Meeting Point T
LE
Toutes séries
Directrice d’ouvrage et auteur :
Josette STARCK
Lycée Richelieu, Rueil-Malmaison
Auteurs :
Dominique SANTONI
Collège-Lycée Buffon, Paris
Véronique JAUBERT
Lycée Jacques-Prévert, Longjumeau
Pascale CAMPS-VAQUER
Collège Les Vallées, La Garenne-Colombes
Formatrice et tutrice
Lucile MENU
Lycée Richelieu, Rueil-Malmaison
Maël JOYEUX
Lycée François-Villon, Les Mureaux
Pryscilla HEBEL
Lycée Evariste-Galois, Sartrouville
Stephanie SOUTHALL
Durham University
Cynthia BENREY
Lycée international, Saint-Germain-en-Laye
Paul LARREYA
Professeur en linguistique
Avec la participation de :
Loa Mills, TZR Hauts-de-Seine
Mary Feeney
Hannah Wood
Elisa Grimaldi
David Kendall
Andy Hobday
Marisol Ruelas
Relecture :
Andrew Hamilton
Ruth Phan,
Lycée Charles-de-Gaulle, Poissy
Françoise Laveille, Université Paris
Descartes, Paris V
Conception maquette : Panni Demeter, Marc & Yvette
Mise en page : Marc & Yvette
Iconographie : Nadine Gudimard
Édition : Catherine de Bernis
© Hatier - Paris, 2012
ISBN : 978-2-218-95389-7
Sous réserve des exceptions légales, toute représentation ou reproduction intégrale ou partielle, faite, par quelque procédé que ce soit,
sans le consentement de l’auteur ou de ses ayants droit, est illicite et constitue une contrefaçon sanctionnée par le Code de la Propriété
Intellectuelle. Le CFC est le seul habilité à délivrer des autorisations de reproduction par reprographie, sous réserve en cas d’utilisation
aux fins de vente, de location, de publicité ou de promotion de l’accord de l’auteur ou des ayants droit.
S O M M A I R E
Avant-propos
p. 4
Unit 1
MYTH OR REALITY?
p. 9
Unit 2
THE SWINGING SIXTIES
p. 27
Unit 3
A MAN’S WORLD?
p. 50
Unit 4
BRAVE NEW WORLD?
p. 79
Unit 5
THE LAND OF TWO HALVES
p. 99
Unit 6
WHICH IS WITCH?
p. 116
Unit 7
A COMMON GROUND
p. 134
Unit 8
BORDERLANDS
p. 159
Unit 9
A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH
p. 196
Unit 10
THE POWER OF MONEY
p. 233
Unit 11
HIGHER, FASTER, STRONGER
p. 250
Unit 12
THE CORRIDORS OF POWER
p. 278
Unit 13
DIXIELAND
p. 293
Unit 14
BUILDERS AND TITANS
p. 311
Unit 15
WESTERN TRAILS
p. 336
Fiches d’évaluation (fiches photocopiables)
p. 356
Méthodologie (corrigés du manuel)
p. 413
Préparation à l’épreuve écrite du Baccalauréat
(fiches photocopiables)
p. 419
SOM MAI R E
• 3
AVANT-PROPOS
I. STRUCTURE DU MANUEL
Le manuel de Terminale est conçu selon les mêmes principes que ceux de 2de et de 1re et s’articule autour
de 5 activités langagières. Trois unités sont proposées par activité langagière dominante soit 15 unités
au total. Le manuel offre un grand choix de documents, les thématiques sont variées et destinées à
toutes les séries (L, S, ES et séries technologiques). L’unité 3 est intitulée Art Project pour répondre aux
instructions officielles sur l’Histoire des Arts. On retrouvera aussi dans chaque unité matière à aborder
les arts visuels tout au cours de l’année.
• Chaque unité est « raccrochée » à une ou deux notions du programme (affichage clair en début
d’unité et en bas des pages impaires). Ce sont les notions dominantes mais les deux autres notions
ne sont pas exclues. Pour rappel, les notions sont au nombre de quatre :
– Lieux et formes du pouvoir
– Espaces et échanges
– Mythes et héros
– L’idée de progrès
• Des documents authentiques variés, forts, déclencheurs de parole ont été choisis : visuels,
audio, vidéo, textes...
• L’ensemble du manuel propose pour chaque unité un ancrage dans la culture anglo-saxonne.
• Une tâche finale est prévue à la fin de chaque unité avec guidage pour accompagner les élèves dans
sa réalisation. Des tâches intermédiaires (Prepare your task) rythment l’unité et permettent un entraînement dans l’activité langagière dominante tout en préparant à la tâche finale. Il est important de rappeler
néanmoins qu’il n’est pas nécessaire de faire toutes les tâches intermédiaires pour réaliser la tâche
finale. Nous avons voulu avant tout présenter un manuel riche qui permettra de varier les séquences
en fonction des élèves ou des années. Enfin, chaque tâche cible une activité langagière spécifique, et
prépare donc aux différentes épreuves du Baccalauréat.
• Les unités ont été testées dans nos différentes classes et des mises en œuvre actionnelles sont
proposées dans ce Fichier.
• Une évaluation diagnostique portant sur toutes les activités langagières a été prévue pour dresser
le bilan des acquis en début d’année. Sont fournies dans ce Fichier des grilles critériées pour une
éventuelle répartition des élèves en groupes de compétence ou pour évaluer le niveau des élèves
en début d’année dans les différentes activités langagières et orienter votre travail.
• Des évaluations sommatives sont prévues à la fin de chaque « tripler » (un entraînement est proposé
dans le manuel et vous trouverez dans ce Fichier des sujets pour chaque unité avec barèmes et répartition par palier et/ou une note chiffrée à laquelle correspond un palier du CECRL).
• Vous trouverez à la fin du manuel :
– 10 pages d’outils méthodologiques (p. 234-243) : Rédiger un texte - Comprendre un message oral
- Commenter un document visuel - Enrichir sa prise de parole ;
– 4 pages intitulées Fast Facts (p. 258-261). Présentées de manière très visuelle, elles permettent de
s’approprier des repères culturels importants. Le professeur pourra renvoyer les élèves à ces pages
lors de l’étude d’un document.
– 20 pages de Précis grammatical (p. 262-283), que les élèves pourront consulter régulièrement.
Deux autres pages permettront de réviser les Verbes irréguliers (p. 284-285).
Entraînement
Objectif
j f
II. ZOOM SUR LES PAGES DE PRÉPARATION AU BAC
A.
4 •
Rappel sur les nouvelles épreuves du Bac (2013)
Classes de ES, S, STMG et autres séries technologiques. LV1 (B2) / LV2 (B1)
• Épreuve écrite, examen terminal
– Compréhension : un à trois documents d’une longueur calibrée dont certains peuvent comporter
un élément visuel. L’élève répond à des questions sur ce(s) document(s), ciblées selon le niveau attendu (B1 ou B2).
– Expression : l’élève rédige un ou plusieurs textes.
• Épreuve orale, en cours d’année
– Compréhension : au cours du 2e trimestre. L’élève écoute un (ou deux) document(s) inconnu(s),
d’une durée maximale d’une minute trente secondes au total. Trois écoutes sont proposées, puis
l’élève écrit un résumé en français en dix minutes.
– Expression : au cours du 3e trimestre. L’élève tire au sort une des notions étudiées dans l’année,
s’exprime en continu puis en interaction avec l’examinateur.
Classes de L. LV1 (B2) / LV2 (B1)
• Épreuve écrite, examen terminal
– Compréhension : un à trois documents d’une longueur calibrée dont certains peuvent comporter
un élément visuel. L’élève répond à des questions sur ce(s) document(s), ciblées selon le niveau attendu (B1 ou B2).
– Expression : l’élève rédige un ou plusieurs textes.
• Épreuve orale, en cours d’année
– Expression : l’élève présente une liste des notions étudiées dans l’année et les documents qui les
illustrent. L’examinateur choisit une notion, s’ensuit une présentation en continu par l’élève puis en
interaction avec l’examinateur.
Spécialité : langue vivante approfondie (LVA). LV1 (C1) / LV2 (B2)
• Épreuve orale, examen terminal
– Expression : l’élève présente deux dossiers, chacun sur une notion étudiée dans l’année, comportant
deux documents étudiés en classe et un choisi par lui. L’examinateur choisit une notion, s’ensuit une
présentation en continu par l’élève puis en interaction avec l’examinateur.
Littérature en langue étrangère (LELE)
• Épreuve orale, examen terminal
– Expression : l’élève apporte deux dossiers illustrant des thèmes du programme de littérature en
langue étrangère, comportant au minimum trois textes chacun, et tout autre document choisi par lui.
L’examinateur choisit une de ces thématiques, s’ensuit une présentation en continu par l’élève puis
en interaction avec l’examinateur.
Toutes séries. LV3 (A2)
Langue étrangère ou régionale
• Épreuve orale
– Expression : l’élève apporte une liste des notions étudiées dans l’année et les documents qui les
illustrent. L’examinateur choisit une notion, s’ensuit une présentation en continu par l’élève puis en
interaction avec l’examinateur.
Oral de rattrapage. (30’ dont 10’ de préparation)
Les élèves auront le choix entre deux documents inconnus qui porteront chacun sur une notion travaillée pendant l’année (B.O. du 02 03 2012).
B.
Compréhension écrite
& Entraînement
– Les unités 4, 5 et 6 sont centrées sur la compréhension de l’écrit. Pour guider l’élève tout au long
de l’année, on trouvera dans le Workbook des fiches d’entraînement à la lecture qui les aideront à
comprendre les textes proposés dans le manuel. Ils mettront ainsi en place des stratégies transférables.
– Les pages Improve your reading skills proposent une aide méthodologique en contexte à l’aide
de supports en relation avec l’unité. Elles servent aussi à consolider les acquis.
– Reading corner : plusieurs textes longs sont proposés dans le manuel, les fiches photocopiables
sont fournies sur le site compagnon avec leurs corrigés.
– Préparation à l’épreuve écrite : 8 pages de préparation à l’épreuve écrite du Bac permettent
d’entraîner les élèves. 4 textes sont fournis dans le manuel. Les fiches et leurs corrigés se trouvent
dans ce Fichier du professeur (p. 419-430).
– Des pages de méthodologie de la compréhension écrite (p. 100-101 du manuel) permettront
d’acquérir les stratégies essentielles.
AVANT- P R OP OS
• 5
& Évaluation
– Tâches finales dans la dominante langagière.
– Évaluation en fin de chaque unité de « reading ». Les évaluations sont à deux niveaux, en B1
(LV1) et en B2 (LV2).
C.
Compréhension orale
& Entraînement :
- Les 3 unités de Listening (unités 7, 8 et 9) offrent de très nombreux documents authentiques. Ces
derniers sont variés, et ont été testés en classe. L’évaluation sommative se calque sur le schéma du
Baccalauréat avec résumé en français en bout de course à partir de notes prises pendant les écoutes.
– Dans le Workbook, des fiches d’entraînement sur les supports audio sont fournies. Nous les
avons construites autour de trois écoutes pour permettre aux élèves d’acquérir les stratégies nécessaires en contexte. Le transfert sur d’autres supports se fera ainsi plus facilement.
– Des fiches complémentaires sont disponibles sur le site compagnon, ainsi que les scripts et les
corrigés.
– Les pages Improve your listening skills constituent une aide méthodologique en contexte pour
cette activité langagière. Les documents sonores (MP3) sont disponibles pour l’élève sur le site compagnon et permettent un travail autonome en classe ou à la maison.
– Des pages de méthodologie de la compréhension orale (p. 146-147 et 238-239) offrent à l’élève
l’occasion de s’entraîner seul et de consolider ses acquis.
– Des documents MP3 dans les Listening corners sont fournis et peuvent être utilisés soit en entraînement, soit en évaluation. Les fichiers MP3 sur le site compagnon offrent la possibilité à l’élève
de travailler en autonomie à la maison, ce qui n’est pas négligeable étant donné le peu d’heures dont
nous disposons en classe.
– La Clé du Bac constitue un outil précieux pour préparer l’épreuve de compréhension orale. Cette
clé USB contient 20 fichiers de 1’30” maximum au format MP3 sur des sujets variés. Le professeur pourra utiliser ces enregistrements en classe / en labo multimédia pour entraîner ses élèves à
l’épreuve de compréhension orale. Les résumés ainsi que les fiches critériées sont fournis sur la clé
ainsi que les scripts des enregistrements.
& Évaluation
– Tâches finales dans la dominante langagière.
– Une évaluation en fin de chaque unité de Listening est prévue (résumé en français, grille
d’évaluation de la compréhension avec grille critériée dans ce Fichier).
D.
Prise de parole en continu
& Entraînement :
– Les 3 unités de prise de parole en continu (unités 1, 2 et 3) s’appuient, elles aussi, sur de très
nombreux documents authentiques. Ces derniers sont variés, et ont été testés en classe.
– Les pages Improve your speaking skills donnent l’occasion à l’élève d’acquérir les outils nécessaires pour améliorer sa production orale.
– Les doubles pages Speaking corner permettent au professeur d’utiliser des documents
iconographiques, des citations et des documents audio en lien avec l’unité lors d’une évaluation de
la prise de parole en continu ou lors d’examens blancs.
– 10 images vidéoprojetables sont disponibles sur le DVD-Rom et peuvent servir de support pour
rebrasser les acquis de l’unité ou pour une évaluation.
Objectif
j f
– Certaines rubriques Action! du Workbook contiennent des questions
pour aider
l’élève à faire le lien entre le support étudié et la ou les notions au programme. La correction de ces
questions en classe fournira une base sur laquelle l’élève s’appuiera pour prendre la parole à l’oral et
ainsi nourrir le dossier qu’il/elle préparera.
& Évaluation
– Tâches finales dans la dominante langagière.
– L’évaluation sommative se calque sur le schéma du Baccalauréat avec plusieurs documents
iconographiques fournis dans le Fichier pédagogique pour chacune des unités. Un corrigé est fourni
pour un document par unité, les autres étant disponibles sur le site compagnon.
6 •
– En fin de manuel, on trouvera 6 pages de préparation à l’épreuve orale aidant à présenter les notions (p. 244-249). Des pistes de réflexion possibles y sont listées, ce qui permettra à l’élève de nourrir
et d’étoffer sa présentation orale. Ces pages se décomposent ainsi :
• 2 pages de présentation générale ;
• 1 page par notion, soit quatre pages au total.
L’élève trouvera aussi des cartes mentales qui lui permettront de compléter et d’élargir le lexique lié
à la notion.
– À la dernière page de chaque unité (rubrique Get ready for the oral exam), l’élève est invité à
constituer un dossier sur la notion ou les notions en jeu dans le projet pédagogique et ceci y compris
pour les élèves d’autres séries que L. En effet, seuls les élèves de L doivent présenter un dossier mais
rassembler et classer les documents permettra à tous de préparer l’épreuve orale tout au long de
l’année. Voici un exemple de dossier construit sur l’unité 11, Higher, faster, stronger.
Spaces and Exchanges:
- Queen Elizabeth’s Christmas speech
in 2010, p. 163
- Cartoon: Soccer star, p. 169
- Text: Ethics, money and sports…, p. 170
- Poster on the 2012 Irish Paralympic
team, p. 175
The notion of Progress:
- Text: That’s what I like, p. 164
- Cartoon: Trapped on the track, p. 165
- Video: Dream, believe, achieve, p. 166
- Text: Spirit in motion, p. 166-167
- Text: Abuse in sports, p. 168-169
- Cartoon p. 172
- Quotations p. 175
Myths and Heroes:
- Photos of David Weir and Oscar Pistorius, p. 166-167
- Video: Dream, believe, achieve, p. 166
- Text: Spirit in motion, p. 166-167
- Websearch on Jesse Owens and Tommie Smith, p. 168
- Poem: Black and blue, p. 174
Les élèves devront dégager la ou les problématique(s) soulevée(s) par chaque document. Les notes
que les élèves pourront prendre au fur et à mesure qu’ils / elles constitueront leur dossier pourront
être amorcées ainsi (l’exemple fourni ci-dessous est fondé sur les documents de l’unité 13 Dixieland) :
The photographs on page 196 reveal the true state of New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina
from a humanitarian point of view, and so I have to say they are incredibly powerful images. The photos
shock us, have a powerful effect on the viewer and therefore are used by journalists to bring home their
point. Journalists try to influence people by showing striking images. If we think of the news on TV, it is
clear that little is said but vivid images are shown to shock the audience. That is why I believe this document illustrates the notion of power very well. I would add the accompanying text into this category as
well as it is also very truthful and moving.
E.
Production orale en interaction
& Entraînement
– 3 unités de prise de parole en interaction (unités 10, 11 et 12) offrent de très nombreux documents authentiques. Ces derniers sont variés, et ont été testés en classe.
– Les pages Improve your speaking skills donnent l’occasion à l’élève d’acquérir les outils nécessaires pour améliorer sa production orale.
– Les doubles pages Speaking corner permettent au professeur d’utiliser des documents
iconographiques, des citations et des textes en lien avec l’unité lors d’une évaluation de la prise de
parole en interaction ou lors d’examens blancs.
– Tout au long du manuel des scénarisations (saynètes, débats, discours...), mais aussi des travaux de
groupes sont suggérés au professeur et permettent à l’élève de réinvestir ce qu’il / elle a appris en cours.
– Dans les pages Enrichir sa prise de parole (p. 242-243), l’élève puisera les structures dont il a
besoin pour s’exprimer et étoffer ses énoncés.
AVANT- P R OP OS
• 7
& Évaluation
– Tâches finales dans la dominante langagière.
– L’évaluation sommative à la fin de ce tripler permet d’utiliser différents documents sur lesquels
les élèves réagiront en groupe de deux ou plus.
F.
Production écrite
& Entraînement :
– 3 unités de writing (unités 13, 14 et 15) offrent de très nombreux documents authentiques. Ces
derniers sont variés, et ont été testés en classe.
– Les pages Improve your writing skills donnent l’occasion à l’élève d’acquérir les outils nécessaires
pour améliorer sa production écrite.
– Tout au long du manuel des productions écrites (lettre, dialogue, récit...) sont suggérées au professeur et permettent à l’élève de réinvestir ce qu’il a appris en cours.
– Tout au long du manuel les pages de Language at work sont consacrées à la grammaire :
• l’élève pourra manipuler les faits de langue. La rubrique On your own! a été intégrée afin que la grammaire soit systématiquement utilisée en contexte et reliée au thème.
• une rubrique Grammar in action! offre la possibilité aux élèves d’utiliser la grammaire de façon un
peu plus ludique et moins contraignante.
– Le rabat avant « Relire sa copie » s’avèrera utile lorsqu’un élève voudra relire son devoir avec attention et éliminer les erreurs les plus courantes.
& Évaluation
– Tâches finales dans la dominante langagière
– La double page d’évaluation sommative (p. 232-233) a pour but de faire prendre conscience aux
élèves des stratégies à mettre en œuvre pour chaque type de production.
– Quatre pages intitulées « Rédiger un texte » (p. 234-237) permettent d’entraîner les élèves de
façon rigoureuse à chaque type de production écrite.
III. LES PÉRIPHÉRIQUES
• Un Workbook de 96 pages avec des fiches d’entraînement et des aides à la prise de parole.
• Trois CD audio classe avec les documents liés aux activités du manuel, notamment aux évaluations,
et les rubriques Help!
• Un DVD-Rom avec 14 vidéos et 10 images vidéoprojetables, ainsi que leur exploitation pédagogique imprimable.
• Un site compagnon avec tous les MP3 élève (dont 8 textes du manuel enregistrés), de nombreuses
ressources pour l’enseignant (dont une liste de sites Internet pour aller plus loin sur certains sujets)
et une FAQ qui sera alimentée au fur et à mesure des questions qui nous seront posées.
• Un manuel interactif enrichi enseignant : sur un seul support, le manuel, l’audio classe, l’audio
élève, les vidéos, les images vidéoprojetables, le Fichier pédagogique, les fiches photocopiables et les
corrigés. Ce manuel est réservé à un usage individuel, mais trois copies sont autorisées (une installation sur un poste et deux copies sur clé USB).
• Un manuel interactif enrichi élève comprenant le manuel et les fichiers audio élève.
• La Clé du Bac avec 20 documents audio d’une durée maximale de 1’30’’, leur script, les résumés
en français et des grilles d’évaluation critériées.
Les unités du manuel ont été testées et les mises en œuvre proposées et détaillées dans le Fichier
pédagogique sont le fruit de nos expériences en classe.
Nous serons très intéressés par vos remarques, suggestions et critiques sur cet ouvrage.
(Hatier, 8 rue d’Assas, 75278 Paris Cedex 06)
Les auteurs
8 •
UNIT
1
MYTH OR REALITY?
& Mythes et héros & Espaces et échanges
Tâche finale (p. 29) : There is an exhibition called “American Myths in Cartoons” in your
local museum. You are a cartoonist. Present your work orally.
Activités langagières
Tune in!
(p. 20)
1. Thanksgiving
(p. 21)
2. The land
of marvels
(p. 22-23)
3. Land of milk
and honey?
(p. 24)
Contenus
Prolongements tâches / aides
CE
L’immigration aux États-Unis, des
Pères Pèlerins aux Hispaniques
Commenter un document visuel
(p. 240-241)
CO
Le mur à la frontière
américano-mexicaine
Comprendre un message oral
(p. 238-239)
PPC
Faire un compte rendu oral
Enrichir sa prise de parole (p. 242-243)
CO
Vidéo : Origins of a festival
Fiche vidéo (DVD-Rom et site
compagnon)
PPC
– Tableau de JLG Ferris
– Cartoon
– Compte rendu
– Image vidéoprojetable (DVD-Rom)
– Commenter un document visuel
(p. 240-241)
– Enrichir sa prise de parole (p. 242-243)
POI
Jeu de rôles
Évaluation sommative de POI
(p. 188-189)
CE
Comprendre une chanson
Fiche Workbook
PPC
Présenter oralement le contenu
d’une chanson
Évaluation sommative de PPC
(p. 58-59)
PE
– Rédiger un texte explicatif
– Rédiger un commentaire
Rédiger un texte (p. 234-237)
PPC
Réagir à une photographie
Commenter un document visuel
(p. 240-241)
CE /
PPC
– Faire une recherche Internet
– Rendre compte des informations collectées
Enrichir sa prise de parole (p. 242-243)
PPC
Jeu de rôles : défendre
son point de vue
– Enrichir sa prise de parole (p. 242-243)
– Évaluation sommative de PPC
(p. 58-59)
CO /
PPC
– Comprendre et collecter
des informations
– Rendre compte des
informations
– Comprendre un message oral
(p. 238-239)
– Enrichir sa prise de parole (p. 242-243)
CE /
PPC
– Faire une recherche Internet
– Rendre compte des informations collectées
Enrichir sa prise de parole (p. 242-243)
4. Two icons
(p. 25)
5. Remembering CE
key leaders
(p. 26)
CO
Comprendre et collecter
des informations écrites
Comprendre et corriger
un message oral
Comprendre un message oral
(p. 238-239)
L’activité langagière principale de cette unité est la PPC (prise de parole en continu).
U N IT 1
• 9
UNIT
1
MYTH OR REALITY?
TUNE IN!
MANUEL & P. 20
1. Info search
& Proposition de corrigé :
The first settlers
The Pilgrims, the Pilgrim Fathers: a group of 100 (maybe 101 or 102) Puritans left Plymouth,
England, on September 6, 1620 on board The Mayflower. This was the ship that transported the
Pilgrims from Plymouth, England, to Plymouth Colony, Massachusetts. The ship left Plymouth on
September 6, and dropped anchor near Cape Cod on November 21, 1620 where they founded
the colony of Plymouth, Massachusetts on December 21.
The Puritans were followers of Calvin, they were organized in various congregations (Presbyterian, Separatist, Congregational) and objected to the established Church of England. The
Pilgrim Fathers were religious fundamentalists who wanted to reform the Church and society
and make them much more pure. They believed that they could have direct communication
with God and did not need Church hierarchy. In England Protestant dissenters (Puritans) were
harshly persecuted. As it was impossible to reform a corrupt Church and kingdom, they left
England, went to Holland then sailed for America.
Plymouth Rock
Pilgrim Memorial State Park is one of the most heavily visited State parks in the country. Nearly
one million people a year come from all over the world to visit the town where in 1620 Europeans first made a home in New England and to see Plymouth Rock. This simple glacial erratic
boulder on the shore of Plymouth Harbor has become a world famous symbol of the courage
and faith of the men and women who founded the first New England colony. A landscaped
waterfront park provides scenic views of Plymouth Harbor. The Mayflower II, a replica of the
ship that brought the first Pilgrims to Massachusetts, is anchored at the park.
2. The wall
> Script de l’enregistrement (CD 1, plage 3)
The Mexico–United States barrier is also known in the United States as the border fence or
border wall. The barrier covers one-third of the US’s entire southern frontier with Mexico.
The fence cuts through towns and divides the desert. In parts it is a fence about 5 metres
high, built of a strong steel mesh and painted the same colour as the surrounding earth. In
some places it is topped by barbed wire; in others it is a solid steel wall. Parts of the border
are protected by a “virtual fence” – a network of electronic sensors, cameras, motion detectors and high-flying drones that can see for more than 300 miles. Its length is patrolled by
border patrols, drug enforcement and FBI agents. In Arizona, an armed vigilante militia, the
Minutemen, watch the border. The barrier’s supporters say it is to prevent illegal immigrants
from entering the US, to stop drug traffickers and limit violence related to drugs. Opponents
claim the barriers cost a fortune, are ineffective, jeopardize the health and safety of those
seeking illegal entry into the United States and damage the environment.
10 •
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3. Oral account
& Productions possibles :
The people arriving on the boat are called Pilgrims. They originally came from England but fled
the country after being persecuted for their religious beliefs. They wanted to live somewhere
where they could be free to practice whatever religion they chose. On the trip across the
Atlantic Ocean, one of the leaders, John Winthrop, compared the society they would build to
a city upon a hill. This means that it would be an incredibly moral society, where everyone
would do their duty to make life better. The location where they arrived goes by the name of
Plymouth Rock. This pilgrimage became what is known today as only the second successful
colony in North America and what was until independence the oldest British colony in America
dating back to 1620.
I believe the author’s intent was to make an ironic comparison between the arrival of the
Pilgrims and the present day issue of immigration in the United States. When the Pilgrims arrived, not only did the Indians accept their presence, but they went so far as to help them. If
the Indians had never taught the Pilgrims to farm, they would have all starved to death. They
were willing to go out of their way to help others. In today’s society we have a barbed wire
fence and millions of dollars a year spent to try and keep people out. Most of the immigrants
today come for the same reasons as the Pilgrims namely freedom, peace and a better life.
When the Pilgrims arrived, the Indians made no attempt to form these newcomers or attempt
to make them assimilate into their culture. They simply let them be and flourish in their own
way. That is not the case today.
1. THANKSGIVING
MANUEL & P. 21
1. Watch a video: Origins of a festival
N. B. : la fiche élève, son corrigé, le script et l’exploitation de l’extrait se trouvent dans le
livret du DVD-Rom et sur le site compagnon.
& Productions possibles :
It is a painting by Jean Leon Gerome Ferris in honour of the Native American tribe and the
colonists.
This painting depicts the first religious festival of Thanksgiving. It is a festival that is now celebrated on the last Thursday of November. The Pilgrim Fathers were not familiar with their new
environment and had to face a very harsh winter. The Native Americans helped them survive.
They introduced them to corn, squash, pumpkin, cranberries and sweet potatoes. They also
taught the settlers how to hunt and grow new vegetables.
Thanksgiving was celebrated to thank God for helping them overcome their difficulties. The
Pilgrims were grateful to Native Americans for helping them and celebrated the friendship and
brotherhood between the two communities.
In the painting the Native Americans and the Pilgrims share food. The Pilgrims welcome
the Natives to their colony. They have built thatched-roof houses. The women are wearing
gowns whereas the Native Americans are wearing feathered headdresses and blankets. The
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MYTH OR REALITY?
Pilgrims are sitting or standing whereas the Indians are sitting on the ground. The settlers
look sophisticated and superior to the Native Americans. The Native Americans are closer to
Nature. They seem to be more primitive and wild. The atmosphere is relaxed and joyful. The
two communities seem to live in perfect harmony and unity, yet the Indians are depicted as
warlike with their feathered headgear and the man in the background is carrying a rifle, as
if ready to defend himself and the villagers. Likewise, the helmet and the sword of the man
on the right do not seem to be in keeping with the celebration. Thanksgiving symbolizes the
joy of loving, caring and sharing – not war! It epitomizes / symbolizes peace, harmony and
union and people thanking the Lord for all the blessings and material possessions they have.
It is an idealized vision, the truth has been distorted. Indeed, the Pilgrims seem to be the hosts
and the Native Americans are their guests. It was quite the opposite. The Pilgrims relied on
the Natives Americans and would have starved to death without them.
2. Role play
& Productions possibles :
Group A
– If I was the Indian man, I would be angry and confused: “These people have arrived from
the ocean and my people have done all that they can to make them feel at home. We have
saved their lives by teaching them how to hunt game and plant crops and we have kept them
warm by teaching them to make shelters. Yet, at the end of this wonderful meal, they leave
the payments to us. It should be them paying! They seem so ungrateful, as if all we did for
them was expected and worthy of no thanks. I am highly disappointed.”
– “What just happened? Why did I get stuck with the check? Is this fair? First of all, the Pilgrims
came here uninvited. But we helped them out, showed them how to raise crops, how to fish,
what kind of game they could hunt here, helped them survive the first winter, and now what?
Now, I, and the rest of the Native Americans, get stuck with the bill. We’re the ones who will
have to pay for the choices made by the white people who have come over. I thought that
they wanted to be my friends… but maybe not?”
a.
Group B
I believe this cartoon is supposed to symbolize Thanksgiving. The Puritans have shared a meal
with the Indian man, and all the Puritans are standing up and away from the table. The only
one left at the table is a small Indian man with a large check to pay in front of him.
b.
The people are turning their backs to the Indian man that is still at the table. I believe that
this represents how the Pilgrims acted once they were well settled in America. At first, they
were dependent on the Indians and graciously took their help. However, once they were not
immediately needed, the immigrants began to betray them and take advantage of them. Basically, they turned their backs on the Indians.
c.
The empty table symbolizes the fact that the Pilgrims are leaving the Indians to fend for
themselves. Even though they had been able to do this perfectly well prior to the arrival of
the Pilgrims, they will now have to do it with the Pilgrims present. This will turn out to be quite
the task for the Pilgrims will soon become numerous and begin to encroach on their land and
on their lifestyle.
The Indian man is left with nothing but the check. The Puritans are leaving it on him to pay for
the meal. This represents the fact that the Indians will, over time, pay for all of the actions of the
d.
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newly arrived Pilgrims. While the new European colonies will continue to flourish, it is the Indians
that will pay a dear price. A price that will end up costing them almost their entire population.
e.
The cartoon is a harsh criticism of the Puritans’ contempt and indifference. It clearly underlines
the settlers were ungrateful to the people who had greeted / welcomed them. The cartoonist
hints that the Natives will soon be dispossessed of and driven off their land by the settlers.
They were considered primitive savages who had to be saved or killed. The tone is ironic. The
cartoonist draws up an indictment of colonization. It is a committed drawing.
On pourra aussi organiser un jeu de rôles : Imagine the exchange between the Puritans.
& Productions possibles :
Paul: What a wonderful meal! I’m full. I haven’t eaten so much for ages.
Oliver: Neither have I, it was out of this world!
Mary: Shouldn’t we thank our host? We’re leaving without even saying goodbye, that’s so rude!
Oliver: Don’t worry about the Native, he’s fine.
Mary: But they did their best to welcome us and we aren’t thanking them at all? I don’t want
to be ungrateful or disrespectful. Hold on a minute, I want to thank him, that’s the least we
can do. Don’t you feel any remorse?
Paul: Honestly Mary, stop your nonsense!
Mary: I don’t want to feel ashamed of myself, I’m going to thank him, whatever you say.
Paul: Well, go on then, but I don’t want to have anything to do with him afterwards. We know
how to grow our food now and how to hunt game. We don’t need shelter anymore. We have
no need for him. Let him go back to his uncivilized world!
2. THE LAND OF MARVELS
MANUEL & P. 22-23
1. Find the key information
N. B. : ce texte a été enregistré et est disponible sur le site compagnon.
CORRIGÉ DE LA FICHE DU WORKBOOK (P. 3-4)
1
a) b) The song may be about the American Dream, and how hard you have to work when
you immigrate to America to fulfil your dreams. It might be about the possibilities available to make money and to make this land your new home. The words “treasure” and
“diamonds” remind me of the “Land of Opportunity”, a country where you can hope for
better prospects. Nevertheless, the word “gutters” is also reminiscent of a harsh reality:
you don’t always succeed in making your dreams come true.
2
- There: America - We: the narrator and his wife
3
- Age: “still young” (l. 2) - Family status: in a relationship “my darling” (l. 2) + “my lovely”
(l. 4) - Plans for the future: “we’ll make our home in the American Land” (l. 6-7)
4
It refers to the people who live in America.
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MYTH OR REALITY?
5
6
Wealth
Abundance
Luxury
“Gold comes rushing out
the rivers straight into
your hands” (l. 12-13)
“And children dear, the
sweets, I hear, are growing
on the trees” (l. 10-11)
“Over there all the women
wear silk and satin to
their knees” (l. 8-9)
A new Eldorado (paradise)
A land of opportunity
“diamonds in the sidewalk” (l. 16)
“beer flows through the faucets all night
long” (l. 18-19)
“There’s treasure for the taking, for any
hard working man” (l. 20)
7
You need to be “hard working” (l. 20).
8
- “I”: an immigrant - “She”: his darling - “We”: all the immigrants
9
amazement, surprise, fascination. The narrator is fascinated by what he discovers when
he lands at Ellis Island, he gets a glimpse of New York, and of the Statue of Liberty.
10
a) The working class is mentioned here.
b) contemptuous
11
A nation of immigrants
“The McNicholas, the Posalskis,
the Smiths, Zerillis, too” (l. 30)
“The Blacks, the Irish, Italians,
the Germans and the Jews” (l. 31)
“Come across the water a thousand
miles from home” (l. 32)
12
Determination
“with nothin’
in their bellies”
(l. 33)
“the fire down
below” (l. 33)
They = the immigrants
13
Social class
Working class: “worked
to bones and skin” (l. 34)
14
Poverty
Economic sectors
“building the railroads”
(l. 34)
“fields and factories”
(l. 35)
Consequence
“they died” (l. 34 et 36)
a) - They: the immigrants - here: America
b) America has always been a magnet for immigrants who hope to make a living there, to
have better prospects. This American Dream still exists now.
ACTION!
1
People were yearning to live in an open society, where they would become well-off and
could afford expensive materials and clothes. They were dreaming of being treated
14 •
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on an equal footing, hoping that in America, they could overcome the social barriers.
They were longing to climb the rungs of the social ladder overnight and to start from
scratch / to leave their previous lives behind them once on American soil.
2
America was built by destitute people / people who lived in dire straits. They had little
income and were hoping for a higher standard of living and better prospects. They
tried to achieve success in America.
Today, the new generations should pay tribute to the immigrants who came during the
waves of immigration. It is thanks to a working-class labour force that America was
built. In spite of their tough jobs in factories / plants, the immigrants tried to integrate
into a society which praises hard work, but where white collar workers are still in charge.
3
Bruce Springsteen’s vision of America is jingoistic and definitely idealised. Although the
lyrics are stereotyped and biased, his vision is still alive nowadays among immigrants.
Objectif
j f
Immigrants were attracted to a land where job opportunities and better living conditions
seemed to be available to anyone. However, the American Dream became a reality for
very few of them, and many remained poverty-stricken and had to face appalling social
conditions in America. Their dream was seldom fulfilled and they had to accept low wages
and tough jobs to make a living there.
2. Behind the words
& Productions possibles :
a.
– The USA is described as a “nation of immigrants”. The different waves of immigration are
listed. Immigrants from Ireland, Poland, Great Britain, Italy, the Germans and the Jews wanted
to integrate into American society. He also refers to Ellis Island, the immigration center off
Manhattan (l. 22). This island was the first place the immigrants saw, before discovering New
York City.
– The USA is seen as “a land of opportunity”, an open society. People are well-off enough
to buy luxury goods. All the women there can afford expensive clothes. All people are on an
equal footing. There are no social classes. It is an open society, there are no social barriers.
People can become wealthy very quickly, become millionaires overnight. People can climb
the social ladder and start from scratch. Throughout history self-made men made fortunes.
“There’s diamonds in the sidewalk” : there’s opulence (= wealth) in the whole country. It makes
it easier to climb the social ladder. Springsteen insists on a key value, namely the work ethic.
(The Puritans believed that if you worked hard and you succeeded, it meant that it was a sign
from God, a sign of divine election. Success meant you were chosen by God, you belonged
to the Happy Few.) Nowadays hard work means success. The work ethic is a key value in the
USA.
– The USA is depicted as “the Promised Land”, “the land of milk and honey” there for the
taking (lines 10, 11, 12, 13, 16, 17, 18, 19).
b.
The singer pays tribute to the working class. Cities were built thanks to the workers. The song
pays tribute to the immigrants and to the working class, and doesn’t play tribute to the millionnaires. He praises manual workers, blue collared workers. Blue collars are opposed to the
U N IT 1
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MYTH OR REALITY?
white collars. This is a typical theme in Bruce Springsteen’s songs. Blue collars died building
the railroads, worked until their deaths. They dedicated their lives / sacrificed their lives to
build the country. It was a very tough job. Immigrants also worked in factories / plants. After
the Depression (the Wall Street crash in 1929) jobs were created because dams, roads, and
other infrastructure was built.
c.
Springsteen refers to the reasons why these people emigrated. They came with nothing,
were poverty-stricken. They lived in dire straits / were destitute. They had guts because they
knew that they were going to struggle. They wanted better living conditions, a better income,
a higher standard of living, better prospects for their children.
> Mise en œuvre :
– On pourra demander aux élèves de conclure en donnant leur opinion sur cette chanson
et sur la vision de Springsteen : This song is very jingoistic because his vision is completely
idealised, stereotyped / biased. I think that Bruce Springsteen really believes in his country,
he believes the American Dream is still alive.
– L’image p. 22 pourra donner lieu à une prise de parole en continu et être utilisée en évaluation (formative) après l’étude de la chanson. Les élèves seront ainsi amenés à réutiliser le
vocabulaire et les structures étudiées en cours.
– Dans le cadre d’une classe fragile, des questions relais pourront aider les élèves à structurer leur prise de parole en continu : Observe the picture and imagine who this young man
is (age, country of origin, reasons for leaving his native country, dreams).
– On trouvera une grille d’évaluation sommative de PPC officielle à l’adresse :
www.cache.media.education.gouv.fr/file/43/17/1/fiches_evaluation_200171.pdf
3. Green Card
& Productions possibles :
I am so happy to have received my Green Card. America means so much to me and offers
so much to her people: the freedom of religion, the freedom of expression, the freedom of
assembly, and so much more. When I hear mention of America, I think of the freedom her
people have and I long to have that same freedom. A land of immigrants, the United States
has welcomed people from all over the world and has given them new opportunities. I want
to be one of those immigrants.
While I know that the streets are not paved with gold as some stories would have us believe,
still, America does grant the freedom necessary for men and women to work hard in order
to improve their lives. Americans can live in peace with their neighbours and express their
beliefs openly without offending them. In many countries in the world, individuals do not have
this freedom. They are restricted to saying what is politically correct, and women in particular
often do not have rights equal to a man’s rights.
I am so happy to be given the opportunity to live in a country where men and women have
the same rights, where I can disagree with my neighbours about politics and religion and still
call them friends, where I can protest openly without repercussions. I will work hard to be a
contributing member of the American society and I will do my best to make the lives of my
neighbours better because of my presence in their city.
16 •
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4. An alien
& Productions possibles :
a.
The Arizona State law that was passed in April of 2010 was a law on the subject of immigration. It stated that any person suspected of being an illegal immigrant may be arrested and
detained for further questioning.
b.
The cartoon
Joe Heller’s comic titled, “I can tell by the color of your skin that you’re not from around here,
are you?” shows the Statue of Liberty driving a red convertible in the desert in the foreground
of the cartoon. The sun shines brightly in the arid and brown desert behind the car in the
background. Next to the driver’s door, a police officer with “Arizona” written on his uniform,
glares at the Statue of Liberty from behind his sunglasses, his hand resting on his holstered
gun. He demands, “I can tell by the color of your skin that you’re not from around here, are
you?” and we imagine that he has pulled her over simply because she is green-skinned and
not Caucasian as he is. The cartoon criticizes racism and racial profiling as it addresses the
subject of illegal immigration, which is rampant in States like California and Arizona. It is humorous because the border patrol officer does not recognize Lady Liberty in the car.
It may strike readers as funny, but it has a serious side as well. The officer seems to have
forgotten or not to know the words of Emma Lazarus’s poem on the pedestal of the Statue
of Liberty in New York harbour:
“Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”
Racism and illegal immigration are problems that especially plague the Southwestern United
States. Increasing numbers of illegal immigrants succeed in crossing the border between
Mexico and the United States, circumventing the lawful means of entering the United States.
Many do so because they are desperate to feed their families and are willing to take low-paying
jobs that Americans deride.
Does America still believe in the words of Emma Lazarus’s poem? Today Latinos face racism
from those who resent the financial burden that illegal immigrants from Mexico pose to American society. Racism is never acceptable, but policy makers must acknowledge the problem
of illegal immigration and find a way to solve it. Certainly they could make it easier to legally
immigrate to the US. Sadly, some people wait as long as 10 years to go through the process
legally. Why not make it easier to enter the country legally, and thus perhaps stem the tide of
those who try to cross the desert in the dead of night?
Comment on the newspaper’s website
I am writing a letter based on the cartoon that I saw recently in your newspaper. It was dealing
with the immigration laws that have just been passed in Arizona. The cartoon shows the Statue
of Liberty being pulled over on the highway and questioned. She is being considered an illegal
immigrant because her skin is green. The irony is that she represents the United States and
couldn’t be more American if she tried. I believe that this law is outright absurd. From what
I understand, the police now have the right to arrest anyone suspicious of being an illegal
immigrant. What is a person suspected of being an illegal immigrant? I’ll tell you exactly what
this law is, it is racism. Of course the majority of illegal immigrants come from Mexico. Any
U N IT 1
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MYTH OR REALITY?
Hispanic living in Arizona may be stopped and questioned. It will be based on the colour of
their skin. They will be stopped because they are not of European descent. These people are
coming to America for one reason, a better life. In their home towns in Mexico, they live in
appalling conditions. Many of them are jobless and most are poverty-stricken. The United
States gives them prospects for a better life and that is why they come.
3. LAND OF MILK AND HONEY?
MANUEL & P. 24
1. The Louisville Flood
> Mise en œuvre :
L’étude du document sera menée avant la scénarisation. Le role play pourra être utilisé
comme vérification des acquis du cours précédent.
& Productions possibles :
a.
The picture is based on a contrast between the foreground and the background. In the foreground people are queuing up. We can’t help noticing they are all African-Americans. They
are carrying bags, they look resigned, they are waiting patiently to be given some food after
the flood. They may have lost everything, may be destitute / in need. They may have fallen
below the poverty line. They must rely on charities to survive.
They are standing in front of a billboard that promotes the American way of life. The family
represented in the poster is white, all the family members are beaming / look radiant, and affluent. They are well-dressed and have a car, which at the time was a luxury and was reserved
for privileged middle-class people. They live in a consumer society. They lead a comfortable
life, have a high standard of living, enjoy life, they can even afford a pet, whereas the others
barely have enough to survive / can hardly make ends meet. They embody a typical WASP
family.
There is a sharp contrast between the two groups, the haves and the have-nots / the poor
and the weak. We can’t help thinking the slogan on the poster is ironic.
b.
The photo clearly underlines the contrast between the ideals of the nation as they are stated
in the Declaration of Independence and the grim reality. The photo underlines that some
people are left out, are excluded from the system. In reality, all citizens are not equal, some
are “more equal than others”.
People have been left out on the fringe, they have been pushed down into poverty. The havenots, people who are economically deprived / destitute, are invisible to the middle-class who
lives in the suburbs.
The photographer may want to make Americans aware of poverty in their own country. The
photographer’s goal is to make people realize that some people in the USA are confronted
with / faced with an acute problem, with a social and economic problem. Poverty can exist
in an affluent / rich society with a high standard of living.
18 •
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2. Remembrance of things past
& Productions possibles :
Journalist: Ms. Bourke-White, can you give me some insight into what you were thinking when
you took the photograph called “The Louisville Flood”?
Ms. Bourke-White: Well yes, I’d be delighted to tell you what I was thinking. It was 1937,
and the country was still reeling from the effects of the Great Depression. I thought that the
contrast between the people queued up / lined up outside the Office of Emergency Relief
who were living below the poverty line and the obviously affluent family in the poster above
their heads was remarkable.
Already on the fringe of society, after the terrible flood in Louisville when the Ohio River
overflowed her bounds, the people in the photograph plunged into poverty. They resigned
themselves to collecting welfare because they were so needy and destitute. Excluded from
the upper tiers of society, these poor were left out of the world of economic prosperity and
instead depended on the government to provide them with food. They were certainly the
have-nots, in what was, at the time, mostly a two-tiered society divided between the haves
and the have-nots. The Great Depression left much of the country terribly poor, and minorities
especially suffered because their standard of living was already far from wealthy.
The family in the car embodies the “ideal” American family: one who is radiant thanks to their
definite material success. The contrast between this white family, beaming in their brand
new car, and the gloomy, even outcast African-American men and women patiently waiting to
receive some help from the government, debunks the myth that everyone in the United States
enjoys a high standard of living. There are those for whom a status symbol like the new
car in the photograph remains only a dream, unless they can find a way out of their poverty.
4. TWO ICONS
MANUEL & P. 25
1. Info search
> Script de l’enregistrement (CD 1, plage 6)
Journalist: What is the history and meaning behind the American Seal?
Historian: The Great Seal was first used publicly in 1782. The front side of the American
Seal is the coat of arms of the United States. It is used by the government in numerous
ways. It can be seen on postage stamps, flags, the reverse of the one-dollar bill, publications,
passports, military uniforms, public buildings and public monuments.
Journalist: What do the different elements symbolize?
Historian: The American Bald Eagle is the most prominent feature of the Seal of the United
States. It is the national bird and symbol of the United States of America. The eagle has its
wings outstretched and carries a shield. At first, the American Seal was meant to express
the beliefs and principles of the Founding Fathers and the young and rising nation. The red
and white stripes of the shield symbolize the unity of the States. White symbolizes innocence
and purity, red symbolizes resilience and bravery, and blue represents justice, vigilance and
persistence.
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Journalist: What about the arrows and the olive branch?
Historian: The eagle holds a bundle of 13 arrows in its left talon, the 13 arrows refer to the
13 original States. The arrows also represent war. We can also notice an olive branch in its
right talon. The olive branch means that the United States of America has a strong desire
for peace, but will always be ready for war, if it is attacked. The eagle has its head turned
towards the olive branch, which is said to symbolize a preference for peace. The olive branch
is usually drawn with 13 leaves and 13 olives, again representing the 13 original States. In
its beak, the eagle grasps a ribbon with the motto E pluribus unum (“Out of Many, One”). It
reminds us that out of many States was born one new nation.
Journalist: Very interesting indeed. Thank you for your all these explanations.
& Productions possibles :
a.
Group A
The American Bald Eagle: across the breast of the eagle is a shield with 13 alternating red
and white stripes. Across the top of the shield is a blue field (chief) that unites all the stripes
into one. In his talons the eagle grasps an olive branch with 13 leaves, 13 olives, and 13 arrows. Above the eagle are thirteen stars inside a circular design. In his beak the eagle grasps
a flowing ribbon. On the ribbon we can see the motto of the United States: E Pluribus Unum.
Group B
a.b. In this cartoon, we find many different characters. The one that stands out the most, is Uncle
Sam. Uncle Sam is a character that was created to represent the United States of America.
In the character’s most basic usage, Uncle Sam is a symbol of the pride and power of the
United States. However, in this cartoon he represents quite the opposite. Uncle Sam is bent
over and looks old and weak. The other characters in the cartoon can all be assumed to be
immigrants. In the cartoon, it seems that they are taking care of Uncle Sam. They are doing
such things as sewing, cleaning, shoe shining, brushing and cleaning his hair.
The cartoonist’s intentions are quite clear. In the last few decades, immigrants, particularly
from Mexico, legal and illegal, have been streaming into the United States by the millions.
Due to the fact that many are uneducated or have to keep their presence a secret, they take
up many of the low-paying and what many would consider, menial jobs. However, due to the
fact that these immigrants are willing to do jobs that others won’t, it is beginning to have a
substantial impact. This is where the cartoon itself comes in. The cartoonist is attempting to
portray the state of the United States in today’s society. Uncle Sam’s image is changing and
his power is declining. It is the work of these immigrants that is keeping the country afloat.
Uncle Sam’s facial expression shows just this. He is shocked to see the worker coming out
of his hat. Perhaps this is to signify that he was not aware of the importance that these immigrants hold in the country’s well-being.
I find the cartoon more pathetic than funny, because it holds quite a bit of truth. There are
many stereotypes and harsh feelings towards these immigrants. They are treated as people
who have no rights and have no intelligence. The general population is blind to the work that
they do. Even though many of the jobs they do are small and seem to have no importance,
they are most necessary.
20 •
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2. Test your classmates
Travail personnel des élèves.
5. REMEMBERING
KEY LEADERS
MANUEL & P. 26
Info search
> Mise en œuvre :
Les élèves feront au préalable des recherches sur Internet et mémoriseront les informations
essentielles. Lorsqu’ils écouteront l’enregistrement, ils devront repérer les erreurs (barrées
dans le script ci-dessous, les bonnes réponses sont en gras).
> Script de l’enregistrement (CD 1, plage 8)
This is a WWII ad for war bonds. What are war bonds? The US government borrowed money
from people and promised to pay them back. War bonds are issued for the purpose of financing military operations during times of war. War bonds generate capital for the government
and make civilians feel involved in the war.
In this ad we immediately notice Mount Rushmore National Memorial. It is located in the
Black Hills of South Carolina Dakota. The Memorial is a colossal sculpture carved into
granite. Sculpted by Danish-American Gutzon Borglum and his son, Lincoln Borglum, Mount
Rushmore features 60-foot (18 meters) sculptures of the heads of former United States
presidents (in order from right to left left to right): George Washington, Thomas Jefferson,
Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln. The sculptures represent the first 100 130 years
of the history of the United States. Over the decades, Mount Rushmore has grown in fame
as a symbol of America, a symbol of freedom and hope.
The ad also features the first lines of “My Country, ’Tis of Thee”, a popular American song.
The bell is also symbolic. It reminds us of Liberty Bell in Pittsburg Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is an iconic symbol of American Independence in 1776. The bell is said to have
rung on the 14th 4th of July 1776. The bells are also the bells of freedom. As Allied soldiers
entered towns, chasing enemy soldiers out, the people in the town would ring the church
bells. The bells celebrated the joy of freedom from oppression. It meant that people’s lives
were restored to normal.
The small text under the black and white photograph lists the basic freedoms Americans are
deeply attached to. Participating in the war effort means fighting for the nation, defending
its main values.
U N IT 1
• 21
UNIT
1
MYTH OR REALITY?
LANGUAGE AT WORK
MANUEL & P. 27
1
1 a – 2 a – 3 a – 4 a – 5 an – 6 a – 7 Ø – 8 a – 9 Ø – 10 a
2
a. 1 the – 2 Ø – 3 the – 4 the – 5 the – 6 the – 7 Ø – 8 Ø– 9 the – 10 Ø – 11 Ø –
12 Ø – 13 the – 14 the – 15 Ø – 16 Ø – 17 the – 18 the – 19 Ø
b. 1 the – 2 Ø – 3 Ø – 4 Ø – 5 Ø – 6 Ø – 7 the – 8 the – 9 the
c. 1 Ø – 2 the – 3 Ø – 4 Ø – 5 Ø – 6 the – 7 Ø – 8 Ø
d. 1 Ø – 2 a – 3 the – 4 the – 5 Ø – 6 a
Remarque : en fait il ne faudrait pas de numéro 7 devant protestant.
3
Facts and figures
1856-1915
From Virginia
African- American
Born a slave from white
father
Walked to university
(386 miles)
Became teacher
Came back to home
town to open school
Facts and figures
Facts and figures
1926-1962
From California
20th century icon
(glamour, tragedy of
fate...)
Bleached blond hair
Award winning
actress = successful
Hard life, depressed
Died (overdose)
1809-1865
From Kentucky
School: one year
Self-taught
Lawyer
President: 1860
1863: emancipation
proclamation (end of
slavery)
1864: re-election
Assassinated
IMPROVE
YOUR SPEAKING SKILLS
MANUEL & P. 27
> Script de l’enregistrement (MP3 n°1)
Child: I don’t get that. What does this mean? Who landed in 1620?
Mother: The Pilgrim Fathers landed on Cape Cod, they were on board The Mayflower, don’t
you remember?
Child: Of course I do. But it says “undocumented aliens”, that’s weird!
Father: True, that’s surprising!
Mother: Yes, that’s quite unusual.
Child: What exactly does this mean then?
22 •
U N IT 1
Father: Well, it suggests the Founding Fathers settled in America without asking Native
Americans their permission.
Mother: Em, it implies the pioneers wanted to flee their native countries and thought of
America as a possible refuge. If Native Americans hadn’t helped them survive, this country
would not exist today.
Child: I don’t get the point though.
Father: It draws a parallel between today’s illegal immigrants and the first pioneers.
Mother: Absolutely. Your father is right. The cartoonist alludes to what is going on today.
The first pioneers were immigrants themselves.
Father: It also points out that they were considered invaders. There’s no doubt the cartoonist
is biased and wants us to remember the USA is a nation of immigrants, as Kennedy said.
The country was built by foreigners.
Child: I see what you mean.
Mother: I also have the feeling that the cartoonist refers to the debate about today’s illegal
immigrants. I can’t help thinking that he objects to some people’s anti-foreign reactions.
He certainly wants to denounce tough measures taken against illegal aliens.
Father: Quite right. I’m convinced he wants to stress that America should be true to its
ideals. Got the message now?
Child: I think so.
& Proposition de corrigé
2
The Pilgrim Fathers landed and settled without asking Native Americans their permission,
they could therefore be considered “undocumented aliens”, they were the first immigrants.
If they hadn’t been welcomed by the Natives, the US would not exist. The cartoonist objects
to the way illegal immigrants are treated nowadays, all the more because the US is a nation
of immigrants.
3
– to give one’s impressions
I also have the feeling that...
I can’t help thinking that...
– to explain what one has understood
It suggests...
It implies...
It also points out...
– when one hesitates
Well, ...
Em...
– to give one’s opinion
True, that’s surprising!
Yes, that’s quite unusual.
That’s weird!
– to explain one’s point of view (for or against).
I’m convinced...
There’s no doubt...
Remarque : on pourra
aussi ajouter les deux
rubriques suivantes.
– to show you don’t
understand something
I don’t get that. What does
this mean?
What exactly does this
mean then?
I don’t get the point
though.
– to show you are
following the conversation and interested in it
I see what you mean.
Quite right
Absolutely.
U N IT 1
• 23
UNIT
1
4
MYTH OR REALITY?
– beginning
– comment on
– develop • development
– government
– analyse • analysis
– economy • economic
– event
– policy
– political
– politician
– country
– crisis
– a political crisis
– an economic crisis
YOUR TASK
– contrast
– detail
– symbol • it symbolizes
– criticize • it criticizes
– it’s a criticism of
– it represents
– interesting
MANUEL & P. 29
> Script de l’enregistrement (MP3 n°3)
My cartoon depicts Uncle Sam on a front lawn crushed by a “House For Sale: Price Reduced”
real estate sign. It illustrates the effect the collapse of the housing market has had on the
United States. It was first published in the Indianapolis Star in June of 2011. The cartoon
shows Uncle Sam in his classic and very recognizable top hat (which always reminds me of
Abraham Lincoln), and his suit made of the US flag colors. He is flattened and lying motionless under the real estate sign. I use Uncle Sam here to represent not only the American
government, but also the whole of the United States and its economy. Let me explain why.
In the late 1990s and early 2000s the housing market was very strong, as house values rose
and the economy seemed to be doing fairly well. However, beginning in 2006, the housing market began to decline. In this cartoon I tried to convey the way many Americans felt
when the housing bubble collapsed. We felt like we’d had the wind knocked out of us. We
were overwhelmed by the economic downturn in not just the housing market, but also the
US economy in general.
My cartoon conveys the idea that Americans felt crushed because their savings vanished
and their homes’ values plummeted. It’s clear that Uncle Sam has been knocked out and
it’s going to take him some time to recover. However I don’t depict him dead and ready to
be buried. Even if I use the cartoon to portray the heavy blow the US economy has suffered,
I’m sure that eventually Sam and the US economy will soon be on their feet once more.
> Mise en œuvre :
– Le professeur pourra aussi utiliser pour cette tâche les images vidéoprojetables n° 3
(Empire in Decline) et 4 (The Golden Door), disponibles sur le DVD-Rom.
– Dans le cadre d’une classe fragile, les élèves pourront utiliser les aide lexicales qui y sont
fournies.
24 •
U N IT 1
SPEAKING CORNER
MANUEL & P. 30-31
N. B. : le texte Stand a été enregistré et est disponible sur le site compagnon.
& Proposition de corrigé
A.
In this drawing we see a boat filled with immigrants, arriving at Ellis Island. Ellis Island is the
sea port in New York City. This is traditionally where immigrants from Europe and other parts
of the world would arrive, when they came to the United States. In the distance, we can see
the Statue of Liberty. This statue was given as a gift, by the French people. The statue is of a
robed female figure holding a flame. She represents Libertas, the Roman goddess of freedom.
This statue has become an icon of the American people and the United States themselves.
On the boat, we can see many different immigrants. The looks on their faces reveal
clearly their emotions. The main emotion these immigrants feel is hope. The fact that
they are on this boat shows that life in their country of origin was tough. That throughout their lives they had passed extremely difficult periods and are looking for a better
and more meaningful life. Perhaps they left due to poverty, religious persecution or even
famine. In any case, the United States represents for them a chance at a new beginning. The United States is known for its equal opportunity given to all. People are free to
work as much as they please, speak their opinions and practice their religion of choice.
After a long and gruelling voyage, arriving at this port and seeing Liberty Island must have been
an ecstatic experience. In today’s day and age, the opinion on immigration has drastically
changed. Though the United States still welcomes over one million immigrants per year, a
striking number are now turned away. The United States must not forget that they are a country
based almost entirely on immigrants. All nationalities have a place under the American flag.
B.
The narrator of the poem “Stand” encourages the American attitude of individuality. “Stay
black / Stay Proud” the first stanza begins, and it continues to exhort individuals of every
colour to be proud of their race. Since one’s race is a part of one’s identity, the speaker in
the poem seemingly believes that people should not be ashamed of their ethnicity.
The second stanza states that it is impossible to be anyone but oneself. Meanwhile, the following stanza tells the reader that no matter his occupation, he should “be the best [he] can
be.” The poem uses the word “proud” eight times as an exhortation; it tells the reader that he
ought to be proud of his individuality and stand up for himself. Accordingly, the sixth stanza
says, “Be real and realize that the ones who criticize, / best recognize that you are you— /
take it or leave it.” Here, the narrator urges the reader to understand that those who criticize
him are perhaps those who best understand his uniqueness and value.
Americans embrace the narrator’s idea of individuality. Often, they are not worried about
blending into the crowd. This is often because it is cool to be different from everyone else.
Americans realize, along with the speaker in the poem, that it’s impossible to be someone
else, as stanza seven expresses, but that they do best when they each live their own life,
proud to be unique and different from everyone else.
Asserting one’s personality whatever the obstacles is the hallmark of ordinary heroes. It
requires courage, strength, will-power, determination, energy and optimism.
C.
Helmut Leherb’s mural entitled America seems to be a collage of many of the things that he
thinks symbolize America. The image includes a diverse collection of symbols. The left size
of the mural is largely covered by blue skyscrapers and clouds, but at the bottom of the left
U N IT 1
• 25
UNIT
1
MYTH OR REALITY?
side is a rubbish heap that includes discarded soda pop cans, an abandoned helmet, an old
coat and pair of shoes, a gun and an old map. A large red Coca-Cola bottle separates the
two halves of the mural. On the right side is a couple, both clothed in blue, the man holding a
guitar that has the front of a TV screen with the face of Marilyn Monroe on it, and on the far
right side are signs with the words “naked but nice,” “entrance,” “here now” and “am” on
them.
There are many things that are interesting about this mural, but one of the most striking
choices Leherb made was to paint much of the mural light blue. At least half of the mural
is a picture of the blue sky complete with skyscrapers and clouds. Since clouds are often
symbols of dreams, it’s as if he both suggests that America is a land where dreams come
true and that the sky is the limit in the United States. On the right, the couple presses their
cheeks together and seems to be in love, and since they are of mixed ethnicities, it suggests
that the America Leherb sees is forward-looking and not racist. The bottle of Coke is striking,
first because it is red, but also because it is in the center of the mural. Coke has become an
international symbol of America and it seems as if Leherb pays tribute to that in his painting
by acknowledging the brand here.
Remarque : on pourra utiliser la grille d’évaluation proposée dans le bulletin officiel du
ministère.
www.cache.media.education.gouv.fr/file/43/17/1/fiches_evaluation_200171.pdf
www.education.gouv.fr/pid25535/bulletin_officiel.html?cid_bo=58313
PROLONGEMENTS POSSIBLES À L’UNITÉ
> Évaluation sommative de PPC (p. 372-373 de ce Fichier)
> Image vidéoprojetable : The First Thanksgiving (DVD-Rom)
26 •
U N IT 1
UNIT
2
THE SWINGING SIXTIES
& Mythes et héros & L'idée de progrès
Tâche finale (p. 43) : You take part in a radio programme entitled “Celebrating the
Sixties”. Some songs and films have been selected. Choose one, present it and
say to what extent it is representative of the decade.
Activités
langagières
Tune in !
(p. 32)
1. The times
are changing
(p. 33)
2. Let
music rule
(p. 34)
3. The power
of music
(p. 35)
4. Years
of protest
(p. 36)
5. Years
of fashion
(p. 37)
6. Still a
man’s world?
(p. 38-39)
Contenus
Prolongements tâches / aides
PPC
– Étudier une couverture de Time
– Repérer des éléments
caractéristiques des années 60
– Commenter un document visuel
(p. 240-241)
– Évaluation sommative de PPC (p. 58-59)
CE
Comprendre un article
Build up your vocabulary (p. 41)
CO
PPC
Comprendre une interview
Fiche sur le site compagnon
CE
POI
– Comprendre un court article
– Débattre sur l’importance
de la télé aujourd’hui
Enrichir sa prise de parole (p. 242-243)
CE
Comprendre un article
Fiche Workbook
CO
Regarder une bande annonce
(sur Internet)
POI
Confronter des opinions
Enrichir sa prise de parole (p. 242-243)
CO
Comprendre une interview
Fiche sur le site compagnon
PE
Écrire un résumé
Rédiger un texte (p. 234-237)
CE
Web search : la musique des 60s
PPC
Réaliser un diaporama et le
présenter
CE
Comprendre un article
PPC
Faire le lien entre une image
et un texte
– Enrichir sa prise de parole (p. 242-243)
– Évaluation sommative de PPC (p. 58-59)
CE
Comprendre les paroles
d’une chanson
Fiche Workbook
PPC
Enregistrer un podcast
Évaluation sommative de PPC (p. 58-59)
PPC
Décrire une publicité
CO
Vidéo : Mary Quant
Fiche vidéo (DVD-Rom et site compagnon)
CO
Comprendre un document audio
Fiche sur le site compagnon
POI
Confronter ses opinions
Enrichir sa prise de parole (p. 242-243)
PE
Écrire une critique de film
Rédiger un texte (p. 234-237)
CE
– Comprendre un script
– Comprendre un article
Fiche Workbook
PPC
Jeu de rôles : faire un discours
Évaluation sommative de PPC (p. 58-59)
PE
Écrire un article
L’activité langagière principale de cette unité est la PPC (prise de parole en continu).
U N IT 2
• 27
UNIT
2
THE SWINGING SIXTIES
TUNE IN!
MANUEL & P. 32
Sweet Sixties
> Mise en œuvre :
– Cette couverture de Time Magazine, qui a valu à Londres son surnom de Swinging City et
à la décennie celui de Swinging Sixties, permettra aux élèves de repérer un certain nombre
d’éléments saillants de la culture des années soixante. On pourra diviser la classe en deux et
demander par exemple à une partie des élèves de décrire la partie gauche de la couverture,
pendant que l’autre moitié travaillera sur l’autre partie. On pourra ainsi opposer une partie
plus ordonnée, traditionnelle à une autre plus moderne, en plein mouvement.
– Une autre possibilité sera de faire travailler une partie de la classe sur la couverture de
Time, pendant que l’autre partie travaillera sur le texte et la photo page 33. À l’issue de ce
travail, chaque groupe donnera sa définition des années soixante lors de la mise en commun.
& Productions possibles :
a.
b.
London seems to have been the epicentre of many changes in the Sixties and we can recognize several references to the city on this cover of Time Magazine released on 5th April 1966:
on the one hand we can see the Houses of Parliament, the Union Jack, horse guards with
their bear-skin hats, a man on the right under the one-way sign in the background who looks
like the Prime Minister of the time, Harold Wilson, smoking his pipe. This could be called the
“traditional” London. The page is divided into two parts diagonally. While the right hand-side
reflects the more traditional aspects of society, the left-hand side illustrates the rapid changes
that were happening around that time, for example the breaking of taboos concerning sex – we
can see girls going out freely with young men and having a lot of fun. All the traditional aspects
of society seem to have been relegated to the background as if to leave room for change,
fun, movement and music in the foreground (we can see the name of a famous group of the
time (The Who) written on the man’s T-shirt). The Sixties was a decade ruled by the younger
generation who enjoyed their newly found freedom by partying hard and experimenting with
wild clothes. They sported flares, oversized sunglasses and bold prints which can be seen
throughout this cover. The liberal attitude of the time also meant that many indulged in the
use of illegal substances which is represented by the spiralling eyes of the party girl on the
left and the dazed expression of the man in the foreground.
The cover contains all the elements leading to the birth of the cultural myth of Swinging London.
The “Swinging Sixties” is the label used to refer to the decade in which London was at the
centre of the cultural universe. This is portrayed by the elements used on the cover of Time
Magazine. The collage effect that is used creates a buzz as it forces the viewer’s attention to
flicker from the left-hand side of the image to the other.
28 •
U N IT 2
1. THE TIMES ARE CHANGING
MANUEL & P. 33
1. Understanding the article
& Productions possibles :
a.
b.
This period was characterized by a technological revolution, fashion, consumerism, babyboomers, drugs, hippy anti-establishmentarianism, a sexual revolution because women could
be on the pill, and the emergence of brands.
“kicked the consumer society into gear, spending like lottery winners and trying everything on
offer – lots of it illegal.” (l. 14-17) + “Drugs, hippy anti-establishmentarianism and the sexual
revolution – fuelled by the uptake of the pill…” (l. 22-23)
2. Memories of the Sixties
> Mise en œuvre :
Pour les classes les plus faibles, une fiche d’exploitation et son corrigé sont disponibles sur
le site compagnon.
& Productions possibles :
The Sixties are depicted as a new era, a golden age when radical changes happened in Great
Britain. A radical cultural revolution took place and the access to technological breakthroughs
such as television or cars enabled people to improve their quality of life as they were better
off. This decade also witnessed new social and political trends and the triumph of pop music
with the emergence of what would become world-famous bands. Today, people still recall with
a nostalgic pleasure how optimistic this decade was when considering all the changes that
happened.
> Script de l’enregistrement (CD 1, plage 9)
Journalist: Pete, can you tell me what the 60s represent for you?
Pete: The 60s to me were vibrant, exciting, original and fresh with all kinds of new ideas
in lifestyle, culture, popular music, sexual freedom, film, television and politics. It was the
time for radical thinking, big changes in the way the world was run, a whole new approach,
to society’s way of doing things. The 60s decade witnessed the advent of “super models”
like Twiggy and great photographers like David Bailey who photographed them.
Journalist: Is that what you will remember most?
Pete: Oh, no. I remember the fashions, the mini skirt, amazing! It was a great time for technology. I remember my first colour TV. Then came transistor radios… wow! So small and
battery driven. Amazing times… I have a lot of very good memories of the music and just
the good feeling that life was improving for all of us.
Journalist: What about you Mike?
Mike: Oh I completely agree with all that. It was a fabulous time. As for television, well, it
was revolutionized in the 60s. At the beginning of the decade, we watched programs like
Dr. Who on the old black and white sets, but by the late 60s, we had colour TV—mainly for
U N IT 2
• 29
UNIT
2
THE SWINGING SIXTIES
sports programmes at first. That was in about 1968. At that time, we always rented our TVs…
they were too expensive to buy. However, we DID have our own car. The 60s was the decade
in which “ordinary families” could afford to buy cars. My parents passed their driving tests
in 1965 and I have a photo of them proudly standing next to their first car—an Austin mini.
Journalist: Cathy, you were born in 1951, you told me. Do you remember anything special
about the decade?
Cathy: Oh, yes! I clearly remember reading papers like The Mirror. They were so optimistic,
literally crammed with pictures of things like the brand new Concorde, the Post Office Tower,
the Mini, the hovercraft, things that left their mark in the 60s. And, of course, England 66.
It was the first—and only—victory of England in the World Cup. They’ve never won it since!
There was a real sense of “Look what we’ve achieved in the 1960s!”
Journalist: You sound so enthusiastic when talking about the Sixties in London, that’s just
incredible.
Cathy: It was just amazing! I think Britain was really the place to be in the 60s! It was the
world leader in fashion, pop music, films, television, social culture. This country had it all and
produced it all, including world class pop groups like The Beatles and The Rolling Stones…
In short, Great Britain, and especially London, was the cultural hub of the world! It was also
a time when people also “experimented” with a lot of things.
3. The “Big Step”
& Productions possibles :
a.
Réponse personnelle.
b.
On the one hand, we believe that television still has the same importance in today’s society
as it did back in the Sixties. Daily news broadcasts help to keep the nation up to date with
current events happening around the globe which is a vital source of information, especially
when major events happen such as the 9/11 attacks and various natural disasters. Television
remains the most effective way of passing on information rapidly to a wide audience.
On the other hand, in recent years, television has been “dumbed-down” with less emphasis
on educational programmes and more broadcasting hours being dedicated to reality TV shows
and soap operas. It could be argued that television is no longer a respected medium as it once
was in the Sixties.
2. LET MUSIC RULE
MANUEL & P. 34
> Mise en œuvre :
On pourra diviser la classe en deux. Une moitié travaillera sur le texte, pendant que l’autre
travaillera sur la bande annonce de The Boat that Rocked (Good Morning England). Ceci peut
permettre de travailler des activités langagières différentes en fonction des besoins des
élèves.
30 •
U N IT 2
1. Understanding the article
& Productions possibles :
a.
Réponse personnelle.
b.
Pirate radios were very attractive in the 60s because they played the popular rock ’n’ roll
music that was blaring from American radios. At the time, all the radio and TV stations in
Britain, except for one television network, were owned by the BBC. This national broadcasting company aired a variety of programs including news and light entertainment, but no more
than 6 hours of pop music a week. Pirate radios filled this gap, supplying a steady stream of
pop, including songs by many very popular British bands, like The Rolling Stones, which were
being played on American Top 40 stations, but not on the BBC.
CORRIGÉ DE LA FICHE DU WORKBOOK (P. 5-6)
1
1 a) airwaves b) broadcast c) commercial d) broadcaster
2
Radio
news = les informations
programs = émissions
signal = signal
station = station
Music
disc jockeys = disque-jockeys
tunes = airs
bands = groupes
playlist = liste de lecture / sélection
3
It stands for the British Broadcasting Corporation.
4
a) were the property of / were controlled by
b) at the beginning: at the dawn • tasteless and boring: bland • forbidden: banished
5
all but
6
Monopoly
The BBC owned
the airwaves.
Programmes
“a bland if nourishing diet of news,
information, light entertainments
and children’s programs” (l. 4-5)
What was not
broadcast
rock ’n’ roll music
7
a) “rebellious” (l. 8) • “illicit” (l. 12) • “out of British authorities’ legal reach” (l. 15) • “pirates”
(l. 19) • “a crime” (l. 25) • “unlicensed” (l. 26)
b) simplement: merely • ancrés au large de: anchored off • hors de portée: out of reach
• époque: era
8
a) “The pirate’s off-coast locations strategically put them in international waters – and thus
out of British authorities’ legal reach”
b) The broadcasters were based on ships anchored in waters that were not dominated by
Great Britain. Thus, the authorities could not forbid them to broadcast unlicensed music.
U N IT 2
• 31
UNIT
2
9
THE SWINGING SIXTIES
a) Mi Amigo b) Radio Caroline c) The Hollies, The Rolling Stones, The Dave Clark Five
10
BBC radio
- news
- information
- light entertainment
- children’s programs
Pirate radios
- the biggest bands of the period
- commercials
- playlists largely lifted from American
Top 40 stations
11
The government voted a law against them. “In 1967 the British government made it a crime
to supply music, commentary, fuel, food and water – and, most significantly, advertising
– to any unlicensed offshore broadcaster.” (l. 25-27)
12
The pirate radios can be regarded as the “winner” because, in the end, a pop station was
created by the BBC and many disc-jockeys who worked for pirate stations ended up working for the BBC. A few years later, commercial radio stations were legalized in the United
Kingdom.
ACTION!
Objectif
j f
1
They were called “pirate radios” because they were the only means to fight against the
domination of the British Broadcasting Corporation. They were formed by activists who
bypassed the law to broadcast American music.
2
They contributed widely to the music revolution of the 60s because they enabled British
people to discover rock ’n’ roll music which was flourishing in America, but which was
banned in the United Kingdom.
The DJs can be considered heroes since they were brave and daring enough to challenge
the restrictions imposed by the BBC. They stood up against / defied its monopoly and
got around the law to broadcast a new kind of music.
This article illustrates the notion of power since it shows to what extent the BBC dominated
the airwaves until the 1960s in the United Kingdom. What is more, it depicts how important
cultural exchanges were, here between the USA and Great Britain. It also shows how closing
one’s borders can lead some people to call for a broader space, to push the geographical
and cultural limits and to bypass the law to get more free space.
2. Pirate radio
& Productions possibles :
After watching the trailer for the film The Boat that Rocked I can give a brief description of what
the film is about. A group of mavericks decide to set up a pirate radio station and broadcast their
shows from a boat off the coast on England. The people working on the radio show also seem to
enjoy a lot of parties and they invite lots of young people to have fun with them on the boat. The
team run into difficulties when officials try to shut down their radio station. They put up a fight and
try to save “The Boat that Rocked”. It is unclear as to how the film ends from the trailer.
32 •
U N IT 2
3. THE POWER OF MUSIC
MANUEL & P. 35
1. Sounds of the Sixties
> Mise en œuvre :
Pour les classes les plus faibles, une fiche d’exploitation et son corrigé sont disponibles sur
le site compagnon.
> Script de l’enregistrement (CD 1, plage 10)
Paul: Well, my happiest memories in terms of music are from the 60s! There were so many
good songs from the 60s that it would be very difficult to name just a few, but I suppose
if I tell you Sugar Sugar by The Archies or Strawberry Field by The Beatles or… Everybody
remembers the tunes…
Journalist: Oh yes, I suppose we could all start to sing along...
Paul: And there were all these beautiful albums too. Just think of Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely
Hearts Club Band by The Beatles. It is one of the most commercially successful albums of
the 60s. It represented everything that was going on in the 60s and in particular in 1967,
the psychedelic thing that was predominant at the time... LSD and its influence on music.
To me, Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band was the finest rock album of the decade,
if not the twentieth century.
Journalist: But there were no MP3 players, no high tech at that time. Can you tell us how
people would listen to their music back then?
Paul: The new pop music blared from every teenager’s transistor radio, most of it broadcast
from offshore pirate radio stations, in fact. And then we started to watch Top of the Pops
on television… Oh yes, TV was a real revolution in the 50s and 60s. It went from being a
luxury for the few to entertainment for the many, and a regular source of conversation. Well,
unfortunately, hardly any programmes of that time remain today because a lot of them were
just “wiped” after they were aired. It was just the way things were done in those days, and
nobody seemed to realize until later the significance of what they were doing.
Journalist: Paul, we’re coming to the end of our interview about the sounds of the Sixties.
What would your final words be?
Paul: Uh… For many young people, especially young adults, the 60s was truly a magical
age, an age when the world or the Western part of it reached an almost “Utopian” state.
Journalist: This is a perfect conclusion. Thank you, Paul.
& Productions possibles :
b.
In this interview, Paul, who was a teenager in the 1960s, talks about his favourite groups of
the decade, especially The Beatles. He is very nostalgic about that period of his life. He brings
us back to that era, reminding us that technology has changed a lot since then: instead of
playing their music on MP3 players or iTunes, they had only transistor radios to listen to their
favourite songs. He also talks about the beginnings of television. Today, it is hard for us to
imagine a world without television, but Paul reminds us that in the 60s it was new and exciting.
(103 words)
U N IT 2
• 33
UNIT
2
THE SWINGING SIXTIES
2. Top of the Pops
& Productions possibles :
Group 1: Ruby Tuesday, Within You Without You, Space Oddity
Common points: These three songs are all about the impossibility to communicate. In Ruby
Tuesday, the singer is depressed because the girl he loves has left him. Ruby Tuesday is a very
sad day for the singer, and yet we have the impression that the girl has left in order to catch
her dreams. “Catch your dreams before they slip away, dying all the time, lose your dreams
and you will lose your mind.” In Within You Without You, communication is difficult because
people hide “behind a wall of illusion”: they don’t face reality. They don’t see the common
thread that unites humanity. But the song ends on a note of hope that in the future people will
understand that love unites us all. Space Oddity is also about lack of communication because
the astronaut is so happy in outer space that he refuses to come down and doesn’t answer
the calls of Ground Control. He becomes stranded in space, but he is happy.
While Ruby Tuesday and Within You Without You both make references to love, in Space Oddity
the singer cuts off any ties to other people, escaping into outer space. Both Within You Without
You and Space Oddity refer to space, the space between people, or outer space. And these
last two songs seem to allude to drug use. Within You Without You seems very psychedelic
with its eastern melody structure and the line. The sensations described in the lyrics resemble
those of an LSD trip where users experience a dissolution of the limit between themselves
and the outside world, a feeling of unity with the universe. And of course the astronaut who
starts “floating in a most peculiar way” after taking his “protein pills” refers to someone on
drugs. In a 2003 interview, David Bowie explains that the inspiration for this song came from
watching the film 2001: A Space Odyssey while he was stoned.
Ruby Tuesday
Within You Without You
Space Oddity
Point of view: the
P. of v.: singer / narrator
P. of v.: singer / narrator
singer / narrator whose
Target: young people
who is on drugs
love has left him
Main themes: peace and
Target: young people
Target: young people
love (drugs)
Main themes: drugs,
Main theme: love
Describes: unity in the
outer space
Describes: love lost
world (drugs)
Describes: a drug trip
Group 2: Sky Pilot, A Day in the Life, Happy Jack
Common points: These three songs are about lies and hypocrisy. Sky Pilot is about a hypocritical chaplain, called the Sky Pilot, who blesses the soldiers and smiles at them as they are
about to leave for battle, confident that he has given them courage with the thought that God
is with them. While the soldiers are fighting (and some of them dying!), the clergyman simply
rests on his bed, satisfied with himself. But after the battle, when the soldiers return, one
soldier looks accusingly at the Sky Pilot remembering the words from the Bible: “Thou shalt
not kill.” This song denounces war and the military which sends young men to their death.
A Day in the Life also speaks about current events and senseless dying. It is also a song about
contrasts: a “lucky” man who dies; sadness and laughter; crowds vs the individual; holes
which can paradoxically fill something; the banality of an ordinary day (waking up) and the
irreversible finality of death. Meaning is turned inside out. The words in a newspaper which
announce death have somehow lost their impact and death itself becomes banal.
34 •
U N IT 2
Lies are a theme of Happy Jack as insensitive children lie to this odd man who spends his time
on the beach playing with the kids. They try to hurt Happy Jack. Pete Townshend based this
character on the strange, not very bright guys who used to hang around where the children
played on English beaches. The listener feels pity for this man who is mocked by the children,
but at the same time, the only positive point is that Jack is happy no matter what.
A little anecdote: Townsend was said to have met Happy Jack in person on the beaches of
the Isle of Wight during one of the very famous festivals which take place there every summer
since 1968.
Sky Pilot
A Day in the Life
Happy Jack
Point of view: external
P. of v.: singer / narrator
P. of v.: external view
view of the “Sky Pilot”
Target: the conventional
of Happy Jack and the
Target: the establishment,
older generation
children
the government
Main themes: everyday
Main theme: children
Main theme: war
life, death
Denounces: mistreatment
Denounces: war
Denounces: senseless
of others
death
Group 3: Can’t Buy Me Love, Won’t Get Fooled Again, Satisfaction
Common points: All of the songs in Group 3 express negation (CAN’T buy me love, WON’T
get fooled again, CAN’T get no satisfaction) and thus show a rejection of the status quo.
The first song in Group 3, Can’t Buy Me Love, criticizes the consumer society and praises
love. This song expresses the ideals of the hippy commune culture where money and individual
property are frowned upon. Peace and love!
Satisfaction by The Rolling Stones follows in the same vein of anti-consumerism, as we hear
the singer complaining about commercials he hears on the radio or sees on TV. The title itself
is a take-off of the phrase commonly used as the final selling point, “Satisfaction Guaranteed!”
Won’t Get Fooled Again, on the other hand, is an anti-war song showing the futility of war.
There are many references to the fact that war is just history repeating itself, starting with the
title itself, Won’t Get Fooled Again. There is the image of people fighting with their children
at their feet; the fighting will go from one generation to the next. The singer talks about the
new constitution, the new revolution and the changes all around, but then plays his guitar
“just like yesterday” indicating that in fact nothing has really changed. This idea is reiterated
in the second verse, where the singer says that the world is just the same and history hasn’t
changed, the banners that have been used for one revolution will just be reused in the next. The
final two lines bring this idea home: “Meet the new boss / Same as the old boss.” The singer
also insinuates that the population has not been told the truth, they have been “hypnotized”
or “fooled” by the establishment. The tone is ironic.
Can’t Buy Me Love
Point of view: singer /
narrator who is in love
Target: young people
Main themes: love,
anti-consumerism
Denounces:
the consumer society
Won’t Get Fooled Again
P. of v.: singer/narrator
Target: the establishment
Main theme: war
Denounces: war
Satisfaction
P. of v.: singer / narrator
Target: conventional society
Main theme: anti-consumerism
Denounces:
the consumer society
U N IT 2
• 35
UNIT
2
THE SWINGING SIXTIES
Group 4: Wild Thing, Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds, My Generation
Common points: The main theme of Wild Thing by The Troggs is love, but in this anti-conformist decade, the object of love is “wild”, unconventional, uncontrolled by society’s rules
and structures.
My Generation also sings the praises of the youth of the 60s, a new generation that rejects
conventions. The parents’ generation is depicted as old, cold, critical (“People try to put us
down”) and the singer suggests the old ones should just “fade away”. The praise for the young
people consists in the repetition of the words “talkin’ ‘bout my generation”, pounding the idea
in joyful rhythms.
One way young people showed their rejection of their parents and other adults is by taking
drugs: The Beatle’s song Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds is a barely hidden reference to the
psychedelic drug LSD. The song describes an LSD trip which causes hallucinations, synaesthesia (confusion of the senses) and an altered sense of time. LSD played a key role in the
counterculture of the 60s.
Wild Thing
Point of view: singer /
narrator who is in love
Target: young people
Main theme: love
Praises: anti-conformism
3. The picture factory
Lucy in the Sky with
Diamonds
P. of v.: singer / narrator
on a drug trip
Target: young people
Main theme: LSD
Praises: drugs
My Generation
P. of v.: singer / narrator of
the 60s generation
Target: young people
Main theme: the new
generation
Praises: the mentality of
the youth
Denounces: the mentality
of the older generations
& Productions possibles :
b.
I have chosen to present to you the song Space Oddity written and sung by David Bowie
because I think this song brings together many elements that characterize the 60s. First of
all, an important part of this decade was the Space Race between the United States and the
Soviet Union, culminating with the first moonwalk in 1969 by the American Neil Armstrong.
Space was a common theme during this decade, and was the subject of many books, films,
television programs and songs. David Bowie said, in an interview, that he was inspired to write
this song after seeing Stanley Kubrick’s space film 2001: A Space Odyssey in 1968. The song
wasn’t released until 1969, as the timing of the album’s release was planned to coincide with
the first man on the moon. It is interesting to note that the BBC chose to use this music as
background music when airing the images of the moon landing. David Bowie later said in an
interview that he thought it was funny because obviously nobody at the BBC had actually paid
any attention to the lyrics of the song, because the astronaut in the song gets stranded in
space! Not exactly the idea you want to get across for such a momentous event! This song
also represents the counterculture of the 60s because the lyrics can be understood to mean
that the man is on a drug “trip”. After taking his “protein pills” (drugs), Major Tom goes into
outer space (gets high on drugs), and is so happy up there that he doesn’t want to come down.
Taking drugs was a way for the youth of this decade to protest against the conventions and
rules of the older generation. The fact that this song is about drugs was confirmed by David
Bowie who said that he was stoned when watching Kubrick’s film. Bowie echoes the ideals of
his generation with his song that praises drugs and thumbs its nose at the adult generation.
36 •
U N IT 2
4. YEARS OF PROTEST
MANUEL & P. 36
> Mise en œuvre :
- On pourra diviser la classe en deux. Une moitié travaillera sur les documents de l’exercice
1, pendant que l’autre travaillera sur les paroles de la chanson. Après la mise en commun,
le troisième exercice servira de prolongement et de synthèse. Il pourra être fait en classe
(à l’oral tout simplement ou au laboratoire de langues) ou en devoir à la maison.
- Le texte Universal Soldier a été enregistré et est disponible sur le site compagnon.
1. A protest symbol
Réponse personnelle.
2. Universal soldier
Informations complémentaires (cf. l. 21) :
– “The hand writing on the wall” (or “the handwriting on the wall” or “the writing is on the
wall” or “Mene Mene”) is an idiom for “imminent doom or misfortune” and for “the future
is predetermined”.
The expression originates from the Book of Daniel, chapter 5, from the handwriting on the
wall that was witnessed at a banquet hosted by king Belshazzar. Upon profaning the sacred
vessels pillaged from the Jerusalem Temple, a disembodied hand suddenly appeared and
wrote on the palace wall the mysterious words, “Mene, Mene, Tekel, Parsin.” The prophet
Daniel was summoned to interpret this message as the imminent end for the Babylonian
kingdom. That same night, Belshazzar was killed and the Persians sacked the capital city.
www.en.wikipedia.org
– To read the original text:
www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Daniel+5&version=NIV
CORRIGÉ DE LA FICHE DU WORKBOOK (P. 7-8)
1
He refers to the universal soldier.
2
a man’s height
3
All the soldiers are 31.
4
a) une lance b) fights = present • ’s been = has been = present perfect
c) War is a characteristic of human life. + People always find new means to fight.
5
“And he knows he always will kill”
Wherever he comes from, or whatever his religion, a soldier is a soldier, and his job is to
kill, no matter what his values are or what person commands him to do so.
U N IT 2
• 37
UNIT
2
THE SWINGING SIXTIES
6
a) It refers to “fighting”.
b) Many countries are mentioned to suggest that it doesn’t matter what side you are on
or what country you defend, you are still fighting against someone and this will not bring
peace, only more fighting.
7
- “he’s the one who must decide who’s to live and who’s to die” (l. 19-20)
- “And he’s fighting for Democracy, He’s fighting for the Reds, He says it’s for the peace
of all.” (l. 16-18)
8
a) a warning (of death and destruction)
b) A soldier thinks he always has a good reason to fight but he never sees what is bound
to happen.
9
They both gathered a lot of soldiers and waged long wars in order to build and expand their
empire.
10
a) “but”
b) an anti-war activist
c) a criticism of soldiers: “and without him all this killing can’t go on” (l. 27)
11
He is responsible: “his orders come from far away no more” (l. 29)
12
a) It refers to a higher authority far from the battlefield.
b) The soldier cannot say he has been ordered to fight, he is accountable for his actions.
13
a) “They” refers to “his orders”.
b) The soldiers who accept to fight are responsible for the war, the war will never end as
long as there are soldiers to fight.
ACTION!
Objectif
j f
1
This song shows the universality of the soldier, no matter what his physical characteristics are, or what weapons he uses. The singer wants to denounce war and highlights a
contradiction: although the soldier is used as cannon fodder and is ready to sacrifice
his life for a cause or a country, he cannot put the blame on a higher or far away authority. He bears complete responsibility for his actions. The singer asserts that it is no use
fighting and exposes the absurdity and uselessness of war.
2
The singer resorts to an alliteration in “f” on lines 1-2 “five foot-two… feet-four… fights”,
but also to anaphora in almost each stanza, for instance in stanza 3, all the lines start with
“he’s fighting”. What is more, he uses enumeration, such as on lines 5-6, where he lists all
the religions: “He’s a Catholic, a Hindu, an Atheist, a Jain”. Finally, he marks an opposition
with the link word “but” on line 22.
In this song, the soldier is considered an anti-hero because he is made responsible for his
actions. The singer does not sympathize with him; he even contends that the soldier is to
blame for fighting. Instead of being represented as a hero or a brave man defending his
values and country, the “Universal soldier” is guilty for not putting an end to a conflict.
38 •
U N IT 2
3. Sixties podcast
& Productions possibles :
The protest symbol and the song, Universal Soldier, both reveal something about the atmosphere of the Sixties. The emblem for the campaign for nuclear disarmament was designed
by an artist, an individual who was against nuclear war. The fact that this simple sign spread
so rapidly and came to be recognised by thousands of people means that the Sixties was a
time when the voice of the individual was heard. People began to rise up against government
powers and they were united in their ideas by signs such as this one. Their numbers grew
and grew and soon the individual became a group and a force to be reckoned with. The song
carries the same message as it is used to unite people and help individuals to recognize that
we are above all human beings regardless of where we come from or our political views.
5. YEARS OF FASHION
MANUEL & P. 37
1. An icon of the 60s
& Productions possibles :
a.
What strikes me most about this advert is the bright, bold colours. Though prints are fashionable nowadays, we can see that solids were trendy in the 60s. The shape and colour of the
letters of the slogan and the stylized flowers are also typical of that decade. The model herself
is so skinny she almost looks anorexic. I guess that’s how she got her nickname Twiggy: she’s
as thin as a twig, a stick. The shorts and dress don’t seem very short to us now, but it must
have been shocking at the time. Only a decade earlier, girls’ dresses still covered their knees.
One more thing I find interesting is that in the ad they suggest to their future clients to write
a letter to find out which shops sell “Twiggy-rigs”. Of course nowadays you could just check
out the website, and probably even order the clothes online. Times have changed!
b.
boyish – flirtatious – fresh – simple – casual
2. Watch a video : Mary Quant
N. B. : la fiche élève, son corrigé, le script et l’exploitation de l’extrait se trouvent dans le
livret du DVD-Rom et sur le site compagnon.
3. What would your style be?
> Mise en œuvre :
Pour les classes les plus faibles, une fiche d’exploitation et son corrigé sont disponibles sur
le site compagnon.
U N IT 2
• 39
UNIT
2
THE SWINGING SIXTIES
> Script de l’enregistrement (CD 1, plage 12)
Intro
The 1960s was a revolutionary decade that brought about great social change. This had a
big influence on teen fashions. British designer Mary Quant pioneered the famous mini-skirt,
and helped to make the 1960s an iconic era of fashion that brought many new styles. 0’26’’
Part 1
For example there were the Mods, whose styles were very popular among teenagers in the
60s. Fashion model Twiggy was a famous Mod. British fashion designer, Mary Quant, was
key to the growth in popularity of mod fashion in the 1960s. Her short mini-skirt challenged
the previously conservative fashion of the 50s. This super short skirt became a distinctly
popular item worn by 1960s mod teenagers. The mini-dresses were colored with bright prints
or geometric patterns, although monochrome was also favoured. Bold, colored tights were
also popular items. Knee-high boots and high-heeled pumps were the fashionable footwear
for Mods. A popular accessory for girls was black false eyelashes, like Twiggy’s. 1’22’’
Part 2
The Rockers’ style was very different of course. Rockers were another teenage subculture
of the 60s, and rivaled the Mods. They preferred to be more scruffy and rebellious. Rockers’
fashions included leather jackets and black jeans. Heavy biker boots, studs and chains were
worn. Rockers often greased their hair like Elvis. 1’49’’
Part 3
But we mustn’t forget the Hippie look. It developed as anti-war demonstrations grew stronger.
Hippies were carefree and wore casual and loose clothing such as peasant blouses and long
tie-dye skirts, flowers and other zany prints. They were also the first ones to make bell-bottom
jeans fashionable. They also wore beaded jewelry, bandanas and bangles, and placed flowers in
their hair. As for shoes, they preferred walking barefooted or wearing sandals to embrace nature.
& Productions possibles :
b.
Twiggy is my favourite icon of the Sixties so I am going to dress up as her for the party. I will
wear my hair short as she did and spray it blonde. I will wear long black fake eyelashes to give
me doe eyes which are synonymous with Twiggy! I will wear a block print dress in yellow and
white which was a popular style at the time and of course match all my accessories with this
colour scheme. On my feet I will wear white lace up knee high boots with a block heel just
like Twiggy did.
4. Movie corner
& Productions possibles :
b.
Through these six mostly British films and TV series, the 21st century viewer can get an idea of
some cultural themes of the 1960s in the UK. There seems to be a certain amount of uncertainty
about the future and we get the idea that the young people at the time felt that they were living in
a pivotal moment. A common subject seems to be rebellion against established cultural codes,
and questioning oppressive norms that youth at that time were brought up to aspire to. These
movies also seem to question gender roles and the importance of tradition. We are reminded
of the fascination with outer space, the future, technology, artificial intelligence (Thunderbirds,
2001: A Space Odyssey), and the cultural revolution of the late Sixties (Nowhere Boy, If…).
40 •
U N IT 2
c.
2001: A Space Odyssey by Stanley Kubrick is a classic movie and a must-see that you should
put at the top of your films-to-watch list. Don’t be put off by the particularly long running time
(161 minutes) – you won’t ever get bored during this science fiction epic. It is true that today
outer space represents less of a complete mystery than it did at the time, but the feeling of
utter awe and reverence for the as yet undiscovered powers of the universe can still be felt by
today’s viewers. There is so little dialogue that it feels less rooted in a specific time and place
than it might have had its characters spoken more. What I found the most relevant to today’s
world is the notion that it may be dangerous to be so completely dependent on technology.
While the computer that controls the space ship is extremely efficient and useful, and makes
the entire mission possible in the first place, its malfunction turn for the worse also reminds
us how delegating power to a machine could also potentially be treacherous.
6. STILL A MAN’S WORLD?
MANUEL & P. 38-39
1. Share information
CORRIGÉ DE LA FICHE DU WORKBOOK (P. 8-10)
TEXT A: NO SURRENDER
1
“the struggle for equal pay” (l. 5)
2
Le Ministre du Travail
3
a) encouraging • understanding b) hope
4
equal pay
5
It means that she stresses the fact that she cannot grant it to them now.
6
She is surprised. • She didn’t expect Mrs. Castle’s answer.
7
a) disagree • argue against b) Industry is going to object to equal pay for men and women.
8
the Parliament • the media
9
a) easy b) what is easy c) Things that are too easy to get are not worth having.
10
determined • adamant / unflinching • straightforward • strong-willed • independent
“No!” (l. 19) + “Rita’s vehemence still surprises them.” (l. 20) + “that ain’t good enough”
(l. 22)
11
You have to learn to wait.
12
What compensation do you want? What can I give you for you to go back to work?
13
Rita’s demands
- guarantee of an Equal Pay Act
- 90% of a man’s salary, “considerable
movement towards the male rate”
Mrs. Castle’s negotiations
- return to work
- 75% of the male rate
U N IT 2
• 41
UNIT
2
THE SWINGING SIXTIES
ACTION!
This text deals with the encounter between the Secretary of State for Employment and
underpaid women who genuinely believe that women deserve equal pay to men. They try
to convince this woman to support their cause and to help them get what they want. They
talk her into backing them up with concrete measures. The Secretary of State promises
them to be on their side, however they have to be patient. The leader remains firm and
unyielding; she stands her ground and shows an unexpected but forceful willingness
to change things. In the end, the Secretary seems ready to negotiate.
Objectif
j f
Firstly, this extract shows the power men had over women in the workplace. Women were
not treated on an equal footing when it came to their pay. Nevertheless, in the 1960s,
women were trying to regain power and to assert their rights asking for equality in terms
of salary. At that moment, women really started to become aware of the injustice they
were suffering, and stood strong for their rights. They asserted their power by organizing
themselves in trade unions and went on strike for a pay rise. Although many men sneered
at them and looked down on these determined women, they put forth their power to force
a compromise and, later, a social change.
TEXT B: 1968: WOMEN’S LIB BECOMES A POWERFUL FORCE
1
a) advance b) in the event of c) lay down d) pass
2
a) True. “The Matrimonial Property Act laid down that a wife’s work […] as a housewife
[…] was to be regarded as an equal contribution […] if, in the event of divorce, the family
home had to be divided.” (l. 1-4)
b) True. “whether in jobs outside the house or as a housewife within it” (l. 2-3)
c) False. “it does not come fully into practice for five years” (l. 5-6)
d) True. “a process of reform which gathered momentum during the Sixties in areas such
as abortion, divorce and contraception” (l. 8-10)
e) True. “a movement […] in its infancy here compared with more strident campaigns in
the United States” (l. 11-12)
ACTION!
In 1968, several laws were passed to grant more equality to women. These acts paved the
way to a deep transformation of British society and of the way women were considered
at work as well as at home.
& Productions possibles :
c.
Both texts on these two pages are about the advances that were made in women’s rights in
Britain in the 1960s. Though they are different in format (one is a screenplay and the other a
history book), they both talk about the Equal Pay Act that was passed in Parliament in 1968,
establishing the principle of equal pay for equal work. It is clear from both texts that there had
been discrimination against women, but that much was accomplished in the 60s to reduce
inequality between men and women in the workplace and in British society in general.
42 •
U N IT 2
2. Standing strong
& Productions possibles :
a.
b.
c.
d.
Harold Wilson was the UK Prime Minister at the time. He belonged to the Labour Party.
At the beginning, Barbara Castle is hypocritical. She says she is proud of the Ford workers
for the battle they’ve fought, and adds, “I fully support the struggle for equal pay.” However,
instead of giving the women what they’ve been asking for, she asks them to go back to work,
with an ambiguous promise of helping their fight sometime in the future. She is doubtful that
any real steps can be made in Parliament: “The Lords’ll kick up a fuss. The press’ll have a
field day… It isn’t going to be easy—”. When Rita O’Grady reminds Barbara Castle that she is
a working woman just like them, Mrs. Castle appears more understanding and supportive
of their cause.
Barbara Castle starts by praising Rita O’Grady for her struggle for equal pay, but she explains
that changes won’t happen right away and Ford workers must be patient. Rita challenges
that attitude, saying that they must fight. When Mrs. Castle advises the girls to go back to
work, Rita refuses to obey and demands substantial proof that changes will be made. Mrs.
Castle hesitates, but Rita convinces her that women – the Ford workers, just like Mrs. Castle
herself – deserve equal pay for equal work.
We can imagine that in the film, after the meeting with Barbara Castle, the women workers
go back to work with an immediate pay raise (somewhere between 75 and 90% of the male
rate at Ford). And the situation for women does change. After the strike, things DID happen
in Parliament. The Equal Pay Act of 1970 was passed in Parliament as a direct result of the
1968 Ford strike, even though it didn’t come into effect until 1975. Other laws passed in the
areas of abortion, divorce and contraception were also steps towards equality between the
sexes in the eyes of the law.
3. Debriefing
My fellow workers, I’ve just met with the Secretary of State for Employment, Mrs. Castle,
who understands our struggle and supports our cause. I can finally say we’ve got somethin’
solid in our fight for equal pay. First of all, Mrs. Castle has promised to negotiate with our
bosses at Ford for an immediate pay increase, so we’ll be earning 90% of what they pay the
men. And secondly, she’ll do everythin’ she can to get an Equal Pay Act passed in Parliament
to guarantee by law that women’ll get equal pay for equal work. Our fight isn’t over yet, but
we’re makin’ strides an’ we’re almost there!
4. Making the headlines
Great Strides in Women’s Rights
Today, after a meeting between Secretary of State for Employment, Barbara Castle, and strike
leader Rita O’Grady, women sewing machinists at the Ford car factory agreed to go back to
work, but not before being assured of a substantial increase in their salaries and promises of
an Equal Pay Act to be voted in Parliament. With surprising boldness, Mrs. O’Grady insisted on
salaries for her female co-workers to be paid at 90% of the rate for males, and obtained it.
U N IT 2
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THE SWINGING SIXTIES
Though parity will not be achieved overnight, this is a major breakthrough for women’s rights.
Mrs. Castle has promised to get the Equal Pay Act passed through Parliament this year, though
the implementation of the law will probably take place in stages, perhaps over a period of five
years. After reforms in abortion, divorce and contraception, this act, as well as the Patrimonial
Property Act which counts a wife’s work inside or outside the home as an equal contribution
to the family, raises the status of women from the subservient housewife to an equal partner
in marriage. This is one more step towards the liberation of women, and a giant leap towards
equality of the sexes. (201 words)
LANGUAGE AT WORK
MANUEL & P. 40-41
1
a. It was difficult for her because she wasn’t used to speaking in public.
b. Women didn’t use to have the same rights as men.
c. There used to be great inequalities in wages between men and women / great gender
inequalities.
d. Men weren’t used to doing household chores, but things have changed.
e. Men never used to do any housework or ironing.
2
a. defend: Grâce aux femmes qui ont osé défendre leurs droits, la loi sur l’égalité des salaires
a été adoptée en 1975.
b. accept: Les femmes ne pouvaient plus accepter d’être payées nettement moins que les
hommes pour le même travail.
c. reduce • abandon • continued: Elles avaient peu d’argent quand elles étaient en grève,
elles ont même dû réduire leurs dépenses, mais elles n’ont pas abandonné et ont continué
à combattre.
d. refused: Rita a refusé l’offre parce qu’elle pensait que l’augmentation (de salaire) n’était
pas suffisante.
e. discovered • returned: Elle s’est mise en colère quand elle a découvert que l’une des
ouvrières était retournée au travail.
f. admired • abolish: Les collègues de Rita l’admiraient parce qu’elle était tout à fait décidée
à en finir avec les inégalités de salaire.
3
a. let • made • have
b. let
c. have
d. make
e. let • make / get / have
f. had
g. let • make
h. made
44 •
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4
Dear Jane,
It is understandable that you want
to look like the beautiful Twiggy. Try
to persuade your mother by showing
her pictures of how sophisticated
Twiggy looks with her short crop,
explain how manageable it will be
to maintain and above all, remind
your mother that hair grows back!
Should the cut not be to her liking
you can grow it out again in a matter of months. Let her know that you
do not want to look provocative and
I am convinced she will allow you
to look the way you want.
Good luck!
Dear Paul,
Your father comes from a different
generation and he may be finding it
hard to adjust to the times. I’m sure
he didn’t dress like his father when
he was your age! Try to make him
understand that you are old enough
to decide how you want to dress. Your
image is a reflection of who you are
not who he is.
Good luck!
Dear Mike,
Rock is not everyone’s cup of tea!
First, thank your uncle for the gift
but kindly return the ticket to him
and let him know that you have different musical tastes to him. Perhaps
you could offer to take him to a concert in the future so you can share
with him the music that you enjoy?
Good luck!
Build up your vocabulary
1
a. – In the Sixties, young people protested against American involvement in Vietnam. They
criticized the US government for sending troops there.
– They also questioned consumerism and materialism.
– Young people began to revolt against the conservative norms of the time.
– They objected to authority and the government, and demanded more freedom and rights
for women and minorities.
b. – Songs also became a means of protest.
– Singers supported causes, condemned injustice, inequalities and discrimination. They
were involved in social issues.
– Later on they endorsed political causes and performed in benefit concerts.
– In the USA, the protest song was one of the main symbols of the Sixties youth culture.
– Singers were more and more committed and influential. They took advantage of their fame
to make the public aware of social issues. Songs were biased.
2
Peter Kennard’s photomontage entitled Defended to Death depicts the planet Earth wearing
a gas mask. The eyes are replaced by the flags of the United States (on the left side, which
would correspond to the West on a map) and Great Britain (on the right). The mouth piece is
spewing out nuclear missiles. The gas mask reminds us of the Vietnam War (1955-1975) and the
chemical warfare (Napalm and Agent Orange) that was used on a vast scale by the American
military. The nuclear missiles refer to the arms race. The flags emphasize the idea that the
two countries are involved in this race. The gas mask is vomiting up missiles, suggesting that
the Earth is ill from having eaten too many. The title Defended to Death indicates that while
the US claimed they were “protecting” Vietnam, they actually destroyed the land and the
population with their bombs and chemical weapons. With this 1983 photomontage, Kennard
U N IT 2
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UNIT
2
THE SWINGING SIXTIES
is reminding people of what happened in Vietnam and the devastating effects of war, and he
is trying to get across the message that the arms race must be stopped, that war and weapons are destroying our planet. Britain’s “unofficial war artist” Kennard provided graphic visual
images for the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament in the 1980s, a campaign that started in
the 1960s, at the time of the cold war.
IMPROVE
YOUR SPEAKING SKILLS
MANUEL & P. 42
N. B. : le script ci-dessous sert de corrigé à la question 1. b.
> Script de l’enregistrement (MP3 n°4)
One day in 1968, Rita O’Grady had had enough. She led 187 female workers at a Ford Motor
Company factory in Dagenham Essex to go on strike. At Ford’s, women were paid much less
than their male counterparts – no matter how skilled they were, women were only paid 87%
of the rate that the lowest paid, unskilled men received. This was not fair and Mrs. O’Grady
initiated a protest that lasted three weeks and started political waves. The strike successfully
shut down the factory because of a lack of car seats sewn by women. But the movement
didn’t end with the strike in Dagenham, it began to spread to other factories as more women
began to protest. Unhappy and frustrated, the factory owners tried to pressure the women
into going back to work but they refused. As a representative of working women and the
working class, Rita O’Grady met with Barbara Castle, the British Employment Secretary, to
discuss terms. In order to pacify the Lords and factory owners, Castle asked the women to
return to work without first receiving a guarantee of equal pay but Mrs. O’Grady refused and
demanded “something solid” before accepting to return to work. As a result of this meeting
and Rita’s determination, the strikers finally got the guarantee they would now be paid 92%
of what men were paid. The actions of Rita O’Grady and her co-workers paved the way for
the Equal Pay Act of 1970 in which companies were required by law to give equal pay for
equal work regardless of sex.
YOUR TASK
MANUEL & P. 43
& Productions possibles :
Example 1: Have you ever heard of the British television series called The Avengers? You
may recognize it if I tell you that the leading male character wears a bowler hat and carries an
umbrella, and the leading female character wears black leather boots. You may have seen old
reruns of what the French call Chapeau melon et bottes de cuir, a British “spy-fi” television
series that includes elements of espionage, fantasy and science fiction. This series embodies
the 60s in many ways.
46 •
U N IT 2
It is not surprising that the main character, John Steed, works for the British Intelligence, as
the series was produced during the Cold War. Though spy stories have always been popular,
they were particularly topical at the time. Actually, Steed, played by Patrick Macnee, does not
look typically 60s. With his Savile Row suit, bowler hat and umbrella, he is the typical British
gentleman of a previous generation. His younger female partners, however, wear outfits that
were the latest mod fashions in the 60s. Dr. Cathy Gale, played by actress Honor Blackman,
wears tight-fitting black leather outfits and “kinky boots”. As a matter of fact, Gale epitomizes
her decade in many ways: she is intelligent, assertive, forward-looking and self-assured – in
short, a liberated woman. Some people have said that her character got some of her charm
because in her earliest episodes, Gale spoke lines that were originally written for a man. In
the first shows, Steed was actually the assistant to Dr. David Keel, played by Ian Kendry,
but Kendry left after the first series and the character of Cathy Gale became Steel’s stylish,
but spunky assistant. In the episode I watched, The Golden Eggs, we learn that Gale lives in
Steed’s flat. Even if it is made clear that it is only temporary while Gale is looking for a new
home, it must have been quite shocking at the time for a young unmarried woman to be living
in a man’s apartment!
To conclude, we can say that this series, which was extremely popular at the time, offers a
model of the liberated woman, an example for the “new generation” to follow. To a modern
viewer, the characters, the themes, and the costumes bring one back to the vibrant age of
the 1960s.
Example 2: My presentation focuses on the song Dedicated Follower of Fashion released
in 1966 by a band called The Kinks. The song is about a male “pleasure seeking individual”
who lives in London and spends much of his time going shopping for new clothes and then
flaunting his new style at parties and on nights out. I have chosen to talk about this song as
it represents the importance and the changes in the fashion world at that time, for example,
“polka dots” and “stripes” were all the rage and many young people sort out new trends on
Carnaby Street which is referenced in the song. The song was written many years ago, however,
I feel that it is still relevant today. The lyrics show how individuals are driven by consumerism.
SPEAKING CORNER
A.
MANUEL & P. 44-45
The Beatles’ song She’s Leaving Home and the accompanying photo illustrate the generation
gap that divided families in the 1960s. The lyrics tell the story of a girl who is running away
from home. She leaves a note for her parents and sneaks out at dawn. When her parents find
the note, they are shocked and don’t understand what made her leave them. They feel they
have always done everything they could for their daughter, sacrificed their lives to provide for
her, bought her everything she needed. At the end of the song we learn that what she needed
was not something that could be bought. She needed the “fun” that had always been denied
her. It appears that these parents were very serious and strict with their daughter. We are led
to believe that they never truly understood her or really communicated with her because the
lyrics state that “she’s leaving home after living alone for so many years.” The song begins by
describing the daughter in the third person, but in the chorus the passages in parentheses are
quotations from the parents. The fact that there are two separate narrative voices underlines
the division between the parents and their daughter.
U N IT 2
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UNIT
2
THE SWINGING SIXTIES
The photo is a striking visual representation of this generation gap and clearly illustrates the
song lyrics. The daughter, whom we see from the back, is confronting her parents. She is
very stylish, with her bouffant hairdo and alligator skin handbag. With one hand on her hip and
her handbag flung behind her shoulder, her stance shows her courage and determination to
confront her parents and announce she is leaving. The parents, on the other hand, epitomize
the older generation. As we see by the expression on their faces, they are astonished and
confused by their daughter’s behaviour, completely clueless. They are not at all fashionable:
the mother in her dowdy dress and her old-lady hairstyle, the father in his button-down cardigan and greased hair with a part down the middle reminiscent of the 1920s! The mother is
doing some sort of arts and crafts project, the father is looking up from his newspaper – all
very conventional. Even the setting contributes to the idea that they are old-fashioned: the
lace curtains, printed wallpaper and Formica table with practical fold-down sides. They look
sensible and stern, not particularly understanding or fun, out of step with the new generation.
The daughter’s desire to leave is thus understandable.
B.
Advertisement: This advertisement is quite shocking to the post-women’s lib generation. The
woman is presented as totally submissive to and dependent on her husband. We see this first
of all in the position of their bodies. The man, in the center of the photo, is a full head higher
than the woman. He is in front and turns his back on his wife, whereas the woman is behind,
leaning against his back. She is wearing a chef’s hat indicating that she is the one who cooks
for her husband. But at the same time she is also a sexual object, with red lipstick and nail
polish and stylish blond hair. The words printed on the photo appear just in front of the man’s
face, and are clearly his words: “The Chef does everything but cook – that’s what wives are
for,” which signifies that the main role of a wife is to care for her husband. We can see on the
counter in front of them the fruits of her labour – various drinks and dishes she has prepared
for her husband. In addition, the man is the one in charge of the pocketbook. Even if it is the
woman who cooks, it is the man who decides which kitchen appliances to purchase. This is
made clear in the slogan “I’m giving my wife a Kenwood Chef,” and also in the address coupon
at the bottom left-hand corner where we understand that in order to obtain this wonderful
consumer object, a woman must convince her husband to buy it: “Send off this coupon for a
husband-persuading leaflet.”
Though we have learned in this chapter that in the 60s great strides were made in Parliament
towards guaranteeing equality of the sexes in the name of the law, we can see by this ad
that it would take much longer to change mentalities. Advertisements are a great barometer
of public opinion because in marketing one must cater to the customers’ needs and desires.
They never would have designed this ad if it hadn’t reflected the opinions of their potential
clients. The message here is clearly that the man is in charge.
Quotation: I think that Mary Quant’s comment on fashion is interesting, because there are
elements of truth in it, but at the same time it seems quite regressive. The quotation appears
to be aimed at women, although this is not specified. If we interpret the quotation as being
about women, I find it insulting that Mary should describe fashion as a tool to compete in
life “outside the home”, because this suggests that “inside the home” is where women are
most comfortable. This comment also suggests that fashion is the most important factor in a
woman’s success; I believe that this opinion is outdated and offensive. However, regardless
of whether or not this quotation is only about women, it is a fact of life that people often judge
others on their appearance. Therefore, I think that there is some validity in the assertion that
looking appealing is likely to make people take more interest in you. However, the reverse
of this statement is also true: if you are wearing clothes that you think are “fashionable” but
48 •
U N IT 2
someone else dislikes, they might be inclined to be hostile towards you. Despite the fact that
Mary Quant was born in a different era, it is still true that too much importance is often placed
on appearances these days. However, particularly in the case of women, I think that people
increasingly recognise the importance of intelligence and personality over fashion choices,
which is very reassuring. Therefore, I don’t think that people (women and men alike) should
rely on clothes in order to make a good impression on others.
PROLONGEMENT POSSIBLE À L’UNITÉ
> Évaluation sommative de PPC (p. 374 de ce Fichier).
U N IT 2
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UNIT
3
A MAN’S WORLD? (ART PROJECT)
& Mythes et héros & Lieux et formes du pouvoir
Tâche finale (p. 55) : You are working for a museum on an exhibition entitled “Stereotyped Visions of Men”. A few works of art have been selected. Decide which one
will be on the exhibition poster. Explain your choice.
Activités
langagières
Tune in!
(p. 46)
1. To protect
and to serve
(p. 47)
2. Manpower
(p. 48-49)
3. “Thy
husband is
thy lord”
(p. 50-51)
4. Who wears
the pants?
(p. 52)
Contenus
Prolongements tâches / aides
PPC
Étudier une image tirée d’un film
Commenter un document visuel
(p. 240-241)
POI
Improviser une conversation
Enrichir sa prise de parole (p. 242-243)
PPC
POI
Étudier une illustration
– Commenter un document visuel
(p. 240-241)
– Image vidéoprojetable (DVD-Rom)
CO
Comprendre un témoignage
– Fiche Workbook
– Comprendre un message oral
(p. 238-239)
PPC
POI
– Faire une recherche Internet
– Présenter une œuvre d’art
– Jouer le médiateur artistique
dans un musée
– Improve your speaking skills (p. 54)
– Enrichir sa prise de parole (p. 242-243)
– Documents complémentaires :
Speaking Corner (p. 56-57)
PPC
Analyser une photographie
Commenter un document visuel
(p. 240-241)
CE
POI
– Comprendre les paroles
d’une chanson
– Défendre son choix
Enrichir sa prise de parole (p. 242-243)
CO
Comprendre un reportage
Fiche sur le site compagnon
PPC
Présenter une affiche
de propagande
– Improve your speaking skills (p. 54)
– Enrichir sa prise de parole (p. 242-243)
– Commenter un document visuel
(p. 240-241)
CE
Comprendre un extrait de pièce
de théâtre
– Fiche Workbook
– Texte enregistré (site compagnon)
PPC
Présenter un acrostiche
et défendre son choix
– Improve your speaking skills (p. 54)
– Enrichir sa prise de parole (p. 242-243)
POI
Jeu de rôles : participer
à un débat télévisé
– Language at work (p. 53)
– Évaluation sommative de PPC (p. 58-59)
PPC
Décrire un tableau
Commenter un document visuel
(p. 240-241)
POI
Improviser une conversation
– Improve your speaking skills (p. 54)
– Enrichir sa prise de parole (p. 242-243)
CO
Comprendre une interview
Fiche Workbook
PPC
– Faire des recherches Internet
– Présenter un film
– Défendre ses choix
– Improve your speaking skills (p. 54)
– Enrichir sa prise de parole (p. 242-243)
L’activité langagière principale de cette unité est la PPC (prise de parole en continu).
50 •
U N IT 3
TUNE IN!
MANUEL & P. 46
> Mise en œuvre :
– Tout d’abord, les élèves pendront quelques instants pour observer l’image en silence. Ils
pourront alors répondre aux questions. On les encouragera à utiliser les mots du Help! au
cours de la description.
– Ensuite, on favorisera la mise en place d’échanges entre les élèves en divisant la classe
en 2 groupes et en demandant aux élèves d’assumer un rôle : une partie de la classe se
préparera à jouer le rôle de l’homme, alors que l’autre partie jouera la femme. Chaque groupe
préparera les arguments de son propre rôle et c’est juste au moment du passage devant la
classe que l’on sélectionnera un élève de chaque groupe pour improviser la scène.
1. Observe and react
& Productions possibles :
a.
b.
c.
The first thing I noticed was the worshipping expression on the young woman’s face, and her
submissive body language. She is squatting in front of him, her head is tilted backwards and
she is clutching her hands to her breast. Her mouth is gaping and it looks like she is totally
infatuated with the young man. Then my eyes turned to handsome James Dean. His shirt is
unbuttoned halfway down and we can admire his impressive biceps. This fellow looks cool,
calm and in control. His hands are casually resting on either end of his rifle and he is balancing effortlessly on one foot, leaning against his car. His position is quite evocative and you
can almost see in him a sort of Christ-like figure with a begging Mary or worshipper kneeling
in front of him.
The man’s position is very dominant as he is standing whereas the woman is crouching. He is
irresistibly good-looking and epitomizes masculinity as he is holding his gun casually behind his
head, which represents his effortless power and dominance. This impression of effortlessness
and nonchalance extends through his arms which are draped over his gun, as well as the way
in which he is standing on one hip with his legs crossed. It looks like the woman is begging
the man for something, but that in response he is completely unperturbed. Her entire being
is focused on his reaction, but in contrast he looks particularly aloof.
“It’s all in your hands now” or “A plea for help” or “Let me decide”
2. Act it out
Man: Hey Missy, why are you looking at me like that with those puppy dog eyes?
Woman: Please, you know that you can’t wave your gun around and expect to get what you
want!
Man: Are you kiddin’ me? It’s worked a treat in the past, Missy, I ain’t about to stop now!
Woman: I’m only thinking of you. I can’t stand thinking what might happen to you one of these
days, I’m beggin’ you, please just stay home!
Man: I can’t, you know I can’t!
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UNIT
3
A MAN’S WORLD? (ART PROJECT)
Woman: Please, for me? I don’t know what I’d do without you... Heaven forbid the worst
should happen and I’d be all alone. What would become of me then? I’d end up out on a limb
without a penny to my name all weak and lonely, is that what you want for me, huh?
Man: Well of course not little lady, it’s a mean old world out there and I can’t have you running
around all alone... perhaps I should stay home...
Woman: Oh honey, I knew you’d understand! What a sweet man you are!
1. TO PROTECT AND TO SERVE
MANUEL & P. 47
1. Into the fire
Informations complémentaires :
– This is a painting made by Tom Palmer, Sr. (born July 13, 1942) (an American comic book
artist best known as an inker for Marvel Comics) to honour the heroes of 9/11, namely the
firemen and policemen of New York.
– More information about this artist:
www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Palmer_%28comics%29
– September 11th, 2001: a short summary of events
Shortly before 9 a.m. on a sunny September morning in New York, a jet on a transcontinental flight crashed directly into the North Tower of the World Trade Center. Another
jet was soon to follow, this time into the South Tower. Less than an hour later, another
jet crashed, this time into the Pentagon building in Washington D.C. Then the two towers
completely collapsed, one after the other, leading to nearly 3,000 deaths, including nearly
400 firefighters and police officers who had come to the scene to rescue civilians. The
hijackers of the three airplanes were members of Al-Qaeda, a worldwide network of terror
cells, led at the time by Osama Bin Laden. They trained members in the ways of war and
terrorism and said the United States was their biggest enemy.
> Mise en œuvre :
– On répartira la classe en deux groupes qui prendront chacun en charge une partie des
questions. Un ou plusieurs rapporteurs désignés dans chaque groupe rendra(ont) compte
du travail collectif. On incitera les élèves à échanger et confronter leurs opinions à l’aide
des structures listées p. 242-243.
– Dans un second temps, les élèves échangeront le fruit de leurs recherches et pourront
aller plus loin en analysant le but de l’image et leurs impressions.
– Lors de la mutualisation des informations, on pourra aider les élèves à approfondir en leur
posant d’autres questions :
• What is the link between a/the comic book artist and 9/11? To what extent are these heroes
similar to or different from the heroes Tom Palmer usually represents?
• What is a hero for you? What are his/her characteristics (behaviour, appearance, beliefs…)? Can
we say that these men are “ordinary heroes” (as opposed to the superheroes of comic books)?
52 •
U N IT 3
& Productions possibles :
a.
b.
Group A:
The different parts of the picture represent the different groups that contributed to the effort to help those affected by the terrorist attacks in America on 9/11. The American flag
represents the unity and resilience of the United States of America, and the strength of the
colours and of the patrimony despite the devastation of the terrorist attacks. The bottom of
the image shows a team of firemen working together to shift the rubble in the aftermath of
the attacks. They are passing rubble and rocks along a line in order to work efficiently and
effectively, perhaps in search of survivors. This gives the impression of the equality of men in
the desperate situation, and their strength of character to work together calmly and rationally
despite such adverse circumstances.
Group B:
What immediately strikes me is the strength and the pride of the men at the top of the picture.
There is a sharp contrast between their determined look and the demolished buildings around
them. These men are young and attractive, and so they portray America’s men as young,
strong and attractive, but most of all ready to fight against the threats to their country. They
stand united in front of their flag as if to stand guard, protecting their countrymen and their
beliefs. The men therefore appear strong, fit, and ready to protect their country as a team.
They clearly embody the notion of heroes.
The artist’s main goal is to truly portray America as the United States of America. This idea is
supported by the overbearing presence of the American flag which represents each State as
a united nation. In every sense, this image shows unity.
He is paying tribute to the New York City Police and Fire Department. He is thankful to ordinary
people who risked their lives / put their lives at risk, who sacrificed their lives / dedicated
their lives to rescuing and saving people. He is grateful to these people because a lot of people
owe their lives to these heroes. He admires the true patriots of 9/11. He praises people who
responded to the attack on the WTC and the 343 firefighters who perished when the Twin
Towers collapsed. The firefighters and the policemen have become living legends. This picture
is quite inspirational because it is meant to arouse feelings of admiration.
2. 9/11
CORRIGÉ DE LA FICHE DU WORKBOOK (P. 11-13)
roar - height - overhead - lobby - put out a fire - climb - casualty – collapse
A. RECORDING N° 1
1
the terrorist attack on September 11th, 2001
2
World Trade Center, Manhattan, the Hudson River
3
firefighter
4
Joseph Pfeiffer is an assistant chief for the New York City department and the chief in
counter-terrorism and emergency preparedness. On 9/11, he was battalion chief assigned
U N IT 3
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UNIT
3
A MAN’S WORLD? (ART PROJECT)
to the first battalion which was in lower Manhattan where the World Trade Center was. He
has been in this job for almost 30 years now. He loves it because he can serve his community, which is New York City. He has always lived in New York.
5
- a date: 9/11 - an hour: 8 o’clock - a reference to a distance: 12 blocks away
6
Place
Moment of the day
the street at Church
and Lispenard
7
morning
Weather
a beautiful summer day, bright
sunshine and warm weather
- heard - saw
- First, the narrator was standing in the street working on a gas leak.
- Secondly, he heard a loud roar of a plane and caught a glimpse of it.
- Then he saw the plane crash into the north tower of the World Trade Center.
8 9 The narrator realized this was not an accident, that this was a terrorist event.
- He ordered the firefighters to go to the World Trade Center.
10
- tens of thousands of people - 78th floor - Engine 33
11
Places
block street, Trade
Center lobby
People
– tens of thousands
in the greatest need
– fire-safety directors
firefighters
Danger
smoke fire
Orders
– to go up
– not to put out the
fire
12
The firefighters knew that tens of thousands of people were in the greatest need, and they
had to do something. So he ordered the firefighters to go into the building to evacuate
people and to rescue those that couldn’t get out. That was the last time he saw some of
his men, and especially one lieutenant from Engine 33.
13
- ordinary - extraordinary
14
Actions
– climbing stairs with almost 100 pounds of equipment
– trying to get up to those that couldn’t get out
themselves
Behaviour
– encouraging people
– They told them to
continue down.
B. RECORDING N° 2
1
A firefighter. Jimmy is his son.
2
firehouse, towers, Verrazano Bridge, World Trade Center, New York City, Brooklyn Bridge
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3
About the narrator
About Jimmy
How long?
Positive aspects of this job
His past job
His new job
eight years
helping people, everyone
looking out for each other
police officer
fire department
4
He felt proud.
5
Jimmy’s 30th birthday
6
At the beginning he was in Brooklyn (we assume he lives there). Then he went for a run
along the shore, to the Verrazano Bridge. He came back home (probably in Brooklyn). Then
he was driven to Manhattan through the Brooklyn Bridge and reached the World Trade
Center.
7
Jimmy was working, Jimmy was going to be down in the towers, in the heart of the biggest
fire New York City’s ever seen. Jim knew his son was probably dead because he was sure
to be up in the tower because his company was one of the first companies there.
ACTION!
Joseph Pfeifer recalls a regular morning in the firehouse on 9/11. Suddenly he heard a
plane flying over Manhattan, then saw it crash into the north tower of the World Trade
Center. He realized it was a terrorist attack. On arriving at the World Trade Center, he
ordered his crew to go into the building to evacuate people and rescue those that couldn’t
get out. Some of his men he never saw again. As for him, a hero is a person who does
ordinary things but in an extraordinary time. New York firefighters were merely doing their
jobs, devoted to saving others and ready to sacrifice their lives for victims.
Jim Riches explains that firefighting is a family business: he entered the trade in 1977 and
his son followed suit which makes him proud. They devote their life to helping people
and have become a close-knit community. On 9/11, as he was jogging and his son Jimmy
was on duty, he witnessed the planes hitting the towers. He understood there were going
to be a lot of casualties and local firefighters would be in action helping people. When he
saw the second tower collapse, he guessed his son had died.
> Script de l’enregistrement (CD 1, plage 15)
Part 1
My name is Joseph Pfeifer. I’m an assistant chief for the New York City fire department. And
presently I’m the chief in counter-terrorism and emergency preparedness. On 9/11, I was
battalion chief assigned to the first battalion which was in lower Manhattan. I’ve always lived
in New York, my entire life and after college and in graduate school, I thought to go into the
fire department as an adventure. That this was going to be something exciting and said, “Ah
I’ll do it for a couple of years.” But then I just fell in love with the job and I realized that this
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was something I wanted to do to... to be able to serve my community, which is New York
City. And I’ve enjoyed for the last almost 30 years now. The World Trade Center was part of
the first Battalion. So we were there every single day. 9/11 started off as a regular morning
in the firehouse. We got a call a little around 8 o’clock in the morning for a gas leak in the
street at Church and Lispenard, about 12 blocks away from the World Trade Center. So,
as we were standing in the street (and it was a beautiful summer day, bright sunshine and
warm weather) we heard a loud roar of a plane. And you never hear planes flying overhead
in Manhattan, because of the height of the buildings. We heard this plane racing down the
Hudson River. We saw it for a glance, and then it was hidden behind some buildings. And
then when it appeared again, I saw the plane aim and crash into the north tower of the World
Trade Center. 1’39’’
Part 2
And after that moment I knew that this was not an accident, that this was a terrorist event.
I ordered the firefighters to go to the World Trade Center, and I got on the radio and gave
my first transmission, to transmit a second alarm. As we were going down the block, down
the street, responding, we could see the smoke coming from the Trade Center. We knew
that at that moment, tens of thousands of people were in the greatest need, and we had to
do something. I can remember, as we pulled up in front of the Trade Center, walking into
the lobby, one of the fire-safety directors came to me and said that the fire was somewhere
above the 78th floor. So as the firefighters came in, we ordered them to go up — not to put
out the fire. We ordered them to go into the building to evacuate people and to rescue those
that couldn’t get out. I could remember one lieutenant from engine 33 came up to me and
just looked. We looked at each other, just concerned about whether we were going to be
OK. I told that lieutenant to take his unit and to go up and start to evacuate and rescue those
that were in trouble. That was the last time I saw that lieutenant. 3’07’’
Part 3
Many times people ask, what does it mean to be a hero? Well, I define a hero as “those that
do ordinary things but in an extraordinary time”. That’s what the firefighters did. They went up
and did ordinary things, like encouraging people to continue down — Don’t stop! — continue
to walk. Climbing stairs with almost 100 pounds of equipment, trying to get up to those that
couldn’t get out themselves. Ordinary things, but it was at this extraordinary time.
> Script de l’enregistrement (CD 1, plage 16)
Part 1
I’m a deputy chief, retired from New York City Fire Department, Jim Riches. My son Jimmy
was a firefighter on 9/11 and he was assigned to engine 4 and he died on 9/11 in the north
tower. I became a firefighter in 1977. I’d just graduated from college. And I was born, bred
and raised in Brooklyn. My mother is still here, my whole family is here. And my boys are
here. I loved the Fire Department, it was such a great job. The camaraderie in the firehouse,
everyone looking out for each other, and the families became so close together. The fire — all
the fire families, picnics, parties, and everything else. It became a way of life actually. I was
very proud to say I was part of it. And my sons grew up that way too and they knew all the
other fire families. I did thirty-two years in the fire department before I retired and I could
say that I was glad to go to work every day. 0’57’’
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Part 2
On September 11, I woke up that morning, and I knew my son Jimmy was working. His 30th
birthday was the next day, on September 12th. I went for my run along the shore, down by
Brooklyn, in Brooklyn under the Verrazano Bridge. And the planes hit the towers. I went home,
turned on my TV set. And I knew Jimmy was going to be down there. He was working right
around the corner from the World Trade Center at the time. And I said, “Oh boy, he’s going
to be right in the heart of the biggest fire New York City’s ever seen.” I said, “I’m going to
go down there.” I called my son who was a police officer. I had a police car come, and they
started to take me into Manhattan. As I came over the Brooklyn Bridge in the police car, the
second tower collapsed. I knew he was probably dead because, you know those buildings,
he was going to be up there, way up high, because he was one of the first companies there.
3. Resident Art Expert
> Mise en œuvre :
– Cet exercice permet aux élèves de préparer activement leur épreuve d’expression orale
du Baccalauréat. Pour plus d’information, voir p. 244-245 (présentation de l’épreuve) ainsi
que p. 246 (travail sur la notion de mythes et héros).
– La recherche se fera hors classe. Il reste néanmoins nécessaire d’effectuer un travail
préliminaire en classe afin de préciser ce qui est attendu.
– Tout d’abord, il faudra définir avec les élèves ce qu'est ou n’est pas une œuvre d’art et
surtout quel type d’œuvre d’art ils peuvent choisir.
Meriam-Webster (dictionnaire uniligue)
1. a product of one of the fine arts; especially: a painting or sculpture of high artistic quality
2. something giving high aesthetic satisfaction to the viewer or listener
Wikipedia
A work of art, artwork, art piece, or art object is an aesthetic item or artistic creation. The
term “a work of art” can apply to:
• an example of fine art, such as a painting or sculpture
• a fine work of architecture or landscape design
• an object that has been designed specifically for its aesthetic appeal, such as a piece
of jewellery
• an object that has been designed for aesthetic appeal as well as functional purpose,
such as a table lamp
• a photograph, film or visual computer program
• a work of conceptual art or performance art
• a production of live performance, such as theater, ballet or opera
• an interactive game
– Ensuite, il est important de sensibiliser les élèves au déroulement du jeu de rôles (b.). L’élève
jouant le rôle du médiateur artistique aura apporté une reproduction de son œuvre sur papier
ou sur clé USB (on pourra aussi la retrouver via Internet s’il fournit un lien et que la salle est
équipée). Il sera prêt à en faire la présentation ainsi que de son auteur. Il devra ensuite être
prêt à répondre aux questions des visiteurs (rôle qui sera pris en charge par d’autres élèves qui
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ne connaissent pas l’œuvre). On pourra scénariser ce jeu de rôles en demandant d’imaginer
que la scène se déroule dans une exposition intitulée “Heroes” par exemple.
& Productions possibles (b.) :
Washington crossing the Delaware (1851) by Emanuel Leutze
This oil painting depicts General George Washington crossing the Delaware River during
the Revolutionary War in 1776. It was painted 75 years later by a German American named
Emanuel Leutze. Although there are many historical inaccuracies in the painting, it remains a
wonderful example of a piece of art illustrating a hero from the time period. We are first struck
by Washington’s stance – he is standing proudly, leaning backwards slightly, looking towards
the shore on the horizon while clutching his officer’s cape to his breast. There is no doubt
to the uninformed viewer that he is the leader – not just of this boat, or of all other boats in
the background, but of something even bigger and more important – in this case, the future
United States. This idea of a national hero is symbolically reinforced by the presence of the
Stars and Stripes, which is being held up behind Washington by Monroe, even though the
artist knew very well that the flag had not yet been adopted. We can criticize Leutze all day
for the historical inaccuracies. But I think the fact that he chose to paint the scene so full of
them shows that he wasn’t actually seeking to reconstruct an exact depiction of that fateful
night but instead to make a heroic portrait of Washington in action. The unreasonably small
boat full of such a strangely diverse group of rowers illuminated by such a dramatically bright
sky just exaggerates the importance of the group. The historical facts would have got in the
way of this mythical portrayal of the General.
2. MANPOWER
MANUEL & P. 48-49
1. Get ready
a.
b.
c.
What immediately strikes me is the upper-body strength of the man in the photograph, particularly his biceps.
This man is a labourer, or more specifically, a “steam fitter”. In the image, I can see that he
is using a large spanner to secure the bolts that are screwed into a wheel of a steam train.
I imagine his daily routine to be quite monotonous. He would get up around the same time
every morning, start and finish work around the same time every day, and spend the day
screwing bolts to secure the wheels of the steam trains. He would not receive a high wage for
his job, so I imagine that he would not be able to eat very well, or enjoy any hobbies or other
activities. His days would simply be filled with screwing bolts to the wheels of steam trains.
2. Punch Press Operator
> Mise en œuvre :
– On pourra laisser quelques minutes aux élèves pour découvrir le texte.
– On répartira ensuite la classe en deux groupes qui travailleront en autonomie. Le groupe
A s’occupera du narrateur et le B de la « bête ».
– À la suite de la mise en commun, la classe pourra synthétiser et prolonger le travail en
répondant aux questions de l’exercice c.
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– L’exercice d. pourra servir de rebrassage des connaissances acquises sur la chanson.
– On pourra proposer en activité de prolongement d’improviser un dialogue entre les deux
personnages. Chaque élève préparera individuellement ou en groupe les arguments de son
personnage (celui dont il a travaillé les questions ou celui sur lequel il n’a justement pas
encore travaillé). Ensuite, le professeur tirera au sort un élève pour chaque personnage. Le
binôme improvisera alors leur conversation.
– De plus, on peut aussi demander aux élèves de trouver une image (autre que celle de
Lewis Hines présentée sur la page) pour illustrer ce texte et de défendre leurs choix devant
leurs camarades.
& Productions possibles :
a.
I have understood that the poetic voice is that of a man who works on a punch press machine.
He describes his monotonous job that is dangerous, requires a constant level of concentration, yet it pays poorly and he is underappreciated. His job is to continue working to satisfy
the “beast”, meaning the machine and if his concentration slips for a split second, then his
hands will be destroyed. However, it is evident that nobody cares about his well-being. After
all, he is just a pair of hands, and is easily replaceable. He also mentions his low morale, as he
has many dreams and ambitions but does not have a choice other than to work at the punch
press machine because of the lack of work around and he is desperately short of money.
b.
Group A:
– The narrator is a factory worker who works with a machine called a punch press.
– He is speaking to whoever is listening to him, as he is speaking on behalf of his colleagues
who all feel like they are replaceable and worthless, as their only role is to feed the machine
with steel. Theirs is a mindless job and so anyone could do it, but they cannot leave their job,
firstly because there aren’t any others available to them and this is the only way they can put
food on the table and secondly there is still a little spark of hope within the narrator that he
can still realize his dreams.
– If I were to re-write the song in standard English, it would go like this:
I have got a job in a factory,
Feeding a beast that doesn’t like me
It doesn’t care about how I feel
There aren’t any guards to slow down any man
If your hand should slip, why the boss doesn’t shout
The press doesn’t stop when there isn’t a cause
There isn’t any man out on the press.
Group B:
– The “Beast” is a machine and a monster. It is undoubtedly referring to the machine.
– The poet uses anthropomorphosis to demonize the machine and therefore show the worker
to be at its mercy. I know this because he uses metaphors for his role of putting steel through
the machine, which he likens to feeding a beast. He also describes the machine as having
“jaws” which again gives the machine animalistic qualities. The “Beast” isn’t only feeding on
steel, but feeding on the worker’s dreams as he tells his story; consuming him and ruling over
him as he has no other choice but to continue to feed it in order to provide his own “daily
meal.” Even though he describes himself as a “master of the machine,” it is the machine that
rules over him.
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c.
On the surface, the relationship between the two characters seems to be similar to the
fundamental circle of life, as all the worker does is feed the machine with steel so that the
machine continues to function, so that the worker can therefore earn money in order to feed
himself. The monotonous role of the worker is almost like the function of a machine; no variety,
no feelings, no emotions, so it is ironic that he must work under these conditions in order to
survive as a human being. On the other hand, it is also interesting that while the human being
is likened to a machine, the machine is likened to a living being which also needs feeding in
order to survive. Therefore their relationship becomes co-dependent.
However, because the worker has other dreams and aspirations, which he mentions in the
final lines of the song, I get the impression that the “Beast” is more of a parasite, feeding
off the worker’s dreams. Even though he says that his dreams make him the master of the
machine, meaning that it is his dreams that maintain his sanity and stop him from becoming
a soulless machine, it is his role of feeding the machine that prevents him from realizing his
dreams and breaking the monotony of his everyday life. Therefore, the worker is experiencing
a simultaneous lack of feeling, but a glimmer of feeling through his remaining ability to dream
and therefore exist as the master rather than the machine.
d.
I think that Lewis Hine’s photograph is a good choice to illustrate Pete Seeger’s song for two
main reasons. Firstly, the repeated use of circles within the photographs reflects the idea
of the circle of life, which features in the song through the natural need to eat in order to
survive. In the song, the worker feeds the “Beast” to keep it alive, which keeps him in a job,
which in turn allows him to put food on his table to keep himself alive, which requires him to
earn more money. There is a constant renewal of this idea, and so the shape of a circle aptly
corresponds with the message of the song.
Secondly, continuing with the circle motif, the arch of the worker’s back curves with the arch
of the wheel. This creates a mirroring effect and links man and machine together as similar
creatures, which reiterates the metaphor for the circle of life, and the way in which the worker
feels reduced to the role of a machine in his job. Moreover, because the image is black and
white thus making the man almost camouflaged against the steel machine, it is hard to distinguish the worker as a man, not a machine.
I would therefore use this image in order to illustrate Peter Seeger’s song, as I believe that it
reinforces the messages Seeger is trying to communicate.
3. A changing image
> Mise en œuvre :
– On pourra répartir la classe en deux groupes. Le premier prendra en charge le travail sur
la CO, alors que le second préparera la présentation de l’image. Ceci permettra de faire
travailler des activités langagières différentes.
– Pour les plus faibles, une fiche de compréhension de la CO et son corrigé sont disponibles
sur le site compagnon.
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> Script de l’enregistrement (CD 1, plage 18)
Part 1:
Journalist : And now, continuing our series about Women at Work, I’d like to welcome
Professor Higgs from the University of Chicago. Hello, Professor Higgs, and thank you for
joining us today.
Professor: Hello, Mark I’m pleased to be here!
Journalist: As we learned on our programme last week, women have worked outside the
home for centuries. So why do we say WWII was a pivotal moment in the history of women
in the workplace?
Professor: Well, Mark, it is true that women of the poorest classes have always worked — as
a matter of survival. It’s a different story, however, for the middle-class. While young middleclass women did often work in traditionally female jobs, such as teachers or nurses, they
were expected to quit their jobs to stay at home once they were married.
Journalist: And how did the war change that?
Professor: Well, you know, of course, with so many men off fighting in the war, there was
a shortage of — shall we say — “manpower”. So they started recruiting women to work in
shipyards, factories and munitions plants to help in the war effort.
Journalist: So this changed mentalities? Changed the way people viewed women in the
workplace?
Professor: Exactly! It became the patriotic thing to do! And the US government did everything
they could to encourage this attitude. They printed propaganda posters showing women in
factory uniforms, wielding heavy equipment. These posters portrayed women as beautiful,
but also as strong and capable. 1’45’’
Part 2
Journalist: You’re talking about the famous Rosie the Riveter, aren’t you?
Professor: Right you are! This iconic figure was first given a name in the 1942 song by Redd
Evans and John Jacob Loeb. And the name stuck. Norman Rockwell then gave her a face in
his 1943 painting for the cover of that all-American magazine The Saturday Evening Post. He
depicted a pretty young woman wearing overalls and goggles with a riveting tool in her lap,
a copy of Mein Kampf crushed under her feet, and the American flag as a backdrop. Rosie
was a hit!
Journalist: And what about the famous poster of the woman with a red polka-dot bandana
on her head, flexing her biceps and saying “WE CAN DO IT!” I suppose that was also part of
US propaganda?
Professor: Actually, no. Contrary to what most people think, that poster was never seen
by the general public during the war. It was commissioned by Westinghouse and displayed
inside one Midwest factory for only two weeks. But this powerful image — with its strong lines,
bold colours and clear message — is now associated with Rosie the Riveter and has come
to symbolize women’s fight for equality. In fact it has since been used for women’s rights
struggles and even for political campaigns, such as Hillary Clinton’s bid for the presidency
in 2008.
Journalist: So, the government campaign appeared to work. About how many women actually worked during the war?
Professor: By 1944, there were about 18 million women employed outside the home, up
from around 12 million at the start of the war. And America had changed. Day care centers
had sprung up so that young mothers could both work and raise their children.
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Journalist: But what happened after the war? When the soldiers returned home and wanted
their jobs back?
Professor: Well, as you might have guessed, when the war ended, so did the need for warplanes and munitions, and many women were forced to leave their wartime jobs. But the
number of working women never again fell to pre-war levels. Women had changed the face
of working America for good.
Journalist: Thank you, Professor Higgs, for your insights into the evolution of women at
work. And now…
& Productions possibles :
• Before the war:
– Women had worked outside the home for centuries.
– Women of the poorest classes had always worked.
– Young middle-class women did traditionally work as teachers, nurses, etc., but quit their
jobs and stayed home once married.
• During the war:
– At the start of the war, 12 million women were employed outside the home.
– With so many men off fighting, there was a shortage of “manpower”.
– Women started to be recruited for shipyards, factories, munitions plants, etc.
– It became the patriotic thing to do.
– The US government encouraged it with propaganda posters: famous images like the Saturday
Evening Post cover by Rockwell.
– By 1944 there were 18 million women employed outside the home.
– Day care centers had sprung up.
• After the war:
– Many women were forced to leave their wartime jobs.
– The number of working women never again fell to pre-war levels.
4. The Women at Work Museum
This image is a poster used during the war to encourage women to replace the men as blue
collar workers whilst the men are away at war. There are several layers to this poster which
add to its effectiveness. Firstly, it depicts an attractive woman who is fashionably glamourous and feminine, but she is dressed in a blue overall and doing manual labour. She is using
an electric drill, which is arguably an emblem of the traditional male domain, and is drilling
into an iron bar. In contrast to Lewis Hine’s photograph that depicts strength and masculinity
through the worker’s rippling muscles, this image of a woman doing the same job is strong,
yet remains delicate and feminine, much like the typical pin-up girls used in much of the advertisements at the time. This creates an interesting paradoxical image in the sense that we
are presented with a collision of both traditional and ideal male and female characteristics, in
order to successfully communicate the message to encourage women to replace men in the
workplace during their absence. Moreover, this sense of unity of the masculine and feminine
also reinforces the importance of unity and community at a time of need, and so the poster
is also encouraging everyone to work together on an equal basis in order to keep the country
from falling to its knees. It was imperative for the women to replace men whilst they were
away at war to attempt to maintain normality in the United States, so that men could return to
the great country they had fought for. Additionally, the slogan also carries heavy significance.
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The use of italics to emphasise “HE” in the slogan “Do the job HE left behind”, appeals to the
subversive woman. At a time when female sexuality in the form of pin-up girls was used as
a marketing tool, this poster encourages women to rise to the occasion: they could replace
“him” in the workplace and do an equally good job as he would have done had he not gone to
war. It is almost a challenge to the women to prove themselves as equally capable of manual
labour as the men are, whilst still maintaining their femininity. In conclusion, this poster
represents several elements of the political state of America during the war. Not only does it
demonstrate the extent of the numbers of men who left to fight, but it is also a plea for women
to replace them in the workplace. Interestingly, in order to maintain normality in American
society, America was asking its women to put aside their roles as the devoted housewives or
as the sexy pin-ups, and to take on “man’s work” to keep the country together.
3. “THY HUSBAND IS THY LORD”
MANUEL & P. 50-51
1. Get ready
Remarque : Cette image a été réalisée à partir un site (www.wordle.net) qui génère gratuitement des nuages de mots personnalisables. Il suffit de taper ou copier-coller le texte
dans le générateur, puis de choisir les paramètres du nuage (police de caractère, couleurs,
formes…). La taille des mots est déterminée en fonction de leur occurrence dans le texte
(plus le mot y est répété, plus il sera gros). C’est un outil original et ludique qui peut servir
dans de nombreuses activités en classe (anticipation, étude, prolongement, rebrassage).
On peut aussi proposer aux élèves de réaliser leur propre nuage et de le présenter.
On trouvera la version numérique du nuage de mots présenté dans le manuel à :
www.wordle.net/show/wrdl/4149844/Thy_husband
& Productions possibles (b.) :
I think the text is made up of a number of buzz words that describe the old-fashioned role of
a wife to obey her husband. It contains words such as sovereign, obedience, supremacy and
prince, which all suggest male authority and female subjection.
2. Find the key information
Remarque : ce texte est disponible en version enregistrée sur le site compagnon.
& Productions possibles :
Katherina’s monologue is an obedient regurgitation of the mantra by which she lives: that
her husband is her authority and she is his subordinate. She describes the gallant role of a
husband and the woman’s duty to be grateful and glad.
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CORRIGÉ DE LA FICHE DU WORKBOOK (P. 13-15)
1
a) lord = supérieur
b) head = chef
2
keeper, sovereign, head
3
a) Husband: commits his body + To painful labour both by sea and land, / To watch the
night in storms, the day in cold,
Woman: thy maintenance + thou liest warm at home, secure and safe
b) - False: it is for her maintenance.
- True: To painful labour both by sea and land, / To watch the night in storms, the day in
cold
- False: thou liest warm at home, secure and safe
4
a) tribute
b) payment
c) maintenance
d) grateful, respectful, thankful
5
a) what is she but
b) - loathsome: foul - warlike: rebel
c) graceless
6
subject, prince, rebel, traitor
7
bad temper, disobedience, obstination
8
- war ( peace - rule ( serve - supremacy ( love - sway ( obey
9
stupid
10
Power: rule, supremacy and sway
Submission: kneel for peace + serve, love and obey
ACTION!
According to Katherina, the duties of a husband are multiple and deserve his wife’s
gratitude. More specifically, he is his wife’s keeper, who looks after and supports her but
also risks life and limb for her welfare. Therefore he can be demanding and ask for her love
and gratitude in return for his trouble. He should be prepared to sacrifice his life for the
sake of her good health and security. A good wife ought to be dutiful and serve, love and
obey her husband. She should wait upon him because she relies on him both physically
and financially. She should be at his beck and call. A husband is compared to a prince
or a king who deserves his subjects’ respectful submission. Katherina condemns any
wife who does not show this gratitude to her husband, claiming it is little recompense for
the danger he must endure for her benefit. Stubborn women who resent their husbands’
dominant position are criticized. She objects to these women’s selfish attitude. Yet many
women quarrel with their husbands and claim to be on an equal footing.
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3. Summarize key ideas
> Mise en œuvre :
– Les questions a. et b. seront proposées en classe (travail en autonomie, en groupes), à
la suite du travail sur le texte.
– La question d. pourra être scénarisée : choississez l’image (parmi les deux proposées ou
sur Internet) qui illustre le mieux ce texte pour un manuel de littérature / une page de blog…
– La question c. pourra servir de prolongement, en classe ou à la maison.
& Productions possibles :
a.
According to Katherina, the duties of a husband are multiple and deserve his wife’s gratitude.
The role of the wife is to express this gratitude and serve, love and obey her husband. More
specifically, she describes duties such as his wife’s keeper, who looks after and takes care of
her but risking life and limb for her welfare and demanding nothing but her love and gratitude
in return for his trouble. She also condemns any wife who does not show this gratitude to her
husband, claiming it is little recompense for the danger he must endure for her benefit.
b.
In my opinion she is a subversive woman, who is simply telling her husband what he wants to
hear. She is keeping him happy by being the dutiful wife, yet she is able to eloquently articulate
the role of a wife as if it were memorized from an instruction manual. Another reason which
leads me to believe that Katherina is only speaking to please her husband, is that Shakespeare
has written her monologue in blank verse; a poetic device he frequently uses for upper-class
characters in his plays, as well as in his sonnets. The flow of iambic pentameter though is
normal for a lady of her rank, it demonstrates her intelligence and refinement, which could
suggest that she is well-versed in her role as a wife and is measured and controlled in how
she fulfils that role.
c.
The relationship between a husband and wife has undoubtedly evolved in many places around
the world. In most relationships in developed countries they both have equal roles, and it is
frowned upon for a husband to smother his wife in the way that Katherina is smothered by
Petruchio in Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew. However, it is arguable that husbands
and wives still have different roles within the home. It is still considered that the traditional
male role is the breadwinner whereas the traditional female role is the mother and housewife.
It is still the case that women benefit from a longer period of maternity leave than men are
granted as paternity leave. Furthermore, even if their roles in the workplace are identical and
girls often surpass their male peers’ academic achievements throughout their educational
careers, women are often paid lower wages. However, things are changing right from grass
root level through to the British royal family. It is now the law for the first born child to succeed their parents as King or Queen of the United Kingdom and Head of the Commonwealth,
whether the heir is male or female, whereas previously the law stated that the eldest son is
the rightful successor of the throne even if he has an older sister. This is a prime example of
equality between men and women changing for the better.
d.
Both photographs can be related to the title of the text “A dutiful wife”. The photograph on
the left shows a husband kissing his wife, but rather than being submissive and sharing the
moment, the wife has her eyes wide open, looking very startled and has her hand outstretched
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away from her husband as though she is strongly objecting to the embrace. This provides an
accurate illustration of the text if it is correct to interpret the wife as reluctant, but obliged to
submit to the authority of her husband in order to please him.
However, the photograph on the right shows a man and woman staring into each other’s eyes,
but the man is looking downwards towards his wife which establishes a hierarchy between
the pair. She is defiantly staring back at her husband, but is nevertheless subjected to his
authoritative glare, which perfectly depicts the interpretation of the text that Katherina is
secretly undercutting her husband’s authority.
4. Poet’s corner
> Mise en œuvre :
On pourra, lors du projet pédagogique sur cette unité, proposer / demander aux élèves de
faire un acrostiche sur un mot important du cours / document précédent. Cette activité,
qu’elle soit ponctuelle, régulière ou systématique, pourra servir de rebrassage (l’élève viendra
présenter son acrostiche à ses camarades et répondra à leur questions) ou de reprise du
cours précédent (à partir d’un mot inscrit au tableau, les élèves prennent quelques minutes
pour créer leur acrostiche, puis ils le présentent oralement ou à l’écrit).
& Productions possibles :
a.
Happiness
Understanding
Sensitive
Brave
Attentive
Nurturing
Devoted
b.
I have chosen these words because I believe that they describe
values in an ideal husband regarding his relationship with his wife.
He must bring her happiness and enjoy happiness himself within
the relationship. He must be understanding, in the sense that
he must empathize with his wife and work together to solve any
conflict between them. He must be sensitive and loving to her,
but be brave when they experience adversity along their way. He
must be attentive, and be able to tell when something is wrong
with her, and be able to help to put things right. He must be able
to nurture their little world, and their children, and finally he must
be devoted to her and their family unit.
5. Role play
A representative of a feminine association (Margaret), a male chauvinist actor (Jeremy),
a movie expert (Caroline)
Margaret: Good afternoon, my name is Margaret, I’m from York, and I’m a keen member of
the Women’s Institute.
Jeremy: I’m Jeremy, but you can call me J. I’m an actor from L.A. so you might recognize me
from several popular films out recently...
Caroline: Pleased to meet you both, I’m Caroline, a movie expert from Perth, and I don’t
recognize you at all...
M: Glad we’ve cleared that one up. I hate how you silly actors think you’re God’s gift! What on
earth have you contributed to society, other than making us endure one pointless rom-com
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[romantic comedy films] after another? You youngsters these days don’t know anything about
real life, all you care about is money, fast cars, and fast women.
J: Excuse me? I take my profession very seriously. Sure, my films aren’t exactly blockbusters,
but the chicks love me! What else matters other than being adored by beautiful women? I’m
the happiest guy in the world! They know what they’re doing, so everybody wins. I mean, hey,
I’m only human and in the end, it doesn’t really matter. As long as they cook my dinner and
wash my clothes, that’s all they’re good for.
C: Stop right there! First of all, seeing as you are hardly known in the film industry, I can’t
imagine you deserve all that attention.
M: I absolutely agree, but I don’t think you’ve gone far enough. You should appreciate women
more for who they are, not as a piece of meat. Men would be useless without women. We are
without a doubt the superior sex.
C: I can’t believe my ears. Jeremy, your industry is filled with negative images of women!
Women are used as sexual objects all the time, and in the end it’s always the male lead that
gets the girl. In the film industry, women have always been used as the damsel in distress, or
the typical “screen siren”; she’s just an accessory.
M: Jeremy, you can’t still think that women are nothing but objects? We’re just as capable as
you lot are... if not more so...
C: Now hold on a second, Margaret you’re being entirely unreasonable. Women and men are
equally capable. In my industry men have always played the hero, but look at modern day
cinema; there are plenty of movies around that show women and men working together. What
about The King’s Speech? King George wouldn’t have found the strength to be king without
the help and support of his wife, would he? Just as in The Iron Lady, you can see that Margaret
Thatcher resiliently led the British government and all her male colleagues. There are many
representations of successful men and women in modern day cinema and I think you should
both get off your high horse and realize what you’re saying!
4. WHO WEARS THE PANTS?
MANUEL & P. 52
1. Memory
I can remember that in the foreground there is a man sitting in his striped pyjamas reading a
newspaper, with newspapers all over the floor surrounding his armchair. Behind him is a woman,
presumably his wife, as well as three children; two girls and one boy. They are all dressed in
formal clothes and are walking in a line in single file. Also, in the background it appears that
there is a countryside view.
2. React
a.
My first impressions of the image is that the man is a different sort of person compared with
his wife and it seems that the wife is dominant in the relationship as the children are quite
literally following in her footsteps. I therefore get the impression that he is lazy and laid-back,
whereas she is more proactive and uptight.
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b.
I think that this scene takes place on a Sunday morning in a Christian household. I think that
the mother is wearing her Sunday best and she has dressed her children in the same fashion.
She is taking them to church, whereas her husband prefers to read the newspaper.
c.
In the foreground, the man is wearing pyjamas. He looks comfortable and relaxed as he reads
his newspaper. The woman is in the background marching her children out of the house.
As she is wearing formal clothes, I believe that she is taking them to Sunday service at the
church. She looks very serious and haughty as she has her nose in the air. Her daughters are
mimicking her, but her son who follows at the back of the line is having a sneaky glimpse at
his father who is almost hiding from his wife’s disapproval. This suggests perhaps the son is
tempted to follow in his father’s footsteps rather than his dominating mother’s.
d.
I believe that the man’s and woman’s values and opinions on the roles of the parents within
the family unit differ significantly. The man is obviously more relaxed and believes that quality
time with the family is the most important part of Sundays, as I assume that he works during
the week and wishes to spend the day of rest at home reading his newspaper and spending
time with his children and his wife. On the other hand, the mother is much more serious and
pious. She is the one who is marching the children to church and Sunday school, so she clearly
believes that Sunday is a day to worship God, as is traditional in the Christian faith. She must
believe that it is more important for her children to learn about the Bible and understand the
importance of Christian values, rather than spending the extra time at home. In short, she
favours a more educational approach to raising the children, whereas the father favours a
more relaxed, family-oriented upbringing.
3. Act it out
Husband: Oh, love! Can’t we just stay at home and spend some quality time together? I’ve
been working all week and I’m exhausted. I can’t face going to church, please let’s stay at
home and chill out!
Wife: Absolutely not! That’s completely out of the question. If I let the children stay at home,
they’ll never learn how to be good people and we’ll never hear the end of the trouble they’ll
get into. It’s a slippery slope, you know!
Husband: Don’t overreact dear, it’s just this once. They aren’t going to go off the rails after
one week away from Sunday school. Besides, it’s a lovely day! I’m sure they would rather go
to the park and play on the swings.
Wife: You heard me the first time; I’m not going to budge. They’re going to church whether
they like it or not. And that’s final. Come along, children!
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4. Listen
CORRIGÉ DE LA FICHE DU WORKBOOK (P. 15-16)
2
- iconic - humour - popular - oil - costume - museum
3
It’s a report, an interview with 4 voices (3 females and one male).
Names: Norman Rockwell - George Lucas and Steven Spielberg - Saturday Evening Post
- Star Wars - Jaws - Indiana Jones - Close Encounters – Schindler’s List - E.T. - Dr. Broun Washington - Susan Stamberg - NPR
Figures: from 1916 to 1963 - 57 - 1920
Countries: none
Stressed words: stories - collections - commercial artists - mythmakers - dream makers heroes - humour - popular - culture - love their country - images - friendship - great friends
- collect - American iconic images - Thanksgiving - kid at the dentist - doing homework
with his dad - grandfather - pretty mother - pictures - homes - offices - shadow - costumes
- artist - wear photograph - studio - created his painting
Words close to the French: collections - illustration - imagination - artist - magazine
- photograph
4
Norman Rockwell, George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, artist, shadow, story
5
The recording is about the links between Norman Rockwell, a famous painter, and two
well-known filmmakers: George Lucas and Steven Spielberg. The journalist explains why
the two men admire Rockwell’s paintings so much.
6
a) Norman Rockwell b) - Painter, illustrator - The Saturday Evening Post - from 1916 to 1963
7
Job?
Values?
Common passion
- commercial
artists
- mythmakers
- dream
makers
- love heroes,
valour, humour
- part of popular
culture
- love their
country and
images
- Collect Norman Rockwell illustrations
(Spielberg caught the Rockwell bug, too).
- Both men grew up with Saturday Evening Post
covers.
- Have Norman Rockwell pictures all over their
homes, offices and in storage.
How many? 57 of them together in one place
Typical characters?
- American iconic images: a family
Thanksgiving, a kid at the dentist or doing
homework with his dad, or raking leaves with
his grandfather, or watching a pretty mother
primp at the dressing table.
- children, wonder, awe, the power
of imagination
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8
People
- interviewing
friends and
neighbours
- until he found
someone who
looked just right
- a little girl
Props
- hunted down just the right
costumes for them to wear
- red ribbon
- white hat
- the proper props
- a 1930s radio microphone
- typewriter
- rake
What was done?
- cast the picture by
interviewing friends
and neighbours
- gathered his costumed
cast together
- A photograph was taken.
- Then, back in his studio,
Norman Rockwell created
his painting.
ACTION!
George Lucas and Steven Spielberg share the same passion for Norman Rockwell’s illustrations. They admire the famous / well-known illustrator and started to collect his
works of art / masterpieces as soon as they could afford it. They are very fond of the
Saturday Evening Post covers because they portray an idealized vision of America. What
is interesting in these paintings is that they are based on reality and carefully arranged.
Every detail is carefully chosen. Every prop is selected with care to reflect reality. At the
same time all the illustrations tell a story. The filmmakers use the same techniques when
they shoot a film.
> Script de l’enregistrement (CD 1, plage 21)
Part 1
Kelly: “Telling Stories” is the title of the show and here’s the subtitle: “Norman Rockwell
from the Collections of George Lucas and Steven Spielberg.” Seems the filmmakers are
great fans of illustrator Norman Rockwell, and their collections include covers that Rockwell
painted for the Saturday Evening Post magazine from 1916 to 1963. 0’23’’
Part 2
Susan Stamberg: Norman Rockwell, Steven Spielberg, George Lucas… connection? They’re
all commercial artists, mythmakers, dream makers. They all love heroes, valor, humor; they’re
part of popular culture, they love their country and images. Great friends these men who
gave us Star Wars, Jaws, Indiana Jones, Close Encounters, Schindler’s List, E.T. The friendship
carries over into what they collect. Lucas started buying Norman Rockwell illustrations as
soon as he could afford them. Spielberg caught the Rockwell bug, too. Both men grew up
with Saturday Evening Post covers, which Norman Rockwell painted in oil. Deeply American
iconic images: a family Thanksgiving, a kid at the dentist or doing homework with his dad, or
raking leaves with his grandfather, or watching a pretty mother primp at the dressing table.
Lucas and Spielberg have Norman Rockwell pictures all over their homes, offices and in
storage. This is the first time they’ve seen 57 of them together in one place. Many of their
Rockwells involve children, wonder, awe, the power of imagination. George Lucas bought
the Shadow Artist, a 1920 magazine illustration, because it hit so close to home.
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Mr. Lucas: Sort of the beginning of movies. It’s using light and shadow to tell a story, which
is what we do for a living.
Dr. Broun: That magic is at the heart of every movie. There’s nothing to puzzle out in Rockwell, no mysteries to be solved. Rockwells are quick shots, achieved with great skill. 2’02’’
Part 3
Dr. Broun: There is a detail, and a care, and an attention to the way he puts the picture
together.
Stamberg: Rockwell’s pictures, like those of his collectors, Lucas and Spielberg, were carefully cast.
Dr. Broun: He would cast the picture by interviewing friends and neighbors until he found
someone who looked just right.
Stamberg: Then the artist hunted down just the right costumes for them to wear: the little
girl’s red ribbon, the blonde’s white hat; and the proper props – a 1930s radio microphone,
an Underwood typewriter, a rake. He gathered his costumed cast together and a photograph
was taken. Then, back in his studio, Norman Rockwell created his painting. In Washington,
I’m Susan Stamberg, NPR News.
Kelly: And you can see a gallery of paintings by Norman Rockwell on our website at NPR.org.
5. Movie corner
& Productions possibles :
a.
b.
All four of these films depict several aspects of the stereotypical modern man. The character of
Alfie in Charles Shyer’s film Alfie is a serial womanizer. He is irresistibly handsome so women
fall at his feet and his advances are rarely rejected, so he moves from woman to woman in
meaningless sexual encounters and enjoys the lack of commitment. His stereotype is the
chauvinist.
James Bond’s character can be likened to Alfie’s in that he also starts off as a chauvinist in
Casino Royale until he falls for Vesper, the female protagonist. However, unlike the lovesick
Alfie, Bond also fulfils another male stereotype: the action hero. He is a brooding and angry
character, who uses his strength to lash out at the bad guys.
Similarly, in Bad Boys II, the male protagonists are action heroes. They are risking their lives to
maintain law and order in Miami, so they are stereotypically protective and masculine heroes.
The male lead in Captain America is similar to those in Bad Boys II because he starts off being rejected by society as he does not fit the role of the hero, but he turns this around and
becomes the ultimate American hero. Perhaps he would be considered the most stereotypically masculine because he has admirable qualities and overcomes all obstacles that make
him a “failure”.
I have chosen to talk about Miss Congeniality. The protagonist is called Gracie Hart, played
by Sandra Bullock. She is an FBI agent who goes undercover in the Miss United States beauty
pageant in order to prevent a bombing at the final. At the beginning of the film she is incredibly masculine which is shown through her body language, her wild hair, the way she eats, her
boyish fashion-sense and the wrestling match with her male colleague. At this point in the film
she is far from the stereotypical female. However, as the plot progresses and she enters into
the pageant as an undercover agent, Gracie has to learn to be feminine. She must become
the sort of woman that she usually mocks for being airheads in order to be convincing as a
pageant queen, so she undergoes an extreme physical transformation in terms of grooming
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and training to walk and talk like a lady. Ultimately, this leads to a transformation in how she
views the pageant entrants and she becomes a better person.
So in conclusion, at the beginning of the film Gracie is far from a stereotypical woman, so
much so that you could even go as far as to say that she was particularly masculine. However,
after her long journey through the pageant, by the end of the film she evolves from an ugly
duckling into a beautiful swan but still maintains her feisty personality. She therefore ends the
film by conforming to the stereotypical powerful female, but still retains her personality.
Exercice complémentaire possible : “Three films a man should see”
On pourra aussi proposer à la classe de sélectionner sur www.imdb.com les trois films qu’un
homme doit voir.
LANGUAGE AT WORK
MANUEL & P. 53
1
a. 1. too much time 2. so many heroes 3. a lot of time / heroes 4. enough time 5. more time
/ heroes 6. much time 7. little time 8. few heroes 9. no time 10. fewer heroes 11. many
heroes 12. several heroes
b. 1. trop de temps 2. tellement de héros 3. beaucoup de temps / de héros 4. assez de
temps 5. plus de temps / de héros 6. beaucoup de temps 7. peu de temps 8. peu de héros
9. pas le temps 10. moins de héros 11. beaucoup de héros 12. plusieurs héros
2
1 much • 2 many • 3 much • 4 a lot of • 5 little • 6 a few • 7 a lot • 8 many • 9 a lot of
3
“Dad, what’s a wimp?”
“Well son, a lot of people would say that I am a wimp because many men don’t consider the
washing up to be a man’s job and I have done what your mother asked me to do, even though I
didn’t want to do it...! However, you mustn’t pay attention to those people. A wimp is someone
who is weak and doesn’t stand up to these silly ideas. It is wrong to make your mother do the
washing up all the time, so it is important to give her a little bit of help every so often with a
few jobs around the house. Does that make sense?”
“Yeah, thanks for clearing that one up. But Dad, you hardly ever do what Mum says...!”
Build up your vocabulary
Work: drudgery, income, breadwinner, devoted, available, monotonous, to provide for one’s
family, to earn one’s living
Home: cook, chores, devoted, tight (relationship), tidy, bring up / raise children, do the
housework: sweep, iron, wash up, dust, keep the home spick and span, look after
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IMPROVE
YOUR SPEAKING SKILLS
MANUEL & P. 54
1
a. slave-driver, chauvinist, lazy, taking advantage, poor thing, pushover
b. hoover • chores • resent • complain • dutiful • ignores • male-dominated • aware • ironic
2
a. Well, there is a man lounging around on the sofa reading a newspaper with his feet in the air
so that his wife can hoover underneath them. She looks tired and flustered and really unhappy
whilst her husband makes himself at home and quite happily allows her to do all the work. Not
only that, but also the caption underneath tells us that he demands even more of her as his
tee-shirt needs ironing.
b. The image of the man is that he is lazy and inconsiderate. He is happy to sit and let his wife
do all the housework and run around after him, even though she is clearly unhappy. He does
not appreciate his wife which also makes him selfish.
c. The artist’s objective is to make a statement about inequality between men and women in
modern day life. In order to do this, he first focuses on the idea of how men rarely help around
the house, and how much they take advantage of their wives. Not only that, but the man is
apparently demanding even more from her by asking her to iron his tee-shirt. He is therefore
depicted in a negative light as lazy, inconsiderate and unappreciative. The artist then uses a
caption below the cartoon image so as to put the scene into context and bring in the idea of
chauvinism still existing in modern day life. The quote reads “When you have a moment, luv,
my ‘new-man’ tee-shirt needs ironing.” The husband is portrayed as the modern man in two
main ways: firstly, his tee-shirt reads “new man” and secondly, the word “love” is replaced
by the modern abbreviation “luv”. The artist therefore combines the old-fashioned view that
it is a woman’s job to do all the chores and to run the household, with the modern man, in
order to criticize the fact that this still exists in the 21st century.
d. I find the image funny. The artist is using a light-hearted medium to satirize a serious idea,
which I think makes it all the more effective. This is because the comic element throws the
message into relief, thus making the scenario seem even more ridiculous, and consequently
communicating the laughable idea that it is still the woman’s job to clean up after her husband.
3
a. This man obviously enjoys living a laid back lifestyle. This scene represents a typical day
for him as he is sitting on his favourite comfy armchair enjoying a bit of peace and quiet. He
is obviously very lazy because he keeps on reading his newspaper without a care in the world
while his wife carries on doing all the hard work around the house. You can tell he hates being
disturbed as he is used to getting his own way.
b. The woman in the cartoon looks angry and flustered because she’s running around doing
all the housework single-handedly whilst her husband enjoys kicking back and reading his
newspaper. She must be so fed up with his lazy attitude and undoubtedly wishes that he would
get up and give her a hand. If she had known that he would just let her get on with it, I’m sure
she wouldn’t have even started. After all, if he’s not going to put any effort in, why should she
bother? She should not put up with it and if I were her, I would simply give up!
c. I think that the artist’s intention is to mock the way in which many men treat their wives.
He effectively communicates his message by satirizing the domestic situation through the
genre of a cartoon which shows a man reading his newspaper and allowing his wife to do the
housework. The image is of a man looking very relaxed as he is sitting in his chair and reading
his newspaper, whereas his wife is looking fed up with him and wishing that he would give her
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a hand. Instead he carries on lazing around while she looks miserable. He is obviously used to
this way of life because he keeps on demanding more of her. If she had have known this was
what her life would be like, I’m sure she would never have married him. The artist therefore
wants to criticize how it is often the husband who enjoys an easy life whilst the wife wears
herself out doing all the chores to keep her husband happy. He could also be encouraging
women not to put up with living like this any longer as well as guilt-tripping all the lazy husbands
out there.
4
> Script de l’enregistrement (MP3 n°7)
Initially, people would probably think that this image shows an old-fashioned domestic
environment, with the woman doing everything her husband wants her to do. However, on
closer analysis the “new man” slogan on his T-shirt makes me think that it’s an image of a
modern household; rendering it even more controversial with regards to the role of women.
Personally, I hate the idea of a man sitting and allowing his wife to do all the housework. I
mean, who does he think he is? This is the 21st century, and surely healthy relationships are
built on equality, respect, and team work. However, there is another reason why it is possible
to argue that the man is portrayed in a negative light. He is using slang, which suggests he is
uneducated and rude. What’s more, he is so stupid that he is totally ignorant of how busy his
exhausted wife actually is. All he can think of is himself, and his own happiness. Alternatively,
the woman could also be interpreted as being unintelligent and dependent on her husband.
After all, she is following his orders despite being obviously unhappy and exhausted. She is
not questioning his authority, which makes her seem just as bad as he is. Perhaps at least
equality does exist in their relationship, as they are equally unintelligent and dependent on
each other’s roles in the domestic environment: one gives orders, the other follows them!
In conclusion, I think my first interpretation is more likely to be correct. It is the man that is
portrayed negatively. This also leads me to believe that the artist was probably female.
5
– donner son opinion : I mean • Personally • I think • This also leads me to believe • makes
me think
– manifester sa surprise ou son agacement : I hate the idea of • who does he think he
is? • use of adverbs (totally, actually…)
– structurer son discours : However • Initially • What’s more, • there is another reason why
• After all, • As • In conclusion
YOUR TASK
MANUEL & P. 55
> Mise en œuvre :
– Cette tâche pourra être réalisée soit en classe (après avoir laissé aux élèves le temps de
faire leurs recherches Internet sur les citations), soit en devoir à la maison.
– On pourra aussi ouvrir le choix et laisser les élèves sélectionner l’œuvre eux-mêmes en
précisant quelques contraintes (œuvre originale d’un auteur anglophone).
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Grille d'évaluation de la prise de parole en interaction
Contenu
– A traité les différents points de manière succincte sans les développer.
– A donné brièvement les raisons et explications de ses opinions.
A exprimé ses réactions.
– A réussi à s’exprimer de manière claire et détaillée, a développé un point de
vue, a su expliquer les avantages et inconvénients des différentes possibilités.
– A présenté des descriptions claires et détaillées, en intégrant des thèmes
liés, en développant et en concluant de manière appropriée.
Capacité à communiquer
– Se fait comprendre malgré quelques maladresses, pauses, faux
démarrages.
– Énoncés souvent courts.
– Fait des interventions assez longues, utilise des notes sans les lire,
ne perd pas le fil du discours.
– Fait des interventions plus longues, des énoncés complexes, le débit
est régulier.
– Énoncés longs et complexes.
Points
Paliers
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
B1
B1
0
1
2
3
4
5
B1
B2
B2
B1
B2
B2
B2
Phonologie
– Énoncés compréhensibles malgré des erreurs de prononciation,
d’accentuation de mot et d’intonation.
– Énoncés aisément compréhensibles car les erreurs de prononciation,
d’accentuation de mot et d’intonation sont peu fréquentes.
– Respecte le rythme de la phrase et accentue correctement.
0
1
2
3
Lexique
– S’exprime à l’aide d’un lexique restreint.
– Utilise le lexique adéquat, sait contourner ses difficultés d’expression.
– Utilise un lexique varié, sait développer et justifier. Vocabulaire riche
et pertinent.
– Vocabulaire manque très rarement.
0
1
2
3
Grammaire
– Utilise des structures simples mais fait des erreurs élémentaires
systématiques.
– Les erreurs de grammaire et de syntaxe ne gênent pas la compréhension.
– Fait peu d’erreurs, a recours à des structures complexes et sait
s’auto-corriger.
0
1
2
3
B1
B2
B2
B1
B1
B2
B2
B1
B2
B2
Critères de répartition en niveaux de compétences
- Moins de 6 points : A2
- De 13 à 18 points : B2
- De 6 points à 12 points : B1
- Au-delà : C1
U N IT 3
• 75
UNIT
3
A MAN’S WORLD? (ART PROJECT)
& Productions possibles :
Grant Wood, American Gothic, 1930
This work of art shows a father and his unmarried daughter who live in a Gothic-style cottage. Interestingly, the
America
daughter was modelled after the artist’s sister and the
Misery
father was modelled after the artist’s dentist.
Eldon (the town where
the Gothic-style house is
It originates from the 1930s and is a famous example of
situated)
the Regionalist movement in American art. It depicts a
Revival of the Gothic style
reminiscent scene of rural life amidst the industrialisation
Iowa (the State in which
of America and the Great Depression, through the position
Eldon is situated)
of the flowers painted just above the girl’s shoulder which
Country lifestyle
represent the countryside and domesticity, and the man is
An unmarried daughter
holding a pitchfork which symbolizes labour and farming.
Nan (Wood’s sister and
In addition, it depicts a revival of the Gothic style as the
model for the woman in the
window on the cottage is positioned at the top of the
painting)
building and it is a pointed arch window, which is typically
Gothic
Gothic. Furthermore, the rigid angles demonstrate a styOveralls
listic rejection of European abstract art, which reinforces
The pitchfork
its status as an example of Regionalism, also emphasized
Highly detailed
by the traditional pattern on the woman’s pinafore.
Instantly recognisable
The most striking element of the image is the blank exCottage
pressions on the faces of the two people in the scene,
and the impression of two-dimensionality in the painting
despite there being a clear background and foreground to its composition. We already know
from the genre of the painting as a Regionalist painting that there is a longing for a return to
the rural lifestyle away from the Great Depression and industrialisation that was sweeping
across America. This certainly explains the wistful and forlorn facial expressions, but it also
indicates to the fragility of the rural image as it seems only a matter of time before their lifestyle
is destroyed by the economic climate and the city lifestyle.
I would not describe the vision of men in this image to be very positive, as even though it seems
the man has worked hard for a living which is an admirable quality, there’s nothing extraordinary about him. He is just an ordinary man, not particularly inspiring in any way. Moreover, his
daughter is unmarried which says a lot about the men around her as they have disregarded her
perhaps because of a lack of wealth or beauty. All in all, it does not show a very positive vision
of men. However the painting is successful as it undoubtedly incites a feeling of sorrow from
the viewer as you can really empathize with their struggle because of their stark expressions,
so I think the artist achieved what he intended to achieve because he is mourning a lifestyle
that is being overtaken by the misery of the Great Depression.
76 •
U N IT 3
Lewis Hine, Lunch Time and Smoke, 1930-1931
This photograph is intriguing because of the casual pose
“A hero is an ordinary individual
of the subject as he perches like a bird on an iron bar of
who finds the strength to peran incredible tall building he is working on, with the iconic
severe and endure in spite of
New York skyline surrounding him. He is taking a break to
overwhelming obstacles.”
eat some lunch and have a cigarette as the title suggests
and is absorbing the view. It certainly reminds me of a bird
Christopher Reeve
perching on a tree branch, which is interesting as it is a
pastoral version of the industrial image presented in the
photograph. I would say that it is the most striking element of the entire image.
With regard to whether this photograph depicts a positive or a negative vision of men, I would
say that it is fairly positive. It is a more positive representation than of the man in Grant Wood’s
painting but it is still not showing men in the best light. The man is an ordinary working-class
man with a bad habit of smoking. Although many consider this to be a cool thing to do, it
isn’t a healthy habit and so he is a bad male role model in that respect. However, he is brave
because he doesn’t let heights bother him, and he is obviously working hard to earn a living
which is another admirable quality.
I think the aim of the photograph is to show a real person in their everyday environment and to
capture a pure and simple moment in time. Hine certainly achieves this with aplomb because
the man is sitting in such a natural pose, totally at ease, despite the danger of his position, so
it really must be normal for him to be up there. I suppose that is the beauty of the photograph
as it captures a perfectly normal moment in the subject’s everyday life that the majority of
people would find very unusual. Moreover, whether it was his intention or not, you even go
as far as to say that Hine simultaneously captures the strength and fragility of the man, as
he is strong enough to build impressively tall buildings and handle hefty iron bars, but fragile
enough by sitting precariously on that bar he is risking his life. After all, it would only take a
slight loss of balance to send him plummeting to his death.
Ben Turnbull, Hero II, 2010
This collage of the faces of comic book heroes is one of
“New York: [a] concrete jungle
several commentaries on the influence of American poliwhere dreams are made of”
tics and culture upon other nations. More specifically it
is a representation of the heroes of September 11th who
Alicia Keys
climbed up the stairs of the Twin Towers when everyone
else was rushing downwards, in order to save lives after the terrorist attacks. The man in the
image is a generic-looking man in the sense that there’s nothing unusual or unique about his
appearance that sets him apart from any other man. Additionally, he is wearing a uniform, so
his individuality is stripped from him, and he embodies a role: a member of the emergency
services. This reminds the viewer that the heroes of that fateful day were just ordinary men
put in an extraordinary situation.
Furthermore, the title of the painting is non-descript and so Turnbull reinforces the anonymity
of the heroes of 9/11. However, this is precisely the element of the image which is the most
striking and what gives it the impact. It is this exact anonymity that renders this man even
more inspirational because no one knows who he is to thank him or congratulate him. He is
the pinnacle of the ultimate vision of men yet here he is presented as a nameless stranger.
U N IT 3
• 77
UNIT
3
A MAN’S WORLD? (ART PROJECT)
Perhaps that is a comment on society’s ignorance or lack of appreciation, but I think it is more
likely that Turnbull wanted to reinforce this man’s status as a hero by creating his face out of
those of comic book heroes in order to present him as ordinary. Also, this emphasizes that
all the comic book heroes often have another identity to allow them to integrate unnoticed
into society. This suggests that these everyday heroes of 9/11 are in fact heroes in disguise
as they go about their everyday lives.
I therefore believe that Turnbull successfully achieved his goal of presenting us with an “ordinary
hero”, because this man could be any of the fallen heroes, yet he is unique as he is made up
of all the strength and power of the ultimate comic book heroes. This makes him unforgettable
as an emblem of the American people and fight against terrorism.
SPEAKING CORNER
MANUEL & P. 56-57
Voir « Productions possibles » ci-dessus.
PROLONGEMENTS POSSIBLES À L’UNITÉ
> Évaluation sommative de PPC (p. 375-376 de ce Fichier)
> Clé du Bac: document audio 8 (School uniform policy)
> Image vidéoprojetable : Heroes
78 •
U N IT 3
UNIT
4
BRAVE NEW WORLD?
& L’idée de progrès
Tâche finale (p. 71) : After reading an extract from a book, you want to share your
feelings and reactions with other readers. Post a comment on the writer’s official
website.
Activités
langagières
Tune in!
(p. 62-63)
2. A
booming
business
(p. 66-67)
Prolongements
tâches / aides
PPC
– Acquérir le vocabulaire
lié à la génétique
– Réagir à un dessin humoristique
– Build up your vocabulary (p. 69)
– Commenter un document visuel
(p. 240-241)
CE
– Comprendre un extrait
de roman d’anticipation
– Faire une recherche
Internet en autonomie
– Fiche Workbook
– Improve your reading skills
(p. 70)
POI
– Échanger, donner son opinion
– Se préparer à l’épreuve orale
– Préparation à l’épreuve
d’expression orale (mythes et héros
p. 246, l’idée de progrès p. 248)
CE
Comprendre deux articles
de presse
Fiche Workbook
Débattre
– Enrichir sa prise de parole
(p. 242-243)
– Language at work : Équivalents
anglais de « pouvoir » et « devoir » •
Expression des degrés de probabilité
(p. 68)
PPC
Défendre ses positions
– Enrichir sa prise de parole
(p. 242-243)
– Language at work : La condition
(p. 69)
PE
Poster un commentaire
sur le site d’un journal
Rédiger un texte (p. 235)
CO
Vidéo : Progress
Fiche vidéo (DVD-Rom
et site compagnon)
CE
Comprendre
un article de presse
Fiche Workbook
POI
Jeu de rôles
Enrichir sa prise de parole
(p. 242-243)
CO
Comprendre des messages
laissés sur une boîte vocale
– Comprendre un message oral
(p. 238-239)
CE /
PPC
– Faire des recherches
Internet sur des films
– Exprimer son opinion
POI
1. Design
your baby
(p. 64-65)
Contenus
L’activité langagière principale de cette unité est la CE (compréhension de l’écrit).
U N IT 4
• 79
UNIT
4
BRAVE NEW WORLD?
TUNE IN!
MANUEL & P. 62-63
1. Odd man out
> Mise en œuvre :
– On pourra dans un premier temps demander aux élèves de regarder le cartoon puis recueillir
leurs impressions et remarques (a., b., c.).
– Dans un second temps, on les amènera à élargir le sujet à l’eugénisme (d., e.). Certains
élèves pourront avoir besoin d’aide pour lister les dangers (on pourra même aller jusqu’à
leur demander de lister les « avantages » et les « inconvénients » d’une telle pratique). Cette
activité pourra être faite lors d’un bref travail en groupes ou en paires, éventuellement avant
ou après des recherches Internet à la maison. Voici deux adresses utiles :
www.answers.com/topic/eugenics
www.ehow.com/info_8413226_pros-cons-eugenics.html
& Productions possibles :
a.
The cartoon is of a factory conveyor belt where newly-produced nearly-naked men are appearing one by one. They all have the same forward-facing upright stance and are wearing only
underwear. Four of them are exact duplicates – tall, muscular / well-built, tan, square-jawed
men who all have the same wide, tooth-baring grin and wear manly black boxer shorts. The
odd man out is about half their size, pale and thin, with disproportionately large feet and hands
and is wearing more effeminate, pink underpants. He is being lifted by his scalp by large metal
tongs, presumably to be dropped into the huge skip (UK) / dumpster (US) labeled “CLONES
R US / REJECTS” in the foreground, full of other defective clones who have been thrown out.
b.
The reject is an inadequate replicate of the model – he probably has been judged not good
enough because he doesn’t correspond exactly to the physical ideals of the prototype. We
can only see one of the other discarded clones’ faces – he has three eyes and grey hair and
his tongue is hanging out of his mouth, making him look ridiculous. In this human factory, they
seek to produce only “perfect” men, who all happen to be indistinguishable because there is
only one ideal.
c.
The cartoonist is very critical of the idea of “perfecting” human genetics. Each of the “perfect” men taken individually does indeed possess very pleasing physical traits by mainstream
standards. But all of them seen together is dehumanizing because in reality no two people
are alike and an individual’s charm is usually due to their unique and often quirky combination
of features. Just the thought of this kind of factory is quite frightening – who is behind the
tongs deciding which traits and therefore which humans are good enough? There would be
no reason to think that the man being rejected would be in any way a lesser human being.
There are so many other important things that can’t be seen from the outside, like our minds
and our personalities.
d.
In theory, eugenics aims to “improve” humanity – but who’s to judge which human traits are
better? Screening for serious and debilitating diseases is one thing, but choosing body types,
hair colour and height is superficial. The cartoon pushes the concept to the extreme, where
everyone is identical and those who don’t fit the subjective and therefore arbitrary mold are
80 •
U N IT 4
killed. The cartoonist is suggesting that accepting any kind of eugenics is a slippery slope
towards unethical human “breeding”.
e.
In the past, eugenics was used to justify racist and coercive public health policies including
forced sterilization – the history of this “science” raises a red flag about its dangers.
It is unethical because the subjective traits that humans could be bred for or the flaws that
could be eliminated are not inherently better or worse.
Reducing genetic diversity is biologically and evolutionarily dangerous for a species (vulnerability to disease, etc.).
It is hard to draw the line between prenatal genetic screening and the ability to create “designer
babies”.
2. Science babies
> Mise en œuvre
– On demandera aux élèves de regarder l’image, de réagir et d’imaginer le sujet du texte en
quelques phrases.
– On leur demandera ensuite de lire le texte et de dire ce qu’ils ont compris globalement.
– Les élèves pourront remplir la fiche d’aide du Workbook, seuls ou en binômes ; ils prépareront un compte rendu oral du texte (en s’appuyant sur leurs notes) qui servira de trace
écrite.
– L’exercice b. pourra aisément servir de rebrassage des informations et du vocabulaire à
la suite du travail fait sur le texte.
CORRIGÉ DE LA FICHE DU WORKBOOK (P. 17-18)
1
scarcely: à peine • heels: talons
2
scribbled (l. 13)
3
them = the newly arrived students • he = each student
4
“scarcely breathing silence” (l. 6) + “the absent-minded, soliloquizing hum or whistle of
absorbed concentration” (l. 6-8)
5
nervously • rather abjectly • desperately
6
“great” (l. 12) • “tremulous” (l. 31) • “enthusiasm” (l. 31)
7
illegibly = il-legible-ly: de façon illisible • incubator = incubate-or : couveuse •
abnormalities = ab-normal-ities: anormalités
8
a) réserves b) jumeaux c) tremblante
9
insulated (l. 18) • scurried (l. 22)
10
– 1: “one egg, one embryo, one adult-normality” (l. 26)
– 96: number of buds which will develop into human beings
– millions: identical twins
11
mass production (l. 32)
U N IT 4
• 81
UNIT
4
BRAVE NEW WORLD?
ACTION!
1
The Director is leading a group on a tour of the facilities. He presents it like a production factory, and introduces his new scientific breakthrough to the newly arrived
students. He seems very powerful and proud of what he has succeeded in creating. He
looks self-assured and enthusiastic about the future. He is convinced that he is serving
a great cause and no one dares doubt him. He sounds self-righteous.
2
The people around him must be quite submissive and anxious to be in this man’s company. They must be ready to do whatever they can to satisfy the Director’s wishes, and
are certainly impressed to be working under his leadership. Both the Fertilizers and the
students seem hard-working when faced with such a painstaking task. The students are
engrossed in the Director’s speech and the Fertilizers are dedicated to their job.
3
This mass production of human beings is obviously leading to uniformity and the release
of clones that are considered a product / a commodity deprived of individuality. The
Fertilizers obey the Director who manipulates life and treats human beings like slaves or
robots, seeing them only as a potential, cheap labour force.
4
On the one hand, it helps improve the quality of the embryos, preventing drawbacks and
ensuring the birth of healthy human beings by eradicating any possible disease. On the other
hand, it also wipes out all identity and creates impersonal and dehumanized people who are
all similar to each other. Science bows down to the wish for a perfect human being, but to
some extent, we should remain critical of scientific progress, as it can also crush all forms of
diversity. In a way, although science can be a benefit, it can also prove to be a burden.
& Productions possibles :
b.
From the point of view of the worshipful apprentice
Our tour of the Centre today was simply amazing. It was our incredible Director himself who
took the time out of his busy day to show us all around each department. It is such an honour
to work under this visionary man, he is so unbelievably dedicated to our cause, and human
progress in general. Later I will type up the pages of notes I took during his fascinating explanations, so you can see for yourself.
The Hatcheries and Conditioning operation has made astounding progress in the last few
years, you would not believe it. The production methods have been perfected and the process
of making ninety-six perfect factory workers in one go has been completely smoothed out,
not a wrinkle in sight!
Each ovum is now thoroughly examined for the slightest flaw before fertilization, and the
new process ends with the perfectly orchestrated simultaneous splitting of the embryo into
ninety-six exact facsimile fetuses.
3. Info search: Faust and Prometheus
& Productions possibles (a. et b.) :
Faust made a pact with the devil in exchange for knowledge and power. In the legend, the
danger is that in exchange for scientific brilliance you give up your spiritual, unique human
soul. We can see the parallel between this story, the cartoon and Huxley’s dystopia: these
82 •
U N IT 4
Directors are so evil in what they are engineering it is as if they have given up their souls to
attain this technical genius.
The scientists obtain biological “perfection” in the novel, but this completely annihilates all
the individual, quirky human characteristics of the people they have created. In the cartoon,
the factory rejects anyone who doesn’t absolutely fit the “perfect” mold. The short, weak man
realizes that he is going to be killed because he’s not good enough. This contrasts with what
we generally consider today to be humanity’s wealth: rich diversity.
The myth of Prometheus could be seen as a warning to those who want to meddle with nature
and create humans for their own or others’ pleasure. He enjoyed the humans he created but
couldn’t protect them from Zeus. The scientists have created life, but they have also created
the potential for suffering – what a great responsibility for anyone to take on – we are not
gods but fellow men. It is unethical to engineer another person’s future.
1. DESIGN YOUR BABY
MANUEL & P. 64-65
> Mise en œuvre
– Anticipation : on pourra proposer aux élèves de se préparer à la thématique en analysant
les images qui illustrent les pages (cartoon p. 64 et/ou photo p. 65).
– Pour certains il sera aussi nécessaire d’élucider le terme de Designer baby, cela pourra se
faire par un brainstorming autour du terme lui-même ou de sa définition dans un dictionnaire.
A baby developing from an embryo created by in-vitro fertilization and selected because it
had or lacked particular genes, the genetic makeup often having been modified by genetic
engineering. www.dictionary.reference.com/browse/designer+baby
The term “designer baby” is a term coined by the media and journalists which refers to a
baby whose genetic makeup has been artificially selected by genetic engineering combined
with in vitro fertilisation to ensure the presence or absence of particular genes or characteristics. www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Designer_baby
On pourra aussi faire faire de brèves recherches Internet sur cette thématique. On pourra
alors conseiller ces sites :
www.bionetonline.org/english/content/db_cont1.htm
www.actionbioscience.org/biotech/agar.html
– Dans un premier temps, on répartira la classe en deux groupes qui prendront chacun en
charge un des textes et prépareront une réponse aux questions de l’exercice 1 p. 65. Un
ou plusieurs rapporteurs désignés dans chaque groupe rendra(ont) compte du travail collectif. On incitera les élèves à échanger et confronter leurs opinions à l’aide des structures
listées p. 242-243.
– Dans une classe fragile on pourra demander aux élèves de préparer les fiches contenues
dans le Workbook. Une partie de la classe se chargera de la fiche du texte A et l’autre du
texte B. Ce travail préliminaire pourra être à faire en classe ou en devoirs à la maison.
– Dans un second temps, les élèves échangeront le fruit de leur travail et pourront aller plus
loin en confrontant leurs points de vue (Class work p. 65).
Ce travail (ainsi que le Debate corner p. 65) pourra se faire en groupes (chaque groupe
contenant des élèves des deux précédents groupes).
U N IT 4
• 83
UNIT
4
BRAVE NEW WORLD?
CORRIGÉ DE LA FICHE DU WORKBOOK (P. 18-20)
TEXT A
1
IQ = intelligence quotient • DNA = deoxyribose nucleic acid • PGD = pre-implantation
genetic diagnosis
2
a future parent / a pregnant woman / a parent-to-be
3
“I’d like” (l. 1) • “make that two.” (l. 1-2) • “on the side” (l. 2-3) • “I’ll have the bonus package” (l. 3)
4
The person is speaking to a doctor / a geneticist. “Make sure to check for any potentially
nasty diseases.” (l. 5-6)
5
The person wants an ideal baby, shaped as he/she wants, with particular physical details
and no disease.
6
A journalist
7
- “one” = an embryo - “it” = PGD
8
a) likely (l. 10) b) accurately (l. 12) c) as of late (l. 14-15) d) solely (l. 20)
9
a) cosmetic (l. 16) b) - purpose (l. 16) - concern (l. 20) - realm (l. 24)
10
Medical objectives
In reality
- predict certain genetic diseases
- ensure the chosen embryo is healthy
- cosmetic purposes
- gender selection
- traits can be screened for choosing
physical characteristics
11
Positive consequence: “scientists can now accurately predict certain genetic diseases”
(l. 12-13) • Negative consequence: “a rise of such individuals becoming ‘second-class’
citizens”. (l. 22-23)
12
What seemed to be impossible yesterday might become possible tomorrow.
TEXT B
1
Name of the characters?
How are they related?
Molly Nash
Lisa’s daughter, Adam’s
sister
Lisa Nash
Molly and Adam’s mother
Adam Nash
Lisa’s son, Molly’s brother
Job or occupation?
nurse
2
- 15 = Molly Nash’s age (l. 1) - 2000 = date of the transplant (l. 8)
- 7 = age victims of Fanconi’s Anemia usually die (l. 9) - 9 = Adam’s age (l. 10)
3
a) TRUE. “his immune system characteristics made him an ideal transplant candidate for
his sister.” (l. 11-12)
84 •
U N IT 4
b) TRUE. “a rare illness that kills many of its victims before the age of 7.” (l. 8-9)
c) FALSE. “The cord blood cells transplanted into Molly came from her then newborn
brother, Adam.” (l. 9-10)
d) TRUE. “turned to PGD to pick out the embryo implanted to give birth to her brother,
Adam.” (l. 4-5)
e) TRUE. “giving birth to another child with those matching characteristics offered the only
chance to save their daughter.” (l. 13-14)
4
b) – e) – d) – c) – a)
ACTION!
1
TEXT A
PGD is used by parents who not only want to make sure their child will not suffer from a
severe disease, but also to ask for choose / select certain physical characteristics. Indeed,
apart from the medical objectives which are advocated, PGD also serves cosmetic purposes
which are not always in accordance with moral principles.
2
This technique represents a scientific breakthrough, which is revolutionary in so far as
it can help eradicate certain diseases. Nevertheless, it can also be seen as hazardous and
scandalous since it raises the issue of people being used as scientific objects and goes
against diversity. It may lead / open the door to the creation of an ideal being, thus undoubtedly forming rejected, weak beings who fail to conform with what is expected of them.
3
The title “Design your baby” has a relevant significance here for it shows how this technique
sets a precedent in science. You can now choose your baby’s physical characteristics,
shape his body as if you were playing god with human beings.
4
5
6
TEXT B
Molly is a teenager who was born with a rare illness from which she was destined to die before
the age of 7. She was cured in 2000 thanks to a bone marrow transplant from her brother Adam.
People must have been quite appalled at Adam’s birth since he was a medicine baby
whose purpose was to save his sister. His story was in all the newspapers.
Her story is significant because she was the first child to be cured thanks to PGD. It showed
that such an innovative scientific breakthrough can improve life expectancy and have
outstanding results when it comes to healing severe diseases.
TEXTS A and B
Both articles illustrate the notion of progress in so far as they present us with a scientific
breakthrough: indeed, PGD is an unparalleled technique, which can cure severe illnesses
and prolong the life of weaker beings. It is also considered progress since it enables parents to choose the physical characteristics of their future baby and to produce babies who
are expected to conform to their parents’ wishes. However, even if designer babies are a
scientific achievement, they also jeopardize diversity and open the door to the idea that
some people who could be under-achieving are to be rejected and seen as outcasts. So it
is necessary to think it over and be aware of the risks so that governments and scientists
can draw a clear line between what is ethically acceptable or not.
U N IT 4
• 85
UNIT
4
BRAVE NEW WORLD?
1. Group work
& Productions possibles :
b.
– DNA: each living organism’s genetic information
– genetic testing / genetic screening technique: examining a DNA molecule to test for genetic
disorders
– pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD): the examination of an embryo after in-vitro fertilization and before transfer to the uterus to predict specific genetic diseases
– genetic disease: a rare disease caused by an abnormality in one’s chromosomes
– embryo: the term for an organism after its fertilization and first cell division but before
becoming a fetus (2 months for a human)
– geneticist: a biologist who studies genes
– fertility experts: doctors specialized in the science of human reproduction and in techniques
to medically assist couples with reproduction
– to screen for: to select and reject by examining systematically
– surgical procedure: a medical procedure to repair or treat disease
– bio-technology: the use of living organisms in medicine or technology
– fertility lab: a medical laboratory specialized in assisted reproductive technology including
diagnosis and treatment
– cord blood cells: stem cells which can be used to treat over 75 genetic and blood disorders
– immune system: the parts of our bodies that protect against disease
– transplant candidate: a person who can give their organs or tissue to the patient with a high
probability of success
c.
Doctors
Genetic scientists dedicate their careers to developing more and more sophisticated techniques for genetic selection. They are normally bound by bioethical guidelines and their work is
generally aimed towards treating disease and reducing human suffering in order to “accurately
predict certain genetic diseases.” (Text A, l. 12-13). However, in a privatized research and
health care system they may be tempted to sell their expertise to whoever pays the most,
including those with shallow desires rather than vital needs, and lately some have been “using
PGD for more cosmetic purposes” (Text A, l. 16).
Parents
Molly’s parents were desperate and willing to go to great measures to save their child’s
life and “turned to PGD to pick out the embryo implanted […] to save Molly’s life.” (Text B,
l. 4-5). To them, bringing another child into the world for the primary purpose of saving their
existing sibling’s life does not pose any ethical issues because “giving birth to another child
with those matching characteristics offered the only chance to save their daughter” (Text B,
l. 13-14). Other parents with no problems in particular may have “dreams of a ‘designer baby’”
(Text A, l. 9-10) and be intrigued by the possibility of selecting their future children’s gender
and physical and mental characteristics.
Public opinion
The general public is worried that this previously purely medical technique designed to save
lives will be co-opted for unworthy purposes “as many view it as a cosmetic use of an otherwise
surgical procedure.” (Text A, l. 21) And though it could be used to “perfect” future humans, it
could also end up penalizing them and “lead to a rise of such individuals becoming ‘secondclass’ citizens” (Text A, l. 22-23).
86 •
U N IT 4
2. Class work
& Productions possibles :
a.
Common points: Both articles were written after these techniques had been perfected and
used for many years for medical reasons. They are appraising the value of these technologies
in today’s world. Both agree that these techniques have led to reduced suffering for many
individuals. Both raise the ethical question of where to draw the line in the use of these methods: when does genetic selection become superficial rather than vital? And how far should
people be allowed to go in order to save existing lives?
Differences: The first article focuses more on the potential risks associated with genetic selection, whereas the second article has a more positive outlook, relating the anecdotal details
about Mollly’s happy, normal adolescence and her grateful parents, never once mentioning
her little brother. The first article projects farther into society’s future and cynically predicts
that parents will choose their potential children as casually as they order take-out. The second
article seeks to reassure the general population about the great benefits that this technique
has had for many families.
b.
I found the second article more striking because though I had heard of this technique before, I
had never learned the details of an actual success story. Imagining that the daughter they once
thought was doomed to die had her life saved by her tiny newborn brother is quite touching.
It is a perfect example of a medical story with a happy ending.
I found the predictions in the first article more outrageous. It is a rather sensationalist outlook
of the possible uses of genetic testing. Among the people around me I can’t imagine anyone
who would be interested in such a prospect, so “designing babies” seems rather unrealistic
to me, as if it will just remain science fiction. There will of course always be marginal, foolish
people who would resort to such means, but it would be tremendously expensive. Already, at
a sperm bank in the US one has access to detailed biographical information sheets and photographs when choosing a donor. But the “nurture” aspect of the “nature vs. nurture” debate
is so strong in my mind that selecting a biological father in this way could not possibly make
a child grow up to be significantly more successful.
3. Debate corner
& Productions possibles :
There are both advantages and drawbacks when one considers the issues surrounding the
pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) procedure. On the one hand, the idea of being able
to design a baby allows doctors to prevent children being born with genetic defects. Science
is now advanced enough to allow doctors to make sure only healthy embryos are selected
ensuring a healthy baby which is a positive change. On the other hand, this advanced science
also allows for more disturbing selections to be made. Parents are now able to choose the
sex of their baby, its level of intelligence and also certain aesthetic factors such as height and
hair colour. The effects of the changes made to a population due to this kind of procedure are
detrimental e.g. in places such as China having a boy is considered more valuable than having
a girl which could result in a generation of men and certain physical aspects may become
“popular” with parents resulting in a generation of clones. The question to ask here is how far
can we tamper with Mother Nature until the repercussions endanger the human race?
U N IT 4
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4. Remembering the past
> Mise en œuvre :
– Cette activité pourra servir de rebrassage mais aussi d’approfondissement lors d’une séance
ultérieure du travail fait sur les textes A et B. On pourra alors demander à plusieurs élèves
de présenter leur version du témoignage (en direct ou enregistrée) et ensuite déterminer
avec la classe celui qui leur semble est le plus réaliste, qui leur plaît le plus…
– Cette activité peut aussi être proposée à l’écrit.
& Productions possibles :
Hello I’m Lisa Nash, Molly’s mother. A decade ago my husband and I were faced with a difficult decision. Our daughter was at risk of losing her life due to a disease called Fanconi’s
Anemia and doctors informed us that the only cure would be to create a sibling for Molly with
the correct genetic make-up that would enable them to perform a bone marrow transplant
– one which would save her life. I watched Molly growing up and found it heart wrenching to
know that her life had an expiry date, as a mother I found it only natural to want to keep my
daughter alive at any cost. My husband and I had always envisaged having more children and
were thrilled that the birth of our newborn could also save Molly’s life. Obviously the chance
of the newborn having the correct genetic make-up to save Molly was slim so we turned
to science in order for that to happen through the selection process known as PGD. I was
hesitant at first as I did not want other people to assume that my husband and I were simply
creating a designer baby for the purposes of saving Molly. That is not true. We love Adam and
Molly equally, they are our children. In our eyes Adam is not only our cherished son but also
our hero as he saved his older sister’s life and for that we are eternally grateful. I believe that
any parent in the same situation would have made the same choice as us. We are fortunate
to live in an age where science can make the impossible possible.
5. Letter to the editor
On encouragera les élèves à faire attention à la formalisation de leur lettre (cf. p. 235) et
en particulier d’une letter to the editor (site utile : www.ehow.com/how_4525199_writeopinion-letter-editor.html).
& Productions possibles :
TEXT A
Dear Editor,
I recently read your article on designer babies and felt compelled to write in as I was shocked
by the suggestions made in the text. I find the concept of being able to order a child in the
same way as one would a fast food meal utterly disgraceful. I believe that scientists have taken
a step too far in researching ways to create what are deemed to be more aesthetically and
intellectually pleasing individuals. It would appear that scientists wish to create an elite race
which I personally find morally disturbing. If certain characteristics which are thought to be
more favourable than others are continuously selected by those wanting “perfect” children
then scientists are in grave danger of creating a generation of clones. I believe that one of the
most beautiful things in nature is variation, we should be proud of our differences; it is after
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all what makes us human. Imagine how mundane life would be if walking down the street felt
like staring into an infinite mirror, if having a conversation with a stranger resembled your own
personal thoughts. This is not science fiction coming to life; it’s a horror movie.
On the other hand, I do agree that science should intervene if it was for purely medical reason,
for example, in order to prevent a child from being born with a debilitating or incurable disease.
I see this as an exciting prospect for generations to come as it will improve the quality of life
for many people. Scientists should however be careful not to cross the line and research only
in the field where health is concerned.
Yours sincerely,
M. Smith
TEXT B
Dear Editor,
I recently read your article concerning the case of Molly Nash. I was very touched by this story
as I can relate to it on a personal level. I myself had a child with the same disease as Molly,
however, at the time the process of pre-implantation genetic diagnosis was not developed to
the extent to which it is today and sadly my son died aged 4. As one can imagine, it is heart
breaking to watch your child grow up knowing that their time is short. I remember wishing
to one day wake up and for there to be a cure for my son. I am delighted that science has
progressed so that this is now a real possibility for sufferers of Fanconi’s Anemia and many
other life threatening diseases.
It must have been a very difficult decision for Molly’s parents to make as there are many people who would want to criticise their choice of actions, however, I wanted to express my full
support of their decision in this letter. People should embrace the fact that we are living in a
scientifically advanced age and although genetic modification may seem alien and dangerous
to many people, they should focus on the good that it can do for those with serious medical
conditions. Given the choice at the time, I too would have had another child in order to save
my son. The pain of losing him is somehow lessened now that I know PGD will prevent other
children from dying from the same disease.
Yours faithfully,
J. Parker
6. Watch a video: Progress
N. B. : la fiche élève, son corrigé, le script et l’exploitation de l’extrait se trouvent dans le
livret du DVD-Rom et sur le site compagnon.
& Proposition de corrigé (a.) :
– French Anderson, American, scientist
– medicine • treat • genetic disease • inserting • healthy genes • patients • gene therapy •
immune system • ADA deficiency • hospital • doctor • quarantine • sick • blood • donor • cells
• lab • bloodstream • genetically modified • flu • immune-deficient
– FOR: “Ashi had a disease called ADA deficiency. She never left the house except to go to
the hospital or to the doctor. She was just kept ‘in quarantine’ because she was constantly
sick.” + “within six months, her family began to realize she wasn’t sick at all any more, that
she was starting to do all the things that normal kids do”.
AGAINST: no arguments
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– He supports genetic research because he pioneered it! He knows he can improve people’s
everyday life and even save it. He is convinced that genetic research is the solution to cure
some genetic diseases especially as changes can be very quick.
2. A BOOMING BUSINESS
MANUEL & P. 66-67
1. Main facts
> Mise en œuvre
– On divisera la classe en deux groupes qui travailleront chacun sur une partie du texte en
s’aidant de la fiche de compréhension du Workbook.
– Ils mettront ensuite en commun leurs réflexions en échangeant et confrontant leurs opinions.
CORRIGÉ DE LA FICHE DU WORKBOOK (P. 20-22)
1
Country of origin / Parents’ background: India / Poor social background “farmer’s
daughter” Age: 26 Family status To whom? Man’s age? Married to Ramesh, 15 years
her senior When? 10 years ago (1999) Age at that time? 16 Dreams: would like to pursue
higher studies / become a teacher
2
a) “poor” (l. 15) b) “paltry” (l. 12) + “thought of running a grocery shop” (l. 14)
3
Sarita’s plan: to become a surrogate. Husband’s first reaction: he threw a fit. Reasons
mentioned: What will relatives say? / How would it affect the couple? / What to tell the
kids and families? / Would the money be of help? Husband’s final decision: came around
to Sarita’s point of view.
4
a) issue (l. 24) b) Reason? India’s conventional attitudes towards sex Consequence?
Surrogates become ostracized.
c) If she agrees to be a surrogate mother, Sarita will be judged by people from her family
and from her village. She may be rejected and seen as an outcast.
5
- “They” (l. 28): the foreign couple
- “us” (l. 37): Sarita and the couple
- “it” (l. 40): giving the baby girl to them
6
90 •
- “it” (l. 30): the process
- “They” (l. 39): the couple
- “theirs” (l. 41): the couple
Who?
a. Sarita b. a foreign couple
What?
a. be paid b. carrying their baby
How much?
a fixed sum
What for?
a. take care of the pregnancy
b. medical expenses c. diet expenses
Where and why?
The clinic
The baby would be theirs after delivery.
U N IT 4
7
8
1. c.
2. f.
3. g.
4. a.
5. d.
6. e.
7. b.
“thrilled” (l. 36) + “pure joy” (l. 39) + “love” (l. 39) + “natural” (l. 40)
ACTION!
1
2
3
4
5
Sarita was born in a typical Indian family who arranged a marriage for her against her will
when she was only 16. Her husband only earned a low income but Sarita proved to be resourceful and determined to escape from poverty. She was ready to seize all opportunities
to grant her and her family a brighter future with better prospects. She made an attempt
at having her own business but she could not get enough money to fulfil her dream.
When taking her decision to become a surrogate, Sarita was faced with the angry reaction
of her husband who was above all worried about their relatives’ reactions. He thought that
their families would be prejudiced against the fact that Sarita would bear another family’s
child. Moreover, he feared that their own children might not understand their decision.
Even Sarita dreaded she might be ostracized and become an outcast, since people would
gossip about what she did. Instead of being supportive, people in her village would just
be jealous and outraged. To avoid being rejected, she had to move out to another place
until the birth.
Sarita signed a lawful contract with a foreign couple who were to provide her with everything she needed during her pregnancy, such as medical and diet expenses. The baby
would be theirs after delivery, but they would supervise everything beforehand.
Sarita immediately got on well with the American couple who were supportive and helpful
throughout her pregnancy. They were generous to her all along and were present at the
birth. All three people were overjoyed and ecstatic to share such an important moment.
On the one hand, this article illustrates the bond between these three people throughout
the pregnancy. They built up strong ties and in the end, all of them benefited from the
relationship since they were dependent on each other – Sarita made money to help sustain her family, and the American couple eventually got what they had been longing for.
On the other hand, one cannot help thinking that it was a one-way relationship, since
the exchange was only a way to take advantage of women who are in dire straits and
who wish for better prospects. One could go as far as saying that it even exploits women
who have no other choice but to resort to this method to improve their standard of living.
It might even be seen as a lawful attack against women’s independence.
2. Act it out!
& Productions possibles :
Sarita’s sister: Please sit down I would like to talk to you about something.
Husband: OK.
SS: As you know my sister Sarita was a surrogate mother last year and she has always spoken
very favourably of the experience.
H: Yes, that’s true. Although in my opinion surrogacy is a very unnatural process and seems
a very desperate way in which to earn money.
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SS: Sarita made it very clear that when she gave the baby to their parents she felt it to be the
most natural thing in the world. She believes that she did a good deed by giving those people
a beautiful baby girl. Perhaps you are right in saying that it is a desperate way to make money
but we are a poor family and we have very limited means of making money. Is it so bad to do
a good deed for someone and in return them do a good deed for you?
H: I know we are poor... What are you suggesting?
SS: Well, since watching my sister go through the surrogacy process my opinion of it has
changed drastically. I see nothing but good coming from it. We struggle to make ends meet
every day. I feel as though I can help our family by doing the same as Sarita.
H: Do you want to be a surrogate mother? Carry someone else’s child for money?
SS: Yes, I want to help our family financially and I want to give a couple a gift they deserve.
H: I can’t believe you are considering this! I know we are poor but I work hard to provide for
this family and I will not have my wife loaning her body for money!
SS: Please just think of the positive aspects, think of how happy Sarita is in her decision.
H: I will think about it but I’m not promising anything.
SS: Thank you.
3. Radio phone-in
> Script de l’enregistrement (CD 1, plage 25)
Journalist: Here are some of the messages our listeners have left on our answering machine.
Voice 1: Many millions of people successfully raise and absolutely love children with whom they
have no biological connection. Adoption, for me, is the best solution when you can’t give birth.
Voice 2: As a woman who is experiencing infertility, I empathize with infertile women.
However, I wouldn’t choose gestational surrogacy myself, even if I had enough money to
afford it. What kind of relationships could babies born of a surrogate mother have with the
surrogate mother’s other children?
Voice 3: Increasing numbers of poor women in India, and elsewhere, carry the babies of
wealthy Westerners who feel they must be the producers of the egg and the sperm. This is
globalization at its worst.
Voice 4: I know a surrogate mother. She has three children of her own and has birthed three
sets of twins for three lucky couples. She gets photos of the kids and updates on their lives,
but she gets the most out of knowing she helped bring six people into the world who may
otherwise not have been born.
Voice 5: Women who can afford to rent another’s uterus to carry their baby are undoubtedly
privileged. However, that’s also the case of many parents who choose to have a biological
child and manage to do so without technology. Wealth doesn’t make her a less than adequate
mother (nor a better one either).
Voice 6: What scares me the most is social surrogacy; those fertile women who decide to
hire the use of someone else’s body. To my mind, if a woman is too busy to carry a child or
doesn’t like the physical appearance of pregnancy so that she wants somebody to do that
for her, well, she’s probably not ready to be a mother.
Voice 7: Women today are leading different lives; they postpone childbearing, don’t have a
husband or decide to resort to alternative methods such as surrogacy. That’s the way modern
women are, those who don’t accept it are out of touch with the times or narrow-minded!
Voice 8: A woman who is strong enough to go through all the fertility procedures and never
manage to get pregnant has already proven her worth as a mother. Indeed, if she is able
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to sacrifice herself and her well-being for her (unborn) offspring, she deserves that right!
Voice 9: But, what if the baby doesn’t correspond to the expectations of the prospective
parents? Is there an after-sales department? Answer THAT question!
& Proposition de corrigé (b.)
1
against
people successfully raise and absolutely love children with whom they have
no biological connection + adoption is the best solution
2
against
infertile woman who wouldn’t choose gestational surrogacy + what kind
of relationships could babies born of a surrogate mother have with the
surrogate mother’s other children?
3
against
poor women in India and elsewhere carry the babies of wealthy Westerners
+ globalization at its worst
4
for
surrogate mother birthed 3 sets of twins + gets photos + updates on their
lives + gets the most out of knowing she helped bring 6 people into the world
5
for
rent another’s uterus to carry baby are privileged + yet wealth doesn’t make
her a less than adequate mother
6
against
what scares me most is social surrogacy + fertile women hire somebody
else’s body + too busy to carry child + doesn’t like pregnancy + not ready to
be mother
7
for
postpone childbearing + no husband + resort to surrogacy + the way modern
women are + those who don’t accept + out of touch + narrow-minded
8
for
woman strong enough to go through fertility procedures has proven her
worth as a mother
9
against
doesn’t correspond + prospective parents’ expectations + after-sales
department
4. Movie corner
> Mise en œuvre :
– En fonction du temps dont on dispose, on pourra tout d’abord proposer aux élèves de lire
les synopsis et d’imaginer à quel film de la liste ils peuvent correspondre.
– Ensuite, à la maison, les recherches Internet permettront de confirmer leurs hypothèses.
– À la maison aussi, ils pourront préparer leur réponse à l’exercice 2.
– Plusieurs élèves présenteront la leur à la classe, ce qui pourra donner lieu à un bref débat.
& Corrigé et productions possibles :
1
b.
2
I would like to see Gattaca because from what I’ve now read it seems like it would be an
engaging film. I watched the trailer and found the images captivating and the story looked
absorbing. I am intrigued by the idea that our genetic make-up is only a small part of who we
are and that we should not be judged because of it. I find the idea that a job interview could
be bypassed and replaced by genetic analysis appalling. The story of a man who attempts and
succeeds in tricking the system in order to live the life he desires and pursues his ambitions
1
Code 46
2
Brave New World
3
Splice
4
Gattaca
5
Surrogates
6
My Sister’s Keeper
U N IT 4
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BRAVE NEW WORLD?
fairly arouses my curiosity. I don’t think life would be as enjoyable if we were all predisposed
to particular destinies, and I don’t believe it would be good for those who were supposedly
the best to bear the burden of unrealistically high expectations. I would like to see this film to
find out if and how he carries it off and what the implications are.
LANGUAGE AT WORK
MANUEL & P. 68-69
1
a. Scientists must b. scientists can / scientists are allowed to c. Scientists must d. scientists
may e. Scientists couldn’t f. You needn’t
2
a. Cloning animals must be helpful to researchers who want to discover what causes genetic
diseases.
b. Selecting embryos by sex must be illegal.
c. Stem cell research may be forbidden in my country.
d. There may not be any surrogacy agencies in France.
e. Scientists must be aware of the problems raised by genetic engineering.
f. Scientists and doctors must have been relieved to hear Obama’s speech on stem cell
research.
g. The treatments and cures of some major diseases may not be found soon.
h. Dr. Ian Wilmut must have worried about the debate he would provoke when he cloned Dolly.
3
The elderly gentleman in the cartoon image suffers from several illnesses. It states that he
has Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s and spinal cord injuries. He appears to be euphoric after
reading the newspaper headline: Obama Lifts Ban on Embryonic Stem Cell Research. It is possible that this news could have a positive effect on his life as stem cell research could lead
scientists to find a cure for his health issues. The gentleman may no longer have to worry
about his central nervous system being destroyed by Parkinson’s and his memory being lost due
to Alzheimer’s therefore he will be of better physical and mental health during his old age which
will make day to day living far more comfortable. The gentleman will also be able to preserve
his independence as he will not have to rely on nurses and members of his family taking care
of him. Obama’s decision to lift the ban will allow him to grow old gracefully.
4
a. she would have died. b. his sister would not have been saved. c. they will be able to cure
many diseases. d. excesses will be avoided. e. I don’t think I would decide
5
a. If the government invests money in research, scientists will be able to discover new
medication.
b. If some women had more money, they wouldn’t become surrogate mothers.
c. If she’d had more money, she wouldn’t have become a surrogate mother.
d. If her parents had sent her to school, she would’ve had a proper job / learnt a trade and
wouldn’t have had to become a surrogate mother.
6
Cette activité peut venir en complément des exercices de grammaire, et/ou comme évaluation intermédiaire de l’acquisition de la structure.
> Mise en œuvre :
– Répartir la classe en groupes de 2 à 4.
– Distribuer une carte à chaque groupe. Ils auront alors 5 minutes pour concevoir leurs trois
phrases de réponses (minimum).
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– Un rapporteur pour chaque groupe viendra ensuite inscrire au tableau leurs propositions.
La classe pourra alors valider ou corriger les phrases proposées.
– On pourra aussi choisir de donner une note pour cet exercice.
Suggestion de barème (note sur 5) :
– 1 pt par phrase correcte (0,5 si le groupe a su corriger lui-même ou avec la classe) x 3 = 3 pts
– 2 pts de participation à l’activité (1 pt pour le travail en groupe, 1 pt pour la mise en
commun) = 2 pts
If I was proposed to be / use
a surrogate, …
If government had invested more money
in genetic researches, …
If I were told I was infertile, …
If I had a clone of myself, …
If girls were allowed to go to schools
in some countries, …
If Sarita had had more money, …
If human genome was sequenced, …
If selecting an embryo by sex
was allowed, …
If human cloning was allowed, ….
If Adam Nash was not born, …
Build up your vocabulary
1
research: carry out an experiment • screen for • alter • modify • select • implant • insert •
check • track down • pioneer • perform a test • knowledge • data • new vaccines
controversy: concern • question • regulate • draw a line • take a stand • support • side with
• raise objections • ethical • harmful
2
science: scientific - scientist • gene: genetic – geneticist • research: researcher • biology:
biological - biologist
3
1. birth 2. cell 3. breakthroughs 4. enable 5. diseases 6. cure 7. involved 8. Scientists 9.
improve 10. genetics 11. lead 12. medecines 13. field
IMPROVE YOUR READING SKILLS
MANUEL & P. 70
& Proposition de corrigé :
1
a. This is an extract from the transcription of a speech by the US President Obama.
b. It’s about scientific research and resulting groundbreaking medical discoveries. He also
talks about his country and the US government’s responsibility.
c. He is arguing for continued and increased financial support for medical research by the US
government. He is very strongly in favour of federal funding for labs.
2
a. vigorously = vigorous + ly: vigoureusement, énergétiquement • unknown = un + known:
inconnu • costly = cost + ly: coûteux, onéreux • unexplored = un + explore + ed: inexploré
b. overstated = over + state + ed: exagéré • wheelchair = wheel + chair: fauteuil roulant •
painstaking = pain + s + take + ing: minutieux • life-saving = life + save + ing: capable de
sauver des vies
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c. yield: donner, produire, rapporter, fournir • severed: sectionné • spur: stimuler • spare:
épargner • needles: aiguilles • trial: essai; of trial and error: de tâtonnements • bears fruit:
porte ses fruits • willing to: être disposé à, prêt à • surge: brusque montée ; ahead: en avant;
surge ahead of us: nous dépasser rapidement avec des progrès considérables
d. avenue: piste, voie, possibilité
3
President Obama gave this speech in 2009 in order to rally support for public funding of science research in the US, in particular for controversial stem cell research. He specifies that
he is motivated because he believes in the potential uses such research is bound to have. He
reminds his audience of major scientific breakthroughs by researchers in the past, discoveries that have changed the lives of people worldwide. He goes on to point out that successful
discoveries are not random accidents but the result of many years of thankless work by hundreds of people in labs. Consequently, funding is necessary in order for the researchers to
be able to stay in their fields – and in this country. That’s why he wants the US government
to financially support scientific research in his country. He warns the nation that in order to
remain competitive in leading edge research, federal funding is an imperative.
YOUR TASK
MANUEL & P. 71
> Mise en œuvre :
– Les élèves suivront la démarche proposée dans leur manuel p. 71.
– Il faudra les inciter à utiliser la condition, par exemple, et le vocabulaire étudié dans l’unité.
– Les élèves pourront présenter un compte rendu (voir d., page suivante) ou compléter la
fiche du Reading corner (sur le site compagnon) qui sera distribuée par le professeur.
& Corrigé (compréhension approfondie) :
a.
The scene is set in the office of the narrator’s law firm: “secretary” (l. 7) + “a lawsuit” (l. 10)
+ “my office” (l. 14) + “my desk” (l. 22) + “a legal pad” (l. 32)
b.
The narrator – the lawyer Anna solicits to help her fight her parents in a lawsuit.
Anna Fitzgerald – the main character, a “teenager” (l. 2) whose “sister is dying” (l. 15) and
whose “mother wants [her] to donate one of [her] kidneys to her.” (l. 15-16) For the first time
in her life, she is putting her foot down and trying to win the legal right to decide for herself
if, when and how to give tissue or organs to her sister.
Kerri – the narrator’s legal secretary
Kate – Anna’s terminally ill sister who has been regularly saved by tissue transplants from
Anna and now needs one of her kidneys or else she’ll die.
Kate and Anna’s mother – conceived Anna to be a tissue donor for her older sister because
she was “a perfect genetic match” (l. 48). Has had Anna give tissue since birth. Has not really
even paid attention to her (l. 38) or listened to her (l. 36) other than that (in Anna’s opinion).
c.
Anna – Initially, the narrator remarks that “anger glows around this kid like electricity.”
(l. 14-15) She is furious and explains her situation “hotly” (l. 16). She uses sarcasm in the understatement “Somehow… take care of that.” (l. 16-17). She seems impatient when “counting
off on her fingers” (l. 24) all the times since birth that she has had to donate tissue. She makes
it obvious that she has felt like a victim and had no choice in the matter when she repeats
“I had to…” (l. 29 + l. 30) She seems to resent her parents and feel neglected when she
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says “Nobody ever asked.” (l. 34) “They don’t listen to me.” (l. 36) and “They don’t really pay
attention… Kate being sick.” (l. 38-40). At the end of the excerpt she doesn’t seem quite so
sure of herself: when the lawyer asks her if she is OK with her sister dying if she doesn’t get
one of Anna’s kidneys, “Anna’s mouth sets a thin line.” (l. 56) and she simply replies “I’m
here, aren’t I?” which shows the reader that although she would rather it hadn’t come to this,
she now feels trapped between putting her own life in danger and being responsible for her
sister’s imminent death. But she wants to draw the line somewhere because “it never stops”
(l. 59) and she believes it has gone too far.
The mother – would do anything include put Anna’s life in danger to keep Kate alive. When we
read the list of the complicated and certainly painful interventions she has put one daughter
through to in order to prolong the life of the other (l. 24-30), and when Anna describes her so
coldly (“Nobody ever asked.”, l.34 + “They don’t listen to me.” l. 36 + “don’t pay attention to
me, except”, l. 38) she seems quite unloving and remiss about her younger daughter.
The narrator – At first, he is impatient and dismisses Anna as a moody teenager who wants
to go behind her parents’ backs for birth control. He doesn’t take her seriously (“for the first
time” l. 14). Then he suddenly realizes that he is at a pivotal moment in his life, and he will
decide to take on her case (“even as you choose one… making a mistake”, l. 19-21), all the
while knowing that it will be easier said than done (“gritty”, l. 19). After she gives a detailed
account of all her previous interventions, he is quite impressed (“The girl’s… paid experts to
shame.”, l. 31). Finally, he gives the readers a new perspective about what Anna’s parents
have done by bringing her into the world when he explains the centuries-old tradition of “An
heir and a spare.” (l. 41) He is clearly intrigued by her story and we can see that this is just
the beginning of a long relationship.
d.
This excerpt from My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult probably comes from the first chapters of
the novel, when Anna first meets her lawyer and he decides to take on her case. The lawyer
is sceptical at first, dismissing her as an overreacting teenager, but is immediately intrigued
once he really listens to her story. Anna was conceived for the sole purpose of being a transplant donor for her older sister, a cancer patient. Her childhood was regularly interrupted by
high-tech medical interventions, and she has always felt that her parents don’t love her for
who she is beyond as a donor for her sister. The family has arrived at a dreadful crossroads:
either Anna risks permanently damaging her body by giving her sister a kidney that would
prolong her life, or her sister’s death will be imminent. But Anna wants to draw the line and
gain rightful control over her own body.
& Corrigé (réactions) :
e.
I am deeply touched by the issues raised in this story. The conundrum / dilemma that Anna
faces is such a thorny one. On the one hand, she must feel proud to have helped her sister
so much up until this point, and she surely doesn’t want her sister to die. But on the other
hand, I can understand how she resents having been exploited since conception for someone
else’s benefit, as well as how she desperately wants to end this parasitic relationship. If I try
to understand things from Anna’s perspective I can see that she might be reluctant. Mainly
I think Anna feels as if she were not in control of her life. How distressing that her parents
aren’t interested in her except during those times when they need her to give up more of her
body parts to save her sister – it’s as if they don’t love their two daughters equally. And most
disturbing of all is the fact that it has come to this: a legal battle that will tear a family apart
and ultimately put the life of one or the other sister in danger. If it were my own sister in my
own life, I would gladly give her a kidney to save her life, especially if the doctors could assure
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BRAVE NEW WORLD?
me that it would not affect my own health. However, if I were Anna I would want some clear
limits to be established to insure that my own life would never be put in danger.
Critères d’évaluation de la production écrite à titre indicatif :
Compétences
Composante évaluée
Points
Réalisation
de l’exercice
et traitement
du sujet
– Respect de la consigne
– Présentation
– Écriture et soin
– Expression d’un point de vue personnel justifié
0123
Texte
cohérent
et organisé
– Peu ou pas d’argumentation : succession de phrases
indépendantes
– Utilisation de mots de liaison de base : and, but, because…
– Argumentation très convaincante : énoncés complexes
– Utilisation de mots de liaison complexes : on the one
hand / on the other hand, however, especially…
0123
45
Lexique
– Vocalulaire limité et répétitif
– Vocabulaire peu approprié
– Vocabulaire très riche et varié
– Vocabulaire pertinent, adapté au sujet
0123
45
Grammaire
– Erreurs grammaticales assez nombreuses
– Erreurs grammaticales très rares ne gênant pas
la compréhension
– Utilisation de la condition
0123
45
Prise
de risque
– Richesse des structures utilisées, de l’expression
– Investissement / implication dans le traitement du sujet
(exprime un point de vue personnel)
012
Total
– De 0 à 6 points : A2
– De 11 à 14 points : B2 en cours d’acquisition
– De 7 à 10 points : B1
– Au-delà : B2
READING CORNER
MANUEL & P. 72-73
Voir fiche d’exploitation et corrigé sur le site compagnon.
PROLONGEMENTS POSSIBLES À L’UNITÉ
> Évaluation sommative de CE (p. 377-379 de ce Fichier)
> Clé du Bac :
– Document audio 5 : GMO
– Document audio 6 : People’s reactions to GMO
– Document audio 9 : Building a perfect baby
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THE LAND OF TWO HALVES
& Espaces et échanges & Lieux et formes du pouvoir
Tâche finale (p. 83) : Read an extract from a short story your teacher will give you,
then write a sequel, following the instructions provided.
Activités
langagières
Tune in!
(p. 74-75)
1. Get up,
stand up!
(p. 76-77)
2. A land
of legends
(p. 78-79)
3.
Multicultural
New Zealand
(p. 80)
Contenus
Prolongements
tâches / aides
CE
Repérer des informations
écrites sur la Nouvelle-Zélande
CO
Vidéos promotionnelles :
comprendre et sélectionner
des informations
POI
Jeu de rôles
Enrichir sa prise de parole
(p. 242-243)
CE
Comprendre un extrait
de roman
Fiche Workbook
PPC
– Rendre compte du contenu
d’un texte
– Relier le contenu à la notion
– Évaluation sommative
de PPC (p. 58-59)
– Préparation à l’épreuve
d’expression orale (p. 247)
CO
Comprendre une légende
Fiche sur le site compagnon
POI
Jeu de rôles
Enrichir sa prise de parole
(p. 242-243)
CE /
PPC
Raconter une histoire
Fiche Workbook
CO
Comprendre un contenu
informatif
Fiche Workbook
PE
Rédiger un texte informatif
CO /
PPC /
POI
– Faire le compte rendu
d’une bande annonce
– Échanger des points de vue
– Évaluation sommative
de PPC (p. 58-59)
– Enrichir sa prise de parole
(p. 242-243)
CE
Comprendre un article
Fiche Workbook
PPC
– Rendre compte du contenu
d’un texte
– Relier le contenu à la notion
– Évaluation sommative
de PPC (p. 58-59)
– Préparation à l’épreuve
d’expression orale (p. 247)
L’activité langagière principale de cette unité est la CE (compréhension de l’écrit).
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TUNE IN!
MANUEL & P. 74-75
1. Discover the country
& Proposition de corrigé :
a.
• Milford Sound
Text D: “Tourism” + “Tourists are attracted by the stunning landscapes and the feeling of
space.”
Text E: “the abundance of water sports including kayaking, windsurfing and parasailing.”
Text F: “this makes New Zealand one of the world’s least crowded countries.”
Text H: “spectacularly beautiful landscape includes vast mountain chains [...] sweeping coastlines, deeply indented fjords and lush rainforests. There is such a large variety of locations...”
• Coin
Text G: “New Zealand remains a member of the British Commonwealth”
• Kiwi
Text C: “The kiwi is New Zealand’s national icon”
b.
(for example)
Text C: During World War I Australian soldiers started calling their New Zealander counterparts
“Kiwis” and the nickname has stuck. It is the unofficial emblem and national icon of New
Zealand today.
Text G: New Zealand is still a member of the British Commonwealth, so the Queen is the
official “Head of State,” but the country has been completely independent since 1947.
c.
Are you seeking wide-open spaces and spectacular landscapes for your next travel adventure?
New Zealand could be the perfect destination for you! There are just 4.1 million people in New
Zealand spread out over a vast 268,680km2 of extremely varied terrain, making it one of the
world’s most sparsely populated countries.
As a visitor, you can take part in any one of the many outdoors activities widely practiced on
the two islands, ranging from winter sports to water sports and even including hot air ballooning and bungee-jumping.
The nation has been self-governing since 1907 but still maintains close ties with Great Britain
as it remains a member of the Commonwealth. It plays an active role in South Pacific politics
and has close economic ties with Japan, Australia and the US. One of its biggest exports is
sheep products – there are 40 million of them roving the two islands.
15% of the population claims indigenous Maori origins, and immigrants from nearby Polynesian
islands continue to settle in New Zealand today. This makes Auckland, the country’s biggest
city, one of the world’s biggest Polynesian cities. (180 words)
2. Prepare your trip to New Zealand
& Productions possibles :
a.
Those interested in sports and adventure (probably younger adults with no children):
– winter sports (mountaineering, skiing, snowboarding)
– water sports (sailing, rafting)
– all terrain exploration (hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding)
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– bungee jumping
• Those interested in wildlife (any age group):
– scuba diving – bird-watching – fishing – shellfish gathering
• Those looking to explore and relax in nature (any age group):
– beaches – rainforests – visiting volcanoes
• For culture and nightlife (any age group):
– major cities like Auckland – Maori cultural centers, art shows and live performances
• Honeymooners / couples on a romantic getaway:
– fine dining – luxury hotels – spas
b.
Travel agent: Hello, what can I do for you today?
Client: My girlfriend and I are thinking about taking a 10-day trip to New Zealand.
TA: Alright, what sorts of activities do you have in mind?
C: We’ve seen some pictures of the country and the landscapes look stunning. We’re on a
tight budget and we don’t care for city life.
TA: Well, there sure are some amazing places to explore. Are you particularly athletic?
C: Well, we do enjoy hiking but we’re not into extreme sports, and we enjoy living simply.
TA: May I suggest a week-long backpacking itinerary that would lead you through both rainforests and mountain ranges and have you coming out on a deserted beach?
C: That sounds fantastic!
TA: If you choose to go on your own, I can help you with the wilderness permits and any gear
rentals you may require. Otherwise I would be happy to tell you about the various guides and
organized groups you could join – that way there would be less logistics for you to deal with.
C: Great! One last thing – we have a friend here from New Zealand who is Maori and we would
like to learn more about their culture and history.
TA: Well, on your way out, you could spend a night or two in the big city you fly out of to visit
the cultural centers and art museums. I also recommend the Museum in Wellington.
C: Wow, this is a brilliant start. Thanks for all your help.
TA: Anytime, that’s what we’re here for.
1. GET UP, STAND UP
MANUEL & P. 76-77
1. Read and understand
CORRIGÉ DE LA FICHE DU WORKBOOK (P. 23-24)
1
telling them
2
a) gather b) rassembler c) rassemblés • le rassemblement / la foule
3
he: the chief • em: the gathering • his: the chief • their: the gathering • they: the gathering
4
These words refer to the Maoris.
5
a) “warring” (l. 6), “warriors” (l. 7), “battlefield” (l. 8), “wounded” (l. 9), “enemy” (l. 9)
“fighting” (l. 12), “battle” (l. 14)
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b) “chivalry” (l. 5), “to tend” (l. 8), “touches of comfort” (l. 10)
c) - The warriors: The Maoris and the British - The Maoris help the British.
6
a) The word “going” means here saying.
b) And the gathering going: “Wow, far out, but why?”
c) génial
d) The crowd thought what the Maori warriors did was amazing and wanted to know more
about it.
7
True. “so the enemy might have more strength to continue the battle in the morning” (l. 13-15)
8
The British
9
them
10
- “their”: the gathering
-“We”: the Maoris
11
“set up our own king” (l. 23), “we never gave up” (l. 22), “defiance” (l. 23), “we would never
give up” (l. 25)
12
a) True. “set up our own king” (l. 23) b) False. “in defiance of them”
13
The Treaty of Waitangi was signed because the Maori were determined and because the
enemies feared they might lose.
14
- “You all know what it was?”: the chief is speaking.
- “... it was an agreement between two peoples to share the land, its resources.”: people
from the gathering.
- “A contract! […] Which—they—broke.”: the chief.
15
a) bursting into - roaring - stood - danced - led - slapping - dancing back and forth
The haka is a dance where some warriors burst into a roar; they stand and dance back and
forth, slapping different parts of their bodies, while they are led by the chief.
b) a roaring cry - a line-up - a row - fierce - faced guards - war - thundering voices - led by
their chief - warriors
16
resentment - pride - folklore - tradition - anger - power
The chief must resent the British for not respecting the treaty they signed together. He
must have felt betrayed and his authority was clearly undermined / challenged. What is
more, the warriors obviously feel great pride to belong to the Maori tribe, they proudly
assert their origins, folklore and tradition – for instance, through their dance of war, the
haka. Furthermore, the chief expresses anger when discussing what he sees as the English
betrayal of the treaty. Moreover, he also asserts his power and the power of the tribe as
he recounts how they remained undefeated.
- “they”: the gathering
- “They”: the British
- “em”: the British
ACTION!
The chief reminds those he speaks to of their shared proud history. He recalls the great
battles against their enemy – the British – and makes the crowd realize how noble and
honourable the Maoris were in battle. The gathering urges the chief to tell them more
about their past. They become aware of the fact that the British have robbed them of
10 2 •
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the truth behind their ancestors’ exploits and have distorted facts. Although they were
deprived of some details of their past, the truth of what happened is restored for them
by their chief.
The chief is sick of the British deceitfulness and betrayal, he intends to preserve and
cling to his Maori cultural heritage. He describes how the Maori resisted the British by
establishing their own king. They managed to stand firm against the cultural pressure
imposed on them by their enemies. He gives a testimony of how the British betrayed the
Maoris. What is more, the crowd can see how frustrated the chief is and they all must feel
revengeful. The performance of the haka brings the message home that the Maori’s
heritage is of paramount importance to them.
Objectif
j f
In this text, we can see that the cultural impact of the Maori tribe is a great part of New
Zealand’s identity. The Maoris succeeded in asserting their power over the British and
stood as equals when the treaty of peace was signed.
Two different forms of power are presented in the text: British imperialism symbolised by
kings and queens at the head of great armies, and the warrior mentality of the Maoris, for
whom war is synonymous with power. In this sense, New Zealand has been the theatre
where these two forms of power clashed, and there has been no clear winner.
2. Speak from your notes
> Mise en œuvre :
Cette prise de parole en continue pourra être préparée ou non à la maison et permettra de
rebrasser les acquis du cours.
& Productions possibles :
a.
The chief is talking about when the English first arrived in New Zealand. He is telling the story
of the initial confrontations between the Maori and the “first white men.” His narrative is not
from the typical English perspective that everyone in New Zealand is used to learning about
in school. In his version there is much more war and brutality. For example, he informs the
group in front of him that according to Maori history, their own warriors might have seemed
chivalrous but in reality… towards the English warriors. The chief wants the crowd to know
the other side of the story. He assures them that the Maori never gave in to British demands
and carried on all the way to the bitter end: they fought hard and fairly and regarded the two
sides as equals. He proclaims that it was not them, but the British who broke the Treaty.
b.
The crowd is surprised by his declarations (“Wow, far out, but why?”, l. 11 + “But we never
knew that.”, l. 16) but intrigued and impressed. They feel cheated and lied to because: “No
one taught us this at school. They taught us their history: English history.” (l. 17-18) They already feel quite hostile towards white people, and he is simply “putting into words their vague
thoughts, giving their minds a shape they could visualise.” (l. 19-21) He is formulating concrete
arguments that happen to back up their preexisting opinions. Because his words arouse such
strong emotions, the crowd roars (l. 24). At the end, it results in a fiery haka war dance. The
chief touched the crowd deeply, to the core, and their “beating hearts were applause enough.”
(l. 41)
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3. The Maoris and moko
> Mise en œuvre :
Cette compréhension orale pourra donner lieu à un travail en pédagogie différenciée. Le
groupe le plus solide pourra travailler sans aide, le plus fragile pourra être guidé par une
fiche d’exploitation et son corrigé disponibles sur le site compagnon.
> Script de l’enregistrement (CD 1, plage 27)
According to Maori mythology, tattooing began with a love affair between a young warrior
named Mataora and a young princess of the underworld called Niwareka. They were happy
for some time until Mataora became jealous and enraged. One day Mataora beat his wife.
Niwareka then left her husband, fled and ran back to her father who was king of the underworld. Mataora felt guilty and heartbroken. Mataora mourned for Niwareka for some time,
and then he decided to set out to find her. Before he left, he dressed in his finest clothes and
painted his face, hoping he could win back her love. After many trials, and after overcoming
numerous obstacles, Mataora eventually arrived in the underworld. He was exhausted, his
face paint was messed up and dirty after his voyage. Niwareka’s family mocked Mataora for
his dreadful appearance. Mataora begged Niwareka for forgiveness, she eventually accepted
his apology. Niwareka’s father then offered to teach Mataora the art of tattooing. Mataora
and Niwareka then returned together to the human world, Mataora brought back the arts of
ta moko to his people. And that was how the Maori came to have their distinct type of tattoo.
& Productions possibles :
b.
This is a photograph of a Maori man with traditional ta moko tattoo designs on his face. He
is also wearing a Maori bone carving around his neck. His moko is compact and oval shaped,
covering everything between his nose and his chin, including his lips. The smooth black stripes
form a perfect mirror image across the two sides of his face. The ink curves in natural, organic
lines that are gently tapered at the ends. There are only two tones to his moko: black and
white. The negative space is generally the same thickness as the positive space, leaving a
very balanced impression.
The exact meaning of each individual line of a moko is complex and distinct. They could be referring to battles he fought or his rights and privileges within the tribe. Each moko communicates an
ancestral message that narrates his / her heritage and current social position. Each individual’s
design is the object of months of consultation and deliberation within the tribe.
Ta moko’s mythical origins revolve around a young couple: a warrior named Mataora and his
underworld princess wife Niwareka. After conflict and separation, the young man makes the
long and difficult journey back to his estranged wife begging for her forgiveness, and arrives
with his face paint smeared and smudged. It is his father-in-law who offers to teach him permanent face marking before the young couple returns to the human world to share the new
body art with their people.
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4. Representing the past
& Productions possibles :
a.
The ships, the clothing, and the wooden frames around the scenes are all very old-fashioned
and would imply that the mural represents events that happened maybe 200 years ago. There
are no buildings depicted on land so we can assume that these images correspond to the
arrival of British people to the region. The waves and beach grasses suggest that Waipu is
a beach town and therefore experienced firsthand the arrival, by sea, of British subjects at
some point during New Zealand’s colonization.
In the left-hand scene we can see:
– Scottish ships moored off New Zealand’s shore and Scottish settlers rowing ashore and
landing on the Waipu beach.
– Local Maoris including women and children watching the Scotts’ arrival from a distance.
In the right-hand scene we can see many more ships arriving, more people doing various
things in different kinds of boats.
b.
Reporter: Can you tell us a little bit about what you have painted in this mural?
Artist: Yes, I have covered the exterior walls of this public building with murals representing
several distinct periods of Waipu’s history.
R: What about the scene on the left, what is depicted there?
A: I wanted things to be seen from the perspective of the Maoris, who have come down to the
beach to observe this huge ship and the boatloads of people rowing to their shore.
R: Yes, they look a little concerned.
A: Well, I wanted to communicate the idea that they were not informed beforehand of the
arrival of the Scottish immigrants, and as they watched these people come to shore they had
time to wonder whether or not they came in peace or if they were there to stay.
R: Were they there to stay?
A: Yes, this community of Scots did indeed permanently settle in Waipu after years of travelling the world over seeking a safe place to settle and prosper.
R: Is this related to what you have painted on the right?
A: Exactly. Shortly after the first ship, word was sent out to the rest of their community, and
many more shiploads of Scots came to settle the area. The viewer witnesses this mass settlement from the shore, that is to say from the perspective of the Maoris whose land it had
been for centuries.
R: And what happened next?
A: Well the rest is left to the viewer’s imagination – did they integrate peacefully, or were
there conflicts over land and resources? Were the local Maoris able to continue living as before? How deeply did the arrival of the Scottish impact their lives? We can only imagine that
it profoundly affected local Maori history.
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2. A LAND OF LEGENDS
MANUEL & P. 78-79
1. Jigsaw reading
> Mise en œuvre classique
Les élèves liront le texte dans son ensemble et travailleront la fiche dans le Workbook au
préalable.
> Mise en œuvre communicative
– Chaque groupe se verra attribué un paragraphe, remplira la partie du Workbook correspondante et un rapporteur fera le compte rendu de la partie lue.
– Les autres élèves prendront des notes sur la partie qu’ils n’ont pas lue. La synthèse des
informations (ACTION!) se fera collectivement.
CORRIGÉ DE LA FICHE DU WORKBOOK (P. 25-27)
1
a) slip away b) baleine
2
a) headlights: phares • bobbing up and down: apparaissait et disparaissait • waves: vagues
b) raised: leva c) were dazzling: éblouissaient
3
a) name = Kahu • age = young • clothes = white dress
b) “enter the water” + “bobbing up and down in the waves” + “halfway through the waves”
+ “swimming”
c) “She raised her head and began to call to the whale” (l. 9-10) + “Kahu tried again. ‘Oh
sacred ancestor,’ she called.” (l. 13)
4
a) bold • reckless • adventurous • independent • brave b) Not only does it give information
on the size but also on the fragility of the child, she is young and bravely goes out to sea.
recap 1
In this paragraph, Kahu goes out to sea and calls for the whale. She is very bold and adventurous. People in cars see her from the shore and must think she is drowning but cannot
do anything. There seems to be complicity between the little girl and the whale.
5
a) herd: colonie b) had been given up: considérée comme morte • nest: nid
c) sped away: s’éloignèrent à vive allure • leaps: sauts
d) had been rushed to: avait été emmenée en urgence à
6
“unconscious” + “floating” + “in the middle of the ocean” + “breathing had stopped” +
“respirator” + “regain consciousness”
recap 2
Kahu was found unconscious in the middle of the ocean after everyone had given up hope
of finding her alive. She was transported hastily to the hospital and no one knew if she
would regain consciousness again.
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7
a) disturbance: agitation, mouvement b) was witnessing: était témoin de • herd: colonie
c) breakwater: digue • were stranding themselves: s’échouaient d) whistling: sifflaient
8
a) parsemés, disperses b) draw
9
“a great herd” + “they kept coming and coming” + “all around me” + “stranding themselves”
+ “I felt like crying” + “along two miles of coastland” + “two hundred whales” +“tragedy”
10
“Dotted on the beach are human shapes, drawn to the tragedy.” (l. 18-19)
recap 3
A man was jogging along the beach when he saw a curious movement in the water. He
suddenly realized that it was whales which were rushing towards the beach to strand
themselves. It was a major catastrophe as there were hundreds of them. People couldn’t
help watching, helpless.
11
a) leader- ship : direction, manière de diriger b) (believe) – les croyances
c) - custom: coutume • hereditary: héréditaire • mantle: manteau
- Eldest is the superlative of “old”.
12
A baby girl is born.
13
“disgusted” (l. 3)
14
“leadership was hereditary” + “from the eldest son to the eldest son” + “an eldest daughter”
recap 4
In this paragraph, Koro Apirana, the grandfather of the family and leader of the tribe, is
told that a daughter is born. He cannot accept the fact that one day, the leader will be a
woman, since power is hereditary, and falls on the eldest child, who is now a girl.
15
a) se levait b) la tempête
recap 5
We learn that Man’s survival in this world depends on his ability to save the whale. If
the people of the tribe cannot free the whale, their future is threatened.
16
- mutter - issues - survival
17
a) Koro feels bitter and angry that a baby girl is born. He resents Porourangi having a girl. He
seems concerned about the future of the tribe. He clearly shows his scorn for the girl.
b) He feels that the tribe’s survival is threatened now that the male line is broken. He fears
they might be doomed to extinction, and fears that everything he managed to build might
be at stake.
18
a) sanglot b) tendit les bras • marcha en chancelant
19
“Rise up from the depths of your long sleep.” (l. 8-9)
20
a) It refers to the Maoris. b) The grandfather declares the girl is now the leader.
The girl now deserves to lead her people.
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recap 6
The family is gathered around Kahu, who is still in a coma. When she starts moving and showing some signs of consciousness, the grandfather declares she is now worthy of becoming
the leader of the tribe despite the fact that she is a woman. He acknowledges her rights.
Objectif
j f
These extracts show the power that is transmitted from generation to generation, and
highlight the issue of female power. Indeed, it raises the question of continuity, as if girls
were unworthy of leading a group of people. At the end, it reveals that tradition and change
can finally be reconciled since the granddaughter is granted legitimacy to be the leader.
What is more, these extracts also underline the power of Nature. Indeed, Man and Nature
have close links and depend on one another. Should they fail to protect their survival, they
would be doomed to extinction.
2. Storytelling
> Mise en œuvre
Après avoir découvert le contenu des différents paragraphes, les élèves en binômes pourront
les remettre dans l’ordre. Pour le résumé, ils pourront aussi travailler par deux en alternant
le contenu des différents paragraphes.
& Corrigé et productions possibles :
a.
1. D – Kahu is born.
2. F – The narrator explains why Koro is disappointed that she is a girl.
3. C – The beached whale incident is introduced.
4. E – Kahu and Koro discuss the sacred whale from the beach.
5. A – Kahu goes into the sea to be with the whale (coaxes the biggest whale – the leader –
back into the sea).
6. B – Kahu is found unconscious floating in kelp and guarded by dolphins.
7. G – Kahu is in the hospital in a coma after her near-drowning incident, and the sequence
ends with her grandfather asking for her forgiveness.
b.
(D, F) When Kahu is born, her grandfather, the big chief Koro Apirana, scornfully announces
that he is disappointed and says he will never love her. He wanted her to be a boy so that tribal
leadership would be passed on to his grandchild. To him, a granddaughter is unworthy of his
attention. (C) One day years later, while a man is jogging on the beach, he witnesses a strange
phenomenon: a herd of whales who purposefully beached themselves. (E) Later on, Kahu discusses
the meaning of the biggest, sacred beached whale with her grandfather, who says it symbolizes
the downfall of their tribe / people. (A) Suddenly, people on the beach realize that Kahu has
swum out to sea to speak to and be with the whale. (B) She is eventually found, unconscious,
floating in kelp and guarded by dolphins. (G) Standing over his granddaughter, in a coma in the
hospital, Koro is finally concerned about her. He asks for forgiveness and says a prayer for her,
finally granting her the right to “take [her] rightful place” among her “people.”
10 8 •
U N IT 5
3. Go further
& Productions possibles :
a.
b.
Tribal leadership is passed on from first-born son to first-born son. In order to guarantee that
power stays within the family, each first-born son must father a son. If he only has daughters, the leadership role leaves the family and is given to another boy in the tribe. Therefore,
women cannot be leaders, and leaders naturally prefer to have sons and grandsons in order
to maintain their family’s power. Being born as the only granddaughter of a tribal leader must
be very difficult – she may feel unwanted, perhaps even guilty of having been born.
After Kahu manages to save the beached whales, nearly killing herself in the process, Koro sees
that she is particularly brave and has a special connection / bond with the sacred whales, who
might otherwise have been doomed to extinction. Her act of bravery also proves her dedication
to the tribe and motivation to be its leader. Seeing how capable she is may make him realize
that there is much at stake in choosing the right leader, that the future of their tribe depends
on it. Kahu’s close encounter with death probably also aroused protective and affectionate
feelings for her in her grandfather – he finally realized how much she really meant to him.
4. The Maoris today
> Script de l’enregistrement (CD 1, plage 28)
Part 1
It sometimes puzzles me that when people look at indigenous cultures, they look at them
as if they are simple people, and that there is nothing behind the feathers and behind the
flags. And I would say that if you did this to (the) Maoris, you are in deep trouble. When I was
a young boy in Aotearoa, New Zealand, (the) Maoris were primarily a rural people; people
of the sea, of the countryside of the marae, and over the last 50 or so years, there’s been
this huge turnaround in which (the) Maoris have reclaimed a lot of the land and have now
moved into the cities as well. 1’00’’
Part 2
So now Maoris are everywhere in New Zealand, you know you cannot go anywhere in New
Zealand without seeing Maori people. And so, in that sense, we have become a huge presence, politically, culturally, socially, economically in New Zealand, unlike, in Australia for
instance, where you can walk around, and you might not see an Aboriginal person, or even
in some other countries where you do not see indigenous people. So, we have become one
of the strongest indigenous societies in the world. 1’37’’
Part 3
As well, we’ve been the beneficiaries of “post-coloniality”, in which Maori like many other
indigenous peoples around the world, like black peoples in the world, have been privileged
enough to be able to attain positions of political power, so from that political power has come
this cultural power as well. When I first started writing for instance in the 1950s, there were
no Maori publishers, but there are now. And at that same time, I was the only Maori who
was writing fiction. Well now, there are many, many others. So, the whole of our culture has
begun to be a wider kind of spearhead. It’s not just one or two or three people. It is now…
300, 500, 1,000 people, with other people coming behind them. And we always say that
what we’re doing is for the iwi, for the tribe, and for the people, so in many ways, it’s not
a selfish thing that we’re doing. We’re doing it for the people who are coming behind us.
The hard part is to maintain within a majority Pakeha context, the impetus of our going forward.
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THE LAND OF TWO HALVES
CORRIGÉ DE LA FICHE DU WORKBOOK (P. 27-29)
1
- indigenous - culture - beneficiaries
2
- Place: Aotearoa, New Zealand
- Ethnic communities mentioned: the Maoris, indigenous person
- Evolution of the Maori community: rural people - huge turnaround - reclaimed a lot of
the land - moved to cities
- Role of the Maoris today: a huge presence - politically - culturally - socially - economically in New Zealand
- Information about the interviewee: started writing in the 50s - only Maori who was
writing fiction
3
“simple people” + “nothing behind the feathers and behind the flags”
4
People are often prejudiced against indigenous peoples; they consider them inferior beings.
5
a) over the last 50 years or so
b)
In the past
- rural people
- people of the sea, of the
countryside
Today
- The Maoris have reclaimed a lot
of the land.
- have now moved into the cities as well
6
a huge presence politically, culturally, socially, economically
7
a) Australia b) The situation is different because the indigenous tribe there, the Aborigines,
are not so visible, they have a much weaker influence on the country.
8
New Zealand has one of the strongest indigenous societies in the world.
9
a) 1950s - The interviewee started writing. b) 1,000 - People who now write.
10
He is a writer.
1
11
“to maintain” + “a majority Pakeha context” + “the impetus” + “going forward”
ACTION!
In this recording, a writer speaks about the Maori tribe and their culture. He presents us
with a fact: indigenous societies are often considered inferior and discriminated against.
Nevertheless, he also points out that this minority has known some major changes over
the past decades. He also tries to differentiate the Maoris from other tribes, such as the
Aborigines, who are a much less visible minority in their own country, and who do not have
the same political, cultural, social or economic influence as the Maoris’. Finally, he recalls
that when he started writing, there were very few – if any – other writers from Maori origins. Nowadays, they are more and more, and they aim at preserving the culture and the
continuity of the tribe through the next generations.
Objectif
j f
This recording illustrates how the Maori tribe has managed to develop itself in a country where it
is only considered a minority. They have a weight in New Zealand’s politics, economy and social
life, and their culture is recognized and thriving, in so far as it is kindled by many new writers.
110 •
U N IT 5
& Productions possibles :
b.
The Maori Contemporary Art Exhibition: Who are the Maori today?
After centuries of primarily rural living, in the last half century the Maori have taken back much
of their land and have moved into cities all over both islands of New Zealand. The Maoris are
present wherever you go in the country and are well integrated into mainstream culture. Maoris
are fairly well represented in the various local and national governments, so their issues aren’t
generally ignored, like the issues of indigenous peoples the world over often are. They have
at the same time maintained a strong connection with their heritage and rich traditions, and
there are hundreds if not thousands of Maori artists and intellectuals today working to spread
their cultural influence and make their voices be heard.
> Remarque finale :
On pourra organiser, si la classe le permet, une exposition sur la culture Maori. On pourra
diviser la classe en 4 groupes. Chaque groupe pourra se charger d’un thème: l’art maori,
les légendes maori, les Maoris aujourd’hui, l’art du moko.
5. Watch a trailer
> Mise en œuvre
– L’activité b. pourra donner lieu à une production orale ou écrite.
– La lecture du roman en entier peut être proposée aux élèves en lecture cursive. Elle pourra
donner lieu à une production écrite individuelle ou collective (résumé de l’ensemble du roman, portrait des personnages principaux, analyse des thèmes clés, réactions personnelles).
& Productions possibles :
a.
The trailer begins with the narrator explaining the origins of her tribe and the tradition of its
leadership: long ago a boy named Pikea came to their region on the back of a whale. Each
first-born son in Pikea’s lineage has been named after him and has become the tribal chief. Her
grandfather blames her birth for the troubles afflicting the tribe, and refuses to let her aspire to
the leadership role that would have been hers had she been a boy. In order to select a future
chief, he sets up a chief-training school for all the first-born sons of the tribe. Kahu secretly
attends the lessons from a distance. Her grandmother tells her that her uncle could teach
her to use the fighting stick, and he does, unbeknownst to his father. She beats all the boys
in the fighting stick competition and her grandfather is furious. She passes another important
test when she finds the whale tooth he throws into the sea, after all the boys are unable to
find it. From the beach one evening, we can see her singing to the whales, which intrigues
her grandfather. At the end we can see her bobbing up and down in the waves, presumably
on the back of the sacred whale.
b.
FILM: I would rather watch the film because I never read for pleasure / I don’t have time to
read books and from the trailer the movie looks very exciting. I like high-quality film adaptations because they really bring the characters and the spectacular landscapes to life and I can
enjoy the entire story in just a few hours. Also, it looks like this film got outstanding reviews,
and I love a first-rate movie whether it is adapted from a novel or an original screenplay.
NOVEL: I would rather read the novel because it also got excellent reviews and I love reading.
The author often takes several pages or an entire chapter to explain something that goes by
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THE LAND OF TWO HALVES
in just a few seconds in a film. Therefore the book is much richer as the language is so full
of subtleties. It gives you more time to reflect upon all the turns of events and to digest the
strong emotions. A film goes by too quickly to really understand the story in depth. Usually,
when a film is adapted from a novel, the novel is still much better in the minds of those who
have both read the book and seen the film.
3. MULTICULTURAL NEW ZEALAND
MANUEL & P. 80
1. Find the key information
CORRIGÉ DE LA FICHE DU WORKBOOK (P. 29)
1
“a safe environment, a safe community” (l. 2) + “good education for your kids” (l. 2-3) +
“a lot of opportunity to be a lot of things” (l. 3)
2
multiculturalism
3
“still growing up” (l. 8) + “maturing very quickly” (l. 8-9)
4
a) et b) Sad- dened : attristé • Dis -connect- ion : (ici) fracture / marginalisation
c) The interviewee thinks it is a shame that some ethnic groups cannot manage to accept
each other and live together in brotherhood, as it is still the case nowadays.
5
“treasure” (l. 13) + “the best together” (l. 15) + “wonderful” (l. 15)
6
very optimistic + confident about the future
7
Vérification individuelle de l’élève.
8
“a very vibrant Pacific country” (l. 17-18) + “its cultural heritage from the Pacific” (l. 18) +
“its place in the Pacific” (l. 20-21) + “It’s the wonderful connection between Asia and the
Pacific.” (l. 23-24)
ACTION!
This article presents us with a definition of New Zealand, as a multicultural nation which
offers many advantages to those who live there. This country is not at a standstill, on the
contrary, it keeps evolving. One downside is that the different communities don’t seem to
succeed in reaching unity, but the interviewee sounds quite hopeful and confident about the
future of New Zealand. He puts forward its strategic place in the Pacific and the diversity
of its population which is, according to him, a great wealth.
Objectif
j f
The article clearly shows the intricate and essential links New Zealand has with other areas
such as the Pacific and Europe. Not only does it derive most of its strength from its diversity
and its multiculturalism, but also from the strong economic ties it has developed with Asia,
from its political model inspired by Europe, and from the cultural influence of the Pacific.
It is a nation at the crossroads of all exchanges.
112 •
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2. Discovery Channel
& Productions possibles :
What makes New Zealand such a wonderful place to live in?
It’s a country where children are guaranteed a good education and young adults can pursue a
vast array of professional opportunities. It is a nation with low crime-rates where inhabitants
can rest assured of their and their families’ safety. Culturally it benefits from the rich heritage
of the Pacific peoples as well as the European origins of its system of government.
New Zealand is not just a minor Anglo-Saxon country. It is a major player in South Pacific
politics and regional economies. New Zealand is a major trading partner with Asia and the
Americas, and these ties bring them the strength necessary to pursue ambitious goals for their
ever-evolving country, and nurture their optimistic outlook on their nation’s future.
Challenges for the future include finding a way to make all 200 ethnic communities feel integrated as well as confident that their voices are – and will continue to be – heard. One of
the country’s major goals is to be able to fully take into account its rich cultural diversity as
it continues to build the nation’s future.
LANGUAGE AT WORK
MANUEL & P. 81
1
a. … the Maoris were promised the same rights as British subjects.
b. … Britain was given sovereignty over New Zealand.
c. … they have been granted compensation.
d. They believed they were guaranteed use of their land…
e. The Maoris were told that the treaty gave…
2
a. Je regrette que la Nouvelle Zélande soit si loin / éloignée.
b. J’aimerais bien pouvoir me payer un voyage à l’autre bout de la terre.
c. « Je veux voir le film La leçon de piano. »
« Eh bien, pas moi ! Je préfèrerais qu’on voie / que nous voyions Le Seigneur des Anneaux. »
d. Il est grand temps que tu tu ailles / que vous alliez au musée voir l’exposition sur l’art maori.
e. Je regrette que tu n’aies / que vous n’ayez pas pu visiter les grottes de Waitomo avec nous.
f. Pendant notre randonnée, il a tellement plu que nous n’avons pas pu grimper / monter
plus haut. Je regrette que nous n’ayons pas pu aller jusqu’au sommet de la montagne.
Observation des énoncés :
– Quand le regret porte sur le présent on emploie le prétérit modal.
– Quand le regret porte sur le passé on emploie le pluperfect modal.
Remarques :
– À la suite de wish, would/’d rather et it’s (high) time, on utilise un « prétérit modal » : were,
could, saw, went, had (managed), had (been able), etc.
– Le verbe wish a le sens général de « souhaiter ». Pour traduire en français wish suivi d’un
prétérit modal, on peut en général utiliser la construction « regretter que… », mais il ne faut
pas oublier d’inverser le système affirmation-négation : utiliser « regretter que… ne… pas »
pour traduire un construction anglaise positive, et « regretter que… » (sans négation) pour
une construction anglaise négative. Même remarque, bien sûr, pour la traduction dans le
sens français-anglais (« regretter » & wish).
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3
THE LAND OF TWO HALVES
a. This young Maori wishes he could speak his parents’ language.
b. He wishes his parents had taught it to him.
c. He wishes his children were more aware of their heritage and their culture.
d. It’s high time his children learnt / learned the language of their ancestors and took some
classes.
e. I wish I had seen The Lord of the Rings because the novels were fantastic and the films
were shot in New Zealand.
f. I would rather go to New Zealand than to South Africa.
> Productions possibles :
4
He is blaming the Treaty and the miscommunications it entailed for modern-day Maori problems.
Through his analogy he says that the homes and land of his people (big house, plenty of room)
were taken away from them. The Maori wished they could have had peaceful and fair relations
with the English, as equals (flatmates). He says the Treaty’s promises have been forgotten (they
forgot they had a lease agreement with us), leaving the Maori communities in poor shape, as if
they weren’t actually the original inhabitants and instead were outsiders (the kennel outside).
It looks as if the Maoris owed white people money (charging us with rent).
5
I wish I knew more about my people’s traditions.
I wish my parents had had better job opportunities.
I wish my grandparents had been prouder of their heritage.
I wish my country would be more unified.
I wish I could go back in time and warn them all.
IMPROVE YOUR READING SKILLS
MANUEL & P. 82
> Proposition de corrigé :
2
a) – Repérer le type de texte (roman, article, pièce de théâtre)
– Identifier les lieux
– Repérer les marqueurs de temps importants.
– Identifier les idées clés, les sentiments dominants et les relations entre les personnages
b) – Déduire le sens des mots en jaune à l’aide du contexte et en vert en les décomposant
(dérivation, composition)
– Identifier la valeur de would dans ce contexte (cf. Précis grammatical 20)
– Identifier le référent. À quoi se réfère ce pronom dans le texte ?
– Quels sentiments révèlent ce verbe ?
3
Kahu, a girl, is hiding outside the room where her grandfather is giving a lesson on Maori
traditions, a class reserved for the boys of the tribe. He describes in vivid detail what it was
like to harpoon a whale at sea and cut it up on shore. Kahu is shocked and outraged by the
violence of the story and can’t keep herself from bursting into the room to protest angrily. Her
grandfather is furious and literally throws her out of the room.
114 •
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YOUR TASK
MANUEL & P. 83
> Mise en œuvre :
Vous trouverez sur le site compagnon :
1) deux textes à distribuer aux élèves
2) deux fiches de compréhension écrite (une pour les LV1 et une pour les LV2)
3) les corrigées de ces deux fiches.
& Productions possibles :
Dear Uncle Tu,
I finally came up to visit you last week from Auckland. I’m sorry it’s been so long. Your nephew
Henare’s wife was there and I got to chat with her a bit. She looked quite Maori to me but she
didn’t understand when I greeted her in Maori, so we just spoke English. I thought it was only
in Auckland that the Maori had stopped speaking our language entirely, so you can imagine
my surprise when I learnt that even back in the kaingas our language is lost.
I was also shocked that your farm had completely vanished. I remember how content you were
back when I was a kid and you used to manage your own land – make decisions. How did
they ever convince you to give it all up so they could build a hotel? Whatever they paid you,
it obviously wasn’t enough because you’re still out there working in the Metal Industries every
single day despite your advanced age.
Anyway, on the bus back to Auckland our conversation really got me thinking. I thought
about how she warned me that “Islanders” might take my job if I didn’t hurry back to the
city. Isn’t it unfortunate that the Maoris and the immigrants from the nearby islands don’t
get along better? Yes, we the Maori should be proud of our unique cultural heritage, but we
should also be respectful of others’. In order to better fight for our rights we should be banding
together with the immigrants and celebrating what we have in common rather than struggling
against them.
So I’ve made a resolution: I’m going to learn the Maori language. I want to be better informed
about our rich history in order to defend our future. Will you help me, Uncle? I know next
year you’ll be retired, maybe you can visit me in Auckland and help me with my research.
Love,
Your nephew
READING CORNER
MANUEL & P. 84-85
Voir fiche d’exploitation et corrigé sur le site compagnon.
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WHICH IS WITCH?
& Mythes et héros & Lieux et formes du pouvoir
Tâche finale (p. 97) : You are writing a history book. Select one literary text to
illustrate the chapter on witch hunting in American history. Justify your choice by
writing a summary for the publisher.
Activités
langagières
Tune in!
(p. 86)
1. Village
of fear
(p. 87)
2. Guilty by
suspicion
(p. 88-89)
4. Rumour
has it!
(p. 92-93)
116 •
U N IT 6
Prolongements
tâches / aides
PPC
Commenter une image fixe
de film
Commenter un document
visuel (p. 240-241)
CO
L’histoire de Salem en 1692
– Comprendre un message
oral (p. 238-239)
– Fiche Workbook
CE
Comprendre un extrait
de pièce de théâtre
Fiche Workbook
PPC
Rendre compte d’un texte
Évaluation sommative de PPC
(p. 58-59)
PE
Rédiger une page d’un journal
intime
Rédiger un texte (p. 234-237)
CE
– Comprendre une bande
dessinée
– Lire et repérer
des informations
PE
Rédiger un article
d’encyclopédie
PPC
Raconter et expliquer
CE
Comprendre un extrait
de roman
Fiche Workbook
Raconter et expliquer
Enrichir sa prise de parole
(p. 242-243)
PE
Rédiger un compte rendu
d’audience
Rédiger un texte (p. 234-237)
CO
Vidéo : A King in New York
(Charlie Chaplin, 1957)
Fiche vidéo (DVD-Rom
et site compagnon)
CE
Comprendre un extrait
de roman
Fiche Workbook
PPC
Raconter et expliquer
Enrichir sa prise de parole
(p. 242-243)
PPC
3. A suspect
(p. 90-91)
Contenus
Rédiger un texte (p. 234-237)
Activités
langagières
4. Rumour
has it!
(p. 92-93)
Contenus
Prolongements
tâches / aides
PPC
ou PE
Commenter, donner son point
de vue et illustrer à l’aide
d’exemples
Rédiger un texte (p. 234-237)
PE
– Imaginer et rédiger la suite
d’un texte
– Imaginer et rédiger un
dialogue à la suite d’un texte
Rédiger un texte (p. 234-237)
PPC
Raconter un film
Enrichir sa prise de parole
(p. 242-243)
L’activité langagière principale de cette unité est la CE (compréhension de l’écrit).
TUNE IN!
MANUEL & P. 86
> Mise en œuvre :
On pourra choisir de faire travailler l’ensemble de la classe sur la photographie présentée
p. 86, mais on pourra également diviser la classe en deux et faire travailler la moitié des
élèves sur la page 86 et l’autre sur l’affiche p. 87. Dans ce cas, on fera travailler des élèves
moins autonomes sur la p. 86, où ils pourront s’appuyer sur les questions et le Help!, pendant que les autres travailleront sur l’affiche. La mise en commun mènera à l’anticipation
du contenu du texte.
1. Observe
& Productions possibles :
a.
The woman in the photograph is wearing a white cap and she is dressed as a Puritan, so we
guess that the scene must take place in the 17th century. She looks helpless / defenceless
/ powerless, anxious / scared / panic-stricken and puzzled. People are pointing at her, they
may be shouting abuse at her. She looks trapped / cornered. They may accuse her of being
under the influence of Satan. We can see a rag doll lying on the floor. It could be her child’s
doll. Her child may be accused too as rag dolls are often associated with practices of black
magic. The paper on the left may be what was written at the trial.
What I find most striking about this picture, is the look on this poor woman’s face. She must
be one of the women who were accused of being witches during the Salem witch trials. The
woman’s facial expression can express all the emotions that were felt at that time by the
victims of such accusations. This woman may be given a death sentence. The fingers pointing
at her are the fingers of her accusers.
b.
The camera angle used in this picture is a high-angle shot. This gives the impression that we are
looking down on the woman. I believe that the photographer did this to give the point of view
U N IT 6
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WHICH IS WITCH?
of the judges who were always looking down on these women (both figuratively and literally).
This camera angle seems to give us a sense of power over this woman. The high-angle shot
reinforces her vulnerability. She looks helpless and she does not seem to understand what is
happening to her.
c.
Many names seem to be written over the photograph. I believe that these names may represent
some of the women whose lives were taken during these trials. This is shocking because there
are so many names. It has the effect of showing us just how many were killed at that time.
2. Salem, 1692
> Mise en œuvre :
On pourra faire écouter cet enregistrement sur l’histoire de Salem après avoir travaillé sur
la photographie, mais on pourra aussi ne l’étudier qu’après avoir mis en commun le travail
des élèves sur les images des pages 86 et 87. Le contenu de l’enregistrement permettra
ainsi de compléter ce qui aura été dit.
CORRIGÉ DE LA FICHE DU WORKBOOK (P. 30-31)
1
niece (nièce) • chores (tâches ménagères) • verses (versets) • fortune (bonne aventure)
• magic (magie) • pulpit (chaire, pupitre) • screamed (hurla) • choked (étouffée) • writhed
(se tordaient de douleur) • wicked (méchant) • pious (pieux)
2
- dire la bonne aventure: fortune telling - oisiveté: idleness
3
b) When: seventeenth century Where: Salem
Who: Betty Paris + Abigail Williams + Reverend Parris + Tituba
4
a)
Activities
– having games or toys
– concentrating on chores
and Bible verses
– magic, fortune telling, stories
Allowed
Forbidden
Why?
x
“sign of idleness”
x
“strictly forbidden by
Puritan code”
x
b) “Reverend” + “Bible” + “verses” + “Puritan”
5
When? (Last) Sunday, in January Where? At church
6
Girls’ behaviour
– strange behaviour: screaming, twitching
and rolling on the floor
– screamed and fell into a fit
– one barked like a dog, flapped her arms
like a bird, others writhed as if being
choked
118 •
U N IT 6
People’s reactions
– certain that the girls were the victims
of witchcraft
– frightened by the hysteria
– begged the girls to identify their
tormentors
7
People accused
Names?
- Tituba
- Sarah Good
- Sarah Osborne
Who?
- slave
- homeless beggar
- sickly old woman
Their reactions
– Tituba confessed and
claimed that there were
other witches in Salem.
– Osborne and Good
maintained their
innocence.
Consequences
a wave of paranoia
and accusations
8
John Proctor + Dorcas Good + Rebecca Nurse
9
Gentle grandmother: Rebecca Nurse • Wealthy farmer: John Proctor • Four-year-old girl:
Dorcas Good • Pious churchgoer: Rebecca Nurse
10
These people were accused of witchcraft.
11
“More than one hundred fifty”: it corresponds to the number of people who were imprisoned
after having been accused of witchcraft.
ACTION!
The recording immerses us in the Puritan town of Salem and presents some austere
characters such as Reverend Parris who wages war against sinners and thus forbids his
nieces to do things which would not be pious or respectful of the Puritan ethic. They have
to stick to strictly righteous activities, namely going to church and reading Bible verses.
However, one day, some girls of the village start behaving in a suspicious way and seem
bewitched or possessed by the devil. People in Salem start gossiping and decide to
have the Reverend do something about it. The girls are put under enormous pressure
and are forced to accuse some townspeople of witchcraft, a forbidden activity for which
any suspect is considered a criminal and an accomplice of the devil. This leads to an
even more acute wave of hysteria in the village, and many people are sentenced to jail
for practicing witchcraft.
> Script de l’enregistrement (CD 1, plage 30)
fortune • wicked • pious • verses • niece • chores • pulpit •screamed • writhed • choked
> Script de l’enregistrement (CD 1, plage 31)
Part 1
For Betty Parris, and her cousin Abigail Williams, life in seventeenth century Salem was strict.
As daughter, and niece, of the Reverend Parris, they were not allowed to have games or toys.
Such play was a sign of idleness, when they should be concentrating on chores and Bible
verses. Betty, Abigail, and other girls didn’t tell the Reverend they were spending evenings
by the kitchen fire with his Caribbean slave, Tituba. Tituba would entertain them with magic,
fortune telling, and stories from her native island of Barbados: such activities were strictly
forbidden by Puritan code. 0’46’’
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Part 2
In January, Betty and Abigail began to exhibit strange behaviour; screaming, twitching and
rolling on the floor. The village doctor was certain that the girls were the victims of witchcraft.
The first public display of their affliction came the last Sunday, in January. As her father read
from the pulpit, Betty Parris screamed and fell into a fit. Other girls, including twelve-year-old
Ann Putnam, followed. One barked like a dog, another flapped her arms like a bird. Others
writhed as if being choked. Frightened by the hysteria, the townspeople begged the girls to
identify their wicked tormentors. 1’34’’
Part 3
With pressure mounting, the girls finally cried out three names: Tituba, Sarah Good, and Sarah
Osborne. A slave, a homeless beggar, and a sickly old woman who had married her servant:
three social outcasts who were despised and distrusted by the townspeople. When the three
accused witches appeared before the magistrates, Osborne and Good maintained their innocence. But Tituba, perhaps frightened after being beaten by Reverend Parris, confessed,
and claimed that there were other witches in Salem. Her admission of witchcraft sparked a
wave of paranoia and accusations. 2’20’’
Part 4
The girls began to point fingers at other townspeople. They claimed that spirits of the
alleged witches would secretly visit and hurt them. No one was safe from their accusations.
There was Rebecca Nurse, the gentle grandmother and pious churchgoer. John Proctor, the
wealthy farmer, who had warned against the girls outbursts. Even Dorcas Good, the little
four-year-old, who had spent months chained to the prison wall. By the middle of Spring, more
than one hundred fifty were in jail, including some of the village’s most prominent figures.
1. VILLAGE OF FEAR
MANUEL & P. 87
1. Find the key information
& Productions possibles (affiche du film de Nicholas Hytner) :
The scene takes place at night, in a forest. It is dark and what catches the eye is the group
of women dancing around an open fire and a cauldron. They are wearing long gowns. We are
struck by their disorganized movements and loose hair. They look wild, possessed and the
cauldron may be associated with witchcraft. The girl on the right, in the background is black.
She must be Tituba, the black slave.
CORRIGÉ DE LA FICHE DU WORKBOOK (P. 32-33)
1
Betty is Parris’s daughter. Parris is Abigail’s uncle so Abigail is his niece and Abigail and
Betty are cousins.
2
He should go downstairs to the parlour.
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3
“it” = the rumour • “her” = Betty • “them” = people in the parlour • “them” = people in the
parlour • “they” = people in the parlour
4
furious, worried, upset, ill at ease
5
- “the rumor of witchcraft is all about” (l. 1) - “they’re speakin’ of witchcraft” (l. 9)
6
“Did” is used to confirm a fact is true: “my daughter and my niece I discovered dancing”
(l. 5-6).
7
- revealed your secret: opened - lost consciousness: fainted - that’s all: there’s the whole
of it - trembling: quavering
8
What Parris saw
his daughter and
niece dancing
in the forest
Betty’s
condition
She fainted.
Abigail’s
explanations
The rumour
- They danced.
- Betty was frightened
when he leaped out
of the bush.
- witchcraft
- Betty’s bewitched
- Abigail is
a witch.
9
– “it” (l. 20): if you trafficked with spirits – “it” (l. 21): this information / the fact you trafficked with spirits – “it” (l. 24): the fact you trafficked with spirits / the truth – “it” (l. 26):
I have many enemies.
10
Parris is suspicious, he doesn’t believe Abigail.
- “I must know it now” (l. 20) - “It must come out” (l. 24) - “Let me know what you done
there.” (l. 24-25)
11
Parris has many enemies in the village and fears that they might take advantage of this
situation to get rid of him and replace him.
ACTION!
Objectif
j f
1
Parris begs Abigail to confess what she did with his daughter Betty in the forest. He is
convinced that they were conjuring spirits when he caught sight of them. The townspeople are now gathered in his parlour and want him to account for the behaviour of
his niece. He fears somebody might use it against him to dismiss him as Reverend and
he will not be satisfied / relieved until Abigail tells him the truth.
2
“Village of fear” represents the town of Salem, where anybody could be accused of witchcraft upon any kind of suspicion. People feared witches might bewitch the whole town and
were adamant about the fate of those who were thought to be witches. Fear is palpable
throughout the extract: Abigail fears she might be accused of conjuring spirits, Parris fears
his daughter might not wake up and that people might use it against him.
This passage illustrates the power fear can have on people’s minds. The town is swept
by a wave of paranoia. Unexplained actions or behaviours arouse the greatest suspicion
among the inhabitants of Salem. The victims of accusations and innuendoes are defenceless against the rumour of witchcraft that spreads like wildfire.
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2. Summarize briefly
& Productions possibles :
Group A: Parris is the preacher in the town of Salem, Massachusetts. In this scene, his daughter Betty is lying in bed in a state of shock and has not moved for hours. She is ten years old.
Parris is standing at the bedside with his niece Abigail. It seems that Parris caught the children
dancing around a fire in the woods the previous night. When Betty realized he had seen them,
she entered a state of shock. Parris is fearful that these girls may have conjured spirits and
that it may be the cause of Betty’s sickness. This is terrifying for Parris, who knows that if his
daughter and niece are suspected of being witches, he will lose his job.
Group B: Abigail is 17 years old. Her uncle is Parris and he is a preacher. Her little cousin Betty
is lying in bed. Abigail, Betty and a few other girls had gone off one night and danced in the
forest. This was just the antics of a few immature school girls. However, at one point Parris
jumped out on them and Betty was so surprised that she fell into a fit of shock. Abigail is now
quite frightened because the entire town is talking of witchcraft. Abigail is trying to persuade
her uncle that no such witchcraft took place. She does not deny dancing in the woods but
she denies conjuring spirits.
3. True facts
& Productions possibles :
January 18th, 1692
Salem, Massachusetts
Sitting here at home, I feel I am getting warm enough to hold my pen to write. My heart,
however, still feels icy and scared. Last night, Uncle Parris caught Betty and me in the woods
dancing. He was extremely angry with us. Betty only had to catch one glimpse of the look on
his face before she fainted.
As I write here by the fire, Betty is still upstairs lying in bed unconscious, but Uncle Parris
stormed out earlier, muttering something about witchcraft, and his enemies. I’m afraid of
what he will do to us. He threatened me, saying, “Now look you, child, your punishment will
come in its time.” He wanted me to tell him more about the evil spirits, but I insisted that we
had only been dancing. I don’t know what Uncle Parris will do to punish us, but I know that he
desperately wants to keep his position here in Salem as Reverend. His words about witchcraft
keep ringing in my head, and I wonder what is going to happen to us.
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2. GUILTY BY SUSPICION
MANUEL & P. 88-89
1. Read the comic strip
& Productions possibles :
– Dates: 1950s, February 9th 1950, 1934 (beginnings of HUAC), early fifties (period of prosperity in the USA but fear of communism).
Famous people mentioned :
– John F. Kennedy: Senator at the time (elected in 1952); staunch anti-communist.
– Robert Kennedy (behind J.F. Kennedy): December 1952, he was appointed by Republican
Senator Joe McCarthy as assistant counsel of the US Senate Permanent Subcommittee on
Investigations.
– Shirley Temple is an American film and television actress, singer and dancer. She was
born April 23, 1928, in Santa Monica, California. She was such an active child that her mother
enrolled her in a dancing class. A Hollywood talent agent visited the class and picked 3-yearold Shirley to appear in a series of comedy shorts. In 1934, she became a star in Bright Eyes.
At the age of 8, she was suspected of having Communist leanings (not four as is said in the
comic), because she autographed a photo for the Hollywood correspondent of an allegedly
Communist newspaper in Paris.
– Economic situation: early fifties = period of prosperity in the USA.
– Joe McCarthy was an undistinguished Senator from Wisconsin, a Republican, a heavy
drinker with a falsified war record. He made a speech on February 1950 in which he claimed
he could name 205 members of the Communist party who worked in the State department.
– HUAC: the House Un-American Activities Committee. The content of Hollywood films has
always been regulated in one form or another, however between 1947 and 1954, the HUAC
members considered it their duty to check for any Communist influences. Hollywood became
the best known target of the committee.
2. Become a history expert
Group A: McCarthyism is called the second Red Scare because the first Scare happened a
couple decades earlier following World War I. However, the two Red Scares were not identical.
The first Scare had much more to do with worker revolution and political radicalism. The government feared that Americans might become overwhelmingly Communist. During the second
Red Scare, people were much more concerned with foreigners infiltrating the government.
This is where McCarthy came in. He was appointed to find the Communists that were inside
the US government. McCarthy enjoyed using the idea of a blacklist. To be “blacklisted” during
this time period, meant that you were positively a Communist and had to be tried as such.
Group B: Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were American Communists who were charged with
passing information about the atomic bomb to the Soviet Union. They were convicted and
executed for espionage. It was the first execution of civilians for espionage in American History. They were executed on June 19, 1953. Even to this day, the execution of the Rosenbergs
is controversial. There were many others that were convicted of the same crime, and their
punishment was no more than a few years in jail. What can be seen here is the dangerous
effects of hysteria. When an entire country gets caught up in an event, it can be blown out of
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proportion and people can get hurt. This is the fate that the Rosenbergs suffered during the
Communist scare.
Group C: The Hollywood Ten were a group of motion-picture producers, directors and screenwriters who were suspected and accused of subversive Communist activity. In October 1947,
they were summoned before the House Un-American Activities Committee and questioned
about their supposed Communist affiliations. They refused to answer the questions and were
convicted and imprisoned for 6 to 12 months for being in contempt of Congress. Following their
imprisonment, they were refused work back in Hollywood. Most of these severely blacklisted
men were never again employed in the film industry. Only two of them ever wrote again, and
not until the list disappeared in the early 1960s.
3. “Guilty by Suspicion”
a.b. In the trailer, a man named David Merrill is a Hollywood film director. It is 1951 and he is
brought before the House Un-American Activities Committee as a suspected Communist, or
at least because he has connections with Communists. He is apparently being asked a lot of
questions about some Communist meetings he attended including where they were and who
attended them. His son fears they might kill his dad for being a suspected Red and a woman
looks at him and says, “You’re dead David, d-e-a-d, dead.”
“Guilty by Suspicion” seems to be both an interesting and exciting movie about the Communist
Scare of the 1950s. I think it sounds worthwhile, and the action and suspense make me want
to watch the movie.
c.
Both the comic on page 88 and the “Guilty by Suspicion” trailer portray the 1950s as a period
of time marked by suspicion and distrust as Americans worried that the Communists would
insidiously overtake America even though it was a period of domestic tranquility. They accuse
David Merrill, who seems to be innocent in the trailer, and the cartoon shows that even the
little girl Shirley Temple was suspected as a potential Communist.
d.
During the Salem witch trials the witnesses were urged to give the names of other suspects
out of fear that their names would be further maligned, and similarly, in the trailer for “Guilty
by Suspicion,” the fictional David Merrill is accused along with others from Hollywood of being a suspected Communist. He is pressured to give the names of others in order to save his
own career and possibly his life. Webs of deceit and accusations link the two events most
closely. The time in history is the most obvious difference between the two events; one took
place in the 17th century, the other depicts McCarthyism of the 1950s, well after America’s
founding. In both cases the charges against people were groundless, innocent people were
wrongly accused, people who testified just gave names, denounced people who were thought
to be traitors without concrete evidence. Both witch hunts were triggered by fear, the rights
of the accused were trampled on. The Puritans tracked down witches and Communists were
tracked down a few centuries afterwards. Hysteria characterizes both periods. The Puritans
defended their new settlement in the new world. The Red Scare corresponded to a period
when Communism was considered a threat to democracy.
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3. A SUSPECT
MANUEL & P. 90-91
1. Main facts
CORRIGÉ DE LA FICHE DU WORKBOOK (P. 33-34)
1
a) The word starts with a capital letter. It refers to a political party, here the Communist
Party.
b) Eitel means he probably met this man at a social event, a gathering, whereas Crane
means that the man belongs to a political party.
c) Crane comments upon the fact that Eitel is making fun of him, he pretends he doesn’t
know anything but Crane does not believe it.
2
a) laugh + ter. The root is the verb “to laugh”. Laughter here means rires because Eitel
makes fun of Crane by being witty. b) bad (l. 22) c) films
3
a)
Questions
asked
Expected
answers
- Are you or have you been
a member of the Party?
- Do you refuse to answer?
- yes or no
- Did you know Mr–?
- Did you know he was an
agent of the Party?
- Do you love your country?
- yes or no
- yes or no
- You say you met the agent
in question?
- If your memory is bad how
did you make your pictures?
- yes
- yes
- yes or no
Trap / no
answer really
expected
Answer
given by Eitel
- I should think my answer would be
obvious.
- May I say that I answer with reluctance
and under duress. I have never been…
- I probably met him at a party or two.
- I didn’t know.
- I’ve always thought of love in
connection with women.
- I can’t be sure. My memory is weak.
- That’s a good question… I wonder
how I did make them.
b) provocative • funny • sarcastic • cunning • elusive • defiant. On peut ajouter witty à cette liste.
4
a) “this country” (l. 26) = the USA b) “them” (l. 32) = the enemy
c) “our” (l. 34) = the Congress d) “It” (l. 42) = what makes it vulgar
5
- dossiers - vous gagnez votre vie
6
He doesn’t mention it because he knows Eitel knows whom he means, there is an implicit
understanding between the two men. The scene takes place during the Cold War, so the
enemy is obvious.
7
a) In case of war, would you fight for the USA?
b) The USA was opposed to the USSR, whose name is not mentioned because the scene takes
place during the Cold War, so the enemy is obvious. However, no war was officially declared.
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8
contemptuous + offensive: “It sounds a little vulgar as you repeat it” (l. 37)
9
a) provocative + sarcastic + defiant
b) - Provocative: “I would have put it differently if I had known some agent of your Committee was reporting what I said” (l. 37-39) + “It’s the alliteration of the p’s that makes it
vulgar.” (l. 42) + “if I were drafted, I wouldn’t have much choice, would I?” (l. 27)
- Sarcastic: “I would fight for them with even less enthusiasm.” (l. 32) + “I suppose I did.”(l.
35) + “it sounds a little vulgar as you repeat it” (l. 37)
- Defiant : “May I say that?” (l. 27)
ACTION!
Objectif
j f
1
Eitel is questioned by a committee and he keeps pretending he does not know anything.
He avoids answering and resorts to humour and sarcasm to make a laughing stock of
Crane. He holds his interviewers up to ridicule. The more cunning and provocative Eitel is,
the more people at the hearing laugh. With crafty and clever means, Eitel manages not to
yield to the pressure and openly shows he is unwilling to confess what he knows to them.
2
In the scene, the committee aims at giving evidence of Eitel’s involvement with the Communist Party. They fear he might be betraying his country and try to intimidate him so that
he will give in and testify against some people. They threaten him into giving names and
demand that he (should) denounce people who might plot against America. Nevertheless, Eitel is defiant and does not give in. The judges do not get the answers they expect
and Eitel makes a laughing stock of them.
This text casts a new light on the suspicious atmosphere which prevailed in America during the Cold War. Many artists were suspected of being involved in the Communist Party,
and trials took place to decide whether they were loyal and faithful to their country. In this
passage, the judges of the committee clearly inspire fear and are in a position of power.
However, as Eitel answers their questions, he appears more powerful since his answers are
cunning and elusive. He manages to stay in control despite the pressure on his shoulders
and does not yield to their threats.
2. Speak from your notes
S’appuyer sur les réponses du Action! ci-dessus.
3. Go further
& Productions possibles :
Congressman Crane and Chairman Norton are supposed to be in a position of power, because
they called Eitel to question him. However, we gradually realize that he gets the upper hand by
resorting to wit and humour. He also skillfully avoids answering the tricky questions the two other
men ask him. Therefore, we can conclude he is far more powerful than the two investigators.
12 6 •
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4. Write a report
House Committee Investigating Un-American Activity in Hollywood
Official Report, February 1953
Those present at the hearing: Congressmen Crane and Norton and Mr. Charles Eitel.
The hearing began with Congressman Crane and Chairman Norton asking the witness,
Mr. Charles Eitel, about his political affiliation. The witness responded that he had never been
a member of a political party. The Congressman then began to question the witness about
suspected members of the Communist Party in Hollywood. Reticent from the beginning, Mr.
Eitel refused to answer the Congressman’s questions directly, always evasive in his responses.
The witnesses denied any knowledge of Mr. Eitel’s affiliation with the Party.
When the question of his own patriotism and love of country arose, Mr. Eitel, no longer
quite as taciturn, quipped in response that he only thought of love as it concerned women.
Unamused, the Chairman threatened to hold Mr. Eitel in contempt of court if he continued to
disregard the serious nature of the investigation. Again the Congressman queried whether or
not the witness knew the Communist agent in question. Mr. Eitel flippantly retorted that he
could not remember.
Continuing in the proceedings, Congressman Crane asked Mr. Eitel if he would be willing
to fight for the United States were it to go to war. He facetiously replied that thanks to the
draft he would not have a choice about whether or not to enlist; furthermore, he clarified that
he would fight “without enthusiasm”. Finally, when questioned about whether or not he stood
by his previous statement asserting that “patriotism is for pigs,” Mr. Eitel defiantly refused to
answer the question or to clarify his intent.
5. Watch a video : A King in New York
N. B. : la fiche élève, son corrigé, le script et l’exploitation de l’extrait se trouvent dans le
livret du DVD-Rom et sur le site compagnon.
4. RUMOUR HAS IT!
MANUEL & P. 92-93
1. Read and understand
CORRIGÉ DE LA FICHE DU WORKBOOK (P. 35-36)
1
Denton = a history professor • Rudolf Jordache = former student
2
a) “you” (l. 1): Denton b) “They” (l. 6): Denton’s enemies c) “I” (l. 10): Rudolf
3
a) professoral b) approbation c) déguisé d) courants
4
a) Students do realize what is going on. b) It’s one of my defects.
5
a) academic b) I thought that, as a professor, I could speak freely, but I was wrong.
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6
Who is the enemy?
the vice-chairman
Contents of the file
Goal
- scraps of gossip over a drink
- lines out of context
- insinuations
offer him up as a sacrifice
7
They are going to denounce me to save their jobs.
8
paranoid + frightened + frank + suspicious + fearful: “‘My enemies’ Denton’s eyes
scanned the bar, searching out enemies, disguised as workmen drinking beer.” (l. 8-9)
clear-sighted: “I am too ouspoken, it is a failing of mine.” (l. 13-14) + “I’m naïve, I have
believed in the myth of academic freedom.” (l. 14) + “The vice-chairman […] has prepared
a dossier, scraps of gossip over a drink, lines out of context, insinuations.” (l. 15-16)
9
Rudolf Jordache and Denton
10
a) They have found a culprit, the culprit they wanted to find. b) The Communists
11
a) “it” (l. 27) = the situation b) “They” (l. 36) = a special board
12
preposterous
13
Enemies
- a special board
- the President
of the university
Charges
against him
- a five-dollar contribution
to an obscure charity in
1938
- a reference to Karl Marx
in a class
- So, he is accused
of sympathizing with
Communism.
Official
reason
to investigate
charges against
various members
of the faculty
Hidden
reason
to head all the
State, throw them
a few bodies, not
imperil the grant
from the State
b) They want to protect the money the State gives them, make sure they keep receiving
it, so they are going to denounce a few people to show their loyalty.
14
– incredulous + frightened + stunned: “Oh Christ” (l. 38)
– skeptical: “I don’t quite understand…” (l. 22)
– reassuring: “I’m sure you have nothing to worry about” (l. 26)
ACTION!
At first, Denton does not say what kind of trouble he is in. Little by little, he confides in
his former student and breaks the news that the university President is plotting against
him in order to get rid of him. He fears he might be a scapegoat, and all of a sudden
he realizes that he might be spied on. Rudolf is stunned and cannot believe his former
professor is suspected of being a Communist activist. Nevertheless, Denton contends
that he has been threatened and the President might press charges against him. He
makes it clear to his friend that he has been cornered by people who have distorted
the truth and betrayed him.
12 8 •
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Objectif
j f
This passage shows the power of innuendoes and how many people were declared unfaithful
to America on mere suspicion. It did not take more than a rumour or some shallow evidence
to accuse somebody. What is more, those who were in power used innocent people as
scapegoats to protect their own jobs. In this text, there is no denying that Denton is in
for trouble because he is powerless.
2. Speak from your notes
S’appuyer sur les réponses du Action! ci-dessus.
3. Take a stand
& Productions possibles : This quote, and the idea behind it, should never be forgotten. Groups of people have been
unjustly targeted throughout history in many if not most societies. Racial profiling is illegal
but still common today. Some groups are “randomly” selected to be searched at airports at
a disproportionately high rate. Also, police officers along the border with Mexico have been
known to stop Hispanic-looking people for no particular reason in order to check their IDs in
the hopes of sending them back to Mexico if they are undocumented or in the country illegally.
Black Americans are convicted of crimes and imprisoned at disproportionately high rates, even
when poverty and other criteria are taken into account. The black male incarceration rate is
six times higher than for white males.
4. Writing workshop
& Productions possibles :
a.
Sinking into his easy chair with Keynes’ book, The General Theory of Employment, Interest
and Money in hand, Professor Denton sipped on a glass of brandy and tried unsuccessfully
to read. Unable to concentrate on the book, his thoughts kept returning to the day’s turbulent
events.
“What did he mean when he suggested that I take my sabbatical a year early?” Denton asked
himself. “Does he want me to stop teaching for a year,” Denton wondered, “or forever?”
Perhaps the Provost’s suggestion of a sabbatical was a good tactic to help him escape the
search for Communist sympathizers among the faculty. If he left for a year, things might blow
over, allowing him to come back without a problem the following school year. Otherwise, the
President’s special board of investigation, egged on by the vice-chairman, was sure to misinterpret everything that Denton had ever said or taught. The board had been created especially
to root out Communists and Denton wasn’t keen on coming under their scrutiny. After all, he
believed that he was their primary target. If he requested permission to take his sabbatical
early, maybe that would allow him to avoid losing tenure, or worse, his job.
“Hmm,” thought Denton, “maybe this sabbatical is just the opportunity I’ve been waiting for
to finish writing my book.” He smiled to himself, drained his glass, and began to read.
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b.
WHICH IS WITCH?
Police Officer: We’d like to ask you a few questions about the man you had lunch with
yesterday.
Rudolf: You mean professor Denton?
PO: Yes, he’s the one. What exactly did you two talk about?
R: I’m not going to tell you that, why should I tell you anything? It was a private conversation
between a man and his former history professor.
PO: Well, did he mention anything about activism he’s been involved in recently?
R: Not at all, I don’t know what you’re talking about.
PO: Listen, we’d really like you to cooperate with us here. Do you consider yourself a patriot
Mr. Jordache?
R: Oh, now you’re accusing ME of something?!
PO: Did he ask for your help or support, by chance? You may or may not be aware that he is
under investigation for un-American activity.
R: You mean you think he’s involved in spying or terrorism? He’s in league with the Russians?
PO: I don’t know, is that what YOU think?
R: (scoffs) That’s absurd. Just because he happens to be more left-leaning than his colleagues?
Because he encourages his students to question opinions that are presented to them as facts?
PO: Listen, we’ll be watching you closely. When you change your mind and feel like being more
cooperative, here’s my number.
N. B. : On pourra proposer aux élèves le scénario inverse ci-dessous.
Denton is arrested
“Sir, we have a few questions for you, if you don’t mind coming with us down to the station?” the police officers asked as they approached Professor Denton.
“Sure, no problem. I’ve got nothing to hide, but I don’t have all day. I have a dinner engagement at 7.”
“No problem, Prof. Denton, this should only take few minutes.”
Briskly, the officers lead Denton to a small room at the back of the building. It was drafty and
dimly lit. The professor felt a chill run down his spine as the officer invited him to have a seat.
Perching uneasily on the edge of his chair, Denton waited for the barrage questions to begin.
“What is your connection to Rudolph Jordache?” the officer asked Denton.
“He’s one of my former students,” Pr. Denton replied. “I had him in several classes while
he was at the college.”
“Do you make it a habit to spend time with your students outside of class?” the officer
demanded with a furrowed brow.
“Only the good ones,” Pr. Denton joked nervously.
“Hmm…” said the officer. “What do you know of Jordache’s political leanings?” he asked
suddenly. Then, without giving Denton time to reply to the question, he followed it by another:
“Do they match your own?”
“I can’t speak for him,” said Denton, “if you want to know about his politics, you should
ask him directly.”
“You know about the threat of Communism in our country today,” the officer replied with
a knowing look, “what’s your position on the subject?”
“That’s a loaded question,” the Professor retorted, “why do you ask?”
13 0 •
U N IT 6
5. Movie corner
> Mise en œuvre
Pour éviter que les élèves ne regardent tous les mêmes films on pourra, si on le souhaite,
répartir en classe les films entre les différents groupes.
& Productions possibles :
a.b. The House on Carroll Street, Peter Yates (1988) tells the story of a female journalist, Emily
Crain, who lives in Greenwich village in New York. She unintentionally gets tangled up in a
secret FBI investigation and is subpoenaed to testify. She was a witness to something, but she
does not really know what she had seen. Next, she becomes a suspect, but she is not sure
what she is suspected of, finally, she is encouraged to lie about what she is witnessed, but
she doesn’t know why. Emily doesn’t know whom to trust, or what she should do. Something
important has happened in the house on Carroll Street and this movie tells the story.
The House on Carroll Street looks intriguing. While the film looks a little old, it also looks like it
has a good story to tell. The heroine, Emily Crain, seems to want to do the right thing, but it is
hard for her to know who to trust. The film looks both exciting and unpredictable. I like movies
about brave individuals that must discern the right thing to do and follow through with it, even if
it means doing something that’s not politically correct. Emily seems like a strong leading lady in
the trailer and she makes me want to watch this movie to find out what happens to her.
LANGUAGE AT WORK
1
MANUEL & P. 94-95
N. B. : pour des raisons stylistiques certaines formes sont mises entre parenthèses.
In 1659, when Mary was fourteen, her grandmother was accused of witchcraft and (was)
hanged. The villagers planned to turn on Mary, but she was protected and (was) helped to
escape by a wealthy woman. This woman was in fact her mother. Mary was advised to leave,
and given a ticket for a ship bound for Massachusetts but when Mary arrived there, she was
threatened by the powerful leaders of the community.
2
coincided • were • were convicted • claimed • looked • were questioned • decided • did not
have • argued • had committed • were convicted • were executed
3
A. a. He is believed to be the culprit. b. He is said to often visit the place at night. c. He is
thought to have something to hide. d. He is even supposed to be violent. e. He is reported to
carry a knife.
B. a. Nowadays they are said to have been wrongly accused. b. They are said to have been
scapegoats. c. Senator McCarthy is said to have been a great manipulator. d. The prosecutor
is thought to have made up the evidence.
4
a. They were accused without proof / without (any) evidence and (they were) hanged. b. They
were suspected of being witches because their behaviour could not be explained. c. They were
never believed. d. Abigail is believed to have danced naked in the forest. e. Proctor is said
to have had an affair with Abigail. f. Reverend Parris was no longer trusted after the charges
brought against his niece.
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UNIT
6
WHICH IS WITCH?
5
Travail personnel.
6
a. The desk drawer is being searched by a mean-looking man. The investigation is being
carried out by a group of rough-looking investigators. The harmless-looking teacher is
being questioned about her political beliefs. Hard evidence has not / Real clues have not
been found, so the search is being continued. The map is about to be torn into pieces. The
allegedly subversive teacher has been suspected of criminal activity. Perhaps she fears
she will be fired. She might have been threatened by her boss and forced into cooperating
with the police.
b. Investigator: You read books, eh?
Teacher: Um, well, yes?
I: Why is the Soviet Union on your map of the world?
T: Um, why wouldn’t it be?
I: What have you been telling the students about the Russians?
T: Well, it is in fact a country, so it must be mentioned in the geography lessons.
I: What exactly have you been teaching them?!
T: What do you mean?!
I: Are you involved in un-American subversive political activities?
T: No! No, I’m a patriot!
I: We know that you recently subscribed to a left-leaning newspaper.
T: I’m not allowed to read that?
I: It is unpatriotic! And to think you may be brainwashing the tender young children of our nation!
T: Sir, I have no idea what you’re talking about! Please leave me alone!
I: (to a coworker) Hey, Roger, she’s not cooperating!
Investigator #2: OK, we’ll take her in to the station for further questioning!
T: No, no, I don’t know what you want from me!
I: Don’t act like you don’t understand! You can stop pretending you’re innocent! We’re onto you!
7
1 by • 2 by • 3 for • 4 of / about • 5 with • 6 of • 7 of • 8 with • 9 of • 10 to
Remarque : le « to » qui suit « eager » n’est pas une préposition mais la particule infinitive
(si c’était une préposition, il faudrait lire « eager to getting rid », ce qui est incorrect.)
8
1 for • 2 with • 3 of • 4 with • 5 to • 6 of • 7 in • 8 for • 9 for
IMPROVE YOUR READING SKILLS
MANUEL & P. 96
1
Threat : menace, indice : anxious • triggered : déclenché, indice : fear • right-wing : de droite,
décomposition du mot • prominent figures : personnages / personnalités important(e)s,
indices : politicians et Richard Nixon • launched : lancer, indice attack et mot proche du
français • beliefs : croyances, indice : dérivé de believe • claimed : affirma, déclara, indice :
rapporte les paroles de qqn • infiltrators, subversive : agents infiltrés, subversif, mots
proches du français • barred from : on leur interdit de, indice : blacklisted • evidence :
preuve, indice : although there was no • charged with : être condamnés pour, indice : jailed
2
Donner la référence du sketch des Monty Python, Burn the Witch!
– Texte disponible à l’adresse suivante :
www.mtholyoke.edu/~ebarnes/python/witch-trial.htm
13 2 •
U N IT 6
– Sketch visible sur Youtube :
www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrzMhU_4m-g
Corrigé : 1 accuses • 2 of • 3 blame • 4 for • 5 devil • 6 eager • 7 to • 8 made up • 9 denies •
10 condemned • 11 evidence • 12 fair • 13 trial • 14 entitled • 15 manipulated
3
a. paranoia • ideology • distrust • suspicion • guilt • hate / hatred • hyterics • doubt
b. unbiased • dishonest • disrespectful • unfair • indecent • dishonourable • immoral • insecure
• intolerant
4
obedient • detention • hostility • respect • rational
YOUR TASK
MANUEL & P. 97
& Production possible :
As far as I am concerned, there is no doubt that James Thurber’s story, “The Peacelike Mongoose” from Further Fables for Our Time published in 1956 is the text that best illustrates
the ideas and fears (that are) behind the American witch hunts that this chapter describes.
In this fable, the scene takes place among animals, but we can’t help thinking Thurber refers
to human beings as the major theme touched upon here is intolerance. The mongoose is not
like other mongooses because he does not want to fight cobras. Therefore, he is suspected
of treason for that reason alone. False witnesses accuse him and he is executed. This story
illustrates intolerance and fear that comes from being unfamiliar and unaccepting of people
who are different. Fear has a lot of power that can be misdirected. In early 17th century Salem, during the witch trials, fear overtook the community and violence ensued just as it did in
the mongoose community. Many individuals were convicted of witchcraft even though there
was not tangible evidence of their guilt, only the doubtful testimony of some teenage girls.
This chapter recounts the events of the Salem witch trials and also includes a section on McCarthyism. Just as the peacelike mongoose is distrusted in Thurber’s short story because he
has different ideas, so too were individuals suspected in the 1950s if they’d had even a little
bit of contact with someone who might have been a Communist. I find this story frightening
/ scary, it is shocking to see people can be charged without any grounds. It is provocative
because it could be still true today.
READING CORNER
MANUEL & P. 98-99
– Voir fiche d’exploitation et corrigé sur le site compagnon.
– Le texte The Peacelike mongoose a été enregistré et est disponible sur le site compagnon.
PROLONGEMENTS POSSIBLES À L’UNITÉ
> Évaluation sommative de CE (p. 100 du manuel ; entraînement)
> Évaluation sommative de CE (p. 384-387 de ce Fichier)
U N IT 6
• 133
UNIT
7
A COMMON GROUND
& Lieux et formes du pouvoir & Espaces et échanges
Tâche finale (p. 115) : You are a journalist. Listen to a report about a British citizen
whose ancestors or parents came from a former British colony. Then use his/her
story to write a short article.
Activités langagières
Tune in!
(p. 104)
1. Rule
Britannia
(p. 105)
2. The dark
continent
(p. 106-107)
3. The power
of sharing
(p. 108)
4. Canada,
a case study
(p. 109-111)
Contenus
Prolongements tâches / aides
PPC
Comprendre un document
iconographique
– Commenter un document visuel
(p. 240-241)
– Fiche Workbook
CO
Comprendre un enregistrement
authentique
– Fiche Workbook
– Comprendre un message oral
(p. 238-239)
PE
Écrire une courte présentation
PPC
– Comprendre un document
iconographique
– Faire un récit à l’oral
Commenter un document visuel
(p. 240-241)
CO
Vidéos : Rise and Fall of the
British Empire
– Fiches vidéo (DVD-Rom et site
compagnon)
– Commenter un document visuel
(p. 240-241)
POI
Discuter / argumenter
Enrichir sa prise de parole (p. 242-243)
CE
Comprendre un texte littéraire
– Fiche Workbook
– Language at work (p. 112)
PE
Rédiger un dialogue /
Écrire un texte
Rédiger un texte (p. 235-236)
POI
Confronter des opinions sur des
extraits de films
Enrichir sa prise de parole (p. 242-243)
PPC
Comprendre des textes courts
et en rendre compte
PE
Écrire une courte présentation
PPC
Faire un bref exposé
CO
Comprendre un enregistrement
authentique
CE
Comprendre un texte (slam)
POI
Jeu de rôles
- Language at work (p. 112)
- Build up your vocabulary (p. 113)
Fiche sur le site compagnon
Enrichir sa prise de parole (p. 242-243)
L’activité langagière dominante de cette unité est la CO (compréhension de l’oral).
13 4 •
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TUNE IN!
MANUEL & P. 104
1. Welcome!
> Mise en œuvre :
– L’image d’ouverture a pour but d’introduire la thématique en montrant aux élèves un
aspect positif et vivant du Commonwealth. La photo du Tune in! s’oppose historiquement à
celle de la page 105. Cela permettra de mettre en perspective les différentes étapes de la
constitution de ce groupe de pays si particulier et que les élèves connaissent assez peu.
– Deux mises en œuvre des pages 104-105 sont possibles :
• Le professeur pourra choisir de traiter chaque image l’une après l’autre et de définir ainsi
chaque période (voir plus loin).
• Une partie de la classe prend en charge l’image du Tune in! et son compte rendu pendant
que l’autre moitié s’occupe de la photo p. 105. Ce travail de groupes permettra aux élèves
de confronter deux périodes bien distinctes et pourtant terriblement liées, de montrer les
répercussions négatives et positives de l’ex-Empire britannique et de réagir.
– L’enregistrement More about the Commonwealth p. 104 ainsi que les vidéos p. 105 viendront
compléter ces activités.
& Productions possibles :
a.
b.
At first, it looks like a postcard with drawings / cartoons of animals. The vivid colors and general layout make it attractive. Then we can notice that there is some delineation around the
representation of the tiger and it makes us think it could be a stamp. As a matter of fact this is
the limited edition of the Commonwealth Games Stamps and Post cards which were released
for the 19th Commonwealth Games in Delhi. Games mascot Shera stamp issued was of Rs.5
each (New Rupees Symbol is used in Indian Postal stamps). The whole document is showing
the most famous mascots of the Commonwealth Games with their names and the dates of
the Games they were emblems of. It puts to the fore variety and diversity. The mascots are
exciting characters which help to tell the story of the Games. This document exemplifies how
important the Commonwealth can be. It is a very lively event and a moment of celebration.
The Games are a major attraction and the Queen usually attends the opening ceremony.
Each mascot has been associated with several characteristics in keeping with the animal
chosen but also with the host city. The parallels can be easily drawn. The purpose is to praise
and promote the country and its inhabitants. A mascot tells a bit of a story about the host
country and engages spectators to know more about the others’ culture.
CORRIGÉ DE LA FICHE DU WORKBOOK (P. 37)
1
A6 - B2 - C9 - D1 - E3 - F8 - G4 - H5 - I7
2
The countries insist on protecting nature and the endangered species: most of them have
chosen an animal whose survival is jeopardized. They also symbolise the countries’ dynamism and fighting spirit, the courage that you need to compete but without ever forgetting
about unity and brotherhood, for the countries value friendliness and fair play.
U N IT 7
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UNIT
7
A COMMON GROUND
– I like the Edmonton mascot best because it embodies the true spirit of the Friendly
Games, indeed unity and brotherhood are essential values for a country.
– I disagree with you, I reckon the Delhi mascot, the tiger, is the best one because it stands
for the values of the Games: fighting spirit, courage, speed and agility. It wears a sport
outfit and it looks very welcoming.
– To my mind, the best mascot is Goldie, the Auckland mascot, because it represents a
fair cause, which is the endangered species, and the Friendly Games are all about respect
and sharing. Perhaps if people respected more its cultural habitat and shared the natural
resources, this animal’s survival would not be at stake. The Games are the perfect occasion
to make people aware of this cause.
c.
“The Friendly Games” is the other name for the Commonwealth Games and it underlines the
important values the members share: fair competition between individuals and not countries
in a spirit of sharing, community and togetherness / friendship.
The Commonwealth Games are held every four years. Most recently, the 2010 Games took
place in Delhi, India. The 2014 Games will be hosted by Glasgow, Scotland.
These games could be compared to the Olympics / Olympic Games.
2. More about the Commonwealth
> Script de l’enregistrement (CD 2, plage 2)
Part 1
Speaker: Today we are glad to welcome Jane who has come to talk to us about the Commonwealth on the occasion of the Commonwealth Day which is usually held on the second
Monday in March. So, Jane, first of all, where is the Commonwealth and who lives there?
Jane: Well, the Commonwealth is a vast organization that regroups 54 countries around the
world which are quite different and diverse. First, in terms of size, the countries range from
the 21 square kilometers / 8.1 square miles of Nauru, the smallest member, to the huge territory of Canada, the 2nd biggest country in the world. Then in terms of wealth, Singapore’s
GDP is for instance 200 times bigger than Sierra Leone’s! Finally these countries represent
nearly every race, religion, or political system… The total population now exceeds two billion, that is… about 30% of the world population (India is responsible for a majority of the
Commonwealth’s population) and provide 20% of global trade. 1’12’’
Part 2
Speaker: Indeed, we can imagine the list of opposites and see how different all these countries are from hot to cold, rich to poor, highly populated to deserted… But what do they have
in common then?
Jane: All but two of these countries (Mozambique and Rwanda) were part of the former
British Empire and as such, share a common history… They still respect the authority of
the Queen as their Head of State. Historically the modern Commonwealth, as we know it
today, started in the late 1940s when some of those countries like India and Pakistan gained
their independence. Concretely what binds them is the use of English as a common working
language and the fact they support one another in their fight against poverty, ignorance,
prejudice, diseases. The aim is to help spread Human Rights and try to speed up development in all the nations within the Commonwealth. 2’12’’
13 6 •
U N IT 7
Part 3
Speaker: Would you say the Commonwealth is a big family?
Jane: Oh, yes, definitely, and it is what attracted all those countries in the past. They share the
same beliefs, mutual values and goals. The members of the Commonwealth regularly discuss
current issues and remain active in a lot of different areas. You mentioned Commonwealth
Day at the beginning, but there are also the Commonwealth Games, nicknamed “the Friendly
Games”, where Commonwealth citizens have a chance to celebrate their friendship, mutual
respect and good-natured competitiveness. This family of nations really has much to offer.
Speaker: That was most interesting Jane! Thanks a lot!
Jane: Thank you.
CORRIGÉ DE LA FICHE DU WORKBOOK (P. 38-39)
1
a) organization - regroup - countries - world - different - diverse
b) The Commonwealth is an organization that regroups a lot of countries all over the
world and which are as different and diverse as can be.
2
“Well, the Commonwealth is a vast organization that regroups 54 countries around the
world which are quite different and diverse.”
3
a) - 54: number of members / countries - 21: Nauru’s square kilometers - 8.1: Nauru’s
square miles - 2nd: biggest country / Canada - 200: Singapore’s GDP (200 times bigger
than Sierra Leone’s) - 30: percentage of the world population - 20: India’s percentage of
global trade.
b) Rappel : tous les mots porteurs de sens sont en général des mots accentués.
c)
Number
Commonwealth
countries
The case
of India
54
Size
Wealth
Population / other
characteristics
- figure: 30% (2 billion)
- the tiniest: Nauru
extremes: from
- every race, religion,
- the biggest: Canada rich to poor
political system
20% of global
trade
majority of the
Commonwealth
population
4
- hot ≠ cold - rich ≠ poor - highly populated ≠ deserted
5
a) False: “All but two of these countries (Mozambique and Rwanda) were part of the former
British Empire.”
b) False: “They still respect the authority of the Queen as their Head of State.”
c) True: “in the late 1940s when some of those countries like India and Pakistan gained
their independence.”
d) True: “Historically the modern Commonwealth, as we know it today, started in the late
1940s.”
U N IT 7
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UNIT
7
A COMMON GROUND
6
a) “Concretely what binds them is the use of English as a common working language.”
b) The fight against: poverty, ignorance, prejudice, diseases. Aims: help spread Human
Rights and try to speed up development.
7
a) share - beliefs - values - goals - current - issues b) mutual c) They share the same beliefs
and have mutual values and goals and they debate over current issues.
8
“Friendly Games” - their friendship - mutual respect - good-natured competitiveness
ACTION!
The Commonwealth is an organization that is the result of a long period of British colonization all over the world. After each country finally gained their independence, they nevertheless remained within what was first called the “Common Wealth of Nations” and then
the “Commonwealth”, in order to get support and to develop thanks to privileged bonds.
Furthermore they all share English as a common language, have the same goals and pledge
allegiance to the Queen as their official (although essentially symbolic) Head of State.
Objectif
j f
The Commonwealth plays an important international role in many different ways. One
major aspect of its role is to create a sense of family and community. It unites several
different countries of all shapes and sizes under one common allegiance to the Crown.
There is no hierarchy within the family, so even the smaller and poorer countries are as
equally represented as the larger or wealthier countries. This means that the countries in
the Commonwealth can help each other with issues such as Human Rights and democracy, resolving conflicts, sustaining development and improving access to education and
healthcare. This organization is thus entirely based on exchanges.
& Productions possibles (b.) :
Today learn more about the Commonwealth as we celebrate Commonwealth Day…
Founded in the late 1940s, the Commonwealth is a vast organization made up of 54 countries.
The members of the Commonwealth actually cover 30% of the world’s population and so within
the Commonwealth community there is much diversity. It is made up of countries ranging from
some of the world’s smallest to the largest, the hottest to the coldest, as well as the poorest
and wealthiest, the most populated and most deserted. The list goes on!
The Commonwealth is really made up of opposites but what concretely unites them is a
common use of English as their principle language, as well as their mutual values, goals and
beliefs. These values are implemented when the Commonwealth countries unite under the
respected authority of the Queen in their fight against poverty and their mission to protect
Human Rights.
However, despite their many differences, the Commonwealth countries make up a huge family
where diverse cultures and religions are brought together as they compete against each other
in the Commonwealth Games, otherwise known as the Friendly Games.
In conclusion, the Commonwealth is a culturally enriched organization which brings hope to
many of its members around the world.
13 8 •
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1. RULE BRITANNIA
MANUEL & P. 105
1. The Empire
& Productions possibles :
a.b. This document is a genuine / authentic picture. This black and white photo dating back to 1906,
during British colonization, stages white supremacy in Africa. This is a typical representation
of British imperialism.
What is particularly striking is the kind of layout or setting with an interesting symmetry of the
elements and characters. The focus is on the man in the middle, Sir Hesketh Bell, proudly
sitting as a king on his throne and holding his rifle as a scepter. What’s more, the way the
elephants’ tusks are held by the black servants form an arch (a triumph arch?!) emphasizing
the splendour and authority of this representative of the Crown. The display of the hunting
trophies (horns and skins of wild animals) is here to prove that they can “enjoy themselves”
but also tame wild nature. They want to show that everything is under control. So it also reinforces the idea that the British are here to rule this African country and will not accept any
withstanding.
The presence of the two other white men on the sides shows the military force and power.
> Prolongement possible :
On pourrait aussi proposer un writing workshop à partir de ce document (nombre de mots
à déterminer en fonction du niveau de la classe). & A librarian finds this photograph in an
old book. He sends it along with a letter to one of his historian friends. Write his letter (how
he found the photograph, his impressions on it, what he wants his friend to do with it…).
2. Watch a video
> Mise en œuvre
a.
Cette séance de memory dynamise la classe en proposant aux élèves un défi : se souvenir
du plus grand nombre de pays possible. Montrer que ces pays sont répartis dans le monde
entier.
b.
Deux vidéos sont proposées ici (une sur le Commonwealth, What’s the Commonwealth?, une
sur l’Empire, Horrible Stories), mais une seule peut être choisie et exploitée. Si le professeur
a déjà fait la CO More about the Commonwealth, il pourra par exemple préférer aborder la
vidéo Horrible Stories qui montre l’expansion de l’Empire britannique. Toutes les combinaisons sont possibles entre les différents documents de cette double page.
Les fiches élève, leur corrigé, les scripts et les exploitations des extraits se trouvent dans
le livret du DVD-Rom et sur le site compagnon.
U N IT 7
• 139
UNIT
7
A COMMON GROUND
3. Quotes
> Mise en œuvre
Ces citations pourront faire l’objet d’un travail individuel ou en groupes, à la maison ou en
classe. Il sera intéressant de faire remarquer que la citation de Paxman comprend elle-même
une citation de Cecil Rhodes (figure emblématique de l’époque décrite).
Complément d’information :
Cecil Rhodes was an English-born South-African businessman (mining magnate, founder
of the diamond company De Beers) who also became a very influent politician. As such, he
was a staunch defender of British colonial imperialism and founded the State of Rhodesia,
which was named after him. In his desire to expand the British Empire, he argued that the
Anglo-Saxon race was destined to greatness.
& Productions possibles :
J. Paxman’s quote
J. Gillard’s quote
– Old vision / conception of the British
world
– Colonial point of view
– Relation of domination
– British imperialism = no equality
and tolerance, assumption of racial
superiority
– Powerful and “finest” race, racist way
of thinking
– Idea of separateness
– Vocabulary with negative connotations
(“brutes, savages”)
– Recent vision, opening up
– Partnership to create something better
/ to move forward
– Equality is put to the fore, democratic
and equal States.
– Independent and autonomous
countries which walk hands in hands
– Idea of togetherness
– Vocabulary with positive connotations
These quotes oppose two historical periods / eras: the first one corresponds to the British
colonial past promoting the Empire’s expansion, whereas the second one corresponds to our
present day’s insistence on the positive evolution of the former colonies, on the values that
are uniting the members of the Commonwealth now (looking in the same direction).
As I heard in the video and read from the quote by Cecil Rhodes, the Commonwealth began
as a result of the British Empire. It was born from the view of white supremacy and a greedy
desire for wealth and land and headed by Queen Victoria. She has left her mark around the
old Empire but nowadays the countries once owned by the British Empire are now known
as the Commonwealth, a family of fifty-four diverse countries, most importantly on an equal
footing. The Commonwealth promotes equality and according to Australian Prime Minister
Julia Gillard, the Commonwealth values replicate human values and so the Commonwealth
exists far from the distasteful values of the British Empire. It is clear that the Commonwealth
has evolved from countries manipulated and exploited for the benefit of the British Empire to
an amazing organization built on human values and promoting equality and peace.
14 0 •
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2. THE DARK CONTINENT
MANUEL & P. 106-107
1. Main facts
> Mise en œuvre
a.
Mise en commun des productions orales et réactions des élèves.
b.
Dans le cadre d’une classe fragile on pourra aussi étendre l’exercice au past perfect et
participes passés : torn (l. 39) • flung (l. 40) • had fled (l. 40).
& Corrigés (b.) :
went (l. 5), go, went, gone: aller • put (l. 6), put, put, put: mettre • stood (l. 9), stand, stood,
stood: se tenir debout • swung (l. 10), swing, swung, swung: balancer • knit (l. 23), knit, knit,
knit: tricoter, (ici) croiser • said (l. 24), say, said, said: dire • threw (l. 25), throw, threw, thrown:
jeter, lancer, (ici) relever la tête • spelt (l. 26), spell, spelt, spelt: (ici) signifier • began (l. 27),
begin, began, begun: commencer • shot (l. 30), shoot, shot, shot: (ici) surgir • spat (l. 37),
spit, spat, spat: cracher • gave (l. 38), give, gave, given: donner • swept (l. 38), sweep, swept,
swept: (ici) faire sortir
CORRIGÉ DE LA FICHE DU WORKBOOK (P. 39-41)
1
“Kenya”, “shortly after the country gained its independence”, “the village school”, “a General
Knowledge class”.
2
Lois = black, a schoolmistress + the lady supervisor = white, we don’t know her name +
the schoolgirls = black
3
“Lois became heroine of the village. She went to jail.” (l. 4-5)
4
a) Commonwealth b) say Elizabeth c) the pupils d) the pupils e) the lady supervisor
f) the Commonwealth g) Lois and the pupils’
5
a) The Commonwealth
b)
Questions asked by Lois
1. What is the Commonwealth?
2. Who rules England?
3. What is our country?
Expected answer
It is a world organization of autonomous
States that recognize the British
monarch as head.
The Queen
An independent country
U N IT 7
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UNIT
7
A COMMON GROUND
c)
Answer given by the pupils
“A colony”
6
What does it reveal?
– The teacher had brainwashed the pupils.
– The teacher had taught things that were no
longer true.
– The teacher wanted to challenge British authority.
Intimidated pupils
– “Who would be the first?”
+ “knit their knuckles under
the desks” + “looked into
their exercise books” (l. 23-24)
– “one by one said they
didn’t know” (l. 24)
– “began to cry” (l. 27)
7
- the lady supervisor - Lois
8
a) the lady supervisor
b)
Answer
“Elizabeth, they
knew they should
say.” (l. 18-19)
Lois
– “caught her by the hair” (l. 37)
– “slapped her back once, twice” (l. 37)
– “spat into her face” (l. 37-38)
– “she gave her a football kick” (l. 38)
– “swept her out with a right” (l. 38)
9
Reasons for being quiet
– “let the white lady there
at the back hear the Queen
of England mispronounced”
(l. 20-21)
– “uttered […] with the
stain of last night’s onions
in their breath” (l. 22-23)
The other woman
“slapped Lois across the mouth” (l. 36)
“Thirty-four pairs of legs had fled home through the window to spread the formidable news
of their new queen and heroine.” (l. 40-41)
ACTION!
1
This text is a clash / showdown between two women. The scene takes place in Kenya, in
a classroom, and where Lois teaches the children about the Commonwealth whilst a white
lady supervisor is at the back of the class. Lois seems uneasy and quite provocative. She
has brainwashed the pupils and resents having to say the Head of State is the Queen of
England. The pupils are rather nervous and watchful. They are ill-at-ease in front of the
haughty and scornful white lady. They are reluctant to answer Lois’s questions, since
they fear they might mispronounce the Queen’s name and dread the lady might feel
offended.
At the beginning, Lois writes the word Commonwealth on the board and asks the pupils
what it means. As they do not answer, she tries to ask an easier question and asks them
who rules England. Eventually, still faced with the pupils’ silence, she decides to ask
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what their country is. All of a sudden, they all exclaim “a colony”, but this is obviously the
wrong answer. Finally, the lady supervisor is outraged and slaps Lois in the face. The latter
responds with great violence and kicks the white lady out of the class.
2
Objectif
j f
a) The pupils felt shy and watchful. They did not dare answer the questions for fear they
might mispronounce a word or the lady might smell their breath. After the fight, they rushed
home and probably told their parents what had happened in the class and how brave and
daring their teacher had been. They might have said that Lois did not lose face and fought
back the arrogant lady. They confirmed the white lady had driven Lois to challenge her
authority and had insulted their teacher in front of the whole class.
b) The white lady embodies Great Britain and British domination. She must have resented
giving Kenya its independence and is outraged by the pupils’ last answer. Indeed, she
thinks they are provoking her and must believe their teacher has brainwashed them into
thinking that Great Britain’s authority should still be challenged.
c) Now that Kenya is independent and no longer under the yoke of Great Britain, Lois feels
she is no longer inferior to the white lady. She deserves to be treated on an equal footing
and cannot stand being looked down upon by a British lady. When she slaps her, Lois
immediately retaliates and comes to blows with her, as if beating her up would relieve
her and make up for all the insults she has suffered. She will no longer be submissive to
Great Britain or to one of its representatives.
This passage illustrates a power struggle in so far as the white lady, who embodies Britain’s
power and domination, is defied by Lois, a supposedly inferior person from a former colony.
Neither of them wants to see their authority being flouted. Lois still resents Kenya’s past
and British power over her country and she cannot accept that the white lady insults her and
treats her contemptuously. Moreover, in the text, the word “queen” is associated with three
different women. First, it obviously refers to Elizabeth of England, but then it is used ironically to point at the white lady, who stands for power and behaves like a queen, haughty and
scornful. Nevertheless, eventually Lois becomes “the new queen,” since she has regained
power and did not lose face during the clash. She has become a role model and an example
to follow. She managed to question and even undermine the white lady’s power.
2. Different perspectives
& Productions possibles :
a.
Mother! Father! You would never believe what just happened with Miss Lois today! She was
giving her lesson on General Knowledge and there was this stern-looking Englishwoman in
our classroom watching Miss Lois’s every move. It was as though Miss Lois could not even
breathe without her permission. Miss Lois began asking us questions, tapping her stick as
she questioned us, whilst we twiddled our thumbs reluctant to give any answer. “What is the
Commonwealth?” she barked at us, and “Who rules England?” We all knew the answer but did
not want to say. We were all as quiet as mice. Miss Lois then rephrased the question for us.
She asked “What is our country?” On that question, our hands shot up with the same answer:
“a colony”. Then, all of a sudden, the woman advanced from the back of the classroom. She
turned to Miss Lois and slapped her clean across her face. We all gasped and watched the
woman go to leave in absolute amazement, but then Miss Lois struck her back. First grabbing
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b.
c.
A COMMON GROUND
her hair, and then slapping her once, twice, more and more before storming out. We followed
her triumphantly! It was incredible! She is our heroine!
I have never observed such disrespect and insolence in all my life. This woman is an incompetent teacher who is feeding her pupils with ideas above their station. She began with questions
from the syllabus with which I was completely satisfied, however this soon altered. The children
were not engaged in her lesson and persisted in chewing their fingers and stationary instead of
answering perfectly simple questions which Miss Lois should have covered in class. However,
despite several attempts to coax any sliver of general knowledge from these creatures, she
crossed the line. She referred to the state of her country to which her students readily had the
answer of “a colony”. I was disturbed to hear such topics covered by Miss Lois considering
the students were unable to answer her previous questions. I therefore struck her across the
face to teach her a lesson only to be grabbed by my hair and repeatedly assaulted in front
of the entire class. Not only was this violence unnecessary and physically harmful but it is a
disgrace to show such a bad example to her pupils. I expect the suitable punishment to be
issued as a matter of urgency. This is unacceptable.
My dear, I really do not know what came over me today! I had just had enough of this ridiculous
racism and all my rage just burst out of me in one go. We were in the classroom as usual and I
was teaching the children about the Commonwealth, and everything was fine, apart from the
snobby Englishwoman observing me at the back of the classroom. I was pacing up and down
trying to squeeze some sort of answer from the kids but they were not co-operating until I
asked them a certain question. It was “What is our country?” Their hands shot up in the air
and they unanimously answered “a colony”. On that note, the Englishwoman marched to the
front of the classroom towards me and slapped me clean across my face. She turned her back
on me and started to leave the classroom and I just snapped. Something inside me made me
grab tight onto her hair and pull her backwards towards me and then to face me. I slapped
her back, more times and more ferociously. I was the one to storm out of that classroom, and
do you know what? The students followed me in protest.
3. Translation workshop
& Productions possibles :
« On dirait que vous n’en avez jamais entendu parler ! » / « Comme si vous n’en aviez jamais
entendu parler ! ». Lois perdait patience. « Bien, je vous laisse une autre chance / dernière
chance. Quel est le statut de notre pays ? »
Dans un même élan, une volée de mains surgit de dessous les bureaux et trente-quatre
haleines chargées d’effluves de maïs et d’oignons crièrent :
« Une colonie ! »
Lentement, l’inspectrice distribua des petites tapes en remontant la classe et élimina ainsi
l’écart qu’il pouvait y avoir entre le maître et l’esclave, et se tint en face de Lois.
Les enfants mâchouillaient leurs règles. Puis la reine blanche gifla Lois / frappa Lois sur la
bouche / au visage et se dirigea vers la porte.
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4. Movie corner
> Mise en œuvre communicative
a.
b.
Cette activité se prête bien à un travail en groupes, ou seul en autonomie à la maison.
Dans un premier temps, les élèves doivent lire chez eux les différents résumés (synopsis).
Ils doivent ensuite choisir un film et justifier leur choix pour convaincre leurs camarades de
la pertinence de leur sélection. Cette première étape peut être enregistrée et faire l’objet
d’une évaluation formative. Cela peut aussi donner lieu à une production écrite.
Dans un second temps, les élèves doivent visionner le film en entier chez eux et préparer un
compte rendu oral (à partir de notes uniquement). Cette activité peut être menée en classe
ou au labo multimédia.
3. THE POWER OF SHARING
MANUEL & P. 108
> Mise en œuvre
On demandera aux élèves d’anticiper en regardant l’image, de la décrire et de la rattacher
au petit texte 1. a.
& Productions possibles :
This photo was taken during an official meeting between the Heads of States of different
countries. In the background we can notice the numerous flags representing each country
member, and above all we can recognize Queen Elizabeth II in red clothes standing in the
front. So we may suppose / infer that this event concerns the countries which are in the
Commonwealth.
Complément d’information :
Every two years, Commonwealth leaders meet at CHOGM (Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting) to discuss global and Commonwealth issues, and to agree on collective
policies and initiatives. The Queen usually attends to open proceedings. The latest CHOGM
was held in Perth, Western Australia in October 2011. Sri Lanka will host the CHOGM in
2013, and Mauritius in 2015. But some people have signalled that there were concerns over
Human Rights abuses in Sri Lanka.
1. A sense of community
> Mise en œuvre
Pour la question b., la classe pourra être divisée en 4 groupes ; un rapporteur sera désigné
par groupe. On demandera aux élèves de faire un compte rendu de ce qu’ils ont compris à
l’oral, à partir de notes uniquement.
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& Productions possibles :
a.
The Balfour Declaration of 1926 recalls the principles of autonomy and equality between all
the State members and that of the respect of the Queen’s role and authority as the Head of
these States. It was a first step towards independent nationhood.
b.
1. How is “the Family” presented/defined?
The Family is presented as a group of countries treated as equals and united in a common
allegiance to the Crown. It represents the past, present and future and is said to evolve with
each generation. It has grown over the years to include countries of a range of sizes, but that
does not make them any less valued within the Commonwealth Family. The 54 States of the
Commonwealth work together to face challenges, to support democracy and Human Rights,
improve government and resolve conflicts, to create sustainable development and to increase
access to education and health. The Family gives its members a voice, so that even the smaller
and more poverty-stricken countries can be heard by their Commonwealth Family.
2. Building democracy
The Commonwealth works to improve government and Human Rights and this includes the
right to vote. The Commonwealth issues out Observer Groups to help support countries and
encourage people to vote. This helps to raise the profile of the elections and increase media
coverage to make it very obvious to the people and the institutions. This helps to regulate the
proceedings and maintain democracy throughout the election process.
3. Fighting HIV/AIDS
The Commonwealth has organizations in place to help people understand HIV and AIDS better. There are people who are directly affected and those who are sufferers themselves who
spread the word about HIV and AIDS and how to avoid infection. This education will then
improve the statistics of sufferers and save people’s lives and it is all thanks to the work that
the Commonwealth has put into action. The aim is to protect future generations as they are
the leaders of tomorrow.
4. Developing potential
The Commonwealth is enhancing the potential for development in several different industries.
This includes agriculture. They have put consultants in place who are experienced in that field
of work to train the young farmers and help them to succeed. The Commonwealth therefore
provides these trainees with hope to make the right choices and achieve their goals. Another
industry benefitting from the consultancy scheme is the textile industry. The two consultants
are specialists in design and business management and they have been employed by the
Commonwealth to advise women who have incredible skills passed down through generations,
to design and organize their companies and maximize their business potential.
c.
The Commonwealth plays an important international role in many different ways.
One major aspect of its role is to create a sense of family and community. It unites several
different countries of all shapes and sizes under one common allegiance to the Crown. There
is no hierarchy within the family, so even the smaller and poorer countries are as equally
represented as the larger or wealthier countries. This means that the countries in the Commonwealth can help each other with issues such as Human Rights and democracy, resolving
conflicts, sustaining development and improving access to education and healthcare.
Specifically, in terms of democracy, the Commonwealth helps encourage democracy by
deploying Observer Groups who oversee and regulate election proceedings and ensure that
everyone is fairly represented.
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With regards to access to healthcare, the Commonwealth works within communities to educate
them about HIV and AIDS. It works alongside victims of the illness as well as close friends and
family of those affected in order to teach people about making the right choices to protect
themselves against HIV and AIDS.
The Commonwealth also encourages sustainable development by nurturing the skills of its
people in order to maximize their potential as businessmen and women. They allocate consultants who are experts in their field and so provide invaluable advice for budding entrepreneurs.
They train people to efficiently make use of their skills in order to succeed in launching a
profitable business; giving people hope and opportunity to earn their own living and providing
them with more of a purpose and a goal in their lives.
The Commonwealth works hard to set people on the right track to care for future generations.
2. Prepare an exhibition
& Productions possibles (exemple pris : le Sri Lanka) :
www.srilanka.travel/index.php?route=information/information&information_id=47
www.sri-lanka-tour.com/history/independence.htm
www.srilankatourism.org/
www.commonwealth-of-nations.org/Sri_Lanka/Organisations/
Sri_Lanka_in_the_Commonwealth
Sri Lanka is a vibrant country situated in the Indian Ocean in South Asia. It is a tropical island
where the original soul of Buddhism still flourishes along with three other religions that harmoniously coexist. Despite being a relatively small country, it offers an abundance of impressive
natural phenomenon such as eight World Heritage Sites, vast stretches of stunning beaches,
many national parks housing spectacular wildlife and much, much more. It is truly an incredible
island and deserves its nickname as the Pearl of the Indian Ocean.
In terms of its history, evidence of Stone Age men has been found all over the island, with
fascinating caves dotted along its coastlines. However, there is also a lot of rich history with
regards to a wealth of rulers and kings right through to the colonial period during which British
rule began in 1815.
Politically speaking, the path to independence started when the British misconstrued a communal riot and uprising that broke out in the west coast as antigovernment conspiracy and
consequently defused the situation with brutal force. Sri Lanka was used by the British during
World War I as part of the Empire, but also played a part in World War II as a base for British
operations. After World War II relations between Britain and Sri Lanka were maintained and
eventually in 1948 Sri Lanka became a member of the Commonwealth and became an independent country in February of that year.
Sri Lanka is also one of Asia’s oldest democracies made up of a multi-party system. Interestingly,
it was in fact the first Commonwealth State to have a female Prime Minister. It is making positive economic progress thanks to an impressively high literacy rate and an excellent education
system, making it a hub for many industries such as accountancy, technology and law.
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3. Connecting cultures
& Productions possibles :
The Queen’s mission is to act as a human symbol of the Commonwealth as she is Head of
State of fifteen Commonwealth realms and she is head of the Commonwealth Family. She is
not part of the government itself but she attends the meetings between all the different leaders
of the Commonwealth countries who tackle important issues and agree on any new policies
and ideas. Of her annual international visits, one third of her time is spent in Commonwealth
countries so she takes her responsibilities seriously. However, her main role is to act as a
symbol of international unity in the Commonwealth.
4. CANADA, A CASE STUDY
MANUEL & P. 109-111
1. Info search
> Mise en œuvre
– On demandera aux élèves d’effectuer en groupes les recherches concernant les informations demandées (au CDI ou chez eux) et de désigner un ou plusieurs rapporteurs par groupe
chargé(s) de rendre compte du travail à partir de notes succinctes.
– Les élèves des autres groupes prendront des notes sur les informations données par leurs
camarades pour avoir une fiche complète sur le Canada (données géographiques, historiques,
politiques, socio-culturelles…).
Complément d’information :
The country’s name Canada comes from the word “kanata” which, in Iroquoian from St
Lawrence meant village / settlement / land (circa 1535). In modern Mohawk (Canadian Native tribe), “kanata” means town. It is Jacques Cartier who transcribed the word as Canada.
2. Relationships with the Crown
> Script de l’enregistrement (CD 2, plage 5)
Part 1
Journalist: Gina and Kate, what does monarchy mean to you?
Gina: Being beside the United States is a little bit like sleeping beside an elephant, who is
also sleeping, but every time he moves in his sleep we feel the repercussions around us, er,
which is not necessarily bad but it’s not always good either. It means that there’s an impact
on everything that happens in the US. And Canadians tend to feel a little bit invisible, or
inferior to Americans. So for a certain number of Canadians, it can be a plus to have this
attachment to the monarchy because it’s one thing that the US doesn’t have. It seems silly
but that’s definitely part of it for some of the people. 0’55
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Part 2
Journalist: Kate, what about you?
Kate: I don’t quite agree with Gina. I think that most people in Canada don’t really think very
much about the monarchy at all, we don’t even really see ourselves as a monarchy. As far as
most Canadians are concerned, having the Queen as our Head of State is purely symbolic,
and the majority of Canadians don’t even really realize that the Queen is officially our Head
of State, they think that the Prime Minister is. So it’s really a non-issue for most Canadians
whether we are a monarchy or not.
> Mise en œuvre
Une fiche d’exploitation et son corrigé sont disponibles sur le site compagnon (en version
photocopiable).
& Productions possibles (b.) :
Gina approves of the role of monarchy and compares the USA to an elephant, beside which
Canada is sleeping. Canada suffers from invisibility and an inferiority complex / feels
inferior to the USA. So, the fact that it is linked to the monarchy gives it a certain weight on
the international scene. The second woman, Kate, objects to Gina’s argument. She thinks
Canadians do not give that much importance to the monarchy, they do not even care about
the Head of State, in so far as they think it is the Prime Minister, whereas in reality, it is the
Queen. She argues that it is no use making an issue of it since many Canadians do not even
consider their political system to be a monarchy.
3. Find the key information
> Mise en œuvre
– Dans un premier temps, on peut faire écouter le slam accessible à : www.youtube.com/
watch?v=BQbQGn_rqTw, en cachant l’image. On demandera aux élèves quels éléments clés
ils ont compris. Ils partageront à l’oral leurs informations et auront sans doute repéré qu’il
s’agit du Canada et des Canadiens, de certaines caractéristiques de ce pays. Il sera aussi
intéressant de leur demander ce qu’il pense de l’interprétation (ton, rythme…) et comment
ils imaginent Shane Koyczan.
– Ensuite ils pourront lire le texte et le découvrir plus en détail. En parallèle, on pourra visionner la vidéo avec les images.
& Productions possibles :
b.
The overall vision which is given of Canada is obviously very positive and uplifting. This text was
written by a very famous Canadian artist (slam poet) called Shane Koyczan to pay tribute to
Canadians. The apparent motive is to promote the country and praise Canadians for the values
they share and defend. Of course this is a partly biased and stereotyped vision but the author
wants to show that the clichés must be bypassed too. That is why Shane Koyczan contends
that Canada is a rich, diverse and multicultural country worth visiting, worth discovering.
c.
The tone is enthusiastic, brisk, and biased, for the same reasons evoked just above, but also
because Shane Koyczan performed his “We Are More” poem at the Vancouver 2010 Winter
Games Opening Ceremony and it triggered off a big buzz at the time. It had all began a few
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years before, when he was commissioned by the Canadian Tourism Commission to create
a piece that reflected the essence of Canada and what made Canadians who they are. This
piece is full of positive connotations in the use of adjectives and images.
> Prolongement possible sur le slam :
On peut envisager un Chain Poetry Contest
1
Outside school, carefully watch and listen again to Shane Koyczan delivering his poem We are
More (www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQbQGn_rqTw)
2
Practice reading the part you are assigned along with the members of your group. In class,
deliver the poem aloud with your partners.
3
Vote for the best group performance.
4. Defining Canada
& Productions possibles :
a.
texts 1 & 3 = l. 6 to 9 • text 2 = l. 3 • text 4 (“the rocky coast” is a reference to the Pacific
Coast and the two Canadian Western provinces, Alberta and British Columbia, and the Maritimes is a reference to the areas on the Atlantic coast) = l. 11 • text 5 = l. 4 & 11 • text 6 =
l. 5-6 • picture 7 = l. 4 to 6, l. 47, l. 53 • text 8 = l. 33 (“clean snow”), l. 64-65 • picture 9 =
l. 33 (“sticky maple syrup”).
b.
Here are the adjectives used in the slam to define the Canadians: “genteel” and “civilized”
(l. 17). But S. Koyczan insists on the fact that the Canadians are more than that, because to
say that Canadians are only “nice” people is a cliché conveyed by the Americans (cf. l. 12-15).
The Canadians are definitely open-minded and welcoming people but they are also “young”
(l. 20). Canada is a dynamic country full of resources and projects.
c.
Multiculturalism is part of their way of life: there is no denying that Canada is today a pluralist
society (indeed almost 40% of the population today is of non-British or non-French heritage).
This remarkable degree of variety is particularly visible in Canada’s largest city, Toronto. S.
Koyczan refers to this specificity / diversity by using strong images: l. 21 to 25 (“cultures strung”
/ “woven into a tapestry”); l. 27-28 (“zed instead of zee”, reference to their bilingualism and
the fact they do not pronounce as the Americans do!); l. 29-30 (“colours of Chinatown and
Little Italy”); l. 52 to 54; l. 61 to 63.
d.
First, Koyczan quotes the Canadian National Anthem which is based on Alfred Tennyson’s
description of Canada as “that True North whereof we lately heard”. Then, it is also a reminder
that in Northern America there is another country apart from the USA… and that Canada is
a country the world must count on.
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e.
Activities
fishing
sightseeing
eating
entrepreneurship
diverse resources
Sports
hockey
skiing
skating
Everyday life
welcoming people
multiculturalism
betterment
hope
congenial places
vast possibilities
rich experiences
Relation to nature
environment-friendly
close to nature
reforestation
maple leaf
maple syrup
lakes
5. Role play
& Productions possibles :
Journalist: So, Shane Koyczan, welcome!
Shane Koyczan: Thanks, I’m so please to be here.
J: We’re pleased to have you here! But let’s get down to business. What was your main inspiration in writing you poem “We are more”?
S: Well it stems from pride really. I’m so proud of my Canadian roots and I feel like sometimes
Canada is lost, meaning it is forgotten about as it is situated in the shadow of a powerful and
loud country like the United States. Canadians are so different to Americans; we have our
own rich culture but we’re often overshadowed by our neighbors.
J: Yeah, I see that. You reference American culture a few times in your poem, am I right?
S: Absolutely, yeah. The first one that comes to mind is when I wrote about cultural “influences that range from a to zed”. Of course I also include in brackets that read “(yes we say
zed instead of zee)” just to emphasize the difference here. The Americans say “zee” but we
do not. Actually we’re more like the British in that respect – they say “zed”, too!
J: Ah, so it’s in the details that you are making your point?
S: Yeah sure. I mean, few people can distinguish between a Canadian and an American accent,
so it’s nice to point out those little things that define us, particularly lexical variation which is
obviously of interest to me as a poet.
J: I see. And what else motivated you to write this poem? Why do you list so many ways in
which people try to define Canada?
S: Well to point out really that we have such a diverse country and perhaps people don’t realize
or appreciate how diverse it is. We have such a rich culture, but there’s more to Canada than
that. I just wanted to express the spirit of Canada, not just the physical aspects of it such as
the landscape. It’s got so much more to give than some pretty views! We are a young country
and so we are ambitious and vivacious and I wanted to communicate that through my poem.
J: And finally, have you achieved what you wanted to achieve through your poem?
S: I would say so, yes. I mean, we’re talking about it now, right? I just wanted to get people
talking about Canada; discussing what it means to them and how they view the country.
I wanted to give Canada a voice, bring some well-deserved attention our way and pay homage
to my incredible country.
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6. Quiz time
> Mise en œuvre
– Les questions peuvent être préparées à la maison ainsi que les réponses attendues.
– On formera des groupes de trois élèves, on désignera un présentateur (show host) et deux
candidats. On fera tourner les groupes rapidement.
– Le professeur veillera à choisir un time-keeper dont le rôle est de surveiller le temps de
réponse de chaque équipe.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
& Productions possibles :
How many provinces are there in Canada? (10 provinces)
What is the capital city? (Ottawa)
What is the emblem on the Canadian flag? (the maple leaf)
What is the largest city? (Toronto)
Which territory is the biggest? (Nunavut = 3 times as big as France)
Where does the word “Canada” come from? (an Indian word “kanata”, meaning “village”)
How many people live in Canada? • ≈ 15M • ≈ 35M • ≈ 60M (35M)
Is Canada part of the Commonwealth? (yes, its is!)
What are the Canadians’ mother tongues? (English and French)
How big is Canada? • 1st • 2nd • 3rd largest country in the world (2nd)
Who were the first inhabitants in Canada? (First Nations, Inuit and Métis = Aboriginal peoples)
Who is at the head of the State? The government? (the Queen / the Prime Minister)
What is Canada’s political system? a constitutional monarchy • a democracy • a dictatorship
• a monarchy (a constitutional monarchy + a democracy)
Which city hosted the Winter Olympics in 2010? (Vancouver)
Who is represented on the Canadian coins? • Queen Victoria • Queen Elizabeth I • Queen
Elizabeth II (Queen Elizabeth II)
Among the following artists which one(s) are Canadian? Circle the correct answer(s).
Bruce Willis / Pamela Anderson / Jim Carrey / Matt Damon / Keanu Reeves / Ellen Page /
Neve Campbell / Will Smith
Through which platform was Justin Bieber discovered? • Facebook • Twitter • YouTube •
MySpace (YouTube)
When did Canada become independent? (In 1867, Canada was formed as a federal dominion of
four provinces. This began a process of increasing autonomy from the British Empire, which became
official with the Statute of Westminster of 1931 and completed in the Canada Act of 1982. In 1982
Canada gained the right to amend their Constitution without permission from the UK.)
What are Canada’s main resources? (Agriculture: wheat, barley, oilseed, tobacco; dairy products; forest products, timber; fish; crude petroleum, processed and unprocessed minerals)
What did Céline Dion win in 1998? (Dion was rewarded at the Billboard Music Awards in late
1998, where she won six awards including Album Artist of the Year and Album of the Year for
Let’s Talk About Love.)
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LANGUAGE AT WORK
1
2
3
MANUEL & P. 112-113
1 the countries 2 the Commonwealth 3 Ø Britain 4 the common language 5 Ø Australia
6 Ø Canada 7 Ø New Zealand 8 Ø South Africa 9 the Commonwealth 10 Ø India 11 Ø Pakistan 12 a long struggle 13 the Commonwealth 14 the symbol 15 The Commonwealth 16 a
free association 17 Ø Africa 18 Ø Asia 19 the Caribbean islands 20 Ø wars 21 Ø countries
22 the Commonwealth 23 Ø Big countries 24 Ø small countries 25 an equal footing 26 Ø
Britain 27 The British sports 28 Ø cricket 29 Ø rugby 30 Ø polo 31 Ø Cricket 32 the number
one 33 Ø India 34 Ø Pakistan 35 Ø Sri Lanka 36 the world’s
Pays / Continent
Adjectif
Nom de nationalité (pluriel général)
Britain
British
a Briton, a Brit (familiar) (the British, the Brits)
England
English
an Englishman / an Englishwoman (the English)
Wales
Welsh
a Welshman / a Welshwoman (the Welsh)
Scotland
Scottish
a Scot (the Scots, the Scotch)
Ireland
Irish
an Irishman / an Irishwoman (the Irish)
Canada
Canadian
a Canadian (the Canadians)
Australia
Australian
an Australian (the Australians)
New Zealand
New Zealand
a New Zealander (the New Zealanders)
India
Indian
an Indian (the Indians)
Jamaica
Jamaican
a Jamaican (the Jamaicans)
Asia
Asian
an Asian (the Asians)
Pakistan
Pakistani
a Pakistani (the Pakistanis)
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabian
a Saudi (the Saudis)
China
Chinese
a Chinese (the Chinese)
Europe
European
a European (the Europeans)
a. was • marked • had already become • gained • had ruled • became
b. had been • joined • has • has • are linked
c. was confronted with • needed • came • were attracted • concentrated • are
Build up your vocabulary
1
1 links • 2 former • 3 head • 4 values • 5 principle • 6 promote • 7 prejudice • 8 overcome •
9 resources
2
Education
• Situation today
– priority
– 30 million children do not attend primary school
• Goals to achieve
– raising a nation’s standard of living
U N IT 7
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A COMMON GROUND
– improve the lives of young people
– provide access to education
– equal access to education for boys and girls, and equal treatment in schools
HIV
• Situation today
– about 60% of the world’s HIV cases are Commonwealth citizens
– major challenge many countries have to cope with
– programmes enable people to have better access to drugs
• Goals to achieve
– target young people in the 15-19 group
– create awareness, which helps slow down the disease
> Improve your pronunciation
1
a. power - dominate - conquer - govern - influence - immigrant - symbolize
b. develop - advantage - control - improve - impose
> Script de l’enregistrement (MP3 n°12)
The roots of the Commonwealth go back to the British Empire. It once covered a quarter of
the world’s land area, and included about a quarter of the world’s population.
The main motive behind the establishment and expansion of the Empire was to increase
Britain’s wealth and political power.
The Queen / King is Head of the Commonwealth, but has no authority to interfere in the
affairs of Commonwealth member States.
The Commonwealth runs a variety of programmes focusing on economic development,
democracy and governance, education, health and environment.
IMPROVE
YOUR LISTENING SKILLS
MANUEL & P. 114
& Productions possibles :
1
– I think this passage will be talking about how women can bring about change in a community
or something along those lines.
– The words which spring to mind are feminism, power, equality, determination, and
independence.
2
– The number given is twenty-six million, and it refers to the number of women who are born
into the Commonwealth every year.
– “Every year twenty-six million girls are born in the Commonwealth, yet far too many
don’t get the chance to grow into healthy educated women… Women who can make a
positive difference to their own lives and to the lives of others.”
– How many do not have access to a decent education or healthcare?
15 4 •
U N IT 7
3
– The phrase “What if?” is repeated throughout the recording.
– It is an interrogative phrase that is questioning and supposing what could happen if circumstances were different.
4
Travail personnel de l’élève.
5
a. – Politics: to hold an election, the right to vote, decide your future, represent someone as
their leader.
– Health: medical care, born healthy, health clinic, HIV, AIDS.
– Job opportunities: gain the respect of the community, skills, knowledge, earn your own
income, get a loan, thriving business, offer jobs to other people.
– Education: attend school, play sports, make friends.
– Role of the Commonwealth: giving women and girls the opportunity to become the agents
of change we all need.
– Economic independence: get a loan and start your own business, offer jobs to other people.
b. The key idea of this piece is to promote the role of the Commonwealth to change how
things are now and give women and girls equal opportunities as men, allowing them to live
full, healthy lives and thrive as they fulfil their ambitions.
6
Travail personnel de l’élève.
7
I have understood that the Commonwealth is working alongside young girls and women to
encourage them to flourish and be more ambitious. It is fighting to provide better healthcare,
education and job opportunities for these women in order for them to fulfil their potential and
contribute their valuable skills to society. The aim is to highlight the potential of women and
girls to achieve great things if they are given the right tools.
> Script de l’enregistrement (MP3 n°13)
Every year twenty-six million girls are born in the Commonwealth, yet far too many don’t get
the chance to grow into healthy educated women…
Women who can make a positive difference to their own lives and to the lives of others.
What if… We lived in a world where every mother has access to medical care and her baby
has a great chance to be born healthy?
What if… Her baby girl grew up in a safe home with good food, clean water and access to
a health clinic?
What if… She could attend school where she learns important skills, makes friends and play
sports?
What if… She stayed on at a school gaining the respect of her community and could leave
with the skills and knowledge to earn her own income?
What if… She knew about HIV and AIDS and could make a decision about her health and
relationships?
What if… She became a young woman who could have expectations about her life and real
opportunities to achieve them?
What if… Her country held elections and she had the right to vote and decide her future?
What if… She was able to get a loan to start her own business?
What if… Her own business thrived and she was able to offer jobs to others in her community, bringing stability and hope?
What if… The community chose her to represent them as their leader?
U N IT 7
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UNIT
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A COMMON GROUND
What if… She could change the lives of other girls?
The Commonwealth believes this can happen and is working to give women and girls the
opportunity to become the agents of change we all need.
Women
Agents of change!
YOUR TASK
MANUEL & P. 115
Remarques :
– le professeur pourra choisir de ne traiter qu’un seul document et d’utiliser le second comme
support vidéo.
– la fiche élève, son corrigé, le script et l’exploitation de l’extrait se trouvent dans le livret
du DVD-Rom et sur le site compagnon.
> Script de l’enregistrement (CD 2, plage 7)
Voiceover: In many ways Joa and Asha settled easily into Oldham society. They both eventually became chair of the local Men’s and Women’s Rotary clubs.
Shobna: Did people think you were British or Indian?
The mother: Well, they knew I was foreign.
Shobna: Before you came here, were you proud to be part of the British Empire?
The mother: Yes, you see, we were sent to all these schools that were English-speaking. We
did English history, all about the Tudors and the Stuarts, but we didn’t learn Indian history
till later.
Shobna: My mum is so English in very many ways. I mean, we take tea at four o’clock and
that’s what we’ve always done. I can very much feel “Empire” in her behaviour. It really does
intrigue me.
Voiceover: To discover more about her family’s life before they came to England, Shobna
will have to retrace her parents’ steps back to Bombay on the west coast of India.
> Script de l’enregistrement (CD 2, plage 8)
Voiceover: For British actor Adrian Lester, the stories of Jamaica and its colonial past have
resonated throughout his life. Now, Adrian is on his way to see his grandfather James. He
hopes that he’ll be able to help him understand how the islands’ history has impacted on
his life. In 1655, when the Empire was still in its infancy, the British seized Jamaica from the
Spanish. For the next two centuries, the country was one of the Empire’s most valuable assets, with a thriving economy built on the trade of sugar, cultivated by slave labour. Today,
most Jamaicans are descended from those slaves who were once traded as a commodity,
until their emancipation in 1834.
Adrian Lester: In a way I would not be where I am today, were it not for the British Empire,
and I know that there really wouldn’t have been an empire without slavery. Every country
has its history, and it’s not necessarily pleasant; it’s not nice, it’s not good, but it should be
just simply acknowledged.
15 6 •
U N IT 7
& Productions possibles :
British actor Adrian Lester is travelling across to the other side of the globe on a mission to
discover more about his heritage. He is in fact of Jamaican descent and is jetting off to the
Caribbean island to speak to his grandfather about his roots to try and acquire a deeper insight
into his heritage and how he has personally been affected by his country’s complex history.
Specifically, Adrian’s main goal is to learn more about the impact of the British Empire. He
acknowledges in the video that it is unlikely that he would have achieved as much as he has
today if it was not for the colonialization of Jamaica by the power-hungry British.
His journey begins as he is driving down a dusty road in Jamaica as if he is travelling back in
time to 1655 when the British seized the island from the Spanish. Over the next two hundred
years, Jamaica’s economy would flourish and bring a lot of success to the British Empire which
at the time was only just developing itself. Jamaica was therefore an incredibly valuable asset
of the British Empire.
However, this success is somewhat tainted. As we are shown images of an artist’s impression of the conditions in which the slaves worked on the plantations, Adrian Lester reminds
us in the video clip of the fact that Jamaica’s success was born from the slave trade. Wealthy
British people invested in sugar plantations in Jamaica and employed local people as slaves;
paying them poorly and treating them appallingly as second-class citizens.
Eventually the slaves were emancipated in the latter years of the nineteenth century, but
the impact of the British Empire still exists in Jamaica. Most of the Jamaicans are descended
from slaves from this era, so despite the country’s success, it is a result of terrible injustice.
It is this double-edged sword which Adrian Lester wishes to explore as a British citizen with
Jamaican origins.
READING CORNER
MANUEL & P. 116
Voir fiche d’exploitation et corrigé sur le site compagnon.
SPEAKING CORNER
MANUEL & P. 117
& Productions possibles :
A
This painting is a powerful and iconic image depicting the strength of Queen Victoria as a living
symbol of the British Empire. She is the focal point of the painting as she is positioned almost
centrally in the foreground of the composition. Queen Victoria’s husband stands behind her
in support, as do her ladies in waiting in the shadowy background of the painting, which also
reiterates her elevated rank.
Moreover, not only do the attendants and the husband demonstrate Victoria’s power, but so
does the bowing man on the right-hand side of the image. She is undoubtedly authoritative
over this man at her feet who is reaching up towards her and accepting her gift of the Christian
Bible. The difference in body language indicates the Queen’s authority during her reign and
U N IT 7
• 157
UNIT
7
A COMMON GROUND
the way in which she imposed the Christian faith upon the nations under her rule, believing
that she was salvaging them from their current unholy state.
A further element relevant to the political context is the colours used. Queen Victoria is emphatically pale and fair whereas the man at her feet is of a different ethnicity, unfortunately
often looked down upon by white people during the culture of white supremacy which was rife
at the time. This political element is reiterated by Victoria’s attire as she is wearing a crown
and fashionable clothes made of lavish material and decorated in royal purple; two elements
clearly fit for a queen, whereas the man’s clothing includes an animal skin. His attire is the
antithesis of Prince Albert’s and so the man is depicted as exotic, uncivilized and in need of
guidance from the British monarchy and Empire.
B
Nelson Mandela’s comment that “The Commonwealth makes the world safe for diversity,”
is a strong indication of the progression from the British Empire to the Commonwealth Family. Mandela means that it is now safe for cultures to mix together and not suffer prejudice
because they are different from one another.
The second comment by Australian Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd emphasizes the extent of
the diversity within the Commonwealth through the listing of many statistics of the positive
international influence of the organization. He mentions different organizations such as G20
as well as many faiths and religions that exist. By underlining the links that unite many different communities, Rudd embraces the positive impact of the Commonwealth and how it is a
privilege to be a member.
PROLONGEMENTS POSSIBLES À L'UNITÉ
> Évaluation sommative de CO (p. 388 de ce Fichier)
> Clé du Bac
– Document audio 14 : What is the story of your family?
– Document audio 15 : What image do you have of the USA or of Canada?
15 8 •
U N IT 7
UNIT
8
BORDERLANDS
& Espaces et échanges & Lieux et formes du pouvoir
Tâche finale (p. 129) : As a journalist working for an online newspaper, you are in
charge of a webpage on Mexican immigration to the USA. Select a recording, write
a short article and choose a photo.
Activités
langagières
Tune in!
(p. 118-119)
1. A hard
path to hope
(p. 120-121)
2. The
other side
of the coin
(p. 122-123)
3. Mixed
feelings
(p. 124)
Contenus
Prolongements
tâches / aides
POI
Comprendre un dessin
humoristique
CE
Comprendre un graphique
CO
Comprendre
un document authentique
– Fiche Workbook
– Comprendre un document oral
(p. 238-239)
CO
Comprendre
des documents
authentiques
– Fiches Workbook
– Comprendre un document oral
(p. 238-239)
CE
Comprendre un texte
littéraire
– Fiche Workbook
– Language at work : L’expression du but et
de la cause • Propositions à l’infinitif (p. 126)
PE
– Rédiger un article
– Traduire
CO
Vidéo :
Of hope and justice
– Fiche vidéo (DVD-Rom et site compagnon)
– Commenter une image (p. 240-241)
CE
Comprendre un texte
littéraire
– Fiche Workbook
– Language at work : Prépositions (p. 126)
PPC
Faire un récit à l’oral
Enrichir sa prise de parole (p. 242-243)
CO
Comprendre un
témoignage authentique
– Fiche Workbook
– Comprendre un document oral
(p. 238-239)
PE
Écrire un texte
argumentatif (200 mots)
Rédiger un texte (p. 234-237)
POI
Comprendre
un dessin humoristique
– Build up your vocabulary (p. 127)
– Enrichir sa prise de parole (p. 242-243)
CO
Comprendre un
document authentique
– Fiche Workbook
– Comprendre un document oral
(p. 238-239)
Commenter une image (p. 240-241)
U N IT 8
• 159
UNIT
8
BORDERLANDS
Activités
langagières
4. Life in
America
(p. 125)
Contenus
Prolongements
tâches / aides
CO
Comprendre un
document authentique
– Fiche Workbook
– Improve your listening skills (p. 128)
PE
Écrire une courte
biographie (80-120 mots)
Rédiger un texte (p. 234-237)
POI
Confronter des opinions
sur des extraits de films
Enrichir sa prise de parole (p. 242-243)
L’activité langagière principale de cette unité est la CO (compréhension de l’oral).
TUNE IN!
MANUEL & P. 118-119
> Mise en œuvre communicative
On peut mettre en place un travail de groupes à l’aide des supports iconographiques de
cette double page. Le groupe A étudiera le cartoon p. 118. Le groupe B examinera la carte,
les graphiques et diagrammes de la p. 119. Les deux groupes désigneront un rapporteur, qui
présentera un compte rendu du document en répondant aux questions du manuel.
1. A power shift
& Productions possibles :
a.
health care • incentives • hire
b.
The man is concerned about minorities in California and the opportunities they can have.
He supports them. He pleads in favour of Californian minorities. He wants the government
to adopt a new policy on welfare. He would like the government to pass laws to increase
housing. He thinks the gap between minorities and American citizens can be bridged
by offering more educational opportunities to youngsters. He would like the government to urge
the employers to develop projects to hire minorities.
c.
At first, the woman thinks it is really kind of him to feel so concerned about minorities
in California. Then she sounds stunned and puzzled: apparently the man is not used to being
concerned about minorities. He must have been the typical prejudiced white man who does
not really care about minorities.
d.
The man has read the newspaper and is really taken aback after discovering the new data
regarding minorities. It looks as if the percentage of Whites is about to decline.
e.
The man is overwhelmed with anxiety. He is worried / worries about what will happen in the
near future. He fears he might be discriminated against. He may lose ground. He is likely to
be set apart / rejected / excluded. He fears he might not find accommodation easily or that
he may become a second-class citizen. Only limited job opportunities may be offered to his
children.
16 0 •
U N IT 8
2. The “browning” of America
b.
Over the past ten years / decade, the percentage of Hispanics or Latinos has soared. There
are 43% more Hispanics or Latinos in the USA. The Hispanic or Latino population is almost
twice as high as in 2000. Only the percentage increase of Asian people is higher (43.3%).
However, there are very few Asian people compared to Hispanics or Latinos. The Hispanics
or Latinos now constitute the second largest population in the USA with 16.3%, above the
Black population (12.6%).
On the contrary, the “Not Hispanic or Latino” group / population has hardly grown / risen.
There is just a slight growth of 4.9%.
Over the past few / last years, the population by State has changed mainly in the border States such as California, Texas and Arizona. As they are States neighbouring the
States-Mexico border, we can imagine that this increase has been provoked / caused by
the Hispanic or Latino population who have crossed the border legally or illegally.
N. B. : dans une perspective communicative, on incitera les élèves à échanger et à demander
des éclaircissements ou des compléments d’information à leurs camarades en les renvoyant
à l’aide méthodologique p. 242-243.
3. Role play
Woman: Oh, what does it say in the newspaper you’re holding?
Man: It states here that the white population will become the minority in California and that
the Hispanic population will be in the majority. The press reported this after the results of the
2010 census were published.
W: You sound very concerned about the situation. Why?
M: Being in the minority means that I will be at a disadvantage when it comes to finding a job,
and my children will not be able to go to the best schools. I care about my family and I don’t
want them to suffer just because we are white.
W: For years the Hispanic people of our State have been in the minority and have had to suffer
from the disadvantages you have just described. Like you, other white people will read the
results of the census in the newspaper and consider what it must be like to be in the minority.
This can only have a positive impact on our society.
M: What do you mean?
W: Well, if people become more compassionate towards the difficulties that Hispanic families
encounter year upon year, then they can work to change the situation. Whether white people
or Hispanic people are in the minority, we hope they won’t suffer in the future, as everyone
will have equal opportunities.
M: Yes! I understand what you mean. I had never thought of it that way before. So, instead
of worrying about myself, I should try to bridge the gap between the opportunities white and
Hispanic people have.
W: Exactly. We should all be working together to provide positive opportunities for the people
of our State.
M: I’m glad I’ve talked to you about it!
W: No problem. I have to go now. See you soon!
U N IT 8
• 161
UNIT
8
BORDERLANDS
4. Crossing over
CORRIGÉ DE LA FICHE DU WORKBOOK (P. 42-43)
1
1,951 • number of miles of the US-Mexico border
2
The States • Mexico • Tijuana • Brownsville • California • Arizona • New Mexico • Texas • Rio
Grande • the Gulf of Mexico
3
a) and b)
Characteristics
of the place
complicated • maddening •
beguiling • overwhelming •
hope • desperation • dreams
4
Economic situation
US: world’s largest
economy
Mexico: endemic poverty
Climate and
landscapes
mountains • deserts •
rivers • heat • chill
busier • watched • controversial
ACTION 1!
The US-Mexico border is one of the longest borders in the world. It stretches over
several States in the USA and it snakes from San Diego to Brownsville, across all sorts
of landscapes, from mountains to deserts. The US-Mexico border is very busy and much
debated. Indeed, as Mexico can only offer limited job opportunities, many Mexicans
who are destitute dream of crossing the border to find success and better prospects
in one of the wealthiest countries in the world.
5
tight • patrol • migrant • trade
6
dangers
7
hundreds. It refers to the number of people who die crossing the border every year.
8
650 million dollars • a 2,400-foot tunnel • 85 feet beneath the border • 2 tons of marijuana
9
a) fortunes • businesses • trade • drug traffickers • cocaine • heroin • marijuana • synthetic
drugs
b)
Above
Below
What?
trade
drug traffic
Type of business: legal? illegal?
legitimate businesses
illegal
How much?
$650 million
not mentioned
ACTION 2!
Not only is the US-Mexico border very busy, but it is also watched over by regular patrols
since it is dangerous. Indeed, legal and illegal businesses are thriving on the border like
16 2 •
U N IT 8
commercial exchanges or drug dealing and many fortunes are made. Much is at stake
on the border as narco trafficantes / drug dealers smuggle drugs through tunnels with
sophisticated equipment dug below ground! No wonder tragedies should occur every
day and hundreds of migrants should die each year.
10
How many?
millions
of immigrants
Status?
legal and illegal
Biggest group:
– nationality?
– number?
More than half of the
immigrants who live in
the USA are Mexicans.
Jobs:
in what sectors?
agriculture •
housing • tourism
ACTION 3!
More than half of the immigrants in the USA are Mexicans who are attracted by the job
opportunities there. Indeed, as they are willing to accept low wages, they represent an
easily-hired cheap labour force. Moreover, since they are also ready to accept painful
jobs, they easily find unskilled or menial jobs, both in the suburbs on building sites,
in hotels and in restaurants, or in rural areas as farm labourers at harvest time or in
the farming industry.
> Script de l’enregistrement (CD 2, plage 11)
Part 1
It can be complicated, maddening, beguiling… for those who haven’t seen it before,
the United States-Mexico border can be overwhelming. It is a place of hope, of desperation,
of dreams. These two neighboring nations, one battling endemic poverty, the other boasting
the world’s largest economy, share 1,951 miles of border. “La Linea”, as it is known on
the Mexican side, snakes over mountains and deserts and along rivers. The border stretches
from Tijuana, a city where generations of Californian teenagers have spent boozy nights
across the daytime heat and evening chill of the desert in Arizona and New Mexico, along
the wide Rio Grande River, in Texas, and down to the Gulf of Mexico beach towns outside
Brownsville. No border is busier, no border is more closely watched, no border is more
controversial. More than the entire population of the United States cross it according to
the White House. 1’05’’
Part 2
Dangers come with the increasing flows. Tighter border patrols have pushed migrants into
the deserts and hundreds die trying to cross each year. Fortunes are made on the border,
above and below ground. On the surface, legitimate businesses conduct $650 million
worth of trade each year… below ground, drug traffickers, the “narco trafficantes”, have
built sophisticated tunnels to transport cocaine, heroin, marijuana and synthetic drugs. In
January, US border agents discovered a 2,400-foot tunnel that was dug 85 feet beneath the
Mexico-California border. It had electric lighting, ventilation systems and a concrete floor.
Agents found two tons of marijuana inside. 1’51’’
U N IT 8
• 163
UNIT
8
BORDERLANDS
Part 3
Millions of immigrants, legal and illegal, have crossed “La Linea”. In the past decade, more
than ever have been crossing into the United States, streaming into America’s fields at
harvest time, its suburban construction zones, its backrooms and at restaurants and hotels.
Even though the numbers dropped slightly in the early 2000s, they appear to be climbing
again. The result is that more illegal immigrants live in the United States now than ever,
and more than half are Mexican.
& Productions possibles :
c.
It is not surprising that the 1,951-mile States-Mexico border should arouse mixed feelings
(desperation and hope) as the two countries are completely opposed. The States boasts
the world’s largest economy, contrary to Mexico, which is plagued by economic problems,
crime and misery.
The border is the longest in the world and it stretches over all sorts of landscapes from
mountains to beaches and rivers such as the wide Rio Grande. You can be confronted with
all sorts of climatic conditions (from heat to chill) depending on the place where you cross
the border. And as many people cross the border (more than the entire population of the US
cross it according to the White House), it is the busiest, the most watched over and the most
debated / disputed border in the world.
No wonder it should be a dangerous place too! It is all the more risky as border patrols keep
on rejecting migrants into the desert where hundreds of undocumented people die every
year. On the surface and below ground, all sorts of legal and illegal trades and businesses are
conducted. Once a 2,400-foot tunnel was discovered. It was so well equipped with electric
lighting and ventilation systems that it was easy to survive in it for a long time!
More than half the illegal immigrants living in the States are Mexicans who have crossed
the border to work in fields, building sites, restaurants and hotels doing the jobs the Americans
often find degrading.
1. A HARD PATH TO HOPE
MANUEL & P. 120-121
1. New horizons
& Productions possibles :
a.
Many Mexicans are attracted to the USA because of the promise of a better life, a new life
bringing more wealth and material comfort. It is more than just changing horizons for them,
since it sometimes appears as a question of survival for the whole family. What draws them
to the other side are also the med facilities and the education system. What’s more, they know
they can find unskilled jobs quite easily and start off quickly.
b.
Group A: The American Dream is still alive and attracts immigrants like a magnet. It is
a permanent fascination. Indeed, the USA is still considered the Land of Plenty, a haven for
impoverished immigrants seeking jobs, decent housing, health care, education. They know
that all this can only be reached through hard work and self-determination and they are ready
to endure hardships.
16 4 •
U N IT 8
Group B: Mexicans dream of making it out there in the US, of climbing the rungs of the social
ladder, of succeeding. They also wish they could get papers one day and become American
citizens. But their ultimate goal is to be reunited with their families and to be able to go back
to their country when they can retire and live a peaceful life with enough money.
> Script de l’enregistrement (CD 2, plage 12)
Part 1
Journalist: Good evening, I’m Bill Connelly and you’re listening to our programme
“New Horizons”. Tonight’s topic has to do with “hyphenated Americans”, Italian-Americans,
German-Americans, Irish-Americans, African-Americans, Mexican-Americans… It’s the same
old story: penniless immigrants arrive on American shores seeking a new life. And because
they work hard, they manage to have a better life. But at a time when immigration is such
a burning political issue, is the American Dream still alive? To answer our questions, we’re
pleased to welcome Alejandro Perez. Could you tell us more about yourself?
Alejandro Perez: Good evening Bill. Well, first of all, let me tell you that the dream is still
alive. Millions of people have uprooted themselves to pursue this dream. It is still very powerful… I’m from the outskirts of Mexico City... I’ve left my wife and child in Mexico to try
and make it out here in the US. I want them to have better living conditions and a higher
standard of living. 1’10’’
Part 2
Journalist: How come you were ready to leave everything behind? What made you leave
your native country?
Alejandro: As I said, I had to find a way out of poverty and unemployment. In Mexico,
I was making 600 pesos a month (about $70) as a car mechanic, but that was not enough
to provide my family with the bare necessities.
Journalist: Are jobs in the US better paid?
Alejandro: Yes, even the lowest-paid jobs in the US are worth the sacrifices compared
to the wages we have in Mexico. I earn 8 to 10 times more here. There are so many jobs
available for unskilled workers too… The 2,000-km border between our two countries is
a strong magnet.
Journalist: Indeed, over a million Mexicans migrate to the US every year, despite the global
recession. What other reasons forced you to migrate?
Alejandro: The prospects in the US are much greater: material comfort can be reached
easily, excellent med facilities increase life expectancy (it is 4 years more than in Mexico)…
I want my family to join me when the time comes. I hope that my little boy will get a good
education. 2’31’’
Part 3
Journalist: One more question Alejandro… Would you say that there is a Mexican Dream?
Alejandro: Oh, yes, definitely. The real Mexican Dream is that people leave for the US,
find a job, improve their income gradually over the years, get papers, bring their family and
build something in the US, but then later, depending on their age and how they do, go back
to Mexico and retire there.
Journalist: From what we’ve heard tonight we can say that Latinos in the US are at a crossroads economically, politically and culturally. They are a force to be reckoned with! So,
Alejandro, we wish you good luck, and thank you for sharing your experience with us.
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CORRIGÉ DE LA FICHE DU WORKBOOK (P. 44-45)
1
a) Bill Connelly
b) Alejandro Perez – Mexican
c) This is a talk-show. Its name is New Horizons.
2
The main topic is people from Mexico who move to America to have a better life, to find
new horizons. The interviewee is speaking about his own experience, why he crossed the
border to find better prospects and make a living in the United States.
3
a)
Push factors
penniless
Pull factors
seeking a new life
Condition to succeed
work hard
b) Poor Mexicans who are longing to start anew / start from scratch move to the United
States. If they work hard, they succeed in making a living there.
4
- City of origin: Mexico City (the outskirts)
- Place of residence now: the US
- Family background: son and wife
- Place where his family lives: Mexico
- Goals: 1) better living conditions 2) higher standard of living
5
- 600: pesos he earns per month - 70: equivalent of his salary in dollars - 2,000: kilometres
of the Mexican border - 4: years more of life expectancy in the US - over 1 M: Mexicans
who migrate to the US every year
6
a)
Mexico
- poverty and unemployment
- 600 pesos a month = $70
- not enough to provide my family
with the bare necessities
The US
- Even the lowest-paid jobs in the US
are worth the sacrifices.
- earn 8 to 10 times more
- so many jobs available for unskilled
workers
b) The job market and the salaries are at odds in the USA and in Mexico. While Mexico is
struck by poverty and unemployment, the US needs new labour force, including unskilled
workers. The salaries are up to 10 times as high as in Mexico, which enables workers to
provide their families with the bare necessities.
7
- Prospects in the US are much greater.
- Material comfort can be reached very easily.
- Excellent medical facilities increase life expectancy (4 years more than in Mexico).
- “I earn 8 to 10 times more here. There are so many jobs available for unskilled workers
too.”
8
a) Mexican Dream - people - leave - US - find - job - improve - income - get papers - bring
family - build something - go back - Mexico - retire
16 6 •
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b)
Things to achieve in the US
- find a job - improve their income
- get papers - bring their family
- build something
9
Things to do in Mexico
retire
a) 6: number of Americans for 1 Mexican living in the US
b) 50: millions of Mexicans who now live in the US
ACTION!
Part 1: According to Alejandro, the American Dream still exists. A lot of Mexicans cross
the border in order to find better prospects in the United States. They start from scratch
and leave everything behind. They aim at climbing up the social ladder so that they can
improve their standard of living.
Part 2: A great number of destitute Mexicans are lured by the opportunities the United
States offers and long for a means of escaping poverty and unemployment. They yearn to
improve their living conditions as well as their standard of living, and want their children
to start off on the right foot in life. Indeed, their major incentives are to bring their
families and build a new life in America. The harder they work, the more certain they are
of fulfilling their dream.
Part 3: The Latinos play a very important part in American society as they represent 16%
of the population. They are a powerful group which cannot be ignored, as they participate
actively in the political, economic and cultural life of the United States. What is more, they
represent a significant labour force which is needed in the country.
Objectif
j f
This recording reveals that a growing flow of population migrates to the USA in order to find
work and improve their standard of living. The border has become a new pole of attraction,
and acts like a magnet on many deprived Mexicans who long to fulfil the American Dream.
This migration pattern is also a means of creating a more multicultural society, since cultural
exchanges are bound to take place. They go hand in hand with economic exchanges, in so
far as Mexicans are given the opportunity to climb up the rungs of the social ladder while
the US economy benefits from their endeavours.
2. Facing reality
3. Find the key information
> Mise en œuvre
– On demandera aux élèves de regarder l’image p. 120, de réagir et d’anticiper le contenu
du texte en quelques phrases.
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– Puis on divisera la classe en plusieurs groupes de quatre élèves maximum, qui se
concentreront sur une des deux parties du texte à l’aide de la fiche de compréhension
du Workbook.
– Les élèves mettront ensuite en commun leurs informations et réflexions ; ils échangeront
et confronteront leurs opinions.
& Productions possibles (anticipation) :
This is a photo which looks quite genuine and was probably taken in the vast expanses of
the desert that covers the Mexican-American border. As a matter of fact, we can notice brown
and brittle grass seared by the sun / heat, dried-up little bushes and nothing else… There
is just a fence that has been built in the middle, going as far as the eye can see. It makes us
think of a sort of no man’s land.
The text may deal with the hardships encountered by people in this environment. It may relate
the difficult trip of immigrants trying to walk across the desert to get to the USA. They might
find themselves in the middle of nowhere, alone, facing a difficult / harrowing journey.
CORRIGÉ DE LA FICHE DU WORKBOOK (P. 46-47)
1
a) truck (l. 8) b) cab (l. 16) c) headlights (l. 13)
2
a) gathered together: ont été rassemblés
b) shallow: peu profond • yards: quelques mètres (1 yard = 0,9144 mètre, avec 1 square
yard = 0,83612736 mètre carré)
c) bucks: dollars (fam. : “tickets”) • glare: lueur, lumière • jump off: sauter en marche
3
– Country: mainly the USA (“American side”, l. 4) – Town / City: Fort Stockton (l. 12)
– River: Rio Grande (l. 1) – Area: border / desert area
4
5
Group 1
How many?
18 (men + women) + 2 other men
2
Nationality?
Mexican
American
Name when given?
“wetbacks”
Hanson
a) was shallow (Rio Grande) • could walk across (Mexicans) • swim (Mexicans) • had stationed (Americans) • helped (Mexicans)
b) The Mexicans had to go across the Rio Grande River but did not need to swim (only
partly for the last leg of the journey) as the water level was very low, due to the drought.
So, that part of the journey was not the harshest / hardest. Moreover, two other Mexicans
were there (on the other side) to help them, and in particular, the women.
6
7
Group 2
What do they travel in?
Conditions?
truck & old / miserable
+ served many times
Mexicans are piled in
+ they mustn’t move
+ bouncing over the roads
uncomfortable trip
a) “fifteen bucks” (l. 11) + “verifying the payments” (l. 13-14)
16 8 •
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b) Hanson gets the money from each single candidate for illegal immigration in order
to drive them to Fort Stockton and leave them on a safe road. (“and I put you on a back
road to Fort Stockton”, l. 11-12)
8
a) They are all verbs showing the Americans’ attitude towards the Mexicans: they reveal
they are aggressive, threatening, even violent. They want to scare them in order to control
them better.
b) They must have had second thoughts, doubts about their guides although they did not
have any choice and had to rely on them to get to the US. They must have felt ill-at-ease,
worried, even scared because of the way they were treated by Hanson and his accomplices.
recap 1
a) The Mexicans want to migrate to the USA illegally / they are candidates for immigration
but are undocumented aliens trying to sneak across the border, so they need the help of
guides. They depend entirely on them / their fate is in their hands. The American guides
are greedy smugglers who have made a deal with them and who are only taking advantage
of / cashing in on the situation to make a profit. They do not seem to have any qualms of
conscience / have a guilty conscience. What’s more, the Mexicans are treated like cattle
by the guides, and manipulated by those unscrupulous men. They are mistreated / illtreated. They are travelling in inhumane conditions and do not have a say. / They must
respect the rules imposed on them.
b) A ride to the Promised Land
9
fix: réparer • Anglos: Américains, Blancs • stranded: laissés en plan
10
a) cough (l. 23) + conk out (l. 24)
b) The problem has been solved.
c) Pour leur plus grande joie
d) Hanson pretends he has just finished repairing the truck and makes them hear the
sound of the engine starting. So they think that the problem has just been solved.
11
a) – he (l. 24) refers to Hanson + this (l. 24) refers to the problem / the breakdown.
– their (l. 26) refers to the Mexicans.
b) The incident was a trap.
c) First, Hanson pretended the truck had a problem / some trouble / that there was
a breakdown. So he asked the Mexicans to get off the truck. He made the Mexicans think
that he was repairing the truck. But it turned out to be a trap.
d) When hearing the sound of the engine again, the Mexicans were hopeful and thought
that they would be able to get back on the truck and move on. But, finally, the American
guide betrayed the Mexicans and left them stranded in the middle of nowhere, in the desert.
They were far from the river, helpless, defenceless, powerless. They were panic-stricken /
horror-stricken.
12
– “the sun was blazing high” (l. 29-30) – “the sky was an arch of blue” (l. 34)
– “in that dreadful heat” (l. 36) (+ “whose swollen tongue filled his mouth”, l. 30-31)
13
a) food / water / a guide / cacti
b) Several Mexicans have already died of thirst.
c) hell (l. 29)
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a) Cándido Guzman and Manuela Guzman. They are brother and sister. (“stared madly at
her brother”, l. 37).
b) They tried to walk out of the deadly desert and to find help, but with the other Mexicans,
they endured the terrible pain of a scorching sun. / they endured excruciating pains. Most
of them slowly died of thirst. They had nothing to quench their thirst and no glimmer of
hope. Manuela dies in her brother’s arms. We do not know at the end of the text what will
happen to Cándido.
4 a.m.
15
10 a.m.
noon
2 p.m. late afternoon
1st day & 2nd day
"
(fake)
breakdown
"
"
"
1 Mexican 3 more dead less than
dies
8 people
6 more (by 11)
still alive
"
death of
Manuela
recap 2
a) The Mexicans were lured into the possibility of getting to the other side safely, but were
deceived. They were easy preys who could not do anything and would not denounce their
“killers” as they were undocumented aliens. Their slow descent into hell is that of the end
of a dream. / The trip to freedom has turned into a nightmare. But the most awful / appalling thing of all is that it is for some of them the end of a life… Their lives are at stake
and the tragedy is that their lives are not worth more than $270! What’s more, their death
will probably go unnoticed.
b) Michener sides with the Mexicans and focuses on their tragic plight. This is a frightful
narrative which raises the question of “betrayal” (different levels). The promises of a better
future in the USA are broken by those who use immigration for their own benefit. / They
lure Mexicans to the States to take advantage of their inexperience and gullibility.
The author goes a little further in this story and makes us wonder if America is still a refuge
for the poor and the oppressed (for the “tired” and “huddled masses”, cf. Emma Lazarus’s
poem on the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty). Is the American Dream still within reach
of those outside the US?
4. Meeting Cándido
& Productions possibles :
Reporter: I am about to interview Cándido Guzman, a Mexican, whose dream of coming to
the United States ended in a nightmare. Please tell me why so many Mexicans risk their lives
crossing the border from Mexico to America?
Cándido: A lot of Mexicans have friends or family who live in America and tell them of
the opportunities there. It is only natural to want a better life, which is why my sister and
I decided to risk everything and head for America.
Reporter: Tell me about your journey.
Cándido: We started at the Gulf of Mexico. It wasn’t an easy journey, we had to trudge through
the waters of the Rio Grande and when we reached the American side we paid smugglers a
170 •
U N IT 8
lot of money each for the privilege of riding in their filthy truck. I should have known then that
they were untrustworthy swindlers, just out for a buck! They abandoned us on the roadside.
Reporter: How did your journey end?
Cándido: Horrifically. Half of the Mexicans perished in the heat, including my sister Manuela.
It was the worst moment of my life.
Reporter: Thank you for sharing your story with us. It is one of the saddest stories I have ever
heard and unfortunately one of many similar accounts about the dangers Mexicans face when
crossing the border.
5. Translation workshop
Les dix-huit clandestins / wetbacks mexicains furent conduits vers un camion en piteux état,
qui avait cahoté sur ces routes / pistes maintes fois, mais, avant de les laisser monter, un
homme du nom de Hanson grogna / brailla : « Quinze dollars / tickets, et je vous dépose sur
une petite route après Fort Stockton. » Il vérifia les paiements à la lumière des phares, compta
les Mexicains, les entassa et se dirigea vers le nord. Mais pendant qu’il conduisait, un de
ses acolytes monta sur la cabine du camion et braqua un fusil de chasse sur les passagers.
6. Arizona: A flashpoint
CORRIGÉ DE LA FICHE DU WORKBOOK (P. 48-49)
1
roiled • row crop • lettuce • plants
2
a) Arizona • border • flashpoint • no • State • arrests • illegal • migration • crossing • deaths • roiled • political • battles • immigration • busy • border • place •
huge • commerce • workers • stream • the United States • Mexico • labor • world •
productive • fields • picking • row • crops • lettuce • working • huge • agro-business • processing • plants
b)
Records
– arrests for illegal
migration
– political battles
– crossing deaths
Trade
huge commerce
Agriculture
pick row crops
Industry
agro-business
processing plants
ACTION 1!
Through this recording an issue is raised: immigration. The topic is highly controversial.
In Arizona arrests for illegal immigration and political battles prevail. The crossing death
toll is at its highest too. Since immigrants represent a cheap labour force, they are easily hired to do menial jobs in the industrial and agricultural fields as farm labourers or
unskilled workers.
3
a) controversy • patrol • border • binocular • lawn chair
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b)
Who?
the Minutemen
Objects used
Actions taken
– binocular
– lawn chair
patrol
Place
border
Final goal
reduce the flow
of immigrants
ACTION 2!
Some American citizens who call themselves the Minutemen have decided to organize
patrols because they are hostile to newcomers and object to immigration. They want
to prevent undocumented aliens from crossing the border. That’s why they have decided
to watch over the border lying on lawn chairs using binoculars to spot illegal immigrants
and help border patrols catch and arrest them. They want the government to implement
a tighter border control in order to curb immigration and defend the American border.
4
2006
5
deported
6
a) reaction • Latin America • furious • children • adults • affected • Arizona • Mexican authorities • number • children • deported • doubled • more • 3,000 • first • 3 • months • 2006
• US Congress • proposed • building • hefty • wall • length • border • reaction • proposals •
highly • negative • emotional
b)
What problems?
deportation
Who?
children
How many?
more than 3,000
7
Decision in the US
Who?
the US Congress
What?
build a hefty wall
Reaction in Latin America
furious • highly negative • emotional
ACTION 3!
As a tighter border control has been enforced to check the flow of immigrants, adults
and children have been affected. More than 3,000 children have been deported, a number
which has doubled in the first three months of 2006. In order to support an increasing
number of people who object to undocumented aliens crossing the border, some US
Congressmen have suggested they build a fence between Mexico and the US. It is not
surprising that reactions in Latin America should be highly negative, emotional and furious.
Objectif
j f
This recording illustrates exchanges in terms of illegal immigration.
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> Script de l’enregistrement (CD 2, plage 13)
Part 1
Arizona is America’s new border flashpoint. No State has more arrests for illegal migration,
no State has more crossing deaths and no State is more roiled by political battles over
immigration. Arizona’s busy border is a place of huge commerce. Workers stream into the
United States from Mexico to labor in some of the world’s most productive fields, picking
row crops such as lettuce, and working in huge agro-business processing plants. [...] 0’35’’
Part 2
But the flow of immigrants is a source of constant controversy. Some have taken the matters
into their own hands. A US citizens group known as “the Minutemen” is conducting a patrol
of the Arizona border. They arrive with binoculars and lawn chairs taking the border battle
into their own hands. [...] 0’57’’
Part 3
Reaction in Latin America was furious. [...] Children and adults are affected. In Arizona,
Mexican authorities say the number of Mexican children who were deported doubled to
more than 3,000 in the first 3 months of 2006. Some in the US Congress have proposed
building a hefty wall along the length of the border. The reaction in Latin America to such
proposals has been highly negative and emotional.
& Productions possibles :
b.
The recording under study is entitled “Arizona: a flashpoint”. It raises a key issue, namely
the problem of immigration. Contrary to other documents, the journalist focuses on Mexican
immigrants only.
He stresses that the immigrants are attracted to the US because of the job opportunities
offered. The immigrants represent a cheap labour force, are employed in the farming industry.
They work as farm labourers, have unskilled or menial jobs.
However, immigration is a highly controversial issue in the States. Some citizens object
to immigration, they patrol the border to prevent immigrants from entering the States.
They are determined to catch / arrest undocumented aliens. The Minutemen patrol
the border to curb immigration, to defend their territory. They are hostile to the newcomers.
Hence, the use of binoculars, helicopters. They resort to sophisticated equipment to implement a tighter border control.
Some Congress people want a huge fence to be built along the border to enforce tighter
border controls and to check the flow of immigrants.
7. Watch a video: Of hope and justice (Bread & Roses)
N. B. : la fiche élève, son corrigé, le script et l’exploitation de l’extrait se trouvent dans le
DVD-Rom et sur le site compagnon.
& Productions possibles :
a.
Sam and Maya are both marching / demonstrating in the streets of L.A. to protest against
the janitors’ unfair situation and working conditions. Sam is a committed activist and is leading this movement in his wish to help Maya and all the people like her. As for Maya, she is
one of the people whose names are written on the placards, and she is fighting to get her job
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back because she has been unfairly dismissed. They are happy to fight together, and simply
be together as Sam’s invitation to dinner proves. They seem to be close friends engaging in
a romance.
b.
In his speech Sam refers to the revolutionary slogan used during the 1912 Lawrence Strike
in Massachusetts (“We want bread and roses”) where textile workers stood up for their
rights and fought against their employers to get higher wages, better working conditions and
respect. Sam takes this as a model to follow and gives the people assembled courage to go
on and win. He wants them to hope, but also get justice done, through unionism. We can see
that the slogan is written on a huge banner and we understand in this very scene why the film
is also entitled “Bread & Roses”.
c.
During Sam’s speech the police were seen approaching the building, so we may assume
that they have come to stop the demonstration – turning into a sit-in – to scatter / break
up the crowd. They might even take them to the police station if they resist. There they will
certainly check if they are undocumented aliens / illegal workers.
Act it out!
> Mise en œuvre
– Travail de groupes ou travail individuel.
– Les élèves pourront se préparer en classe ou à la maison et se mettre en scène devant
le reste de la classe.
– Ceux qui ne se sentent pas assez à l’aise pour jouer devant leurs camarades pourront
aussi se filmer en dehors de la classe et apporter leur clé USB en cours.
– Toute la classe pourra prendre en charge l’évaluation.
> Grille d’évaluation
Nom de l’élève :
Rôle choisi :
Total:
/ 20
Réalisation du travail / « jeu » (body language)
01234
Interaction avec le partenaire
01234
Prononciation / intonation / accentuation
01234
Script cohérent, intéressant, original
01234
Correction de la langue
01234
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U N IT 8
2. THE OTHER SIDE
OF THE COIN
MANUEL & P. 122-123
> Mise en œuvre :
– Dans un premier temps, on procèdera à une anticipation à partir du dessin humoristique et
on demandera aux élèves de deviner quelles sont les idées principales du texte en quelques
phrases.
– On fera ensuite réagir les élèves après une première lecture du texte, puis on divisera la
classe en deux groupes qui feront les activités proposées dans le Workbook en fonction de
la partie du texte qu’ils ont à traiter.
& Productions possibles :
This cartoon is a pro-immigrant response to opponents of immigration who say that immigrants
– legal and illegal – are taking away jobs from American citizens. These jobs include working
in restaurants, fields, and factories, among other things. They are low-paid, backbreaking,
often for many more hours than legally allowed, and unrewarding. Most immigrants have little education and are low-skilled. The cartoonist is pointing out that the jobs that immigrants
“take” are jobs that most Americans would be unwilling to do. In the last drawing, the cartoonist highlights the ways that anti-immigration activists are using to drive immigrants out of the
country. It is demonstrated by the recent discriminatory immigration law passed by the State
of Arizona. Immigration is under the control of the federal government of the United States
and Arizona’s law oversteps its power. The American government is suing Arizona in order to
stop the law from being put into practice.
1. Find the key information
CORRIGÉ DE LA FICHE DU WORKBOOK (P. 49-51)
1
It refers to Cándido.
2
had walked
3
“down out of the canyon” (l. 2)
4
- How far is it? Goal? Nearly eight miles – Venice - Type of job? Sewing job
- Means of transportation? By foot and by bus - Result? Job never materialized
5
- Who informed her? A Guatemalan woman
- Location/Type of area: An alien world, a bad neighbourhood
- Salary: three dollars and thirty-five cents an hour
- Working conditions: difficult (“watch her sweat”)
6
She discovered a privileged area: “salt smell”, “people jogging on the beach”, “amazing
narrow shouldered houses”, “millionaires”.
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7
panic & left the South and her village = She is probably from Mexico, and only speaks
Spanish + “she was separated from Cándido.”
8
She felt lost / alien.
9
She walked down the canyon and caught a bus to Venice. She looked for the address a
woman had given her, but she did not find it. When she realized the place did not exist,
she decided to go back to the canyon.
10
a) She is walking along the road which takes her back up the canyon.
b) She is in danger because she is walking right next to cars which are going past her at
a very high speed.
11
a) car b) the drivers in the cars c) This is what América imagines the American drivers
are saying to her, based on the look in their eyes. d) América is under the impression that
the people in the cars are xenophobic / racist; they do not want any immigrants in their
country. She imagines they hold her in contempt / despise her / resent the Hispanics’
presence. They can’t bear / object to Hispanics being in their country.
12
- one of them tore up the dirt in front of her
- the police were standing there demanding her papers
13
“a shape”, “a concert of shades”, “a rock”, “a pile of laundry”, “a man”, “her man”
14
a) It refers to Càndido. b) drunk
15
When she walks back to the canyon, she notices something on the ground. At first, América
thinks it is just a rock or a pile of laundry but then, she suddenly realizes that it is her husband who is lying there. She thinks he is probably drunk and asleep but when she touches
him she fears something dreadful may have happened.
ACTION!
1
2
Part 1
América was given an address for a job which would have been an opportunity to earn
money even if it was paid low wages. She is an illegal immigrant who left the South
and her village because she hopes for a better future with more opportunities and
better prospects for her and her husband. She travelled long distances for long hours
and went through many hardships. When she arrived in Los Angeles, she was confronted
with wealth which made her aware of her own poverty. When she got lost, she realized
that she was alone.
During her walk, she must have gone through different states of mind. She felt happy
and hopeful when she saw all the millionaires’ houses and must have thought that one
day, she would climb up the rungs of the social ladder and become well-off too.
Nevertheless, reality dawned on her when she realized that the job she was after did not
exist. She was disappointed and desperate. When she turned back and got lost, she may
have been quite worried and scared, since she was a foreigner and did not speak the
language. What is more, she could not find her way back and got panicky as she thought
she was separated from her husband. She became aware that she was a stranger and
that her future might be made of shattered dreams.
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Part 2
When she turned round, she had to face racism in the eyes of car drivers. She could feel
their contempt and their resentment of her presence. She managed to find her way but felt
very weak because she was ravenous and thirsty. She was anxious about being followed
or arrested by the police. When she saw her husband lying on the ground, she was angry
with him since she thought he was drunk. However she soon realized that she was in for
trouble. She feared something awful might have happened to him. She would be in a
terrible mess, because if her husband died she would be alone, since she was jobless and
undocumented. She couldn’t make a living. She dreaded the thought that she might be
accused of murdering him. He may have been in a coma, died of a heart attack. He may
have been bitten by a snake. He may have fainted.
Objectif
j f
T
On the one hand, their story represents a major change in their lives. Going to America
was a way to move forward and have more opportunities on the job market. They were
hoping for better prospects and longing to improve their standard of living. They knew they
could represent an economic force even though they would have to accept menial jobs.
On the other hand, they couldn’t help feeling rejected and left-out, they felt despised
by Americans and knew they wouldn’t be treated on an equal footing with them. They
must have felt disheartened as they realized they would struggle to integrate into the
United States and to assert their rights.
Their story debunks the myth of America as the land of plenty, abundance, opportunity,
prosperity, the pursuit of happiness, the land of milk and honey. We are shown the seamy
side of the USA. América is an underdog, and the reader is made to sympathize with her, to
have compassion and understanding. We become aware of the plight of the undocumented
aliens.
2. Storytelling
& Productions possibles :
I’ve had such a horrible day, Cándido. It was off to such a promising start only for it to become
a disappointment. The Guatemalan woman told me about a sewing job at a sweatshop in
Venice. It didn’t pay much, but we’re not in a position to turn down jobs, even for such low
wages. I woke up at dawn and walked down to the Coast Highway to catch the bus. That was
the best part of my day, actually. Walking along the beach all the hardships we have endured
disappeared for a moment. I didn’t feel ostracized or foreign; I was just another person walking along the beach.
But then, everything fell apart. The address I was given didn’t exist. I roamed and circled the
neighbourhood trying to find it until I realized I was lost, with no idea where I was and no way
to ask for help because I knew I couldn’t make myself understood. I panicked. I didn’t have
you by my side and I was in a strange place. I had to make the journey back here all over again
and all I saw was my – our – misfortune and hardships. I’m so exhausted, Cándido. I thought
that by coming here we’d have jobs and a house and a good life. We’re homeless, we don’t
have jobs; we have nothing. Are we doomed to live like this forever?
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3. Testimony
CORRIGÉ DE LA FICHE DU WORKBOOK (P. 51-52)
1
- degree - literature - deport - undocumented
2
- Countries mentioned? Mexico, the United States
- Date? May 1st, 1991 - Number? 3 - top 5%
3
The recording may be a testimony of a person from Mexico who crossed the border illegally
and who was undocumented. This person must be or have been a student.
4
a) Born in Mexico on May 1st, 1991, crossed the border of the United States illegally
b) - Place of birth: Mexico - Date of birth: May 1st, 1991 - Age upon entering the USA: 3
- Status upon entering the USA: undocumented - First diploma: graduated in the top 5%
5
a) She was an honors student, and also took AP classes; treasurer for National Honors
Society, cross country captain.
b) Maricela did all her studies in America and made the most of her student’s life. She was
among the best students of her class.
6
To be undocumented.
7
a) - How many years to go? a year and a half - Degrees: How many? 2 degrees
- In what subjects? political science and English literature - Hopes and wishes? get a
job - help other people but also herself - Job she can have? waitress - getting paid cash
b) horrible c) She has realized that despite all her degrees, she will never manage to use
them to get a job because she is undocumented. She worked hard for nothing.
8
a) name - immediately - attached - fear - deported - country - never - lived - inner workings - society - fear - leave - home - fear - every day
b) - Dominant feeling? Fear - Reasons given? being deported to a country that you have
never lived in - you don’t know the inner workings of their society - I don’t want to leave
my home. - I would not want to go and have to live somewhere else.
ACTION!
Part 1: Maricela crossed the border illegally when she was 3. As an immigrant, she has
succeeded in her studies and is a high-achiever since she is going to graduate in two
degrees. She realizes that being undocumented is a handicap that she will never overcome.
Part 2: Maricela has reached a high academic level and is about to fulfil her parents’
great expectations. Nevertheless, she cannot hide her disappointment and her disillusion when she realizes that her degrees prove to be useless, and all the sacrifices she
has made are going to be wasted because of her illegal status.
Part 3: Maricela dreads she might be deported to another country, she fears she might
end up in an unknown place where she would not feel at home. She cannot put aside this
gloomy perspective because of the fact that she is undocumented.
178 •
U N IT 8
> Script de l’enregistrement (CD 2, plage 16)
Part 1
I was born in Mexico on May 1st 1991. When I was three, um, we crossed into the United
States illegally. I had such a typical American experience. I was, like, honors, in AP classes,
and treasurer for National Honors Society, and cross country captain. I graduated in the top
5% of my class; like really, just your “run-of-the-mill” American experience when it comes
to high school, and I never thought, like, I never took into consideration that being undocumented was going to be a huge sort of, like, hurdle to cross. 0’41’’
Part 2
It means that I’m going to graduate in a year and a half with two degrees in political science
and English literature, and I’m not going to be able to put those to good use. And it just sort
of hit me in the face recently. I’m like “Oh my God... I’ve a year and a half left. I’ve worked
so hard. My parents worked so hard to get me through college, and they did all of this so I
could get a job in which hopefully I could help other people, but also myself, and I’m just to
have to keep being a waitress and getting paid cash; that’s horrible!” It’s a horrible feeling
to have, to know that you’ve worked so hard to get that little degree, diploma, and that in
the end, it’s just going to be a piece of paper in your living room. 1’29’’
Part 3
If your name is out there immediately attached to “undocumented”, then there’s always
this fear of being deported to a country that you have never lived in, or could not be able to
live in because you don’t know, sort of, the inner workings of their society, and there’s this,
like, this fear of, like, “I don’t want to leave my home”. This, right here, this is my home, and
I would not want to go and have to live somewhere else. And there’s that fear every day.
& Productions possibles (Manuel p. 123, 3 b.) :
Maricela is a young student of Mexican descent / origin who entered the US illegally. Her
parents are hard working people who did their best to make her succeed, and indeed, she
became a top student. But she was quite unaware of what could happen to her as an undocumented alien, because as such she could be deported. She cannot envisage going back to a
country she does not really know, because she grew up American!
4. Writing workshop
This question has many answers only because different people in different situations would
respond in various ways. In my case, I would leave my friends and family to live abroad only if
I already had a job before leaving. I don’t think I could give up the security I have in my home
country to live in a foreign country where I would live insecure and uncertain situations. If I
were to move abroad, I would only be able to do so if I knew I had, at the very least, a place
to live, a job, and / or enough money to cover my necessities. However, I am lucky enough to
not only have an education but also have a desirable nationality that gives me the opportunity
to immigrate to another country (somewhat) more easily than others.
For that unlucky majority, like América and Cándido, I can easily understand why they would
throw caution to the wind and leave everything they know and love behind for a chance,
however small, that they could improve their lives. Without taking risks to move to another
country, their future will always be gray.
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3. MIXED FEELINGS
MANUEL & P. 124
1. With or without you?
a.
Both cartoons focus on the uneasy and often tense relationship between America and its
immigrants. In the first cartoon, the hand of Uncle Sam is inviting the Mexican into the United
States – even though there is a wall separating them. In the second cartoon, the uneasiness
is clear to see on the woman’s face (representing Americans) when being so close to the
immigrant man. Even though both groups are uncomfortable with each other, they need the
other in order to survive. Both cartoons show how interconnected immigrants are with the
United States and its citizens. However, in the first cartoon it is the United States as a country
that is welcoming immigrants, even if they are illegally entering the country. Their legal status
is something that they are willing to overlook. The second cartoon shows the hypocrisy immigrants encounter after they make it to the United States. Even though they were “invited”
into the country, Americans look at them with distrust and suspicion.
b.
The design of both pictures is the same: a man and a woman stand next to each other in front
of a farm house, presumably somewhere in America’s heartland, where farms and agriculture
prosper to feed the American population. This is where similarities end. In the 1930s painting,
it is a white man and woman who are the subjects. In the new version, it is a white woman
(representing Americans) and a Hispanic man. This is the goal of the cartoonist: to show that
the United States has changed – demographically and economically. The arrival of immigrants
has meant that the face of the country has changed and that they are stimulating the economy
with their work, even if some Americans refuse to acknowledge their importance. This is underlined by the woman’s expression and the man telling her that she can’t live without him.
c.
I think that the first cartoon exemplifies best what the questions are asking for. It is critical in that
it shows the hypocrisy of some Americans’ attitude to immigrants. Uncle Sam is extending a hand
to welcome the Mexican man, promising jobs and riches but says nothing of the discrimination
and hardships they will face once they arrive. This is also the most striking part of the cartoon,
especially once the viewer becomes aware of what the American government is doing to stop
the influx of immigrants from coming into the country. It also illustrates their situation because
they are essentially walking into the unknown: an unknown country, language, and culture.
2. Crossroads
CORRIGÉ DE LA FICHE DU WORKBOOK (P. 53-54)
1
- excess - flow - migrants - border - busiest
2
- Countries mentioned? The United States – Mexico - Cities? Tijuana - San Diego - Numbers? more than a million - second largest city - 14-mile stretch - Stressed / repeated
words? Mexican - border – migrants - Spanish words? maquiladoras - colonias
3
The recording may deal with the border between Mexico and the United States. It might
be about people who try to cross this border in order to go and make a living in the US,
but it might also explain why some Americans go to Mexico, probably to buy products at
a lower cost.
18 0 •
U N IT 8
4
5
Population
Size / Rank
more than a million
people
the largest or second
largest city
Location
on the Mexican border
a)
Reasons why people go to Tijuana
- leaping off point for migrants
- find work in the maquiladoras
Problems
- Urban poverty is a growing problem.
- Poor live in vast colonias.
- traveling by foot over dusty dirt roads
b)
What?
US Department of
Homeland Security
6
14-mile
Characteristics
- multiple layers of security
- stadium-style lighting and
sophisticated surveillance systems
a) flow - migrants - the US - huge - travelers - drawn - low-cost - prescription - medecines
- bought - fraction - price - patient - pharmacies - line - streets - border - promising - clerks
- speak - English
b)
Other people
crossing the border?
American travelers
7
Length
Why?
drawn by low-cost
prescription
medicines
Consequences?
Pharmacies line streets near
the border, some promising
their clerks speak English.
a) nightlife - kids - young - drink - legally - bars - tequila - glass - soda - waiters - tables customers - wild - roads - government - group - aids - motorists - send back - way - city
- party - never - ends
b) The “Green Angels” are Mexicans who help people in need on the road.
c) Many Americans cross the Mexican border in order to buy cheaper medicines and
youngsters go to bars and nightclubs were the drinking age limit is lower than in the US.
During the course of these wild nights, there are often car accidents or breakdowns, but
there is a group of Mexican people who help the stranded drivers.
ACTION!
The recording deals with the Mexican border on the side of the United States. A great
part of the Mexican labour force is lured by the cities along the border, where they can
work in factories called maquiladoras in order to improve their living conditions. Besides,
the Mexican border and its bustling cities also attract many Americans who can find
products and medicine they could not afford in the United States, as well as a hectic
nightlife. Nevertheless, the seamy side of these cities lies in the fact that they appeal to
many young people who come to drink alcohol in bars where the age limit is lower than in
U N IT 8
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the United States. They consider it is worth the journey since they would be under age
in their own country.
Objectif
j f
T
This recording illustrates the exchanges, which take place along the Mexican border. For
many years, it has been the theatre of huge flows of population moving from one country
to another for different prospects. On the one hand, many Americans travel to Mexico for
its cheaper prices and to enjoy the bustling nightlife. On the other hand, a lot of Mexican
workers go to the border to work in factories. Therefore, these exchanges are not one-way.
Both sides of the border rely on each other, and this results in major cultural as well as
economic exchanges. One can imagine to what extent the economy of Tijuana depends on
American customers. Moreover, one can’t help noticing how one country must influence
the language and culture of the other, the word maquiladora being but one example.
> Script de l’enregistrement (CD 2, plage 17)
Part 1
Tijuana: the mere mention of the name conjures images of excess. More than a million
people live in Tijuana. Depending on the population survey source, it is either the largest
or the second largest city on the Mexican border. Tijuana lies across the border from the
largest US border city: San Diego. Tijuana is a leaping off point for migrants headed to the
United States, but there’s also a destination for Mexican migrants who travel there to find
work in the maquiladoras that sprung up after the North American Free Trade Agreement.
Despite the factory jobs, urban poverty is a growing problem. The poor live in vast colonias, or
neighborhoods, traveling by foot over dusty dirt roads. The border crossing at Tijuana is one
of the busiest in the world. Last year the US Department of Homeland Security announced
plans to fortify a 14-mile stretch of the border with multiple layers of security. It will have
stadium-style lighting and sophisticated surveillance systems. 1’08’’
Part 2
While the flow of migrants into the US is huge, there is also a huge flow of travelers into
Mexico from the US. Many are drawn by low-cost prescription medicines, which can be
bought there for a fraction of the price the patient would pay in the US. Pharmacies line
streets near the border, some promising that their clerks speak English. 1’29’’
Part 3
Others come for the nightlife. Kids who are too young to drink legally in the US crowd bars
and order tequila poppers: a shot glass filled with tequila and carbonated soda that waiters slam on tables before their customers slurp them down. As might be expected such
wild nights can make the roads treacherous. On the Mexican side wrecks are a common
sight, so are breakdowns. Those who are “in the know” call the “Green Angels”, a Mexican
government group that aids stranded motorists and sends them back on their way to a city
where a party never ends.
& Productions possibles (Manuel p. 124, 2 b.) :
Americans come to Tijuana in order to have fun / party (a lot of youngsters especially), or
to buy goods at lower prices. Conversely Mexicans come to the border to find jobs in the
maquiladoras or even try to cross the border (often illegally) to reach the US, drawn by the
attraction of a better life and a better-paid job.
18 2 •
U N IT 8
4. LIFE IN AMERICA
MANUEL & P. 125
1. Spanglish, the new lingo
a.
The most striking thing about the slogan is that it is written in a mixture of English and Spanish, or Spanglish: “Mueve tu…” in Spanish and finished off with “water” in English. This is
clearly targeted at a bilingual Spanish and English speaking audience. Someone who does not
speak both or either of those languages will probably have a hard time understanding what
the slogan means. The man is presented in a way that is very fluid, which is the point. The ad
is selling bottled water and since the human body is made up mostly of water, it encourages
the audience to buy the product by connecting the two. The Spanglish slogan supports the
idea because “water,” pronounced with a Spanish accent, can sound slightly like “body.” So
the picture of the man being active backs up the slogan of moving your “body / water.”
CORRIGÉ DE LA FICHE DU WORKBOOK (P. 54-55)
2
- culture - code-switching - purchasing power - hybrid
3
Some words are in Spanish.
4
a) Spanglish b) “ad lingo”, “code switching”, “financial impact”, “hybrid identity”
5
The recording may be about Spanglish, a language mixing English and Spanish words, used
to sell products to a Spanish-speaking minority who lives in the USA.
6
- Names? Nationalities? Ilan Stavans - American
- Numbers? Dates? Periods? trillion dollars - 2010 - 10 or 20 years
- Jobs? Status? Director of Spanglish dictionary - Professor at Amherst College
- Stressed words? Spanglish - ad-lingo - marketers - communicate - purchasing power financial impact - rewrite - culture - hybrid identity
7
8
What?
Who uses it?
- Spanglish
- marketers
- ad-lingo
- Spanish speakers
What for? (goals)
- sell everything from the
war in Iraq to Burger King’s
fusion food
- live and communicate
with one another
How long?
- new
- for a long time
It deals with the future.
9
Opinions
The Association of Hispanic
Advertising Agencies
Latino purchasing power will grow to over
a trillion dollars by 2010.
Ilan Stavans
The financial impact of Spanglish will be minor
when compared to the way it will rewrite culture.
U N IT 8
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10
a) not likely - disappear - 10 or 20 years - opposite - media - targets - Latinos - country whole - shaping - use - English language - Spanish language
b) - not likely to disappear - targets the country as a whole - much more used in media shaping the way we use the English language and we use the Spanish language
11
Spanglish has created a hybrid identity for some Americans.
ACTION!
This recording raises the topic of Spanglish and how it has become a commercial strategy
to promote various products which target the Latino community in the United States.
Indeed, it is a major economic force as it represents a significant purchasing power,
so much so that according to some associations, this purchasing power will triple over
the next few years. Therefore, Spanglish is now a common way of appealing to new
customers and this mixed language already prevails in some States where the “ad-lingo”
is widely spread.
However, Ilan Stavans, who is a college professor, asserts its impact on culture will be
much more meaningful than its economic influence. Thus, Spanglish is a consequence
of the American melting pot, since it shows that Latinos are strongly integrated into a
multicultural society. Although it will undeniably modify the shape of American culture,
it will also reveal and develop a hybrid identity among some Americans.
Objectif
j f
T
This recording illustrates the notion of exchanges as it shows the influence of Spanish over
the English language in States where the Latino community prevails. It clearly underlines the
fact that language is not a fixed, rigid institution but it is constantly modified and adapted
for and by the population who uses it. It is a vector of exchanges between English- and
Spanish-speaking communities. What is more, it helps promote economic and commercial
exchanges with the Spanish-speaking population who is a major target for some marketers.
> Script de l’enregistrement (CD 2, plage 18)
Part 1
Voiceover: What’s the new what? Spanglish is the new ad-lingo. Spanglish is what marketers
are using to sell everything from the war in Iraq…
“I am a soldier. Yo soy a L’Army.”
… to Burger King’s fusion food “Chicken Fries.”
“B K chicken fries?” “Chicken Fries?” “ Si… so new… watch-a”
But don’t get it twisted, Spanglish, code-switching between English and Spanish, has been
around for a long time, and you can hear it everywhere Spanish speakers live and communicate with one another. I mean, the last time I was driving through my school parking lot with
my friend, I found myself saying: “Hey! –There! Un parquiadero, just step on the brake-as!”
when meaning to say “Hey Look! A parking space, just step on the brakes!” 0’45’’
Part 2
The Association of Hispanic Advertising Agencies estimates that Latino purchasing power
will grow to over a TRILLION dollars by 2010. But Ilan Stavans, the editor of the Spanglish
Dictionary, and Professor at Amherst College, believes the financial impact of Spanglish will
be minor when compared to the way it will rewrite culture.
18 4 •
U N IT 8
Ilan Stavans: Spanglish is not likely to disappear in the next 10 or 20 years; just the opposite. It will become much more used in media that not only targets Latinos but targets
the country as a whole, ultimately shaping the way we use the English language and we use
the Spanish language.
Voiceover: Yeah, that’s right! ¿eso era lo que yo pensaba? Spanglish is about my hybrid
identity, not my hybrid car, because, well, I just can’t afford one! So it’s nothing new to me,
but for those marketers who think it’s el ultimo grito, “Spanglish is the new ad-lingo.”
& Productions possibles (Manuel p. 125, 2) :
c.
Spanglish is primarily used in the United States, where many Spanish speakers live. Between
Hispanics, it is an accepted form of communication. It can be used between friends and family
to talk about anything, from life to everyday things. Now it is also used in ads.
d.
Hispanics are currently the largest minority group in the United States. They come from many
different countries that have one thing in common: language. When they come to the United
States they learn English and are connected not only by their shared language(s) but also by their
experiences as immigrants in another country. This has created a subculture within the United
States. Companies and advertising agencies are becoming aware of the fact that catering to this
huge group will bring in enormous amounts of revenue not only to the companies themselves
but also to the economy of the United States. And, as the recording points out, by using their
new “language” and culture, they are offering a path to assimilation into their adopted country.
e.
The tone of the piece is both humorous and optimistic. It is humorous in that the narrator tells
of his own experiences using Spanish, often without realizing. The point he is trying to make
is that he has become so accustomed to speaking in Spanglish that it is no longer something
that he has to think about; it just comes out. The overall tone, however, is more optimistic. Ilan
Stavans, the interviewee, says that because of the number of Hispanics in the United States,
Spanglish is here to stay and in fact is becoming more and more accepted. This is proven
by the ads and advertising strategies that have become popular lately. Instead of rejecting
Spanglish, people are now embracing it.
2. Latinos of the US
& Productions possibles (b) :
Gael García Bernal is an acclaimed Mexican actor. He was born November 30, 1978 to José
Ángel García, an actor / director, and Patricia Bernal, an actress and former model. Coming
from an artistic family, Gael naturally followed his family’s footsteps and became an actor
as a child, acting in theater and in several Mexican telenovelas (soap operas) alongside his
friend, Diego Luna.
Gael later moved to London to study at the Central School of Speech and Drama, becoming the
first Mexican national to be accepted into the program. After his return to Mexico, he rose to
stardom by starring in two highly-praised Mexican films which were both nominated for Oscars:
Amores Perros and Y Tu Mamá También, with Diego Luna. His international profile rose when
he played the role of Che Guevara in The Motorcycle Diaries. Gael has since gone on to work
in many award-winning films and with the best directors of today: Pedro Almodóvar, Michel
Gondry, and Alfonso Cuarón. Because of this he has become one of the most celebrated and
well-known actors of Mexico with international recognition, especially in the United States,
where he has acted in Hollywood films.
U N IT 8
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Gael currently lives between Mexico and Buenos Aires with his partner, Argentinean actress
Dolores Fonzi and their two children, Lázaro and Libertad.
3. Movie corner
> Mise en œuvre communicative :
– Cette activité se prête bien à un travail en groupes, en autonomie à la maison.
– Dans un premier temps, les élèves doivent visionner chez eux les différentes bandes-annonces.
Ils doivent ensuite choisir un document et le présenter aux autres membres de leur groupe
et justifier leur choix pour convaincre leurs camarades de la pertinence de leur sélection.
Cette première étape peut être enregistrée et faire l’objet d’une évaluation formative par le
professeur. Cela peut aussi donner lieu à une production écrite.
– Dans un deuxième temps, les élèves doivent visionner chez eux le film choisi par
le groupe en entier et préparer un compte rendu. Cette activité peut être menée en classe
ou au labo multimédia par exemple.
– Si l’option de la présentation devant la classe est retenue, un rapporteur doit être désigné
(par les membres du groupe ou le professeur) qui évoquera le film à partir de notes uniquement.
– Une discussion sur les différents films et la vision de l’immigration qu’ils proposent peut
suivre. Les élèves doivent se reporter à l’aide méthodologique p. 242-243 de leur manuel
(Enrichir sa prise de parole).
– Si un labo multimédia ou un matériel de baladodiffusion est disponible, les élèves peuvent
s’enregistrer individuellement à l’aide de leurs notes. Cet enregistrement peut aussi faire
l’objet d’une évaluation si le professeur le souhaite.
LANGUAGE AT WORK
MANUEL & P. 126-127
1
a. 6 Alejandro wants his son to be brought up in the US because he knows he’ll get a better
education.
b. 1 / 4 / 5 Mexicans migrate in order to get a job / so as to get away from dire poverty
/ with a view to starting a new life.
c. 2 Maricela is acclaimed for speaking on behalf of other students like her.
d. 3 (+ 1 / 4 / 5) They went to the USA because they dreamt of a better life (+ in order to
get a job / so as to get away from dire poverty / with a view to starting a new life.)
2
a. She went to America in order to / so as to / to run away from a poverty-stricken country.
b. The day shift was ending for La Migra so it was time for the immigrants to move.
c. Mexican-Americans expect to enjoy a better standard of living.
d. Immigrants want their children to integrate into American society.
3
a. It was important to speak English so as to / in order to find a job and keep it.
b. He plans / intends to go back to Mexico when he retires.
c. This man has been deported / sent back twice and he has decided not to try to come back.
d. All these people have come with a view to earning / making a decent living.
e. She did everything she could for her children not to lack anything.
5
1 behind • 2 in • 3 across • 4 along • 5 out of • 6 along • 7 between • 8 into • 9 under
• 10 towards • 11 to (into)
18 6 •
U N IT 8
Build up your vocabulary
1
Wealth: well-fed / costly / affluent / wealthy / well-off / prosperous / luxurious
Poverty: poverty-stricken / underfed / jobless / dilapidated / needy / insufficient / squalid
/ badly-off / destitute / homeless / impoverished
2
consumer goods • material comfort • affluence
3
overcome = surmonter • undertake = entreprendre • try one’s best = faire de son mieux
• hurdle = obstacle • attempt = tenter, essayer
4
Politician: Congratulations! You’re number 300 million!
Mexican: I don’t understand…
Politician: You’ve become the 300 millionth American! That is why we are all here to welcome
you. Miss Census especially.
Mexican: Sorry? I’m American now? But this was not my intention in the first place... All I
want is a job and try my best to make my family happy and become prosperous…
Politician: What do you mean?
Mexican: I’ve overcome many obstacles to get here. I’ve had to walk across the desert,
swim across the Rio Grande and escape border patrol and the Minutemen. Thank you for
welcoming me but all I want at the moment is to find a job so I can send money back home
to my family.
Politician: So you don’t want to be American?
Mexican: That is not my priority right now, but it would be nice, eventually. The promise of
a better life attracted me. This is why I have attempted to get out of my poverty-stricken
country and sneak into yours.
Politician: Were you so badly-off / destitute?
Mexican: In Mexico, I was a farmer in a small village and I didn’t earn enough to support my
family. I heard that in the United States there were many jobs and opportunities. It is the most
affluent country in the world, isn’t it? That is why I decided to undertake this dangerous
journey. I couldn’t make ends meet. I want to have material and financial comfort and not
worry about poverty or hunger anymore.
IMPROVE YOUR
LISTENING SKILLS
MANUEL & P. 128
1
Le thème principal du discours de Barack Obama est l’immigration aux États-Unis.
2
a. Cet extrait évoque les États-Unis en tant que nation composée d’immigrants qui ne met
pas en avant le droit du sang mais le droit du sol : le choix librement consenti et parfois
difficilement gagné de devenir un citoyen américain et d’épouser les valeurs et les idéaux
américains (la liberté, la libre entreprise, la démocratie...).
b. E pluribus◡unum. Out◡of many, one.❙ We define◡ourselves ❙ as◡a nation◡of◡immigrants
❙ – a nation that welcomes those willing to embrace◡America’s ideals◡and America’s precepts. ❙ That’s why ❙ millions◡of people, ❙ ancestors to most◡of◡us, ❙ braved hardship◡and
great risk ❙ to come here ❙ — so they could be free to work◡and worship ❙ and start◡a business ❙ and live their lives◡in peace◡and prosperity. ❙
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Les mots qui sont en bleu et en italique dans le passage donné dans le manuel sont des
formes faibles. Ces mots ne sont pas accentués. Ce ne sont pas des mots porteurs de sens
mais des mots grammaticaux : prépositions, connecteurs, déterminants.
3
a. Two and a half (years) • 31% • 75% • 64% • 40% • two years (ago)
b.
Problèmes
drugs • currency •
weapons • apprehensions
(along the border)
Solutions
seized more • step up
• patrols • along the
border
Résultats
apprehensions • cut • fewer people
• attempting • cross border • illegally
c. Over the past two and a half years patrols along the border have seized more drugs (+31%),
currency (+75%), weapons (+64%).
From two years ago, apprehensions have been cut by 40%.
Far fewer people are attempting to cross the border illegally.
d. Barack Obama insiste sur le fait que la situation s’est nettement améliorée à la frontière
américano-mexicaine depuis deux ans environ, date à laquelle les forces déployées ont été
renforcées dans le but d’obtenir des résultats probants face aux problèmes liés à l’immigration
clandestine et à la contrebande de drogue, d’armes et d’argent.
4
b. Barack Obama a choisi d’illustrer ses propos sur le rêve américain grâce à l’exemple de
José. José a immigré très jeune aux États-Unis où il a trouvé un travail d’ouvrier agricole
auquel il consacre beaucoup d’énergie. Parallèlement, il poursuit ses études au lycée
et travaille dur. Après avoir entendu le témoignage d’un spationaute dont le patronyme
révèle ses origines immigrées, José décide qu’il exercera lui aussi ce métier. À force
de travail, José obtient un diplôme universitaire qui le conduit dans un laboratoire
où il collabore au développement d’un nouveau système d’imagerie médicale numérique.
Peu de temps après, il se retrouve à bord de la navette spatiale Discovery, se remémorant
ses rêves d’enfant rendus possible grâce au rêve américain.
5
b. Selon Barack Obama, la population américaine doit faire savoir au pouvoir législatif
qu’une réforme sur l’immigration est nécessaire et voulue par une majorité grandissante
qui est présente partout dans le pays. D’après lui, la population immigrée représente pour
l’avenir du pays une réelle force économique. Barack Obama souhaite que le rêve américain perdure, que les États-Unis offrent aux hommes et aux femmes à l’avenir prometteur,
qui souhaitent immigrer aux États-Unis, la possibilité de vivre une vie meilleure, de réaliser
leurs rêves, de développer leurs talents. Il est persuadé que les États-Unis doivent réserver
une place de choix aux hommes et aux femmes porteurs de promesses venus d’horizons
différents. Il est convaincu qu’ainsi les États-Unis bénéficieront de leurs talents et en sortiront plus forts et grandis.
> Script des enregistrements
MP3 n° 14
You know, you know, about a week ago, I delivered a commencement address at Miami Dade
Community College, which is one of the most diverse schools in the nation. The graduates
were proud that their class could claim heritage from 181 countries around the world — 181
countries. (Applause.)
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MP3 n° 15
E pluribus unum. Out of many, one. We define ourselves as a nation of immigrants –
a nation that welcomes those willing to embrace America’s ideals and America’s precepts.
That’s why millions of people, ancestors to most of us, braved hardship and great risk to
come here – so they could be free to work and worship and start a business and live their
lives in peace and prosperity.
MP3 n° 16
Over the past two and a half years, we’ve seized 31 percent more drugs, 75 percent more
currency, 64 percent more weapons than ever before. (Applause.) And even as we have
stepped up patrols, apprehensions along the border have been cut by nearly 40 percent
from two years ago. That means far fewer people are attempting to cross the border illegally.
MP3 n° 17
So José studied, and he studied hard. And one day, he’s standing in the fields, collecting
sugar beets, and he heard on a transistor radio that a man named Franklin Chang-Diaz –
a man with a surname like his – was going to be an astronaut for NASA. So José decided
– right there in the field, he decided – well, I could be an astronaut, too. So José kept on
studying, and he graduated high school. And he kept on studying, and he earned an engineering degree. And he kept on studying, and he earned a graduate degree. And he kept
on working hard, and he ended up at a national laboratory, helping to develop a new kind
of digital medical imaging system. And a few years later, he found himself more than 100
miles above the surface of the Earth, staring out of the window of the shuttle Discovery, and
he was remembering the boy in the California fields with that crazy dream that in America
everything is possible. (Applause.)
MP3 n° 18
Think about that, El Paso. That’s the American Dream right there. (Applause.)
That’s what we’re fighting for. We are fighting for every boy and every girl like José with a
dream and potential that’s just waiting to be tapped. We are fighting to unlock that promise,
and all that holds not just for their futures, but for America’s future. That’s why we’re going
to get this done. We need Washington to know that there is a movement for reform that’s
gathering strength from coast to coast. That’s how we’ll get this done. That’s how we can
ensure that in the years ahead we are welcoming the talents of all who can contribute to
this country and that we’re living up to the basic American idea that you can make it here
if you try. (Applause.)
YOUR TASK
MANUEL & P. 129
> Mise en œuvre :
– Les élèves suivront la démarche proposée dans leur manuel p. 129.
– Il faudra les inciter à réutiliser les stratégies de compréhension de l’oral étudiées tout au
long de l’unité et au cours des activités de la p. 128.
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& Productions possibles :
Newsweek Magazine
June 12, 2012
The Long Journey to Uncertainty
I met them just hours after they had crossed the border. There were 10 of them, 8 men and
2 women, waiting to be picked up by friends or family who had already made the dangerous
journey. They had all paid thousands of dollars to a coyote, a smuggler who had led them
across the harsh desert onto American soil.
Elena is from Honduras. At just 22, she is already a mother and a widow. She married young,
at 15, and had her first child at 16. She never finished high school. By 19, she was a widow.
Honduras is the deadliest country in the world. Her husband was an innocent victim of the
gang and drug violence sweeping Mexico and Central America. With two children to look after,
Elena did everything she could to support them. She took any job that was available but it was
never enough. Last year, she decided to head to “El Norte.” She borrowed money from her
family and friends and saved as much as she could to pay for her trip. She left her children
with her parents. She doesn’t know when she will see them again.
Because she is from Honduras, Elena has actually crossed 3 borders and more than 4,000km,
first in Guatemala, then in Mexico, before finally crossing into the United States. From Tegucigalpa, the capital of Honduras, Elena was driven across Guatemala to the Mexican border.
The Mexican border is just as dangerous as the American one. Central Americans are targeted
not only by unscrupulous locals but also by Mexican immigration agents who don’t hesitate to
send them back home. Elena faced extra danger because she was a woman travelling alone.
She crossed into Ciudad Hidalgo, in the southern Mexican State of Chiapas, and took trains
and buses to reach the border town of Nogales, Sonora, where she was to begin the final
stage of her journey.
It was in Nogales that she met Alejandro, a 20-year-old from Aguascalientes in Central Mexico.
Alejandro had lived in a small farming town all his life. His father had a small parcel of land
that supported the family. The boy finished school but could not afford to continue and he
knew he didn’t want to be a farmer. Unable to find work, he decided to head for the United
States. His brother had already done so two years before. Shortly after, he sent money to pay
for the coyote and Alejandro was soon on his way. His journey was shorter than Elena’s and
less dangerous. Being a Mexican citizen meant that he was able to travel the 2,000km from
Aguascalientes to Nogales freely through Mexico.
The journey into the United States, however, was equally treacherous for both of them. Nogales,
Sonora border Nogales, Arizona and it is right in the middle of the Sonoran desert. As a result,
border crossings are usually done during the night in order to escape the brutal and often
deadly heat of the desert. Crossing during this time also means that they have a better chance
of passing undetected by American border patrols. Depending on conditions, the crossing
can take anywhere from a few hours to a full day. Elena, Alejandro, and the rest of the group
set out at 3 a.m. The long walk through the desert started off well until they were spotted by
a group of Minutemen, an anti-immigrant vigilante group that patrols the Mexico-US border
trying to keep people like Elena and Alejandro out. They managed to hide behind bushes and
rocks until the Minutemen gave up. When they reached the American Nogales, they were met
by a driver who was taking them to Tucson, Arizona, where the journey finally ended.
Elena and Alejandro were waiting to be picked up when I first met them. Elena was waiting
for her friend, who was coming from California. Alejandro was staying in Arizona with his
brother. They’re not thinking about the future too much. All they’re thinking about is money.
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First on their minds is finding a job to start earning a living. Both say they don’t care what
kinds of jobs they get; they’ll take whatever is offered. When I ask if they plan to stay in the
United States permanently, Elena says that she will probably only stay for a few years. She
can’t imagine herself without her children for too long. When she was living in Honduras, she
dreamed of owning a small shop to support her and her children. Maybe she’ll save money to
do just that. Alejandro doesn’t have an answer. There’s nothing in Mexico for him except his
parents and a small farm. Maybe he’ll do the same as Elena and save for a shop. Maybe he’ll
stay. He just doesn’t know. I leave them with one final question: “What do you expect to find
in the United States?” They don’t hesitate to answer. “Prosperity,” they say. Whether they
actually find that remains to be seen.
> Script de l’enregistrement (CD 2, plage 19)
Jason Beaubien: The streets of Nogales, Sonora, just across Arizona’s southern border, are
crawling with deportees. Some of them are covered in prison and gang tattoos. Others are
down-on-their-luck men who used to do construction work in California or wash dishes in
Chicago. Many are sleeping on the streets. Forty-year-old Roberto Reyes is originally from
Honduras. He’d been working for five years in a restaurant in Miami, he says, until he got
arrested for drunk driving. He was deported in September. Reyes says he immediately tried
to cross back through the desert.
Roberto Reyes: (Spanish spoken)
Beaubien: I walked for six days, but I didn’t make it across, he says. Now I’ve just returned.
He got caught by the border patrol and deported again to Nogales. Reyes has two young
daughters and a wife in Miami, but he says getting back to them in the States right now is
too difficult.
Reyes: (Spanish spoken)
Beaubien: There are a lot more border guards, and it costs a lot more to cross than in the
past, Reyes says. And the risk is that you could die in the desert. For the last few days, Reyes
has been sleeping on the streets in Nogales. He says he hopes to get some work here so
he can buy a bus ticket back home to Honduras. The Mexican government offers limited
assistance to deportees. On this day, the dusty office of Grupo Beta in Nogales is overflowing with migrants. The Mexican government agency patrols the nearby desert and provides
water to would-be crossers. It also offers discounted bus tickets to migrants who want to go
back home to their villages. Enrique Enriquez Palafox, the coordinator of the office, says in
the past many migrants would spend a few days or maybe a week in Nogales before trying
to cross into the US again. Now Enrique says far more are heading south.
Enrique Enriquez Palafox: (Spanish spoken)
Beaubien: In 2007, Enriquez says, they helped 689 people return home in the whole year.
So far in 2008 they’ve helped more than 6,000.
Palafox: (Spanish spoken)
Beaubien: They’re seeing that it’s more difficult, he says. There isn’t as much work in the
United States. There are fewer possibilities to cross. And they’re saying, hey, I’m going to
go back to my city, I’m going to go back to my family.
> Script de l’enregistrement (CD 2, plage 20)
Journalist: Changing conditions at the US-Mexican border reflect changing relations between two nations. The United States is building hundreds of miles of new fence, doubling
the number of border patrol agents, and getting tough on illegal immigrants. At the same
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time, the amount of cargo crossing in both directions continues to grow dramatically. And a
drug war on the Mexican side of the border has killed thousands of people this year alone,
which is scaring away US tourists. NPR’s Jason Beaubien recently traveled the border from
the Pacific Ocean to the Texas coast. And in the first in a series of reports, he looks at how
the changing frontier is affecting Tijuana.
Beaubien: At the very northern edge of Tijuana, a row of rusty girders jutting up from the
sand stretches out into the Pacific. These steel beams mark the beginning of a 2,000-mile
line dividing the richest economy in the world from its impoverished neighbor. From the
posts, a 15-foot-high metal fence extends inland up the hill. On the Mexican side, two little
girls are playing with dolls. Their father and 10-year-old uncle are on US soil in Friendship
Park talking to them through the mesh.
Mexican Boy: She’s seven, and she’s five.
Beaubien: The uncle, who’s in fifth grade, leans towards the barrier as he talks. He says he
and his brother are waiting for their immigration papers to come through. And until they do,
they can’t leave the US. Given their immigration status, they don’t want to give their names.
In the distance behind them you can see the office towers of downtown San Diego. The
fifth-grader says this is the only place where his family can get together.
Mexican Boy: We go one week, and then two weeks no. And then one week we come back.
Beaubien: Other couples hold hands through gaps in the fence. An ice cream vendor in
Mexico sells popsicles to customers on both sides. Once a week, a minister from California
offers communion through the mesh. The economic, social, and political changes that are
occurring along the US-Mexican border are particularly prominent in Tijuana.
> Script de l’enregistrement (CD 2, plage 21)
This is the border fence that separates Mexico and the United States. Day and night,
hundreds of immigrants from Mexico and Central America are trying to break through this
fence, and find work and a new life in the USA. It is because of illegal immigrants crossing
in towns like this one, Agua Prieta, that the US Congress recently deployed the National
Guard, and is considering building a vast wall to defend its border with Mexico. I have come
to see for myself the immigrants who are trying to make this often dangerous crossing. At
the church refuge, I met three men who were setting off to attempt the crossing into the
USA. Two of these men were looking for any work that they could find. The other had just
been deported, and was desperate to rejoin his wife and children. Their route, they told me,
would be the longest and hardest, but the most certain to succeed. Some 50 kilometers
from the US border, we stopped and waited in a safe house. These “safe houses” are where
smugglers keep the immigrants locked up (and) out of sight before the crossing. I found a
group of twenty indigenous Mexicans, lost and confused, locked into a room at the mercy
of the smugglers. Ahead of us was the first mountain range. I had been told to prepare for
three days and nights. Well, we’ve been walking about four hours. Nobody else has really
brought water, apart from me. But you see how unprepared some of these people start this
journey. In order to avoid any Mexican or US border police, we’d started our journey well
inside Mexico. We’re coming up to a river, which we need to cross… I think we’re going to
get wet! Oh, and it’s pretty fast as well... Unable to cross with the recent rains, we took a
different route and traveled through the night. Well we’ve hit these train tracks, which are…
reportedly near the border, so I think we’re about… an hour away. A passing repair train...
let us jump on, saving valuable hours. This is the immigrant trail, and it’s a tough one… so
behind me… the Arizona desert. We’re going to walk it at night, because that’s where many
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of the police, the border patrol, and the Minutemen, the volunteer Americans to defend
America’s borders, wait. Within minutes, a spotter drone flew overhead and began circling
us. Desperate to avoid these spotter planes, we fled into cover. We ran across highways,
terrified of being seen by passing cars. That evening, barely able to walk after five days, a
pre-arranged car suddenly pulled up in the darkness. Without warning, the men jumped in,
and I was left alone on the side of the highway. Despite North America’s attempts at protecting its borders, these Mexican immigrants cross successfully. Weeks after arriving in the US,
each of my traveling companions found work. One is in Phoenix, as a gardener. Another in
Chicago, as a garbage collector. And another working as an office cleaner in Los Angeles.
SPEAKING CORNER
MANUEL & P. 130-131
A. Observe and react
Cartoon: Keep Out
This cartoon exemplifies the contradiction that the United States is facing with regard
to immigration. There are two men standing in the middle of a fence, which represents
the Mexico-US border. The first man, who is also the biggest, is Uncle Sam, with an irritated
face, holding a big sign that says “Keep out”. Underneath him is a much smaller man, dressed
in a nice suit, an employer, with a smile on his face, holding a sign that says “Help Wanted”.
Because of these signs, you can tell that they are facing the Mexican side of the border and
both signs are directed towards Mexicans.
Uncle Sam is the symbol of the United States and American people. The sign he is holding, according to the author, represents the opinions of the American people. They do
not want any more Mexican immigrants coming into the country. Conversely, the man
representing American employers, unlike American people, wants to encourage Mexican
immigrants to keep coming into the country. The reasoning behind the encouragement
is that Mexican immigrants, especially illegal immigrants, are willing to take any type
of job with any type of salary. This is an argument that anti-immigrant Americans use
against immigration. They say that immigrants are taking jobs away from American citizens
and the jobs that are left are often low-paid because immigrants bring the salary down.
The employers know, however, that the work ethic of the immigrants is very strong. They take
jobs that Americans won’t do – dishwashers, janitors, maids, etc. — and without any complaints.
As long as there is no agreement between the two, the problem will persist.
Picture: Border wars
The Mexican-American border spans more than 3,000km and is the most frequently crossed
border in the world. For illegal immigrants, it is the point of entry into the United States. Since
most of the border is inhospitable desert and risky river crossings, illegal immigrants face
dangerous situations to cross into the United States.
Immigration has become a hot political issue in the United States in recent years. Antiimmigrant groups argue that illegal immigrants are taking jobs away from American citizens
and are a drain on American taxpayers. To them, immigration must be stopped at all costs
and as soon as possible. The most (in)famous of these groups are the Minutemen, a group
of ultra-nationalist, right-wing American citizens. They take their name from the ordinary
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citizens who helped fight off the British army during the American Revolution for Independence. The Minutemen all live in border areas and they take matters into their own hands
in what they feel is an invasion of Mexicans. They believe that the American government
is powerless and / or unwilling to stop illegals from coming into the country and often use
the argument that the people they are trying to keep out are terrorists taking advantage of
the length of the border. They post themselves in the desert in areas they know are frequented
by border crossers and try to catch them, turning them in to border protection authorities
for deportation. However, they do not have any legal right to carry out these actions.
The picture shown depicts the Minutemen “securing” the border to stop immigrants
from coming in. They support building a fence along the Mexico-US border to stop illegal
immigration. The fact that along the fencing they have installed American flags supports
the evidence their organization is racist and discriminatory. The message they are giving
out is that America is only for Americans.
Business Week: Embracing Illegals
As the magazine cover states, the United States currently has 11 million illegal immigrants.
There are, of course, anti-immigrant groups who condemn immigration using a variety of arguments. One particular group who does not attack the influx of immigrants coming in to the
country is the one that the magazine is targeting: business owners.
Illegal or not, immigrants have needs and desires just like any other person. They come to
the United States to find jobs and economic opportunities. Whatever salary they get is much
more than they would ever get in Mexico or their respective countries. More money inevitably
leads to more purchasing power. Most immigrants send a portion of their salary back to their
families in their home countries. But that is not all. They also send gifts – clothes, toys, appliances, electronics, etc. – back to their families. Having an illegal status does not mean they
are prohibited from spending their money as they see fit.
The picture on the cover exemplifies this idea. On one half of the picture, you see a man who is
illegally crossing the American border through the desert with a bundle as his only possession.
The other half of the picture shows what happens once he has arrived in the United States. He
has presumably found a job, is well-dressed, and instead of a lonely bundle, he carries several
shopping bags with a smile on his face. One does not know if the shopping bags are for himself
or his family back home, although it hardly matters. Their spending money also brings a smile
to the faces of business and store owners they frequent because it brings money to them as
well. Most importantly, immigrant buying power gives a boost and much-needed revenue to
the American economy, especially during this bleak economic climate.
B. Podcast
> Script de l’enregistrement (MP3 n°19)
I was born on Mexican Independence Day to Mexican parents… 200km away from Mexico
in Los Angeles. From the very beginning, my identity has been shaped by two countries.
However, the first 7 years of my life, I was entirely Mexican. My parents decided to return to
Mexico shortly after I was born and as a result, I spent the first years of my childhood there.
My first language was Spanish. My father would go to the United States for a while to work
and return after a few months. When I was 7, he decided to stay in the US permanently, and
my mother, my sister, and I soon followed. Since I was so young, I remember very little of
our arrival to the US. The first memory I have is of waiting for my father to come get us at a
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McDonald’s and being really excited because I was eating a Happy Meal and asking when I
was going to go to Disneyland. We stayed with a friend of my father’s for a few weeks until
we found a place to live. I didn’t go to school for a while because we were getting settled in.
When I finally did, I was placed in an English Second Language class (ESL). Students whose
first language is not English are placed in these classes and eventually make the transition
to an all-English class (no matter what age you are). To me, it seems that one day, I woke up
speaking perfect English, although that is certainly not true. The school I attended in Mexico
was an English “bilingual” school, but at only 7 years old, all I knew were the numbers, the
colors, the alphabet, and a few words in English. It is hard to say how long it took me to get
fluent in English. I do remember watching a large amount of television and spending much
of my time reading, all in English. By fifth grade, I had already made the transition to an allEnglish class. As far as I know, my parents have decided to stay, just like many others do.
They may become American by law, but their children, born in the US or elsewhere grow up
being American. My situation is different because even though I was born in America, I grew
up in Mexico as well. This does not mean I feel any less American than someone who has
lived their entire life here. Like many children of Mexican immigrants, I share my culture and
my identity with both Mexico and the United States. I am quite proud to say I am Mexican
just as much as I am proud to say I am American as well.
PROLONGEMENTS POSSIBLES À L’UNITÉ
> Évaluation sommative de CO (p. 388 de ce Fichier) : Marisol Ruelas’s story (recording
#1 and #2)
> Images vidéoprojetables : Help Wanted et The Golden Door (DVD-Rom)
> Clé du Bac : document audio 14 (What is the story of your family?)
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A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH
& Lieux et formes du pouvoir
Tâche finale (p. 143) : You are on a panel of judges who have selected three radio
reports on violence. Listen to the recordings, and choose the best radio report of
the year.
Activités langagières
Contenus
PPC
Étudier une affiche
– Commenter un document visuel
(p. 240-241)
– Images vidéoprojetables (DVD-Rom) :
In Guns We Trust
- Speaking Corner (p. 144-145)
CO
Écouter un sheriff parlant de
la législation au Colorado
– Improve your listening skills (p. 142)
– Comprendre un message oral
(p. 238-239)
– Fiche sur le site compagnon
PPC
Rendre compte d’une
recherche sur Internet
Enrichir sa prise de parole (p. 242-243)
CO
Écouter un spot d’une
campagne d’opinion
– Fiche Workbook
– Improve your listening skills (p. 142)
– Comprendre un message oral
(p. 238-239)
PE
Écrire un texte argumentatif
Rédiger un texte (p. 234-237)
CE
Comprendre un extrait de
roman
Fiche Workbook
PE
Exercice de traduction
CO
Écouter un professeur parler
de Columbine High School
– Fiche Workbook
– Improve your listening skills (p. 142)
PPC
Analyser une carte
Enrichir sa prise de parole (p. 242-243)
CO
Écouter un juge parler de la
peine de mort en Pennsylvanie
– Fiche Workbook
– Improve your listening skills (p. 142)
– Comprendre un message oral
(p. 238-239)
PE
Écrire un article de presse
Clé du Bac : The death penalty
(document n° 3)
CE
Lire un article de presse
Fiche Workbook
Écouter un acteur célèbre parler
de la peine de mort
– Fiche Workbook
– Improve your listening skills (p. 142)
– Comprendre un message oral
(p. 238-239)
POI
Jeu de rôles et débat
Enrichir sa prise de parole (p. 242-243)
CE
Comprendre un extrait
de scénario
Évaluation sommative de CE (p. 100-101)
PE
Écrire une lettre
Rédiger un texte (p. 234-237)
PPC
Movie corner
Enrichir sa prise de parole (p. 242-243)
Tune in!
(p. 132)
1. We the
people
(p. 133)
2. Who is next?
(p. 134-135)
3. Crime and
punishment
(p. 136)
4. A shadow
over democracy CO
(p. 137)
5. An eye for an
eye
(p. 138-139)
Prolongements tâches / aides
L’activité langagière principale de cette unité est la CO (compréhension de l’oral).
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TUNE IN!
MANUEL & P. 132
> Mise en œuvre :
- Démarche proposée : les élèves essaient de mémoriser le maximum d’éléments en silence,
puis ils ferment leur manuel. Ensuite ils disent ce dont ils se souviennent. Le reste de la
classe valide ou réfute de mémoire.
- On conseillera de consulter les pages « Commenter un document visuel », p. 240-241 et
« Enrichir sa prise de parole », p. 242-243.
- Avec une classe plus fragile, on mettra les élèves en groupes pour préparer une prise de
parole en commun, avant de se lancer individuellement.
1. Gun violence
& Productions possibles :
a.
The elements that I remember are the statistics regarding gun crime; specifically the number
of people killed annually due to gun crime in various countries around the world. There is also
a slogan across the centre of the poster written in black against the white background, which
reads “God Bless America”. We can’t help noticing the slogan in the middle of the poster just
above an image of a revolver decorated in the American flag. There is also a campaign logo in
the bottom left-hand corner of the poster to discourage the use of guns in the United States.
b.
The target audience of the poster is the American public. I know this because guns are a big
part of American culture which is demonstrated by the significantly higher statistic regarding
the number of fatalities due to gun crime in the States compared to anywhere else mentioned
on the poster, as well as the obvious use of the American flag printed onto the gun depicted
in the lower half of the poster.
c.
The campaigner’s goals are to highlight the severity of the matter of gun crime in the United
States in particular. They wish to point out the fact that there are significantly more deaths
in America caused by gun crime than there are anywhere else in the world. He or she points
this out in order to encourage people to stop resorting to using guns.
d.
I believe the message to be effective since it is very simple. A more violent or gory image would
perhaps be more shocking and effective for many reasons, but as it stands, this image sets
out the facts literally in black and white. There are no embellishments; just the absolute truth.
I therefore believe that it is effective and the message is clearly and concisely communicated
to the target audience.
2. Getting a gun in Colorado
> Mise en œuvre :
Pour une classe plus faible, nous proposons une fiche complémentaire d’entraînement à la
compréhension orale. La fiche et son corrigé sont disponibles sur le site compagnon.
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& Productions possibles :
Deputy Sheriff Saber reminds the listeners / explains that in the USA, gun ownership is part
of the American culture, and is inherited from the Wild West. It is defined and protected by
the Constitution and also by State laws. In Colorado especially, you are allowed to purchase
/ buy / get a gun / firearm when you are 18 years old, and only if you have no criminal
record. Besides, you can open carriage, which means you can have your gun visible to all /
unconcealed, in a holster, a handbag or in your car’s front locker. You needn’t / don’t have
to register for any type of weapon, handgun or rifle unless you want to have it concealed.
However automatic weapons are forbidden.
The School Resource Officers are responsible for security. They are armed police officers and
they deal with any criminal report ranging from theft to a schoolyard fight. They have been
present in schools for some time and, when an incident occurs, they carry out an investigation. They are armed and have access to various other weapons, and so they have a strong
presence in terms of security. Their second role is educating the students about the effects
of alcohol, the decisions they can make regarding alcohol, and talking about driving risks
considering the young age at which you can obtain a driving license in the US.
> Script de l’enregistrement (CD 2, plage 22)
Just talking a little bit about gun control, at least within the country and even more or less
this particular area because obviously firearms have been a big part of the American culture.
And it’s protected essentially through our Constitution on the national level and it’s also
protected locally. Essentially here in Colorado, if you’re 18 and you have not committed a
felony, you are entitled to have a firearm. Not only that, in Colorado you can carry that firearm
with you, as long as it isn’t concealed, that is. And you don’t even need a permit, don’t need
to register it at all. When you purchase a firearm, there’s a background check but, like I said,
any adult can openly carry. They can have like a holster on their hip like in the old West and
you aren’t committing any kind of crime. You can also apply for a concealed carry permit
through the local sheriff. It’s called a CCW.
Now, we’ve been talking about handguns, but there’re certain kinds of firearms that are
restricted. You can have some long guns like rifles and shotguns, but the automatic type
weapons, like the military stuff, those things are illegal. Like I said, if you’re an adult and
haven’t committed a felony, you can carry, you can have those things. You don’t need a...
at least in the State of Colorado... you don’t need to register them. And it’s a very big part
of the heritage of the Wild West.
1. WE THE PEOPLE
MANUEL & P. 133
1. The second amendment
> Script de l’enregistrement (CD 2, plage 23)
As a well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the
people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.
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& Productions possibles :
a.
e, a, c, d, f, b
b.
– a minor change or addition designed to improve a text, piece of legislation, etc.: an amendment to existing bail laws
– (Amendment) an article added to the US Constitution: the First Amendment
www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/amendment?q=amendment
c.
The NRA (National Rifle Association) members quote this amendment because it describes
their belief that every American has the right to bear arms as a means of self-defense.
2. Info search
> Mise en œuvre :
– Le travail de recherche peut se faire à la maison ou en salle multimédia. Le compte rendu
pourra prendre la forme d’une prise de parole en continu, individuelle ou en groupes. On
peut aussi demander aux élèves d’écrire un article dans un magazine historique comme
American Heritage ou Cobblestone.
– Avant de commencer, certaines classes devraient lire les pages 242-243 : « Enrichir sa
prise de parole » pour se préparer à la PPC.
– Lors du passage devant la classe, les élèves n’auront que quelques mots porteurs sous
les yeux. Pas de phrases complètes. Les plus timides peuvent aussi se filmer en dehors
de la classe et apporter leur clé USB en cours. Toute la classe pourra prendre en charge
l’évaluation. On divisera les élèves qui écoutent en plusieurs groupes ayant chacun une
mission :
• tâche d’écoute et de repérage des erreurs de lexique, prononciation, et grammaire.
• commentaires de ce qui est dit.
• secrétaires de séance qui prennent des notes et peuvent faire un compte rendu oral ou
écrit.
& Productions possibles :
Group 1: The Declaration of Independence is a document which firstly outlines the reasons
why the Americans wished to be independent from the British monarchy and then officially
declared their independence. It lists several injustices carried out by the King of Great Britain
in order to explicitly outline the extent of their unrest and their motivation for independence. It
was signed in 1776 by 56 influential men including John Hancock, President of the Continental
Congress, Benjamin Franklin and two future presidents, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson,
who actually wrote the Declaration. It was signed by these 56 men at the State House in the
State of Philadelphia.
The Constitution refers to the complete renovation of the frame of the American government.
Representatives from each State who were chosen by legislatures contributed to the Constitution over a period of several months in 1787. Initially, there were only going to be amendments,
but when the State Deputies realised how much they wanted to modify, it was decided that
the entire document should be revised.
The Bill of Rights describes the individual rights of each American citizen and was used as a
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method of legal protection against the British who had previously violated civil rights before
and during the Revolution. On 25th September 1789 the first Congress of the United States
made amendments to the Constitution. It is the first ten amendments made to articles three
to twelve that make up the Bill of Rights. They were signed by three quarters of the State
legislatures.
Group 2: Let’s talk about the Minutemen. As a brief introduction, the Minutemen were a group
of young men expected to be ready for war at a moment’s notice. More specifically, they were
groups of men typically aged 25 or under, who were part of an elite military group. Most of them
were already members of the Militia which was a group designed to protect against foreign
invasion and warfare. This meant that they were already trained and well-suited for the role.
They were chosen due to their strength, fitness and enthusiasm, vital characteristics for the
role as these men were the first to respond to a threat. The Minutemen are thought to have
been developed during the Revolution but this is not the case. In fact, they were founded in
Massachusetts around the mid-seventeenth century. They were dressed with matchlocks or
pikes and accoutrements and ready for action within thirty minutes of being warned. Later, they
were very influential in the Revolutionary War as they were well-trained. They also fought in
conflicts such as those in France and India in the 1750s and also against the British. However,
the problem with the nature of the group was that there was no real leadership, a factor which
inevitably led to their disbandment. Having said that, they are widely respected as a forceful
military group without which America’s history could have been somewhat different.
Around the same time as the Minutemen were active, there were other similar groups such
as the Snowshoemen who were expected to equip themselves with the necessary clothes
and weapons. They were an extension of the original Minutemen concept. However, there
are other groups today that call themselves modern Minutemen and they react to various
situations including emergencies, but also as vigilante groups.
3. Gun Owners of America
Complément d’information :
Ted Nugent is an American guitarist, musician, singer and author who uses his notoriety
in this propaganda for GOA. He is quite well-known for his conservative political views
and defense of hunting and gun ownership rights. The slogan of GOA is: “The only non
compromise gun lobby”.
CORRIGÉ DE LA FICHE DU WORKBOOK (P. 56-57)
1
bureaucrat – demand – blood – warrior
2
ad – speech
3
shooting – machine-gun fire
4
It is GOA = Gun Owners of America.
5
From the title we can infer that the main topic here is gun ownership and its defense. We
suppose it can be a burning issue in the USA.
200 •
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6
– Country mentioned: America – the US
– Stressed words: American Dream • demand • crave • celebrate • US Constitution • intellect • spirit • heart • soul • gun owners • join • fight • war • force • unarmed • helpless •
goal • bureaucrats • hate • freedom… La plupart des mots porteurs de sens sont des mots
accentués. L’élève pourra déjà s’en approprier un certain nombre et se familiariser avec le
sujet lors de cet exercice. Le but n’est pas d’avoir une liste exhaustive.
– Words repeated: American Dream • US Constitution • Gun Owners of America • join •
bureaucrats • unarmed • helpless
7
He is definitely for the right to bear arms as he asks people to join him in the GOA
organization.
8
shooting buddies • friends • bowling buddies • families • BBQ buddies • co-workers
9
a) demand • crave • celebrate • American Dream defined by the US Constitution • in (the
American’s) intellect, spirit, heart, soul.
b)
Ted Nugent’s attitude
– wants people to be more participatory
– demands the respect of the Constitution
and thus of the American Dream
– wants to convince people that they are lawful
and right
Basic texts mentioned
– US Constitution
– Bill of Rights
c) According to Ted Nugent, the American Dream is the guarantee of individual freedom
and defends everyone’s rights.
10
The organization opposes: bureaucrats – the US Administration (“supreme authority”) – gun
control (proponents).
11
He opposes gun control because he thinks its defenders are dangerous for the American
people in so far as they “force” the man in the street to be “unarmed and helpless”.
12
The tone used is offensive, critical, indignant.
ACTION!
The GOA is a non-profit lobbying organization which wants to preserve the right to bear
arms because it is defended in the 2nd Amendment. Their action is very political and
their aim is to get more people in the organization in order to protect this right, which they
believe is part of the American Dream. Gun control is definitely a burning issue in the
USA and each group has to act. Ted Nugent is taking a radical stance here and is being
highly critical of the present Administration. He denounces gun control as an infringement
of individual freedom(s). He accuses the other side of hating “We the people” and of hating
freedom. Ted Nugent’s message is clear-cut.
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& Productions possibles :
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
The sounds that we can make out are characteristic of firearms as if there were some shooting / gunfight / shootout. It is scary / chilling because it sounds like some machine-gun fire
that seems to never stop.
Ted Nugent refers to the American Constitution and the Bill of Rights. That is why he uses the
quote “We the People” that can be found at the top of the Constitution (cf. the illustration in
the book p. 133). He does not hesitate either to say that the American Dream is attached to
those historical landmarks.
Ted Nugent considers that there is a sort of culture war in America between people whose
views are totally opposed. He and the Gun Owners of America want to fight the bureaucrats
(implicitly the Obama Administration and the Democrats generally speaking) whom / who he
accuses of having all the control (“supreme authority”). He wants to denounce gun control,
asserting that it is dangerous for the “people” (meaning here “peuple”) who are forced to be
“unarmed and helpless”. So, he is asking the population to rally / join the organization (GOA).
The two documents obviously support two different causes. The poster on the left page is a
campaign against crime and gun ownership (they are opponents) while Ted Nugent is a radical
activist who compares himself and the GOA members to “blood brother warriors”, supposed
to fight for freedom and defend individuals to bear arms (they are proponents). But both documents definitely attract our attention as they use effective means to convince the audience.
These organizations are staunch defenders of the right to bear arms which is legal and written in the Bill of Rights (2nd Amendment). The NRA started in 1871 and is the most important
organization in the USA; GOA was formed in 1975. They are both powerful lobbies which make
firearms ownership a freedom issue and they are political forces that want to be heard on
Capitol Hill.
> Script de l’enregistrement (CD 2, plage 25)
All right, here it is: the American Dream throttles on. My name is Ted Nugent, and I demand,
crave and celebrate the American Dream every day. The American Dream is defined by the
US Constitution and the Bill of Rights, identifying what we already have in our intellect, our
spirit, and our heart, and our soul. We need to get more participatory, we need to join the
Gun Owners of America and get all our families, friends, co-workers, shootin’ buddies, bowlin’ buddies and barbecue buddies to join Gun Owners of America, to fight this culture war,
where bureaucrats who have supreme authority in the United States of America, would force
“We the People” to be unarmed and helpless. Know it, that’s what gun control is. Their goal
is admitted to, that the bureaucrats in charge today in America would force you and I and
our families to be unarmed and helpless. Join the Gun Owners of America and stop those
that hate freedom and hate “We the People”. Gun Owners of America is the rallying cry and
(are) the blood brother warriors to fight for freedom. Believe it.
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4. Writing workshop
& Productions possibles (201 mots) :
The USA is often called a “gun nation” for several reasons.
The main reason is that in most States in America it is legal to own a firearm as a method of
self-defense or protection. However, on occasion, certain individuals misuse firearms with
devastating consequences, such as the infamously tragic incident at Columbine High School
in Colorado. In this instance, two students used a range of firearms to launch a deadly attack on the school and its students and staff. Unfortunately this is happening more and more
frequently and could be a reason why America is becoming known as a “gun nation”.
Another reason could be the origin of the gun culture; back in the lawless Wild West outlaws
such as Billy the Kid and Jesse James terrorized people all over America. Back then, people
needed a gun as a genuine method of protection. For that reason, the typical image of an
American cowboy is holding a gun, which could indicate why America has become known as
a “gun nation”.
Guns are a huge part of American culture, from the Wild West to the present day. They are
often incorporated into what people would consider the American stereotype.
2. WHO IS NEXT?
MANUEL & P. 134-135
1. Get ready
> Mise en œuvre :
- On demandera aux élèves de regarder l’image, de réagir et d’anticiper le contenu du texte
en quelques phrases.
- On peut aussi, au préalable, faire une recherche Internet sur le tableau original d’Edvard
Munch, sur le pop art et la version d’Andy Warhol dans le cadre d’un travail interdisciplinaire
ou d’histoire des arts. Des liens sont fournis sur le site compagnon.
Complément d'information :
Edvard Munch’s “The Scream”, 1893, is one of the most disturbing images to come out of
the history of modern art. It depicts a moment of psychic calamity, of shattered nerves…
It is the ultimate embodiment of fear.”
Peter Aspden, arts writer.
& Productions possibles :
I realized Warhol’s The Scream, made in 1984, is very similar to Munch’s original image. The
artist’s stated intention was to desacralize the painting by making it into a mass-reproducible
object. In his version the sky is beige instead of Munch’s bright orange. Yet, the character
standing in the foreground is all the more striking since his skin is neon yellow. It clashes
against the red and blue background, whereas Munch’s colours were paler and colder. The
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darker lines surrounding the different elements make me think of a world in movement, as if
everything was turning, moving around the desperate and terrified hero.
& Corrigé :
snore – whistle – choke
2. Read and understand
> Mise en œuvre :
Le texte se prête particulièrement bien à un travail en groupes. Un groupe lit la partie 1,
pendant que le second groupe se concentre sur la partie 2. Chaque groupe fera un compte
rendu oral ou écrit (200 mots) de ce qu’il a lu en s’appuyant sur les mots du Help! La fiche
du Workbook guidera les plus faibles.
& Productions possibles :
From this excerpt I have understood that there are two girls in the school restroom / toilets
who hear gunfire outside. They don’t understand what it is at first, but when one girl remembers
a sinister conversation with a boy in her maths class the day before, the pieces of the puzzle
start to come together and they realize what the sound is. Just then, they hear a familiar voice
of a teacher crying for help just outside the restrooms. They try to keep silent, muffling their
voices and holding their breath. At that point, the boy they were talking about enters the room
and calmly asks which one of the girls will be his next victim. (The context is that of a mass
shooting in a High School.)
CORRIGÉ DE LA FICHE DU WORKBOOK (P. 57-59)
1
The scene takes place in the girls’ restroom / toilets probably during a break in the morning
or at noon.
2
The characters are two teenage girls whose names are not given. The author’s purpose is
to blur the line between who is who. They are barely described: “the blond” (l. 11), “one
of the girls” (l. 23 & 25), “one says” (l. 33). We may infer that the other girl is black-haired
(“now spun with gold and black silk”, l. 12). They are brushing / combing their hair, checking how they look in the mirror, perfecting / correcting their make-up…
3
a) Onomatopoeia: “Dot-dot-dot” (l. 7-9) / “Knock-knock-knock” (l. 20)
Origin of the sound: “they hear the first dot-dot-dot of semi-automatic gunfire” (l. 1-3)
Other sounds: someone knocking on the door (“Knock-knock-knock…”, l. 20); scream of
a person (“This time it’s followed by a soft and gurgling scream”, l. 21); scream of the girls
(“both girls scream”, l. 31); and then silence (“followed by a silence that sounds foolish”,
l. 32).
Reactions and movements: no reaction at first (“keep doing”, l. 4); then the girls are
surprised / puzzled (‘‘‘Shit,’ one of the girls says”, l. 23); one of the girls is panic-stricken
(“One of the girls starts towards the door”, l. 25) but the other one stops her and does not
want to move (“but the other grabs her elbow. ‘Don’t go,’ she says.”, l. 25-26).
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b) We understand that what is going on in this High School is a mass shooting / mass
murder / bloodbath.
c) A boy, named Michael Patrick, is suspected of being at the origin of this terrible event /
awful scene, because on the previous day he had told one of the girls that he “was going
to bring a gun to school” / come to school with a gun and “was going to kill everybody”.
d) The scene opens on an apparently normal day in a High School where two teenage girls
are refreshing themselves in the toilets. Suddenly they hear strange noises, loud bangs
and then a scream. They first think it is a prank / joke, but then they realize that something ominous is happening. One of the girls finally remembers that she heard one of her
classmates (Michael Patrick) talk about shooting everyone.
4
- silk + angel & innocence / purity (+ delicacy).
- thin + dead + translucent & death / innocence / purity.
- gurgling scream + scream & terror / fear / death.
N. B. : avec une très bonne classe, ou avec une classe à sensibilité littéraire, on peut faire
remarquer ou trouver qu’il s’agit d’un faisceau d’images (metaphor), comparaisons (simile), et
même que l’auteur s’en sert comme prolepse / moment proleptique (as a proleptic device).
La mort rôde, déjà annoncée, présente dès l’ouverture du roman.
5
- The two girls and Michael Patrick are present. - Mr. McCleod is mentioned.
6
Noises / Sounds
Movements / Actions
- scream of someone,
desperate, asking for help
- silence
- jangling of one of the girls’
bangles
- girls gasping
- girls trying not to move
- One is trying to silence the jangling of the bangles
(“grabs” / “holds […] still”).
- Michael Patrick enters the room slowly.
- He is holding a gun in front of him with both
hands, then with one hand only (threat).
7
a) The boy is casually dressed. – The boy looks like any other teenager. – The boy has
prepared himself for the “event”.
“wearing a shiny shirt—a clean and pale white shirt” (l. 52) + “must have shaved” (l. 54) +
“wearing white shoes with blue lightning bolts on the sides, laces untied” (l. 56-57)
b) “large ugly sweat stains under his arms” (l. 52-53) + “breathing hard” (l. 55) + “says too
loudly” (l. 58)
8
The character is sadistic, vicious, menacing, inhumane. “Which one of you girls should I
kill?” (l. 60)
ACTION!
1
At the beginning two teenage girls, probably best friends, are in the toilets of their High
School and, as they are brushing their hair and refreshing themselves, they start hearing
some strange noises. Eventually they recognize the burst of gunfire (and then, scream).
Little by little they become aware of the danger and get panic-stricken. All of a sudden,
a boy from the school / a male classmate, known as Michael Patrick, enters the room and
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corners them. He is holding / waving a machine-gun and finally / lastly asks the girls
which one of them he should kill.
Objectif
j f
2
a) At first we are under the impression that the two girls do not pay attention to the first
shootings, since they keep on brushing their hair. But the repetition of this peculiar sound
makes them realize that something is going wrong outside the restrooms. They are quite
in disbelief when they become aware that somebody is probably slaughtering people in
the High School. One of the girls seems to be more eager to move and flee or do something
while the other one prefers to stay still and tries not to move, speak or make any noise.
b) Michael Patrick may have wanted to take his revenge because he was neglected and
rejected / ostracized by the others in the school. Or / And he may have been bullied.
He may have wanted to be in the limelight because he was excluded by the others /
felt very lonely / lonesome. He may have been a misfit, somebody who didn’t belong to
any group. He may have held a grudge against people or the school system and he was
cold-blooded and crazy enough to go and kill his peers and his teachers. He is cynical and
vicious in his demand to make the girls decide who is going to die. He likes tormenting
people before killing. That’s the way he can feel powerful / almighty.
3
This opening scene is an excruciating moment of narration because it is carefully built
on tension, and all the necessary ingredients are present: noises, screams, silence, more
screams, suspense, horror… It is definitely a climactic scene and it reaches a first peak
when Michael Patrick penetrates the restrooms. Laura Kasischke depicts a chilling scene
when the girls see Michael Patrick entering the room insofar as we are given some details
about his appearance: the clothes he is wearing are neat (“clean”) and white (repeated
twice). He has even shaved for the “occasion”! In a word, he looks like any other teenager,
wearing fashionable shoes too (“with lightning bolts on the side, laces untied”). This makes
a sharp contrast with the bloodbath we imagine has just taken place in the corridors… The
impact of such a gruesome scene (description) / harrowing experience is intense. We,
readers, are supposed to feel as aghast and appalled as the girls, when we come to the
final sadistic question. This horrendous choice the girls are left with reminds us of another
literary work, Sophie’s Choice by W. Styron (1979). Although the context is quite different,
the unbearable and unspeakable are some of the themes developed in the novel. It also
gave way to the expression “a Sophie’s choice” to designate a choice that has to be made
between two persons or things and that ends in the death or destruction of the person or
thing not chosen.
The text by Laura Kasischke gives a dramatic account from the perspective of the victims
of a gun attack at a school. It stages ultimate teenage violence and the exertion of power
in its most extreme form. The more tragic the horror show is, the more powerful and almighty the character / person might feel. Taking someone’s life is presented here as the
absolute form of power. But isn’t it an expression of weakness too? This excerpt (which
is fiction) makes us think of real events such as the attack at Columbine High School and
the influence of peer pressure and various other factors that may influence teenagers. It
raises the question of the right to bear arms in the USA and of gun control.
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3. Translation workshop
& Productions possibles :
De l’autre côté de la porte des toilettes (pour filles), un autre hurlement. Un hurlement désespéré et insensé, comme une musique, suivi de l’appel à l’aide / au secours d’un homme.
« Au secours, / À l’aide, » dit-il seulement. / c’est tout ce qu’il dit. / Il ne dit rien d’autre.
Mr. McCleod ?
Puis, le silence… sauf que l’une des filles porte sept bracelets en argent au poignet droit
et qu’elles suffoquent toutes les deux en les entendant cliqueter / tinter. L’autre saisit les
bracelets sur le poignet de son amie et les retient / maintient immobiles de la main.
C’est alors qu’il ouvre lentement / doucement la porte et qu’il entre. Il tient à deux mains
une grosse arme d’un noir bleuté et la pointe devant lui, visant le vide.
4. Shooting at Columbine High School
& Productions possibles :
b.
The text and the recording deal with a shooting in a school / High School in the USA. The text
is fictional whereas Linda Carroll’s lesson is about a real event that hit the national news in
Spring 1999. The killers were both students who had access to shotguns and weapons and
who had carefully selected their victims. They ruthlessly murdered in cold blood with a chilling
determination. In the text, two girls are cornered in the bathroom while the pupils wounded
or killed at Columbine were trapped in the school library and in the cafeteria. The text is built
on the growing of tension and anxiety. The recording highlights the trauma and terror of the
families and children of the school and accounts for the teenagers’ motivation to start the
bloodbath.
c.
In my opinion, there are several reasons that could lead a teenager to such violence.
Firstly we can underline the amount of peer pressure surrounding young people nowadays. There
are so many magazines and music videos that depict unrealistic and often edited photographs
and images that are unobtainable under natural circumstances. This gives way to extreme
low self-esteem due to a feeling of inadequacy and even bullying and taunting by others if a
certain individual does not correspond to these ideals, portrayed in the media. This can lead
to extreme anger and resentment that some young people may release through violence.
Another reason that may be an influencing factor in teenage tendencies to resort to violence
is the level of violence in video games. There are many games in which the objective is to brutally attack other characters with very explicit graphics. If a young person becomes obsessed
with these games, it could influence their behaviour as their virtual world and begins to blur
together with reality and they lose themselves in their violent fantasy.
These are just a few examples of the many reasons why a young person may resort to violence.
Even though they do not justify any sort of violent behaviour, they help us understand why
such violence exists.
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CORRIGÉ DE LA FICHE DU WORKBOOK (P. 59-60)
1
cheerleader, bomb, fortunate, target, truck, injure, library
2
Columbine, students, school, cheerleaders, popular, plan, don’t go to school, parents,
bomb, cafeteria, lunch time, guns, shoot, outside, coats, kill, library upstairs, boy, injured,
shoulder, truck, videos, rescued, hiding in classrooms, cellphones, conversations, family
3
a teacher
4
How many killers?
couple of students
5
Motive?
get even with
others
Place
Plan?
Target?
What? put a bomb
Where? cafeteria
What time? lunch
time
Clothes? trench coat
jocks,
cheerleaders,
popular kids
What happened there?
library, upstairs
Victims: a number
of students who were
trapped.
Killers: they killed at
point-blank range, then
they killed themselves.
6
The boy was injured in the shoulder, he crawled out of the library and fell on a truck outside.
7
They were trapped in the library, hiding in classrooms and lockers. They tried to hide where
they could.
8
Activity
Characteristics
Group A
jocks
heroes, popular
Group B
killers
not liked
Group C
friends
nice to the killers, they were warned
ACTION!
1
The aggressors were two boys, teenagers going to Columbine High School / High School
graders who held other pupils responsible for their lack of popularity. They were reserved,
quite inhibited and jealous of the popular students. They were neither sporty, nor goodlooking, nor friendly. So they decided to take their revenge / get even over every joke,
mockery, row, sneer they had suffered over the past years. Unfortunately, they had easy
access to guns at home and were trigger-happy.
208 •
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Objectif
j f
2
The initial plan was gruesome. They carried shotguns, rifles hidden under long black coats
and planted a bomb in the school cafeteria. Their goal was to teach popular kids how to
grow respectful. The bomb was meant to kill hundreds in the cafeteria at lunch time while
they waited outside, prepared to kill in cold blood as many escaping kids as possible.
Their ruthless / merciless plan was to shoot any survivor at random.
3
At lunch time, on April 21st, the bomb did not go off, so they entered the school with their
firearms and cornered students in the library, shooting with a chilling determination.
Although some pleaded for their lives, they aimed at their victims and pulled the trigger.
Desperate, helpless children feared for their lives and ran for safety. Panic-stricken
teenagers managed to escape. They told the police and the journalists who had arrived
about the bloodbath / bloodshed / massacre / slaughter and the astonishing escape
of a wounded boy who jumped from the first floor / storey unto a media truck to safety.
Parents were in a state of shock, scared stiff for the children still inside the school.
Some could hear the pupils on their cellphones calling for help. The whole day is recalled
as a tragedy by many Americans traumatized by the number of victims and the age of the
young offenders. People often come to the school memory ground to mourn the dead.
> Script de l’enregistrement (CD 2, plage 26)
Part 1
How many of you are familiar with what happened at Columbine? Did you hear about it, read
about it? OK, most people throughout the world heard about this. A couple of students were
not well-liked at school, and they made plans to get even with the “jocks”, who, you know,
play on the school sports teams, the “heroes”, and the cheerleaders, and the popular kids.
Because they weren’t popular, they were not accepted by the popular kids. So, they made
a plan, they told their friends, the ones who were nice to them, “don’t go to school on that
day”. They said, “don’t ask questions just don’t go to school. Tell your parents you’re sick.”
But, um... their main plan was that they would put a bomb in the cafeteria, in the lunch room,
to go off at lunch time. And then when the students began running out of the school, the
two boys would be outside with rifles, guns, to shoot them as they came out. Well, their plan
didn’t work, the bomb did not go off, and so they began shooting outside the school, and
then they went into the school. They were wearing trench coats and they had guns inside
their coats, long... they had long black coats. They targeted certain people that they wanted
to kill, but they mostly just tried to kill as many students as they could. The fortunate thing
was that it didn’t turn out to be as bad as they had planned it, and a lot less people were
killed. If their plan had worked, there would have been several hundred killed. So, it was
good that it didn’t work. 1’52’’
Part 2
They ended up in the library upstairs, with a number of students trapped in there with them.
And they killed them, right, point-blank range, and then they killed themselves or each
other, I’m not sure which. But, so, everyone that was in the library – one boy was injured in
his shoulder, and he crawled out of the window of the library, two-storeys up, you know?
You know, high up. There was a truck down below, a newscast truck, because by this time
the news had come to take videos of the whole scene. And he fell, he crawled out and just
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UNIT
9
A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH
kind of fell onto the top of the truck and they rescued him. So, he was able to escape the
library. The rest were not so fortunate. It was a very, very sad thing, students were hiding
in classrooms, in lockers, anywhere they could hide. They had their cell phones with them,
and the conversations with their parents, and with their family, were very touching.
3. CRIME AND PUNISHMENT
MANUEL & P. 136
1. The death penalty in the USA
& Productions possibles :
a.
The States in blue represent the States where there is currently no death penalty in place. The
States in yellow represent the States where no death penalty has been issued since 1976.
Finally the green States indicate that the death penalty has been declared unconstitutional.
b.
The orange States belong to the category of those which have implemented a death penalty
as a punishment since 1976. They make up the majority of the United States of America.
c.
These statistics clearly show the Americans agree with the use of the death penalty as a
just punishment for certain crimes. For the majority of the States it is a punishment that has
been recently used and no doubt that it will continue to be put into use. However, there are
a certain number of States, although it is only a handful that does not believe in the death
penalty. These States are mostly North Eastern States.
2. The death penalty in Pennsylvania
& Productions possibles :
b.
– Judge Bortner was elected judge of the court of common pleas of York County, Pennsylvania.
He works alongside fourteen other judges at the York courthouse. Currently, he is in charge
of criminal cases.
– He explains that the death penalty in Pennsylvania is restricted / limited to horrendous
crimes. Few murderers are sentenced to this tough / harsh sentence. Criminals guilty of killing
a police officer or torturing their victims, for instance, can be condemned to death. Pennsylvania used to have the electric chair but they have opted for the lethal injection instead. Yet,
there have been very few executions. Since the 1950s, two convicts were killed in 1996, but
none ever since.
– While waiting for the execution, inmates are sent to a special unit inside the State prison
called the death row. In Pennsylvania there are more male than female prisoners awaiting
execution, about 200 men. Their sentence is in fact transformed into life imprisonment since
most cases are being appealed. The procedure before the new trial takes ages / drags on for
a very long time.
– Many other US States, such as New York, Illinois, Minnesota, have abolished the death
sentence. Indeed, DNA testing has proved that murderers were innocent and have faced a
miscarriage of justice. Contrary to these progressive States, Texas is not ready to do away
210 •
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with the death penalty. Texan judges approve of this barbaric / inhumane system as a deterrent for crime. Their tradition of free gun ownership dates back to the Wild West times when
anyone carried a gun and took his (her) revenge / retaliated in the streets without waiting for
trial.
CORRIGÉ DE LA FICHE DU WORKBOOK (P. 60-62)
1
a) appel (faire appel) b) condamné c) mortelle d) a innocenté
2
an interview
3
Judge Bortner about the death penalty in Pennsylvania
4
Job?
judge
Where?
How many?
court of common pleas, York County,
Pennsylvania
15 judges
5
murderers
6
killing a police officer, killing and torturing a person
7
false, true, false, true
8
only 2 executions since 1996
9
b) currently, death, row, cases, appeal
c)
How many?
200 people
on death row
10
Method used?
lethal injection
How long?
ten-year term
Executed: Yes? No? Why?
No, because their cases are being appealed,
they want a DNA testing, some States want
to be sure of the convict’s guilt and not to
execute an innocent.
Past: electric chair Nowadays: lethal injection
11
A US State
Texas
Characteristics
strictest State, more
people on death row
Cultural reasons
Wild West, gun ownership is common,
people carry a gun in a holster
12
“Guns don’t kill people, people kill people.”
13
Against: “bad things can happen”, “act on emotions”.
14
He doesn’t own a gun.
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A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH
ACTION!
Judge Bortner is a supporter of gun control and doesn’t own a gun. He opposes easy access to guns. He does not agree that it is an efficient deterrent to murder. He explains how
judges get commissioned for their charge: he was elected judge of the court of common
pleas of York County, Pennsylvania, for ten years, just as the other fourteen judges in York
courthouse. The death penalty in Pennsylvania is restricted / limited to horrendous crimes.
Few murderers are sentenced to this tough / harsh sentence. Only criminals guilty of
killing a police officer or torturing their victims can be condemned to death. Pennsylvania
used to have the electric chair but they have opted for the lethal injection instead. There
have been very few executions in Pennsylvania since the 1950s. Sentences become life
imprisonment on death row since most cases are being appealed. There are more male than
female prisoners awaiting execution, about 200 men. Many other States have abolished the
death sentence. Indeed, DNA testing has proved that murderers were innocent and have
faced a miscarriage of justice. Yet, Texas is not ready to do away with the death penalty.
Texan judges approve of this barbaric / inhumane system as a deterrent for crime. Their
tradition of free gun ownership dates back to the Wild West times when anyone carried a
gun and took his (her) revenge / retaliated in the streets without waiting for trial.
> Script de l’enregistrement (CD 2, plage 28)
Part 1
Michael Bortner: I am a judge of the court of common pleas of York County, Pennsylvania.
I am one of fifteen judges on our bench. I currently handle all criminal cases. I am elected
as a judge, I’m elected for a ten-year term. 0’26’’
Part 2
We have a death penalty, it is somewhat limited. It is limited to murders that have what are
considered to be aggravating circumstances, that would include, for example, killing a police officer, killing while in the commission of another serious felony, torturing a person. So
the case... so the death penalty is not applied to every case of murder, only certain cases.
I would say, since about, 1996 there have only been two. 1’08’’
Part 3
Currently there are approximately two hundred people on death row, meaning they have been
given death sentences, but their cases are being appealed. In many cases it’s because of DNA
testing that is available, and certain individuals that had been convicted of first-degree murder
have been cleared, and some States have opted to not run the risk of executing an innocent person, and have therefore repealed their death penalty as well. Pennsylvania earlier had the electric
chair as a means of execution, it is now, as I believe, in all States, by lethal injection. 1’59’’
Part 4
Interviewer: I think that Texas is one of the strictest States for the death penalty...
Michael Bortner: I think that there are more people in Texas on death row, and there are more
executions than anywhere else. And I guess that’s, you know, from their sort of tradition, their
history of being sort of the “Wild West”, where gun ownership is common and people walk around
carrying, you know, guns in holsters. I understand the argument that “guns don’t kill people,
people kill people”, but if you’ve got too easy access to guns, it seems to me that bad things
can happen when you act on emotions rather than thinking things through. I don’t own a gun.
212 •
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3. Take your pen!
& Productions possibles (80 mots) :
Justice in Georgia
Convicted murderer John Smith has been sentenced to death by lethal injection at the end of
this month for the homicide of thirteen-year-old Nathan Bell. Smith was convicted last month
and after failing to appeal he has been sentenced this morning at court. Commenting on the
condemnation, Judge Wickham said “I’m happy with his decision,” and that “the people of
Georgia can rest with the thought that such a heartless criminal can threaten them no more.”
4. A SHADOW OVER DEMOCRACY
MANUEL & P. 137
> Mise en œuvre :
On pourra commencer par demander aux élèves ce que cette affiche d’Amnesty International
évoque pour eux. Ce sera l’occasion de réviser le lexique lié aux exécutions et à la peine de
mort. Certaines classes pourraient aussi faire une recherche sur la peine capitale en France
(date de son abolition, sous quel président de la république, nom du dernier condamné…).
& Productions possibles :
What strikes me first in the poster is obviously the huge red noose (symbolic of hanging) with
a lot of miniature people trapped in it and falling from it… probably dead. But one character
is standing in the bottom right-hand corner witnessing / attending the executions. Then, what
catches my attention is the slogan written in big bold letters: “END THE DEATH PENALTY”.
The use of the imperative form is an incentive to make people react and act. The goal of the
organization called Amnesty International is to make everyone think about the death penalty
and the way people are executed all over the world. This is an awareness campaign promoting
the abolition of capital punishment. October 10th is the World Day against the death penalty
and it is the occasion for Amnesty International activists to demand an end to executions in
some countries, and alert people about the living conditions in prison, more precisely on death
row. The target is the man in the street who may have forgotten that action is still possible,
that things can change. The more people support the cause, the more their vindications can
be heard.
1. Find the key information
& Productions possibles :
a.
I have understood that the article is describing hypocritical statistics with regards to capital
punishment in the United States. It explains that there is a large population of people who
believe that innocent people have been unjustly convicted and sentenced to death, but that
people still want to continue with the use of capital punishment and even expand it. The article
then continues with the writer criticizing this hypocrisy and offering their own opinion on the
matter.
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b.
A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH
I would say that the key ideas are that 81% of Americans who participated in the survey
conducted by Angus Reid believed that inevitably innocent people were killed through the
death penalty, but that 62% of the same people thought that death penalty should be given
to rapists, and 51% for those found guilty of kidnapping. Therefore, there is an element of
hypocrisy in that the participants in the survey believe that the death penalty is taking the lives
of innocent people, but that it should be used more often; a factor underlined by the writer,
who is adamantly against the death penalty.
CORRIGÉ DE LA FICHE DU WORKBOOK (P. 62-63)
1
a) b) - death penalty (4 times) - innocent (4 times)
c) It connects the two notions. Readers are made to believe that innocent convicts can be
executed.
2
jurors – judges
3
executing innocent people
4
a) Angus Reid, on line survey / on the Internet
b) - Chart 1: Can innocent people be executed? 6% = percentage of people answering
“No”.
- Chart 2: Is the death penalty a valid punishment to murder? 13% = percentage of people
answering “No”.
c) - Survey 3: Is the death penalty a valid punishment to rape? Numbers: left side of the
pie: 38%, right side: 62%.
- Survey 4: Is the death penalty a valid punishment to kidnapping? Numbers: left side of
the pie: 49%, right side: 51%.
d) Even if most people agree that innocent convicts can be executed, they still see the
death penalty as a valid means to punish murder, rape and kidnapping.
5
Pros
effective deterrent, necessary sacrifice,
proper punishment for certain heinous
crimes, achieve a greater good
Cons
convict wrongly, we think about the
death penalty in relation to specific
cases and crimes
6
a) collateral damage
b) Executing some innocent can be compared to the innocent victims of war.
7
- Cameron Todd Willingham - dead - He was probably innocent.
8
He disagrees / condemns / exposes the death penalty. He wonders “how a system killing
potentially innocent people can be allowed to continue” (l. 26-27) + “If one believes the
death penalty is an effective deterrent against crime (I don’t)” (l. 15-16)
214 •
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ACTION!
1
American people were recently asked by a polling agency to answer three questions about
the death penalty on the Internet. The first question was: “Do you believe innocent people
have been executed in America?” The vast majority (81%) agreed while only 6% thought
that it had never happened. Then they had to answer a second question: “Do you support
punishing murders with the death penalty?” Few (13%) answered in the negative, whereas
83% said yes. Last but not least, the agents asked: “Would you punish rape and kidnapping
with the death penalty?” Again most American respondents approved.
2
This survey reveals a contradiction between the total trust in the death penalty as an appropriate way to deter criminals from committing heinous and chilling crimes and the
fact that innocent culprits could be executed. This discrepancy / contrast is justified as a
necessary sacrifice for a greater good. It is compared to a kind of collateral damage. Most
Americans agree a few miscarriages of justice are worth it to ensure a less violent society.
3
On the other hand the committed journalist voices his strong opposition to this irrational
way of thinking. He condemns / exposes / denounces the death penalty as a brutal,
barbaric, unfair sentence which doesn’t take into account the human being. He concludes
by recalling the polemical case of Cameron Todd Willingham, sentenced to death and
executed while his supporters claimed his innocence.
2. Another voice
> Mise en œuvre :
– L’introduction du document n’est pas traitée dans la fiche du Workbook. On peut néanmoins
la faire écouter aux élèves.
– La question 1. de la fiche du Workbook consiste à faire faire deux mini-recherches Internet
afin que les élèves sachent qui est J. Irons et ce pour quoi Amnesty International œuvre
depuis des années. Ainsi, ils pourront s’exprimer à l’oral et partager leurs informations. La
CO n’en aura que plus de sens s’ils font cela au préalable.
• Group A : J. Irons (www.jeremyirons.net/ ; www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeremy_Irons)
• Group B: Amnesty International (www.amnesty.org/en/who-we-are)
& Productions possibles :
b.
The famed British actor Jeremy Irons committed himself and agreed to support Amnesty
International in their fight against the death penalty. The main arguments against the death
penalty are numerous. First, it is “irreversible”, and can lead to the execution of innocents,
for justice can indeed miscarry. Then, it violates some of the most fundamental Human Rights:
the right to live and the ban on torturing. Finally, the question is to know if we want to kill and
torture too...
c.
Réponses personnelles des élèves qui amèneront les premiers éléments de réflexion utiles
au débat (cf. 3 p. 137).
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A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH
CORRIGÉ DE LA FICHE DU WORKBOOK (P. 63-64)
2
irreversible - decades - fundamental - inalienable - imprisonment - execution - revile - outraged
3
The main topic is the fight against the death penalty.
4
irreversible - death of innocents - never acceptable - it tortures: physically and psychologically - horror of the waiting - attack on Human Rights
5
The first sentence he says is: “The death penalty is irreversible, and results in the death of
innocents.”& J. Irons sides with the opponents of the death penalty.
6
– Countries mentioned: China - the Democratic Republic of Congo - Nigeria - Pakistan Saudi Arabia - Yemen - the USA.
– People mentioned: innocent people - families - child offenders - human beings.
– Words or expression repeated several times: the death penalty - innocents - Human
Rights - torture - killed - human being - the right to live / the right to life
Les mots porteurs de sens sont des mots accentués (l’élève essaiera d’en trouver le plus
possible).
7
a)
Where?
Who?
Age?
China - the Democratic
Republic of Congo Nigeria - Pakistan - Saudi
Arabia - Yemen - the USA
child
offenders
/ children
14 years
old
Number of
executions?
51 recorded
executions
Since?
1990
b) irreversible + never acceptable
8
a) The death penalty violates “two of our most basic Human Rights”, that is to say: “everyone has the right to live” and “no one shall be subject to torture”.
b)
Direct consequences
- It kills people.
- It tortures people.
216 •
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Reasons
- brutal nature
of the execution
- It forces people to wait
to be killed (sometimes
for decades).
Effects on the convict
- physical and
psychological effects
- The horror of the waiting
is unimaginable.
9
a)
Definition
Can be / can’t be…
Human Rights
- belong to all of us
- clearly drawn line between what
is right and what is wrong
- line between imprisonment
and execution
cannot be attacked
The right to life
- fundamental right
- unalienable
cannot be given or
taken away
Somebody
condemned to
the death penalty
- someone who may have
committed a terrible crime, who
may have tortured or killed
- but still a human being…
cannot be killed by
other human beings
b) Finally, Jeremy Irons gets a strong argument across to us: by condemning someone to
death and by executing people, we also become criminals (“we join them”), and we practice
what has been called “legalized murder”. Is it really the solution?
ACTION!
This recording is part of a campaign led by Amnesty International against the death penalty.
Jeremy Irons supports their cause and is their mouthpiece here. The message is clear and
explains why the death penalty should be abolished. As a staunch opponent, Irons draws
an indictment of the effects and aftermaths of capital punishment. He alerts us to the
possible deaths of innocents for example. The way he expresses himself is convincing and
he puts to the fore the idea that Human Rights are more fundamental than anything else.
That is why it is impossible to put someone to death (and to torture the person psychologically and physically). Indeed, he draws the conclusion that it is contradictory with the
right to life and the fact that we would be murderers too.
> Script de l’enregistrement (CD 2, plage 30)
Introduction
There are many arguments against the death penalty. It’s not a deterrent against the crimes
that it punishes. Society who use the death penalty don’t have lower crime rates than those
that do. When a country abolishes the death penalty, they are not plunged into criminal
chaos… But even if the death penalty did reduce crime rates, would it then be acceptable?
The death penalty targets the economically disadvantaged: those who can’t afford good legal
counsel, those without a voice in society… There’s a saying in the US: “Capital punishment
means that those without the capital get the punishment.” Statistics show this is true. But
would it be acceptable if people from all sections of society were executed? Does killing a
rich man make killing a poor man right? 0’56’’
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A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH
Part 1
The death penalty is irreversible, and results in the death of innocents. When someone is
dead a retrospective pardon is of little use to them or their family. Since 1990, in China, the
Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and the USA, there
have been 51 recorded executions of child offenders, some as young as 14 years old. And
even if no more innocents or children are killed, should we tolerate the death penalty? The
death penalty is never acceptable. 1’38’’
Part 2
It abuses two of our most basic Human Rights: everyone has the right to live, and no one
shall be subject to torture. The death penalty obviously kills people, but it also tortures:
physically, by the brutal nature of execution, and psychologically, by forcing individuals to
wait to be killed. They wait… sometimes for decades while others are led to their deaths…
The horror of this waiting is unimaginable. 2’08’’
Part 3
Human Rights are thus called because they apply to all human beings. They belong to all of
us equally. An attack on these fundamental rights anywhere is an attack against all of us.
The right to life is inalienable. It cannot be given and it cannot be taken away, no matter how
terrible a crime… In a world full of uncertainty Human Rights are a clearly drawn line… a line
between what is right… and what is wrong… a line between imprisonment and execution.
Every individual facing the death penalty is – whatever they stand accused of – still a human being. However much we revile them, however much we are outraged by their actions,
however much we want revenge, they are still human beings. They may well have killed, and
tortured… they’ve crossed the line… but do we really want to join them?
3. Debate team
> Mise en œuvre :
- Les élèves peuvent préparer leur production en groupes en désignant un rapporteur qui
présentera leurs réflexions.
- On encouragera les élèves à réagir aux propos de leurs camarades et à confronter leurs
opinions à l’aide des pages 242-243 du manuel.
& Productions possibles :
F: I am in favour of the death penalty • A: I oppose capital punishment • M: I am the mediator/
time-keeper
M: Welcome debaters. Let’s begin! Today’s topic is the death penalty in the United States of
America. What’s your opinion on the subject?
F: I have to say right off that I am in favour of the death penalty. An eye for an eye. It is the
right thing to do.
A: I am against capital punishment. It is easy to say “an eye for an eye” but where do you draw
the line? The person who administers the lethal injection, switches on the electric chair or
whatever... in short, that person is responsible for carrying out the death penalty in becoming
just as bad as the criminal. You say an eye for an eye, so does that mean that person should
also be killed? Where does it stop?
218 •
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F: It is totally different! The person carrying out the death penalty is a representative of justice.
It isn’t the best job in the world, and certainly not the most pleasant, but it has to be done by
somebody. They are saving our community and preventing any more tragedies at the hands
of the murderer.
A: I understand that it is important to prevent any reoffending but that is easily solved in a
humane way by incarcerating the convicted criminal for life. A life sentence allows them to
understand what they have done and pay penance.
F: Yes, but think of the amount of tax payers’ money it costs to keep them in prison. Through
capital punishment, these costs are no longer incurred.
A: But it does not solve any real problems. It acts as a deterrent, sure, but what about giving
people a second chance? Everyone deserves a second chance and so a fair opportunity to
reform and start afresh is easily obtainable in prison with the correct guidance.
F: We simply cannot afford that luxury. And besides, these people will never be trusted in
again in society. They are too dangerous, so why allow them to reform when they don’t need
to. It’s just a waste of time and money.
A: I think you’re being incredibly unfair here. You’re not thinking about the bigger picture.
What will the victim’s family think? Once they have got over their initial anger and hate and the
dust begins to settle, do you really think they will feel that justice has been served by killing
somebody?
F: Of course, they will! They have lost someone they love, why should that person be allowed
to live? The victim loses their right to live, so why should the murderer be afforded any more
rights than his or her victim?
A: I understand your reasoning but it doesn’t mean that the right thing to do is to take another
person’s life. That is not the answer.
F: Granted, I agree that it is not the ideal solution, but when you look at the situation from an
objective point of view as well as from a funding point of view you can see where I’m coming
from.
A: Oh absolutely, but there is so much more to it than that. You cannot treat every case in the
same way and so there’ll always be complications. Besides, what if you make a mistake and
an innocent person is convicted and sentenced to death? At least if they are in prison, their
conviction can be quashed and they can be reinserted into society. They won’t have those
lost years back again, but at least they can have some of their life back!
F: I suppose you’re right. That’s the problem, you have to be totally certain that you have found
the right guy. There can’t be any doubt, but of course there are those unusual cases when an
error has been made or certain pieces of evidence go undetected.
A: Exactly. Is that a risk you’re willing to take?
F: No! I’m for the death penalty as a punishment for the convicted criminal, not an innocent
scapegoat!
M: I don’t feel we are going to agree here. I’d like to thank you both for contributing your
opinions on what is a very complicated topic.
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A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH
5. AN EYE FOR AN EYE
MANUEL & P. 138-139
> Mise en œuvre :
Au préalable, le professeur pourra anticiper le texte grâce à ces éléments :
1
Le titre : il pourra être intéressant de travailler sur l’expression an eye for an eye d’un point
de vue culturel et linguistique. Cette citation utilisée au quotidien pourra être complétée
assez aisément par les élèves sans qu’ils en connaissent pour autant l’origine: an eye for an
eye, a tooth for a tooth. Ils pourront alors expliquer ce que cela est censé signifier (idea of
revenge / to pay someone back for what has been done…). Il revient au professeur ensuite
de donner ou de faire chercher (sur Internet, dans un dictionnaire, une encyclopédie) le
contexte / l’origine de cette citation.
& Productions possibles :
It is part of the Talion Law (which can be found in the Old Testament) where the principle is to
inflict the same punishment to the person who harmed you. This has given way to the following
words in English: to retaliate, retaliation.
2
Le tableau d’Andy Warhol, Little Electric Chair (1964-65)
& Productions possibles :
The most striking and disturbing element in the painting is the red colour covering everything.
Needless to say it reminds me of blood. The red splash looks like a wide bloodstain spread over
the painting. The electric chair is shown from the front, fully visible; the execution chamber
is empty. The scene represents death as an absence and complete silence. This notion was
characteristic of Warhol, who once said: “I never understood why when you died, you didn’t
just vanish and everything could just keep going the way it was, only you just wouldn’t be
there,” and who often stated that he wanted a blank tombstone when he died.
1. Main facts
& Productions possibles :
a.
This speech is designed to shock people and make them disagree with the death penalty. The
lawyer does so by introducing us to a man named Matthew Poncelet and giving us an insight
into his story. By doing this, the lawyer forces us to empathize with Poncelet because we
know him now. The next step of the speech is to hit us with the brutal truth that he is “sitting here today asking for his life.” This tugs at our heart strings because we feel we know
Poncelet and he has been hard done by because of his financial circumstances, which he
cannot help. Then, the speech really gets down to the nitty gritty. The lawyer talks about the
lethal injection as a supposedly “humane” way of administering capital punishment. In fact,
the lawyer’s objective is to highlight the hypocrisy of this idea by talking bluntly about how
“we anaesthetize him with shot number one. Then, we give him shot number two and that
implodes his lungs. And shot number three stops his heart.” He continues to describe how
“we don’t have to see any horror show. We don’t have to taste the blood of revenge on our
lips while this human being’s organs writhe, twist, contort.” The lawyer is really making us
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squirm just like the victim’s organs. The explicit explanation of how the lethal injection works
will shock the audience and make them feel guilty, which will act to strengthen his argument.
Finally he hits us with the view that we are supposed hold: “Justice has been done.” After his
speech, our reaction to this is that justice certainly has not been done.
b.
The lawyer’s goal is to make his audience question their views on capital punishment. He does
this by introducing us to a man on death row, gives us an insight into his circumstances and
makes us think that he has been hard done by. He then gives us a series of gruesome images
to explain how the lethal injection works; comparing it in a sarcastic way to the old methods
of capital punishment and making out that they are no more inhumane than the method we
use today.
c.
The lawyer uses a series of images in the second half of the speech. They relate to past and
present day methods of administering the death penalty. However the most startling images
are those conjured up in our minds as he describes the way in which the lethal injection works.
He starts off by describing the three stages of the lethal injection. These clear stages hit us
straight in the face with how blunt they are. They are also gruesome, which makes them all
the more effective in the sense that it disgusts the members of his audience.
d.
I would say the tone of the passage is certainly ironic. You can tell from the way the lawyer
says: “But now… Now we have developed a device that is the most humane of all: lethal injection.” He then continues to describe how inhumane it is. He describes all the effort we made
to find a “humane” mode of killing another human being; arguably not a humane thing to do
in the first place, but also the fact that the method we eventually developed is not humane
in the slightest. It is also an example of his cynicism. He is being cynical of the efforts we
have made to find a new “humane” method of capital punishment, but also cynical of human
beings and how we can bring ourselves to kill another human being in this way. All of these
contribute to demonstrating his grim humour.
e.
The narrator is against the death penalty. I know this because he constantly mocks the death
penalty as a form of punishment. He uses throwaway comments such as “now we have developed a device that is the most humane of all: the lethal injection,” that are dripping with
sarcasm. His tone therefore reveals how he disagrees with the lethal injection and the capital
punishment in general. Another reason that makes me believe that the narrator is against
the death penalty is the way he uses gruesome imagery to shock the audience. Images like
imploding lungs and the way in which the face would “twist and contort and pull,” are not
things someone would talk about if they were in favour of the death penalty. In fact, they would
probably try to hide these awful truths as much as possible. The final indication is the guilt
trip at the end of the speech. He uses violent verbs such as “writhe, twist, contort,” before
hitting us with the truth that we just sit back and let this happen to another human being. It
is obvious that the narrator is against the death penalty and he wants us to agree with him.
f.
I find that the text is very persuasive and very shocking. The lawyer starts the speech describing
the story of Matthew Poncelet. We learn a bit about Poncelet’s underprivileged background
and that he cannot afford decent representation in court, before learning that he has been
sentenced to death. The lawyer is tugging at our heart strings and consequently grabs our
attention. Then, the narrator begins to mock the death penalty. I know this because he uses
sarcastic comments such as “now we have developed a device that is the most humane of
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all: lethal injection.” In fact, if you read between the lines, he is saying that it is not humane
at all. This idea becomes more explicit as the speech continues. He begins to use throwaway
comments such as “we kept searching for more and more humane ways… of killing people
we didn’t like.” He trivialises the subject in order to convince the public. He then explains
what the lethal injection entails. He uses short, blunt sentences to shock the audience. This
obviously shows his views against the use of the lethal injection because it reveals what it
truly is, not what we believe it to be and the truth hurts. We cannot help but be shocked by
his blunt explanation. He finishes his argument with guilt tripping the audience, but including
himself in the guilty party. He says “We just sit there, quietly, nod our heads and say: ‘Justice
has been done.’” After this cutting reality check about what the lethal injection involves, we
experience a pang of guilt. We then associate this feeling of guilt with the death penalty and
therefore we are more likely to share his views against it as a form of punishment. In conclusion, I think it is obvious that the narrator is against the death penalty and he uses various
persuasive techniques to effectively shock us and guilt trip us into agreeing with him.
g.
– To recap, the prisoner is called Matthew Poncelet and he is a working-class man accused
of murder. Because of his underprivileged background, Poncelet cannot afford to pay for a
decent quality lawyer to represent him in courts, so instead he has to settle for what the State
can provide him with: an inexperienced tax lawyer who has never taken on a capital case.
– The speech then moves on to talk about the history of capital punishment and the methods
used in the past. He mentions decapitation, suffocation in gas chambers, burying people alive
and burning people at the stake, before mentioning the lethal injection. He suggests that
we have taken centuries to develop the best method to administer a death penalty, finally
concluding that we have allegedly found our solution with the lethal injection, as this is widely
considered the most “humane” method.
– However, he continues to underline exactly what makes this method of execution as inhumane as the other methods he has described. He talks about the three stages of the lethal
injection, which are administered to the criminal after he has been strapped up. First, the
convict is given an anaesthetic, secondly, he is given an injection that “implodes his lungs,”
and finally the last injection stops his heart. He speaks candidly about how the first shot allows
his muscles to relax and his “face just goes to sleep,” which could be said to be an advantage
of this method because we cannot see any ostensible effects of the injection. However, this
is exactly the lawyer’s point: we cannot see “the horror show,” but it is none the less brutal
and inhumane. It therefore holds the same drawbacks as the other methods used in previous
centuries.
2. Asking for mercy
& Productions possibles (180 words) :
Dear Sir,
My name is Matthew Poncelet, I am writing to you from my prison cell on death row after
recently being convicted of murder. However, I maintain my innocence and I am writing to
you to plead for a stay of execution.
I have always lived my life according to the law and come from a family of law-abiding citizens.
However, I am poor and have not been able to access the necessary funds to hire a strong
defence lawyer to represent me fairly in court. With all due respect, Sir, a tax lawyer is not
sufficient representation in a trial in which a person’s life is at stake.
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I trust that you have the goodness in your heart to appreciate my desperate plight. I beg you
to consider the effect this injustice would have upon my family.
I beg you to grant me a stay of execution to find the means to pay for representation that is
more suitable and to prove my innocence in court.
Yours faithfully,
Matthew Poncelet.
3. Movie corner
& Productions possibles :
• Bang! You’re Dead, Alfred Hitchcock (1961)
Jackie, the young nephew of Rick Sheffield, unpacks his uncle’s suitcase when he comes to
stay and discovers a pistol which he believes is the present his uncle has promised him. Jackie
and his friends are always playing with their toy guns, so, it is only a matter of time until tragedy
strikes when Jackie plays with Uncle Rick’s firearm. The rush begins to stop him before it is too
late. I would want to watch this film because it is directed by the legendary Alfred Hitchcock
and must be filled with tension that leaves you sitting on the edge of your seat. I really want
to know whether they manage to stop Jackie before he causes any harm.
• Unforgiven, Clint Eastwood (1992)
In a quiet town where the sheriff keeps things in check and people mind their own business
just trying to get by, a local prostitute is murdered. The other prostitutes offer a reward for
the capture and murder of the culprits, an offer ex-hit man The Schofield Kid cannot resist.
He reforms for the sake of his wife but after she leaves him and times are hard on his farm,
he calls up his old partner in crime and they ride out for one last kill. I would like to see this
film because I wonder whether the hit man is a hero or a villain. I want to know how Clint
Eastwood manipulates you with the way in which the character is represented.
• Bowling for Columbine, Michael Moore (2002)
This is a tongue-in-cheek film documentary exploring the right to bear arms in the United
States, in the wake of the Columbine massacre. Michael Moore visits various States around
America. He talks to several people and asks them whether it is right that people should be
allowed to own and carry guns. He also interviews the managers of a bank that gives you a
free gun when you open an account with them. He finally shows Charlton Heston’s speech
representing the NRA. This film must be very interesting to watch. It seems to mix humour
with a very serious topic to create a hard-hitting film documentary, which I think will give me
a true insight into gun laws in the States and how people really feel about it.
• Elephant, Gus Van Sant (2003)
Just an ordinary day in High School turns extraordinary when two students take out their anger
on their peers. Fed up with being taunted and teased these boys decide that the only solution
is to open fire on the school and all those in it. I really want to watch this film. It was the winner
of the Palme d’Or and Best Director at the 2003 Cannes Film Festival and so it promises to
be a moving piece of cinematography. Besides, I think it would be interesting to get another
perspective on the mind-set of the young students that commit these sorts of atrocities. It is
difficult to understand their motives but perhaps this film could give us some level of insight.
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• A History of Violence, David Cronenberg (2005)
This film begins with a hostage situation in a café. When they think all is lost, café owner Tom
acts on instinct and manages to shoot the men and diffuse the situation. He’s hailed a hero,
but when a mysterious man in a suit begins to follow him and call him by another name, Tom’s
history of violence is uncovered and we discover where those instincts have come from. I
want to see this film because the trailer is very intense and I want nothing more than to find
out about Tom’s history of violence. I want to know how his family will react and what it will
mean to his quiet lifestyle now his secret is out. Can things ever be the same for him? And
will his life change for the better or worse? I can’t wait to find out!
• Twelve Angry Men, Sidney Lumet (1957)
This is the story of a jury assigned to the case of a young Spanish-American man who is accused of murder. The jury’s own prejudices are explored throughout the film when the youngest
member suggests that perhaps the case is not as clear-cut as they initially thought. I want to
see this film as it explores many elements of humanity often left untouched in movies, prejudice
being one of them. I think it would be interesting to put a range of people from a variety of
backgrounds into a high-pressure situation. That’s exactly what Lumet has done with these
characters and I think it would make for very interesting viewing.
• Dead Man Walking, Tim Robbins (1995)
In the build-up to his execution, we follow the journey of Matthew Poncelet, a young man on
death row fighting for his life. He befriends a nun in his attempts to gain a stay of execution
from the court. She will give him temporal help and will try to guide him to salvation. In the
meantime, we are shown fragmented glimpses of the murder and finally discover the truth.
I would love to watch this film because it is filled with high-impact drama mixed in with high
emotions and nail-biting tension. I can’t help but wonder what the outcome of the film is and
whether or not Matthew is guilty of the crime he is accused of committing. Why is he accused?
What makes him a suspect? If he is innocent, what really happened?
• The Chamber, James Foley (1996)
The trailer for this film is very mysterious. It introduces us to a young man and his grandfather
who is convicted of murder, but there is doubt as to whether he really did it. The film follows
the young man in his quest to discover the truth and clear his grandfather’s name, but he
does not know what he is getting involved with. I would like to see this film because it is so
intriguing. The action element has really grabbed my attention, and I already empathize with
the characters, even after such a short trailer. I’m dying to know what happens next!
• True Crime, Clint Eastwood (1999)
This trailer is very ambiguous. It seems to be about a young man of African-American origin
who is accused of murder. On the brink of suffering the death penalty, his family and an old
journalist who believes in his innocence, fight to bring justice. The question is whether he
can succeed and save the man’s life? Or will the man be tragically punished for a crime he
did not commit? I would like to see this film because it has many different layers to it. There
is the element of whether it is right to condemn someone to death in case there has been
a mistake. The element of racism and the ugly past are rearing their head once again. The
underdogs are trying to overcome.
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• The Green Mile, Franck Darabont (1999)
Tom Hanks stars in a touching tale of a gentle giant sentenced to death in America. However,
they establish a special bond and Hanks becomes involved in his case. I would like to see this
film because I want to know whether or not the man committed the crime he is accused of.
I think the two men have developed an intriguing friendship and I want to see what direction
the film takes with regards to whether Hanks has to help the man escape or whether he plays
a role in uncovering the real murderer.
b.
Travail personnel de l’élève pouvant donner lieu à une évaluation de la part du professeur
(travail en laboratoire multimédia par exemple).
LANGUAGE AT WORK
MANUEL & P. 140-141
1
a. Before b. unless c. Although d. until e. so
2
a. A lot of people push for gun control in the US, whereas politicians are reluctant.
b. Because this man committed a second offence with aggravating circumstances, he will be
condemned to death.
c. As a journalist you can stay and attend the trial provided you do not take pictures.
d. Despite the fact he was young, he was put on death row.
3
a. ... after a new piece of evidence came to light.
b. ... in view of the fact that there still exists an element of doubt.
c. ... however, you can’t control your instincts.
d. ... so that things are kept in order.
4
On pourra donner la consigne en anglais : Take a card from the teacher’s pack. Make your
classmate guess the word: you cannot use it, its derivated words or the taboo words in brackets
and you must use a relative pronoun.
Ex.: the death penalty: “It’s the punishment you can get when you have committed a very
serious crime.”
Autres mots tabou possible : ammunition, witness, plead…
5
a. which b. all that c. what d. that e. that f. What
6
a. This is what I have just read in the newspaper about the death penalty.
b. As soon as he comes back, he will tell us what he saw and everything he knows.
c. What he said does not mean anything, I do not understand what he’s talking about.
d. Are the Americans doing everything in their power / everything they can to improve the
situation?
e. That is all I can remember.
f. What surprised everyone was that he was pardoned / forgiven.
7
This is the story of a day in the life of Calvin and Hobbes. Once upon a time, Calvin was playing up because he did not want to go to bed. He was shouting and screaming that he was not
tired and all that he wanted was to stay up a bit longer. However, all of a sudden he fell asleep
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on the spot, so his dad put him to bed. Meanwhile, Calvin woke up and remembered that he
was scared of the monsters lurking under his bed. He asked Dad if he would check for him,
which he did, and there were no monsters under his bed. However, Calvin wasn’t satisfied.
He then asked if his dad could look in his dresser so that he could sleep without worrying
about monsters in his bedroom. His father reassured him that he was safe and there were no
monsters in his dresser before switching off the light and bidding him goodnight. He was not
impressed that Dad had left without checking his dresser. He snuggled up with Hobbes and
neither of them could fall asleep for fear that the monsters might jump out and kill them in
their sleep! They resolved to get the monsters before they had the chance to get them first.
So, the plan was for Hobbes to startle the monster with the horn and then Calvin would fire
at him with his dart gun. Then, they heard a noise in the hallway. The plan was put into action
and it was a roaring success. Unfortunately, it wasn’t a monster after all, but Dad coming to
check on them!
IMPROVE
YOUR LISTENING SKILLS
MANUEL & P. 142
1
Voir syllabe encadrées dans le script page suivante.
2
a. La tuerie de Columbine High School, Colorado, le 21 avril 1999.
b. C’est le récit d’un témoin. Cette femme a fait partie des secours, donc elle a dû voir des
victimes, entendre des récits. Elle a pu avoir une vision globale de la tragédie.
c. sacrifice, student, funeral, teacher, hero, traumatized
3
a. une seule voix, une femme
b. un témoignage
c. school shooting • the US army • the impact of a tragedy on a man’s life • choosing a career
4
a. b. Concetta Kyle raconte ce qu’elle a vécu le 21 avril 1999. Elle est arrivée avec les secours
car elle travaille pour le gouvernement. Elle parle plus particulièrement de Luke Milam et de
son professeur de sciences Dave Sanders. Tous deux étaient au lycée le jour de la tragédie.
Cette expérience a bouleversé leur vie.
5
a. Luke Milam, élève au lycée de Columbine était en cours de sciences avec son professeur
Dave Sanders au moment de la tragédie.
b. Luke a été scout et avait des connaissances solides en secourisme. Il pouvait apporter
les premiers soins à des personnes accidentées ou blessées. Le professeur a été touché et
est mort de ses blessures sans que Luke ne puisse rien faire. Il a éprouvé un vif sentiment
de culpabilité et en est resté traumatisé.
c. Ce jour tragique est à l’origine de son choix de carrière : il a décidé d’entrer dans la Navy /
Marine nationale en tant que médecin / personnel de santé.
d. Malheureusement, Luke, en tant que médecin du corps des Marines, a choisi d’être avec
eux, au cœur des combats pour les aider et il est mort en Afghanistan. Il a eu des funérailles
militaires au cimetière de Fort Logan, Denver, Colorado.
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& Synthèse possible :
Concetta Kyle travaille pour le gouvernement et se souvient du 21 avril 1999. Elle a beaucoup
parlé avec Luke Milam, un élève piégé en cours de sciences le jour de la tragédie. Il est resté
traumatisé par la mort de son professeur de sciences Dave Sanders. L’homme a été touché
par un des élèves tueurs et est mort de ses blessures avant l’arrivée des secours. Pourtant
Luke avait de solides notions de secourisme grâce à son expérience chez les scouts. Mais
cela n’a pas suffi. L’adolescent a éprouvé un vif sentiment de culpabilité et d’impuissance. La
tuerie dans son lycée a été déterminante pour son orientation professionnelle puisqu’il s’est
engagé dans la Navy / Marine nationale en tant que médecin / personnel de santé. En tant
que médecin du corps des Marines, il a choisi d’être avec les soldats de son unité, au cœur
des combats pour les aider et il est mort en Afghanistan. Il a eu des funérailles militaires
au cimetière de Fort Logan, Denver, Colorado. Son destin hors du commun a ému toute la
communauté de Columbine qui est venue très nombreuse lui rendre un dernier hommage.
Il y avait quatre cents élèves qui avaient eu l’autorisation de ne pas aller en cours. Tous ont
compris ce que Luke voulait faire de sa vie : faire le bien et exorciser la tuerie de Columbine
en sauvant des vies. Concetta se demande pourtant si son choix de s’engager dans l’armé
en temps de guerre était le bon.
> Script de l’enregistrement (MP3 n°20)
cemetery • commu nity • excuse • federal • parental • ser vice • survive • tragic
> Script de l’enregistrement (MP3 n°21)
My name is Concetta Kyle, I live in Denver, Colorado. Talking about Columbine and what
happened at Columbine... I work for the federal government, I was the second emergency
responder on scene, or the second emergency response vehicle on scene. I saw a lot that
day, I went through a lot that day.
> Script de l’enregistrement (MP3 n°22)
Columbine was definitely a tragedy that possibly could have been prevented. The tragedy had
an impact on all of us and in particular on one boy. Luke, his name is Charles Luke Milam.
Luke was at Columbine the day of the tragedy. He was in the science room with Dave Sanders, who was the teacher who was killed at Columbine. Luke was an Eagle Scout, had a lot
of medical training through scouting, and could not save Dave Sanders’ life. Dave Sanders
bled out because we couldn’t get to him fast enough. Luke felt very helpless that day, very
much that he was a failure, and that it was his fault that Dave Sanders passed away when
truly it wasn’t, it was the fact that we couldn’t get to him fast enough. I counselled with Luke
for many hours after Columbine, and he decided to join the US military and become a medic
in the Navy.
> Script de l’enregistrement (MP3 n°23)
So he survives Columbine, he becomes a medic in the Navy. And Luke chose to be deployed
with the Marines, he wanted to be where he could do the most good. He was deployed to
Afghanistan, and was killed in Afghanistan while serving in the US Navy as a medic. So,
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he survives Columbine to be killed in Afghanistan. His funeral was at Fort Logan National
Cemetery, in Denver, and the day of his funeral, the school decided to allow all the students
who wished to attend his service to be excused from school, if they had parental permission.
His service was one of the largest I’ve ever seen at Fort Logan. There were well over 400
students who attended, as well as the community at large, there were well over a thousand
mourners at his service. The students really understood what Luke tried to do. The community understood what Luke tried to do. He wanted to make a difference, and sacrificed his
life to try to make a difference. So, out of something tragic such as Columbine, he wanted
to do something good with his life. Whether joining the military was the way to do that or
not... in his eyes it was.
YOUR TASK
MANUEL & P. 143
> Mise en œuvre :
– Après avoir entraîné les élèves à l’écoute à l’aide des exercices de la p. 142, on leur demandera de lire attentivement les consignes de la p. 143.
– Comme indiqué (Les étapes à suivre), les élèves écouteront les trois enregistrements trois
fois.
– On laissera une à deux minutes après la première écoute pour que les élèves notent
quelques mots au brouillon.
– Lors de la deuxième écoute, ils relèveront autant d’éléments que possible. Puis, après deux
minutes, on distribuera la fiche de compréhension (voir site compagnon), dont ils prendront
connaissance et qu’ils complèteront à l’aide des informations qu’ils auront trouvées.
– On procèdera alors à une dernière écoute de vérification. Ils finiront de compléter la fiche.
– Cette fiche pourra soit être relevée et notée, soit servir de base à un résumé en français,
comme pour l’épreuve de compréhension orale du Baccalauréat.
– Enfin, les élèves prépareront les notes qu’ils utiliseront pour enregistrer leur sélection du
meilleur reportage de l’année en utilisant les aides en bas de la page 143 (Votre choix). Ils
pourront s’enregistrer soit en laboratoire multimédia, soit sur un baladeur MP3, soit sur un
ordinateur équipé d’un micro en utilisant le logiciel gratuit Audacity.
& Productions possibles (Mobilisez vos connaissances, 2.) :
In this image of Maggie from the cartoon The Simpsons, it is possible to make several comments on the gun laws in America. Firstly the fact that Maggie is a baby / toddler and is able
to get hold of a gun is shocking / disturbing. Even though it is a cartoon image and obviously
not real, the message is real enough. Younger and younger people are gaining access to guns,
and soon everyone will have one. This is a scary thought because we shouldn’t need to carry
a gun around with us to make us feel safe. The impact of the image is reinforced by the angle
shots (close-up + low-angle shot). Secondly, this image shows us that guns are so readily
available in America. The Simpsons are supposed to represent a typical American family: dysfunctional with two parents and three children, a mischievous boy, a smart girl and the baby.
It is therefore shocking that even a normal family in the States have access to guns. Finally
the combination of a humorous cartoon TV show and a serious topic makes the topic all the
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more poignant. Guns are very dangerous and it is terrifying that there should be so many in
circulation. Even though this is a satirical view of guns that trivialises it slightly, it takes it out
of context and highlights the severity of the issue.
> Script de l’enregistrement (MP3 n°24)
First of all, I would like to state that I am totally against the legality of firearms in the United
States of America. Frankly, I cannot understand why it would be beneficial for everyone
to bear arms, because it only opens up more opportunity for gun crime. On one hand, the
argument for the right to bear arms is that every man has the right to defend his home and
his family, which is understandable. However, on the other hand, things are clearly out of
control. This image satirizes how everyone, no matter who you are, can legally own a gun.
In my opinion, I cannot think of anything more worrying than irresponsible people handling
this sort of weapon, and it is considered to be normal. What’s more, if guns were illegal, then
there would be less danger to defend against. It would be particularly effective in reducing
the gang culture in America, because there are so many young lives lost because of hate
crimes and gang rivalry. I mean, this law was created in the lawless days of the cowboys
and saloons, but now it has been left so long that it is impossible to know how many guns
are in circulation, so even if they were banned, no one would ever know if all the firearms
had been confiscated. It’s simply impossible to keep track. Although, on second thoughts,
perhaps I’m wrong. Seeing (as) there is already an extensive gun culture in the United States,
perhaps it has become too dangerous to confiscate people’s firearms because then they are
at risk from the guns that would illegally remain in circulation. Things have become so bad,
that it is impossible to reverse the damage already done. All in all, I think America needs to
change, but it will be a tough challenge to solve this important issue.
> Script de l’enregistrement (CD 2, plage 32)
I was in first grade when this happened. A lot of my teachers were here at the time, and
a lot of people that I know had family or friends or just people that they knew who went
here at the time that it happened, and a lot of my teachers have a hard time talking about
it because a lot of them were here 11 years ago, coming up this year. And especially for my
choir teacher, it’s very hard for him to talk about it, because he worked with Dylan who was
one of the shooters. He worked with him in musicals and plays and different choir activities
they did. And so they were fairly close, and you... you could kind of say he almost blames
himself for not seeing Dylan’s behavior, and for not doing anything about it. But, he has a
very hard time talking about it because he worked so much with Dylan, and this happened,
and he killed some choir students, and one of his best friends was the teacher who died.
He really doesn’t talk about it very often, and it’s very rare to hear him say anything about
it because he had such a hard time with it.
> Script de l’enregistrement (CD 2, plage 33)
To say that nobody should have a gun, I don’t think that’s right, you know. Here in America
we believe in the right to bear arms, and I believe in that. I own guns myself, because of
my job, because of my husband’s job, we carry guns, you know, we carry weapons almost
daily. And I don’t think that guns are a bad thing, I think that people use them in bad ways.
Or, some people use them in bad ways, but I don’t think they’re a bad thing. And the more
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A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH
we educate our families, the more we educate our youth in the proper ways to use guns, the
more respect they have for them. My youngest son being 15, when he was 3, we brought
him to the firing range with us, and took his favourite stuffed animal with us and had the guy
at the firing range put it at the end of the range, showed him how to use a gun, and blew
his toy apart! On TV you see people shot all the time and an hour later they’re in another
episode of the same show, and they’re living, and I don’t think that young children understand that guns can kill people. And by destroying my son’s toy, and not being able to put
it back together, he got the idea real quick that guns were not toys. We’ve never bought
guns, pop-guns or toy guns for our children. Guns are not toys, they should be treated with
respect, and by showing him the damage that a gun could do, he had a lot – he has a lot of
respect for weapons in general. He’s earned his merit badges in scouting with handguns
and rifles, he understands the damage they can do and the power that they have, but he
also understands that they’re to be used in a righteous way and not in a destructive way.
And, I think if you teach people that, that guns can be a good thing, they don’t have to be a
negative thing.
> Script de l’enregistrement (CD 2, plage 34)
I want to say there’s about 18 State facilities throughout Pennsylvania, I’m sure at least
half of them would have what would be considered a death row. There’s a lot of inmates
in Pennsylvania that are on death row and they’ve been there for years and they’re waiting, you know... re-trials, appeals. And normally those folks will stay in their cell, they’re
segregated, and they are also one individual to a cell when they do that. And they will stay
in their cell for, like, 23 hours a day out of 24 hours a day. That other hour a day, they’re
allowed recreation, and they’ll be escorted to an area where they can either walk around or
play basketball in a gym area, or whatever, for that one hour, and during that time they’re
allowed a 15 minutes shower, and then they go right back in their cell. So, death row is
very expensive for the State, the taxpayers... I can’t remember exactly what they said it
costs to house an inmate, I mean, I think it’s something like 22,000 dollars a year, some
bizarre number like that is what it costs to, you know... medical treatment and, you know,
and for food, and the attention right there. As far as the death penalty... to me, when I was
younger I used to think, yeah that was really a great thing, you know: an eye for an eye, if
somebody took somebody else’s life then they deserved that. They’ve proved over the years
that it doesn’t work because the turnaround time, if they have somebody that’s totally 100
per cent guilty, they’ve admitted, they watched them do the crime, or whatever... if they’re
gonna take their life away from them, it should be done right away, you know. I don’t think
it’s fair to make that person suffer for years and years and years and years, plus it costs the
taxpayer, you know, all these thousands of dollars. On the other hand, the inmates know
that, they know that they’re gonna live another 20, 25 years and may never be executed.
So, therefore, that’s just a life sentence.
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SPEAKING CORNER
MANUEL & P. 144-145
A I find this image of Richie, a young boy holding a gun, extremely shocking. In the background
we can see a quiet, normal-looking suburban street lined with houses, and nothing seems out
of the ordinary. However, the focus of the image is Richie, who doesn’t look any older than
six or seven, sitting on his “Big Wheel” toy, with one arm on the handlebars and the other
holding a gun. I find this surprising, as I have never lived in a community where owning a gun
is the norm, never mind one where children are allowed to use them. The juxtaposition of the
middle-class suburban setting and the child’s toy with the dangerous weapon in the boy’s
hand is very striking. The look on Richie’s face suggests that holding a gun is not something
that he finds unusual, exciting or scary. In fact, he looks quite angry, which may just be due
to the sun glaring in his eyes, but it could also imply a hostile gun-slinging attitude which we
see on TV and in films.
I also find Richie’s mother’s attitude unbelievable and disgraceful. She mentions that she
doesn’t think that it will have a negative effect on his personality, and will not turn him into
someone who uses guns to do bad things. This may be true, but in my opinion it is unlikely
that it won’t affect his development. I believe that being exposed to an object which can kill
from an early age is bound to affect a child psychologically, for example, Richie could develop
a complex where he feels that having a gun automatically gives him power and authority over
everyone else. Furthermore, his relationship with guns could become unhealthy; because
they have been part of his life for so long, he could eventually feel dependent on guns or even
obsessed with them. Most shockingly, however, Richie’s mother completely disregards the
fact that it is a dangerous weapon and that therefore a young child could seriously injure or
even kill himself or somebody else. Children are curious, and although some might say that it
is a good thing to make them aware of the dangers of firearms from an early age, I think that
the risk of an accident is far too high.
She talks about how it helps him to socialize; whilst I understand that other children would
be fascinated with something dangerous that they are not allowed, in my opinion this does
not justify the fact that she lets her child use a gun, or indeed allows other children to be put
in danger by letting them borrow Richie’s. Furthermore, the gun may negatively affect his
social interaction with other children, since he could use it to manipulate or even threaten
other children. She also mentions the hypocrisy of her neighbours who won’t allow their own
children to have guns; again I do not think that this excuses her decision. Childhood is a time
of innocence in which violence and death should have no part, but I think that introducing
children to guns is dangerous both physically and psychologically.
B
> Script de l’enregistrement (MP3 n°25)
I’m the school resource officer with Thunderridge High School in the Douglas County School
District. And I have a couple responsibilities, you know I’m an armed police officer in the
school. Our permanent focus is regular law enforcement duties; any kind of criminal complaint that comes in. In terms of being it simple things like a theft, ya know.... to a school
yard fight. Anything of that nature we’re responsible for investigating and holding the kids
accountable on the criminal justice side of this. Obviously the school does their side of it,
but we also do a separate investigation and then obviously, like I said, we’re armed, we
have the weapons, our handguns on us. We also have access to shotguns and rifles. We
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A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH
have our artillery if you would and those are in case we need it, for the ultimate things in
terms of the school shootings or other violent acts that sometimes we’ve had at schools
within the State of Colorado. Some of you might be familiar with the Columbine incident.
Not to mention there’s been other incidents in the State of Colorado. So we definitely have
that presence in terms of the security. And then we also have another role here besides
just the law enforcement is education. Go in and talk to the kids about... give them some
of the experiences about certain things like the effects of alcohol; what it does to you, the
decisions you make. Giving the kids some experience with just driving cuz ya know in the
United States when you’re 16 you get your driver’s license and it’s a huge problem.
C This room is the jury room. I think that the people in the picture are members of a jury and
they are desperately trying to reach a verdict. However, they are struggling to convince the
only female member of the jury who is standing her ground with her arms folded. She has
very defensive body language as her arms and her legs are crossed, whereas the other people
have very offensive body language as they try to persuade her to see eye to eye with them.
Some of the men look engaged in the debate, whereas others seem less interested, such as
the one in the background who has fallen asleep. This suggests that the woman has really paid
attention to the case and she has made an informed decision, whereas some of the others
may not.
On a side note, the fact that she’s the only female may be a metaphor for her contrasting
beliefs, as she is the odd one out both as a woman and in terms of her views and beliefs. Or on
the other hand, it may be to do with the fact that women are underrepresented in authoritative
positions, as she is severely outnumbered in a jury that has the power to enforce justice.
I think that the next part of the story will be that she stands her ground despite their best
efforts. She will communicate her point of view and they will listen to her, but she must voice
her opinions rather than sitting with her arms crossed. I think that the next scene would see
her jump to her feet and shout over all the harassing men.
PROLONGEMENTS POSSIBLES À L’UNITÉ
> Image vidéoprojetable : In Guns we Trust (DVD-Rom)
> Clé du Bac : Document audio 3 : The death penalty
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UNIT
10
THE POWER OF MONEY
& L’idée de progrès & Espaces et échanges
Tâche finale (p. 159) : You publish a book entitled Planet Money. You have to select
the best illustration for the front cover. Justify your choice.
Activités
langagières
Tune in!
(p. 150-151)
1. The world
is flat
(p. 152-153)
Prolongements
tâches / aides
POI
– Acquérir le vocabulaire
lié à l’argent et à l’emploi
– Réagir à un dessin
humoristique
– Fiche Workbook
– Improve your speaking skills (p. 158)
– Commenter un document visuel
(p. 240-241)
CE
– Comprendre un poème
– S’entraîner à bien
prononcer
– Fiche Workbook
– Texte enregistré (site compagnon)
CO
Comprendre une interview
– Fiche Workbook
– Comprendre un message oral
(p. 238-239)
CE
Comprendre deux extraits
d’un essai
Fiche sur le site compagnon
POI
Jeu de rôles
– Enrichir sa prise de parole (p. 242-243)
– Language at work : tags interrogatifs,
énoncés exclamatifs (p. 157)
POI
– Réagir à deux dessins
humoristiques
– Échanger, donner son
opinion, débattre
– Se préparer à l’épreuve
d’expression orale
– Commenter un document visuel
(p. 240-241)
– Enrichir sa prise de parole (p. 242-243)
– Préparation à l’épreuve d’expression
orale (l’idée de progrès p. 248, espaces
et échanges p. 249)
– Language at work : formes
emphatiques et auxiliaires de reprise
(p. 157)
CO
Vidéo : New energy?
Fiche vidéo (DVD-Rom et site
compagnon)
PE
Rédiger un texte
argumentatiff
Rédiger un texte (p. 236-237)
PPC
– Comprendre
une campagne
de sensibilisation
– Défendre ses positions
– Commenter un document visuel
(p. 240-241)
– Enrichir sa prise de parole (p. 242-243)
– Language at work : énoncés négatifs
(p. 157)
CO
Comprendre une vidéo
2. North
vs South
(p. 154-155)
3. Fair trade
(p. 156)
Contenus
L’activité langagière principale de cette unité est la POI (production orale en interaction).
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THE POWER OF MONEY
TUNE IN!
MANUEL & P. 150-151
1. Let’s make a deal!
> Mise en œuvre :
a.
Réactions à l’oral des élèves. Mise en commun.
b.
Les élèves pourront remplir dans le Workbook le formulaire de demande d’emploi que le
Père Noël tient dans ses mains sur le dessin.
& Productions possibles (a.) :
It is obviously Christmas time as we can recognize Father Christmas / Santa Claus who is
supposed to welcome children and take their lists. But what is striking is that the little boy
sitting on his lap looks quite puzzled / bewildered by the old man’s behaviour. Indeed, instead
of taking the list and listening to the boy, Santa is holding a letter where we can read his name
and his address. Furthermore, the sentence that Santa utters shows he wants to make a deal
with the boy: he will take his list only if the boy takes Santa’s résumé and passes it to his
father. Santa has rings under his eyes and seems to be exhausted and disheartened.
Even if the scene is humorous, it is unexpected and it hints at the hardships people are facing
in a time of crisis. The goal of the artist is to show that there is no permanent job and that
anyone can be made redundant. That is why Santa is thinking about his future and a possible
economic reconversion / occupational retraining. He would be grateful if somebody gave him
a hand. He would be ready to do any odd jobs.
2. Find the key information
> Mise en œuvre :
– Mise en commun des remarques des élèves. Le Workbook aidera à approfondir.
– L’intégralité du poème, lu par son auteur, est disponible en MP3 sur le site compagnon.
CORRIGÉ DE LA FICHE DU WORKBOOK (P. 65-67)
1
It is a poem. Some lines rhyme “man / hooligan / ruffian”.
2
a) make & makes b) An dem & And they • dem & their
c) An & And • cause & because • got & have got • an & and • got & have got
d) An & And • chillin’ & chilling • Like we’re livin’ & as if we were living
3
a) illiterate • uneducated b) reach average people • reach people who are not very educated
• speak to people in a language they understand
4
haughty, boastful
“Money makes a rich man feel like a big man” (l. 1)
vain, conceited
“Money affects your ego” (l. 9)
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humiliated
“A one parent family feels like a ruffian” (l. 3)
selfish, greedy
“An those who have it won’t give you anything” (l. 4)
degraded
“It make a poor man feel like a hooligan” (l. 2)
5
a) True. “Money causes problems anywhere money is found” (l. 11)
b) True. “Your life is lived very artificially” (l. 7)
6
a) Food b) “Food is necessary” (l. 13)
7
a) - “my” (l. 14): the narrator - “dem” (= “them”) (l. 15): wealthy people
– “we” (l. 17): everybody / all humans
b)
Who are
the victims?
poor people
Why?
No one keeps the
third world on the
run.
Who is
responsible?
“dem” rich
people
Why?
Children are dying
Spies are spying
Refugees are fleeing
Politicians are lying
8
Although money can buy a lot of things, food is what people need to survive. Money is not
used correctly, and the consequences are dreadful / appalling / terrible.
9
a fellow man (concitoyen)
10
- bourse: stock market - calm down and relax: chillin’
11
a) “economic war” b) “got more” (l. 26) c) brothers, the north vs the south, developed
countries vs developing countries
12
“when a brother kills another” (l. 28) + “economic war” (l. 28) + “shots fired” (l. 36)
13
a) True.“So we work for a livin’ / An we try an we try” (l. 37-38)
b) False. “With so little time for chillin’” (l. 39)
c) True. “Money makes a dream become reality / Money makes real life a fantasy” (l. 41-42)
ACTION!
This poem shows the gap between industrialized countries and developing countries
and the injustice created by money. Indeed, developing countries and third world countries
suffer from inequalities and are economic underdogs. The author makes a harsh criticism
of modern society and draws up an indictment of rich people who do not share their
wealth with people in need. This poem is an attack on selfishness and vanity. Its author
intends to spread a message of alarm and concern: if rich countries remain blinkered
and do not face the problem, the discrepancy between the haves and the have-nots will
keep widening. He wants to be the spokesman for deprived countries and urges people
to bridge the gap created by money.
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Objectif
j f
THE POWER OF MONEY
This poem shows how two parts of the world are at odds / opposed / poles apart / worlds
apart: industrialized countries have all the wealth whereas developing countries are left with
nothing and suffer from starvation. It exposes the inequalities people face. The “economic
war” the author refers to is obviously the cause of the widening gap between the haves and
the have-nots. In a nutshell, the author presents a negative vision of money, he asserts that
it affects who you are and turns you into a boastful and selfish person. Therefore, despite
the fact that money can enable exchanges between people, it is also what separates them
and creates injustice. Similarly, instead of promoting exchanges between countries and
making people feel closer to each other, it stresses inequalities and produces two-tier
societies and a world with huge inequalities.
3. What makes the world go round?
& Productions possibles :
a.
Benjamin Zephaniah’s poem Money from his collection of poems titled City Psalms, conveys
a very negative view of money, blaming money for most of the world’s problems. Writing in a
style that recalls rap music’s use of African American vernacular English, Zephaniah repeats the
word “money” eleven times throughout the poem, accusing money of coming between people,
claiming that, “Money makes your friend become your enemy.” He also says that money causes
people to become selfish, full of their own ego, and leads to “superficiality” in their relationships.
Zephaniah even goes so far as to blame war on the stock market and money.
b.
While the majority of the poem is about the evils of the desire for money, Zephaniah does
take the time to mention the most important thing that we need to survive: food. He writes,
“Food is what we need / Food is necessary / Let me grow my food.” Here, Zephaniah argues
that while many men believe that they cannot live without money, food is actually the only
indispensable need that they have. Implicit is the claim that if men were to focus on growing
food and less on getting rich, then life would be better and the world would have more peace.
c.
The tone of Zephaniah’s poem is certainly cynical. Certainly, he spares no pains disparaging
the use of money; in fact, he seems to go so far as to spurn its very existence. Caustic and
biting towards the effect that money has on men, the poem harshly criticizes the rat race that
men enter into when they choose to make money the goal of their lives.
4. Karaoke
> Mise en œuvre :
– Le but est d’amener les élèves à s’approprier la langue à travers une forme de poésie
moderne et donc de leur donner envie de dire les mots avec une intonation, une accentuation, une prononciation aussi authentiques que possible.
– L’exercice b. constitue une session d’entraînement et pourra être prolongé par une Chain
contest, ou une interprétation évaluée par le professeur en laboratoire multimédia. On fera
réciter des vers ou des paroles de poème / chanson aux élèves les uns après les autres, en
formant plusieurs groupes. Le groupe ayant le mieux enchaîné les vers, voire des strophes
entières, aura gagné.
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& Corrigé (a.) :
money • rich • man • big • man • poor • man • hooligan • ruffian • anything • money • friend
• enemy • things • superficially • life • artificially • poverty • money • ego • brings you down •
problems • food • need • food • necessary • grow • food • eat • money • save • feel • doomed
5. Widening gap
CORRIGÉ DE LA FICHE DU WORKBOOK (P. 67-68)
2
- protest - opportunities - structures
3
a) (de haut en bas) upper class • upper middle class • lower middle class • lower class /
working class
b) This is a social ladder. According to their income (the amount of money earned) people’s
social status varies.
4
I can hear three voices. A man is interviewing two people. This is an interview.
5
protesting • movement
6
This recording may be about young people protesting against inequalities, they might feel
they do not have enough opportunities and want to emphasize the gap between the upper
class and the lower class.
7
- Country? America / the US (Washington) - Movement? Institutions? Occupy Wall Street
Movement • Wall Street - Jobs? Status? business • banks • wealthy / rich people • middle
class • poor people - Percentages? Numbers? 1% • $343,000 • 40% • 99% - Dates? Duration? From 1979 to 2007 • 70 years - Name of a law? The First Amendment - Stressed
words? massive • action • Occupy Wall Street Movement • issues • protest • inequality •
lack • opportunity • job market • student debt • bill • goods • economy • loans • American
Dream • end • benefit • opportunities • parents • grandparents • depressing • business •
Washington • Wall Street • institutions • power structures • wealthy • middle class • poor •
future • social ladder • demands • awareness • unfairness • greedy banks • income • improve
• gap • strong • occupy • financial industry • raise awareness • opinions • ideas • action •
despair
8
a)
What?
Reasons?
Against?
– massive action
– the Occupy Wall
Street Movement
– student debt
– nothing positive is in store
– American Dream has come to an end
– never benefit from the
opportunities our parents and
grandparents have had in the past
– can no longer hope for a better
future
– inequality, lack of opportunity,
– a job market that’s not
working for everyone
– too much student debt
– business as usual in
Washington and business
as usual on Wall Street
b) “How can we move up the social ladder?”
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THE POWER OF MONEY
9
10
Widening gap
Goals
- The rich: 1% of Americans made
$343,000 last year or more • income triple
from 1979 to 2007
- The middle class: income up about 40%
- The poor: barely seen their income
improve
– more than punishing the 1%, what we’re
saying is we are the 99%
– stand here and occupy some place
– show the US financial industry and
raise awareness that their policies are not
benefiting everyone
– turn the focus on us, the 99%
Stand here, occupy, raise awareness, express opinions and ideas
ACTION!
1
2
Objectif
j f
Their movement is meant to protest against the lack of opportunities on the job market.
They intend to underline their difficulties in being able to pay off their student loans and
benefit from better opportunities. They find it hard to have hope in the future when they
witness a widening gap between wealthy people and the middle class or poor people.
They tend to think that the American Dream no longer exists in the United States.
With their movement, they aim at raising awareness and turning the focus on deprived
people. They do not have specific demands but mean to denounce the unfairness of the
situation and the greed of the financial industry. They accuse the government of giving
too much to well-off people and not taking into account the middle classes or the poorer
people. They advocate their freedom of speech granted by the American Constitution.
They try not to give in to despair and stand firm for their claims.
This recording reveals the power institutions have on people’s social status. Nowadays, it
seems that the world is led by the stock market (Wall Street) and Washington. On the one
hand, the financial industry has never been so powerful and generated so much wealth.
However, on the other hand, the world has reached its highest level of economic and social
inequalities. Economic policies have created two-tier societies in which the “happy few”
thrive and a great majority suffers from the lack of opportunities and struggles to maintain
a decent standard of living. It is becoming harder and harder to bridge the gap as very little
is done to tackle the problem and turn the focus on this burning issue.
> Script de l’enregistrement (CD 3, plage 6)
& Introduction
Journalist: Today is the day of massive action organized by the Occupy Wall Street Movement
that is speaking out about many issues. There’s no one leader in this movement. That’s the
reason why I’ve decided to interview two people who are taking part in the protest. What
are you protesting? 0’24’’
& Part 1
1st protester: We’re protesting inequality, lack of opportunity, a job market that’s not working
for everyone. We’re protesting too much student debt. We feel like we’ve been sold a bill of
goods. We’ve taken out all this student debt for a place in an economy that’s not providing
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jobs that will help us pay off our student loans. We feel nothing positive is in store for us.
We feel the American Dream has come to an end. We’ll never benefit from the opportunities
our parents and grandparents have had in the past. And that’s really depressing—
2nd protester: We’re protesting business as usual in Washington and business as usual on
Wall Street. We’re convinced both of those two big institutions, two big power structures in
America, have conspired to make the wealthy wealthier, and not serve the middle class and
poor people. Our future is not theirs to leverage. We can no longer hope for a better future.
How can we move up the social ladder? 1’34’’
& Part 2
Journalist: What would make you happy?
1st protester: We’re not going to draw up a specific list of demands. We’re here to draw
awareness to the numbers that don’t lie, the rich who are getting richer, the middle class
barely holding on and the poor getting poorer. There is just a fundamental unfairness that
goes hand in hand with greedy banks and greed in Washington that makes this continue.
2nd protester: The richest 1% of Americans made $343,000 last year or more, according
to the IRS. That 1% has seen its income triple from 1979 to 2007. At the same time, the
middle class has seen its income up about 40% and the poor have barely seen their income
improve. So we’ve seen a widening income gap, the biggest largest income gap we’ve seen
in this country in 70 years.
Journalist: So what about the other 99%?
1st protester: More than punishing the 1%, what we’re saying is we are the 99%. What
about us? We are a bigger group. We can be strong. We can stand here and occupy some
place and show the US financial industry and raise awareness that their policies are not
benefiting every one. They’re only benefiting a few. Yet rather than indicting the top 1%, what
we’re really trying to do is turn the focus on us, the 99%, who’ve been left behind. The First
Amendment allows us to express our opinions and ideas so that’s what we’re doing today.
Action’s better than despair!
& Productions possibles (Manuel p. 151, b.) :
Why am I here? I’ve come because I am sick and tired of seeing the 1% get wealthier each day
while the rest of us work harder and harder for less and less money and narrower and narrower
prospects. I am currently fortunate enough to have a job but many of my friends are struggling
to get by on low-paying, part-time jobs while trying hopelessly to reimburse staggeringly heavy
student loans. People who default on their home loans / mortgages can walk away from their
houses, but we are stuck with our student loans for life. We aren’t against capitalism per se, but
we are furious about the rampant financial corruption, and its consequences on our lives and
our futures. We want the same opportunities our parents’ generation had: a healthy economy
and a strong job market. We are putting our feet down: enough is enough! I hope my presence
helps to raise awareness about the hardships too many Americans are facing today.
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THE POWER OF MONEY
1. THE WORLD IS FLAT
MANUEL & P. 152-153
1. Speak from your notes
> Mise en œuvre
– On divisera la classe en 2 groupes. Chaque groupe prendra en charge un texte et le
présentera à la classe.
– Les 2 groupes pourront ensuite réagir aux propos de leurs camarades.
– Pour les plus faibles, une fiche de compréhension écrite des deux textes et son corrigé
sont disponibles sur le site compagnon.
& Productions possibles (b.) :
a.
Text A
The narrator is Bill Brody, President of the Johns Hopkins University. He is a former radiologist.
b.
Now, the reading and interpretation of CAT scans are outsourced to India and Australia during
the night. Recent advances in technology permit the images to be sent electronically, thus
allowing them to be easily viewed and interpreted by foreign doctors. The time difference
between the United States and both India and Australia is one of the biggest advantages to
the outsourcing. Hospitals are able to perform the CAT or MRI scans during the day and have
them interpreted that very night, significantly decreasing the turn-around time to get the results
into the hands of attending physicians.
c.
Bill Brody is astounded by this change and finds it fascinating. He seems to be open to the idea of
foreign doctors interpreting the test results as long as they have sufficient training and licensing.
To me, this phenomenon seems like a move forward in medicine thanks to technology and globalization. I agree with Bill Brody that as long as the doctors overseas are trained well and that
there is no risk of misunderstandings due to language barriers, there is no problem with employing
“Nighthawks.” Furthermore, I think that this type of outsourcing could save lives. When people are
sick, every day of delay in their treatment makes a difference; and the faster patients are diagnosed,
the sooner the doctors can treat them. If thanks to receiving test results from Indian doctors, the
doctors in the US can do their job faster, so much the better for the patients they are treating.
a.
b.
Text B
Anney Unnikrishan is a personnel manager at the multinational call center 24/7. She obtained
her MBA and then was accepted at Purdue University. However, she decided not to go to the
United States to study and then work because it was too expensive and because she preferred
to stay in India and live in Indian culture. She is happy with the social status and standard of
living that her job at the multinational company affords her and she sees no need to leave
India to improve her life. She is happy with her life in India because she can eat Indian food
and have an apartment and car in Bangalore and at the same time work for the same company
she would have had she gone to the United States. Here, outsourcing is very positive.
American industry in India is booming. While some US jobs have been lost to India, Thomas
Friedman points out that American companies and the US economy have benefited by an
overall increase of 2.5 billion dollars annually since 1993. Indian companies import many
American products from American companies such as Microsoft, Intel, Lucent, Carrier, and
240 •
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Coke. Furthermore, US stockholders own the vast majority of stocks in the Indian telemarketing
company 24/7. Thus, while India benefits from new jobs and a growth in multinational companies, the US economy equally benefits from products purchased by Indian run companies,
and shares held in Indian companies.
2. Role play
& Production possible :
CEO: Welcome, welcome, I’m so glad that you could come by to chat for a few minutes.
Student: Thank you for the invitation. Your recruiter was very persuasive on the phone.
CEO: Good, good, that’s what I pay him for. I assume he told you why I wanted to meet you?
Student: Sort of, not really.
CEO: Well, I wanted to extend an invitation for you to work for my company in Bangalore.
You have just the youth and energy we’re looking for, and you’ll fit in well with the company
dynamics. Your success during your graduate studies is no secret. We want you to come to
work for us here in India.
Student: Hmm, I’ve been planning to move to England this summer. I hadn’t really considered
living in India.
CEO: England won’t offer you more than we can here. India’s economy is booming; you’ll
make enough money even on a beginner’s salary to buy a nice flat, a car, and whatever else
you need. This is your culture, your home, and we can offer you all the conveniences and
amenities that you’d find abroad. Living in and adapting to another culture can be difficult
although it can be very enriching and will be a plus in your résumé.
Student: You make some really good points. You’re right about a lot of the advantages of
staying here. I know that if I leave, I’d miss my family. I’ll think seriously about your offer, and let
you know soon what I decide.
2. NORTH VS SOUTH
MANUEL & P. 154-155
1. Group work
> Mise en œuvre
On divisera la classe en 2 groupes et on demandera à chaque groupe de travailler sur un
dessin humoristique. Chaque groupe s’aidera des réponses aux questions a. et b. pour
présenter le document.
& Productions possibles (a., b.) :
Both documents are really shocking and have a lot of common points. They show people
belonging to two different worlds. Consequently, the way wealthy and destitute people live is
brought into relief. Westerners look prosperous and relaxed whereas people living in developing
countries look miserable and really unhealthy. In both documents Westerners benefit from the
situation of needy people that they exploit directly or indirectly. What is even more outrageous
is that they do not seem aware of the consequences of their actions, such as sightseeing
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in emerging countries or using biofuel, which deprives poor people of their land and crops.
By relying on the contrast of colours or on a low-angle shot, the cartoonists emphasize the
discrepancy between well-off and needy people.
2. Watch a video: New energy?
N. B. : la fiche élève, son corrigé, le script et l’exploitation de l’extrait se trouvent dans le
livret du DVD-Rom et sur le site compagnon.
& Productions possibles (b.) :
How tragic! You’ve portrayed the humanitarian aspect of the “food vs fuel” debate so cleverly
in this video. The chain of events in your animation makes the problem disturbingly clear. The
issues around biofuel production are more complex than I would have imagined. While biofuel
is helping the world become less dependent on fossil fuels, it is also causing a food supply
predicament for developing countries. How worrisome is it that much of the land previously
used to grow food crops worldwide is now being used for biofuel crop production. Agricultural
prices are rising as a direct consequence, and impoverished populations are having a harder
time affording sustenance. When making major, global reforms we must always take into account both the environmental impact as well as the likely humanitarian outcomes.
3. Class work
& Productions possibles :
a.
All three documents are cartoons illustrating humanitarian issues directly involving both developed and developing countries. The First World characters are all portrayed as wealthy, satisfied,
and enjoying luxuries, in stark contrast to the drawings of the poor people from developing
nations who are fighting for survival. They not only point out the disparities in quality of life,
but also the direct consequences of our actions on those in less developed countries. The
cartoon medium allows the artists to get their point across quickly and minimally, simplifying
and caricaturing the cause and effect relationship.
b.
I find the Banksy mural the most shocking, because the Westerners are so self-satisfied
and the link between the child’s labour and their leisure is so unbearably direct. It is also
the most true-to-life in the sense that there is nothing impracticable or unrealistic about the
scene – something like this could and might very well happen. I also think it is the most cynical because he is really suggesting that the tourists are completely clueless / unaware about
the discrepancy between what they are doing and what they are expecting the small boy to
do: use his entire body to tow their excessively large ones around, which reveals how people
in developing countries are exploited to provide comfort to Westerners.
The Chappatte cartoon of the man filling up his car with biodiesel is the most exaggerated in
my view because it just shows the different points of a long, complex chain of events. Poor
people wouldn’t literally do this because it would make no sense – the gesture just symbolizes
the cause and effect relationship.
I found the Nicholson video the most light-hearted and humorous, even though the subject
matter is of course very grave. I like the funny caricature of the well-meaning but closedminded and interfering environmentalist who takes himself and his cause so seriously and is
so condescending to the family, and has such a ridiculous biodiesel machine.
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4. The image factory
& Productions possibles :
- Banksy: As the old saying goes, “a picture speaks a thousand words.” Any image can speak
to its audience, evoking emotions and encouraging them to act. The image that I created of a
little boy pulling a rickshaw carrying overweight Western tourists is quite striking in this way.
It displays the heavy burden that the West places on developing countries, and also reminds
them that often children are exploited as labourers to satisfy the gluttony of these rich countries. The use of both color and black and white in the picture underlines the discrepancies
between the West and developing countries. The tourists are in colour, symbolizing the 21st
century, happiness and wealth, whereas the rickshaw and the little boy are in black and white
contrasting starkly with the use of colour and reminding the viewer of the past and hinting at
deprivation and depression. The tourists are fat, blissfully ignorant that their rickshaw is being
towed along by a little boy who is about six or seven years old. The man wears a T-shirt that
reads, “Feed the world,” but he does not seem to be actively engaged in trying to achieve
that purpose. The purpose of my image is to alert the West to the impact they have on less
developed countries and to inspire them to act more responsibly.
- Chappatte: While words certainly influence men, the impact of images can be revolutionary.
They allow men to have insight into the lives of others when it might be difficult for them to imagine otherwise. For example, my cartoon showing a white man filling up his car with ethanol,
while a poor black man who looks as if he were starving to death kneels down and holds an
empty “pop-corn” container underneath the tail-pipe. Wide-eyed and worried, the starving man
says nothing, but nothing comes out to fill his food container. Meanwhile, the car owner fills up
his car that has a “Save the Planet” bumper sticker on it. The sunglass-wearing young man is
evidently trying to be ecologically responsible by buying biofuel, but he is ignorant of the man
bending down behind his car. This cartoon illustrates that we are often unaware of the full extent
of the consequences that our actions have. While trying to do one good – reducing his ecological
footprint by buying biofuel – the man has no idea that the cost of corn has increased for the rest
of the world. Because the market for ethanol has increased, the price of corn has skyrocketed,
meaning that the cost of food in developing countries has correspondingly risen. The poor man
behind the car is starving because he can no longer afford to buy corn for food. The purpose of
my cartoon is to alert people so that we can consider how to both help the starving and also be
responsible stewards of our planet.
- Nicholson: voir corrigé de la fiche vidéo.
5. Writing workshop
& Productions possibles :
During the 1970s, Pink Floyd wrote a song titled “Money”. In the song, they stressed the
negative effects of money on society and how it influences everyone and everything. In my
opinion, Pink Floyd’s song rings true. Nowadays, many people lose themselves in the pursuit
of this good. From an early age, society imposes the idea that money equals happiness. This
mantra is false and was created when consumerism was born. For me, if used wisely, money
can be a source of freedom. However, it can also create a bottomless black hole.
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I believe that the people of today have confused the ideas of freedom and happiness; they are
two separate things in my head. Freedom can give you the ability to explore what makes you
happy in life. For example, to travel around the world, to raise kids in a healthy environment
or to do nothing at all.
However, it is important to understand that money itself and the “things” it can buy never lead
to happiness. They are only a means. These days millions of people are caught up in the hunt
for cash. They are molded to believe that until they are rich, happiness is not possible. So, they
spend the better part of their lives in search of this “treasure”. When some finally attain a level
of wealth that they are satisfied with, they often find they are not happy at all. In fact, many find
that they never stopped to smell the roses and that their whole life has passed them by. Even
for those who become rich earlier in their lives, they still find themselves lost in the darkness.
They spend their money on big houses, expensive cars and fancy clothes. They believe this will
fill the void inside of them. But this is not the answer. This is the lie that consumerism has created to sell their perfume, and it is the lie that many live their entire lives by.
The largest problem is that money is truly necessary to make society function. There needs
to be a source of currency that can be traded between people. But we become so caught up
in the money, that we lose sight of the beauty all around us. People have become addicted
to their jobs and slaves to the advertising companies. Money can be an excellent ally. But it
must be used wisely and accumulated with caution. People don’t realize that true happiness
can be found right in this moment, while you are doing the dishes or reading this essay. You
just have to pick your head up and look around.
3. FAIR TRADE
MANUEL & P. 156
1. Get ready
& Productions possibles :
a.
What attracts our attention first is the layout, because the poster is using elements like pictures,
drawings and logos to replace words and so, it invites people to stop, watch and play the guessing game. It is meant to be simple, lively, colourful and funny, so that anybody can understand
the ad and message. What is of interest, too, is the mention of a person (Moussa) and his family
from Mali. It is very touching and it gives a direct image of a specific situation. These are not
abstract words, they reflect reality. Moussa is here to make it all the more concrete.
b.
The ad targets Western consumers / consumers in developed countries, people who may
want to compare products, quality and prices when they buy goods. The organization Fairtrade
wants to sensitize us to “ethical consumerism” and “positive buying”.
c.
Personally, I find this ad for fair trade quite effective because it promotes basic fair trade
products which are grown in developing countries like Mali. It raises awareness and also sheds
light on the advantages of fair trade, namely supporting a family in Africa here, helping a community / reducing poverty, and taking part in ethical consumerism / protecting our planet.
This ad contributes to the education of customers and it urges them to buy these products. I
know that the advertiser wants to talk me into buying those products but I am willing to make
this effort when I look at such a poster!
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2. Learn more about Fairtrade
& Productions possibles (b.) :
– Fairtrade is a sort of social movement, an organization which offers another approach when
it comes to trade. It is defending the producers in developing countries by giving them better
trading conditions and by promoting sustainability.
– The name chosen is obvious enough and shows that it is fighting for equality in the treatment
of people and the redistribution of work. The deals are improved in most cases. That is why
the producers can also improve their lives and plans for the future.
– Advantages for the producers: it guarantees a fair deal for disadvantaged farmers; it
provides fair wages and good employment opportunities; it helps the farmers / producers
develop their production in facilitating access to credit, for instance; it gives them technical
assistance; it enables them to cover their basic needs; it helps them and their community
invest in schools, healthcare and clean water.
– Advantages for the consumers: fair trade offers the consumers a way to get involved,
do a good deed and reduce poverty through their every day shopping. The aim is to make
people aware of the power they have when they buy some goods and show them they can
fight against poverty and inequality in the world. They can bring hope to whole communities by
paying a little more. “So dig out those extra pennies” is the slogan that concludes the video
very aptly!
3. Think global
& Productions possibles :
– Products: coffee, tea, sugar, bananas, and chocolate.
– Where to find them: the local supermarket.
– How to sensitize people: invite them to a dessert night during “Fairtrade Fortnight” where
we will explain the benefits of buying Fairtrade products.
– What actions: buy Fairtrade products myself, invite friends to Fairtrade Fortnight, and thank
supermarkets for selling Fairtrade products.
– For my project during the Fairtrade Fortnight, I’m organizing a dessert night. We’ll serve
desserts and drinks made from Fairtrade products. Coffee, tea, sugar, bananas, and chocolate
are some of the most important Fairtrade products and we want to encourage our community
to realize the importance of buying products that justly support the people who produce them.
Local supermarkets that carry Fairtrade products have agreed to sponsor Fairtrade Fortnight
and have offered to donate the ingredients for the dessert night. While the people of my town
sip steaming cups of tea or coffee and snack on chocolate brownies and banana muffins, we’ll
show them a short film that explains the economics and ideas behind the Fairtrade concept. If
all goes well, they’ll be convinced to start buying Fairtrade products themselves. Afterwards,
I plan to write a letter thanking the participating supermarkets for carrying Fairtrade products
and for donating the food and beverages for the dessert night.
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LANGUAGE AT WORK
MANUEL & P. 157
1
a. Do b. did c. did d. did e. do
2
a. He was so shocked that he hardly said anything.
b. I had never seen so many people in Wall Street.
c. Very wealthy people seldom criticize the society they live in.
d. We hardly know anything about fair trade!
3
a. don’t you? b. shall we? c. shouldn’t you? d. don’t they? e. will you?
4
a. such b. how c. so d. What
5
You would never expect the cheeky girl in the picture to believe that “money can buy you love”
but the slogan says she does! Rich people can be arrogant because they feel they rarely need
anyone to like them in order to get their way in life. Being insolent / Sticking your tongue out
won’t make someone love you, will it? What a witty juxtaposition of the face the girl is making
with the slogan! Kruger made such a provocative statement with this collage!
IMPROVE YOUR SPEAKING SKILLS
1
a. – consume • consumer • consumerism
– capital • capitalize • capitalism
– sustain • sustainable • sustainability
– credit • credible • credibility
MANUEL & P. 158
– global • globalize • globalization
– standard • standardize • standardization
– industry • industrialize • industrialization
– economy • economic
b. Les terminaisons -ize, -ion, -ic et -ity sont des terminaisons contraignantes. Les mots
se terminant par -ize et -ity sont accentués sur l’avant avant-dernière syllabe. Les mots se
terminant par -ion et -ic sont accentués sur l’avant-dernière syllabe.
2
a. pay back a loan: rembourser un emprunt
foreclosure: saisie d’hypothèque
borrow ≠ lend
mortgage: hypothèque
excluded = rejected
make profit = cash in on
deserve: mériter
be a nuisance: être assommant
bother: embêter / ennuyer
> Script de l’enregistrement (MP3 n°35)
Banker: Sheesh, why don’t you folks go home?
Protester: In case you didn’t notice, we have no homes left because you sold them after
foreclosing on our mortgages. You threw us out of our homes!
Banker: There were foreclosures on your mortgages because you couldn’t pay back your
loans. I don’t feel responsible for that!
Protester: You didn’t hesitate to lend us money at high rates although you knew perfectly
well we didn’t have well-paying jobs or regular incomes.
Banker: You’re a pain in the neck... a real nuisance! Bankers are not philanthropists! You
deserve what you got!
Protester: We trusted you! We thought you knew your job and that if we were allowed to
borrow money, it meant you would work out a way we could be able to pay it back.
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Banker: You were too naive! Stop bothering me with your protests!
Protester: You cashed in on our gullibility. We are in big trouble now just because of your
recklessness!
YOUR TASK
MANUEL & P. 159
> Mise en œuvre :
– Les élèves suivront la démarche proposée dans leur manuel p. 159.
– On incitera les élèves à revoir leurs notes, à réutiliser le lexique étudié dans l’unité et à
s’appuyer sur l’analyse et le commentaire d’un document visuel. Ils pourront s’aider des
p. 240-241 de leur manuel.
& Productions possibles :
GET READY
a.
Economic war: focusing on depriving a country of its economic resources in order to weaken it.
Outsourcing: discontinuing a part of a company’s functions and instead buying it as a service
from another company. Often used in reference to moving the function to another country
(where labour is cheaper, for example).
Fair trade: higher social and environmental standards for imports from developing countries,
especially food and cotton. The certification attests that the production, trade, processing
and packaging of the product met certain standards.
Consumerism: encouraging middle-class populations to purchase goods at greater and greater
rates. In a consumerist society, people strongly identify with the brands they buy, and what
they consume becomes more important to them than the environmental impact of the item’s
production.
b.
Producing biofuels requires vast amounts of land to grow the necessary crops. This land used
to be – and could still be – used to produce food. Globally, reduced food crop production
leads to higher food prices, putting the poorest of our world’s populations at greater risk for
starvation.
c.
1%: the few with the highest incomes. 99%: the rest of the country. “We are the 99%” is the
slogan of the Occupy Movement, which seeks to publicize the shocking inequality of the rapidly
widening income gap between the elite and the rest of the country.
d.
It is generally considered that a developed country is one in which the service sector creates
more wealth than the industrial sector, the economy is highly developed, infrastructure is well
organized and the general standard of living is high. A developing / less developed country is
still in the process of industrialization and has a lower per capita income level.
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DEBATE
We chose the cartoon with the camping shoppers on page 159 because of its unique perspective
and message. It is rather cynical because it is suggesting that although the majority of Americans
are struggling more and more, and these troubles have been brought into light by the Occupy
Movement, paradoxically most Americans are not actually making any fundamental changes in
their lifestyles. While the Occupy Movement protests the horrible consequences of unbridled
capitalism, other Americans continue to be fervent consumers. It is as if they were in denial
about their country’s increasingly dire economic situation, and unwilling to work towards finding
solutions. They are therefore both victims and perpetrators of excessive capitalism.
The colours are bright and naive, and the shoppers have placid, thoughtless, shallow gazes.
The shopper with the speech bubble sounds flippant and disrespectful towards the police
officer who looks perplexed.
By camping out in the middle of a city, the people in the drawing have gone to great lengths
and are putting up with discomfort and temporary hardship to attain their goals. The contrast
between the expected motivation of protesters and the actual motivation of the shoppers is
quite startling. The Occupy Movement’s sincere worry and desire to inspire change is wildly
different from the frivolous, individualistic ambitions of the shoppers. They seem brainwashed
by those politicians who encourage their countrymen to continue buying freely as if there were
no recession in order to stimulate the economy.
Perhaps the cartoonist is suggesting that the Occupy Movement was not big enough – that not
enough Americans truly understand what is at stake. While some people protest, it is business
as usual for the rest. Until we all put our feet down and demand change, we have little hope
of actually making a dent in necessary reform.
SPEAKING CORNER
MANUEL & P. 160-161
• I like this first cartoon because it puts a human face on the 99% issue, and furthermore the
faces are those of children, representing our future. It is making reference to the segregation
laws in the Southern United States up until the 1960s and the separate drinking fountains
that have become a symbol of the era’s injustice. The cartoonist is suggesting that we have
gone back in time in terms of equality and civil rights, but that this time the line is drawn not
between white and black but between the wealthy elite and the increasingly needy rest. It
depicts a small child remarking to Martin Luther King, the famous Civil Rights activist, that this
must be a huge disillusion to him, the man who once gave the widely popular “I have a dream”
speech. Yes, American children are all now integrated into the same schools regardless of
ethnicity, but they are now all struggling alongside one another while the select few on the
other side of the security glass enjoy absurdly luxurious conditions.
The American Dream is that of a meritocracy, where an ambitious, enterprising individual
can create wealth for himself. For this reason, rich Americans are often exempt from public
contempt because it is often somehow unconsciously assumed that they deserve, or have
earned, their wealth. But the country is slowly waking up to the fact that in reality, wealth
and property in America is accumulated and passed on from one generation to the next and
individuals have very slim chances of changing their own economic conditions. Seeing these
spoiled kids being served by butlers is particularly poignant because children obviously can’t
have earned any money themselves.
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• The Peter Kennard photomontage is disturbing because the impoverished, miserable-looking
child is literally being used as a pawn by the rich, white, gambling “suits” / business executives. His life is no more than an anonymous playing chip to these men, and in the foreground
we can see stacks / piles of more chips, suggesting that these men have more than they
would ever need or even know what to do with. Gambling is a perfect example of an activity
reserved for those who have money to spare, allowing the players the thrill of quick wins and
losses in the hope of going home with even more money. Kennard is saying, metaphorically,
that corporate directors in developed nations are having fun making business decisions simply
in order to make themselves richer, but that this trading game also involves directly inflicting
even more hardship on destitute populations.
• The People in Need ad is trying to make the viewers feel directly responsible for their consumer choices, by reminding them of just how little money would be necessary to feed struggling populations in less developed countries. When we read the price for this handbag (fairly
inexpensive, by French standards), followed directly by the cost of feeding just one person
in this woman’s country for an entire week, we are instantly struck by the huge discrepancy.
Our purchases seem so frivolous compared to her basic human needs that are not regularly
met. This raises awareness about the huge quality of life gap between most of Europe and
America and much of Africa. The woman is reclining in the same position of many models in
our billboard and magazine advertisements, but she is much skinnier and her dress is merely
a scrap of cloth tied over her shoulder and held together with a belt. At the bottom, the viewer
is invited to contribute a mere 1.50€ – over 20 times less than the cost of the handbag – to
their humanitarian aid campaign. I think this ad is very effective because it juxtaposes a superfluous, common everyday part of our lives – accessories like handbags – and the urgent
food shortages in developing nations.
• This Sunday newspaper cartoon from Thanksgiving weekend in 2009 was published
over a year into the US economic recession. The day after Thanksgiving (which falls on the
fourth Thursday in November each year) is the biggest shopping day of the year in the US
and is called “Black Friday”. Stores open before dawn and most of the country’s non-retail
employees have the day off. It is also the first day of the Christmas shopping season, and the
day when the first Christmas decorations can be displayed. Though there are indeed typically
many discounts and coupons for purchasing on this day, the buying incentives displayed on
the windows in this cartoon are comically extreme. There is an overwhelmed-looking pop-eyed
manager pressed up against the glass, arms splayed, speaking in broken sentences. His conclusion that the crowds are so packed due to the “Now Hiring” sign visible in the bottom right
is quite unexpected. The cartoonist is suggesting a huge reversal. On this annual, symbolic
shopping day Americans are renouncing their consumerist behaviour due to necessity: they
don’t have enough money to shop because they are jobless.
PROLONGEMENTS POSSIBLES À L’UNITÉ
> Image vidéoprojetable : Dead End (DVD-Rom)
> Clé du Bac : Document audio 2 : Fair trade
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HIGHER, FASTER, STRONGER
& L’idée de progrès & Espaces et échanges
Tâche finale (p. 173) : You are taking part in a talk show on sport. Defend your point
of view.
Activités
langagières
Tune in!
(p. 162)
1. “To strive
and not to
yield”
(p. 163)
2. Free
at last?
(p. 164)
3. Trapped
on the
track
(p. 165)
4. Spirit
in motion
(p. 166167)
Prolongements
tâches / aides
PPC
Étudier un photomontage
Commenter un document visuel
(p. 240-241)
PPC
Établir un rapport entre une
citation célèbre et l’esprit des JO
Enrichir sa prise de parole
(p. 242-243)
CO
Écouter un discours officiel
– Fiche Workbook
– Comprendre un message oral
(p. 238-239)
POI
– Organiser un mini-débat
– Argumenter
CO /
PPC
Movie corner
CE/
PPC
Comprendre un extrait de roman
Fiche Workbook
PPC
Réagir à un dessin humoristique
sur le dopage
Enrichir sa prise de parole
(p. 242-243)
CO /
PPC
Comprendre
un document audio
Fiche Workbook
CE /
PPC
– Faire une recherche Internet
– Rendre compte des
informations collectées
Enrichir sa prise de parole
(p. 242-243)
POI
Jeu de rôles :
défendre son point de vue
– Enrichir sa prise de parole
(p. 242-243)
– Évaluation sommative de POI
(p. 188-189)
PPC
/CO
– Réagir à une photo
– Comprendre
un document audio
Fiche d’exploitation sur le site
compagnon
CO
Vidéo : Dream, believe, achieve
(Murderball, 2005)
Fiche vidéo (DVD-Rom et site
compagnon)
CE
Lire un article de presse
Fiche d’exploitation sur le site
compagnon
Confronter ses opinions
– Enrichir sa prise de parole
(p. 242-243)
– Évaluation sommative de POI
(p. 188-189)
POI
2 50 •
Contenus
U N IT 11
Activités
langagières
5. The fight
must go on
(p. 168-169)
6. Ethics,
money and
sports… (p. 170)
Contenus
Prolongements
tâches / aides
PPC
– Réagir à une photo
– Faire une recherche Internet
CE
Comprendre deux textes
– Fiche Workbook
– MP3 n°38 (racism in football)
POI
Réaliser une interview
– Enrichir sa prise de parole
(p. 242-243)
– Évaluation sommative de POI
(p. 188-189)
CE
Comprendre un texte
– Fiche Workbook
– MP3 n°46 (NBA players’ salaries)
PE
Écrire un article de presse
Rédiger un texte (p. 234-237)
L’activité langagière principale de cette unité est la POI (production orale en interaction).
TUNE IN!
MANUEL & P. 162
Go for London
> Mise en œuvre :
– L’image d’ouverture a pour but de lancer la thématique et de faire réagir les élèves. Cette
photo est un montage créé en 2011. Le champion britannique du lancer de disque Lawrence
Okoye pose devant Big Ben pour rappeler le célèbre poster officiel des Jeux olympiques de
Londres de 1948. L’image a été commandée par British Airways, partenaire des Jeux de 2012
pour figurer sur des calendriers.
– Démarche proposée : observer l’image et demander aux élèves de répondre aux questions.
On conseillera aux élèves de lire « Commenter un document visuel », p. 240-241.
– On peut aussi aller sur le site suivant pour trouver d’autres affiches promotionnelles des JO
de Londres, ce qui permettrait un travail de groupes et de réactiver les structures du débat.
www.museum.hackney.gov.uk/object3062
& Productions possibles :
a.
The most striking aspect of the poster is the unrealistic proportion of the athlete in the foreground and the reduced-size tower of Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament in the background.
The athlete is getting ready to throw the discus, imitating the pose of Greek statue of the
Discobolus of Myron. Yet, the champion is a well-known British member of the athletics team.
He is young, handsome and muscular and seems focused on his aim. He is wearing only shorts
to show his bare chest, arms and legs in the fashion of ancient competitors.
b.
The sporting competition that is advertised in this poster is the 2012 Summer Olympic Games.
c.
The low-angle shot gives the impression that the athlete is more powerful and domineering. He
adopts a victorious stance. He looks impressive and the viewer is compelled to feel admiration.
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d.
It is a photo-montage: the young champion is plastered in front of the iconic view of London.
e.
The British viewer will feel a sense of familiarity. However, the image of everyday life in the
capital of the United Kingdom is disrupted by the disproportionately large athlete, which
symbolises the prestige and importance of the upcoming Olympic Games, and how it would
have a huge effect on London. Therefore, the viewer will associate the Games with a positive
change to everyday life, and something they should support. The resulting impact is that the
viewer would imagine the Games taking place in London, and already start to look forward
to the display of the fastest and most powerful athletes in the world competing against one
another, right on their own doorstep. Moreover, the viewer will empathise with the athlete by
feeling a rush of adrenaline due to the rapid approach of the Games, cleverly reflected in the
field event shown in the poster. This would further incite a sense of excitement and anticipation within the viewers, and undoubtedly encourage them to support London’s bid to host the
Olympic Games in Summer 2012.
1. “TO STRIVE AND NOT TO YIELD”
MANUEL & P. 163
1. Sport ethics
& Productions possibles :
a.
To strive: make great efforts to achieve or obtain something • struggle or fight vigorously
To seek: attempt to find (sth) • attempt or desire to obtain or achieve (sth) • ask for sth from sb
To find: succeed in obtaining (sth) • summon up (a quality, especially courage) with an effort
• discover after a deliberate search
To yield: give way to arguments, demands, or pressure • concede
b.
There are several reasons why I think this quotation was chosen. First of all, these four particular verbs summarise the attitude that an athlete must adopt in order to succeed in his or
her event at the Olympic Games. Athletes must strive, in the sense that they must make great
efforts to achieve or obtain the coveted gold medal. They must struggle and fight vigorously
not only against their opponents but also against their body’s limits, and really push their
boundaries in terms of fitness, strength, power and stamina. Athletes must also seek their
goal. They must envisage the prize they wish to seek, and strive in their attempt to obtain it.
This verb specifically alludes to the desire an athlete must have in his/her heart in order to
fulfil his/her dreams. The verb “to find” is significant for several different reasons. It not only
holds connotations of success in obtaining what they strived to seek, but also the journey
they went on in order to get there. The athlete would have pushed himself or herself to the
edge of his/her physical and mental capacity in order to compete against the best in his/
her field. Therefore, athletes will also discover the fundamental truths about their character
and identity along the way. Moreover, they would have to find the strength within themselves
to continue to push themselves even further than ever before. With regards to the use of the
verb “to yield” in its negative form, the quotation encourages the athlete not to give up, not
to allow one of their competitors to steal their prize.
However, the use of a quotation from Lord Alfred Tennyson is also poignant. He is an accomplished poet and a part of British culture and heritage, therefore his words hold great
significance in the minds of British athletes. In addition, Lord Tennyson had to compete against
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his brothers and his peers at Cambridge University, as well as battle with his fear of mental
illness that seemed to run in his family. Therefore, he experienced mental battles against his
peers, as well as physical battles against hereditary illness. He is therefore a suitable choice
to advocate the positive attitude needed to succeed in your chosen field; an attitude which is
applicable to the Olympic athletes.
2. Queen Elizabeth’s Christmas speech in 2010
& Productions possibles :
a.
In Queen Elizabeth’s 2010 Christmas speech, she addresses the nation on the subject of the
positive values of sport. She mentions the way in which sport brings people of all walks of life
together on an equal playing field. She mentions the parks in towns and cities as well as the
village greens up and down the country to illustrate the wide range of opportunities available
to British people of all walks of life. She suggests that sport does not only encourage physical fitness but also helps to develop vital social skills, such as being a team player. She then
continues to talk about the Paralympics, and the way in which sport can contribute to the
rehabilitation of the body and mind. She links this to the injured war veterans. She underlines
how sport allows them to re-establish their sense of purpose, and comradeship. Indeed, they
may feel excluded because of their injury and inability to rejoin their fellow troops. She also
talks about the way in which competitors in the Commonwealth Games proudly represent their
country and enjoy doing so. It creates a sense of international community, as it is always the
competitors from the smallest countries who get the loudest cheers, which explains why it is
often known as the “Friendly Games”.
b.
The Queen is talking about each and every British citizen, from all walks of life, and of all
shapes and sizes. However, she also specifically mentions war veterans and Paralympians,
as well as competitors in the Commonwealth Games.
c.
The Queen mentions two particular sporting events: the Paralympics, and the Commonwealth
Games.
CORRIGÉ DE LA FICHE DU WORKBOOK (P. 69-70)
1
convince • disgust • doubt • read
2
a) abide by the rules & respecter la loi b) bring people together & rassembler les gens
c) provide a different perspective & offrir un autre angle de vue d) renew a sense of purpose
& redonner un sens à la vie e) speed recovery & accélérer la guérison
f) teach vital skills & enseigner des compétences utiles à la vie
3
the positive values of sport, the rules to play fair game
4
the Olympic Games, the Paralympics, the Commonwealth Games
5
Diversity
all backgrounds
all walks of life
all age groups
Places
parks, towns, cities, village
greens, up and down the
country
People’s activities
participate in sport
exercise
encourage others
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6
a) bring people together • bridge the gap between races • give up time to participate • encourage others • develop physical fitness • teach social skills • co-operate between players
b) Sport can help people from different communities, social classes and age group mix
in a friendly way. It is also great for learning to respect rules in a friendly way and to learn
how to cooperate with others for the sake of the same goal.
7
a) • rehabilitate • injured • comradeship
b) c)
People mentioned
injured men and women
of the Armed Forces
8
Power of sport
help, rehabilitate, speed
recovery, renew a sense
of purpose
People’s feelings
love, enjoyment,
comradeship
a) • compete • rivalry • pride • cheer
b)
Rules
compete under standard rules
respect their opponents
Feelings
spirit of friendly rivalry, like each other,
enormous pride, sense of belonging
to a wider family
ACTION!
- First, the Queen thinks that through sport people can create harmony, build stronger
life-enduring communities and reach to others whatever their age or social background.
- She has seen many people exercising, cheering, training / coaching in parks and village
greens and thinks it provides vital social skills while keeping fit.
- Yet, people must abide by the rules and respect one another if they want to enhance a
positive team spirit useful both in the working world as in local groups.
- Sport helps people to start afresh and speed recovery for disabled athletes or injured
soldiers. It makes for a sense of purpose and sets a goal to achieve beyond suffering and
handicap as the Paralympics show.
- Then, she stresses the positive values associated with sports, such as comradeship,
team-spirit, friendly rivalry, positive competitive spirit.
- Athletes feel proud because they represent their own country. Sport spurs / boosts
national pride. Indeed, no athlete is looked down upon whether coming from a big or
wealthy, small or poor country. In the Commonwealth Games, spectators encourage
unknown competitors and show respect for their attempts.
Complément d’information : une liste de sites Internet intéressants concernant les
Jeux du Commonwealth est disponible sur le site compagnon, en particulier les prochains
championnats à Glasgow en 2014.
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> Script de l’enregistrement (CD 3, plage 12)
Part 1
It is as important as ever to build communities and create harmony, and one of the most
powerful ways of doing this is through sport and games. During this past year of abundant
sporting events, I have seen for myself just how important sport is in bringing people together
from all backgrounds, from all walks of life and from all age groups. In the parks of towns and
cities, and on village greens up and down the country, countless thousands of people every
week give up their time to participate in sport and exercise of all sorts, or simply encourage
others to do so. 0’52’’
Part 2
These kinds of activity are common throughout the world and play a part in providing a different perspective on life. Apart from developing physical fitness, sport and games can also
teach vital social skills. None can be enjoyed without abiding by the rules, and no team can
hope to succeed without co-operation between the players. This sort of positive team spirit
can benefit communities, companies and enterprises of all kinds. 1’31’’
Part 3
As the success of recent Paralympics bears witness, a love of sport also has the power to
help rehabilitate. One only has to think of the injured men and women of the Armed Forces
to see how an interest in games and sport can speed recovery and renew a sense of purpose,
enjoyment and comradeship. 1’56’’
Part 4
Right around the world, people gather to compete under standard rules and, in most cases,
in a spirit of friendly rivalry. Competitors know that, to succeed, they must respect their
opponents; very often, they like each other too. Sportsmen and women often speak of the
enormous pride they have in representing their country, a sense of belonging to a wider family.
We see this vividly at the Commonwealth Games, for example, which is known to many as
the Friendly Games and where I am sure you have noticed that it is always the competitors
from the smallest countries who receive the loudest cheers. [...] I wish you, and all those
whom you love and care for, a very happy Christmas.
3. Debate team
& Productions possibles :
The second quotation, by Pierre de Coubertin, encourages the attitude that it is better to lose
graciously than to win as a result of cheating or bad sportsmanship. He therefore believes in
fair play and good sportsmanship by respecting your competitors, which would render your
potential victory just and deserved.
Indeed, when watching rugby matches, supporters feel so proud to see the winning team
congratulating the losers and swapping shirts as a gesture of friendship, respect and community. Foul comments are rare among players at the end of the game. The losers leave the
pitch with honours proud to have done their best.
I also remember a Disney film called Cool Running (Rasta Rocket in the French version) showing the ludicrous exploits of the Jamaican bobsleigh team in the Winter Games of Calgary,
1988, where they were seen as underdogs, representing a tropical nation in a Winter sport.
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Yet, their determination, competitive spirit and acceptance of Olympic rules forced the other
teams’ admiration. They embodied Coubertin’s values of “not winning but taking part, not
conquering but fighting well”.
However, in contrast, George Orwell believes that sport is nothing if not filled with all aspects
of what de Coubertin would consider to be bad sportsmanship. According to him, athletes
must be ruthless and disregard all the rules and their manners, and succumb to the selfish
desire to win, whatever the cost. He believes that sport naturally inspires the ruthlessness
and brutality of war, and so on the contrary to de Coubertin, he claims that it is the winning
that counts, and not the taking part.
I am not so sure I can agree with such a negative view. How can supporters share the enthusiasm and feel inspired if the only motivation is to submit, eradicate, diminish your opponent
and leave him/her powerless and defeated for ever? Athletes become role models for their
physical exploits but also because of their respect for their opponents.
4. Movie corner
> Mise en œuvre communicative
Cette activité se prête bien à un travail en groupes, ou seul en autonomie à la maison. Dans un
premier temps, les élèves doivent lire chez eux les différents résumés (synopsis). Ils doivent
ensuite choisir un film et justifier leur choix pour convaincre leurs camarades de la pertinence
de leur sélection. Cette première étape peut être enregistrée et faire l’objet d’une évaluation
formative par le professeur. Cela peut aussi donner lieu à une production écrite.
& Productions possibles :
I believe that Bend it Like Beckham should win the “Best Sports Film” award, because it is interesting both from a sporting and a cultural perspective. Women’s football is a sport which is generally
overlooked by the British public, so making a film about it was a brave but worthwhile choice. Just as
many characters in the film disregard women’s football at first but soon realise that it is a legitimate
sport, viewers also come away with a more positive perception of it, because the film shows that
women can be just as talented and passionate about football as men. Furthermore, the sequences
in the film which show the girls in action are well filmed, tense, fast-paced and exhilarating.
More importantly, however, is the interplay between culture and sport in the film. The makers of
Bend it Like Beckham succeed in showing their audiences what life is like for a Sikh family living
in Britain, through a familiar medium: sport. Viewers are made aware of the discrimination that
immigrant families often suffer, both on and off the sporting pitch, and realise how destructive it
is. It is also interesting and moving to see Jess struggling to reconcile her traditional Sikh background with her modern British environment; for example, not only are her parents troubled by
her passion for football, but her relationship with her coach is very unconventional and worrying
for them. By being shown the dynamics of an Indian family, many viewers will become more
understanding and tolerant. However, Jules, who comes from an English background, must also
confront her sceptical mother about her life choice, as she worries about her daughter’s future
and sexual orientation. This shows that sport is generally (but wrongly) viewed as a masculine
activity, but that attitudes are changing. Moreover, the film explores other important issues, such
as homophobia and friendship across cultural barriers. This film combines sport, culture and
the relationships between characters, and “bends” the norms of how we expect these things
to function and interrelate. Therefore, I think it deserves the award.
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2. FREE AT LAST?
MANUEL & P. 164
That’s what I like
> Mise en œuvre
– La photo du jogger à droite permet de faire une anticipation du texte. On pourra lancer
une activité de rebrassage lexical sur la course de fond et les sensations qu’elle procure. Le
professeur peut aussi lancer un court débat : pour ou contre la course de fond et le jogging ?
– Deux mises en œuvre sont possibles : faire travailler le texte en entier de façon classique
ou séparer la classe en deux, chaque groupe prenant en charge une des parties du texte.
– Le site compagnon renvoie à des sites utiles pour une étude littéraire plus approfondie,
ou pour une entrée par le film de 1962 et son affiche.
& Productions possibles :
b.
– The narrator is a young offender who lives in a borstal. He must be an older boy because
he benefits from the freedom of being allowed to run alone in the early hours of the morning.
He also describes himself as a man when he says that he is “the first man ever to be dropped
into the world,” so he obviously feels mature and independent.
– The physical effects of running on the narrator are that he improves his stamina, but he also
talks about the way in which he is freezing cold when he sets off on a run, but that he warms
up after half an hour, and gets almost too hot despite the cold climate. This feeling of being
hot in such cold weather may also appeal to his defiance against authority because he is able
to defy the elements and maintain control over his own body. He also enjoys the sensation
of freedom while he is running. He simultaneously feels powerful and unstoppable as he trots
and leaps, but calm and peaceful because not even the birds have begun to sing. This state
of equilibrium enables him to think and learn, and cope with his situation as an inmate in the
borstal.
– This love for independence can also be translated as a disregard for authority. Initially, his
main occupation seems to be his running, but in fact he runs in order to allow himself time to
think, which in turn enables him to be alone with his thoughts without having to worry about
being subject to authority. He explicitly tells us that “it’s a treat, being a long-distance runner [...] with not a soul to make you bad-tempered or tell you what to do.” It is obvious that
he struggles with authority, as he has found himself incarcerated in the borstal, but running
provides him with a certain amount of freedom, and allows him to clear his head and enter
his own world. He also seems to be a little competitive, as he mentions that he is one of the
“best runners in the Borstal,” and that he can run five miles round better than anybody else
he knows. However, this isn’t his main ambition. His athletic proficiency is a result of his love
of thinking and improving his mind, which just so happens to improve when he runs rather
than when he is lying in bed. Nevertheless, a natural competitive streak is revealed to the
reader, whether it is a natural desire to be physically or mentally superior to the other boys
in the borstal, and perhaps also to the authority he so hates.
– If I were to rename the text, I would call it “Running from Reality”.
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CORRIGÉ DE LA FICHE DU WORKBOOK (P. 71-72)
1
long-distance running, jogging, the pleasure and freedom to be hitting the road
2
a) a teenager
b) He has misbehaved, been unlawful, been sentenced to a detention centre.
3
jogging, running
4
– Distance: long distance, 5 miles round (l. 9)
– When? early morning (l. 12)
– Time of year: winter, frosty
– Type of landscape: frosty grass, lane, footpath, brooks
5
treat, passes time away, it is the best of all, it makes me feel so good, I go round in a dream
6
ambition, competitive spirit, defiance
7
a) – Solitude: out in the world by yourself, not a soul
– Pressure and order: make you, tell you what to do
b) bad-tempered, shop to break and enter a bit back from the next street = He used to
break into shops and steal goods or money from the till. He may have been in a gang with
a leader ordering him to rob. He was in opposition with others, often arguing and not very
sociable. He was bad-tempered and could have been in fights with others.
8
a) – Sensation: free – How long? couple of hours, for half an hour
b) enjoyable
c) – Parts of the body: hands, feet, flesh – Sensations during the activity: frozen stiff,
warm, as hot as a potbellied stove – Sensations after the activity: happy, alive
ACTION!
– The narrator is a young offender who lives in a borstal. He was sentenced to be an
inmate at a borstal and he enjoys long-distance running. He must be an older boy because he benefits from the freedom of being allowed to run alone in the early hours of
the morning. He also describes himself as a man when he says that he is “the first man
ever to be dropped into the world,” so he obviously feels mature and independent. He
wants to become the best runner in the correctional institution. He also seems to be a
little competitive, as he mentions that he is one of the “best runners in the Borstal,” and
that he can run five miles round better than anybody else he knows. However, this isn’t his
main ambition. His athletic proficiency is a result of his love of thinking and improving his
mind which just so happens to improve when he runs rather than when he is lying in bed.
Nevertheless, a natural competitive streak is revealed to the reader, whether it is a natural
desire to be physically or mentally superior to the other boys in the borstal, and perhaps
also to the authority he so hates. This love for independence can also be translated as a
disregard for authority. Initially, his main occupation seems to be his running, but in fact
he runs in order to allow himself time to think, which in turn enables him to be alone with
his thoughts without having to worry about being subject to authority. He keeps on going
out in the early hours of the morning and feels more dynamic, stronger and healthier
than in the past. Running sets his mind free to dream about his future.
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– The physical effects of running on the narrator are that he improves his stamina, but
he also talks about the way in which first he is freezing cold when he sets off on a run, but
that he warms up after half an hour, and gets almost too hot despite the cold climate.
This feeling of being boiling hot in such cold weather may also appeal to his defiance
against authority because he is able to defy the elements and maintain control over his
own body. Anyway running makes him ecstatic / jubilant / overjoyed.
– While running he enjoys the sensation of freedom whereas the other inmates stay indoors as in a prison. He simultaneously feels powerful and unstoppable as he trots and
leaps, but calm and peaceful because not even the birds have begun to sing. This state of
equilibrium enables him to think and learn, and cope with his situation as an inmate in the
borstal. He explicitly tells us that “it’s a treat, being a long-distance runner [...] with not a
soul to make you bad-tempered or tell you what to do.”
– It is obvious that he struggles with authority, as he has found himself incarcerated in the
borstal, but running provides him with a certain amount of freedom, and allows him to
clear his head and enter his own world.
3. TRAPPED ON THE TRACK
MANUEL & P. 165
1. React
& Productions possibles :
– The issue that is criticized here is that of drugs in athletics. I know this because the image
depicts a race which is disrupted by a giant syringe-shaped hole that the athletes guilty of doping are falling down. It holds connotations of the phrase “don’t fall into the trap”, so perhaps
this would be a suitable caption for the cartoon.
– The target is aspiring athletes, as it is a cartoon image and so will particularly appeal to
young people.
– The cartoonist’s goal is to discourage aspiring athletes to cheat and use drugs to enhance
their performance.
– I consider the image itself to be humorous, particularly the athlete falling head first into the
syringe-shaped hole. However, the topic itself is far from funny. The fact that the image is a cartoon
trivialises the serious issue of drugs in sport, which reduces the shock-factor that a photograph
might have. Having said that, if the image is intended for young people, perhaps it would not be
appropriate to use a shocking, real image of the consequences of drug enhancements in sport.
Therefore, the satirical element is deliberate and suitable for the target audience.
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2. Champion talk
CORRIGÉ DE LA FICHE DU WORKBOOK (P. 72-73)
1
- athlete - anthem - cheat - zero tolerance
2
Name (people,
places…)
athletes •
the Games •
small country •
IOC
Nouns
Verbs / expressions
playing field • tests •
victory • ceremony •
flags • national
anthems • resources •
zero-tolerance
stop fighting •
continue fighting •
taken before and
during • cheat • make
sure • decrease •
increase • fight against
doping • not tolerate
Adjectives /
adverbs
never clean • level
• happy • anymore
• everytime
3
a press conference
4
I am coming from a small country • my presidency of IOC
N.B. : in 2008, Franck Fredericks was appointed executive chairman of the IOC (International Olympic Committee).
5
He suggests fighting against doping to protect from scandal the 99% of athletes who are
clean. He will continue having tests taken before and during the Games, and even increase
them. Any champion convicted of doping will be excluded.
6
99: it refers to the vast majority of athletes who are clean, who compete fairly.
7
To whom?
cheaters
8
What?
doping
Why? What is the impact on others?
They are cheating themselves and the other
athletes.
a)
What was done before
Tests were taken before and during
the Games.
What he will do in the future
increase the tests • zero-tolerance against
doping • continue to fight
b) zero-tolerance against doping
9
calm • determined • confident
ACTION!
1
The issue raised at the press conference by the Olympic champion of Namibia who won
four silver medals at the Olympic Games (two in 1992 and two in 1996), and who became a
member of the International Olympic Committee in 2004, is whether doping is acceptable
or not in international competitions. The answer is clearly no.
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2
The impact is so negative that the vast majority of clean athletes is tainted by the shadow
of doubt. The 1% guilty cheats on the others and prevents the whole team from carrying
their nation’s colours in the ceremonies and standing proud on the podium. Doping also
makes a big difference for small, poorer nations who cannot compete on the same level
as richer countries whose athletes have easier access to drugs. Once on the field, or pitch,
or stadium, all champions must be on the level, abiding by the same rules.
3
Frank Fredericks advocates for more tests during and after the competitions and a zerodoping policy. Athletes convicted of doping will be excluded.
> Script de l’enregistrement (CD 3, plage 13)
I think we can never stop fighting. I think we have to continue fighting because I think about
the 99% of the athletes that are clean, or the 99.9% of the athletes that are clean. So, we
have to make sure that we keep the playing field level. I am very happy with the many tests
that were taken before and during the Games. So, we are telling the cheats there won’t
be the possibility to cheat anymore because they are not only cheating themselves; they
are cheating the other athletes from taking the victory ceremony, from carrying their flags
around, to hear their national anthems. So it’s athletes that cheat but they also cheat other
athletes. So, I think I would not stop fighting because, I mean, I am coming from a small
country and we have to make the playing field… field level and we have to fight and put as
much resources as possible to make sure they know we will not decrease the tests; we will
increase the tests, and we will increase the fight against doping. And (during) my presidency…
we will not tolerate it. We will support the IOC’s zero-tolerance against doping. And, um…
It will be something we will talk about everytime. We will let them know that we are against
it and we will continue to fight. We will not stop here.
3. Drugs and sports
& Productions possibles :
b.
Athletics is always marred by instances of doping. It appears predominantly in endurance
competitions such as the Tour de France, or sports requiring particular strength such as boxing or weightlifting.
c.
I am going to discuss a particular case of doping in sport, and whether the guilty athlete has the
right to represent his/her country after they have completed their ban.
A recent case of an athlete being found guilty of taking performance-enhancing drugs is that
of Dwain Chambers; a British 100-metre Olympian and competitor in the World and European
Championships. He was a successful athlete on the world stage until he was found guilty after
a random drugs test in 2003, and was banned for two years, which back-dated to the date on
which he was found guilty. He also had his medals confiscated and his titles stripped from any
competition he successfully competed in from around 2002.
However, the punishment that is currently affecting him the most is his lifetime ban from competing in the Olympic Games. Since his two-year ban, he has returned to athletics and competed
against top athletes such as the Jamaican World Record holder Usain Bolt, and recently recorded
the sixth fastest time in the 100-metre sprint. The next step would be to represent his country in
the 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London. He is currently deciding whether or not to appeal
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his lifetime ban, in order to pursue this dream, which is naturally sparking much debate within
the British Olympic Association and amongst its international counterparts.
Personally, I think that he should not compete in the Olympic Games. Athletes are important role
models for young people, and it is a public embarrassment, on an international level, for Britain
to allow a drugs cheat to represent the country against honest athletes who work and train hard
to be at the top of their game. Even though Dwain Chambers has accused other athletes of
taking performance-enhancing drugs, the athletes will be tested and monitored before, during,
and after the Games in order to avoid any cheating. People say that once a cheater, always a
cheater, and so once he has been proven guilty there is no way of trusting his integrity.
On the other hand, despite the lifetime ban promoting a zero-tolerance attitude concerning
drugs in sport which some people believe to be a positive example to set for young people, it
also suggests that people do not deserve a second chance in life. Young people may watch
the harsh punishment and the consequent career left in tatters and give up on their own lives
if they have made mistakes in the past. After all, it is impossible for anyone to say that they
have never made a mistake or strayed off the right track, and Dwain Chambers has openly
admitted his mistakes in an official statement.
However, I still believe that Dwain Chambers should not compete in the 2012 Summer Olympic
Games in London. He should not be able to compete against other honest athletes, even if he
would win a medal for the United Kingdom. The Games are not about medals in the sense that
it doesn’t matter which country wins the most medals. What matters are the honest athletes
who are deservedly rewarded for being the best at what they do.
4. Role play
N. B. : les corrigés des trois autres sujets sont disponibles sur le site compagnon.
& Productions possibles :
Doping corrupts the ideal of fairness.
Every athlete deserves an equal opportunity to win their event. Doping corrupts this ideal
of fairness, and tarnishes the integrity of sport. Sport isn’t about being greedy for fame and
wanting it no matter how you get there. It’s about being hungry for victory, and striving to
achieve your goals as a fair and honest athlete. It is vital that those who pretend they haven’t
taken any performance-enhancing drugs are found out. I have no doubt that as soon as they
inject that syringe, those guilty athletes should never be able to compete again. It’s unfair on
the honest athletes.
4. SPIRIT IN MOTION
MANUEL & P. 166-167
1. Get ready
> Mise en œuvre
– Les photos pages 166 et 167 peuvent donner lieu à un travail de recherche en groupes sur
l’un des deux champions handicapés, David Weir ou Oscar Pistorius. L’image p. 167 pourra
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aussi servir de document doublon et permettre un transfert des acquis du cours, il pourra
être utilisé comme déclencheur d’une prise de parole en continu.
– Le document audio sur les Paralympic Games (1. d.) est suffisamment simple pour ne
pas nécessiter de fiche de compréhension orale. Les élèves auront droit à trois écoutes,
prendront des notes et feront ensuite un rapide compte rendu à l’oral. Pour une classe plus
faible, nous proposons néanmoins une fiche d’entraînement à la compréhension orale.
La fiche et son corrigé sont disponibles sur le site compagnon.
– Le site compagnon renvoie à des sites utiles pour une étude plus spécifique du handisport
et de ses héros.
& Productions possibles :
a.
The most striking aspect of this image is the power of the athletes in contrast to their disability.
The athletes seem strong and powerful, despite the fact that they are in wheelchairs.
b.
David Weir is a wheelchair athlete, and became a Paralympic Champion at the 2008 Paralympic
Games in Beijing.
c.
In this image, the athletes are made to look incredibly powerful, despite their disabilities. David
Weir is in the foreground, and is shown to be winning a gold medal in the 2008 Beijing Paralympic
Games. He looks ecstatic and jubilant as he triumphantly crosses the finishing line in front of
his opponents, one of which is visible in the background looking incredibly disappointed. Weir
is shouting, which looks like an outburst of relief and pride, as he celebrates his achievement,
but also a result of the determination needed to succeed in his event. He is also throwing his
arms out, making them almost look like wings, which demonstrates his upper-body strength that
makes him superior to his competitors, and which allows him to almost fly down the race track.
> Script de l’enregistrement (CD 3, plage 15)
Journalist: Good morning coach! That’s what the athletes call you, isn’t it?
Coach: Yes, Sir. My name is Dan Lutson and I coach American handicapped swimmers here
at the Colorado Springs US Olympic and Paralympic Training Site.
Journalist: I watched the team during their gym routines and was amazed at their abilities
to perform exercises despite their physical challenges.
Coach: They are awesome, aren’t they? They have this craving for success and a strong-will
few champions have.
Journalist: Do you know when this idea of having Olympic Games for disabled athletes started?
Coach: Well, yes. I lecture newcomers every year about it. In fact, the idea for the Paralympics was born in 1948, when a sports competition for people who had injured their spines
while fighting in the Second World War took place. Over the years it got bigger and bigger.
And in 1960 a huge Olympic-style event took place in Rome. In 1976 Sweden opened the
first ever Paralympic Winter Games.
Journalist: But where does this unusual name come from?
Coach: You mean Paralympics? The name comes from “Parallel Olympics”, which was
shortened to Paralympics. Because parallel Games were taking place the same year as the
Summer Olympics, and actually they were held in the same country since the Seoul Games
in 1988, in Korea.
Journalist: How many different sports are listed in the Summer Paralympics?
Coach: I think there are 19 or 20: from archery, cycling, horse-riding, football, swimming,
judo… let me see… oh yes, rowing, sailing, powerlifting, wheelchair rugby, tennis…
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Journalist: And I’ve just heard triathlon and canoe will make their debut in 2016. So, are
your swimmers ready for London 2012?
Coach: More than ever. 4,000 athletes from almost 150 countries are expected. What a
show! If people still need proof disability can be overcome, let them watch!
Journalist: Wow, thank you so much for this enthusiastic meeting and good luck!
2. Watch a video : Dream, believe, achieve
N. B. : la fiche élève, son corrigé, le script et l’exploitation de l’extrait se trouvent dans le
livret du DVD-Rom et sur le site compagnon.
& Productions possibles :
a.
This sport is a form of rugby, but specifically designed for quadriplegics. The rules have been
modified in order to adapt them to the abilities of quadriplegics, and allow them to compete
against one another in a sport equally. It may even be more brutal than the original game. It is
called “murderball” for this reason, because it is so brutal and physically dangerous, because of
the clashing of the wheelchairs and the utter determination of the players not to let their disability
beat them.
b.
There are several athletes featured in the video, but there are three principal athletes mentioned. One is called Andy. He has some hand function and full arm function. When he was
sixteen years old he was involved in a car accident. The car hit a tree, spun round, and landed
upside down. The roof came down on his head and broke his neck. The second man is called
Hogsett. His spinal cord was snapped when he was involved in a fist fight. He was thrown
from the porch onto the ground and punched. He is paralysed from the waist down, and has
limited muscle-strength in his arms and practically no movement in his hands. Finally, we are
introduced to Mark Zupan. When he was eighteen, he was involved in an accident which left
him clinging onto a branch in a canal for thirteen and a half hours until he was rescued. As a
result, he can no longer grip properly, and he has lost a muscle in his left shoulder.
c.
The men have incredible motivation. They describe their frustration when people in the street
congratulate them and express happiness that they are out and about rather than cooped up
inside, and when people offer them help when they are perfectly capable. They also find it
patronising when they pick a fight with someone able-bodied, who refuses to retaliate because
they think it is not a fair fight. These men have aggressive temperaments, not because they are
bad people, but because they have a lot of pent-up frustration that they release through their
participation in a high-contact sport. They are therefore motivated to lead their lives as similarly
as possible to that of an able-bodied person, as they would have done if it wasn’t for their accidents. Instead of allowing their disabilities to rule their lives, they are determined to succeed
against adversity and show people they are capable of anything they set their minds to.
3. Find the key information
> Mise en œuvre
– Deux mises en œuvre sont possibles : faire travailler le texte en entier de façon classique
ou séparer la classe en deux, chaque groupe prenant en charge une des parties du texte.
– Le texte est suffisamment simple pour ne pas nécessiter de fiche de compréhension. Pour
une classe plus faible, nous proposons néanmoins une fiche d’entraînement. La fiche et son
corrigé sont disponibles sur le site compagnon.
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& Productions possibles :
a.
The article discusses twenty-two-year-old Ali Jawad, an aspiring Paralympic champion from
Tottenham. He has had both his legs amputated, but that does not stop him from achieving
his dream of being a powerlifter. He is undergoing intense training at the University of Bath
and is living and training under the same conditions as he will experience during the Paralympics in the Summer of 2012. The article continues with information regarding the funding of
the London Olympic and Paralympic Games in comparison with the Olympic and Paralympic
Games held in Beijing in 2008. It also mentions the increasing profile of the Paralympics due
to the huge success of the British Paralympians during the latest Games in terms of medals
won, which is over double that of the British Olympians.
b.
– Ali Jawad is a twenty-two-year-old athlete from Tottenham, London, who has dreamt of
being a successful powerlifter from the age of six, after watching the World’s Strongest Man
competition on television with his father. After having both his legs amputated, he now has
hopes of pursuing this dream as a Paralympian. His current ambition is to compete in the
upcoming 2012 London Paralympic Games, and become a champion.
– The British Paralympians are undergoing intense training at the University of Bath, which
includes living under the same conditions as in the Olympic Village, eating and drinking the
exact amount of the same food and drink as they will be throughout the competition, and
training on the same floors and in the exact conditions as they will compete under in the actual
Paralympic Games.
– The London 2012 Paralympic Games will “step out of the shadow,” in the sense that they
are receiving more funding than the Games in Beijing in 2008, so they will be publicised
more, and consequently have a higher profile on the world stage. Furthermore, they will also
step out of the shadow of the Olympic Games, as the Paralympic athletes are receiving more
publicity, and are more successful than ever, in the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games winning
over double the number of medals won by the able-bodied athletes in the Olympic Games.
4. Discuss
& Productions possibles :
This is a very difficult question to answer, as it is a double-edged sword. On the one hand,
I would agree that it is important to stage the Olympic Games and the Paralympic Games
separately, as they are different competitions and deserve centre stage. Neither competition
is more important than the other, and so they should not be held simultaneously. However,
the idea of one competition being held before the other suggests that there is an order of
importance. This leads me to consider that perhaps it would encourage equality, and satisfy
political correctness, to hold the two competitions at the same time. By combining the two
competitions, the spectators would be able to enjoy the Games as one enormous community,
which may help to eradicate any existing prejudice against either group of athletes.
Having said that, holding both competitions at the same time might be a form of positive
discrimination. After all, it is not necessarily fair to combine the two competitions, as some
spectators may prefer to hold the Olympics and the Paralympics as separate competitions to
highlight the equally awe-inspiring performances of Olympians and Paralympians. Moreover,
perhaps the Olympians themselves would prefer to demonstrate their stunning achievements
to the world without being overshadowed by the Paralympians, and vice versa.
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In conclusion, I think the Olympic Games and the Paralympic Games should remain as two
separate competitions, rather than being held simultaneously. In order to solve the problem
of whether the Paralympics should be held after the Olympics, perhaps it would be fairer to
alternate the order of the two competitions, so as to encourage equality, without taking away
the prestige of either competition.
Complément d’information : l’article du Guardian développe les résultats du sondage :
“Should the Paralympic Games take place at the same time as the Olympic Games?”
www.guardian.co.uk/society/2011/dec/03/two-thirds-disabled-people-oppose-paral
ympics?INTCMP=ILCNETTXT3487
5. THE FIGHT MUST GO ON
MANUEL & P. 168-169
1. Sport makes history
& Productions possibles :
a.
– Yes, the two athletes are Tommie Smith and John Carlos. They won gold and bronze medals
in the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City.
– This statue represents the historical event in which these two men achieved great things,
despite facing racial adversity since their childhood. They used their opportunity in the spotlight
to peacefully protest for racial equality. Tommie Smith won the gold medal for the 200-metre
sprint, and recorded a world record time which stood for eleven years. In his autobiography,
Silent Gesture, Smith revealed that as he stood on the podium with his head bowed and his
fist in the air, he prayed that he would not be immediately shot for his gesture against racial
hate and prejudice.
– The angle used here is from a lower level position than that of Tommie Smith and John
Carlos. This gives the effect of showing not only the great sporting achievement and their
athletic prowess, but also their morality and humanitarian achievements. However, it also
enables the viewer to see their facial expressions; to see the humility on their faces as Smith
closes his eyes in prayer that he is not assassinated on the spot, and Carlos bows his head
in respect, which shows neither are being aggressive in their protests, but are peacefully
protesting against racial prejudice. Furthermore, the logos reading “USA” are clearly visible
from this angle, and the majority of the image is filled with the American colours of red, white
and blue. This gives the effect that they are proud to be American citizens and are proud to
represent their country as champions, which also reinforces their gesture of protest, because
it draws attention to the fact that they are Americans and are glad to win for their country just
like the other American athletes, despite the fact that some Americans did not accept them
as American athletes. Finally, it is obvious from this image that it is a statue, which preserves
the historic gesture, but also aptly fortifies their iron-willed protest.
c.
Hello and welcome to Peace Radio! Today we’re continuing our feature on Black History Month
with a discussion about the achievements of Tommie Smith and Jesse Owens. We’ll start with
Tommie Smith: the Olympic champion in the 200-metre sprint that changed the course of history. He was a man of humble backgrounds. He grew up in rural Texas as the seventh of twelve
children. As a child, he suffered from a life-threatening bout of pneumonia, but that didn’t stop
him from growing up to achieve great things.
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To start off with, his talent was spotted in school when he was challenged to race against the
fastest student in the school... none other than his sister! Sport was one of his minor subjects
alongside his major in social sciences throughout his undergraduate degree from San Jose State
University, and he also achieved his Masters in Sociology at Goddard Cambridge, in Boston,
Massachusetts. But arguably the pinnacle of his academic career is his Honorary Doctorate
Degree of Humane Letters, again from San Jose State University.
So, why did he gain this Doctorate Degree, I hear you ask? After that race against his sister,
Smith never looked back. He pinned his ears right back and went out all guns blazing for that gold,
and he achieved it during the 1968 Summer Olympic Games in Mexico City. However, he wasn’t
just sprinting for that gold medal, but for his life, and the lives of African Americans all over the
United States. After his victory, he famously stood on the top podium, and raised his fist to the
air in silent protest against racial prejudice, and in the pursuit of peace and equality, that’s why
his teammate, John Carlos, also stood behind him in the same pose on the Bronze podium.
He has since said that he stood praying that he wouldn’t be shot right at that very moment as
he stood with his fist in the air, which undoubtedly shows his courage and strength of conviction
that day as he stood with the eyes of the world staring critically at him. He later said “We were
not Antichrists. We were just human beings who saw a need to bring attention to the inequality
in our country. I don’t like the idea of people looking at it as negative. There was nothing but a
raised fist in the air and a bowed head, acknowledging the American flag – not symbolizing a
hatred for it.” What a hero! A statue of the two teammates now stands at San Jose State University, to commemorate that momentous occasion, and their positive impact on society
He didn’t stop there. These days, his work involves cultivating America’s youth. Throughout his
post-athletic career, Smith has focussed on educating and coaching young athletes, but now
concentrates on educating on the subject of health and well-being.
I think you can agree that this man deserves every accolade he gets for his incredible humanitarian work to improve the level of racial equality in a much divided United States, and will continue
to be one of the greatest peace protesters for African American rights.
Now, let’s turn to Jesse Owens. Jessie Owens was born James Cleveland Owens, and grew
up the son of a sharecropper and the grandson of a slave. He went on to win four gold medals at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin; a feat yet to be accomplished until then. A fun little fact
for you listeners: it was his teacher that nicknamed him “Jessie” from his boyhood nickname
of “J.C.” standing for James Cleveland! Education also played a part in his athletic success,
but for different reasons. He attracted the attention from dozens of universities due to his
impressive athletic abilities that saw him equal world records left, right and centre. During
the Big Ten Championships, Jesse accomplished what many experts still feel is the greatest
athletic feat in history... setting 3 world records and trying a fourth in four gruelling track and
field events... all in the space of just 45 minutes. This was just a taster. In the midst of Nazi
Germany, Owens was the first to win four gold medals in one Olympic Games, demonstrating
that Hitler’s views of the alleged superiority of the Aryan race was entirely worthless.
He won many awards from that moment onwards, including a “Living Legend” award presented
to him by former President Carter of the United States of America. However, it was his relentless community work and countless motivational speeches that inspired underprivileged,
segregated youngsters to continue his good work.
What an honour to be talking about these great men today, listeners. I hope you enjoyed our
review of the breathtaking achievements of Tommie Smith and Jessie Owens. As you can
imagine, we only scratched the surface of the stories of these great men, but for now, that’s
all we’ve got time for in this edition of Peace Radio during Black History Month. Thank you for
listening, and goodnight.
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2. Abuse in sports
> Mise en œuvre
Cette double page peut donner lieu à un travail en pédagogie différenciée. Le groupe 1
pourra être constitué d’élèves plus fragiles (discours plus factuel) que le groupe 2 (extrait
d’une analyse sur les droits de l’Homme).
& Productions possibles :
a.
Text A: The main information gleaned from this extract is that, internationally, child abuse still
exists in competitive sport. The text gives an example of Luciano Djim who was promised a
career in professional football, but traded like a piece of meat, and eventually ended up with
nothing. It concludes with the view that Human Rights laws should be better implemented.
Text B: The main information gleaned from this extract is the notion of questioning the fundamental aspects of competitive sport and their impact on young athletes. The gist of the
extract is questioning whether competitive sport breaches a young athlete’s Human Rights.
b.
Recap A
– The main issue raised is that child abuse still exists within the realm of competitive sport,
beyond the current reach of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Children.
– The abuse in question is along the lines of young people from underprivileged backgrounds
being offered contracts in professional sport, such as the case of Luciano Djim. These naïve
young people walk blindly into these situations under the illusion that all their dreams will
come true, only to find themselves batted around by the wealthy clubs like pieces of meat,
and eventually ending up without a penny to their name.
– The text continues to encourage people of authority to better implement Human Rights laws,
not as guidelines, but as serious and vital regulations for the well-being of these unfortunate
youngsters.
Recap B
– According to this extract, there are numerous problems facing sport today. Firstly, the text
mentions commercialization, doping corruption, illicit behaviour, and blind ambition. These
are important issues that are setting a bad example for the young and impressionable athletes
entering professional and competitive sport. This suggests that the existing athletes are not
providing the upcoming athletes with a strong and respectable image of what sport is all about,
so they can only set off on the wrong foot.
– It mentions gymnasts, young football or basketball players especially.
– It then goes on to mention various dangers threatening young people. Paulo David considers
these dangers as potential breaches of their Human Rights. He mentions the intensive training programs scheduled for children as young as four years old, and whether it is justified
in terms of their Human Rights. The physical aspects of sport are continued to be explored
through the issues of dramatic weight loss and risk of eating disorders due to the intense
environment in which they live. If these young athletes eat, live, and breathe their sport, they
are not always going to be at the peak of physical health and well-being. It concludes with
questioning outside influences, such as greedy managers, or extreme pressure which drives
them to performance-enhancing drugs, or even a lack of personal life.
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CORRIGÉ DE LA FICHE DU WORKBOOK (P. 73-75)
1
TEXT A
a) nom, bien-être (mot racine: be) b) adjectif, inacceptable (mot racine: accept)
c) adjectif, en lien avec le sport (mot racine: relate)
2
prevent = keep sth from happening • commodity = an article of commerce • committed =
characterized by loyalty and devotion • advance = accelerate the growth or process
3
a) abuse b) traded c) crucial d) combating e) had agreed f) be held accountable
4
1989, adoption of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Children
enormous impact, well-being of children
5
Name
Luciano
Djim
Sports
practiced
football
Home
country
Central
African
Republic
Migrated
to
Belgium
Why?
promise of
a career with
a professional
club
What
happened?
abandoned
on the streets
ACTION!
1
2
3
1
The issue raised here is the treatment of very young athletes and other budding champions
who are lured by wealthy teams into leaving their homes. The United Nations Convention
on the Rights of Children fights to protect these children.
They often suffer from abuse either at home or in exile because they are defenseless
and eager to succeed in sport. They wish their dream might come true. They are ready to
any sacrifice to become stars on the football pitch. They think their potential success is
worth any ill-treatment and sacrifice. Yet they are not aware they could end up penniless,
rejected and anonymous in the streets of affluent countries that pick and choose among
the hundreds of athletes who are going to play in their clubs. The example of Luciano Djim
is disturbing.
In her speech Mary Robinson asserts Human Rights are a cause worth fighting for. It is a
means to prevent sport-related abuse. She exposes countries who have signed treaties,
conventions, agreements protecting children. These countries don’t act in a responsible
way as far as sport is concerned.
TEXT B
a) improve b) involvement c) provide d) has dropped e) weighs f) traded g) qualifies as
h) absorbing performance-enhancing drugs
2
a) nom, entraînement (mot racine: train) b) adverbe, correctement (mot racine: proper)
c) adjectif, qui augmente les performances (mot racine: enhance)
3
a) True (participating in competitive sports put children at risk) b) True (the sports community
has to a large extent avoided asking itself the fundamental questions) c) True (training four
hours a day, drop out of school) d) True (a 16-year-old gymnast only 1.30 metre tall, 30kg)
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e) True (physical and sexual abuse occur more frequently) f) True (traded for thousands
of dollars without being consulted) g) True (Should they be punished for absorbing illegal
performance-enhancing drugs?)
ACTION!
1
2
3
Currently, sport is faced with a number of problems; some of those which are mentioned in
the first paragraph include commercialization, doping and corruption. However, the problem
that the article focuses on is the Human Rights issues related to children and adolescents
in sport, because they are vulnerable to various forms of abuse. This is because they have
very little say in what happens to them. They are put under the care and instruction of older
people who can easily take advantage of their position, ordering these child athletes to do
things which are physically and mentally damaging.
The types of athletes that are mentioned are gymnasts, footballers and basketball players.
The dangers which threaten young athletes are: being forced into excessive amounts of
training, being put under too much physical strain which can cause abnormal growth (the
particular case that is mentioned is that of young gymnasts), body image issues such as
anorexia, physical and sexual abuse, being taken advantage of by companies and clubs,
being encouraged to take performance-enhancing drugs, and a lack of privacy.
3. Soccer star
& Productions possibles :
Journalist: So, what do you want to be when you grow up?
Boy 1: Me? Hi, I’m Jamal, and I want to be a footballer. I want to be a huge soccer star! Can
you imagine? All the supporters cheering and chanting my name in unison; everyone waiting
to see my skills on the pitch. There would be banners everywhere with my name on, and all
the players would throw themselves in to tackle me, and I would be speeding down the wing
towards the goal, leaving them in my wake, staring longingly as I blast the ball into the back
of the net. The banners would fly and the crowd would shout even louder! It would be my
dream come true!
Journalist: What makes you think it won’t come true, Jamal?
Boy 1: I just can’t see myself ever having the opportunity to leave this dump. Look at my
friends over there, playing football with a tin can. Do you really think someone like me could
have a job like that? I don’t think so... but yeah, that’s my dream: playing football every day
on a proper pitch, forever and ever!
Journalist: What about you Jake, what do you want to be when you grow up?
Boy 2: Me? Ha, I’m going to be a Fifa boss. I’m going to earn millions, and have all the best
and most expensive cars, and a massive house, with bodyguards all around and loads of people
will want to be me, but I’m going to be the best of the best. Untouchable, that’s me. I’ll have
a great big office with a city view, people to do all my work for me, while I sit and relax and
boss everyone around.
Journalist: Do you think that will make you happy, Jake?
Boy 2: Oh, absolutely! How can you not be happy with all the money I’m going to have when
I grow up?! It’ll be just like the video game!
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6. ETHICS, MONEY AND SPORTS
MANUEL & P. 170
1. A big business
& Productions possibles :
a.
The main thing that strikes me about the text is the extortionate amount of money in advertising in sport. The statistics are astonishing! The fact advertisers spend $2.3 million for
each 30-second advertisement at the 2004 fixture at the American football Superbowl is
remarkable. Moreover, the text also points out that the annual turnover of world soccer was
reckoned at some £250 billion; an equivalent sum of money to the gross national income of
the Netherlands which is unbelievable. There is such a vast advertising market in sport and
according to the text, it is ruining sport.
b.
– The sort of money that dominates world sport is staggering. The text provides some impressive statistics about the amount of money companies will pay in order to advertise during
prime time sports events all over the world. Numbers such as $2.3 million for 30 seconds of
advertising and £250 billion annual turnover in world soccer are relentlessly thrown at the
reader to give an irrefutable impression of the way in which money dominates the world of
sport.
– In terms of the impact that money has upon sport and athletes, there are many aspects
to explore. One aspect is the way in which athletes are becoming brands themselves. They
are being used in advertising campaigns to endorse certain products, which is another level
of the impact of advertising in sports. Another aspect of the impact of money on sports and
athletes is the interruption in the natural flow of play. Adverts appear suddenly and disturb the
viewing of the sporting event, therefore taking the attention away from the sporting talent on
display. There is also a temptation to resort to dirty dealings due to the huge amount of money
available. This tarnishes the reputation of sportsmen and women if they do get involved.
– There must be several solutions to resolve the problem of money taking over in sport. The
athletes need to resist the temptation to endorse products for the sake of extra money. Quite
often they could be said to have sold out to big brands, which is a shame because they should
be concentrating on being the best in their game rather than advertising products. The governments should regulate the amount of money or air time given to advertisements, especially
ones that could be damaging to young people such as fast food or alcohol. There are laws that
exist that reduce or prevent certain advertisements in sport, but I think more could be done.
After all, sportsmen and women are very influential over young people. Sponsors should stop
trying to distract from the sporting event. Too much emphasis is put on what brand is worn by
which athlete, which is distracting and promotes superficiality. Professional leagues should
encourage athletes to focus on the values of team sports and applying them to everyday life.
Then young people will focus on those values too rather than being preoccupied with wearing
the same logo as their sporting idol. Finally, the fans should speak up if they are annoyed by
the amount of advertising in sport. The fans are what keep these athletes in business and so
they certainly hold a lot of power and influence, if only they would use it.
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CORRIGÉ DE LA FICHE DU WORKBOOK (P. 75)
1
National Baseball Association
2
a) 60 is the number of advertisements broadcast during the Superbowl.
b) 15 is the number of minutes between each advertising break during the Superbowl.
c) 2,300,000 is the amount of dollars paid by advertisers for a 30-second broadcasting
during 2004 Superbowl.
d) 30 is the length in seconds of a $2.3-million advertisement.
e) 250,000,000,000 is the annual turnover of world soccer in pounds and/or the national
income of the Netherlands.
f) 32 is the number of teams in the NFL (National Football League) in 2003.
g) 20,000,000,000 is the estimated worth / value of all the teams of the NFL (in 2003).
h) 3 to 3,500,000,000 is the total annual revenue of the NBA or MLB in the early 2000s.
3
a) l’offre et la demande
b) enceinte sportive
c) couverture médiatique (télévisuelle)
d) des sommes d’argent
4
a) approximately (l. 7) / on average (l. 8) b) reckoned at (l. 11) / estimated (l. 13)
c) be worth (l. 13) d) over (l. 13) e) seemingly (l. 18) f) corporation (l. 21)
g) entertainment (l. 22) h) provide (l. 24) i) tremendous (l. 24) j) temptation (l. 25)
5
Media industry
A juicy business
- televised coverage
- advertiser
- advertisements
- advertisement break
- media corporation
- revenues
- annual revenues
- turnover
- gross national income
The other side of the
coin / Negative aspects
- corruption
- artificial advertisement
ACTION!
This article entitled “Ethics, Money and Sports” denounces / raises the issue of the role
of money in sports. Indeed, what is at stake here is the change in its very nature. Now
sport is no longer a way to entertain people or to be in good health. It has now turned into
a juicy business. This race for money has become out of control, it has no limit. It drives
sportsmen and corporations to disregard ethics, and morals to make even more money.
Thus sponsors spend millions in advertising, athletes are paid billions and exchanged by
teams as mere objects. This brings discredit on athletes.
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2. Writing workshop
N. B. : les corrigés des deux autres sujets sont disponibles sur le site compagnon.
& Productions possibles :
Are athletes really worth their salaries?
It is difficult to decide whether sports players are worth their salaries. Of course, there are a
range of sports that all have a different amount of money invested in them, and therefore the
sports stars will earn different salaries accordingly.
However, I am going to talk about football. Footballers are notoriously high-earners, often
earning millions and millions, so much so that the ordinary person cannot understand their
extortionate wealth. Many people think this is unjustified, as these people are earning a ridiculous amount of money just from kicking a ball around a pitch, and it is not really a useful
contribution to society.
In reality, this is probably a fundamentally accurate description of their role. However, they
greatly contribute to the economy, as the better they play, the more successful their team
becomes, and the more people pay to watch them. Of course football is one of the most
popular games in the world. This means that often, a footballer’s earnings are proportionate
to the overall financial injection given to the economy as a result of their success.
In conclusion, perhaps some sports players are worth their salaries, depending on their impact
on the state of the economy.
LANGUAGE AT WORK
MANUEL & P. 171
1
a. as b. that c. as • than d. as e. than f. as
2
a. use b. not buy c. to avoid d. watch e. to watch f. ban g. be • to compete h. to get • to go
3
a. The coach will never let this player play if he is injured.
b. The photographers will never leave the stars alone.
c. Let me know if you can get some tickets.
4
a. They can’t make me believe this runner is not doped.
b. The Olympic Committee had all the runners tested.
c. They had all the bedrooms checked.
d. He made him promise never to cheat.
Build up your vocabulary
1. a 2. c 3. d 4. e 5. f 6. b
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IMPROVE
YOUR LISTENING SKILLS
MANUEL & P. 172
> Script de l’enregistrement (MP3 n°36)
Woman: Well, the Olympic committee is recruiting people to help with the organization, and
the London Tourist Board is in dire need of volunteers, wow!
Man: Don’t tell me you still buy this story? It’s all business and big money, nothing to do
with sports. The good old ideal of fair play, peace and tolerance is long dead and has been
replaced by money, drugs and politics.
Woman: That’s not true! The IOC bans severely those who take drugs for two years.
Man: Wrong! New drugs such as the growth hormone EPO are very difficult to detect. Athletes can take anything, no one notices.
Woman: Anyway, athletes cannot be blamed: coaches make them take drugs. Most champions hate drugs and they are clean. They are on TV shows and take part in local sport events
to teach fair play and health.
Man: Don’t be so idealistic please! There is so much money at stake! Winning at all costs is
the inevitable goal. Look, how many commercial breaks are there in a competition? Sponsors are everywhere.
Woman: If money matters it’s all for the best: many of the poorer countries need sponsorship
to send a team to the Olympics, train their champions and equip them with adequate gear.
Man: I disagree again: there is no equal footing with developing countries. Rich countries
benefit from huge funding and can train their athletes better, that’s all. They get all the
medals, what a surprise!
Woman: Well, it is the only worldwide event where people from different countries can
meet and compete in a friendly way with no political pressure or hatred. It is as if wars and
tensions stopped for two weeks. It’s awesome!
Man: But the Olympics ARE a political platform. Remember Munich when nine Israeli athletes were taken hostage by Palestinian terrorists and killed. In 1980, the USA boycotted
the Moscow Games.
Woman: Gosh, you’re so negative and disillusioned!
& Productions possibles :
2
3 The Olympic ideal is still alive
– The IOC bans severely, for two years, those who take drugs.
– Athletes cannot be blamed: coaches make them take drugs.
– If money matters it’s all for the best.
– Many of the poorer countries need sponsorship to send a team to the Olympics, train their
champions and equip them with adequate gear.
The Olympic values are corrupted
– It’s all business and big money, nothing to do with sports.
– The good old ideal of fair play, peace and tolerance is long dead and has been replaced by
money, drugs and politics.
– New drugs are very difficult to detect. Athletes can take anything, no one notices.
– There is so much money at stake.
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– Winning at all costs is the inevitable goal.
– Sponsors are everywhere.
– Developing countries are not on an equal footing with developed countries.
– Rich countries benefit from huge funding and can train their athletes better.
– But the Olympics are a political platform.
4
Opinion
Wrong
I disagree again
It’s awesome!
Wow!
Expliquer /
reformuler
Surprise / agacement
Don’t tell me you…
Don’t be so idealistic!
Gosh!
Look…
Remember…
Couper
poliment la parole
Anyway…
5
– Sorry, but I can’t agree with you on that point.
– Oh listen to you! You have just said the opposite.
– How pathetic! You can’t really mean that!
– How dare you say that! It’s appalling!
– You can trust me when I say they are corrupt.
6
The Olympic values are still alive
My argument would be that the Olympic values are still alive and for the following reasons:
– The people who are carrying the Olympic Torch through the United Kingdom in the build-up
to the London 2012 Olympic Games are upstanding citizens who are being recognised for
their positive impact on society. This highlights the Olympic values of determination and drive
in order to achieve your goals. These people helped their community or improved the lives of
other people. It is all about determination.
– The athletes are earning their places in the Olympic squad. No matter who they are, whether they
are famous and reputable or not, they are earning their place in the squad just like the younger, less
experienced athletes. This promotes equality and just rewards according to talent and hard work.
– Community spirit is still alive amongst the Olympic values. The Olympics are bringing communities together in street parties and getting together people in the city centre to watch the
events on the big screen when the Games are underway. The Games bring people together
and give people something to enjoy and appreciate as a community.
YOUR TASK
MANUEL & P. 173
> Mise en œuvre
– Afin de se préparer au débat, on aura demandé aux élèves de revoir les pages 242-243
de leur manuel (Enrichir sa prise de parole).
– En classe, on demandera aux élèves de lire attentivement la page 173.
– Afin que le débat ne se réduise pas à de l’écrit oralisé et afin de le rendre le plus dynamique possible, il faudra laisser aux élèves un peu de temps pour découvrir l’identité des
intervenants et préparer cinq arguments sous forme de notes.
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– On veillera, avant que les élèves ne commencent à réfléchir à leurs arguments, à ce que
les cinq points de vue soient représentés à part égale. On conseillera aux élèves d’anticiper
ce que pourront dire les adversaires.
– Le temps de parole sera entre trois et cinq minutes.
– Pour évaluer, on pourra faire des groupes de cinq dans lesquels seront représentés les
quatre points de vue plus un modérateur.
– Le reste de la classe sera divisé en plusieurs groupes qui seront chargés de se concentrer
sur des aspects différents de l’évaluation :
• Le groupe 1 notera les erreurs de prononciation et d’intonation éventuelles.
• Le groupe 2 notera les erreurs de vocabulaire et de grammaire éventuelles.
• Le groupe 3 notera le nombre d’interventions de chaque participant, si le participant écoute,
sait prendre la parole sans interrompre, observera le temps de parole.
• Le groupe 4 notera si les participants interviennent à propos, posent des questions, font
répéter, utilisent les expressions apprises. On demandera dans chaque cas de relever des
exemples précis. Les élèves changeront de groupe d’évaluation lors de chaque nouveau débat.
Vous trouverez sur le site compagnon une grille d’évaluation de la tâche (photocopiable).
SPEAKING CORNER
MANUEL & P. 174-175
N. B. : – le poème Black and blue a été enregistré et est disponible sur le site compagnon.
– Le document B pourra servir à un entraînement autonome de l’élève à la compréhension
orale.
& Productions possibles :
A
I think this poem is intriguing because I have learnt that Paul Canoville played for Chelsea and
was strongly discriminated against although he was an excellent player. He was not considered
as the other players and so he could not play alongside them without exposing himself to the
meanest abuse. The International Olympic Committee Charter states that “Every individual
must have the possibility of practising sport, without discrimination of any kind,” which makes
sense. He should have been able to play for a British club whatever the colour of his skin.
Football is often tainted with racial scandals which belong to another era. The Olympic Committee tries to set an example and stresses core values which should be shared by all fans
and athletes.
B
> Script de l’enregistrement (MP3 n°38)
Man: I can’t believe Paul Canoville played for Chelsea. As far as I’m concerned, it’s a disgrace.
Woman: You are a disgrace. I think you should consider how brave he was to play in front
of all those abusive fans. He risked a lot to play the game he loved, and was a role model
for many people!
Man: With all due respect, I don’t think so, at the time he was a role model for few people.
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Woman: I must disagree. I’m sure he was a role model for many young people. Chelsea is
such a prestigious club, and he was the first player to wear Chelsea blue. He followed his
dream to play football, and why should he have suffered? Football isn’t just about winning
the World Cup. Of course, that’s the aim, but there’s so much more to it than that. Young
people are so easily-influenced, and footballers are heroes to many of them. England, and
the United Kingdom in general is so multicultural now, so it’s more important than ever for
footballers nowadays to represent as many communities as possible. Then it shows to young
people, no matter what community they belong to, they can achieve their dreams.
Man: I see your point. Footballers do hold influence over the younger generations.
Woman: By the way, have you heard of the slogan: “Racism, let’s kick it out of football”? There
are many former players in support of this idea. Perhaps you should follow their example?
D
This is a poster depicting a Paralympic athlete named Mark Rohan. He is a world handcycling
champion and will be competing as a member of the Republic of Ireland’s 2012 Paralympic
team. The first word in the caption in the top left-hand corner of the poster is Renault, which
is named as the company which is going to sponsor Mark Rohan in his Paralympic campaign.
The poster is orange, white and green which correspond with the national Irish flag. This creates an aesthetic explosion of Irish culture to proudly show where champion Rohan comes
from. Rohan is also shown in the middle of the poster with his arms raised triumphantly and a
winner’s bouquet in his left hand and a Gold Medal draped around his neck, which shows his
success with the support of Renault as indicated by the way in which Rohan’s arms point to
the brand name at the top of the poster. However, the central position of the handbike also
demonstrates the skill, power and determination of this champion athlete despite his disability.
It is a very powerful and inspirational image for many people.
E
Tony Blair: I agree with what Tony Blair says about sport having the power to change the
world, the power to inspire, the power to unite people in a way that little else can. For me,
the Olympics are about bringing people together from all walks of life, all over the world. They
are about inspiration and community, and in a world where there are so many different beliefs
and faiths, the Olympic Games and sport in general enable all these people to come together
under a common purpose. It therefore becomes an instrument for peace, as all other political
and religious conflicts are forgotten, and the only battles are on the track, or on the playing
fields.
Muhammad Ali: I understand what Ali means by his idea that champions aren’t made in the
gyms, but from something they have deep within them, such as a desire, a dream, or a vision.
He means that it is not the medal that makes them the champion, or solely their training in
the gym, but their frame of mind. He believes that a champion already exists within a person,
and it is that which drives them to train and win the medal to prove it. I agree with him to some
extent, but I believe that it is a combination of the training time you invest, and the frame of
mind you apply to your sport, which makes a true champion.
PROLONGEMENT POSSIBLE À L’UNITÉ
> Clé du Bac : Document audio 4 : Ade Adepitan’s interview on Paralympics
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& Lieux et formes du pouvoir & Mythes et héros
Tâche finale (p. 185) : You have to choose the version of Macbeth that will be shown
at your school movie club. Compare two different interpretations of the same
scene, then discuss your choice.
Activités
langagières
1. Power at
all costs
(p. 178-179)
2. What’s
done cannot
be undone
(p. 180-181)
Prolongements
tâches / aides
PPC
– Comprendre le début
de la pièce
– Rendre compte
de ce qui a été compris
Enrichir sa prise de parole
(p. 242-243)
PE
Écrire une lettre
– Rédiger un texte (p. 235)
– Evaluation sommative de PE
(p. 232-233)
CE
Rechercher des informations
PE
Rédiger une biographie
PE
Rédiger une biographie
CE
Comprendre une scène
de la pièce
– Fiche Workbook
– Build up your vocabulary
(p. 183)
PPC
Faire un discours
Enrichir sa prise de parole
(p. 242-243)
POI
ou PE
Défendre son point de vue
– Évaluation sommative de POI
(p. 188-189)
– Improve your speaking skills
(p. 184)
PE
Rédiger un paragraphe
informatif
Rédiger un texte (p. 234-239)
CE
Comprendre une scène
de la pièce
– Fiche Workbook
– Language at work (p. 182)
– Repérer accents
et intonations
– Adopter l’intonation correcte
dans la lecture d’une scène
– Commenter une image et
donner son opinion
Commenter un document
visuel (p. 240-241)
CE /
Tune in!
(p. 176-177)
Contenus
CO /
POI
Rédiger un texte (p. 234-239)
L’activité langagière principale de cette unité est la POI (production orale en interaction).
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TUNE IN!
MANUEL & P. 176-177
1. Discover the plot
> Mise en œuvre :
Pour faciliter la compréhension, on pourra proposer une recherche de vocabulaire.
Read the comic strip and find the English equivalents of the following words:
tonnerre et éclairs • belle (journée) • (journée) épouvantable • lande désolée • courageusement
& Productions possibles :
a.
– The characters are all Scottish:
• Macbeth and Banquo are friends and fellow generals who have just fought and won alongside
one another.
• King Duncan also happens to be Macbeth’s cousin.
• The three witches come out of nowhere, and are bearers of prophecies that end up coming true.
• We see in frame 7 that Lady Macbeth has high ambitions for her husband and evil plans to
make them happen.
– The witches predict:
• That Macbeth will become Thane of Cawdor (the prediction becomes true immediately,
because he has just won the battle).
• That Banquo will never be king but that his son or grandson will.
• That Macbeth will become King of Scotland.
Because the first prediction happens to come true so quickly, Macbeth would like to imagine
that the other two will surely come true too. He becomes very excited and announces the
news to his wife.
– The last prediction sows the seeds of ambition in Macbeth’s and his wife’s minds, and so they
plot to make the dream reality. Because they now believe it is possible, they decide to kill the king.
2. “My dearest wife…”
> Mise en œuvre :
Pour faciliter le travail, on pourra demander aux élèves de travailler en binômes afin de discuter des différents points qui seront abordés dans la lettre. Les élèves rendront une lettre
pour deux.
& Productions possibles :
My dearest wife,
I hope this letter finds you well and in good spirits. I’am writing for two reasons. First, to
set your mind at ease: the battle is over, we have conquered and I am unharmed. Banquo and
I are on our way home to Inverness.
Secondly, I write to tell you of a strange occurrence. As we were walking across the heath,
three witches accosted us. Boldly they approached and the first greeted me as the Thane of
Glamis. How she knew my identity is a mystery, since I was clothed in a plain cloak and not wearing any sort of visible crown. Next, the second witch greeted me as Thane of Cawdor, which was
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a surprise as you can imagine. When the third witch greeted me as the King of Scotland, I was
speechless. That title, however, belongs to my cousin the King. Just before they disappeared,
the witches declared to Banquo that he would never be king, but that he would father kings. Yet,
Duncan’s sons will inherit the throne after his death, will they not?
Stranger still, moments after the witches disappeared, a messenger arrived to tell me that
I am to be the Thane of Cawdor. Duncan was so pleased with the way we defeated the rebel
army that he has given me this new title.
I am at a loss to make sense of these strange happenings. What do you make of them?
How could the witches have known that I would become the Thane of Cawdor? What of the
third witch? She called me “King of Scotland”. Was that too a prophecy? How can it be realized? Shall some tragedy meet with Duncan and his sons?
Duncan announced he is to visit us soon after I arrive home. Make ready the household to
greet the King properly. I will soon be home and we can speak more in depth of these strange
and unnatural events.
All my love,
Your husband,
Macbeth
3. Storytelling
> Mise en œuvre :
On demandera aux élèves de prendre des notes individuellement pour repérer les différentes
étapes. En groupes, ils s’entraîneront à raconter la pièce en parlant à tour de rôle : un élève
commence, le suivant continue ou corrige, etc.
& Productions possibles :
William Shakespeare’s tragedy, Macbeth, narrates the events surrounding the assassination of
the King of Scotland, King Duncan and the effects that the murder has on Macbeth and his wife.
In Act I, Macbeth and Banquo encounter three witches on the heath. The witches call Macbeth
Thane of Glamis, Thane of Cawdor, and King of Scotland. They also say that Banquo will not
be king himself but will father kings. Just after they leave, Ross, Duncan’s messenger, informs
Macbeth that the King has given him the title “Thane of Cawdor”.
Lady Macbeth persuades her husband to murder the king when he comes to visit them. Macbeth
goes in to kill the king, and then Lady Macbeth returns to frame the guards. The next morning,
when the murder is discovered, Macbeth kills the guards before they can protest their innocence.
The kings’ sons Malcolm and Donalbain flee because they fear for their lives, and Macbeth
assumes the throne.
Macbeth can’t rest at ease because he remembers what the witches prophesy to Banquo. So,
he orders assassins to kill Banquo and his sons. They kill Banquo, but Fleance, his son, escapes.
Macbeth hallucinates at a banquet, thinking he sees Banquo’s ghost. He worries about Macduff
discovering his guilt. He speaks with the witches about his concern and they confirm it. So,
Macbeth orders the death of the family of Lord Macduff. Macduff escapes to England, but
tragically, his wife and son die a brave death.
Meanwhile, Lady Macbeth is also racked by guilt. She sleepwalks every night and tries to
wash the blood spots off of her hands, saying “out, out damned spot!” She commits suicide
by the end of the play.
Macduff gathers an army to fight to restore Malcolm, Duncan’s son, to the throne. Macbeth
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thinks that he’s invincible because the witches have prophesied that no one born of woman
shall defeat him. But in his duel with Macduff, at the end of the play, Macduff reveals to Macbeth that he wasn’t born naturally, but rather he was born by a Caesarean section. Macduff
succeeds in killing Macbeth.
4. Info search
& Productions possibles :
a.
William Shakespeare was baptized in 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon, England and died in 1616.
Little is known about his personal life, but he was married to Anne Hathaway and they had
three children. He was prolific both as a poet and a playwright, having written about 38 plays,
154 sonnets and several other works. Some of his works are still considered the best in the
English language. He was also an actor and part owner of a playing company. At the beginning
of his career he wrote mainly comedies and histories, later moved toward tragedies, before
ending his career with romances.
Shakespeare wrote The Tragedy of Macbeth sometime between 1603 and 1607. It was his
shortest and bloodiest tragedy.
His popularity grew steadily until the 19th century and his plays are still extremely popular
worldwide today.
b.
The Elizabethan theatre was so called because it developed during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.
Before that time, plays were performed in inns by travelling troupes. The first “theatre” was
built outside of London in Southwark, and other theatres were soon to follow. These theatres
could hold up to several thousand people, from commoners (standing in the pit in front of
the stage) to royalty and prominent people (seated above the stage and facing the public).
Only men would perform in plays at the time. The female roles were played by teenage boys
dressed up as women. The costumes were very elaborate and complex including not only
clothing but wigs and thick make-up as well.
1. POWER AT ALL COSTS
MANUEL & P. 178-179
1. Understanding the scene
CORRIGÉ DE LA FICHE DU WORKBOOK (P. 76-77)
1
Lord Glamis is his first title, and at the beginning of the play, he was made Thane of Cawdor
by the King.
2
Macbeth announces the visit of a guest, King Duncan. He will arrive tonight / at night and
will depart tomorrow / the day after.
3
a) Present = “Great Glamis!” + “Worthy Cawdor!”
Future = greater + Once you become king
b) We have to jump on any opportunity. + We are the masters of our destiny. + The future
is in our hands.
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c) She is ambitious and impatient to see the future happen. She cannot wait for her husband
to become king. She is thrilled about her future prospects.
d) Lady Macbeth is mostly power-thirsty. “You’ll soon be greater than both these titles,
once you become king!” (l. 2-3)
e) Shakespeare’s intentions are to suggest that destiny is at work and what happens has
already been determined by superior forces. He is associating Lady Macbeth with the witches,
she uses the same words when greeting Macbeth and thereby he suggests that, far from
being a lady of nobility, she is nothing more than a witch herself, trying to bewitch Macbeth.
4
She will make sure that Duncan never lives to see another day. She is planning to kill him
or have him killed.
5
“Your face […] is like a book” (l. 13) + “look like the innocent flower,” (l. 17-18)
6
What Macbeth does
Shows his real feelings:
- “your face is like a book
where men may read
strange matters” (l. 13-14)
How should he behave?
- look the way they expect you to look
- have welcome in your eyes, your hands, your tongue
- look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent
under it
7
sincere + honest
8
a) The flower represents mildness and innocence.
b) The serpent stands for treachery, evil, nastiness, deception.
c) The serpent reminds me of Eve in Paradise. The serpent was the animal that lured Eve into
the garden and talked her into biting into the apple. It tempted and led to man’s downfall.
9
a) imperative form b) She is bossy / authoritarian. She is in command and she sounds
very callous. She is determined to handle everything.
10
Reason given for the preparations: The king must be provided for
Result of the preparations: will give kingly power and mastery / To all our nights and
days to come
11
We can guess that Lady Macbeth plans to get rid of Duncan so that Macbeth can become
king. She urges him to let her handle the evening.
12
He seems reluctant and fearful and does not have the nerve to agree to her plan. He procrastinates over his answer and hesitates / wavers. He acts like a coward.
ACTION!
Lady Macbeth can’t wait to see her husband become king. She sounds thrilled and reminds Macbeth of the witches’ predictions. She is determined to succeed in her plans
and appears passionate in her speech. She blames Macbeth for being weak and advises
him to behave deceitfully. She urges him to hide his true feelings. Since she is a practical
woman, she intends to take things into her own hands because she fears Macbeth might
not pluck up the courage to kill the king. She sounds ruthless and manipulative, and is
driven by her thirst for power. Her behaviour does not suit a lady and leads to a reversal
of power. Therefore, Macbeth is forced into being her accomplice.
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Macbeth is an ambitious man and cannot wait to be king. However, when faced with the
opportunity to kill the king, he doesn’t dare to make a decision and seems to back out.
Contrary to Lady Macbeth, he hesitates and acts like a coward.
Objectif
j f
In this extract, traditional roles are reversed. Macbeth is the one whose authority is
diminished; he is emasculated and becomes subordinate to his wife. Lady Macbeth, on the
other hand, retains all power. She assumes the male role, dictating events to her helpless
husband. She is undoubtedly the dominant figure, and through the demands she makes,
she sounds patronising. Through her domineering attitude, she tries to goad him into committing regicide, proving once again that she is power-thirsty.
& Productions possibles :
b.
Lady Macbeth
– In the second line, she addresses him by his past title (“Thane of Glamis”) and his brand
new title (“Thane of Cawdor”) and what she now hopes he will become (“king”) thanks to the
witches’ prophecy.
– When she learns the King is coming to spend the night, she becomes very excited and
determined (“O never / Shall sun that morrow see!”, l. 10-11) and immediately unveils her
plan to have the King killed.
– She thinks he is not skilled at deceiving people and is afraid that he will not be able to hide their
evil plans (“Your face, my thane, is a book where men / May read strange matters.”, l. 12-13)
– She advises him to do his best to seem kind and welcoming (“bear welcome in your eye
[…] look like the innocent flower”, l. 14-16) so that the King and his men might not suspect
the wicked arrangements (“But be the serpent under’t.”, l. 17) both have made.
– She decides to undertake organizing the actual murder (“and you shall put / This night’s
great business into my dispatch;” l. 18-19) and tells her husband to leave matters to her.
Macbeth
He greets his wife affectionately (“My dearest love,” l. 6) and then simply relays the factual
information about the King’s imminent arrival. This shows us that he loves and trusts his wife
and is confiding in her and working with her to make his dream come true. However, at the
end of the passage, though he is intrigued, he doesn’t seem entirely convinced and says things
must be discussed further.
2. On trial
> Mise en œuvre :
Cette prise de parole en continu pourra être préparée ou non. Elle pourra faire l’objet d’un
travail de groupes et un rapporteur sera nommé par groupe.
& Productions possibles :
Your Honour, though he was undeniably aware of his wife’s plans, my client was not responsible
for the murder. He was certainly thrilled to think that he would one day be king, but would
never have dreamed / dreamt of killing his dear cousin Duncan.
No, all the blame must be placed on Lady Macbeth. When she first read her husband’s letter she became ecstatic and lost all sense of reality (“Thy letters have transported me […]
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present”, l. 3). She immediately started looking forward to his kingship. My client was indeed
ambitious, but not power-thirsty and impatient like his wife, and did not adhere to her plan
at first (“We will speak further”, l. 22). She had always been quite shrewd, but this time she
went too far. She became callous with regard to her king and determined to do whatever it
would take, no matter how ruthless, to obtain what she wanted.
She is an extremely manipulative person and immediately started trying to urge her husband to let
her kill the king (“Let me handle tonight’s preparations”, l. 26). Because she was very crafty, she
advised her husband on how to be sly (“Look like the time,” l. 14). My client was initially fearful,
and dreaded killing his cousin. But her attitude was that “where there’s a will, there’s a way” and
being as canny as she was, she managed to devise a foolproof plan and got her husband to pluck
up the courage necessary to kill the king. He tried to back out but she mocked his cowardice and
goaded him into doing it.
How could someone so evil aspire to the role of the wife of a noble king? My client’s wife is as
hypocritical as one can get, Your Honour, and I beg you to see that if the King was murdered
it was all her fault.
3. Take a stand
> Mise en œuvre :
Cette activité permettra de rebrasser les acquis du cours et pourra faire l’objet d’une prise
de parole en interaction, car les élèves auront certainement des interprétations divergentes.
& Productions possibles :
The green, iridescent dress she is wearing combined with her long twisted braids and belt make
me think of snakes. This reinforces my impression of her as someone sly and cunning. Her facial
expression is one of pure excitement, which goes along with the idea I have of how much she was
looking forward to her husband becoming the king. She just couldn’t wait for Macbeth to inherit
the throne, and she actually had the nerve to kill the current king. She is also quite beautiful and
so the viewer can just imagine her urging her husband to go through with the murder – it makes
us think she must have been quite good at talking him into doing things.
4. A museum expert
& Productions possibles :
John Singer Sargent’s Ellen Terry as Lady Macbeth, 1889. Oil on canvas.
John Singer Sargent (12 January 1856-14 April 1925) was born to American parents in Italy
but trained in Paris and later worked in London. He was a prominent portrait painter and
received international acclaim for the nearly 3,000 paintings he created during his career.
He learned to paint directly on the canvas instead of using the traditional method of making
careful drawings beforehand.
Sargent’s portrait of the famous actress Ellen Terry in costume as Lady Macbeth was made
after her first performance in the role, but the pose was not actually taken from the production. The resplendent gown and crown that Ellen Terry wears in the painting gives it a medieval
appearance which, together with the dark, almost sinister mood, makes the painting typical
of the aesthetic “Pre-Raphaelite” movement.
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2. WHAT’S DONE CANNOT BE UNDONE
MANUEL & P. 180-181
1. Read and understand
CORRIGÉ DE LA FICHE DU WORKBOOK (P. 77-78)
1
- It is next to her: “it stood by her” (l. 6)
- She always has to have a light near her: “she has light by her continually” (l. 7)
- These are her orders: “’tis her command” (l. 7-8)
- She often does that: “It is an accustomed action with her” (l. 14-15)
- I’ve seen her do that for many minutes: “I have known her continue in this a quarter of
an hour.” (l. 15-16)
2
“fast asleep” (l. 3) + “their sense are shut” (l. 10-11)
3
Lady Macbeth’s
strange behaviour
The observers
- a gentlewoman
- a doctor
- fast asleep
- has light by her
continually
- eyes are open
- rubs her hands
Doctor’s reaction
asking questions,
curious
“How came she by
that light?” (l. 5)
“What is it she does
now?” (l. 12)
The woman’s
explanations
“’tis her command”
(l. 7-8)
“an accustomed
action” (l. 14-15)
4
- I will write down what she says: “I will set down what comes from her” (l. 18)
- I will remember it better: “to satisfy my remembrance the more strongly” (l. 18-19)
- Why should we be afraid?: “what need we fear?” (l. 21-22)
- Did you hear that?: “Do you mark that?” (l. 24)
- could not make my little hand smell better: “will not sweeten this little hand.” (l. 25-26)
- her heart is carrying a heavy weight: “The heart is sorely charged.” (l. 27)
- I wouldn’t want a heart like hers even if you made me queen: “I would not have such a
heart in my bosom for the dignity of the whole body.” (l. 28-29)
- I am a doctor and yet I can’t understand her: “This disease is beyond my practise” (l. 32)
5
a) She is speaking to her husband, Macbeth.
b) - ’t: it = the murder - It: what we have done / we killed him - The old man: Banquo
6
What event
does she refer to?
She refers
to Banquo’s murder.
What do her
words reveal?
She was involved
in the murder.
What is she
obsessed by?
a spot of blood
on her hand
7
“This disease is beyond my practise” (l. 32)
8
a) She is speaking to her husband. b) She can hear a knocking at the gate.
c) At the end, she says that what happened in the past cannot be erased or reversed.
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ACTION!
1
Lady Macbeth is sleepwalking. She is wandering in her castle. She is sound / fast asleep
but she insists on having a light next to her continually. Although she is asleep, her eyes
are open and she starts to speak. She seems to be reliving an event for which she bears
a heavy burden. Her speech does not make sense to the onlookers listening to her, but
she sounds remorseful and guilty. Moreover, she strangely rubs her hands as if she
was washing them. She is trying to get a stain off. She seems to have been involved in
an appalling deed: she is responsible for Banquo’s murder.
2
The spot symbolizes a stain of blood that she tries to get rid of. It betrays her involvement
in Banquo’s murder and for which she still has pangs of remorse / qualms of conscience.
3
Lady Macbeth and her husband are both guilty for Banquo’s murder. Nevertheless, she
seems to be quite authoritative / bossy / domineering with him and her tone is adamant:
she urges him to go to bed and gives him orders. Her voice can suffer no contradiction.
She tries to reassure him but it makes him look unmanly and weak. The roles seem to be
reversed: she is the one in charge / in power.
4
“What’s done cannot be undone” reveals the feelings Lady Macbeth is going through.
She wishes she hadn’t committed a murder, but she is helpless and cannot change what
happened. Now, she has to deal with her pangs of remorse and is haunted by the past so
much so that she is still disturbed by the smell and the stain of blood. Her actions will have
repercussions and consequences she cannot help.
Objectif
j f
This extract presents us with Lady Macbeth, a domineering woman who seems to feel
superior to her husband. She gives him orders and demeans him. He must feel unmanned
and she is the one in power. Although her role should be to support him, she makes him
feel submissive and docile. We clearly see that power, however attractive it might be, may
cause the loss of those who seek it. Lady Macbeth is sleepwalking and she is haunted by
the past, her mind cannot be at peace. She cannot help reliving the event. Remorse is
now killing her, preventing her from sleeping. When sleepwalking she is like a ghost, the
shadow of her old self.
2. Characterization
> Mise en œuvre :
Ce travail pourra aussi être mené en groupes, avec prise de parole d’un rapporteur par
groupe, puis reprise collective.
& Productions possibles :
a.
Lady Macbeth is by herself and fast asleep, yet her eyes are open and she is wandering around
and talking. She has also taken up the habit of rubbing her hands together over and over for
up to 15 minutes.
b.
Her gentlewoman has sent for a doctor because she is worried about this irrational, abnormal
behaviour and has also probably overheard her admitting to the murders. She is also concerned
about the hand washing gestures.
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c.
She is wracked with guilt for being responsible for the deaths of so many people. She is haunted
by the things she has done and bears the heavy burden of remorse. She has betrayed friends
and kin and is condemned to reliving the events during her sleep. She hallucinates and tries
in vain to get rid of the imaginary smell of blood and attempts to get the virtual blood stains
off her hands.
d.
– Lady Macbeth seems to be talking to her husband (“my lord”, l. 21) and refers to the actors
of their past deeds as “we” (l. 21).
– She speaks entirely in choppy prose throughout the entire scene. She used to speak in noble,
elegant iambic pentameter, but she has now been reduced to a blathering sleepwalker.
– She discloses the truth and admits to two murders (“One; two”, l. 20) – those of Duncan
(“the old man”, l. 23) and Banquo.
e.
The doctor says he can’t cure her (“This disease is beyond my practice;” l. 32) but tries to
reassure the gentlewoman (“I have known those which have walked in their sleep who have
died holily in their beds.” l. 32-33). He also fears she might commit suicide, but that is not in
this passage.
3. Training for an audition
a.
“Out, damned spot! Out, I say! — One; two: why then, ’tis time to do’t. — Hell is murky.
— Fie, my lord, fie! A soldier, and afeard?”
“Here’s the smell of the blood still: all the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little
hand. Oh! Oh! Oh!”
“Wash your hands, put on your nightgown; look not so pale. I tell you yet again, Banquo’s
buried: he cannot come out on’s grave.”
“To bed, to bed! There’s knocking at the gate. Come, come, come, come, give me your
hand. What’s done cannot be undone. To bed, to bed, to bed!”
b.
First, she sounds panic-stricken, then she sounds worried. She is reassuring when speaking
to her husband. At the end, she is quite matter of fact.
d.
On veillera aussi à la réalisation des liaisons consonne-voyelle.
> Prolongement possible :
Ce passage pourra être appris par cœur par les élèves et récité en classe.
LANGUAGE AT WORK
MANUEL & P. 182-183
1
a. being left alone
b. sleepwalking
c. to waver • to jump
d. reliving
e. to commit
f. to be • show
g. to give up
h. forgetting
i. washing
j. killing
k. drink • protecting
l. killing
2
a. for
b. to
c. with
d. for
e. at • by
f. of • with
g. of
h. about / of
i. with • Ø
j. with • at
k. about
l. for • for
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THE CORRIDORS OF POWER
a. The gentlewoman asked the doctor to observe her and stand close.
b. Lady Macbeth ordered her husband to go to bed, and told him not to look so pale.
c. Lady Macbeth warned him that what was done could not be undone.
d. The gentlewoman asked the doctor to look after her, because her life was in danger.
e. The doctor asked why she was carrying a light.
f. Lady Macbeth wondered if her hands would ever be clean.
g. Lady Macbeth wondered where she was now.
Build up your vocabulary
1
a. the cast
b. stage
c. perform a play
d. director [not on the mind map]
e. rehearse
f. actor / actress
2
a. 2 • b. 4 • c. 5 • d. 7 • e. 3 • f. 6 • g. 1
g. set
h. acts, plays, performs
i. props
j. soliloquy
k. audience
l. playgoer
m. backstage
n. prompter
o. rehearse
p. applaud
q. aside
r. curtain
> Script de l’enregistrement (MP3 n°41)
“Hurray!” she cried out.
“Don’t tell her, it’s a secret,” he whispered in her ear.
“Sorry, I have a sore throat!” she explained in a hoarse voice.
“I don’t feel well at all,” he moaned.
“Ouch, you hurt me!” she shrieked.
“It’ll never be the same again,” he said in a deep voice.
“What are you doing?” she said with a shrill voice
3
a. deep moan / loud shriek b. shouting • loud / shrill c. hoarse • screamed / cried d. whisper
IMPROVE YOUR SPEAKING SKILLS
MANUEL & P. 184
> Mise en œuvre :
Ce travail pourra être mené en groupes et donner lieu à une prise de parole par rapporteur,
reprise collective, puis écoute de l’enregistrement de l’anglophone. Puisque ce document
est un MP3, les élèves pourront le travailler de façon autonome (au labo multimédia ou à la
maison)
> Script de l’enregistrement (MP3 n°43)
The three pictures depicting the sleepwalking scene are all very interesting.
The one I liked best is the photograph because I think that it best portrays the scene as I
imagine it when I read the text. The Scheiner and Füssli’s paintings both depict the setting
well, but in my opinion there aren’t enough details.
The Scheiner painting shows an excellent use of chiaroscuro. It dramatically illustrates Lady
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Macbeth’s sleepwalking. Half of the painting is illuminated by Lady Macbeth’s candle, while
the other half is covered in shadows. Scheiner uses this visual technique to emphasize the
feeling of confusion that the gentlewoman and the doctor have. They are amazed at Lady
Macbeth’s strange behaviour. Her eyes are closed and she is walking without realizing where
she’s going or what she’s doing. Unfortunately, however, we can’t tell that it’s because of her
guilty conscience. Despite its excellent use of bright light contrasted with dim light and dark
shadows, the painting doesn’t really convey the sense of anguish, fear, and terror that the
text describes. Lady Macbeth instead looks almost peaceful in her sleep, which is certainly
not what Shakespeare describes in the play.
If we take Füssli’s painting on the other hand, we notice the painter highlights Lady Macbeth’s fear because the torch she holds illuminates the wide-eyed and terrified expression
on her face. With her arms raised and hand outstretched, Lady Macbeth seems petrified as
she’s surrounded by shadows. We get the impression that perhaps the shadows represent
her fear and guilt.
The black and white portrait and the Füssli portrait both attempt to capture the scene
Shakespeare describes. However, I find that the photograph surpasses them both. Why?
Because it is at the same time both profound and yet very simple. It is a photograph taken
from an actual performance of the play. The photograph captures Lady Macbeth’s anguish
and terror. The contrast between light and dark is quite sharp. Indeed the shadows obscure
the gentlewoman and the doctor and at the same time highlight Lady Macbeth. Apart from
the three actors and the lamp there is nothing else on the stage. This sparse setting draws
our attention directly to Lady Macbeth who is wearing a white dress. White is symbolic of
innocence, which is ironic here since Lady Macbeth imagines that blood covers her hands.
As she kneels in front of the light and raises her hands in front of her face to examine them,
we can see that she is horrified and scared.
YOUR TASK
MANUEL
MANUEL &
& P.P. 185
185
N. B. : la fiche élève, son corrigé, les scripts et les exploitations des extraits se trouvent
dans le livret du DVD-Rom et sur le site compagnon.
& Productions possibles :
Philip Casson’s version:
I watched Philip Casson’s version first and was struck by the heated passion with which the
characters discussed their plans.
Most of the dialogue is shot in extreme close-up, and the background and the actors’ costumes are entirely black with few discernible or meaningful details, creating a dark, sinister
backdrop to the characters’ dialogue. We can see the actors’ skin trembling and hear their
uneven breathing – their fervour is expressed through their body language. Lady Macbeth’s
voice wavers and crackles towards the beginning and then becomes more authoritative and
directive as she announces her plans. The light is low and the shadows darken parts of the
characters’ faces and help to exaggerate small movements.
The viewer can see Lady Macbeth’s hands gripping her husband’s head as if she is trying to
be in command and possess him. When she proposes he leave the details to her, it is as if
she didn’t trust him and wanted to make sure he didn’t get in the way of her plans with his
lack of skill or cunning.
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They seem very focused on one another and the affair with Duncan seems secondary to their
relationship. It is as if doing away with Duncan would above all be serving a purpose in their
marriage. Macbeth seems more interested in his wife than in the scheme, and at the end
when he declares that the decision will be put off until later, it is more as if it were just not a
priority for him at that moment rather than because of any hesitation or disapproval.
Comparison with Jack Gold’s version:
The first thing that I noticed about the scene from Jack Gold’s production was the costumes:
compared to Casson’s version the hair, make-up, jewelry and clothes are more evocative. It
is clearly set in medieval times and though the background is not essential to this scene we
can see that there are indeed props in this production. The lighting suggests that they are
indoors, but is brighter, more even, and less sinister than in Casson’s production.
The lines are delivered more slowly, with longer pauses and more variation in the tones of
voice, suggesting more complex and variable emotions. There seems to be real interaction
between the characters, where each line is a reaction to what the other character has just
said rather than the rapid unfurling of Lady Macbeth’s fervent thoughts and premeditated
plans in Casson’s production.
This Lady Macbeth seems more interested in what is on her husband’s mind and genuinely
curious about his feelings and concerned about his well-being. When she proposes he trust
her with the details, it is as if she is reassuring him so that he can rest at ease. She is much
more composed and less fervent than the Lady Macbeth in Casson’s production. She seems
like his advisor rather than someone with selfish, personal ambitions who is simply using her
husband to attain her own goals.
Macbeth’s brow is furrowed and his mouth is gaping as he paces up and down the stage,
seeming caught up in thought and quite distraught at the prospects his wife is proposing. He is
clearly thinking through all the repercussions and his indecision comes through to the viewer.
Conclusion:
I would rather view Gold’s production because the passion in Casson’s version seems over
the top and the characters’ overwhelming emotions and psychological instabilities seem
quite exaggerated and central to the story. On the other hand, Casson’s interpretation clearly
emphasizes the dark, sinister mood of the play which might leave more of an impression than
Gold’s more neutral version where the characters are portrayed as a bit more rational. I quite
like how Gold’s Macbeth seems paralyzed by indecision, as I think this reflects the inner battle he is fighting – and that any human should fight if confronted with such a situation – more
realistically. Casson’s Macbeth seems less thoughtful in this scene, which is quite disturbing.
SPEAKING CORNER
MANUEL & P. 186-187
& Productions possibles :
A.
The lyrics to the song “The Tell-Tale Heart” by the Alan Parson’s Project were inspired by the
story of the same name by Edgar Alan Poe. The narrator both admits to having murdered “the
old man” (l. 5) and at the same time justifies it by explaining that the man’s eye “Is the eye
of the devil himself” (l. 19).
Both Macbeth and the narrator in the “Tell-Tale Heart” have cruelly killed innocent men. Macbeth begins by killing King Duncan so he may inherit the throne, and the narrator murders the
old man apparently simply because he hates his “vulture’s eye of a cold pale blue” (l. 18). Both
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characters are doomed because resorting to violence for the reasons they have is unjustified
and morally wrong.
Another common theme between the song lyrics and the play is guilt. As we learned in the
extracts in this unit, Lady Macbeth is wracked with guilt for having committed the murders,
and the narrator of this song finds himself terrified by what he has done and his eyes are
“white and cold with fear” (l. 15). It is he himself who is admitting his crime throughout the
song, all the while promising that “he won’t be found at all” (l. 9) just as it is Lady Macbeth
herself who speaks the self-condemning soliloquy that the doctor and her gentlewoman hear.
At the end of the song, the narrator begs to be freed from his guilt, “I can’t go on / Let me
be free” (l. 22-23) which is manifested by the imaginary heartbeat that he continues to hear
pounding long after the murder.
In Shakespeare’s play, Macbeth and his wife suffer from hallucinations on several occasions,
and this habit gives away their mental instability to the audience. In the story as well, the narrator begins by seeming perfectly coherent in his description of what has happened but when
he says “let the silence drown the beating of his heart” (l. 21) we discover that he continues
to hear the dead man’s heart beating long after his death and we understand that in fact the
narrator is really mad.
B.
I saw The Iron Lady, which is a film about Margaret Thatcher, who was the longest serving
British Prime Minister of the 20th century. The film alternates between scenes of her in her
old age, weakened, mentally unsound and powerless, and a chronological biography of her
political career, beginning before she went to university.
The film recounts her impressive and unlikely rise to power: from her start as a working-class
grocer’s daughter she gradually gained support in progressively larger and more important
circles until she finally won her party’s vote and held the ultimate position of power in her
nation and became an important player in world politics.
The contrast between her extremely powerful past self and her completely reduced elderly
self is striking. In her old age she suffers from dementia, is no longer recognized when she
goes out in public and must have most of her life managed by others in order to survive. It is
stirring to see someone who was once so powerful now afflicted by hallucinations and conversations with her dead husband.
The film also documents the effects that her successful career had on her personal life. Her
husband never seemed to fully embrace his role as the Prime Minister’s spouse – a role
always held before and since by women. In her old age Thatcher is shown to have distant,
cold relationships with her adult children, which demonstrates that she certainly wasn’t very
present or supportive as a parent during their childhoods.
To conclude, I would say that the film reveals how gaining and maintaining the highest political
power in a major nation for over a decade does not necessarily lead to happiness. Wielding
great power must be deeply personally satisfying on many levels, but it does not necessarily make one’s life balanced or complete. Margaret Thatcher’s political career is extremely
remarkable, but in the end she remains an imperfect human like the rest of us.
C.
These three posters advertise various productions of Macbeth. The one at the top could be
from a theatre production of the play. The one on the left is a film poster from the release
of Roman Polanski’s production in the 1970s. On the right is the most modern of the three
posters, from a 2006 Australian film.
The one at the top is the simplest: the mostly black poster has nothing more than the title
and the playwright’s name written in white gothic letters above a skull turning into a crown
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floating in the starry night sky. Compared to the others, I quite like its straightforward black
and white design and the morose tone it conveys.
Polanski’s film poster is much busier, with a cluster of drawings supposedly adapted from still
frames of the movie on the left, lending it the distinct look of many 1970s film posters. The
dominant images are two hands: a huge left hand reaching up and clenching a downwards
pointing dagger, as if about to strike, and a smaller right hand reaching out of the picture for
the crown at its fingertips. A closer look reveals that the hand reaching for the crown is that
of a man lying on his back – probably Macbeth – being kissed by a woman kneeling over
him. If we imagine that the left hand is also Macbeth’s, it may suggest he is about to commit
suicide. Though in the play his actual death wasn’t a suicide, symbolically it is as if he were
solely responsible for bringing on his own demise by killing so many of the other characters.
All the actors are clothed in period costumes, suggesting that the film is set in the past. The
background is a solid, striking purple, a color which symbolizes royalty – in this case the crown
of Scotland. This poster is by far the most visually complex due to the carefully arranged
collage.
The modern film poster is also a patchwork of images from the film, but the picture is entirely
in black and white with the main characters looming above the viewer in the foreground and
some other images from the film arranged around them in the background. As in the Polanski
poster, the viewer can immediately guess the time period – we know it must be set in the
present as we can see skyscrapers. The massive full moon above gives the atmosphere a
gloomy feeling and the low-angle shot makes the characters look dangerous. They are standing back-to-back gazing fearfully into the distance above them. There are also two gothic
elements: an angel statue on the left and a gravestone on the bottom right-hand corner. The
quote at the bottom suggests that the original dialogue is used.
All three posters relay brutal violence, so someone unfamiliar with the story would immediately
expect an extremely violent production. In the modern film poster the Macbeth character is
holding an absurdly frightening machine gun in each hand, whereas in Polanski’s version,
which is set in the past, the giant dagger dominates the picture. And the skull-crown of the
top poster is chillingly morbid, simply relaying the idea that death and the crown are somehow
intricately related in this story.
PROLONGEMENT POSSIBLE À L’UNITÉ
> Évaluation sommative de POI (p. 391 de ce Fichier)
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UNIT
13
DIXIELAND
& Lieux et formes du pouvoir & Espaces et échanges
Tâche finale (p. 201) : You are planning a gap year in Louisiana to do volunteer
work. Write a letter to explain your motivations.
Activités
langagières
Tune in!
(p. 192-193)
1. Jazz it up!
(p. 194-195)
2. Solidarity
in chaos
(p. 196-197)
3. Oil spill
(p. 198)
Contenus
Prolongements
tâches / aides
PPC
– Réagir à une publicité
touristique
– Acquérir le lexique lié aux
particularités de la Louisiane
CE
Repérer des informations
clé sur la Louisiane
PE
Préparer un questionnaire écrit
CE
Sélectionner des lieux de visites
POI
Argumenter et convaincre
– Enrichir sa prise de parole (p. 242-243)
– Language at work : L’expression
du futur (p. 199)
CE
Comprendre un poème
Fiche Workbook
CO
Comprendre un
enregistrement authentique
– Comprendre un message oral
(p. 238-239)
– Fiches et corrigés sur le site
compagnon
CE /
PPC
– Faire une recherche Internet
– Rendre compte des
informations collectées
Enrichir sa prise de parole (p. 242-243)
PE
Concours d’écriture
sur le thème de la musique
Rédiger un essai argumentatif
(p. 236-237)
PPC
– Réagir à une photo
– Faire une recherche Internet
Commenter un document visuel
(p. 240-241)
CE
Lire un article de presse
Fiche Workbook
PE
Écrire un discours
Rédiger un essai argumentatif
(p. 236-237)
PPC
Faire un bulletin d’information
ou un reportage radio
Enrichir sa prise de parole
(p. 242-243)
PE
Rédiger un texte argumentatif
– Rédiger un texte (p. 234-237)
– Improve your writing skills (p. 200)
PPC
Faire un compte rendu
de recherches Internet
Build up your vocabulary (p. 199)
POI
Réagir à deux dessins
humoristiques
– Commenter un document visuel
(p. 240-241)
– Enrichir sa prise de parole (p. 242-243)
Commenter un document visuel
(p. 240-241)
Rédiger un texte (p. 234-237)
L’activité langagière principale de cette unité est la PE (production écrite).
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TUNE IN!
MANUEL & P. 192-193
1. React to this poster
> Mise en œuvre :
- L’image d’ouverture a pour but de lancer la thématique et de faire réagir les élèves. La
photo du Tune in est une publicité de l’office du tourisme de Louisiane.
- Démarche proposée : observer l’image et demander aux élèves de répondre aux questions. On conseillera aux élèves de consulter les pages « Commenter un document visuel »,
p. 240-241.
& Productions possibles :
a.
What immediately strikes me is the colour of the poster. I can’t help noticing how green the
landscape is. There is so much shrubbery and even the swampy water is green and even the
text is highlighted in green.
b.
The slogan is “Louisiana, pick your passion”. It is advertising a cultural trip to Louisiana, USA,
perhaps involving environmental conservation work and targeting young people who care about
the future of the environment and have the time and funds to do their bit to help.
c.
The three phrases read “A lazy current”, “The seductive howl of an accordion” and “A splash
too loud to be a fish”. The layout of these phrases underlines their key role in the advertising
campaign. They give the impression that the environment in Louisiana is very relaxed and the
pace of life is very slow-moving. It is something that draws you in by all your senses; luring
you like a siren. The final phrase drips with mystery, making you wonder what it means and
long to make the discovery.
2. Fast facts about Louisiana
& Productions possibles :
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
What is Louisiana’s motto?
What is the State flower of Louisiana?
What is the nickname for the State of Louisiana?
Which raw materials are produced in Louisiana?
What industry is famous in Louisiana?
What mode of transport is popular to access Louisiana?
Which ethnic groups live in Louisiana?
Which river runs in Louisiana, and can you spell it?
Which colony did the State of Louisiana belong to?
What famous festival does Louisiana host?
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3. Come as you are, leave different!
> Mise en œuvre :
- Le travail de recherche peut se faire à la maison ou en salle multimédia. Le compte rendu
pourra prendre la forme d’une prise de parole en continu, individuelle ou en groupes. On
peut aussi demander aux élèves d’écrire un article pour un guide touristique et de l’illustrer
avec une sélection de photos.
- Avant de commencer, certaines classes devraient lire les pages 242-243 : « Enrichir sa
prise de parole » pour se préparer à la PPC.
- Lors du passage devant la classe, les élèves n’auront que quelques mots porteurs sous
les yeux. Pas de phrases complètes. Les plus timides peuvent aussi se filmer en dehors
de la classe et apporter leur clé USB en cours. Toute la classe pourra prendre en charge
l’évaluation. On divisera les élèves qui écoutent en plusieurs groupes avec une mission :
• tâche d’écoute et de repérage des erreurs de lexique, prononciation, et grammaire.
• commentaires de ce qui est dit.
• secrétaires de séance qui prennent des notes et peuvent faire un compte rendu oral ou écrit.
& Productions possibles :
a.
Mardi Gras is a famous festival celebrated annually in New Orleans. It originates from a festival
in Paris where it had been celebrated since the Middle Ages. A French explorer called Iberville
was exploring the Mississippi River with his men when they arrived near the spot where the
festival is held today. Knowing that it was a French bank holiday, he christened the area “Point
du Mardi Gras”.
However, the tradition of the Mardi Gras festival stems from a festival that existed many years
beforehand. Some say that it evolved from an ancient tribal ritual of fertility that welcomed
the arrival of Spring. It was incorporated into the Christian celebrations so as to encourage
the existing Pagan ritual into the build-up to the period of Lent and allow the two contrasting
traditions of Paganism and Christianity to collaborate to some extent. However, the Mardi
Gras festival has also encountered its problems in the form of social unrest. In the 1700s
under French rule, the tradition of masked balls was extremely popular, but the new Spanish
authorities did not take to it, and so a public ban was enforced which was maintained by later
American authorities. However, this ban was later revoked when the Creoles took charge.
Later on in the 1900s, violence erupted amongst the masked revelers and so the ban was reinstated. This eventually brought an end to the festivities, but once again it was only temporary.
A group came forward and revived the Mardi Gras celebrations and promoted it as a safe and
friendly celebration rather than a hub of violence and crime. From this point the celebrations
took on the festival theme with floats, parades and elaborate costumes.
Ever since, Mardi Gras has played an important role in the incorporation of different cultures
within American society. It has become a way of bringing communities together and promoting a sense of togetherness. Today the festival is one of the most vibrant and exciting street
festivals, with similar smaller versions held around the world. There are still some issues
surrounding the festival in terms of funding and privatisation but it still exists as a vivacious
carnival – often happening all year round!
The key feature of the Mardi Gras celebrations is the figure of Rex. He reigns over the carnival with his queen and several maids and dukes. He is elected every year as a symbol of the
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community and rules over the festivities with the Rex Flag waving. The flag has an image of a
crown in the centre, and the colour scheme is purple, green and gold; representing justice,
faith and power. It has become the most iconic feature of the Mardi Gras carnival and functions not only to mark tradition but also to entertain the many revelers who flock to take part
in the celebrations every year.
b.
I would undoubtedly attend the Mardi Gras carnival because it is one of the most celebrated
festivals in the world. It is vibrant, exciting, colourful and really one of the must-see attractions
of the city.
I’d love to see the New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park because New Orleans is the
birthplace of jazz so it is an apt place to explore this musical genre. It would be incredible to
spend an evening in an authentic jazz bar in New Orleans where the style first came to light.
I’d also visit Royal Street because it is the most elegant part of the city and also the most
beautiful. It is in the French Quarter of the area and so resembles French architecture. Apparently the buildings are laced with ornate balconies just like those in Paris. I would go to a
bar and taste a Hurricane cocktail. New Orleans claims that cocktails were invented here and
this is the most famous one from New Orleans. It is a perfect blend of sweet and tart flavours
and garnished with orange and cherry. It gets its name from the shape of the glass.
I would also go on a plantation tour to get a real feel for the city’s heritage. I feel this is something people should learn about and be aware of as it is a hugely significant part of America’s
history.
1. JAZZ IT UP!
MANUEL & P. 194-195
> Mise en œuvre :
- Les illustrations p. 194-195 peuvent donner lieu à un travail d’anticipation sur la musique
et ce qu’elle évoque chez les élèves.
- Bansky a peint 12 fresques murales à la Nouvelle-Orléans en commémoration de l’ouragan
Katrina. Ils peuvent faire l’objet d’une étude plus ciblée en lien avec les pages 196-197 du
manuel.
- On conseillera aux élèves de consulter les pages « Commenter un document visuel »,
p. 240-241.
- Le texte de la page 194 est disponible en version enregistrée sur le site compagnon.
1. Find the key information
& Productions possibles :
This poem praises the beauty and timelessness of music and its influential power both in the
poet’s life and in the lives of others. He talks of its power to soothe, to inspire revolution or
war, or to simply raise morale and brighten up your day, and all in all the importance of music
in every aspect of life. He believes he personally would be nothing if it were not for music.
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CORRIGÉ DE LA FICHE DU WORKBOOK (P. 79)
1
a. “drumming” (l. 8) + “drums” (l. 22) b. “storm” (l. 9) c. “warrior” (l. 23)
2
Pleasant natural sounds: “cicadas in the tropical night” (l. 4) + “the sea is music” (l. 5)
+ “the wind is music” (l. 6) Discordant natural sounds: “the rain drumming on the roof”
(l. 8) + “the storm raging in the sky” (l. 9)
3
a) - infancy: “A baby is born, and music puts him to sleep.” (l. 14) + “He can’t read, he
can’t understand a picture, / But he will listen to music.” (l. 15-16)
- adulthood: “Music is marriage.” (l. 17) - old age: “Music is death.” (l. 18)
b) “It is the ‘esperanto’ of the world.” (l. 20)
4
Fighting: “Music [...] leads you to war” (l. 21) + “The Romans used to have drums rolling
before they attacked.” (l. 22) + “We have the bugle to sound reveille and pay homage to
the brave warrior.” (l. 23) + “The Marseillaise has led many generations to victories or
revolutions” (l. 24) Spirituality: “Music is eternal, / Music is divine. / You pray to your
God with music.” (l. 26-28)
5
different states of mind / emotions ( “moods” (l. 29) • calm / soothed ( “subdue” (l. 30)
• hypnotized ( “subjugate” (l. 31) • tiredness ( “exhaust” (l. 31) • astonished / stunned (
“astound the heart” (l. 31) • eternal ( “evergreen”, “durable” (l. 33) • honoured ( “honor”
(l. 34) • proud ( “pride” (l. 34) • complete, alive ( “Without music I may feel blind, atrophied, incomplete, inexistent.” (l. 36)
ACTION!
We are surrounded by music, as it is part of our natural environment. It is present in our
lives from birth to death. / Music is present throughout life. Music can convey the essential qualities that represent a nation, a country. Music helps us face adversity when
our country is at war, for example. It is part and parcel of some people’s faith / religious
beliefs, people often pray to God with music. It affects our moods. Music is eternal and
universal and it helps us open up to other cultures or other people. As Duke Ellington
points out, we cannot feel complete or fully alive without music. Being deprived of music
would be a terrible loss for us.
2. Summarize the text
& Productions possibles :
a.
This man is the father of the musical genre “jazz”, but he would not refer to his music by this
name. In line with what Wynton Marsalis once said, that Ellington’s “music sounds like America,”
Ellington would simply call it “American music”. As both a band leader and a composer, he
gave American music its own sound for the first time; a sound that still reaches millions all
over the world, not just in the States.
b.
According to him, music is natural since it occurs in the simplest moments: the waves roll,
the wind rustles the leaves on the trees, and the rain pitter patters on the roof or the storm
rages overhead. Music evokes an idea of culture and heritage depending on its genre. Music
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inspires emotional responses and has the power to influence great battles, or simply sends
you to sleep. He speaks about the timelessness of music and its ability to touch the hearts of
everyone who hears it. Music keeps your heart beating like the sound of a drum.
c.
Music is essential in this man’s life because music allows his heart to beat along to the rhythm
of life. It is part of his identity, and so it influences everything he does and feels in each aspect of life, which is why he can no longer be without it. He hears music in the sounds nature
makes, he hears it when people pray to their God, he hears it when someone sings a child to
sleep and also through the drums of war.
3. New Orleans jazzmen
> Mise en œuvre :
- Pour une classe plus faible, nous proposons des fiches de compréhension orale pour les
enregistrements sur Louis Armstrong et Sidney Bechet (voir site compagnon).
- Le site compagnon renvoie à des sites utiles pour une étude plus spécifique de la musique
à la Nouvelle-Orléans.
> Script de l’enregistrement (CD 3, plage 23)
Louis Armstrong: 1901-1971. Coronetist, trumpeter and vocalist Louis Armstrong was the
first superstar of jazz; a creative genius whose “Hot Five” and “Hot Seven” recordings in the
1920s took jazz beyond the New Orleans style of ensemble playing to become a soloist art
form. Known as “Pops” to musicians, and “Satchmo” to his fans, Louis Armstrong brought
an unequalled joy to his jazz performances, uniting artist and entertainer in a single musical
personality that won an international audience for jazz. In 1949 Louis Armstrong was honored
as “King Zulu” during Mardi Gras, and was the first jazz musician to appear on the cover of
Time magazine. Louis Armstrong was an American cultural icon with hit recordings in every
decade of his career from “West End Blues” and “Ain’t Misbehavin” in the 1920s, to “Hello
Dolly” and “What a Wonderful World” in the 1960s.
> Script de l’enregistrement (CD 3, plage 24)
Part 1
Clarinetist and soprano saxophonist Sidney Bechet was the first jazz musician to gain
recognition a distinctive soloist’s voice. While in London in 1919 with the Southern
Syncopated Orchestra, he attracted the attention of the Swiss conductor Ernst Ansermet,
who described him as an artist of genius who follows his own way. Bechet was one of the
first American jazz expatriates living in France during much of the 1920s and again in the
1950s, when he became a French jazz hero, ranking in popularity with Maurice Chevalier
and Édith Piaf. 1’03’’
Part 2
Sidney Bechet’s recording career began with Clarence Williams’ Blue Five in 1923. In 1932
he recorded as a leader with The New Orleans Feet Warmers with trumpeter Tommy Ladnier.
In 1939 his recording of “Summertime” became a hit, after which he spent many years collaborating with jazz stars such as Louis Armstrong, Mugsy Spanier and Earl Hines. Sidney
Bechet is remembered today not only for his passion, technical virtuosity and inventive spirit,
but also as a jazz pioneer whose influence was truly international.
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& Productions possibles :
a.
Both Sidney Bechet and Louis Armstrong were born in New Orleans at the turn of the 20th
century. They died in their sixties. Both were wonderful jazz musicians and could play several
instruments perfectly. The two men played duets. Both had an international career.
Armstrong was an influential singer renowned for his deep, gravelly voice whereas Bechet
was a composer. Not until the late 1940s did Bechet gain wide notice because of his erratic
temperament, which hampered his career. On the contrary, Louis Armstrong was very charismatic and came to prominence in the early 1920s.
c.
I much prefer the lyrics of What a Wonderful World because this song enables you to strip
away all the stress of modern day life and remember the simple things that really matter. The
slow, steady tempo and the soothing tones of Louis Armstrong make it impossible to stress
out any longer, so you instantly sink into your chair and take a deep calming breath. The lyrics
are simple but they are effective. In the rush of everyday life you forget how beautiful the trees
are or how white clouds are in the sky. You forget how people interact and share a smile, and
it is these little moments that make you pause and reflect and realise there is more to life
than all the superficial things people worry about nowadays like what type of car you own or
how many useless things your mobile phone can do. This song is about what truly matters.
4. Writing workshop
& Productions possibles :
For me personally, music can mean many things and plays a major role in many aspects of
life.
Firstly, I would say that music is a vital part of life in the sense that many people use music to
lift their mood and forget their worries if something is on their mind. I listen to my MP3 player
on my way to school, or as I exercise, or when I am doing the housework, just as a hobby.
It works as a soundtrack to my daily routine, just to break the monotony of something I am
accustomed to doing, and passes the time.
Another aspect of what music means to me is the memories a certain song might hold. I can
listen to a song and remember who I was with when I last heard it; I can think about the lyrics
and relate it to a person or situation and it allows me to relive that moment, or it feels like
someone understands how you feel about a certain situation. For example, my sister plays
the violin and she often performs at family gatherings. When I hear her play, I am reminded of
time spent with my family. In that way, music is very comforting.
Alternatively, and on a more materialistic level, music provides an influential marketing strategy. A theme tune, a musical slogan, or a simple jingle all become imprinted in your memory
and you begin to associate certain brands with particular tunes. Once you hear the tune, you
automatically think of the product it advertises.
In conclusion, music holds a lot of power over us. Depending on the beat or a melody, music
triggers certain emotions or memories, so it really is influential. It lives within us. After all, our
hearts beat to the rhythm of life!
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2. SOLIDARITY IN CHAOS
MANUEL & P. 196-197
1. Under water!
> Mise en œuvre :
- Avec des élèves « moyens » ou en difficulté, on se reportera à la fiche de compréhension
écrite du Workbook.
- Avec des élèves plus solides, on divisera la classe en plusieurs groupes qui se concentreront
sur certains thèmes : the Lower 9th Ward, the Bush administration, solidarity, the spiritual
characteristics of New Orleans. On leur demandera de repérer les mots clés et d’établir les
liens entre ces différents mots pour reconstituer le sens du texte.
- Les élèves mettront ensuite en commun le résultat de leurs différentes recherches.
& Productions possibles :
a.
b.
c.
These two images demonstrate the destruction left behind in the aftermath of hurricane Katrina. The first image shows us the destruction of people’s lives and the desperation they felt
as they appealed for aid. The second one shows the physical destruction of the landscape
and people’s homes.
Yes, I have heard of hurricane Katrina. I remember watching the media coverage on the news
channels as the events unfolded. It happened on 29th August 2005. An enormous hurricane
known as hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Region of the United States. It affected the States
of Mississippi and Louisiana but the area worst hit was New Orleans, Louisiana. It was an
incredibly strong storm, with tropical storm-force winds reaching 230 miles from the eye of
the storm. The devastation was horrendous, and it is thought that this was one of the worst
natural disasters to have ever hit the United States.
Hurricane Katrina affected the American States of Mississippi and Louisiana, and particularly
the area of New Orleans, Louisiana. The date was 29th August 2005, and the death toll reached
over one thousand eight hundred people. It was the largest hurricane in history of such strength
to approach the United States. It had a devastating impact on the surrounding area up to 100
miles from the eye of the storm and winds raging 230 miles away. The hurricane cost up to
$75 billion in estimated damage. Several local industries were affected including oil, gas and
forest industries. Hundreds of thousands of residents were left unemployed, which had an
effect on the taxes paid back to the government, not to mention the extensive number of
homes and lives destroyed by Katrina. Years on, the relief effort still continues and people
are still only just beginning to return to their hometown.
2. I stand by you
CORRIGÉ DE LA FICHE DU WORKBOOK (P. 80-81)
1
b) One of the neighborhoods inundated by Katrina, poor, mostly black, edge of the city
isolated and imperiled by two man-made canals.
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2
taxi driver
3
He was sent away and had to leave because of the flood
4
Who?
How many?
volunteers
5
Reconstruction
1 million
gut houses, rebuilt, stand in solidarity
a) administration
b)
Who was responsible?
the Bush
administration
Criticism
- incompetence
- racism
Consequences
- turned the city into a prison
- Supplies were not allowed in.
- People were not allowed out.
- The crisis endured.
c)
Website to contact
hurricanehousing.org
Volunteers
How
many?
200,000
What?
Who? (status, ethnic
group)
white people who had
a home
shelter evacuees,
working in the
city
6
Millions of volunteers, mostly white, helped either by offering a shelter or by building the
devastated neighborhood again.
7
journalist
8
Who?
Where?
- passionate
young activists
- Brad Pitt’s
organization
9
- Lower Ninth
lowlands
- St Claude
Avenue
What has been built?
- solar-powered homes
- built on stilts
- new businesses
Consequences
- Children play
again.
- New businesses
have opened.
a)
Officials
Who?
- government
- media
Reaction:
fear
People
Qualities:
- altruistic
- resourceful
- constructive
Possible role:
- community kitchen
- clinics
- neighborhood councils
- network of volunteers
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b) The authorities were paralyzed with fear but people took control and stood by one
another and organized help.
10
deep roots, a sense of culture, social ties, church, festival
11
a) dedication, will, solidarity, love
b) These values enable the victims to survive and face hardships. Key word: survival.
12
optimistic
ACTION!
- The article focuses on a taxi driver who takes the journalist back to where he used to
live in New Orleans. It took his family many years to overcome fear and hardships and
eventually come back. Then the article deals both with the victims and the volunteers who
came to the rescue.
- The text concentrates on the Lower Ninth Ward, one of the neighborhoods flooded by
Katrina. It is one of the poorest areas inhabited by a mostly black population. It is located
at the edge of the city, isolated and threatened by two canals. The Lower Ninth Ward is
the place where the hurricane hit the hardest.
- Even if / Though the government was ineffective, many Americans decided not to stand
by and became involved. Some offered a shelter to the homeless, others were willing
to contribute to the cleaning or rebuilding effort and to help the population left stranded
by a powerless Bush administration. These selfless and enterprising volunteers refused
to let ordinary people fend for themselves and worked miracles. New houses were built,
shops and businesses reopened, communities started anew.
- I find the tone of this text quite optimistic because it reveals that people don’t give up.
They are ready to struggle and stand by defenseless victims regardless of wealth, race
or origin. The key values of the conclusion are dedication, will, love, resilience, creativity,
and solidarity.
Objectif
j f
This article particularly illustrates the idea of power because the official power of the local
government appeared to be inefficient while a new power was born, that of the people
standing by one another. This new power could make miracles come true and helped the
devastated citizens stand proud again. It also illustrates the notion of exchanges because
the inhabitants of New Orleans Lower 9th District were sheltered by volunteers sometimes
miles away from the city, often in neighboring states. White volunteers from other areas
came in and worked alongside the victims.
& Productions possibles :
b.
- The scene is set five years after Hurricane Katrina devastated the whole area, so it is not
directly in the aftermath of the disaster. The journalist can assess the progress made and the
work still to be done.
- In the first photo there is a man with a sign asking for help. He looks defenseless and at a
loss. The words are shocking and expose the harsh reality. They denounce the Bush administration’s inability to act. The second paragraph of the article recalls the situation. The second
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photo shows houses under water and streets which have vanished, totally flooded. The first
paragraph of the text tells of the dramatic flooding which destroyed so many houses and
compelled many homeless inhabitants to leave. Brad Pitt is on one of the many building sites
of his association Make It Right, in the third photo. He is referred to in the fourth paragraph.
Indeed, his determined and courageous action to make a difference in Louisiana has become
well-known.
- This article focuses on the people affected by hurricane Katrina and the way in which they
have begun to rebuild their homes and community. The scene set by the author is one of a
resilient community reacting against the neglect of the American government with regards to
the aid received during the catastrophe. It shows the community is stronger as a result of the
catastrophe despite the fact that they did not receive sufficient aid at the time.
- On the whole, it is an optimistic article. It starts off being pessimistic when it focuses on the
racial elements in the way the disaster was dealt with. It is fair to say that these pessimistic
undertones continue throughout the article, but only to serve the purpose of emphasizing the
overall optimism of the citizens of New Orleans, who have already succeeded in rebuilding
some homes. They have faced all adversity and have come out the other side with smiles on
their faces.
3. Speech writer
All right, listen up everybody. Look at the state of New Orleans! Look at what Katrina has done:
the hurricane has ripped through the heart of this community and torn it apart at the seams.
Hurricane force winds have destroyed homes and lives. Water has risen beyond the rooftops
and there is no electricity and there is no food or water to feed the people stranded out there.
They have nothing left. This is where you come in. This is your opportunity to do your part for
the community. We need to pull together and help these people as much as we possibly can.
There are men, women and children alike who are desperate for your help. Stand up and be
counted. They need you right now and there is no time to waste. Take their survival spirit as
inspiration and make a difference now, people. Even if it’s just a dollar or two; even if it’s just
a quarter, every cent will help rescue these people from destitution and go towards getting
the help they need in these desperate times. Don’t ignore them. They’re crying out to each
and every one of you. Open your hearts, America.
4. News report
Good morning folks! Today our topic of discussion is the devastation that hit New Orleans a
few years ago. I’m sure you remember where you were when you received news about the
approaching hurricane Katrina, and those infamous satellite images of the eye of the storm
making its way over to the Gulf Coast of the United States.
So, here we are, a few years on to revisit the events that unfolded after Katrina struck. What
were the effects? Well, if we’re talking facts and figures: Katrina caused 80% of New Orleans
to be submerged in water from the burst levees. About 20% of New Orleans’ 500,000 inhabitants were trapped without food, water or electricity and were stranded on their rooftops
for days because of a lack of organised rescue attempts. The place became a cesspit for
disease because of the corpses and sewage that were not properly removed from the area.
Some people that made it to the Superdrome, which acted as the city’s emergency shelter,
were welcomed only by sweltering and cramped conditions and a severe lack of aid workers,
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because many simply walked out and abandoned their duties. At the second relief centre,
gangs terrorised people with guns and other weapons. Pure chaos had hit New Orleans.
So, what was being done about it? Very little, apparently. The Bush administration was appalling. Not enough aid was being sent out to them. They had no choice but to wait for help
as water swelled around them and flooded their homes, but this help came almost too late.
But what was the problem? Why did it take so long? In fact, it took Bush four days to briefly
visit the site of Katrina’s devastation. He apparently claimed that he didn’t think anyone had
anticipated the breach of the levees, so he was obviously completely out of touch with what
was happening at the time. The Department of Homeland Security and the FEMA responded
more slowly than the average television viewer, as their response came to light after the pictures were broadcast on television to the rest of the world. There were no measures in place
whatsoever to deal with either crime or transportation out of the disaster zone, so chaos was
inevitable. Many people claimed that the lack of assistance received by the predominantly
African-American community of New Orleans was linked to racial issues. Consequently a lot
of people became very angry and resentful and America’s controversial past reared its ugly
head. It was a time of great civil unrest amongst the New Orleanians and with good reason.
When the New Orleanians did eventually receive aid, it still wasn’t enough. President Bush had
promised to stage the biggest clean-up operation the world had ever seen in order to repair
the damage Katrina caused, but one year on, New Orleans was still in a state of disrepair.
Electricity had only been restored to 60% of the city, and many African-American citizens
were unable to return to their hometown of New Orleans because there were neither homes
nor jobs waiting for them upon their return. Their lives had been completely destroyed and
yet nothing was being done. The population had halved since the storm had hit and there was
no real sign of a quick fix.
So, New Orleanians are still rebuilding their city, slowly but surely. There are a lot of organisations out there that still allow you to donate money to the cause, but there are also claims
that not all of the international aid was distributed to the victims of Hurricane Katrina... some
say due to a lack of organisation, others say because of the fact that the majority of New
Orleanians were African-American, and so there were issues of racism embedded in the dire
lack of emergency aid sent out to Katrina’s victims.
There are a lot of unanswered questions surrounding the way in which the US government
reacted to the disaster that struck New Orleans, but let’s just hope that one day, all questions
will be answered.
5. Writing workshop
This quotation originates from the patriotic ballad The Liberty Song by John Dickinson during
the American Revolution in 1768.
The first part of the quote reads “United We Stand”. This is a reference to the United States of
America and the modern concept born after the Revolution. The second part of the quotation
refers to the way in which the United States of America would crumble and fall from power if
it were to become divided. The quotation therefore symbolises the importance of the unity of
the States in order for the country to continue to stand strong.
In terms of modern usage, this quote appears in several different forms. It was used during the
American Civil War to rally people together in trying times when there were little jobs around
and people were struggling financially. It was used as a slogan to encourage people to come
together in the fight for better working conditions.
The slogan was also used during World War II when it not only referred to the United States
304 •
U N IT 13
of America, but also to the united Allies. It therefore extended its power and significance to
the wider world and not just the American citizens.
Finally, the slogan was re-used in the aftermath of the more recent terrorist attacks that occurred on 11th September 2001. The phrase was used to encourage the nation’s patriotism
and unite Americans against the threat of terrorism that still threatens the Western world
today.
This quotation therefore holds a lot of significance not only to Americans but to the Allies as
well. It has such a powerful meaning that it can be applied to many trying situations to encourage success and inspire solidarity.
3. OIL SPILL
MANUEL & P. 198
1. Get ready
> Mise en œuvre :
Le travail de recherche peut se faire à la maison ou en salle multimédia. Le compte rendu
pourra prendre la forme d’une prise de parole en continu, individuelle ou en groupes. On
peut aussi demander aux élèves d’écrire un article de presse et de l’illustrer d’une photo
choc.
& Productions possibles :
a.b. The oil spill that occurred in April 2010 was an enormous disaster that had a devastating impact
on the environment and on the economy.
It was triggered by an explosion on 20th April 2010, which sparked a sequence of devastating
events, including a large-scale oil leak that spread for miles and was declared one of the biggest oil spills in history; a disaster Obama compared to being similar in scale to 9/11. It took
over a month for the process of blocking the hole in the oil rig to start, after several revelations
and many fingers being pointed and the blame being put on different people. Two months after
the explosion a hurricane hit the area and made the struggling clean-up efforts even more
difficult. Several further revelations were made with regards to whose fault the leak was and
there were many scandals along the way, but the site was eventually declared safe on 20th
September 2010, five months after the initial explosion.
2. Group work
> Mise en œuvre :
- Le professeur pourra diviser la classe en groupes qui prendront en charge une des deux
images. Chaque groupe présentera son travail à l’autre.
- Avec une classe plus fragile, on pourra faire travailler le lexique du Build up your vocabulary,
p. 199, qui se rattache directement au thème de la marée noire et complète le Help! en bas
de la p. 198.
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13
DIXIELAND
& Productions possibles :
Cartoon 1: This cartoon shows a beach scene with the oil rig in the background, the spilled
oil washing up on the shore and an angry man traipsing oil along the beach. There is a sign in
the background that reads “Off-shore oil” with the word “off” crossed out by the man, who
is holding a paint brush. According to this cartoon, the consequences of these disasters are
environmental. The man is obviously up in arms about these environmental issues, as his facial
expression shows. He has even used the oil as ink to cross out the word “off” on the sign in
protest against the way in which the oil spill has ruined the beautiful coastal landscape and
killed the fish and birds which are visibly slicked in oil and lying on the shore. The artist’s goals
are to highlight the public anger against the environmental consequences of the oil spill. He
does this by illustrating an act of civilian protest as well as demonstrating the environmental
effects of the disaster that have clearly got out of hand. I therefore find this image to be very
effective, as it is clear and straight to the point. There is no doubt as to the artist’s aim in
drawing this cartoon and so I believe it to be a very effective image.
Cartoon 2: This cartoon shows a powerless Uncle Sam standing knee-deep in the ocean holding a bird dripping in oil, with the exploding oil rig in the background. Uncle Sam looks forlorn
as he holds the innocent bird, which is quoted as saying “Now that is what I call terrorism.”
This is obviously a reference to Obama’s comparison between the 9/11 terrorist attacks and
the oil spill of April 2010. According to this cartoon, the consequences of these disasters are
environmental and are damaging to America’s coastline and animal populations. The artist is
deliberately using Uncle Sam to demonstrate America’s sadness in the aftermath of the disaster, and perhaps highlighting the fact that it was a British company which was responsible for
the disaster. The British company BP irresponsibly drilled oil close to the American coastline.
LANGUAGE AT WORK
MANUEL & P. 199
1
a. He’ll be able to help the elderly through this charity.
b. As soon as I get to / arrive in New Orleans I’ll go to a club to listen to some jazz.
c. By next year the Brad Pitt association will have built fifty houses.
d. Louisiana is going to remain polluted for years.
e. He is very likely to come back and play in New Orleans.
f. I hope the levees have been repaired / fixed when you come back to Louisiana. / I hope
that when you come back to Louisiana the levees have been repaired / fixed.
2
joining join • will arrive • I will spent spend • we’ll can be able to help • it will be tiring • we
must will have to work • While I’ll stay • I improve will improve • it is going to help
3
As soon as Ike strikes, volunteers will have to act according to the scale of the devastation,
however we hope to have been able to prepare for the worst before it has hit. Obviously while
the storm rapidly approaches we may be able to evaluate how to best deal with the situation
at hand but it is always unpredictable and anything can happen. We are therefore likely to
need as many volunteers as we can possibly find to work alongside us both while the storm
is hitting and after, when people are dealing with the aftermath. We may even have to recruit
more volunteers after Ike begins moving north.
306 •
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Build up your vocabulary
Natural
Events: flood - hurricane - torrential rains
Consequences: (rivers) overflow (their banks) - levees (break) - (flood waters) surge - (high /
heavy) death toll - damage - wreak havoc - cause serious damage - explode - endangered species
People’s reactions: (rescue teams) search for victims / rescue (survivers) - blame sb for
sth - hold sb responsible for sth - search for victims - strike the coastline
Man-made
Industry: oil spill / oil slick - explode
Impact: (the spill) strikes the coastline - (shores are) oil-polluted - (need for) dispersant
- environmental damage - wildlife (is endangered) - (several species are) endangered
Feelings: appalled - desperate - downhearted - hold (the oil companies) responsible for (the
spill) - blame (the authorities) for sth / V-ING - mad at (the oil companies) - resentful towards
(those responsible)
IMPROVE
YOUR WRITING SKILLS
1
MANUEL & P. 200
a. The article is going to deal with a scheme that allows gap year volunteers to build houses
in Louisiana and also to work in Denver in a Youth Service Project, specifically helping young
people.
b. La durée moyenne d’une mission : two months • Les activités mentionnées : meeting different people - using tools safely - painting a door - cutting wood planks - helping professionals
• Les compétences nécessaires : sociable - friendly - using tools safely - physical strength
- professionalism
2
– am the perfect fit for the job • reaching out to others.
– have a hands-on experience
– getting involved in • have the opportunity to
– learn about yourself • be of use to people
– taking a useful break
3
although • since • provided • whenever • since • unless
4
a.
Dear Madam,
I am writing to express my interest in helping out at the Summer Camp at Baton Rouge.
I really want to get involved in the camp because it would be a great opportunity to give
something back to the community. I am fun-loving and friendly so am well-suited to greeting
the families. I am also keen on / fond of / I am also passionate about working with children
so it would be great / this would be a fantastic chance to earn some work experience in
organising fun, safe, exciting activities for teens and kids alike, as well as planning daily camp
schedules, managing sports games and looking after younger kids and toddlers.
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DIXIELAND
I should also inform you that I am available for the maximum time required.
I look forward to meeting you,
Yours faithfully,
Gemma Atkinson
YOUR TASK
MANUEL & P. 201
b. List of possible volunteer jobs and contacts on-line
- Rebuilding Lower 9th Ward: www.makeitrightnola.org/index.php/work_progress/
- Protecting and saving endangered wildlife: www.wlf.louisiana.gov/wildlife/alligator-program
- Helping visitors on the Jazz Walk of Fame: www.volunteer.gov/gov/results.cfm?states=LA
- Preserving and restoring New Orleans Heritage: www.prcno.org/getinvolved/volunteer.php
- Give some time to the stranded communities. Work in a community kitchen, meals-on-wheels
for the elderlies, help school children…: www.handsonneworleans.org/
& Productions possibles :
N.B. : les corrigés des trois autres sujets sont disponibles sur le site compagnon.
Rebuilding Lower 9th Ward in New Orleans with Brad Pitt’s Foundation Make It Right.
Mr J. Stewart
28 Hawthorn Avenue
Leeds West Yorkshire
United Kingdom LS 13 4SS
Monday 2nd July 2012
Dear Sir,
My name is James Stewart. I am currently doing A Levels at Alderley Moor Sixth Form College
and am planning my gap year before beginning my degree in engineering at Durham University
in October 2014. I am therefore writing to express my interest in volunteering to rebuild the
Lower 9th Ward in New Orleans with Brad Pitt’s Foundation Make It Right as part of my gap year
experience, a scheme which I learnt about on the official charity website.
I have a lot of respect for the work that Mr Pitt is doing to rebuild the Lower 9th Ward and I wish
to get involved in the good work. I watched the events unfold on television and wish to contribute
my passion for engineering to the efforts to rebuild the area. I believe that the people of New
Orleans need as much help as possible and as a young, enthusiastic and budding engineer I
consider myself to be an ideal candidate to lend a hand.
Another motivation for me personally is the way in which Mr Pitt has chosen to rebuild this
area to be the greenest area to live in the United States of America. Not only is he rebuilding
a devastated area, but he is improving it and setting the benchmark for the future generations
of New Orleans. I wish to contribute voluntarily as much as I possibly can to this project of
taking the catastrophe and turning it into something positive in order to provide for the future
generations.
I am passionate and committed to improving the lives of others less fortunate than myself whilst
simultaneously flourishing as a young person in this role as a volunteer for Brad Pitt’s Make It
Right Foundation.
308 •
U N IT 13
I hope you will consider my enthusiastic application, and I look forward to your rapid response.
I am available as of July 2013 for an entire year as a volunteer on location in New Orleans.
Yours faithfully,
James Stewart
> Grille d’évaluation de l’expression écrite proposée à titre indicatif
Critères d’évaluation
Points
012
Réalisation de l’exercice et traitement du sujet
Respect de la consigne (nombre de mots, respect de la forme de la lettre :
formules de politesse adéquates…)
Présentation - Écriture et soin
012345
Cohérence et organisation du contenu
A2
Lettre composée
d’éléments disparates
Description sous forme
d’une succession
de points
Utilisation de mots
de liaison simples (and,
but, because)
B1
Lettre bien articulée
Utilisation d’énoncés
complexes
(propositions
relatives,
subordonnées en
when, whereas...)
B2
Lettre motivée et détaillée
(exemples précis)
Énoncés complexes
Articulateurs logiques
utilisés avec pertinence
(although, unless, on the
one hand / on the other
hand...)
012345
Lexique
A2
Vocabulaire limité
qui permet de rédiger
une courte lettre
B1
Lexique plus varié
qui permet de mettre
en valeur ses qualités
et compétences
B2
Vocabulaire pertinent,
riche et varié
Tournures et expressions
idiomatiques
012345
Grammaire
A2
Utilisation de structures
simples
Erreurs élémentaires
encore systématiques
B1
Correction
grammaticale
suffisante
Erreurs
occasionnelles
qui ne gênent pas
la compréhension
B2
Bonne maîtrise
de la grammaire
et de la syntaxe
Idées - Originalité - Investissement
0123
Total
- De 0 à 1 point : A1
- De 2 à 7 points : A2
- De 8 à 11 points : B1
/ 20 pts
- De 12 à 14 points : B2 en cours d’acquisition
- Au-delà : B2
U N IT 13
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DIXIELAND
READING CORNER
Voir fiche d’exploitation et corrigé sur le site compagnon.
PROLONGEMENTS POSSIBLES À L’UNITÉ
> Clé du Bac : document audio 10 : Gap year.
> Image vidéoprojetable: Oil Spills (DVD-Rom).
> Évaluation sommative de PE (p. 391 de ce Fichier) : You have been a volunteer in
Louisiana for Make it Right (Brad Pitt’s foundation) to rebuild poor areas in New Orleans. Write
one page in your diary. (300 words)
310 •
U N IT 13
UNIT
14
BUILDERS AND TITANS
& Mythes et héros & L’idée de progrès
Tâche finale (p. 215) : You are a journalist working on the special issue of a
magazine called Builders and Titans. Write the biography of a person who has
shaped our world.
Activités
langagières
Tune in!
(p. 204)
1. Reaching
for the sky
(p. 205)
2. Modern
times
(p. 206-207)
3. The dream
factory
(p. 208-209)
4. Empire
builders
(p. 210-211)
Contenus
Prolongements
tâches / aides
PPC
Commenter une couverture
de magazine
Commenter un document visuel
(p. 240-241)
CE
Lire et comprendre
des informations
POI
Décrire et commenter
une photographie
Commenter un document visuel
(p. 240-241)
CE
Comprendre un extrait
de roman
Fiche Workbook
PE
Rédiger un dialogue
Rédiger un texte (p. 234-237)
CO
Comprendre des documents
sonores
– Comprendre un message oral
(p. 238-239)
– Fiches sur site compagnon
CE
Comprendre un extrait
d’autobiographie
Fiche Workbook
PPC
Rendre compte d’un texte
Enrichir sa prise de parole
(p. 242-243)
PE
Rédiger un témoignage
Rédiger un texte (p. 234-237)
CO /
POI
Échanger sur le contenu
d’une bande annonce
CE
Comprendre deux articles
de journal
PE
Rédiger un court message
POI
ou PE
Discuter et argumenter
– Enrichir sa prise de parole
(p. 242-243)
– Rédiger un texte (p. 234-237)
CO
Comprendre un discours
– Fiche Workbook
– Comprendre un message oral
(p. 238-239)
PE
Écrire au courrier des lecteurs
Rédiger un texte (p. 234-237)
Fiche Workbook
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BUILDERS AND TITANS
Activités
langagières
5. Women
can do it
(p. 212)
Contenus
Prolongements
tâches / aides
PE
Recueillir des informations
PE
Expliquer
Rédiger un texte (p. 234-237)
CO
Comprendre une interview
– Fiche Workbook
– Comprendre un message oral
(p. 238-239)
L’activité langagière principale de cette unité est la PE (production écrite).
TUNE IN!
MANUEL & P. 204
Top five
& Productions possibles :
a.
The five people at the top of this TIME magazine cover are Henry Ford, Walt Disney, Akio Morita,
Sam Walton and Bill Gates. These are five of the most well-known and influential businessmen
of the century.
Henry Ford was the founder of Ford Motor Company. He is known as well for his help in progressing the assembly line and the idea of mass production as for his creation of the Model
T automobile. The Model T revolutionized the automobile industry and made Ford one of the
richest and most powerful men in the world.
Walt Disney is most well-known for his influence in all areas of the motion picture business
but was as well an entrepreneur, entertainer and international icon. He was co-founder of
Walt Disney Productions, which later became one of the best-known motion picture producers
in the world. In 2010, Walt Disney’s corporation posted a profit of 36 billion dollars! He and
his staff created some of the world’s most well-known fictional characters including Mickey
Mouse. He also founded the amusement park Disneyland.
Akio Morita was a Japanese businessman and founder of Sony Corporation. Sony is a corporation that does business in the area of technology. They have become one of the leaders in
many technological areas including TVs, phones, computers and video game systems. When
Morita founded Sony, he had less than two hundred thousand dollars of capital. Which, for
what Sony has become today, is pennies. Some of Morita and Sony’s early creations were
that of a tape recorder and a portable radio.
Sam Walton was a businessman and entrepreneur born in Oklahoma. He is best known for
founding the retail store Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart is a worldwide retail store that is known for its
extremely low prices. Walton’s first store went by the name of Ben Franklin. After Walton had
established a chain of these stores and had sufficient capital, he founded his first Wal-Mart.
From there, things exploded.
Finally, we have Bill Gates. Bill Gates was the founder and is the current chairman of Microsoft,
the world’s largest personal computer software company. He is consistently ranked as one of
the richest people in the world and for an entire decade, was THE richest man in the world.
Gates has also pursued a number of philanthropic endeavours, donating large amounts of
money to various charitable organizations and scientific research programs through the Bill
and Melinda Gates Foundation.
312 •
U N IT 14
b.
If I had to add one man to this list today, it would be Andrew Carnegie. He was born on November 25, 1835 to a very poor family living in Dunfermline, Scotland. At age 13, he emigrated
with his family to the United States following near famine conditions in Scotland. Carnegie’s
first job was that of a bobbin boy. He changed spools of thread in a cotton mill 12 hours a
day, 6 days a week! His starting wage was $1.20 per week. He eventually found a job with
the railroad working as a telegraph messenger boy. He got quickly promoted to operator. In
1853 at the age of 18, Carnegie was hired by the Pennsylvania Railroad company and made
a rapid advancement to superintendent of the Pittsburgh Division. It was during these years
that Carnegie learned the methods of cost control and management of a company. Carnegie
began investing in railroad companies and accumulated a modest amount of capital, which
would be the basis for his later success. He then turned all his attention to the steel industry.
This is where he made his fortune. His success came after a series of inventions allowing
for a cheap mass production of steel and the buying out and merging of several companies.
However, it was not Carnegie’s riches alone that made him a man of the ages; it was what he
did with them. Carnegie spent the last years of his life as a philanthropist. He founded many
libraries, schools, and universities in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and other
countries, as well as a pension fund for former employees. It was estimated that at the time
of his death, Carnegie had given away approximately 4 billion dollars by 2010 standards. What
was left of this fortune after his death in 1919 was distributed to charities. Carnegie is the
most astounding story of what became known as the “American Dream”. His perseverance,
determination and unwillingness to ever acknowledge failure drove him to all his success. He
is an amazing figure and the world would be a better place with more of this kind.
c.
I think the picture does a great job of depicting the title. It seems that there is perhaps a hint of
harsh feeling towards these 5 men at the top of the magazine. For in the middle, below these
all powerful men, we see the construction men going about their business. This is important.
However, I think that people are quick to forget the work that actually goes into building a
dynasty. In my opinion, for every great businessman, there are thousands of workers that make
his success possible. But in the long run, only the great names remain. To my mind, this is a
shame. It should be the workers as a whole, as a population, that are remembered for their
contributions. Because without the working man, nothing is possible.
1. REACHING FOR THE SKY
MANUEL & P. 205
1. Web search
The statue that stands in front of the Rockefeller Center is that of the god Atlas. Atlas was
designed to make a statement on 5th Avenue. He carries on his shoulders a sphere composed
of concentric rings representing the universe. Atlas was a Titan who was punished for his part
in the Titans’ revolt against Zeus. He was made to support the heavens. The axis of the sphere
points to the North Star. The sculpture is made of bronze and in the art deco style, along with
the rest of the Rockefeller Center. Art deco is an eclectic artistic and design style that began
in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s and into the World
War II era. Art deco had a wide influence in almost all areas of design including architecture
and interior design. Atlas in the sculpture is 15 feet tall, while the entire statue is 45 feet tall.
This is about equivalent to a 4-storey building.
U N IT 14
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BUILDERS AND TITANS
2. Mythical figures
a.
The low-angle shot makes Atlas appear enormous, powerful and god-like. You can see the
muscles bulging out all over his body. It makes the viewer feel small and powerless compared
to the Titan.
b.
There is a direct correlation present between the Titan god Atlas and the business titans of
our generation. These five men seem, over time, to have become more than men. They have
become images of power, their names will never die. It is easy to see how they could be
compared to Atlas.
3. Challenge
& Corrigés :
A. Empire State Building
B. the Sears (or now Willis) Tower
C. the Trump Tower
D. Carnegie Hall Tower.
4. The sky is the limit
& Productions possibles :
I believe there are several reasons why, in today’s world, we see more and more skyscrapers being built. The first would be lack of space. This is especially true to large cities that
are perhaps limited in space due to ocean fronts. When building out is not possible, the only
option is to build up. This is why in cities like New York City or Hong Kong, there is such a
tremendous amount of them.
Secondly, it gives quite an impression to the world around. We are addicted to the sky, for it
is unknown and has many correlations with the heavens.
Lastly, and this ties in with the second point, skyscrapers can be seen as a symbol of wealth
and power. The simple fact that a city, State or country can afford to build such an enormous
building shows that they have wealth and the technological skills to make these dreams a reality.
> Prolongement possible :
On pourra donner à lire aux élèves l’analyse de Jean-Paul Sartre sur les gratte-ciel à New
York, dans Situations III : “Prise dans sa longueur et dans sa largeur… Ils sont des modèles
et des exemples.”
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2. MODERN TIMES
MANUEL & P. 206-207
1 Find the key information
CORRIGÉ DE LA FICHE DU WORKBOOK (P. 82-83)
1
a) - Economic- al
- manufactur- er
- efficien- cy
b) – économique (au sens de pas cher/bon marché) - fabricant - efficacité, rendement
c) – an assembly line
d) - factory: plant - excite feelings and passion: stir up - have difficulty: have trouble
2
- 10,000: number of Tin Lizzies he sold in 1909.
- 1,000,000: number of Tin Lizzies he sold ten years later.
- 25,000,000: profits made by Ford in 1913.
3
- 1909: first Model T - 10 years later: 10 millions Tin Lizzies were sold - 1913: Ford made
a profit of $25million.
4
- Step 1: Taylor Plan - Step 2: assembly line
5
“they had trouble in keeping the men on the job, machinists didn’t seem to like it at Ford’s.”
(l. 15-16)
6
7
Salary
Goals
high wages
Workers were getting a cut in the profits.
give them an inducement to stick to their jobs
have enough money to buy a Tin Lizzie
Where?
Highland
Park plant
8
9
Month?
January
Temperature?
zero degree
How many?
enormous
crowd
What for?
a job
at Ford’s
- “a riot” (l. 27) - “broke heads” (l. 27) - “threw bricks” (l. 28) - “destroyed” (l. 28) - “beat
back” (l. 29)
a) - “cleancut properly married” (l. 22) - “good, clean American workmen” (l. 33) - “didn’t
drink or smoke cigarettes or read or think” (l. 34) - “didn’t commit adultery” (l. 35)
b) Ford had a clear work ethic. He had high moral values, believed in the sanctity of the
family and advocated decency. He praised a healthy lifestyle. He was looking for devoted
and obedient workmen who wouldn’t question his methods. In other words, he was quite
conservative and old-fashioned.
10
a) sweated b) It is quite negative since the word “sweated” is used to show Ford’s employees’ working conditions. They must have had long working hours in tough conditions.
11
- “a very small cut” (l. 19) - “of course” (l. 23) - “always” (l. 24) - “sweated” (l. 36)
U N IT 14
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UNIT
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BUILDERS AND TITANS
ACTION!
1
2
Objectif
j f
Henry Ford was a visionary industrialist who became a pioneer of mass production.
He started to produce cars on a large scale and hired unskilled workers to work on
the assembly line. He hired law-abiding workers who would be loyal, and willing to do
tedious and menial jobs for a higher salary. He managed to standardize his output and
benefitted from the Taylor Plan to enhance efficiency in his plants. He created a famous
car, the Model T, which sold millions. He was known worldwide for his new production
techniques and became one of the greatest American figures of his time.
The narrator is biased because he uses some derogatory words to present Henry Ford
and his factories. He hints that Ford was able to make a profit because the workers were
“sweated” and had tough working conditions. He exposes the drawbacks / downsides
of mass production and assembly lines, where blue-collar workers were given tedious
and repetitive jobs. He also makes a comment on their wages, since they were promised
five dollars a day, but “of course it turned out that there were strings to it,” or to put it
differently, they had to increase their efficiency and work long hours so that the output
would be greater. According to Ford’s promises, the greater the production was, the higher
their salary would be.
Henry Ford can certainly be considered a hero in so far as he was at the heart of an industrial
revolution. He created many jobs and was cunning enough to be aware of the potential
benefits of mass production. He was the first car manufacturer to produce and sell millions of cars, and had an influence on the American way of life, as the Model T became
a must-have for many families. However, one must bear in mind that he imposed tough
work rhythms on his employees and made a huge profit by luring them with higher wages,
which they could only attain by long working hours. Ford’s workers were exploited and so,
in that sense, this industrial pioneer may be seen as an antihero.
This extract puts forth a new production technique which was revolutionary at the time.
Indeed, the assembly line enabled manufacturers to increase their output. For instance,
Ford could produce ten times as many Tin Lizzies as before the Taylor plan. Mass production was certainly industrial as well as economic progress, but if one takes into account the
social aspect, one can’t help noticing that trade unions denounced hard working conditions,
long hours for menial jobs executed by sweated / exploited workers. This was the other
side of the coin of this industrial golden age.
2. Factory management
& Productions possibles :
a.
Taylorism / The Taylor Plan: Frederick Taylor applied scientific principles to management
and process situations to try to improve productivity and efficiency. He was against “rules of
thumb” and traditional ways of doing things and sought to find the single best way of doing
every step of the production process. Taylorism: system of scientific management advocated by
Fred W. Taylor. In Taylor’s view, the task of factory management was to determine the best way
for the worker to do the job, to provide the proper tools and training, and to provide incentives
for good performance. He broke each job down into its individual motions, analyzed these to
determine which were essential, and timed the workers with a stopwatch. With unnecessary
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motion eliminated, the worker, following a machinelike routine, became far more productive.
Fordism: turning out articles as cheaply as possible while paying workers high wages so that
they might buy the very articles they are producing.
Automation: the use of machines to do what human labour once did, with the aim of increasing productivity and lowering costs.
Standardization: the decision to make a large number of identical parts that are readily interchangeable with and easily fitted to other parts, making individual adjustments unnecessary.
b.
Henry Ford was the man who revolutionized automobiles in America. He began his career
as a mechanic and always succeeded in gaining the support of wealthy investors to fund his
projects. After several attempts, he perfected the design and production of the Model T which
became one of the most popular American cars of all time and democratized car ownership
in the US. He worked hard to optimize production methods and had innovative ideas for how
to employ his workers. The social requirements that he attempted to integrate into the hiring
process did not last long, and he later renounced them saying that he had become convinced
that it was not the employer’s role to impose such rules. He was strongly against labour unions
and believed that they were fundamentally opposed to increased productivity and profit. He
believed it was solely the managers’ job to take good care of their workers.
c.
Critical: “of course it turned out that there were strings to it; always there were strings to it”
(l. 23-24) + “good, clean American workmen” (l. 33) + “who didn’t […] think” (l. 34) He suggests that Mr. Ford had unethical employment practices, presumably in order to make himself
more money.
3. Writing workshop
a.
Journalist: Hello Mr. Ford, would you mind answering a few questions about your plans?
Ford: Sure, no problem.
J: Alright. So you’ve designed this new car, the Model T.
F: Yes, there are a few design innovations and we’ve managed to streamline the production
process and standardize many of the parts making it the cheapest car ever.
J: What an amazing feat. What about profits?
F: We’re doing very well, but there are still some areas in which we could be doing better.
J: Where do you hope to go from here?
F: We would like to turn out and sell as many of these cars as possible.
J: How will you manage that?
F: I would like the best mechanics in Detroit to work for me, so I’ve devised a plan. I’ll double
their wages so they’ll all come to me, stay on longer and become increasingly efficient. But
the best part is, they’ll actually be making enough money to buy themselves one of our cars,
which in turn just means more profit for my company.
J: What an interesting idea! I wish you the best of luck.
b.
Trade Union Leader: Sir, we’re quite concerned with some of the things going on in your
factory.
Ford: Is that so?
TUL: Yes, the working conditions are pretty tough. Of course we are blue collar workers, but
some of the work is quite menial and you’ve been putting too much pressure on us.
F: Thank you for exposing these issues to me, I should be spending more time on the factory
floor seeing things for myself.
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TUL: Your mechanics are leaving because they feel exploited.
F: Indeed, I don’t like the turnover rate and I wish they’d be more loyal. Let me tell you my
plan. I’d like to announce my new job offer. Wages will double – I’m offering a whole $5 a day
to attract the best mechanics around.
TUL: Wow, that sure would change things!
F: Yes, but in exchange I have some expectations about how these men should live their lives.
TUL: You can’t do that, you can’t tell your employees how to behave in their free time!
F: Oh yes I can, and I will be rewarded with higher profits, you’ll see.
4. Industrialists of the 19th century
> Mise en œuvre :
– Ces trois compréhensions orales sont courtes et pourront être travaillées en classe ou
en laboratoire multimédia.
– On pourra aussi envisager de diviser la classe en trois et donner à chaque groupe une
compréhension orale ainsi que la fiche correspondante (disponible sur le site compagnon
avec son corrigé). Un rapporteur par groupe prendra la parole, les autres élèves complèteront
la fiche distribuée à l’aide de leurs notes.
– Le Action! de la fiche permettra de faire la synthèse des informations.
> Script de l’enregistrement (CD 3, plage 30)
The Model T was a car that would change the American way of life. It was the most influential invention of the 20th century. It was practical, durable, and also affordable. Henry Ford
slashed the price of his car so that everybody could afford it. He really wanted working people,
farmers, the everyday person to be able to afford a car. He built a car for the common man.
That’s why half of the automobiles worldwide were Model T Fords. It brought rural people
into the cities, as transportation was cheap. The automobile became the dominant form of
transportation in the US. People could go wherever they wanted, whenever they wanted. The
car was a ticket to personal freedom. It gave people a new sense of independence. It opened
travel to the common middle-class American. Henry Ford transformed the automobile itself
from a luxury to a necessity. He created the basis of the car culture.
> Script de l’enregistrement (CD 3, plage 31)
Woman: How would you define the work ethic?
Man: The work ethic is also called the Protestant work ethic. It is a code of morals based
on hard work, saving, discipline and individualism. In the 17th and 18th century, Puritans
believed that if you worked hard, you were likely to succeed. Material success showed that
you belonged to the Happy Few. It showed that you had been chosen by God. Success was
a sign of divine election. That’s the reason why money-making was respected. That’s why
hard work and self-discipline became key values. The Protestant work ethic contributed to
the development of capitalism.
W: Really? Why?
M: People believed that if you were humble, you could become a millionaire if you worked
hard enough. This belief has turned the USA into a nation of entrepreneurs. While individual
advancement was glorified, poverty and unemployment were criminalized.
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> Script de l’enregistrement (CD 3, plage 32)
Man: The self-made man is a typical American folk hero. Why?
Woman: Because self-made men climbed up the social ladder, moved from rags to riches
through hard work. They have thus become typical examples of the American Dream.
M: Can you give us some examples?
W: There are many American success stories. Andrew Carnegie was a steel magnate in
the 19th century. Vanderbilt was a railroad tycoon, Rockefeller was an oil tycoon. Abraham
Lincoln was born in a log cabin and became President of the USA in 1860. Andrew Carnegie
said, “Be a king in your dreams, say to yourself: my place is at the top.”
M: What qualities did all these people have?
W: They all embody qualities that American people admire: hard work, inventiveness, strength,
courage, will-power, discipline, optimism and entrepreneurial spirit.
3. THE DREAM FACTORY
MANUEL & P. 208-209
1. Louis B. Mayer
& Productions possibles :
a.
This is the logo of MGM. MGM stands for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, which was formed in 1924 by
Marcus Loew. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) belonged to three individual movie studios that
had agreed to band together to create what would become the most famous movie studio in
history.
b.
Louis B. Mayer, film producer and co-founder of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), was born in
1884 in Minsk, Russia and moved with his family to Saint John, New Brunswick when he was
just a young child. His father, who is said to have been abusive, had a scrap metal business
and forced Louis as a boy to retrieve metal from sunken vessels. He moved to Boston in his late
teens and set up his own junk business, then purchased and fixed up his first movie theatre in
Haverhill, Massachusetts. He went on buying theatres until he owned New England’s largest
chain, then went on to film distribution and finally movie production.
2. Main facts
CORRIGÉ DE LA FICHE DU WORKBOOK (P. 83-84)
1
- a set - lobby - a gag
2
the film director: “Sennett returned from location” (l. 1)
3
a) False. “the whole stage was crowded with three companies at work” (l. 2-3)
b) False. “I was in my street clothes and had nothing to do” (l. 3)
c) True. “I stood where Sennett could see me” (l. 3-4)
d) True. “‘We need some gags here’, he said” (l. 5)
4
“I was in my street clothes” (l. 3) + “I did not like my get-up as the press reporter.” (l. 7)
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5
On the left = a tight coat, baggy trousers
On the right = a derby hat / a small moustache, a cane, big shoes
6
They all refer to the character he is dressed as and has created.
7
a) rentrer dans la peau
b) They show how Chaplin is trying to look confident through his gestures. He adopts an
attitude and creates a character who is at ease in front of the cameras.
8
“giggled” (l. 19) + “body began to shake” (l. 20)
9
a) many-sided = à plusieurs facettes • tramp = clochard • romance = une idylle, une histoire
sentimentale • would have you believe = vous ferait croire que • is not above = ne vaut pas
mieux que • cigarette-butts = des mégots de cigarette • candy = bonbon
b) stumbled over the foot = trébuchai sur le pied • apologetically = d’un air contrit / pour
m’excuser
10
a) “raised my hat to the cuspidor” (l. 32-33)
b) People are numerous and laughing.
ACTION!
In this extract from his autobiography, Chaplin relates how the character who made him
famous came to him out of the blue. His brilliant last-minute costume idea on the way to
the dressing room turned out to be a stroke of genius. Sennett, the (film [UK] / movie
[US]) director was shooting a film / movie and asked Chaplin to come up with something
right then and there. Fortunately, Chaplin was quick on the uptake and performed well. A
visual comedy genius, he had few props but was gifted at miming and slapstick comedy
and the director found his improvized practical jokes hilarious. The fake moustache he
pasted on his upper lip became a symbol of the comic’s legendary character.
Objectif
j f
Charles Chaplin can definitely be considered a star as he reinvented the visual comedy.
He impressed the film director and thanks to his inventiveness and genius, he was given
the opportunity to become an actor famous worldwide. His performance was and remains
unparalleled. Nowadays, stars like Chaplin are considered heroes, but I totally disagree
with this idea. However talented they may be. They can’t be considered heroes because
they don’t achieve anything, they just do their job and are paid for it.
3. Speak in chains
Voir corrigé du Action! ci-dessus.
4. Creative writing
& Productions possibles :
The first time I saw Charlie Chaplin, dressed up as the character that millions of people know today, I was rolling over with laughter. It was such a fresh idea; I just couldn’t help but laugh! I can
remember the moment vividly. We were on set and frankly were running low on ideas and morale.
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I saw an actor we had recently hired, standing around in his street clothes. I thought what the
heck and told him to go throw on any costume and hop on stage. At this point I wasn’t expecting
much at all. At best, I was looking for a laugh or two. When Charlie appeared on stage, I was
already giggling. His attire was what most struck me. Nothing about his appearance seemed to
make any sense. His pants were baggy but his coat was tight. His hat was small and his shoes
were enormous. It gave the impression of a man completely distorted and out of proportion.
But that wasn’t all. For anyone who has had the pleasure of seeing a Chaplin film, you can
attest to the fact that much more goes into Charlie then his appearance. Charlie had a way
about him. I can’t really explain it. Maybe it was his personality, maybe his acting ability, or
maybe a little of both! In any case, I knew we had something big. The way he moved, his facial
expressions, the humour just seemed to flow from within him. From the very first moment I
saw Charlie, I knew we had found our golden egg.
5. Watch a trailer
Charles Spencer Chaplin was born on the 16th of April 1889, in South London. Both of Charlie’s parents were in some way connected with the entertainment business. If there was ever
a rags to riches story, it belongs to Charlie Chaplin. His childhood was filled with poverty and
difficulty. At a very early age, Charlie’s parents divorced. His mother could find no work, and
his father refused to support Charlie. The outcome is that Chaplin spent most of his childhood
in a workhouse. This does not change the fact that from a very early age, Chaplin was already
performing. One night after his mother had been booed of the stage, Chaplin was chosen to
go up and perform. At five years old he was already capable of making people laugh. At age
13, he had stopped going to school and began fully pursuing his dream. Charlie filled a variety
of roles during his teen years, but it wasn’t until age 25 that Chaplin was hired to make films.
Even after his first film, Chaplin had been dubbed by certain critics as “a comedian of the first
water”. Chaplin developed his most known character known as the tramp and after a request
for more Charlie Chaplin films, Chaplin was given permission to direct his own film. The result
was the film Caught in the Rain and it is among Keystone Studios’ most successful films, even
to this day. Chaplin’s popularity continued to grow and he became a global celebrity when he
signed on with the film company Mutual. Mutual and Chaplin settled on a contract of 670,000
dollars per year and at age 26, made Chaplin one of the richest people in the world. Chaplin
made films the length of his entire life and never stopped acting right up until his death in 1977.
4. EMPIRE BUILDERS
MANUEL & P. 210-211
1. Understanding the text
a.
Thomas Edison – A 19th century American inventor who is responsible for such equipment
as the motion picture camera and the long-lasting electric light bulb. He was also a mass
production visionary.
Galileo Galilei – A 16th century Italian who was part of the Scientific Revolution and has
been called the “father of modern science.” He invented / perfected the telescope, observed
many things in outer space and had a long battle with the Church about scientists’ freedom
of inquiry.
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Orville and Wilbur Wright – Americans at the turn of the 20th century who invented the
technology that made the first successful airplane and first human flight possible.
Michelangelo – An extremely prodigious Italian Renaissance artist whose most famous works
include the statue of David and the Sistine Chapel ceiling.
Isaac Newton – English physicist born in the late 17th century who has been called the greatest scientist who has ever lived. He made great leaps in the field of mechanics and helped to
finally disprove the idea that the sun revolves around the Earth.
Alexander Graham Bell – A Scottish scientist born in the mid-19th century who is credited
with inventing the telephone.
Like the inventors mentioned in the article, Steve Jobs turned away from established technology in order to pursue his vision and invent something new. He started with an idea and he
made it reality. He convinced people around him to support him and persevered long enough
to make his dream come true.
b.
Laudatory – In the immediate wake of his death, this author admires Jobs to the extreme.
He says he is one of the “great […] innovators” (l. 4) and that the world “mourns” him (l. 5).
He says that “few people have had a greater impact on humankind” (l. 6) and writes as if it
were Jobs alone who brought the personal computer to “everybody” (l. 8). He uses the term
“visionary” (l. 11) and says that he came “up with a dizzying array” (l. 12-13) of inventions.
2. Hall of Fame
The article and the cartoon have one striking similarity, that being that Steve Jobs thought
differently. In the cartoon, we see Leonardo Da Vinci, Alexander Graham Bell, Thomas Edison
and the New Guy, who we can assume to be Steve Jobs. These four great men, all share an
important characteristic. They dared to think differently. Jobs’s life was in no way ordinary. He
did not take the most structured route and yet, he will go down as one of the greatest minds
in history. The article and cartoon are both attempting to make an example of how Steve Jobs
lived his life. He didn’t listen to good advice and he wasn’t conventional. The only thing Jobs
followed was his creativity and his passion for what he loved. This is what Jobs has in common with the other great minds shown here. Each one of them pursued their dreams fully and
without regret or fear, as did Steve Jobs.
3. Tweet it!
– The world has lost such a great man today! Steve Jobs was innovative, imaginative and passionate, and we mourn his loss! RIP!
– How creative and inventive a man we’ve lost today in Steve Jobs. He was a true genius!
We’ll miss him!
– How ingenious, innovative and incredible Steve Jobs was. He leaves the world with a great
void. We honour his memory today!
4. Think different
This comment in The Guardian makes a very interesting point. Jobs changed the world, that
much is certain and cannot be argued. What is now to be debated is did he change it for the
better? It would be impossible and ignorant to assume that the work Jobs did had no positive
effects. Through the inventions of Jobs, people can now be connected all over the world, in
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seconds. People from opposite corners of the world can now communicate and even see
each other face to face via a computer screen. Not only this, but Jobs managed to put this
power in the palms of our hands. Giving us the seemingly limitless power of a computer in a
portable, hand held device. This is better known as the iPhone. It must be said however, that
the work of Jobs has not been without negative impacts. In this new era of technology, when
people are as connected as they have ever been, it seems paradoxical they are most alone.
Studies show that more and more teens of today have trouble acting appropriately in social
situations. This has been attributed to the amount of time that is spent by the average teen
with technology (computers, phones, video games). As the quote states, people now ignore
each other in public, to be “connected” with their virtual worlds.
5. Pursue your dreams
N. B. : le document dans son intégralité (plus de quinze minutes) peut être téléchargé à
l’adresse suivante : http://news.stanford.edu/news/2005/june15/jobs-061505.html
> Script de l’enregistrement (CD 3, plage 34)
Part 1
I am honored to be with you today at your commencement from one of the finest universities in the world. Truth be told, I never graduated from college. This is the closest I’ve ever
gotten to a college graduation. Today I want to tell you three stories from my life. That’s it.
No big deal. Just three stories. The first story is about connecting the dots. I dropped out of
Reed College after the first 6 months, but then stayed around as a drop-in for another 18
months or so before I really quit. So why did I drop out? 0’51’’
Part 2
It started before I was born. My biological mother was a young, unwed college graduate
student, and she decided to put me up for adoption. She felt very strongly that I should be
adopted by college graduates, so everything was all set for me to be adopted at birth by a
lawyer and his wife. Except that when I popped out they decided at the last minute that they
really wanted a girl. So my parents, who were on a waiting list, got a call in the middle of the
night asking, “We have an unexpected baby boy; do you want him?” They said, “Of course.”
My biological mother found out later that my mother had never graduated from college and
that my father had never graduated from high school. She refused to sign the final adoption
papers. She only relented a few months later when my parents promised that I would go to
college. This was the start of my life. 1’52’’
Part 3
And 17 years later I did go to college. […] I naively chose a college that was almost as expensive as Stanford, and all of my working-class parents’ savings were being spent on my
college tuition. After six months, I couldn’t see the value in it. I had no idea what I wanted
to do with my life and no idea how college was going to help me figure it out. And here I
was spending all of the money my parents had saved their entire life. So I decided to drop
out and trust that it would all work out OK. It was pretty scary at the time, but looking back
it was one of the best decisions I ever made. The minute I dropped out I could stop taking
the required classes that didn’t interest me, and begin dropping in on the ones that looked
interesting. It wasn’t all romantic. I didn’t have a dorm room, so I slept on the floor in friends’
rooms, I returned Coke bottles for the 5 cent deposits to buy food with, and I would walk the
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7 miles across town every Sunday night to get one good meal a week at the Hare Krishna
temple. I loved it. And much of what I stumbled into by following my curiosity and intuition
turned out to be priceless later on.
> Script de l’enregistrement (CD 3, plage 35)
My second story is about love and loss. I was lucky — I found what I loved to do early in life.
Woz and I started Apple in my parents’ garage when I was 20. We worked hard, and in 10
years Apple had grown from just the two of us in a garage into a $2 billion company with
over 4,000 employees. We had just released our finest creation — the Macintosh — a year
earlier, and I had just turned 30. And then I got fired. How can you get fired from a company
you started? Well, as Apple grew we hired someone who I thought was very talented to run
the company with me, and for the first year or so things went well. But then our visions of
the future began to diverge and eventually we had a falling out. When we did, our Board
of Directors sided with him. So at 30 I was out. And very publicly out. What had been the
focus of my entire adult life was gone, and it was devastating. I really didn’t know what to
do for a few months. […] But something slowly began to dawn on me — I still loved what I
did. The turn of events at Apple had not changed that one bit. I had been rejected, but I was
still in love. And so I decided to start over. I didn’t see it then, but it turned out that getting
fired from Apple was the best thing that could have ever happened to me. The heaviness of
being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again, less sure about
everything. It freed me to enter one of the most creative periods of my life. […] Sometimes
life hits you in the head with a brick. Don’t lose faith. I’m convinced that the only thing that
kept me going was that I loved what I did. You’ve got to find what you love.
> Script de l’enregistrement (CD 3, plage 36)
My third story is about death. When I was 17, I read a quote that went something like: “If
you live each day as if it was your last, someday you’ll most certainly be right.” It made an
impression on me, and since then, for the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every
morning and asked myself: “If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what
I am about to do today?” And whenever the answer has been “No” for too many days in a
row, I know I need to change something. Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most
important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost
everything — all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure — these
things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering
that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart. Your time
is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma — which
is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions
drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart
and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else
is secondary. Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish. Thank you all very much.
CORRIGÉ DE LA FICHE DU WORKBOOK (P. 85-87)
1
RECORDING 1
honored – commencement – unwed – Hare Krishna
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2
a) “commencement” – “finest universities” – “never graduated” – “college” – “three stories”
& Steve Jobs recalls his past.
b) “Why did I drop out?”
3
– People mentioned: biological mother – a lawyer and his wife – my parents
– Dates or periods of time: 6 months – 18 months – 17 years later
– Places: Reed College – Stanford – Hare Krishna temple
– Stressed words: honored – commencement – universities – never – graduated – college
graduation – three stories – connecting – dots – Reed College – drop out – biological
mother – young – unwed – college graduate student – adoption – lawyer – wife – parents
– waiting list – unexpected – baby boy – mother – father – refused – sign – final adoption
papers – college – expensive – Stanford – working-class – savings – college tuition –
value – drop out – trust – scary – best decisions – classes – interesting – romantic – dorm
room – floor – friends’ rooms – Coke bottles – town – Sunday night – meal – week – Hare
Krishna temple – curiosity – intuition – priceless
4
Lawyer = changed his mind
Steve Jobs’s biological mother = unwed, college graduate, student
Steve Jobs’s adoptive father = never graduated from high school
Steve Jobs’s adoptive mother = never graduated from college
5
a) She refused to sign the final adoption papers.
b) She found out that the adoptive parents had never graduated from college.
c) changed her mind – capitulated
6
expensive – savings – spent – value – spending – money – saved – priceless
7
True = a) d) e)
8
Immediate
– wasn’t all romantic
– didn’t have a dorm room
– slept on the floor in friends’ rooms
9
Later on
– following my curiosity and intuition
– turned out to be priceless later on
7 miles – Hare Krishna temple – returned Coke bottles for the 5 cent deposits
ACTION!
In 2005, Steve Jobs delivered a speech in a famous American university. He recalls that
he was an adopted child, whose mother wanted an educated / learned family for her son.
Nevertheless, he was welcomed into a family where neither of the parents had a university
degree. He narrates one story in which he reveals that he dropped out of college / gave
up his studies at Reed College after six months. He felt guilty for spending his parents’
money and thought it was a waste. Looking back on his past, he realized it was one of
the best decisions he had ever made.
1
RECORDING 2
release – faith – dawn on
2
“second” – “story” – “love” – “loss”
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BUILDERS AND TITANS
– Place(s)? garage – Numbers/Ages: 20 – 10 years – $2 billion – 4,000 – 30
– Stressed words? lucky – Apple – parents’ garage – worked hard – company – employees – creation – Macintosh – fired – hired – talented – run – company – visions – future –
diverge – falling out – Board of Directors – publicly – focus – devastating – love – rejected
– start over – heaviness – successful – lightness – beginner – creative periods – faith
4
Apple at its start
Apple nine years later
Apple ten years later
Founders: Woz and Steve Jobs
Place: parents’ garage
Number of employees: 2
Steve Jobs’s age: 20
New creation: Macintosh
CEO: Steve Jobs
Company’s worth:
$2 billion
Number of employees:
4,000
5
a) They decided to fire him.
b) devastating – didn’t know what to do for a few months – still loved what he did – decided
to start over
6
“best thing that could have ever happened” – “lightness of being a beginner” – “freed
me” – “most creative periods of my life”
7
don’t lose faith – you’ve got to find what you love
ACTION!
Steve Jobs set up a company in his parents’ garage when he was 20. There were only two
employees at the start, but Apple developed into a major firm over the next ten years.
However, Jobs was dismissed / fired / sacked / made redundant / laid off because one of
the company members betrayed him. Although he was at a loss and humiliated, Jobs was
resilient and drew a lesson from what happened. As they say, “Every cloud has a silver
lining.” Jobs started from scratch and proved to be even more creative and inspired than before.
RECORDING 3
In this third part, Steve Jobs speaks about death. He reveals that knowing he would die gave
him the strength to seize the day, to make the most of his life. He asserts that it is important
to fulfil your dreams, without anyone or anything preventing your success. He points out how
vital it is to enjoy every day of your life and think of what goals you can achieve. He intends
to get rid of fear and encourages everyone to be daring and find their drive. According to
him, you can only succeed in life if you follow your heart. People must be the masters of their
own destiny. Should they be scared or too reasonable, they would never pursue their dreams
and take up any challenge. He encourages / pushes them to remain creative and foolish.
Objectif
j f
Steve Jobs is definitely considered an iconic figure not only because of his technological
breakthroughs but also because he was a visionary who reinvented people’s relation to
technology. He embodies success since he started from scratch and found his drive in the
challenges that came across him. He can be seen as a hero of modern times as he was
an emblematic leader and his talent made everyone change their way of life. The impact
of his work can be felt in various domains: not only did it make the economic sector thrive
but it also redefined social exchanges and relationships.
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& Productions possibles (Manuel p. 210, 5 b.) :
Steve Jobs is the perfect example of the American work ethic. Many are those from the United
States that began with nothing made their dreams come true through sheer will power and
determination. Steve Jobs is a wonderful example of this. Jobs was a college dropout and at a
young age, nothing about this man’s life shouted success. But Jobs was different and he knew
it. What he possessed was not visible on the surface. It was an invisible fire that burned deep
within him and a creativity that flowed through his body. Jobs’s first company was born out
of his own garage. His company is the world famous Apple Inc. His first great invention was
that of the Macintosh computer. The future looked very bright for Mr. Jobs indeed. However,
his life took a turn for the worse when he lost a power struggle with the other directors on the
board: he was forced to leave Apple. For most people, this would have been devastating and
many would have never recovered. But Jobs was not just anyone. That fire that burned within
him refused to be put out and he never quit. He immediately founded a new company by the
name of NeXT. With NeXT, Jobs created what is today known as Pixar and is credited with
the creation of Toy Story. Jobs remained CEO of this branch until it was bought out by Walt
Disney. Shortly after, Apple bought NeXt and Jobs was reintegrated into the company. Jobs
had returned but Apple was floundering and near bankruptcy. Jobs was appointed CEO and
saved the company. What followed is known to all and is most likely in the pockets of many of
you, the iPhone. Jobs gave the world a computer that was portable and could fit in the palm
of your hand. He changed the face of technology and in one swift movement, brought the
entire world a little bit closer. Jobs’s legacy is prolific. Everything he created was born out of
his desire to do so. He has shown us that the dream is still alive, that through hard work and
creativity, anything is possible.
6. Find the key information
CORRIGÉ DE LA FICHE DU WORKBOOK (P. 88-89)
1
Bill Gates
2
a) They refer to the American expansion, mostly westward, when the pioneers where
discovering new territories and redefining the borders of the American land.
b) They are associated with Jeff Bezos.
3
a) be driven to b) The pioneers must be persevering, they have to be adventurous and
eager to discover new things, they must be daring and imaginative. They relentlessly look
for new ways to improve or develop their first achievements.
4
“genuine” (l. 1), “great example” (l. 6), “insatiable” (l. 7)
5
Jeff Bezos
6
What?
Who?
Century?
mail-order catalog business
Sears, Roebuck
20th century
Amazon: way for people to
find books on the Internet +
consumer retail business
Jeff Bezos
21st century
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7
Risk
– “make a big bet”
(l. 9)
– “quitting a promising
career” (l. 9-10)
Innovation and flair (intuition)
– “start Amazon when a lot of people didn’t yet even know
what the Internet was” (l. 11-12)
– “a new and more efficient way for people to find books” (l.
14-15)
– “a fundamentally new way to conduct a consumer retail
business” (l. 16-17)
8
He revolutionized the book industry, as it became possible for people to find and buy any
book on the Internet, but also to sell their own books. He launched a retail business where
the consumer was both client and seller.
9
a) at the beginning of the 21st century – in the years 2000-2001
b) “carried […] through” (l. 20) – “flamed out” (l. 21) – “held steady” (l. 21-22)
10
a) tenir bon, se maintenir (while indique un contraste avec les autres sociétés Internet)
b) While other companies were going bankrupt, he succeeded in making Amazon survive
and even thrive. His company could have been a victim of the dotcom bust, but he managed to keep it steady and booming.
11
Gutenberg invented the printing press. It multiplied the output and cut the price of books.
Many people could thus have access to this form of culture and read in order to acquire
certain knowledge.
12
a) His most important innovation is the Kindle, “a modest-looking white-and-silver digital
device.” (l. 27-28)
b) Jeff Bezos is compared to Gutenberg to show what a great invention he produced. As
Gutenberg invented the printing press, Bezos invented a new way to have access to books
wherever you are and whenever you want.
13
Bezos would like to develop a means of going into space for everyone: “a cheap and safe
way for everyone to fly into space” (l. 25-26).
ACTION!
1
Jeff Bezos is an innovator of the 21st century. He is presented by Bill Gates as one of
the greatest pioneers and a visionary in many respects, in so far as he developed the
website Amazon.com which is now famous worldwide and enables people to have better
access to books. Contrary to other e-businesses which suffered from the crisis at the
beginning of the century, his risky bets turned into outstanding achievements and his
company managed to overcome difficulties and improve its profits. Bill Gates praises
him for his legacy: he marvels at Jeff Bezos’s imaginative and daring spirit, and admires
his last project, the Kindle, even comparing its creator to Gutenberg who, just like Bezos,
revolutionized people’s access to books.
2
Bill Gates portrays Jeff Bezos as a hero of modern times. According to Gates, Bezos succeeded in developing Amazon at a time when the Internet was only taking its first steps.
The author pays tribute to his fellow pioneer of new technology and looks up to him as he
succeeded in fulfilling his dreams and ambitions. Pioneers are given heroic status by the
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author who expresses admiration of their insatiable appetite for progress. He provides the
example of one historical figure who fit this profile, Gutenberg, and puts Bezos on an equal
footing with him.
Objectif
j f
This article illustrates the notion of progress since Jeff Bezos revolutionized our access
to books through Amazon and, more recently, thanks to his new invention: the Kindle.
Now people can order and retail books wherever they are and whenever they want. This
technological progress is profitable / beneficial to all individuals who are eager / keen /
willing to improve their access to culture thanks to this innovation. Moreover, one may even
consider Amazon to be social progress as it is a means of bringing people closer together,
making them interact from one end of the world to the other. Finally, Bezos’s new project,
which seems ahead of its time and very innovative, consists in developing a way to bring
common people into space. Once again, progress here relies on this man’s ability to bring
technological progress to as many people as possible.
& Productions possibles (Manuel p. 211, 6) :
b.
The term “pioneer” in America originally referred to those who ventured out West to explore uncharted territories. The term is now used to describe anyone who develops and applies something
new for the first time. In the 19th century, the American “frontier” was the “moving” line between
what officially “belonged” to the United States and the wilderness beyond, often inhabited by
Native Americans and unmapped by Westerners. The line moved west as the settlers moved
west. Today the term is used to signify any line between two distinct areas, but also the known
and the unknown. “Pioneering spirit” refers to the admirable traits of pioneers – risk-takers who
go down unknown roads to pursue their dreams, with no guarantee of success.
c.
Jeff Bezos is an entrepreneur and the founder of Amazon.com. He is yet another example
of the American Dream and a true pioneer. Bezos was one of the first to seriously consider
retail through the Internet and risked everything to make his dream a reality. He left a very
well-paying job on Wall Street and moved West to begin his company out of his garage. Bill
Gates compares Bezos to Sears and Roebuck. These two men had created the idea of mail
order sales a century earlier. The comparison is clear. Sears and Roebuck had an idea that
had never before been seen in history. They pursued a business market that was non-existent
and became rich beyond their wildest dreams for doing so. Bezos fits into this category. He
was creating an Internet based business in a time when many people didn’t even know that
the Internet existed! This is why he will go down in history as a pioneer. The pioneering spirit
has always been present in the United States. What was first an expedition for the “western
frontier”, was then transferred to an intellectual world, a place where creativity and a work
ethic can bring anyone success. Gates wrote this article for TIME magazine. His opinion of
Jeff Bezos is pretty straightforward. He is impressed by the man and loves the inventions that
come out of this head. Bezos can in many ways be compared to Gates himself and I think
Gates recognizes that.
7. Letter to the Editor
For: Today I am responding to the remark made by Bill Gates about the Kindle and I must
say that I am in complete agreement. The Kindle is a revolutionary item that will change the
face of literature. It must be said, I am quite the book worm. I have books in every corner
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of my house and have been reading since a very early age. Prior to the Kindle, if you were
interested in reading a book, the only logical choice was to go and find it! This could be frustrating for a couple of reasons. Firstly, it is not always easy to find the book I am looking for.
Sometimes, it requires a lot of searching, especially if I can’t find it at the library. Secondly, it
can get expensive. After many years of accumulating a collection of books, I must admit that
I have spent a fair amount of money. However, following the creation of this device, millions
of books are now at the tips of everyone’s fingers. Almost any book can be found and they
are all stored in the Kindle’s database. Now, instead of having a bookshelf overflowing with
books, I can have all the same information in one place. Literature has been ever present in
the history of humans. What Jeff Bezos did revolutionized one of the pillars of human existence. It allows us to take all the information we have on any subject and as Bill Gates said,
put it into a modest-looking white-and-silver device. I wish the Kindle the best of luck in the
future and am looking forward to my own!
Against: While I certainly respect Jeff Bezos as a man of genius when it comes to business, I
hesitate to put him into the same category of highly veneered people like Johannes Gutenberg
as Bill Gates has done so quickly, and I take umbrage with the idea that the Kindle will replace
real books someday. Real books have pages that you can turn, ink you can smell, and there is
a certain aesthetic pleasure to picking up a book whose binding has been worn over the years
and whose pages are a little bit dog-eared. Furthermore, real books can be loaned to friends
and read late into the night, long past the time when the Kindle’s battery has died. Also, what
if in 50 years, something happens to the Internet and it vanishes, along with its great store
of knowledge? It is far better to have books printed on real paper with real ink than to have
books with only a virtual existence. For all these reasons and more, I have no doubt that for
true bibliophiles the Kindle will never replace real books.
5. WOMEN CAN DO IT
MANUEL & P. 212
1. Estée Lauder
a.
Estée Lauder, the co-founder of Estée Lauder Company, was born on 1st July 1906 in New
York City from Hungarian parents. In reality, Estée’s name was Josephine Esther Mentzer, but
her father had an accent and when he wanted to call his daughter by her nickname “Esty”
he pronounced it “Estée”. So, when she created her company with her husband in 1946, she
decided to call it “Estée Lauder”. Estée started her business when she was a teenager. Her
uncle, Doctor John Schotz, a chemist, had a company called New Way Laboratories. She was
fascinated by the creams, lotions and fragances that her uncle created. When she finished
high school she called one of her uncle’s creams “Super Rich All-Purpose Cream” and began
selling it to her friends. One day, as she was having her hair done in a hair salon called the
House of Ash Blondes, Florence Morris, the salon’s owner, asked her about her perfect skin.
She came back with her uncle’s cream and demonstrated how to use it. Morris decided to sell
her products. Estée got her start selling skin care and make-up in beauty salons, demonstrating
her products on women while they were sitting under hair dryers. It is only in 1948 that the
company managed to sell their creams in a department store – Saks, on Fifth Avenue. So,
starting her business was not easy. By 2003, however, her business was worth $10bn and its
product range now sells in 130 countries. Estée Lauder died in 2004, aged 97.
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b.
Estée Lauder knew exactly what she wanted – to sell as many face creams as humanly possible.
In this quote, she credits her extreme determination and relentless, daily work for her success.
She never let her dream out of her sight and never let herself be deterred from her path. She
dedicated her entire life to assertively selling her products and creating a multi-billion dollar
company. Early on, she perfected her sales techniques and says she worked every single day of
her life selling her cosmetics. Her marketing technique was to personally share and explain her
products and give out samples in order to spread the word and create publicity. At first, she made
little money and was refused counter space at major department stores, but she persevered.
Later, even after her firm was well established and she could have retired, she continued to go
out into shops and give personalized sales advice to her employees.
c.
I chose this ad (Estée Lauder’s “Pleasure” fragrance) because to my mind, it illustrates this
quote quite well. The model is a famous actress, Gwyneth Paltrow, but she is portrayed as
friendly and down-to-earth. She is propped up on her elbows in the grass, smiling over her
shoulder at the camera, with a guitar laid out in front of her. She is definitely “approachable”
with her hair down and her casual, everyday summer clothes. She is photographed from above,
making her seem less impressive, which is unusual for a cosmetics ad. The viewer could imagine meeting such a person at a picnic, and having a conversation about face creams doesn’t
seem out of the question. The quote is “I live for moments like this” which makes the actress
seem more human, as if she is opening up about herself and sharing her hobby – guitar playing on lazy summer afternoons. It reminds me of what I read about Estée Lauder’s marketing
tactics – find people with influence and give them samples – they were her walking, talking,
human ads. It is as if Gwyneth Paltrow is personally recommending her favourite creams.
2. Anita Roddick
a.
Anita Roddick became successful by associating her products with “mother nature.” To promote
her brand in this ad, she shows us a rustic yet awe-inspiring natural phenomenon. The soonto-emerge butterfly could be seen to symbolize the sleeping, natural beauty in us all. The old
spider webs that can be seen between the branches represent the idea that nature is beautiful
without having to be flawless, and that our individual blemishes contribute to our loveliness.
In a small text box to the right of the butterfly chrysalis we can read “Protect our planet,” as
if by buying their products we would be somehow selflessly contributing to the preservation
of the environment, or as if the protection of the environment is of greater importance than
the narcissistic self-pampering promoted in traditional cosmetics ads.
c.
From the website www.anitaroddick.com/aboutanita.php:
• Social responsibility
– charity work with the millions of pounds of profit
– using her brand to “do good”
– working actively against sweatshop labour
• Respect for Human Rights, the environment and animal protection
– no animal testing
– ethical and sustainable production system and methods
• An absolute belief in Community Trade
– fair trade with suppliers in less developed countries
– ethical trading relationships
• Reduce, reuse and recycle
– less packaging – refillable bottles
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• Frugality
– don’t buy more than you can use, sample-size products
• Activate self-esteem
In the nineties they had a very successful ad campaign with a confident, nude, overweight
Barbie-like doll, rejecting the idea that women should aspire to look like super models and
promoting the idea that every woman is naturally beautiful.
d.
The Body Shop campaigns against animal testing and animal ingredients in their products.
They have always firmly believed in fair trade and have taken the initiative to establish and
practice their own trading principles. They run a charitable foundation to help ethical, emerging companies.
> Script de l’enregistrement (CD 3, plage 38)
Journalist: Who was Anita Roddick?
Interviewee: Anita Roddick was one of Britain’s most successful entrepreneurs of our time.
In 1976 she created The Body Shop, a cosmetics company, which has now become a huge
corporation with outlets all over the world. Anita Roddick was not only interested in beauty.
She was a manager with principles. She wanted the company to serve the public good. She
never gave up on her dream of changing the world. She used to say, “You are never remembered for what you do in business. Ever. You are remembered for what you do in society.”
She only used natural ingredients and many of the ingredients used were inspired by the
women she met in Africa, Asia or South America. The Body Shop was the first company to
introduce fair trade to the cosmetic industry. Anita Roddick wanted to bring natural ingredients in cosmetics in an ethical way. Anita Roddick understood the importance of working
with local producers. She was committed to trading fairly and responsibly with suppliers,
small-scale farmers, traditional craftspeople, rural cooperatives and tribal villages. She
wanted to work in harmony with nature. For her, trade could be used as a lever for social
change. She supported fair trade, was also against animal testing, and fought against the
current ideal of beauty.
CORRIGÉ DE LA FICHE DU WORKBOOK (P. 89-90)
1
huge = énorme, important – ingredient = ingrédient
2
Anita Roddick – Britain – most successful entrepreneurs – our time
3
– Dates? 1976 – Country names? Britain
– Words related to business? entrepreneurs – company – corporation – manager –
business – industry – trading – suppliers – trade – fair trade
– Stressed words? Britain – successful – entrepreneurs – Body Shop – cosmetics – company – corporation – outlets – world – beauty – manager – principles – public good – dream
– changing – world – remembered – business – society – natural – ingredients – women
– Africa – Asia – South America – introduce – fair trade – cosmetic industry – ethical
way – importance – local producers – committed – suppliers – small-scale – farmers –
traditional – craftspeople – rural cooperatives – tribal villages – harmony – nature – trade
– lever – social change – animal testing – fought – current – ideal – beauty
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4
Body Shop – cosmetics – huge corporation (with outlets all around the world)
5
She was not only interested in beauty. She was a manager with principles.
6
Her dreams
- wanted the company
to serve the public
good
- changing the world
8
What she did
- only used natural ingredients
- first to introduce fair trade to the cosmetic industry
- bring natural ingredients in an ethical way
- understood the importance of working with local producers
- committed to trading fairly and responsibly
- work in harmony with nature
- supported fair trade, against animal testing, against
the current ideal of beauty
This recording introduces Anita Roddick, the founder of The Beauty Shop. She was a successful woman at the head of a worldwide corporation. Her cosmetics company is based
on ethical values such as fair trade, which respects the local producers and provides fair
wages to economically deprived farmers. She also supported a new, more responsible
approach to beauty products and fought against animal testing. She intended to fulfil her
dream and believed in a better world where business would be synonymous with social
change. She urged consumers to buy products which respect the environment and sustain
small-scale farmers.
LANGUAGE AT WORK
MANUEL & P. 213
1
met - looked - wondered - was - knew - did not like - walked - wanted - were walking - was
working - stopped - were doing - was working - did not want - did not really know
2
founded - worked - had saved - followed – operated – had – realized - were attracting - were
offering - decided - was going to – opened - prospered – built - made - were located - had
gained - remembered - had learnt - prospered – settled - died - had built
3
1 who • 2 who • 3 which • 4 who • 5 which • 6 which • 7 that • 8 whose
N.B. : l’orthographe de Wal-Mart a été Wal-Mart Stores au départ, puis Wal*Mart, qui a
encore un peu cours, et maintenant c’est Walmart.
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IMPROVE
YOUR WRITING SKILLS
MANUEL & P. 214
1
– L’extrait 1 est purement informatif.
– Dans l’extrait 2, l’auteur a inclus une citation, le vocabulaire est laudatif : natural flair, one
of the world’s most well-known and respected entertainers, magic. Le parti pris est positif.
– Parti pris positif dans l’extrait 3 également, renforcé par l’emploi de superlatifs : greatest,
first. Les répétitions rendent le parti pris encore plus clair : dream, first, not afraid. Ces mots
permettent d’insister sur l’audace de Walt Disney, sur ce qui en a fait un pionnier.
2
– Parti pris positif = texte 2 : one of the world’s most recognized and cherished brands.
– Parti pris négatif = texte 3 : his driving ambitions were success-oriented, popularity and
commercialism played a vital role in his choices.
3
Walt Disney was a film producer, animator and international icon. He was born on December
5, 1901 in Chicago, IL. From an early age, Disney became interested in drawing. During his
freshman year of high school he was taking classes at a local university for design. However,
shortly after he dropped all his education and left for the army. After being refused by the
army for being too young, he joined the Red Cross in 1916. He was sent to France, and drove
an ambulance for roughly a year. Following WWI and his return to the United States, he began
doing work for several different animation companies. Shortly after, he relocated to California
and set up his own studio in Hollywood. In 1928, Disney had sufficient funds to found his own
company, Walt Disney Productions. One of the first ideas ended up becoming his most famous
animated character, Mickey Mouse. Disney created a series of animated TV shows and then
became interested in feature length films. In 1937, Disney developed the multiplane camera.
This revolutionary invention gave the impression that animations were three dimensional
by giving them depth. Shortly after, he began work on the film Snow White and the Seven
Dwarves. Virtually everyone thought this was a bad idea and some proclaimed this film to be
“Disney’s folly”. Even his wife tried to persuade him out of it. Nonetheless, Disney pursued
his dream and though he nearly bankrupted his company, upon the film’s arrival in theatres,
it was an instant hit. Many classics followed including Fantasia, Dumbo and Bambi. This later
became known as the golden age of animation. In 1964 plans for Walt Disney World in Florida
were introduced and realized. This is one of the most known theme parks in the world today.
Disney passed away on December 15, 1966 after a struggle with lung cancer. He is one of
the most renowned characters in history and his work has immortalized him.
YOUR TASK
MANUEL & P. 215
& Productions possibles :
Henry Ford is one of the best known and influential characters in history.
He is famous for his creation of Ford Motor Companies, the T Model Ford and his advancements made with different modes of production. No one can argue that Ford changed the
world. He devised a technology that previously had been only for the rich, and made it an item
accessible to the “everyday man”. In doing so, he changed the way that people move forever.
334 •
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Transportation became much easier and people were now to move about as they pleased.
His ability to give the “everyday man” a cheap automobile can be awarded to his changes in
modes of production. He used the ideas of interchangeable parts combined with an assembly
line to maximize production and minimize cost.
Henry Ford is also an example of the American Dream and spirit. Ford’s education was limited
but that did not stop him from becoming a super hero. Through a knack for creativity and hard
work, Ford built up an empire around him.
However, Ford was not an angel. Many people are willing to look past his negative aspects
in light of what he accomplished. But that does not change the fact that such aspects are
present. Ford was never shy about expressing his personal opinions on political matters and
his limited education sometimes caused his opinions to be controversial. This can be seen in
his anti-Semitic remarks and his support of Hitler. There are some negative aspects of Ford
that can be seen in his company as well. Though he raised the wages of all his workers, this
was only after they expressed great disdain for the new types of production. Ford created
jobs that were boring and required no thought. This induced a type of living and working that
turned humans into machines and left little to no room for creativity.
READING CORNER
MANUEL & P. 216-217
– Voir fiche d’exploitation et corrigé sur le site compagnon.
– L’extrait choisi peut être divisé en deux parties (de la l. 1 à 32, puis de l. 33 à la fin). Dans
le cadre d’une classe hétérogène, la première partie peut être traitée par les élèves les plus
solides, la partie deux par des élèves plus fragiles.
PROLONGEMENTS POSSIBLES À L’UNITÉ
> Évaluation sommative de PE (p. 391 de ce Fichier)
> Webographie : Fiche disponible sur le site compagnon
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15
& Espaces et échanges & Mythes et héros
Tâche finale (p. 229) : You are taking part in a writing contest. You will imagine and
write a scene of a western, based on the pictures provided.
Activités
langagières
Contenus
PPC
– Acquérir le vocabulaire
lié à l’Ouest américain
– Réagir à une photo
– Préparation à l’épreuve
d’expression orale (p. 246 et 249)
– Commenter un document visuel
(p. 240-241)
CO
Vidéo : The myth of the cowboy
Fiche vidéo (DVD-Rom
et site compagnon)
PPC
Commenter un tableau
– Commenter un document visuel
(p. 240-241)
– Image vidéoprojetable n° 10
(DVD-Rom)
CO
Comprendre un audio-guide
– Fiche Workbook
– Comprendre un message oral
(p. 238-239)
CE
Comprendre un texte littéraire
Fiche Workbook
POI
Jeu de rôles
Enrichir sa prise de parole
(p. 242-243)
CO
Vidéo : Dances with Wolves
Fiche vidéo (DVD-Rom
et site compagnon)
PE
Rédiger un récit
– Improve your writing skills (p. 228)
– Language at work : Expression du
passé et repères temporels (p. 226)
– Build up your vocabulary (p. 227)
CE /
POI
Comprendre un texte littéraire
Enrichir sa prise de parole
(p. 242-243)
PE
Rédiger une conversation
– Rédiger un dialogue (p. 235)
– Build up your vocabulary (p. 227)
CO
Visionner des bandesannonces sur Internet
Tune in!
(p. 218)
1. The
frontier
(p. 219)
2. Danger
ahead
(p. 220-221)
3. A strange
encounter
(p. 222-223)
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Prolongements
tâches / aides
Activités
langagières
4. Goodies
and baddies
(p. 224-225)
Contenus
Prolongements
tâches / aides
CE /
POI
Comprendre un extrait
de roman
Fiche Workbook
PPC
Imaginer une histoire à partir
d’un extrait de bande originale
de film
Enrichir sa prise de parole
(p. 242-243)
PE
Rédiger un blurb
sur une pochette de CD
– Rédiger un texte (p. 234-237)
– Improve your writing skills (p. 228)
L’activité langagière principale de cette unité est la PE (production écrite).
TUNE IN!
MANUEL & P. 218
> Mise en œuvre :
– On pourra donner ce travail à faire à la maison ou au labo multimédia.
– On divisera la classe en 2 groupes : un groupe prendra en charge la question a. pendant
que l’autre traitera la première partie de la question b. (les recherches biographiques sur
John Ford).
– La classe mettra en commun ses recherches et pourra ainsi proposer une réponse à la 2e
partie de la question b. (voir proposition de corrigé ci-dessous).
1. Eagle Eye
& Productions possibles :
a.
This long shot shows the wide expanses of the American West. The photo was taken in Monument Valley, which lies within the Navajo Indian Reservation on the border between the States
of Utah and Arizona. The wide, flat, desolate landscape has very little vegetation and incredible
rock formations (mesas and buttes) which seem to have grown up out of the red sandy desert.
b.
This place is named after John Ford because this is where the well-known director shot many
of his most famous westerns, such as Stagecoach, The Searchers, Fort Apache and She Wore
a Yellow Ribbon in the 1930s and 1940s. Ford’s powerful images have defined the American
West.
2. Watch a video
> Mise en œuvre :
– La fiche élève, son corrigé, le script et l’exploitation de l’extrait se trouvent dans le livret
du DVD-Rom et sur le site compagnon.
– En complément de l’étude de la photo de John Ford Point, cette vidéo permet d’introduire
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le lexique lié à la conquête de l’Ouest, au cowboy et donc de mettre en place la notion de
Mythes et Héros.
& Productions possibles :
b.
– After the Civil War, in 1865, the population was booming on the East Coast, but there was a
shortage of food, while in Texas there were over 6 million cattle roaming wild that could help
feed the people in the East. The problem was that there was no way to get that cattle east
since the railroad only went as far as Kansas at the time. Cowboys were needed to drive the
cattle north across the plains to the railroad. Another reason young men left the East to become
cowboys, was because there was a high rate of poverty in the South. Young adventurers left
for Texas in search of work.
– Cowboys drove cattle from Texas to the railroad in Kansas, 1,000 miles away. They had to be
skilled horsemen and cattle wranglers, using the lasso to catch the cows. They had to cross
dangerous terrain and guard the cattle from rustlers.
– It was linked to the conquest of the West because the cowboys were the first Americans to
explore and live on the plains. Later, farmers followed to settle on the land. The settlers put
up barbed wire to protect their fields from the herds of livestock, dividing the Great Plains into
plots of land and thus putting an end to the great cattle drives.
1. THE FRONTIER
MANUEL & P. 219
> Mise en œuvre :
– Ce tableau est disponible sous forme d’image vidéoprojetable sur le DVD-Rom (image
n°10). Au vidéoprojecteur, on diffusera le tableau de John Gast, on demandera aux élèves
de répondre à la question a. et on listera les éléments repérés.
– Avec une classe fragile, on formera plusieurs groupes auxquels on donnera des mots clés
comme par exemple : means of transport, landscapes, people, natural elements... Les élèves
devront associer les différents éléments repérés à un mot clé. Cette activité constitue une
étape intermédiaire avant l’analyse des symboles et des représentations mythiques et le
commentaire du tableau (b.) et facilitera la compréhension du document oral à étudier en c.
– Avec une classe plus à l’aise, les élèves trouveront facilement les symboles. On pourra
cependant les aider en leur proposant des mots clés : innovation, progress, education...
1. Moving forward
& Productions possibles :
b.
A blond woman dressed in white and carrying a book is floating in the middle of John Gast’s
1872 painting. She is stringing a telegraph wire across the Great Plains, bringing a means
of communication to the West and helping to establish American territories all across the
continent. The star on her forehead reminds us of the stars on the American flag which stand
for each of the States in the Union. This airy figure undoubtedly represents the “Spirit of the
Frontier” which is the title of the painting. Like all the people in the landscape, this spirit is mov-
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ing from right to left on the canvas, which would be from east to west on a map. It symbolizes
the westward movement of American pioneers, claiming land and establishing homesteads
and moving the frontier line further and further west. On the left-hand side of the painting
we can see wolves and Native Americans, and behind them a great herd of bison, all fleeing
before the settlers. In the foreground, a group of miners with a gun, a pickaxe, and a horse,
is making its way across the plain. Behind them, a farmer is ploughing the fields with an ox.
The daring pioneers travelled on foot, on horseback, in covered wagons, by stagecoach or by
train in their quest for land. The first transcontinental had just been completed in 1869 (just
three years before the painting was made), linking the east and west coasts and facilitating
the westward movement. We notice that the sky is brighter in the east, so the scene must
take place at dawn or early in the morning, symbolizing the birth of the nation, which was only
100 years old when this picture was painted. To the west, however, the sky is dark and filled
with threatening thunderclouds, symbolizing the threat of danger in these unknown territories.
The painting is an idealistic portrayal of Manifest Destiny, the doctrine that Americans used
to justify taking tribal lands away from the Native Indians, saying it was “God’s will” that the
Americans settle the land and take over the whole continent from east to west.
CORRIGÉ DE LA FICHE DU WORKBOOK (P. 91-92)
1
Christopher Columbus • gown • wake • on the go
2
referred to • frontier • pioneer • conquer • civilization • personification • allegorical • initiate
3
This recording is about a painting dealing with the American expansion. On the recording
we may hear a museum guide who is going to describe the painting and explain its meaning.
4
- Names? John Gast • Columbia • Christopher Columbus
- Nationalities? Groups of people? American • settlers • pioneers • Indians • outlaws •
Native Americans
- Countries? Regions? Precise locations and landscapes? the United States • the West
• the Pacific Coast • wild landscapes of forests • prairies and mountains
- Dates? Periods? 1872 • 19th century • 1890
- Animals? buffaloes
- Emblems / symbols? white gown • schoolbook in her hand, which symbolizes education
• innovations like the telegraph and the railways • Manifest Destiny
- Repeated words? the Frontier • pioneers • settlers • the West • American
- Stressed words? painting • American progress • spirit • Frontier • representation •
expansion • United States • frontier • East • West • pioneers • settlers • everything •
possible • determined • fulfil • dream • conquered • people • always • move • unlimited • wild •
landscapes • forests • prairies • mountains • civilization • Indians • justice • outlaws • explored
• resourceful • eager • make • fortunes • American pioneer spirit • change • took risks •
new ideas • innovations • death • prevent • moving • majestic feminine figure •
personification • United States • Columbia • Christopher Columbus • allegorical representation
• modernization • westward • schoolbook • symbolizes • education • innovations • telegraph
• railways Manifest Destiny • religious belief • destined • expand • continent • God • progress
• law • democracy • light • dark • west • Native Americans • buffaloes • terror • quest • over •
Pacific Coast • conquered • today • American people • continue • cross new frontiers •
reach • diverse goals
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5
Painting?
People?
Places?
Date? 1872
Who? John Gast
Title(s)? American
Progress • The Spirit
of the Frontier
Topic? the expansion
of the United States
Who? pioneers,
settlers, Indians
Final destination?
the West
Landscapes?
- unlimited, wild
landscapes of forests
- prairies
- mountains
Personality?
determined •
always on the
move •
resourceful
6
bring civilization to Indians and justice to outlaws • eager to make quick fortunes
7
change • took risks • trying • new ideas • innovations • moving on and on
8
Who?
- Name? Columbia
- Origin of this
name? named after
Christopher Columbus
Role?
leads
civilization
westward
Objects
- a schoolbook
- telegraph
- railways
Symbols
- education
- innovations
9
In fact she embodies Manifest Destiny, the 19th century religious belief that the United
States was destined to, and should expand across the continent, in the name of God,
bringing progress, law and democracy to the West.
10
The American expansion came to an end in 1890 when the settlers reached the Pacific
Coast.
11
Still, it is important to bear in mind that the idea of the frontier initiated in the 19th century
carries on today. American people are still on the go, and they will continue to cross new
frontiers to reach their diverse goals.
ACTION!
1
The pioneers were people who were always on the go / on the move. In order to fulfil
their dreams, they proved to be bold and willing to discover new territories, so that they
would conquer more of the American land. They succeeded in reaching their goals as
they kept redefining the Frontier and moved forward towards the West. As they were
resolute, brave and free-spirited, they expanded the territory with the hope of bringing
civilization and light to tribal lands.
2
Columbia, a feminine figure in a white gown, symbolizes the Frontier. She is said to
enlighten / bring light to Indian lands and, thanks to the schoolbook she bears in her
hand, she comes to educate people, she brings progress and develops civilization as
she moves westwards. She is represented with certain objects around her, such as the
telegraph wire and railways to underline that expansion is synonymous with modernity.
It shows that America is destined to innovate and spread progress, law and democracy
to its conquered lands.
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Objectif
j f
3
The American expansion ended in 1890 when the settlers reached the Pacific Coast. They
went as far to the West as possible.
4
The Frontier still has quite a significant impact on Americans’ minds. They are still keen
to conquer and go beyond their limits, whether they are geographical, physical or spiritual
or, even more down-to-earth and contemporary, technological. Americans are still ready
to discover new means of reaching their goals and fulfilling their dreams.
In the recording, Columbia is definitely presented as both a mythical figure and a heroine.
She stands for the American free spirit and moves in the air like a goddess. She is an allegory of liberty, democracy, law and progress and brings light and civilization to dark lands,
inhabited by uneducated and backward people. She symbolises the pioneer’s dreams
and goals, their ideal to forge a nation and expand the American territory. For that matter, pioneers and Columbia can be seen as heroes. However, we must qualify this idea by
remembering that many Indians were dispossessed of their lands and either endured the
occupation of the settlers, fled from their own territory or were massacred.
> Script de l’enregistrement (CD 3, plage 40)
Part 1
This painting (around 1872) by John Gast entitled American Progress and commonly referred
to as The Spirit of the Frontier, is probably the best representation of the expansion of the
United States. During the 19th century the Frontier was pushed from East to West, offering
to pioneers and settlers the idea that everything was possible as long as they were determined to fulfil their dream. The West was conquered by people who were always on the
move through unlimited, wild landscapes of forests, prairies and mountains, ready to bring
civilization to Indians and justice to outlaws. The West was explored by resourceful people
that were eager to make quick fortunes as well. 1’04’’
Part 2
The notion of the Frontier reveals much about the American pioneer spirit. American people
took for granted that everything would change all the time and that’s why they took risks, trying
new ideas and innovations. Only death could prevent them from moving on and on. 1’28’’
Part 3
When first looking at American Progress, our attention is initially attracted by the majestic
feminine figure in a flowing white gown at the center of the painting. This figure is a personification of the United States called Columbia (named after Christopher Columbus). She is an
allegorical representation of the modernization of the new West. Columbia leads civilization
westward. You can notice that she is holding a schoolbook in her hand, which symbolizes
education. Innovations like the telegraph and the railways that gradually reach the West are
also highlighted in this painting. In fact she embodies Manifest Destiny, the 19th century
religious belief that the United States was destined to, and should expand across the continent
in the name of God, bringing progress, law and democracy to the West. In Columbia’s wake,
American settlers follow, eager to develop new economic activities. As she moves forward,
Columbia brings light to the dark West and Native Americans together with buffaloes flee in
terror, as you can notice on the left of the painting. 3’01’’
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Part 4
Finally, the quest was over when the settlers reached the Pacific Coast and by 1890 the
Frontier was conquered. Still, it is important to bear in mind that the idea of the Frontier
initiated in the 19th century carries on today. American people are still on the go, and they
will continue to cross new frontiers to reach their diverse goals.
2. How the West Was Won
N. B. : cette bande annonce est visible à : www.youtube.com/watch?v=31C5Ikj7hhE
& Productions possibles :
b.
– Places: wild trackless land • in the mountains • on the plains • in the desert • down the river
Main characters: James Stuart plays the mountain man; Henry Fonda plays the plainsman;
the Prescot Family is played by Karl Malden and Agnes Moorehead; Debbie Reynolds plays
a dancer; Carroll Baker plays a pioneer woman; Walter Brennan and Brigid Bazlen play river
pirates; Eli Wallach plays a desperado named Charlie Gant; Lee J. Cobb plays a US marshall;
Gregory Peck plays the gambler Clee Van Valen; a wagonmaster is played by Robert Preston;
Thelma Ritter plays a friend; John Wayne plays General Sherman; George Peppard plays Zeb
Rollins and his wife is played by Carolyn Jones; Richard Widmark plays Mike King, one of the
railroad builders.
Different social groups: mountain men, plainsmen, adventurers, settlers, river pirates,
desperados, soldiers, gamblers, entertainers, builders
Music: played by a full orchestra to emphasize the grandeur of the epic film
– This is a very idealistic vision of the West. It is portrayed as a glorious place of adventure,
awesome violence, spirited romance, action and fun.
– Both the painting and the trailer idealize the conquest of the West. The characters are stereotypes: miners with their pickaxes, farmers with their ploughs, cowboys on their horses,
settlers in their covered wagons, Native Americans with their feather headdresses. Both these
representations show the American pioneers as heroes conquering the uncharted land. Neither
of these documents considers the plight of the Native Americans who were being pushed
from their lands, forced to change their lifestyle as the newcomers dispossessed them of
their lands or slaughtered them.
2. DANGER AHEAD
MANUEL & P. 220-221
> Mise en œuvre :
– On anticipera le contenu du texte à partir du travail proposé en a.
– On divisera la classe en 2 groupes et chaque groupe prendra en charge une partie du texte.
– Les 2 groupes échangeront ensuite sur leur travail. Ils s’aideront des p. 242-243 pour
enrichir leur prise de parole.
– Cet échange donnera lieu à une mise en commun et à une trace écrite.
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1. Get ready
& Productions possibles :
a.
danger • strong-willed • daring • adventurous • face • hunt • discover • wild animals • pitiless
• hostile • on the lookout • chase
b.
This text appears to be about two adventurous men who have travelled on horseback into
hostile Indian territory. It must be dangerous because they have both got their rifles in their
hands ready to shoot. The shadows on the opposite side of the canyon show that Indians are
on the cliff just above them. We don’t know why the men are there. They don’t appear to be
gold-diggers because they haven’t got a pickaxe or gold pans. Maybe they are hunting for
something or someone. It is possible the Indians are on the lookout for them, ready to chase
them off their land or even to kill them.
2. Find the key information
CORRIGÉ DE LA FICHE DU WORKBOOK (P. 93-94)
1
San Antonio
2
water + less (noun + suffix) = aride
3
- le bord, la lisière – raisonnable - le manque - terre / poussière
4
- there = the brown waterless distances to the west • they = Indians • it = desert / land /
plain - ours = our horses (Call and Augustus)
5
a) waterless • midsummer • seared • brown and brittle b) feared • frustrated • hated
6
- reminder (l. 11): remind + er = un rappel - hardship (l. 15): hard + ship = une épreuve
- spacious (l. 16): space + ious = vaste
7
- battre en retraite: to retreat - disparaître: cancel out
8
- “it” (l. 11) = a half-built cabin, abandoned and empty
- “their” (l. 12) = the Comanches
- “theirs” (l. 16) = the men and women who came up the Trinity and the Brazos
9
massacres (l. 12) • retreat (l. 12) • terror (l. 15) • fear (l. 16)
10
understood • annoyed
11
a) I, he = Call • they, them = American farmers b) - would - an imaginary action
12
You have never laid in bed all night with a scared woman, …
Those who start a farm have to settle by themselves, …
13
beat back (l. 19) • scared (l. 20) • battles (l. 31) • feel the knives of the Comanches (l. 33)
14
Women’s qualities and usual role
doing the chores
getting kids
Children’s qualities and usual role
a source of free labour
cheaper than slaves
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15
- fruitlessly : fruit + less + ly = en vain / de façon stérile
- weakness: weak + ness = faiblesse
16
no sympathy • lack of imagination • could never imagine • things happened too fast for fear
to paralyze the mind of a man like Call • couldn’t imagine
ACTION!
1
Call and Augustus give up their pursuit because of the drought, which acts as a deterrent
(effect) to their final goal: catching Indians. They know they must be cautious and careful
in the desert because their horses are not used to living in such a dry land. Should the
horses die of thirst, the two men would be badly disadvantaged as they would not be on
an equal footing with the Indians. Indeed, contrary to the latter, Call and Augustus fear
they might not be able to find and supply any water for their horses.
2
Augustus is realistic: although he is disappointed, he knows they won’t survive for long
in such waterless areas. He remains sensible and matter-of-fact since he is aware that
they are confronted with a challenging environment.
Contrary to his friend who is down-to-earth, Call is reluctant to abandon their pursuit.
Indeed, he embodies the fearless cowboy who is free-spirited and individualistic. He is
all the more courageous as he refuses to give up despite the risks.
3
Call thinks settlers are cowards who are too easily discouraged. Instead of abandoning
their farms, they should be tough and not impressed by the Indians. He expects them
to resist their enemy and struggle to keep their lands. Call believes that farmers should
gather to show their solidarity and organize an act of retaliation against the Indians.
4
Call is used to being involved in conflicts. He fights for what he believes in and proves
to be fearless in battle. He is always hungry for action and his strong-willed character
makes him an ideal leader.
Objectif
j f
In this text, the reader is presented with a hostile and wild environment. Nevertheless,
the main characters are fearless and keen to face the danger. They are cowboys chasing
Indians in order to expand the American territory westwards. The nature they are faced
with is composed of vast barren expanses and open spaces ready for the taking. These
pristine territories contained the dreams that pioneers yearned to fulfil, and the conquest
was a way for them to have access to new opportunities and better prospects.
3. Recap
& Productions possibles :
a.
The landscape is on the edge of a great canyon like those in the American West. The climate
is arid: the grass has turned brown from lack of water. The relationship we see is between two
men, friends who need each other to survive in the hostile territory. Women and children are
presented as secondary, a source of labour, not as a source of love. The Indians are portrayed
as violent, bloodthirsty enemies who massacre Whites, slaughtering innocent families in their
beds at night.
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b.
Call is a typical figure of the western movie because he is strong-willed, determined, adventurous, and fearless. Also, as in many westerns, the men are loners, without any family ties.
4. Role play
Call: Hey, look over there! Just beyond that butte. It’s a log cabin.
Augustus: Well, I do believe you’re right. They must have water and food. Let’s go!
As they arrive they see a man loading his belongings into a covered wagon. Two boys are
tending to the horses. When Call and Augustus ride up to them, a woman appears in the
doorway with blankets in her arms to put in the wagon.
Augustus: Howdy, folks!
Settler: Howdy do!
Augustus: What’re you folks doing here? Looks like you’re going on a long trip.
Settler: Long trip? You could put it that way. In fact, we’re getting out of here! Don’t you know
this here is Indian territory?
Call: Sure it is, but we’re never going to conquer this land if no one ever stays! You got to
stay put with your guns and your boys and defend this land. That’s the only way we’re going
to make this land ours!
Settler: Stay put, sure! And get fifty arrows in my chest and my wife’s scalp up on a totem
pole! No way! We’ve seen them! They’ve burned my fields, taken my animals. They ride by on
their horses with their bows and arrows on their backs, just looking at us.
Settler’s wife: Every day they come a little closer.
Settler: I don’t need to speak their language to know what they want. They want us out of here.
Call: Yes, but can’t you see! You’re just giving them what they want!
Settler: You’re darn right! We’re not staying here one more night, jumping at every cracking
twig, afraid that this is the night they will attack—burn our house down or slaughter us in our
beds. No, I’m taking my wife and children back east. This is no place for a family.
5. Watch a video
N. B. : la fiche élève, son corrigé, le script et l’exploitation de l’extrait se trouvent dans le
livret du DVD-Rom et sur le site compagnon.
a.
The settlers are confronted with a group of Pawnee Indians who come to their farm asking
for food and water, which the settlers refuse. In retaliation, the Indians kill the whole family
except for one girl who has managed to run away.
b.
Chief, while hunting today on our tribal lands, we came upon a white man’s house. He had
settled with his wife and two children, put fences across our lands, preventing us from hunting
game to feed our own families and our tribe. So we went to them, asking for food and water
taken from our ancestors’ land. They refused, saying that the land belonged to them, that
fences make the land and the food that grows upon it theirs. But land cannot be owned, it is
a part of nature, and its blessings must be shared. These white men will soon take everything
and we will have nothing. So we took it back from them. We took their lives to show them they
cannot take our land, and burned their house so no white man will live in it. There can be no
peace between our tribe and the white man. (151 words)
c.
I don’t remember that day very clearly, just bits and pieces, but I know I was terrified. Some
Pawnee Indians came up to our house on horseback. Ma and Pa had told us about the Indians,
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how they could kill a white family for no reason at all. Well, as soon as Ma saw them, she smelled
danger. She told the boy and me to hide. As I was leaving, I could hear them with Pa. They
were asking for something. Maybe they wanted food and water. I’m not sure, but whatever it
was, Pa wasn’t going to give anything. Pa always said that if you give in to them once, they’ll
never leave you alone, and pretty soon they’ll take everything. Anyway, something happened,
because then I heard fighting and Ma screaming. I just ran away as quickly as I could. That
was the last time I ever saw my parents. Some Sioux Indians found me later and brought me
to their tribe to live with them. (167 words)
3. A STRANGE ENCOUNTER
MANUEL & P. 222-223
1. Speak from your notes
Group A
– Newt met the Indians when he was out on the plains guiding the cattle. He was all alone
as he had lost the other cowboys and some of the herd. A group of five Indians suddenly appeared and they motioned to him to follow them.
– Newt imagined that the Indians were luring him into a trap, that they would steal the cows
and then kill him. He thought this might happen because he had heard stories of what Indians
had done to white people.
– What actually happened was that the Indians brought him back to the other cowboys and
the rest of the herd. Newt had strayed away from the group without realizing it. The Indians
had been laughing because he had stupidly been going off in the wrong direction.
Group B
– The young Indians saw a cowboy all alone with a group of cows, and realized that the
cowboy was lost because he was moving away from the other cowboys and cattle they had
seen in the next valley over. They couldn’t talk to the cowboy because they didn’t speak the
same language, but they motioned for him to follow them and they brought the cowboy and
his cows back to the herd.
– The Indians were laughing at the cowboy because they saw he had made a mistake, and
was stupidly going off in the wrong direction. In a friendly gesture, they brought the cowboy
back to the others.
2. A different perspective
a.
Hey, guys, I’m happy to see you! You’ll never guess what happened to me! I was off on the
other side of the herd, and at one point I couldn’t see any of you. I was all alone with about 60
cows, when suddenly I saw some Indians coming up. I didn’t know what to do. I’ve heard all
those stories about what Indians do to white people, stealing their horses and cattle and then
killing and scalping the white men! They waved to me to follow them, and started walking off
in the opposite direction from where I was going. I thought they were leading me back to their
camp, into some trap. I wanted to gallop off and find all of you, but I didn’t know where you
were, and thought they’d probably shoot an arrow in my back. So I followed them. You know
what they were doing? They’d seen I was lost and they were just bringing me back to you.
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They’ve got a good story to tell back at their camp—they saved a stupid cowboy who couldn’t
even keep track of his own herd! (191 words)
b.
Hello mother, hello father! You know those cowboys are herding cattle in the next valley beyond
those hills? Today we saw one of them wandering off with about sixty of the cows. He was
younger than the others, and didn’t seem to notice that he was going off in the wrong direction. He was completely lost! When we went over to him, he looked scared, as if he wanted to
run away, but he didn’t know where to run. How can someone be so stupid as to lose a whole
herd of cattle? Well, he did. So we waved for him to follow us, and herded the cattle in front
of us. He kept looking around him, as if he might run, but finally we got over the ridge and he
saw the whole herd and the other cowboys. Then he looked really sheepish. He looked as if
he wanted to talk, but we knew from his wide smile that he was saying thank you. Then he
galloped off across the valley to meet up with his friends. But he waved and smiled at us as
he went. (186 words)
3. Movie corner
b.
– Cheyenne Autumn
Place: Oklahoma, Yellowstone
Period: the late 1800s (1878)
Relationships: there is a love story between Captain Thomas Archer (played by Richard
Widmark) and the schoolteacher (played by Carroll Baker).
Plot: two Cheyenne chiefs lead their tribe from their reservation in Oklahoma territory back to
their homeland in what is now Yellowstone in the State of Wyoming, but the US government
sees this as aggressive and an act of rebellion, and they attack the Cheyenne.
Place given to Native Americans: They are called “heroes”.
Who plays the role of the Native Americans? Spanish-speaking and white actors
Who are the good guys? The Native Americans, a pacifist schoolteacher, the Secretary of
the Interior Carl Schurz (played by Edward G. Robinson), who tries to prevent fighting between
the army and the Indians.
Who are the bad buys? The US Cavalry
– Dances with Wolves
Place: Fort Sedgwick on the western frontier
Period: late 1800s (1863)
Relationships: Lieutenant John J. Dunbar (played by Kevin Costner) falls in love with Stands
With A Fist (played by Mary McDonnell), a white woman raised by Sioux Indians. Dunbar
becomes friends with the Indians.
Plot: first, Lieutenant John J. Dunbar (played by Kevin Costner), a Union soldier during the
American Civil War, asks to be sent to the western frontier so he can see it before it disappears. He is sent to Fort Sedgwick, but discovers the fort abandoned. He decides to stay
anyway, and eventually makes friends with members of the nearby Sioux tribe. He falls in love
with Stands With A Fist who was adopted by the Sioux after Pawnee Indians killed her family.
Dunbar stays to live with the Sioux. In the end, he returns to Fort Sedgwick to retrieve his
journal, but he finds it occupied by the US Army who take him for a Native American because
of his clothing. They shoot him and then take him prisoner, but the Sioux attack the soldiers
and free Dunbar. Dunbar leaves the tribe with Stands With A Fist because he does not want
to put the tribe in danger.
Place given to the Native Americans: They have a very positive role.
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Who plays the role of the Native Americans? Graham Greene (Canadian) plays the tribe’s
medicine man Kicking Bird, Rodney A. Grant (a Native American of the Omaha tribe) plays
the Indian warrior Wind In His Hair.
Who are the good guys? The Native Americans, Dunbar and Stands With A Fist
Who are the bad guys? The US Army
c.
d.
Film 1
Film 2
Title of the film
Cheyenne Autumn
Dances with Wolves
Date
1964
1990
Who plays
the role of
the Native
Americans?
The major Native American roles
were played by Spanish-speaking
actors such as Delores Del Rio
and Ricardo Montalban, the Italian
Sal Mindo and a white man named
Gilbert Roland, however many
members of the Navajo tribe
played the Cheyenne people.
Graham Greene (a Canadian)
and Native Americans
Who are the
good guys?
Give examples.
The Indians (the narrator says
“these are the heroes of this epic
story”), a pacifist schoolteacher
who defends the Indians.
The Union Army Lieutenant
played by Kevin Costner,
the white woman; the Indians
appear dangerous at first,
but they are friendly.
Who are the
bad guys?
Give examples
The US government attacks
the Indians. A US military officer
(played by John Wayne).
The other members of the US
military are bad guys because
they want to fight, and to hang
Kevin Costner’s character.
Films by Ford such as She Wore a Yellow Ribbon, Rio Grande and The Searchers are traditional
western movies because there is a clear line between the good guys (the Whites) and the bad
guys (the Indians). There is no ambiguity, no subtlety. The Indians shoot the Whites with their
bows and arrows, the Whites shoot the Indians with their guns. And of course the Whites win.
Cheyenne Autumn, John Ford’s last western, is more ambiguous, as the Indians are called
“heroes”. Dances with Wolves (1990) also portrays the Native Americans in a favourable light.
4. GOODIES AND BADDIES
MANUEL & P. 224-225
> Mise en œuvre :
– On proposera une anticipation sur le texte à partir de la photo extraite de Silverado.
– On divisera ensuite la classe en 2 groupes qui chacun étudiera une partie du texte (les
élèves travailleront en binômes au sein de chaque groupe).
– Avec une classe en difficulté, on travaillera directement la fiche de compréhension du
Workbook.
348 •
U N IT 15
– On s’appuiera sur les différents Action! pour faire une mise en commun avec toute la
classe et proposer une trace écrite.
1. Main facts
& Productions possibles :
A young fourteen-year-old girl named Mattie Ross wants to catch Tom Chaney because he
killed her father. She and two lawmen are on his track, but in this scene, she is all alone when
she accidentally comes upon the man she’s been looking for. She is so young, only a girl, and
she doesn’t even know how to use her revolver. When Tom reminds her to cock her gun if she
wants to shoot it, she must use two thumbs to pull the hammer back because she isn’t strong
enough to do it with one hand. The reader can’t imagine such a little girl having the courage to
actually shoot a man, but she does. She proves that she has true courage, “true grit”.
CORRIGÉ DE LA FICHE DU WORKBOOK (P. 95-96)
1
- bottom & le contrebas
- into the open & à découvert • a creek bank & au bord d’un ruisseau
- He gave a start & il sursauta
- peered & scruta • stream & le cours d’eau
2
The scene is set in a canyon, near a stream of water.
3
a) Mattie Ross, a 14-year-old girl b) Mattie and Tom Chaney
4
Character’s
name
Feelings
Reactions
Mattie Ross
shocked
“I could not move. I stood there fixed” (l. 8)
Tom Chaney
- inquisitive
- surprised
- puzzled
“What are you doing here?” (l. 15)
“What are you doing in these mountains?” (l. 17)
“He gave a start and brought the rifle quickly
into play.” (l. 9)
5
a) Mattie’s thoughts b) a stream of consciousness (an interior monologue)
6
a) - bookkeeper: book + keep + er = (ici) qui tient les comptes
- carelessly: care + less + ly - négligemment b) he smiled
7
- remit en bandoulière: slung over a shoulder - seau: bucket - ne plaisantent pas: mean
business - rassembler: gather
8
“I know you, Tom Chaney” (l. 14) • “dragoon revolver” (l. 18) • “held the revolver in both
hands” (l. 19) • “a posse of officers” (l. 21) • “Right around fifty.” (l. 23) • “well armed” (l. 23) •
“ mean business” (l. 23) • “what I want you to do now” (l. 23-24) • “I will have to shoot
you.” (l. 28)
9
“laughed” (l. 20) • “How do you like that?” (l. 20) • “That is interesting news,” (l. 22) •
“oblige” (l. 26)
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WESTERN TRAILS
10
côtes: ribs • gentil, correct: decent • il n’aurait pas dû se mêler de mes affaires: he ought
not to have meddled in my business • complètement: through and through • ordure (fam.):
a piece of trash
11
a) piece - revolver - pistol
b) - Advice given: “you had better cock your piece” (l. 29) + “All the way back till it locks,”
(l. 31)
- Mattie’s inexperience: “I had forgotten about that. I pulled the hammer back with both
thumbs” (l. 30)
12
“I pointed the revolver at his belly and shot him down.” (l. 34)
13
Facts
Expectations
- “the ball had struck Chaney’s side and knocked him
into a sitting position against a tree.” (l. 36-37)
- “One of my short ribs is broken.” (l. 42).
Chaney’s crimes
14
1. “you killed my father” (l. 43)
2. “you shot a senator in the State
of Texas” (l. 49)
15
“I did not think you would
do it.” (l. 40)
Reasons
“I was drinking and I was mad through
and through.” (l. 46)
“That man threatened my life.” (l. 51)
Chaney’s last sentence reveals he is ironic.
ACTION!
Objectif
j f
1
This encounter is a showdown / a clash between two characters: a little girl called Mattie
and a man called Tom Chaney. Mattie draws her gun and threatens Chaney, she proves
to be daring / bold for her age and undeterred by the fact that he is older and certainly
a dangerous / dodgy character. Nevertheless, Chaney seems careless and not the least
frightened by the girl. The encounter reaches its climax as Mattie is determined to take
her revenge / to retaliate.
2
Tom Chaney is an outlaw because he has committed two murders and has not surrendered
to the sheriff. He refuses to abide by the law and is wanted by the local marshal. He remains
an outlaw since he has not been judged / tried and punished for his crimes yet.
3
He tries to justify his crimes, as if he did not kill his victims on purpose but with good
reasons. He reckons he has extenuating circumstances; he was merely defending himself
or drunk and thus did not have full control of his actions. He is looking for sympathy. He
wants the little girl to sympathize with him. He wants to arouse pity. He refuses to take
responsibility for his deeds, or to be considered a villain / a baddy.
Mattie is a little girl longing for justice; she embodies an innocent girl who has been deprived of a father in appalling circumstances. She is looking for revenge / she wants to
retaliate and plucks up the courage to face her enemy. From this point of view, she can be
350 •
U N IT 15
considered one of the goodies as she stands for innocence and calls for lawful punishment
and justice. On the other hand, Tom Chaney is presented as one of the baddies, as he is
the wanted man whose life is probably worth a reward. He is on the run because he broke
the law / he did not abide by the law. He embodies the evil character in westerns since
he seems ruthless. The fact that he is a villain is all the more strengthened as he stands
up against a little girl.
2. Music corner
> Mise en œuvre :
– Cette activité (CD 3, piste 42) consiste à imaginer des situations à partir d’extraits de
bandes originales de films. Elle pourra servir de synthèse en fin d’unité, et permettra de
vérifier que les différentes problématiques associées à la notion de Mythes et héros et
d’Espaces et échanges ont bien été assimilées.
– On prolongera cette activité par un court travail écrit.
& Productions possibles :
a.
– Extrait du thème principal de How the West Was Won (John Ford, 1962), par Alfred Newman
When listening to this piece, I can imagine a chase scene, where four good guys are riding
their horses at a furious pace to catch up to a train where bags of gold have been stashed.
The music is joyful, so we know they are going to succeed. The bad guys have all been killed,
no one is on the train, it is simply a question of speed and horsemanship.
– Extrait du thème principal de The Magnificent Seven (John Sturges, 1960), par Elmer
Bernstein
I imagine this scene takes place at the very end of the film, when the bad guys have all been
killed and the seven good guys have accomplished their mission. The six chords at the beginning of the piece give a sense of finality, and the fact that the whole orchestra is playing this
piece gives a feeling of cohesion. The West is now a safer place for the good men and women
of the Frontier. The music is joyful and exuberant, echoing their sentiments. Next, when we
hear the same musical phrase repeated, it could be that the seven men on horseback are
coming back together after their last shootout, more joining them with each repetition. At last,
they are all together, and they ride off across the desert into the sunset.
– Extrait de Red River (Howard Hawkes, Arthur Rosson, 1948), par Dimitri Tiomkin
In this very short extract, we could imagine that the hero has been left inside a stagecoach
that has lost its driver and the horses are galloping out of control. At this moment, the good
guy is hoisting himself up, up through the window of the stagecoach and onto the driver’s seat
where he grabs the reins and can start to regain control of the runaway horses.
– Adaptation de Harmonica dans Once Upon a Time in the West (Sergio Leone, 1968), musique
de Ennio Morricone. On pourra aussi faire écouter l’extrait original tiré de la bande son du
film que, pour des raisons de droits, nous n’avons pu obtenir.
This piece begins with the sound of a single harmonica wailing out a dissonant tune. It sounds
eerie, as if the hero were in some sort of danger. I imagine it is near the end of the film and
the hero has just arrived in a western Frontier town. No one can be seen. It looks almost like
a ghost town, but people are there, they are just hiding. We might see the flicker of a curtain
U N IT 15
• 351
UNIT
15
WESTERN TRAILS
and catch a glimpse of someone behind a post. The townspeople know danger is imminent.
The hero is standing, all alone (like the single harmonica) in the middle of the street as a tumbleweed rolls down the empty street. Suddenly, an electric guitar joins in: the bad guy has
appeared at the other end of the main street. It is going to be a shootout between the good
guy and the bad guy in this final confrontation. One of the men throws back his cape and their
guns in their holsters glisten in the burning sun.
b.
Relive the greatest scenes of your favourite western films by listening to The Greatest Western
Theme Songs, a CD which has just been released from Columbia Records. These vibrant pieces
capture the greatness of the wide open spaces of the American Frontier, get your adrenaline
going with its rapid chase scenes, haunt you with the eerie dissonance of a harmonica in a
ghost town, send you head over heels with its love songs. You will hear all your favourites, with
theme songs from films like Once Upon a Time in the West, Red River, The Magnificent Seven,
How the West Was Won, and more! Pick up your CD at a music store today, or purchase it
online on our website: www.greatestwesternsongs.com. (120 words)
LANGUAGE AT WORK
MANUEL & P. 226-227
1
Ordre des phrases : h - a - g - d - i - f - e - c - b
– had come : past perfect & valeur de résultat – résultat en un point du temps situé dans
le passé (et non résultat au moment présent, comme pour le present perfect)
– needed : prétérit simple & action passée intégrée dans un récit
– walked : prétérit simple & action passée intégrée dans un récit
– had just entered : past perfect & valeur de passé récent (cf. present perfect, mais ici
passé récent par rapport à un point du temps situé dans le passé)
– came : prétérit simple & action passée intégrée dans un récit
– sat, ordered : prétérit simple & action passée intégrée dans un récit
– were playing : prétérit en BE + -ING & « arrêt sur image, toile de fond » - description pause dans le récit
– asked : prétérit simple & action passée intégrée dans un récit (verbe introducteur du
style indirect)
– could join : prétérit simple ; la marque du prétérit est portée par l’auxiliaire modal CAN
& prétérit de discours indirect ; au discours direct ou aurait soit “Can I join the game?” soit
“Could I join the game?”
– occurred : prétérit simple & action passée intégrée dans un récit
– had been cheated : past perfect au passif & valeur de « passé au second degré » (passé
par rapport à un moment passé)
– started fighting : prétérit simple du verbe start suivi de V-ING & action passée intégrée
dans un récit. Le verbe start peut être suivi soit de V-iNG soit de l’infinitif en to.
– took : prétérit simple & action passée intégrée dans un récit
– was disarmed : prétérit simple au passif & action passée intégrée dans un récit
– arrived, decided : prétérit simple & action passée intégrée dans un récit
2
was • came • had lived through • recalled • had happened • explained • had first been captured
• had been raised • had learnt • narrated • became • married • was killed • ended up
352 •
U N IT 15
3
Yes, I finally made it here to Sacramento, California, all the way from St. Joseph, Missouri—1,900
miles—in just three weeks! The mail makes it in only ten days, but a man’s got to sleep. I rode
between 75 and 100 miles per day, changing horse every 10 miles or so at each Swing Station and getting a bed and food at the Home Stations. When I arrived at the Home Station, I
would give my mochila (mail pouch) to another Pony Express rider who would hurry on toward
California. This is my first run. I was hired in Missouri because I’m as good a horseman as
there is, and I’m skinny. Those folks who hire you want thin boys so they can load up the mail
pouches with mail. If a man’s too heavy, they can’t put as much mail because it would tire
out the horses to carry too much weight. They also looked happy when I said I didn’t have any
parents. It’s a dangerous job, I guess they didn’t want any trouble from parents if their boy got
hurt or killed. I’d never before seen such amazing landscapes. Leaving the plains of Missouri
and Kansas behind me, I crossed the Rocky Mountains in Wyoming. In Utah, I saw the Great
Salt Lake, and then crossed the Utah and Nevada deserts. In Nevada, I nearly got caught by
some Paiute Indians, but I managed to get away. At last, I crossed the Sierra Nevada mountain
range and travelled on to Sacramento in California’s Central Valley. Someday I’d like to ride
all the way to the Pacific Ocean, but that’ll be another time. Tomorrow I’m back on the trail
to Missouri. (283 words)
Build up your vocabulary
1
a. shouted b. insisted c. pleaded d. whispered e. inquired f. snapped g. demanded h. stammered
2
A
B
creep (crept, crept)
marcher sans bruit
stumble
trébucher
limp
boiter
stride (strode, stridden)
marcher à grand pas
stagger
chanceler
stroll
se promener / flâner
3
a. 2 - b. 7 - c. 1 - d. 3 - e. 6 - f. 4 - g. 5
4
A little boy named Tim lived with his parents out on the Frontier. One day, when Tim’s parents
were busy putting up fencing on the other side of the ranch, Tim was all alone at the farmhouse
taking care of the animals. Suddenly, he saw three men ride up on horseback. Tim quickly
crept behind a large boulder to hide. He peered from behind the rock and witnessed two of
the men getting off their horses and striding over to the corral where the cows were kept.
They were brandishing their guns and shouting to the third cowboy, telling him to lasso the
cows. Tim wanted to sneak away to tell his parents these men were stealing their cows, but
as he turned to creep away, he unintentionally kicked a rock. One of the men heard the noise
and glanced in his direction. He noticed Tim. The boy tried to run away, but stumbled on a
rock. The men ran over to Tim and stared down at him. They demanded to know where his
parents were. Tim whispered that they were dead and that he lived all alone. He pleaded
with the cow thieves to let him keep the cows, as they were all he had. The men strapped Tim
onto one of the horses to take him away with the cows, but they didn’t notice Tim’s parents
who had arrived from behind the house with shotguns in their hands.
U N IT 15
• 353
UNIT
15
WESTERN TRAILS
IMPROVE YOUR
WRITING SKILLS
MANUEL & P. 228
2
a.
b.
c.
d.
3
Adjectifs : odd-looking - scrubby
Adverbes : nervously - clearly
Propositions relatives : where the wagons had circled for the night - who had kidnapped
the little girl
Compléments de lieu : in the damp sand - about a mile downstream - at the front - at the
back - in the mud - downstream another thirty yards or so
Compléments de temps : at dawn
Compléments de nom : (clump) of grass
Mots de liaison : but - then
Vocabulaire plus précis : holstered - the shallows - scanning every rock and clump of grass
Verbes de mouvement : circled - got off - knelt down - pulled out - holstered - rode - followed
Verbes de position : stayed
Verbes de perception : watching - glancing - looked - scanning
Adverbes : nervously
Auxiliaires de modalité : might be watching
Faire référence à quelque chose sans explications : Then he found what he was looking
for.
Antériorité par rapport à une action passé : had circled - had kidnapped
Succession des incidents : got off - knelt – stayed - pulled out - checked - holstered - rode
- followed - found
Cadrage du récit : thought - looked - told
Whenever a stagecoach set off on a westward journey, it was always the beginning of
a dangerous, yet exciting, adventure. When the passengers gathered for departure at
four thirty in the morning, their fingers were numbed by the cold. A handful of men and
women stood in groups of twos and threes in the town square in front of the Post Office,
and waved goodbye to the impatient passengers as the travellers found their seats inside
the coach. The driver didn’t waste any time and set the six Bay horses trotting, as they
had to make their way across the vast and unforgiving desert before reaching the next
station. Each and every one of them knew it would be a long and perilous journey, where
they risked their lives going through Indian lands. It was Geronimo’s territory.
354 •
U N IT 15
YOUR TASK
MANUEL & P. 229
> Mise en œuvre :
– Les élèves suivront la démarche proposée dans leur manuel.
– Il faudra les inciter à utiliser le lexique étudié dans l’unité et à bien mettre en place les
stratégies repérées p. 228.
& Productions possibles :
The Indians are refusing to let the Pony Express riders travel through their territory, attacking
every rider who crosses into their land. Lieutenant Sam Matthews (played by John Wayne), who
speaks the Indian language, decides to try to talk to the Indians to find out why they won’t let
the Whites deliver their mail. First, he and his partner Tom Johnson pack some food and water
on their horses and then ride through the snowy mountains (picture 1) to get to the Indian’s
camp. They go unarmed, to prove their mission is peaceful. Shortly before they arrive at the
camp, they make a fire to send up smoke signals to indicate that they come in peace. At last,
they meet up with the Indian chief (picture 2) who explains to them that the Indian princess
Laughing Brook is missing. The Indians believe that a white soldier has kidnapped her. John
Wayne explains that if that is the case, it is a renegade who has done it, not a US soldier. He
sets out to find the villain and rescue the Indian princess. Finally, he finds the man, shoots
him (picture 3) and rescues Laughing Brook (picture 4) to take her back to her tribe.
READING CORNER
MANUEL & P. 230-231
Voir fiche d’exploitation et corrigé sur le site compagnon.
PROLONGEMENTS POSSIBLES À L’UNITÉ
> Image vidéoprojetable : Spirit of the Frontier (DVD-Rom).
> Évaluation sommative de la production écrite p. 391 de ce Fichier :
You want to spend an evening watching a western. Your friend disagrees and suggests other
types of films. Imagine the dialogue. Use precise arguments to support your answer. (300 words)
U N IT 15
• 355
Évaluations diagnostiques
et sommatives
(fiches photocopiables, corrigés et grilles CECRL)
Fiches d’évaluation diagnostique
Spoken production
p. 357-359
Reading
p. 360-361
Listening
p. 362-363
Speaking interaction
p. 364
Writing
p. 364
Corrigés et grilles CECRL
p. 365-371
Fiches d’évaluation sommative
3 56 •
Spoken production
p. 372-376
Reading
p. 377-387
Listening
p. 388
Speaking interaction
p. 389-391
Writing
p. 391
Corrigés et grilles CECRL
p. 392-412
F IC H E S P HOTOCOP IAB LE S
FICHES D'ÉVALUATION DIAGNOSTIQUE&SPOKEN PRODUCTION
Évaluation diagnostique
Cette consigne sera valable pour tous les sujets d’évaluation diagnostique
de prise de parole en continu. Chaque élève ne traitera qu’un sujet.
– Before you start, observe the cartoon and try to gather all the words that might be
necessary.
– Keep speaking for 2.30 / 3 minutes.
– During your presentation, you should not worry if you hesitate, but you should keep talking
either about the cartoon itself or the situation that is represented. SPEAK WITHOUT NOTES
Fiche photocopiable - © Hatier 2012
Subject A
F IC H E S P HOTOCOP IAB LE S
• 357
FICHES D'ÉVALUATION DIAGNOSTIQUE&SPOKEN PRODUCTION
Subject B
Fiche photocopiable - © Hatier 2012
Subject C
3 58 •
F IC H E S P HOTOCOP IAB LE S
FICHES D'ÉVALUATION DIAGNOSTIQUE&SPOKEN PRODUCTION
Fiche photocopiable - © Hatier 2012
Subject D
F IC H E S P HOTOCOP IAB LE S
• 359
FICHES D'ÉVALUATION DIAGNOSTIQUE&READING
Évaluation diagnostique
Nom de l’élève :
Classe :
A. Read the text and the questions twice at least before starting answering.
One Hundred Tweets of Solitude
5
10
15
20
Fiche photocopiable - © Hatier 2012
25
30
How many times a day do you check your email? When you wake up? Before bed?
A dozen times in between? If you’re like many of us, the red blinking light of a
BlackBerry is the first thing you see each morning—you’ve got mail!—and the last
glimpse of color to fade out before bedtime. It’s constant and nagging—yet most
of us say we can’t live without it. Add Twitter, Facebook, and the rest of our socialmedia obsessions to the mix, and the technology that was supposed to simplify our
lives has become the ultimate time-suck: the average teen spends more than seven
hours a day using technological devices, plus an additional hour just text-messaging
friends.
The advantage to all that gadgetry, of course, is connectedness: email lets us
respond on the go, and we are in touch with more people during more hours of
the day than at any other time in history. But is it possible we’re more lonely than
ever, too? That’s what MIT1 professor Sherry Turkle observes in her new book,
Alone Together, a fascinating portrait of our changing relationship with technology.
[…] Turkle talks to high-school students who fear having to make a phone call,
and elementary-school children who become distraught when their toy robot pets
“die.” […] Is technology offering us the lives we want to live? “We’re texting people
at a distance,” says the author, the director of the MIT Initiative on Technology
and Self. “We’re using inanimate objects to convince ourselves that even when we’re
alone, we feel together. And then when we’re with each other, we put ourselves in
situations where we feel alone—constantly on our mobile devices.” […]
What can’t be denied is that technology, no matter its faults, makes life a whole
lot easier. It allows us to communicate with more people in less time; it can make
conversation simple—no small talk required. It can be therapeutic: robots are now
used to help care for the elderly; in Japan, they’re marketed as a way to lure addicts
out of cyberspace. But it can also be seductive, providing more stimulation than
our natural lives make possible. […] One high-school student she spoke with put
it simply: “I start to have some happy feelings as soon as I start to text.” But are any
of those feelings on par with2 the kind we feel when engaged in real, face-to-face
intimacy? Online, you can ignore others’ feelings. In a text message, you can avoid
eye contact. A number of studies have found that this generation of teens is less
empathetic than ever.
Newsweek, January 11, 2011
1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology 2. equal to
3 60 •
F IC H E S P HOTOCOP IAB LE S
FICHES D'ÉVALUATION DIAGNOSTIQUE&READING
B. Answer the questions in English.
1
What impact do technological devices have on teenagers’ lives?
2
What is paradoxical about modern means (ways) of communication? Quote one sentence
from the text.
2 pts
3
What is positive about cellphones and computers?
Quote one sentence.
Fiche photocopiable - © Hatier 2012
2 pts
4
a) What is the negative impact?
b) Give three different examples.
-
5
“One high-school student she spoke with put it simply” (l. 27-28).
Who does the underlined pronoun refer to?
2 pts
3 pts
6
What changes have new technologies brought to our lives? Quote from the text.
-
7
According to the journalist what are two negative points of texting?
Quote from the text.
-
8
1 pt
Explain the last sentence of the article in your own words. (10 to 15 words)
Total des points :
1 pt
5 pts
2 pts
2 pts
/ 20
F IC H E S P HOTOCOP IAB LE S
• 361
FICHES D'ÉVALUATION DIAGNOSTIQUE&LISTENING
Évaluation diagnostique
Nom de l’élève :
Classe :
Lisez d’abord attentivement toutes les questions puis écoutez l’enregistrement
trois fois.
Vous répondrez en français de la question 3 à la question 8.
Noms utiles: Melissa Block • Jennifer Ludden • Sierra Koenick • Amanda
Lenhart • Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School • Harvard Westlake High School
A. Première écoute
1
Écoutez attentivement l’introduction de la journaliste. Relevez les mots et expressions clés.
2
Mots entendus
- Lieux ? Nombres ?
- Mots accentués? Mots reconnus?
3
Quel est selon vous le thème principal ?
1 pt
Fiche photocopiable - © Hatier 2012
B. Deuxième écoute
4
Qu’apprend-on dans l’introduction ?
a) Que préfèrent les parents ?
2 pts
b) Que préfèrent les adolescents ?
2 pts
c) Que nous apprend une étude ?
2 pts
3 62 •
F IC H E S P HOTOCOP IAB LE S
FICHES D'ÉVALUATION DIAGNOSTIQUE&LISTENING
5
Première personne interrogée (appuyez-vous sur vos réponses à la question 2) :
0,5 pt
- Nom :
- Âge :
0,5 pt
- Où habite cette personne (État) :
1 pt (bonus)
1 pt
- Ses habitudes :
- Autres informations :
1 pt
6
Décision envisagée dans Harvard Westlake High School ?
2 pts
7
8
Pour quelles raisons ?
- Comportement observé ?
2 pts
- Incidence sur la personnalité ?
2 pts
- Inquiétude(s) ?
2 pts
Quel comportement a observé Amanda Lenhart, la dernière personne interrogée ?
2 pts
C. Troisième écoute
Complétez vos notes ci-dessus.
/ 20
Fiche photocopiable - © Hatier 2012
Total des points :
F IC H E S P HOTOCOP IAB LE S
• 363
FICHES D'ÉVALUATION DIAGNOSTIQUE&SPEAKING INTERACTION • WRITING
Évaluation diagnostique
Cette consigne sera valable pour les trois sujets d’évaluation diagnostique
de production orale en interaction. Chaque élève ne traitera qu’un sujet.
Vous tirerez au sort un sujet et pendant 3 minutes,
vous noterez sur une feuille autant d’arguments pour et
d’arguments contre que vous le pourrez. Ensuite, vous
échangerez avec un camarade. L’un sera pour et l’autre
contre.
Subject A
The time that the average web user spent on social networking sites in February 2010 is five
hours and twenty-seven minutes (up two hours from February 2009). Do you think this corresponds to the reality? Compare with your own use of the Internet.
Subject B
Social networking sites are a threat to our private lives. React.
Subject C
Your school has decided to ban cellphones. Are you for or against this measure? Justify your
views.
Évaluation diagnostique
Traitez le sujet choisi en 180-200 mots.
Subject A
Fiche photocopiable - © Hatier 2012
New technology isolates people. Discuss.
Subject B
Would you say you are addicted to your cellphone? To what extent? Give examples.
Subject C
Are you a phoning or a writing person? Explain why.
3 64 •
F IC H E S P HOTOCOP IAB LE S
FICHES D’ÉVALUATION DIAGNOSTIQUE&CORRIGÉS ET GRILLES CECRL
SPOKEN PRODUCTION
MANUEL & P. 17
Tous les documents présentés dans cette partie consacrée à l’évaluation diagnostique
sont centrés sur le rôle des nouvelles technologies et de la communication dans la vie
quotidienne. Les notions en jeu sont Espaces et échanges et L’idée de progrès.
Remarque : si le professeur ne désire pas évaluer les élèves dans les 5 activités langagières,
les supports proposés peuvent faire l’objet d’un travail en début d’année autour de ces
thématiques.
& Proposition de corrigé
1
The Internet: downloading, wi-fi, wireless, email, fun, funny websites, humour, blogs, forums,
information, news, communication, videos, chatrooms, procrastination / wasting time, filesharing, advertising, dangerous, shopping, scam, Wikipedia, cyber-bullying, virus, activism,
piracy…
Social networks: friends, messages, chat, photo, video, update, contact, interests,
stalking, bullying, profile, privacy, advertising, addiction, events, reunion…
Electronic devices: mobile phones / cellphones, gaming, Xbox, Playstation, DVD player,
CD player, hi-fi, iPod, iPad, Apple, battery, expensive, addiction, controller, remote control,
screen, charger, plug, wires, keyboard, mouse, exclusive, warranty, updated, electric cars…
Activities associated with the use of new technologies:
– Positive: communication, accessing information, sharing, fun, laughter, increasing
knowledge of the world, accessing media (films, music), saving time…
– Negative: addiction, cyber-bullying, staying indoors, unhealthy lifestyle, obesity, violence
(some video games), hacking…
The impact new technologies have on our lives: speed and ease of access to information
and communication, laziness, isolation, knowledge, decreased productivity…
The role new technologies play in our lives: communication, giving and receiving information,
entertainment, working from home, access to the Internet almost wherever you go…
2
a. The setting of this cartoon is on the red carpet at the Cannes film festival. In the
background there are photographers and a couple going up the stairs, who are waving and
seem happy. The people in the crowd look very excited, and many of them are holding up
pieces of paper for autographs. In the foreground of the cartoon there is another couple,
who seem to be actors, and a teenage boy. The woman looks very glamorous, as she has
long blonde hair and red lips, and she is wearing a long gold dress and high heels. However,
her facial expression is unfriendly and arrogant, because she is not smiling and she is looking
down her nose at the young man. The teenager is not very smartly dressed; he is wearing
jeans and a T-shirt with an “@” symbol on it which suggests that he likes computers and
the Internet, and is therefore a bit of a geek. He has a big smile on his face and seems very
excited to meet the other man. However, the actor’s appearance offers a striking contrast.
He is wearing trendy clothes: sunglasses, a leather jacket, jeans and pointed shoes. He
looks extremely unhappy or even angry, as he is frowning. This is because the teenager is
admitting that he has “pirated” all of the actor’s movies, which basically means that he has
stolen them by using free, illegal Internet downloads. Therefore, instead of being pleased
that the young man is a fan of his movies, the actor is annoyed because he has lost money!
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b.
3
The cartoonist’s goal is to show that it is hypocritical to pirate movies, because even if you
claim to love films, by downloading them for free you are refusing to support the movie
industry. The actor’s angry face shows that this is annoying for the people who make
movies. However, he shows this in a funny way, which makes us more ready to accept
the cartoon’s message. By showing a contrast of the “cool” actor and the “geeky” movie
pirate, the cartoonist might also wish to make fun of him. Overall, this has the effect of
discouraging us from pirating movies.
I think that this cartoon is funny, because of the contrast between the movie fan’s happy
expression and the actor’s angry one, as well as the irony of what the movie fan is saying.
However, it does highlight an important issue. Although many teenagers still go to the cinema
and buy DVDs, many others choose to pirate movies instead, as this teenager does. Piracy is
becoming increasingly commonplace, and I believe that it is a worrying threat to the movie
industry because it causes them to lose more and more money each year. Furthermore, it
is hard to catch and prosecute people who download from the Internet. If piracy continues
to increase, the prices of cinema tickets and DVDs will have to rise in order to make up for
the money the film-makers lose because of piracy. Therefore, I believe that downloading
should be limited, so that the number of films being made does not decrease and the price
that honest people pay to see them does not increase.
& Exemple de production possible (Sujet A)
FICHIER PÉDAGOGIQUE
& P. 357-359
This poster shows a picture of an empty road surrounded by trees with text superimposed
onto the image. However, the poster has a very serious purpose, which is to alert people
to the dangers of using their mobile phones whilst driving. The image does this by showing
the words of a text message which, rather than following the bend of the road, go towards
a telegraph pole. This represents the trajectory that a car might take if the driver were
looking at their phone instead of at the road. This is striking and effective because, instead
of showing anything gruesome and violent, the picture merely suggests an accident. The
text message begins with “OMG!” which grabs our attention. Our eyes are drawn by the
words as we try to read the rest of the message, but as we continue reading, we make the
connection between the words and an imagined car. In fact, as the text gets smaller and
more difficult to read, we realize that it is not important, and we conclude that reading a
text such as this whilst driving is not something that is worth risking your life for. In the
corner of the poster, the campaigners have put a box of text which explains its message
and tells people where to find more information, which I think is a sensible addition as it
reinforces the point of the image and helps people to take action. Therefore, I think that
this advert is subtle but effective, because it makes us think for ourselves, rather than just
presenting us with an idea which might be easily forgotten. I like this advert despite the fact
that it is slightly disturbing.
> Grille d’évaluation du CECRL
Pour évaluer la production orale en continu, se reporter à la grille d’évaluation du Bac
proposée au B.O. n° 43 du 24 novembre 2011:
www.cache.media.education.gouv.fr/file/43/17/1/fiches_evaluation_200171.pdf
ou
www.education.gouv.fr/pid25535/bulletin_officiel.html?cid_bo=58313
(cliquer sur Annexe : fiches d’évaluation)
3 66 •
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READING
FICHIER PÉDAGOGIQUE & P. 360-361
& Corrigé et production possible
1
“The average teen spends more than seven hours a day using technological devices, plus an
additional hour just text-messaging friends.” (l. 7-9) An enormous proportion of their waking
hours are spent using electronics.
2
“the technology that was supposed to simplify our lives has become the ultimate time-suck”
(l. 6-7) Though it is a more efficient way to communicate, we end up spending more time at it.
3
“The advantage to all that gadgetry, of course, is connectedness: email lets us respond on
the go, and we are in touch with more people during more hours of the day than at any other
time in history.” (l. 10-12) They allow us to be instantly in contact with people all over the
globe 24/7.
4
a) We are lonelier / spend more time alone than ever. Actual human interaction makes
people uncomfortable. We are actually less connected now, not more.
b) - “high-school students who fear having to make a phone call,” (l. 15)
- “elementary-school children who become distraught when their toy robot pets ‘die.’” (l. 16-17)
- “this generation of teens is less empathetic than ever.” (l. 31-32)
5
MIT professor Sherry Turkle, author of Alone Together, and the director of the MIT Initiative
on Technology and Self.
6
We can now talk instantly with anyone, which is a huge time saver (compared to when we
had to call on a land line, leave a message and wait for a call back). Also we can instantaneously transmit large quantities of information over the Internet (instead of having to physically
retrieve it involving a car trip or “snail mail”). And robots are making people’s lives more
comfortable.
- “makes life a whole lot easier” (l. 22-23)
- “It allows us to communicate with more people in less time” (l. 23)
- “it can make conversation simple—no small talk required.” (l. 23-24)
- “It can be therapeutic: robots are now used to help care for the elderly” (l. 24-25)
- “in Japan, they [robots]’re marketed as a way to lure addicts out of cyberspace” (l. 25-26)
7
It is impersonal and you don’t have to take into account (or worry about others taking into
account) facial expressions or tone of voice.
- “Online, you can ignore others’ feelings.” (l. 30)
- “In a text message, you can avoid eye contact.” (l. 30-31)
Thanks to technology, young people are more and more in touch with others, but
paradoxically they are less and less caring / engaged / involved in real relationships.
8
> Critères de répartition en niveau de compétence
- De 0 à 5 points : A2
- De 6 à 10 points : B1
- De 11 à 14 points : B2 en cours d’acquisition
- Au-delà : B2
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LISTENING
FICHIER PÉDAGOGIQUE & P. 362-363
& Corrigé et production possible
1
email • (talking on the) phone • cellphones • text messages • teenagers • parents • friends •
fingers • thumbs
2
Lieux : Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School • Maryland • Pew Research Center • University
of Michigan • Los Angeles • Harvard-Westlake High School
Nombres : three out of four • lots of • 50 • a third • double • 17 • 300 • two • two
Mots accentués et reconnus : réponse personnelle qui varie, donc, en fonction des élèves.
Les moyens de communication chez les jeunes / les nouvelles technologies et la
communication.
a) Les parents préfèrent parler au téléphone.
b) Les adolescents préfèrent s’envoyer des SMS.
c) Trois quarts des adolescents ont des téléphones portables et ils s’en servent surtout
pour envoyer et recevoir des SMS.
3
4
5
Sierra Koenick, 17 ans, habite à Bethesda dans le Maryland. Elle envoie en moyenne 300
SMS par jour. Dans ses textos, elle ne dit pas grand-chose. Elle parle de choses banales
avec ses amis et elle passe son temps à prendre des nouvelles et à échanger sur tout ou
rien. Elle envoie des SMS sans cesse, du matin au soir, même pendant qu’elle parle à la
journaliste.
6
Ils ont pensé interdire les portables (dans le lycée).
7
Comportement observé : Ils ont observé que les élèves sont maintenant complètement
obnubilés par leur téléphone portable et principalement par l’envoi de SMS.
Incidence sur la personnalité : Ils sont de plus en plus timides et maladroits quand ils
sont face à un interlocuteur.
Inquiétude(s) : Ils n’osent plus venir parler directement à leurs professeurs et préfèrent
leur demander des choses par Internet.
8
Ils savent quand même se servir du téléphone à certains moments clés, par exemple
pour demander des services ou la permission de faire quelque chose à leurs parents.
Ils ont parfaitement compris que rien ne peut remplacer un échange verbal dans lequel
interviennent les émotions, les sentiments, le ton de la voix. Lorsqu’ils veulent négocier et
convaincre un adulte, ils ont recours au téléphone et donc à l’échange en direct pour être
plus persuasifs.
> Critères de répartition en niveau de compétence
- De 0 à 5 points : A2
- De 6 à 10 points : B1
- De 11 à 14 points : B2 en cours d’acquisition
- Au-delà : B2
3 68 •
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> Script de l’enregistrement (CD 1, plage 1)
Robert Siegel: From NPR News, this is ALL THINGS CONSIDERED. I’m Robert Siegel.
Melissa Block: And I’m Melissa Block. American teenagers say e-mail is passé. And talking
on the phone? Well, that’s for parents. With friends, they prefer to let their fingers do the
talking − actually, their thumbs. New research out today finds three out of four teenagers
now have cellphones, and they’re using them to send lots of text messages. NPR’s Jennifer
Ludden reports.
Jennifer Ludden: As classes let out at Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School in Maryland,
students are tapping on their phones before they even reach the exit. The Pew Research
Center and the University of Michigan find the average teen sends about 50 texts a day,
a third send double that. But even they have nothing on 17-year-old Sierra Koenick. Her
grandfather once analyzed her phone bill. The total: 300 texts a day. What about?
Sierra Koenick: I mean, talking about everything. What’s going on, or hey, or meet me
here, or something. Usually they’re actually dumb texts, not even worth it. But...
Ludden: But she likes sending them anyway. Asking, “When do you text?” feels like a
dumb question. The answer is all the time. In fact, as I interview Koenick and two friends,
they keep texting while we talk. In Los Angeles, Harvard-Westlake High School considered
an outright ban last year. Nini Halkett has taught history there for two decades. As she
sees her students increasingly immersed in texting, she finds them increasingly shy and
awkward in personal encounters.
Nini Halkett: They can get up the courage to ask you for an extension on a test or something
like that on the computer, but they won’t come and speak to you face to face about it.
Ludden: But researcher Amanda Lenhart says teens are also strategic about when not to
text.
Lenhart: We heard from teens who said, you know, when I want the yes, I’ll go to the phone
because my parents can hear my voice and I can kind of wheedle and I can charm them,
and that’s how I’m going to get what I want.
Ludden: The art of conversation still alive and well.
SPEAKING
INTERACTION
FICHIER PÉDAGOGIQUE & P. 364
& Exemple de production possible (Sujet C)
I think that banning cellphones in schools is a good idea. Firstly, pupils would get no work
done if they could use their cellphones to play games or text in lessons. Furthermore,
cellphones can disturb lessons if a student has forgotten to turn the phone onto “silent
mode” and it goes off. I don’t think that students need their phone in school. Firstly, they
are already with their friends, so they have no reason to text or call them! Secondly, I
believe that during break times, students should do something active, instead of spending
their time using their mobile phones. Also, if there is an emergency, the school can contact
students’ parents. Cellphones might also cause jealousy and rivalry between students, for
example, if somebody has an old cellphone, the other students might make fun of them.
Some pupils could possibly feel jealous enough to steal another student’s cellphone. All of
this would cause trouble and stop us from concentrating on our work.
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However, I think that students should be allowed to hand in their cellphones at the beginning
of the day, and pick them up at the end, so that they can use them on the way to and from
school. This is important in case there is an emergency, for example if they need to call an
ambulance or are running late, so that their parents don’t worry. Moreover, students can
use their cellphones to listen to music, which makes the journey more entertaining.
> Grille d’évaluation du CECRL
Pour évaluer la production orale en interaction, se reporter à la grille d’évaluation du Bac
proposée au B.O. n° 43 du 24 novembre 2011:
www.cache.media.education.gouv.fr/file/43/17/1/fiches_evaluation_200171.pdf
ou
www.education.gouv.fr/pid25535/bulletin_officiel.html?cid_bo=58313
(cliquer sur Annexe : fiches d’évaluation)
WRITING
FICHIER PÉDAGOGIQUE & P. 364
N. B. : les corrigés des deux autres sujets sont disponibles sur le site compagnon.
& Exemple de production possible (Sujet A)
New technology offers people many different ways of keeping in touch with each other, for
example, by using mobile phones, email, Skype and social networking sites. This means
that you can contact people easily from almost anywhere in the world, which is very useful
if you have friends and relatives who live far away.
However, I think that we rely too much on technology and often use it when we don’t really
need to. Unfortunately, technology encourages people to stay at home instead of going
out and meeting their friends face to face. People can even become addicted to Facebook
and spend all their time on the computer. In my opinion, speaking on the phone or over the
Internet is not as meaningful as having a real conversation.
Furthermore, I think that other types of technology can also isolate people, especially video
games. Most of the time, people play video games alone, instead of doing other activities
where they could interact with people.
Therefore, I think that new technology can be very useful for allowing communication, but
when people use it too much it can, paradoxically, lead to isolation.
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> Grille d’évaluation du CECRL
Critères d'évaluation
Points
Réalisation de l’exercice et traitement du sujet
012
Respect de la consigne (nombre de mots, respect de la forme du texte
argumentatif…) Présentation - Écriture et soin
012345
Cohérence et organisation du contenu
A2
B1
B2
Succession de points
indépendants, peu
d’arguments
Texte articulé
Texte argumenté
et détaillé
Utilisation de mots
de liaison simples (and,
but, because)
Utilisation d’énoncés
complexes (propositions
relatives, subordonnées
en when, whereas...)
Énoncés complexes
Articulateurs logiques
utilisés avec pertinence
(although, unless, on the
one hand / on the other
hand...)
012345
Lexique
A2
B1
B2
Vocabulaire limité
qui permet de rédiger
un court récit
Lexique plus varié
qui permet de raconter
l’histoire
Vocabulaire pertinent,
riche et varié
Tournures et
expressions
idiomatiques
012345
Grammaire
A2
B1
B2
Utilisation de structures
simples
Correction
grammaticale suffisante
Bonne maîtrise
de la grammaire
et de la syntaxe
Erreurs élémentaires
encore systématiques
Erreurs occasionnelles
qui ne gênent pas la
compréhension
0123
Idées - Originalité - Investissement
Total
/ 20 pts
> Critères de répartition en niveau de compétence
Ø De 0 à 5 points : A2
- De 6 à 10 points : B1
- De 11 à 14 points : B2 en cours d’acquisition
- Au-delà : B2
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Évaluation sommative
Cette consigne sera valable pour tous les sujets d’évaluation sommative
de prise de parole en continu. Chaque élève ne traitera qu’un sujet.
Analysez les documents suivants puis réagissez.
Vous n’aurez droit qu’à des notes.
Temps de préparation : 10 minutes
Temps de parole : de 3 à 5 minutes.
Rattachez votre présentation aux notions du programme.
– Mythes et héros (Myths and Heroes)
– Espaces et échanges (Spaces and Exchanges)
– Lieux et formes du pouvoir (Locations and forms of Power)
– L’idée de progrès (The notion of progress)
Unit 1: Myth or reality?
Fiche photocopiable - © Hatier 2012
Subject A
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Subject B
Fiche photocopiable - © Hatier 2012
Subject C
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Unit 2: The Swinging Sixties
Subject A
Come mothers and fathers
Throughout the land
And don’t criticize
What you can’t understand
Your sons and your daughters
Are beyond your command
Your old road is
Rapidly agin’
Please get out of the new one
If you can’t lend your hand
For the times they are a-changin’.
Bob Dylan, The Times They Are A-Changin’, 1964
Subject B
To what extent is
this still from the film
Made in Dagenham
representative of the
Sixties?
Fiche photocopiable - © Hatier 2012
Subject C
To what extent is
this still from the film
Made in Dagenham
representative of the
Sixties?
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Unit 3: A man’s world?
Fiche photocopiable - © Hatier 2012
Subject A
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Subject B
Fiche photocopiable - © Hatier 2012
Subject C
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FICHES D'ÉVALUATION SOMMATIVE&READING
Évaluation sommative
Nom de l’élève :
Classe :
Subject A (Unit 4: Brave new world?)
5
10
15
20
Fiche photocopiable - © Hatier 2012
25
30
35
They are calling them the “twiblings” – a baby brother and sister born just days
apart from DIFFERENT wombs.
It’s far from the traditional family, but 14-month-old Violet and Kieran are the
much-loved children of Melanie Thernstrom and Michael Callahan.
The toddlers were born from Michael’s sperm, an anonymous donor egg, and two
surrogates who carried the babies.
Today Melanie, 42, says she can’t imagine having children any other way – because
she and her 37-year-old partner wouldn’t have the “twiblings” they adore.
The American couple’s search for a family began after Melanie’s sixth IVF treatment
failed and adoption prospects were poor because of their ages.
Like thousands of other couples struggling with fertility they finally settled on
“third party” reproduction.
They wanted twins and got in touch with Melissa Fowler, a 30-year-old mother-oftwo, and mother-of-three Fie McWilliams, 34, who both live in Oregon.
They agreed to carry a child each after an anonymous donor supplied the eggs.
And now the couple, the surrogates and the donor Melanie describes as the “Goddonor” are all part of one big happy family.
Melanie, who lives on the East Coast, told New York’s Today programme: “I[’ve]
never been helped in such a profound way by strangers. It felt like such an incredibly
auspicious way for the children to start their lives. I’d always wanted to be a mum
and I’d always known that. It made me really angry when I was struggling with
infertility.”
Michael said: “I always wanted to be a father but it’s been a complete astonishment
to me how joyful it’s been to actually be a parent and to actually have the relationship
with the children. I didn’t know that I would enjoy it as much as I do. It’s amazing.”
The couple have made sure Melissa and Fie and the donor are part of their tots’1
lives. Melissa said: “The children have a real relationship with the women involved.
We think of them as part of an extended family that we’ve chosen to be related to.
When we explain to the children how they came to be, we want to say that Auntie
Fie and Auntie Melissa carried you in the tummy. […] I think that it’s much easier
for them to give up the child when they don’t have a genetic connection to them
and it doesn’t have a genetic connection to their children. It just is a simpler thing.”
Fie, who gave birth to Violet five days after Keiran said: “I had three relatively easy
pregnancies with my own children and it was just a very special time in my life. I
thought I’d be able to help somebody else be a mother, somebody else be a father.”
1. small children
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40
Melissa, a nurse, said: “I think that the birth was a great experience for Melanie
and Michael. […] It was just a peaceful great experience for them to have and for
Kieran and for myself as well.”
Melanie told the New York Times: “Third-party reproduction hardly seems a
romantic beginning, but it became romantic to us when it became our story.”
Mail Online, January 5, 2011
> Niveau B1 (LV2)
Read the text and answer the following questions on a separate sheet of paper.
1
Where does the family mentioned in the article live?
2
Who are the different family members? Give their names and ages.
3
What problem did the parents have before their children’s birth?
Quote two key elements.
4 pts
4 pts (2 x 2)
4
Explain in your own words the solution the parents found.
2 pts
5
a. Explain who Auntie Melissa and Auntie Fie are.
b. Give their full names and ages.
2 pts
2 pts
6
One person mentioned has no name.
Why? Who is it? Find this person’s nickname.
3 pts
“It’s far from the traditional family” (l. 3)
Explain this sentence using elements from the text.
3 pts
8
Pick out four words showing the father’s happiness.
2 pts
9
Who do the underlined pronouns refer to?
2 pts
a. “We think of them as part of an extended family that we’ve chosen to be related to.” (l. 28)
b. “we want to say that Auntie Fie and Auntie Melissa carried you in the tummy.” (l. 29-30)
10
True or false? Justify your answers with one sentence from the text.
a. The children have never met Melissa and Fie. T F
b. In the future these parents will hide the truth from their children. T F
11
What accounts for (explains) what Fie did? Quote one key sentence.
7
Fiche photocopiable - © Hatier 2012
1 pt
Total des points :
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F IC H E S P HOTOCOP IAB LE S
4 pts
1 pt
/ 30
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> Niveau B2 (LV1)
Read the text and answer the following questions on a separate sheet of paper.
1 pt
1
Where does the family mentioned in the article live?
2
Who are the different family members? Give their names and ages.
2 pts
3
What problem did the parents have before their children’s birth?
Quote two key sentences.
2 pts
4
Explain in your own words the solution the parents found.
2 pts
5
a. Explain who Auntie Melissa and Auntie Fie are.
b. Give their full names and ages.
2 pts
2 pts
6
One person mentioned has no name.
Why? Who is it? Find this person’s nickname.
3 pts
“It’s far from the traditional family” (l. 3)
Explain this sentence using elements from the text (20 words).
3 pts
8
Pick out four words showing the father’s happiness.
2 pts
9
Who do the underlined pronouns refer to?
2 pts
a. “We think of them as part of an extended family that we’ve chosen to be related to.” (l. 28)
b. “We want to say that Auntie Fie and Auntie Melissa carried you in the tummy.” (l. 29-30)
10
“We think of them as part of an extended family that we’ve chosen to be related to.” (l. 28)
Explain their extended family relationship. (30 words)
4 pts
11
What accounts for (explains) what Fie did? Quote one key sentence.
12
In your own words explain this sentence. (40 words)
4 pts
“Third-party reproduction hardly seems a romantic beginning, but it became romantic
to us when it became our story.” (l. 39-40)
7
Total des points :
1 pt
/ 30
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FICHES D'ÉVALUATION SOMMATIVE&READING
Évaluation sommative
Nom de l’élève :
Classe :
Subject B (Unit 5: The land of two halves)
Document 1: The happy few
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“I’m the youngest guest, Alice Thumb,” Zita said. “I’m twenty-five. Let me tell
you something of my life. I have a vivid early memory of eating a meal of boiled
shredded cotton flannel1 mixed with one mashed potato, as a soup which served
our family for our one daily meal. And that was some years after the end of the
Second World War, in Hungary. I remember terror, and lights blazing, and being
in a camp with my parents and brother, waiting to be chosen, approved of, by the
New Zealand government, which said it was willing to ‘take’ some of us after the
1957 uprising2. Everyone said you had to be extra clever and beautiful and good
and healthy to get into New Zealand, therefore most people did not try, so many of
them were sick, with limbs3 missing, and sores, and lice4, and you weren’t approved
of, if you were sick or had limbs missing or were dirty; and some who’d been angry
and violent were also not wanted. Therefore, it was only the quiet ones, like us, who
were chosen, with all our arms and legs and cheerful smiles and clean hands and
face and hair (everyone said you had to like baths and washing, and I remember
mother’s joy when it was reported by the interpreter that one of the New Zealand
officials had said our family was ‘spotless’. It was translated as not having measles5,
but later we learned that it meant not being stained with blood or beetroot juice.)
We did feel sorry for the poor old people, some of whom were deaf or blind and
not wanting to wash because not washing kept you warm in winter, but we didn’t
have time to feel too sorry for them, we were so busy practising to look adaptable
and smiling and intelligent. Father was skilful at teaching us. He knew English,
too, and taught us English words and phrases and when to say them, and especially
to say them when the New Zealand officials were visiting the camp with their
briefcases full of notes about us, and their judging faces. Oh, we had such dreams
of New Zealand! What a clean, healthy, good, beautiful smiling country it must be,
with only clean, beautiful, smiling, good, healthy people. It sounded like Paradise.
We came to New Zealand by ship. There were lessons in English and my brother
Josef and I were soon speaking more English than Hungarian, and our father too,
for it was his English that had helped him to be chosen. It would enable him to ‘fit
in’, they said. The New Zealand aim was to have people who would ‘fit in’ readily
and painlessly (painless for those already there). Like invisible mending. Or like an
insect that moves to another tree and is given a new camouflage and told, stay on
that bough6, blend, and all will be well. Pretend you are not there!”
Janet Frame, Living in the Maniototo, 1979
1. flanelle de coton effilochée 2. soulèvement 3. membres 4. plaies sur la peau et des poux 5. rougeole 6. branche
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F IC H E S P HOTOCOP IAB LE S
FICHES D'ÉVALUATION SOMMATIVE&READING
Document 2
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It is the 20th of December 1948.
For the past six weeks a display at New Zealand House, in London, has promoted
“Golden Opportunities” and “Free Passage” for “ambitious men and women” to
emigrate to New Zealand.
On the 13th of December the BBC reported that young British women were being
attracted to New Zealand by marvellous weather, good jobs and rationing of only
butter and petrol.
It was a land where anyone could hunt game but a land where there were rules that
would preserve the native habitat for future generations.
The protection of native birds was considered essential and the government took
steps to ensure that newcomers also knew the rules that would protect our wildlife.
New Zealand was promoting its way of life and values in Europe and those impressions
of the country would be the foundations for its image for years to come.
How do we know this... Because it is in the Archives.
www.archives.govt.nz
Document 3
5
In the 1950s people displaced by war began arriving in New Zealand, including
former prisoners of war interned in Germany and Italy. Around 18% of New
Zealand’s post-war Yugoslav immigrants were displaced persons. Typically they
were married with dependants.
Refugees, another new group, made up 16% of the inflow to New Zealand. Many
had risked their lives escaping from communist Yugoslavia into Austria and Italy in
the 1950s, for political or religious reasons.
www.teara.govt.nz
F IC H E S P HOTOCOP IAB LE S
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FICHES D'ÉVALUATION SOMMATIVE&READING
> Niveau B1 (LV2)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Read the text and answer the following questions on a separate sheet of paper.
3 pts
What types of documents are these?
2 pts
What topic do they have in common?
Document 1
Who is the narrator?
4 pts
(name, age, country of origin, languages spoken, family members)
1 pt
Where does the narrator live now?
What do we learn about the narrator’s background?
3 pts
(period, living conditions, historical event that marked a turning point)
3 pts (1 x 3)
Say who or what the underlined pronouns refer to.
a. “the New Zealand government, which said it was willing to ‘take’ some of us after the
1957 uprising.” (l. 6-8)
b. “Everyone said you had to be extra clever” (l. 8)
Pick out one sentence showing the narrator’s family wanted to leave
2 pts
their native country.
2 pts
What were the selection criteria? Quote four adjectives.
Who was not allowed in New Zealand?
1 pt
a. Quote one key sentence.
b. Say in your own words what sort of person was not allowed in. (15 words)
2 pts
What made the narrator’s family members ideal candidates?
2 pts
Quote two sentences.
Focus on the passage from “We did feel sorry” (l. 18) to “Paradise.” (l. 26)
1 pt
a. Who selected the refugees? Quote from the text.
b. What qualities were required? Quote six adjectives.
3 pts
c. What role did the father play? Write a sentence.
2 pts
d. True or False? Justify by quoting from the text.
2 pts
– The visitors looked friendly. T F
– The family wanted to impress the visitors. T F
Say who or what the underlined pronouns refer to:
2
“It would enable him to ‘fit in’, they said.” (l. 29-30)
pts
13
14
True or false? Justify by quoting one sentence.
Immigrants were expected to assimilate easily. T F
Document 2
True or false? Justify by quoting one sentence.
– Immigrating to New Zealand was very expensive after the war. T F
– The rationing in New Zealand was the same as in Britain. T F
– New Zealanders were already environmentally-friendly. T F
Total des points :
3 82 •
F IC H E S P HOTOCOP IAB LE S
2 pts
3 pts
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FICHES D'ÉVALUATION SOMMATIVE&READING
> Niveau B2 (LV1)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
Read the text and answer the following questions on a separate sheet of paper.
3 pts
What types of documents are these?
2 pts
What topic do they have in common?
Document 1
Who is the narrator?
1 pt
(name, age, country of origin, languages spoken, family members)
0,5 pt
Where does the narrator live?
What do we learn about the narrator’s background?
3 pts
(period, living conditions, historical event that marked a turning point)
1,5 pt
Say who or what the underlined pronouns refer to.
a. “the New Zealand government, which said it was willing to ‘take’ some of us after the
1957 uprising.” (l. 6-8)
b. “Everyone said you had to be extra clever...” (l. 8)
Pick out one sentence showing the narrator’s family wanted to leave
2 pts
their native country.
1 pt
What were the selection criteria? Quote four adjectives.
Who was not allowed in New Zealand?
1 pt
a. Quote one key sentence.
b. Say in your own words what sort of person was not allowed in. (15 words)
2 pts
5 pts
Explain why the narrator’s family members were ideal candidates. (30 words)
Focus on the passage from “We did feel sorry” (l. 18) to “Paradise.” (l. 26)
1 pt
a. Who selected the refugees? Quote from the text.
b. What qualities were required?
Make a sentence including six adjectives from the text.
3 pts
c. What role did the father play? Write a sentence.
1 pt
d. True or False? Justify by quoting from the text.
2 pts
– The visitors looked friendly. T F
– The family wanted to impress the visitors. T F
Say who or what the underlined pronouns refer to:
2
“It would enable him to ‘fit in’, they said.” (l. 29-30)
pts
a. Explain what immigrants were expected to do when they settled in New Zealand.
5 pts
Justify your answer with four elements from the text. (30 words)
b. In this passage is the narrator: bitter
nostalgic
ironic
thankful?
Justify with two sentences from the text.
4 pts
Document 2
What made New Zealand attractive after WWII?
What key value was instilled into people?
3 pts
2 pts
Total des points :
/ 45
F IC H E S P HOTOCOP IAB LE S
• 383
FICHES D'ÉVALUATION SOMMATIVE&READING
Évaluation sommative
Nom de l’élève :
Classe :
Subject C (Unit 6: Which is witch?)
5
10
15
20
25
30
Early the next morning, as I was leaving for school, the doorbell rang and I opened
the door and two men were standing on the porch. […]
“Sonny,” said one, “is your mother or father home?”
“Yes,” I said. “They’re both home.”
My mother did not allow me to delay going to school just because the FBI had
come to the door. I don’t know what happened on that first visit. The men went
inside and, going down the splintery front steps, I earned and caught a glimpse of
Paul coming out of the kitchen to meet them just as the door closed. My mother
was holding the door and my father was coming forward in his ribbed undershirt,
looking much skinnier than the two men who rang the bell.
When the FBI knocks on your door and wants only to ask a few questions, you
do not have to consent to be asked questions. You are not required to talk to them
just because they would like to talk to you. You don’t have to go with them to their
office. You don’t have to do anything if you are not subpoenaed1 or arrested. But
you only learn the law as you go along.
“They don’t know what they want,” Paul says to Rochelle. “It’s routine. If you
don’t talk to them, they have nothing to pin their lies on. They are clumsy, obvious
people.”
“I am frightened,” my mother says. “Polizei don’t have to be smart.”
“Don’t worry,” Paul says. “Mindish won’t suffer from anything we said.” He is
walking back and forth in the kitchen and he is pounding his fist into his palm.
“We have done nothing wrong. There is nothing to be afraid of.”
It develops that all of Mindish’s friends are being questioned. Nobody knows what
he is being held for. There has been no announcement on the radio, there has been
no story in the newspaper. Sadie Mindish is in a state of hysterical collapse. Her
apartment has been searched. Her daughter has stayed home from school. Nobody
knows if they even have a lawyer.
The next day the same two FBI men come back again, this time in the early evening.
They sit on the stuffed, sprung couch in the living room parlor with their knees
together and their hats in their hands. They are very soft-spoken and friendly. Their
strange names are Tom Davis and John Bradley. They smile at me while my mother
goes to the phone to call my father.
“What grade are you in, young fellow?”
1. assigné à comparaître
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FICHES D'ÉVALUATION SOMMATIVE&READING
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65
I don’t answer. I have never seen a real FBI man this close before. I peer at them,
looking for superhuman powers, but there is no evidence that they have any. They
look neither as handsome as in the movies nor as ugly as my parents’ revulsion
makes them. I search their faces for a clue to their real nature. But their faces do
not give clues.
When Paul comes home, he is very nervous.
“My lawyer has advised me that I don’t have to talk to you if I don’t want to,” my
father said. “That particular fact you neglected yesterday to mention.”
“Well, yes sir, Mr. Isaacson, but we were hoping you would be cooperative. We’re
only looking for information. It’s nothing mysterious. We thought you were a
friend of Doctor Mindish. As his friend, you may be in a position to help him.”
“I will be glad to answer any questions in a court of law.”
“Do you deny now that you know him?”
“I will answer any questions in a court of law.”
The two men leave after a few minutes, and then they sit in their car, doubleparked in front of the house, for ten or fifteen minutes more. They appear to be
writing on clipboards or on pads, I can’t tell exactly. It is dark and they have turned
on the interior car light. I am reminded of a patrol man writing a parking ticket.
But the sense is of serious and irrevocable paperwork, and I find it frightening. […]
“Danny!” Rochelle says sharply. “Get away from there.”
My father takes my place at the curtains. “That is outrageous,” he says. “Don’t you
see, it is part of the treatment. They are trying to shake us up. But we’re too smart
for them. We’re onto them. They can sit out there all night for all I care.”
The next day is worse. At lunch my father tells my mother he is sure someone has
searched the shop. When he unlocked the door this morning, he felt that things
were slightly out of place. It wasn’t anything he could pinpoint exactly. Maybe the
tubes in the trash barrel. Maybe the customer tickets. It was more like a sense of
things having been disturbed.
[…] My father doesn’t eat. He sits with his elbow on the table and his hand to his
head. He nods, as if he agrees with something he has decided.
“That’s it. That’s why they came here and asked you to call me home. They could
just as easily have come to the store, couldn’t they? But they didn’t. They wanted to
make sure I was home when they wanted to search my store.”
E.L. Doctorow, The Book of Daniel, 1971
F IC H E S P HOTOCOP IAB LE S
• 385
FICHES D'ÉVALUATION SOMMATIVE&READING
> Niveau B1 (LV2)
1
Read the text and answer the following questions on a separate sheet of paper.
15 pts
a. There are 5 characters present in the passage. Copy this grid and fill it in.
Who?
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Name?
Occupation (if possible)?
4 pts
b. Identify the four people who are only mentioned.
4 pts
Who comes? What for?
4 pts
Who do the underlined words refer to?
– “When the FBI knocks on your door [...] you do not have to consent to be
asked questions.” (l. 11-12)
– “You don’t have to go with them to their office.” (l. 13-14)
4 pts
True or false? Justify by quoting from the text.
a. People are not aware of their rights. T F
b. Paul has a poor opinion of these officers. T F
2 pts
a. Who is the prime suspect?
b. True or false? Justify by quoting from the text.
8 pts
– Paul feels responsible for what is happening to the suspect. T F
– The case is highly publicized. T F
– The officers want to find evidence. T F
– The suspect can defend himself. T F
2 pts
a. When do the officers come back? Quote keywords.
b. True or false? Justify by quoting from the text.
6 pts
– The officers behave very rudely. T F
– They ignore the narrator. T F
– The narrator had had an idealized vision of these officers. T F
2 pts
Pick out one sentence showing the parents’ feelings towards the officers.
6 pts
Explain how things change on the second visit. (30 words)
Are the officers truthful (sincères), helpful, hypocritical, deceitful (trompeurs),
6 pts
crafty (rusés), straightforward (francs)? Justify by quoting from the text.
Focus on the following passage: “The two men leave after a few minutes” (l. 48) to “and I
find it frightening.” (l. 52)
2 pts
Pick out two adjectives that explain why the narrator feels frightened.
What detail shows the family is under more and more pressure?
2 pts
Quote one key sentence.
3 pts
Tick the correct answer(s). Justify by quoting from the text.
At the end the father does not understand why the officers wanted him to be at home.
The officers did not want to be disturbed while looking for evidence.
The father understands why the officers wanted him to be away from his store.
The father has decided to ask the officers to come to the store.
Total des points :
3 86 •
F IC H E S P HOTOCOP IAB LE S
/ 70
FICHES D'ÉVALUATION SOMMATIVE&READING
> Niveau B2 (LV1)
1
Read the text and answer the following questions on a separate sheet of paper.
15 pts
a. There are 5 characters present in the passage. Copy this grid and fill it in.
Who?
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Name?
Occupation (if possible)?
4 pts
b. Identify the four people who are only mentioned.
2 pts
Who comes? What for?
4 pts
Who do the underlined words refer to?
– “When the FBI knocks on your door [...] you do not have to consent
to be asked questions.” (l. 11-12)
– “You don’t have to go with them to their office.” (l. 13-14)
4 pts
True or false? Justify by quoting from the text.
a. People are not aware of their rights. T F
b. Paul has a poor opinion of these officers. T F
2 pts
a. Who is the prime suspect?
b. True or false? Justify by quoting from the text.
8 pts
– Paul feels responsible for what is happening to the suspect. T F
– The case is highly publicized. T F
– The officers want to find evidence. T F
– The suspect can defend himself. T F
2 pts
a. When do the officers come back? Quote keywords.
b. Analyse their attitude towards the people in the room (20 words)
4 pts
To what extent is the narrator’s new vision of the officers different from what he had had
6 pts
in mind? (30 words)
6 pts
Explain how things change on the second visit. (30 words)
Are the officers truthful (sincères), helpful, hypocritical, deceitful (trompeurs),
6 pts
crafty (rusés), straightforward (francs)? Justify by quoting from the text.
Focus on the following passage: “The two men leave after a few minutes” (l. 48) to “and I
find it frightening.” (l. 52)
2 pts
Explain why the narrator feels frightened. (25 words)
What detail shows the family is under more and more pressure?
2 pts
Quote one key sentence.
3 pts
Explain what pretext was used and what it was used for.
Total des points :
/ 70
F IC H E S P HOTOCOP IAB LE S
• 387
FICHES D'ÉVALUATION SOMMATIVE&LISTENING
Évaluation sommative
Cette consigne sera valable pour tous les sujets d’évaluation sommative
de compréhension de l’oral. Chaque élève ne traitera qu’un sujet.
Vous allez écouter un court enregistrement trois fois.
Prenez des notes et faites ensuite un compte rendu en français.
Unit 7: A com