A Level French Summer Work 2016 pdf

Transition Materials for A Level French
Introduction
It is great that you are considering studying French at A Level.
This pack contains a programme of activities and resources to prepare you to start an A Level in French in
September. It is aimed to be used after you complete your GCSE throughout the remainder of the summer
term and over the summer holidays to ensure you are ready to start the course in September.
Discovering about another culture and language is great fun. I hope that you will agree!
Contents
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Reading list
Independent research
Required Knowledge and Skills
Baseline Assessment
The world is out there…
1. Reading list
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Sign up to at least one French app (Duolingo, Memrise)
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Do the following interactive grammar and reading exercises on advertising (la publicité – AS topic):
http://www.languagesonline.org.uk/Hotpotatoes/Index.htm
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Set www.lemonde.fr or www.parismatch.com as your homepage when you log in to your computer
2. Independent research
1) Research a Francophone writer/architect/artist/contemporary singer. Then prepare a presentation
on your chosen person to deliver in French to the class in September. The presentation should be
no longer than 2mins.
2) Watch a film by the French director, Mathieu Kassovitz (not one of his English-speaking ones!)
Write a critique of the film in French.
3) After watching your chosen film, research the historical, political, social and geographical context of
the film. Make notes and be prepared to discuss this in English.
4) Prepare an information sheet, in English, with images that gives you a clear political overview of
France today. You should consider the following: who are the main political parties (give their
French names), what are the current political issues affecting the country, what are the main
political priorities for France today, who are the key political figures in France today and what their
roles are.
5) Research a Francophone country other than France! Compile images, statistics and facts on this
country. Make it as varied and interesting – are there any well-known celebrities from this country,
who many people live there, political system, weather…
3. Required Knowledge and Skills
1) Draw a timeline of the last hundred years in France to show the key historical, political and social
events.
2) Write about a trip in French to a Francophone country. It could be a trip you have already taken, a
trip you are going to take or a trip that you would like to take at some point in the future. The most
important thing is that you show some cultural knowledge from researching the country and that
you use accurate grammar.
3) Design an A4 overview grammar mat that you can reference in your lesson. You should cover the
present (including key irregular present tense verbs), imperfect, near and simple future, conditional
and perfect tenses. How are these tenses formed? What do they mean in English? What is the
stem? What are the endings? Think about how you are going to lay this out so that you have the
reference as to how to form all of these tenses on one side of A4.
4) Read the text below, underline all the verbs and then annotate the text by identifying the tense
that the verbs are in.
Un artcile sur le Centre Pompidou à Paris
Le Centre national d’art et de culture Georges-Pompidou (CNAC), communément appelé « Centre Georges-Pompidou », «
Centre Pompidou » ou « Centre Beaubourg » et, familièrement, « Beaubourg », est un établissement polyculturel situé dans le
quartier de Beaubourg, dans le 4e arrondissement de Paris, entre le quartier des Halles et le quartier du Marais. Il emploie un
millier de personnes et a un budget annuel de cent millions d'euros dont 65 millions de subventions de l'État.
Le centre est né de la volonté de Georges Pompidou, alors président de la République française, de créer au cœur de Paris une
institution culturelle originale entièrement vouée à la création moderne et contemporaine où les arts plastiques voisineraient
avec les livres, le design, la musique et le cinéma.
Inauguré le 31 janvier 1977, le centre Pompidou a accueilli, en 2013, plus de 5,2 millions de visiteurs. Au sein du musée
national d'Art moderne / centre de création industrielle (MNAM / CCI), il conserve l'une des trois plus importantes collections
d'art moderne et contemporain au monde avec celle du Museum of Modern Art de New York et de la Tate Modern de
Londres et la première d'Europe avec 100 313 œuvres de 6 396 artistes au 1er janvier 2014. Il abrite également d'importantes
galeries d'expositions temporaires, des salles de spectacles et de cinéma, et la BPI, première bibliothèque publique de lecture
en Europe. De part et d'autre de la piazza, deux bâtiments annexes accueillent l'IRCAM et l'atelier Brancusi.
Depuis le 12 mai 2010, la ville de Metz est dotée d'une antenne décentralisée du centre, le centre Pompidou-Metz1. Entre
octobre 2011 et septembre 2013, le Centre Pompidou lance une annexe mobile qui se déplace entre les villes de Chaumont,
Cambrai, Boulogne-sur-Mer, Libourne, Le Havre et Aubagne2. En mars 2015, le Centre Pompidou Málaga, premier « Centre
Pompidou provisoire » situé à l'étranger, sera accueilli pour cinq ans renouvelables sur 6 300 m2 par « El Cubo » de Málaga en
Andalousie, où seront présentées 70 œuvres du musée contre un montant d'un million d'euros par an3.
4. Baseline Assessment
When you return in September, there will be a baseline assessment that includes a grammar test,
translation from French to English, a synonym finding exercise and a comprehension.
All of the activities in this pack have been designed to help you prepare for this. Good luck!
5. The World is Out There…
1) See a foreign language film at the cinema or watch one on Netflix
2) Go out for a French meal. Order some French food or drink and try to speak French to the waiter
3) Visit the Institut Français (nearest tube South Kensington) to use the library or watch a film. Here is
a list of summer events and festivals: http://www.institut-francais.org.uk/cine-lumiere/whatson/festivals-series/
4) Buy a French newspaper or magazine (available in larger branches of WHSmith, Foyles)
5) Go to any festivals or pop up exhibitions that there may be in your local area that would help you to
have a better understanding of Francophone culture.