Les vacances du Petit Nicolas

Les vacances du Petit Nicolas
Comprehension tasks
1. Read the text in French and highlight all the words that you recognize with a
highlighter pen or coloured pencil.
2. Find the French in the text for these phrases (they appear in this order):
a. I felt well ...................................................................................
b. I wonder why ...............................................................................
c. I was very ill ................................................................................
d. When he came into my room ............................................................
e. He is jolly nice/kind .......................................................................
f. He is completely bald .....................................................................
g. The doctor didn’t stay long ..............................................................
h. Mum said to me ............................................................................
i. I hope you’re going to be very good ....................................................
j. I always obey her ..........................................................................
3. Now answer the following questions in English.
a. What events led to Nicholas feeling ill?
................................................................................................
b. When did the doctor come to see him?
................................................................................................
c. How did Nicholas react when the doctor came into his room and why?
................................................................................................
................................................................................................
d. What advice did the doctor give to Nicholas’ mum?
................................................................................................
e. Summarise the main points of the last paragraph beginning ‘Maman
m’a dit …’ in English.
................................................................................................
................................................................................................
© www.teachitlanguages.co.uk 2016
23398
Page 1 of 3
Les vacances du Petit Nicolas
Creative writing
Imagine Nicholas has ignored his mother completely even though he
professes to love her very much and said he will do as the doctor
asked.
Write the next paragraph of the story.
a. Include the past tense to describe what he did next, e.g. il a vomi / il a mangé /
il a bu.
b. Add what his mum or the doctor said as a result, e.g. Maman / le docteur m’a dit
…
c. Use adjectives to make your sentences more exciting.
d. Use connectives such as puis (then), ensuite (next), après (after) to link your
sentences.
e. Use a dictionary wisely to look up other words and expressions which will make
your story more creative and interesting.
© www.teachitlanguages.co.uk 2016
23398
Page 2 of 3
Les vacances du Petit Nicolas
Teaching notes
This resource is based on the first three paragraphs of chapter 15 (‘Je suis malade’) of
Le Petit Nicholas, Sempé-Goscinny, Éditions by Denoël, 1960. For copyright reasons we
are not able to reproduce the text here, but it is freely available online via the link
below – simply paste into Word (from ‘Je me sentais très bien hier’ to ‘sinon, ça fait des
histoires.’) and copy for your students.
roble.pntic.mec.es/apadilla/autourdufrancais/contenus/coursdefrancais/4ESO/Litteratu
re/Le%20petit%20Nicolas/je_suis_malade.html
Answers
Ex.2
a. Je me sentais bien
b. Je me demande pourquoi
c. J’ai été très malade
d. Quand il est entré dans ma chambre
e. Il est rudement gentil
f. Il est tout chauve
g. Le docteur n’est pas resté longtemps
h. Maman m’a dit
i. J’espère que tu vas être très sage
j. Je lui obéis toujours
Ex. 3
a. He ate lots of toffees/caramels, sweets, cakes, chips and ice cream.
b. This morning / in the morning.
c. He cried out of habit.
d. To put him on a diet/fast, to make sure he stays lying down and rests.
e. Nicholas’ mum wants him to behave / obey the doctor. Nicholas loves his mum a
lot and says he always obeys her. It is better that way so as not to cause trouble.
© www.teachitlanguages.co.uk 2016
23398
Page 3 of 3