit un
comparatif, soit un superlatif.
1. Mumbai est la ville la plus peuplée (populous) du
monde.
2. Les hindous sont les plus nombreux (numerous).
3. La langue la plus parlée est le marathi.
4. Delhi ou Mumbai ? Mumbai est la plus grande.
5. L’industrie textile était l’activité la plus lucrative.
6. L’Inde est plus démocratique que la Chine.
7. Les voyages en Inde sont meilleur marché maintenant.
8. Les scooters sont plus rapides que les voitures en
ville.
33 Précis grammatical 25 et 28, p. 222 et 223
L’ordre des adjectifs
Observation
a. ... you got [...] some big British buildings ... (l. 6)
b. I met the stare in his guileless, blue eyes. (l. 19)
c. We slept on small rectangular metal beds.
d. We got on a strange old yellow Indian bus.
1 Dans les éléments soulignés, repérez les adjectifs, et
dites où ils sont placés par rapport au nom.
2 Pour chacun des adjectifs, indiquez s’il apporte une
précision sur :
– l’opinion du locuteur – la couleur
– la forme
– la taille
– l’origine
– l’âge
– la matière
3 Proposez une règle qui précise, lorsqu’il y a plusieurs
adjectifs, quels types d’adjectifs sont plus proches du
nom, et lesquels en sont plus éloignés.
33 Précis grammatical 23, p. 221
Mise en pratique
Traduisez les expressions suivantes.
1. un grand temple bouddhiste (Buddhist) 2. des films
indiens mélodramatiques 3. un énorme bâtiment victorien
4. une ville animée et colorée 5. un très bon restaurant
végétarien 6. de la nourriture savoureuse (tasty) et
épicée (spicy) 7. des trains locaux bondés (crowded) 8. la
magnifique gare centrale 9. un agréable climat chaud
10. un partenaire économique précieux
Phonology
Les sons \e\, \”E\ et \eI\
Placez les mots suivants dans un tableau en fonction de
la prononciation du segment souligné. Écoutez ensuite
pour vérifier vos réponses.
get • better • many • ain’t • take • temple • okay •
headed • stay • best • today • train • share • stare •
their • maybe • safer • gave • unpleasant • everywhere •
ways • hell • explained • they • said
28
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Bac pass
Close encounters
Unit 1
Write a dialogue
Writing a dialogue is not very difficult, but you have to follow some important rules. Here
are two subjects from this unit. Follow the guidelines for each subject below and write
a dialogue in about 150 words. Don’t forget to read the Tips as well.
Text 1: Zoom out 2
You would like to host some couchsurfers
in your home, but your parents disagree.
Write a dialogue.
Text 2: Zoom out 1
Imagine a dialogue between Mrs Dunbar
and her husband when he gets home from
work on the day Khe Sahn visited their
house.
1 Make sure you know who is speaking, and when and where the dialogue is
taking place. Find the key words in the subject.
Who: teenager + 2 parents.
Time: currently; any time of day.
Place: anywhere; at home.
Key words: you; couchsurfers; home;
parents; disagree.
Who: Mr & Mrs Dunbar.
Time: 1990s; Halloween; end of day.
Place: USA; at home.
Key words: Mrs Dunbar; her husband;
Khe Sahn.
2 Gather information from the text to decide what is going to be important for
the dialogue.
The text gives you a lot of information
about couchsurfing. What you must know
is that some people use a website to offer a
free couch to strangers who are travelling
and don’t want to pay for hotels, but who
like meeting real people.
3
Find ideas and decide on a plan for your dialogue.
– Your parents disagree at first, but you
manage to convince them.
– Maybe your parents don’t know what
couchsurfing is, so you have to explain
it to them.
– Maybe they know about couchsurfing
and they know somebody who has had a
bad experience.
4
– Khe Sahn probably wants to see her
father again.
– Maybe Mr Dunbar doesn’t know he has a
daughter, or maybe he is going to pretend
he doesn’t know.
– Mrs Dunbar is probably very angry
because her husband has never told her
about Khe Sahn.
Find words and phrases you will need. Here is some help with a few starters.
• Teenager
Mum, dad, have you heard of …?
It would be nice if I could …
Don’t you understand that …?
How can you be so …?
If you don’t let me …, then I’ll …!
• Parents
Do you think it’s safe to …?
What might happen if …?
We are opposed to (you) V-ing …
How can you be sure that …?
Have you thought about …?
5
Khe Sahn is Mr Dunbar’s illegitimate
daughter and visits her dad. She has never
met him, and the first person she sees is
Mr Dunbar’s wife. Judging from what she
writes, we can understand Mrs Dunbar is
very upset about this.
• Mrs Dunbar
How do you explain …?
I’ve had enough of (V-ing) …!
I want you to (V) …
Don’t let this woman …!
Can you believe that …?
• Mr Dunbar
Are you sure that she said …?
How could I know that …
I’m so sorry about …!
It’s not my fault, darling , I …
I promise I will …
TIPS
• Write a brief
introduction to the
dialogue. Keep it short
as you need to save
your words for the
dialogue itself!
• Don’t write a
monologue! Make sure
that what the different
characters say is
more or less the same
length.
• Use the right register
(level of language).
– Colloquial: Sure! /
You bet! / No way!
– Standard: I do. / Of
course! / I don’t.
– Formal: I couldn’t
agree more! / By all
means! / I’m afraid not.
• There are two main
styles for dialogues.
– A dialogue as in a
play. Start each line
with the character’s
name, and don’t forget
to add some stage
directions (indications
scéniques).
– A dialogue as in
a novel, with short
narrative text and
reporting verbs (say,
reply, shout, whisper,
etc.). If you choose this
type of dialogue, use
direct speech and not
reported speech.
• This is a dialogue,
not an essay, so you
must:
– use short forms
(“don’t”, “can’t”, etc.);
– keep your sentences
relatively short and
simple.
• Don’t forget to read
the dialogue again
when it’s finished and
correct any mistakes or
unrealistic elements.
Write the dialogue. Try to imagine you are living it!
29
p16-51_U1_U2.indd Sec3:14
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Issue
Are you the ideal flatmate?
A
B
London flat sharing ads
£700
per month
Fully furnished, large double room in
split level flat in Stepney, East London. £100
per week
Excellent bus connections
Facilities: Lovely room, fitted wardrobe, desk,
double bed, shelves and mirror. 3rd room in
3-bed flat, shared with medical students. Rent
is £100 / week, includes wireless broadband
internet. Shared kitchen and bathroom.
Prefer: Female tenants. Call me on 07 ...
£500
per month
OM:
ROOM AND RO
PRIVATE BATH
HOME
ERS, A DREAM
FOR NON SMOK
T LONDON
IN QUIET WES
DVD /
with plasma TV &
Facilities: lounge
palm
and, garden with
CD player, broadb g available.
rkin
trees and bbq. Pa
&
y, respectful, clean es
dl
en
fri
Looking for:
eciat
pr
ap
o
wh
n
rso
pe
tidy, considerate
an home.
quality and a cle
alcoholud party people,
Not looking for: lo ll on 07 ...
Ca
ics or drug users.
I have a 2 bedro
om
in central Londo flat
n
Household info: N
on smoker,
no pets.
House amenities:
W
dishwasher, microwa asher,
ve, kitchen
access.
Preferred flatmat
e description:
From 18 to 45 yrs.
Gender: Doesn’t m
atter. Smoker:
Doesn’t matter. Pet
: Doesn’t matter.
Room: Air conditi
onin
bath, phone jack, TV g, private
. Call on 07...
30
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Close encounters
C
Unit 1
Roleplay
Alex interviews
a potential flatmate.
Alex: Good. Well, you’ve seen the flat? ... And you
like it?
Cameron: Oh, yes, it’s great.
Alex: Yes. It is, isn’t it? We all like it. And the room’s
nice too, don’t you think?
Cameron: Yes.
Alex: Spacious, quiet, bright, well appointed1, all
that sort of stuff, all that crap.
Cameron: Well, yes.
Alex: So tell me, Cameron, what on earth — just
tell me, because I want to know — what on earth
could make you think that we would want to share
a flat like this with someone like you? I mean, my
first impression, and they’re rarely wrong, is that you
have none of the qualities that we would normally
seek in a prospective flatmate. I’m talking here about
things like presence, charisma, style and charm.
Shallow Grave, 1994.
1. organised
Get ready
Document A
a. Have a look at the cartoon and tell the story in your
own words.
b. Explain all the problems of flat sharing that are
illustrated here.
c. In your opinion, why do many students share a flat?
Find as many reasons as possible.
1
2 Document B
a. In the ads, find references to comfort, computers,
personality / character, and transport.
b. Say which ad you would most be interested in if you
were a student in London. Explain your answer.
Document C
a. Read the extract and explain the situation.
b. Explain how Alex is treating Cameron.
c. Guess what sort of person Cameron is.
3
The chance of a lifetime! You are going to study for
8 months in central London and need somewhere to
stay.
Work in groups of three or four. Pick one of the ads
in document B. One or two people living in the flat
interview two or three potential roommates at the same
time to encourage competition. Both sides prepare
questions and answers about personality, studies,
chores, costs, rules for noise, visitors, etc. Finally, a
roommate is chosen.
Use the Starters and Watch your words to help you.
33 www.insight-hatier.com
Starters
Could you tell me a little about ...?
Would you be willing to take part in ...?
Would you be able to tolerate / put up with ...?
Would ... be suitable / fine / OK to you?
I think I would describe myself as ...
I think I’m ready / prepared to ...
I’m sorry but I can’t stand / bear V-ing ...
What would drive me crazy is ...
I don’t mind V-ing ... but what bothers me is ...
Watch your words
Sharing a place: roommate = housemate = flatmate
(GB): colocataire • flat sharing: colocation • move
in ≠ move out • move into a place ≠ move out of a
place • suit sb: convenir à qqn • suitable \"su…tEbl\
= acceptable = satisfactory • expenses: les frais •
bills: les factures • take part in sth = participate in
sth = get involved in sth • ready to = willing to =
prepared to (do sth) • do the chores \tSO…z\ = do the
housework: faire le ménage
Personality: friendly • outgoing: expansif • helpful
= cooperative • shy = reserved = quiet \"kwaIEt\ •
easy to live with = easy going = laid back = cool •
demanding: exigeant • (un)tidy: (dés)ordonné •
stand sth = bear \b”E\ sth = put up with (sb / sth):
supporter
Flat sharing
in question
Listen and use your Workbook for help.
31
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Extra
Text
BAC
A lovely chat
H
5
10
Jenny Colgan
was born in Scotland
in 1972. She worked
as a cartoonist, then
as a stand-up comedian,
until she wrote a novel,
Amanda’s Wedding,
which was very successful. She then wrote
Talking to Addison and
is now a full-time writer
of “chick lit”, i.e. romantic
comedies marketed to
young women. Jenny
Colgan also writes
columns for
The Guardian.
15
20
25
Word help
1. \dO…k\ idiot
2. [fam.] vachement
3. avoir le souffle coupé
4. efféminé
5. ciselé
6. \"mO…rÅn\ idiot
7. charnues
30
35
40
“ ello?” I whispered. “Sorry to disturb you, but I saw you were still
working and, well, I moved in here a couple of weeks ago and my name’s
Holly and I thought that, you know, since we lived together, we should
perhaps lay eyes on one another.”
I swallowed. My voice seemed to echo in the empty room, and I felt like a
complete dork1.Then, when he didn’t reply, I started to get annoyed. [...]
He still hadn’t even bothered turning round! That was bloody2 rude.
“Oh, I’m sorry,” I said. “I didn’t realize you were so rude. I won’t bother
you again. Excuse me.”
I turned to go. Slowly, I heard the revolving chair creep round behind
me. I looked back.
A huge pair of dark brown eyes, blinking rapidly, regarded me with a
mixture of curiosity and fear. I almost gasped3 aloud. He was … well,
just spectacularly beautiful. Just, like, Oh my GAWD! Not in a pretty,
boyband poofy 4 kind of way, but that chiselled5, sensitive look that cries
out, “I may have been staring at this computer screen for fifteen hours,
but as my physiognomy suggests, I have the soul of a poet.” [...]
“Excuse me,” he said. His voice was quiet and soft, with no discernible
accent – not like mine. I got very London, selling flowers every day. [...]
“I was a bit caught up in what I was doing.”
He sounded apologetic, and I was in one of those brain-twisting moods
whereby if you meet someone who is clearly your soul mate you feel an
overwhelming urge to be rude to them.
“So you don’t listen to people when they come to say ‘hello’? What were
you doing?”
He stared at his hands again and didn’t say anything. I thought for a bit.
“OK, shall we start again?” I announced. “I’m Holly, and you’re Mr
Addison, I presume.”
“Not mister, just Addison,” he said quietly.
“Ooh, what a great name!” I said, reaching out to shake his hand. He didn’t
take mine, and regarded it with some alarm. “Addison Madison?”
What? What magic potion had I just taken to turn me into the Moron6
of the Western World? I cringed.
He blinked. His eyelashes practically bounced off his sweetly pouted7
lips. “Ehm, no ... Addison Farthing.”
“Farthing, Farthing – right, of course, how silly of me,” I gushed [...].
“So, anyway, I thought, you know, time to say hello, pop in, have a chat …”
Addison continued to regard me impassively. “So, here we are, having a
chat … and it’s been lovely chatting to you. Really. We must do it again
some time.”
He continued staring at me as I backed out of the room. “Great! Nice to
meet you!” [...] I said as I got to the door, but he was already turning back
to his enormous screen and had clearly forgotten my very existence.
Jenny Colgan, Talking to Addison, 2000.
32
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Close encounters
Unit 1
Compréhension
1
Give information about the characters: full names, probable jobs, housing conditions.
2
Locate the scene (country, exact place).
3 Read again down to line 9. Are the following statements true or false? Justify with a short
sentence from the text.
a. Holly enters the room without being invited.
b. It’s not the first time Holly has met Addison.
c. Holly feels ill at ease.
d. Holly is pleased with Addison’s welcome.
4 “I won’t bother you again. Excuse me.” (l. 8)
Explain why the author puts “excuse” in italics, and what
it reveals about Holly’s attitude.
5 Find two elements to illustrate each of the
following statements.
a. Holly is attracted to Addison.
b. Addison seems to be indifferent to Holly.
6 Choose the right equivalent for “I got very
London.” (l. 19)
– I went to London more and more often.
– I spoke more and more like a Londoner.
– I felt as if I was a city.
7 Find words or phrases matching the
following equivalents. The words are in
the order of the text (from line 20 to the
end).
a. to be captivated by something
b. a moment
c. to suppose
d. to close and open one’s eyes quickly
e. to visit somebody
f. to look at somebody for a long time
8 Explain in your own words why Holly
calls Addison “Addison Madison” (l. 31).
9 Choose the adjective that best describes
Holly’s feeling at the end.
self-satisfied • frightened • self-hating •
surprised
Traduction
Translate the last paragraph into French.
Expression
1 Imagine the next meeting between Addison and Holly.
Write the dialogue.
2 Would you mind sharing a flat with a person of the opposite sex?
Use precise examples to justify your answer.
Prepare an oral presentation of this text.
33
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