Document 1 : Small town America
The narrator and his family have just moved from England.
There are many wonderful things about the United States of America that deserve praise1, but none is more outstanding than the friendliness of the people.
When we moved to this little town in New Hampshire, people received us as if the one thing that had kept them from total happiness up to that point was the absence of us in their lives. They brought us cakes and pies and bottles of wine.
It was dazzling2 and it has remained so. At Christmas last year we went to England for ten days and returned home late at night and hungry to find that a neighbour had stocked the fridge with both essentials and goodies, and filled vases with fresh flowers. This sort of thing happens all the time.
That people leave their cars unlocked and the windows open tells you something more about the town, of course. The fact is, there is no crime here. People will casually leave a 500 bicycle propped against a tree and go off to do their shopping.
The police don’t shoot people here because they don’t need to, because there is no crime. It is a rare and heart-warming example of a virtuous circle. We have grown used to this now, but when we were still new in town and I expressed wonder about it all to a woman who grew up in New York City but has lived here for 20 years, she laid a hand on my arm and said, as if imparting3 a great secret: “Honey, you’re not in the real world any longer. You’re in New Hampshire.”
Adapted from Bill Bryson, Notes from a Big Country, 1999.
1. praise: a compliment.
2. dazzling: wonderful.
3. imparting: sharing.
Document 2 : Adjusting to Life in the City
This past Friday marked exactly ten weeks since we arrived in London and began adjusting to life in the city. Anytime, anywhere you move, there will always be an adjustment period, an undetermined amount of time where you, among other things, acclimate to your new home’s culture, learn your way around town, and start meeting new friends.
After ten weeks, I still panic a bit at the till (cash register) when I need to pay in cash and I can’t quickly count out the correct pence because I’m still used to American coins. I get frustrated when I can’t find the ingredients I need to cook our familiar family meals, and when I mess up the unit conversions between grams and ounces and ruin the entire dinner. I get lost everywhere. Street signs aren’t always prominently displayed (if they are displayed at all), and I once spent an hour, completely turned around, trying to meet my cousin for dinner, when the actual distance from the tube to the pub was less than a quarter of a mile. But these are minor annoyances1, and things I’m bound to learn the longer I live here.
The real transition has been from quiet, rural life to living in one of the biggest and busiest cities in the world. Even though I’ve lived in a lot of places, I have always lived either in the country or in the suburbs, neither of which could have prepared me for the noise and the fast pace of a big city. The first thing I noticed, and likely the first thing anyone notices, is the people. And not just that there are a lot of them, but that they are moving really, really quickly. When we are in the busiest sections of the city, sometimes I feel like pressing myself against a wall to get out of the way for fear of being trampled2.
Adapted from www.thewanderblogger.com, August 5, 2013.
1. annoyances: irritations, nuisances.
2. trampled: walked over, crushed.
compréhension
Document 1
1 What is the document about Choose the right answer.
1. An English family that has recently moved to New Hampshire, USA.
2. An American family that has recently settled in London, England.
3. An English family that has recently arrived in New York City, USA.
Focus on lines 1 to 12
2 What surprised them most when they arrived in their new country
Explain in your own words and justify (one sentence and one quote).
3True or False Justify by quoting the text.
1. They live in New York City.
2. Their new neighbours first ignored them.
3. They felt amazed by their neighbours’ welcome.
4 From lines 8 to 11: “At Christmas […] flowers”.
From the following list, choose two adjectives to describe the neighbours and two adjectives to describe the family:
disappointed / helpful / surprised / selfish / kind / thankful
The neighbours:
–
–
The family:
–
–
Focus on line 13 to the end
5 In the text, pick out two examples of habits in this town that seemed both very surprising and very nice to them.
6Lines 23-24: “Honey, you’re not in the real world any longer. You’re in New Hampshire.”
Explain in your own words what the lady means. (20 words)
Document 2
7 Identify the type of document.
8 The following sentences are false. Correct each statement with quotes from the text.
1. The narrator has lived in London for a long time.
2. The narrator feels relaxed in his / her new environment.
3. The narrator is English.
9 Focus on the second paragraph. In the text, pick out three “minor annoyances” in the narrator’s daily life.
10 What is the most difficult challenge the narrator has to face Explain in your own words and use two quotes from the text to justify (30 words).
Documents 1 and 2
11 What do the families in documents 1 and 2 have in common
Pick the two correct statements.
1. Both families have moved to a different place and need to adapt.
2. Both families have to adapt to a rural life in the country.
3. Both families experience a culture shock.
4. Both families think their new lives are very similar to their old ones.
12 Was it easy for these families to adjust to their new environment Compare the two experiences. (about 40 words)
expression
Choose ONE of the following subjects (200 words)
1 You have just moved to New York City. Write a blog article to share your experience.
2 You want to spend a year in an American university. Where would you prefer to study In a small town or in a big city Why
Les clés du sujet
Document 1
L’auteur
Bill Bryson (1951-) est un écrivain mondialement connu pour ses récits de voyage humoristiques et l’étude de la langue anglaise. Il a la double nationalité : américaine et britannique. Les différences entre les deux pays forment l’essentiel de ses très nombreuses œuvres.
Pour en savoir plus : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Bryson
Résumé du texte
Le narrateur décrit la vie dans une petite ville américaine où tout semble idyllique : les voisins s’occupent de la maison quand on part en vacances, il est inutile de fermer les portes à clé et il n’y a pas de criminalité. Le New Hampshire ne fait pas partie du monde réel !
Vocabulaire utile à la compréhension
To deserve (l. 2) : mériter outstanding (l. 2) : frappant a pie (l. 7) : une tourte to prop something against (l. 16) : poser quelque chose contre heart-warming (l. 18) : qui fait chaud au cœur to lay a hand on (l. 22) : poser la main sur.
Document 2
La source
thewanderblogger.com est un blog rédigé par une Américaine passionnée de voyages et de photographie. Ces quinze dernières années elle et sa famille ont vécu dans onze pays différents.
Pour en savoir plus : https://www.thewanderblogger.com/about/
Résumé du texte
L’auteure raconte la période d’adaptation qu’elle traverse depuis son arrivée à Londres. Ayant toujours vécu à la campagne ou en banlieue, elle se sent désorientée par la vie dans cette très grande ville.
Vocabulaire utile à la compréhension
Among (l. 4) : parmi the till (UK), the cash register (US) (l. 7) : la caisse to mess up (l. 11) : (ici) se tromper an ounce (l. 11) : une once (unité de mesure de poids) = 28 g to be bound to (l. 17) : (ici) forcément pace (l. 22) : rythme de vie.
Les points de convergence
Les deux documents montrent les différences entre la vie dans une métropole et une petite ville dans deux pays anglophones très différents : l’Angleterre et les États-Unis.
Le sujet d’expression 1
Une direction possible
Il s’agit d’un récit de la vie menée à New York par un(e) Français(e) nouvellement arrivé(e). Pensez aux différences entre votre vie actuelle et la vie à New York : une très grande ville, mythique, si riche en promesses. Avez-vous des attentes particulières, des craintes
Key ideas
Life here is so different! I wasn’t expecting things to be so big, so noisy, so vibrant! When my parents told me, we were moving to the Big Apple, it was a dream come true, but the reality is a little harder to get used to… But I’m sure I’ll get used to it in time.
Le sujet d’expression 2
Une direction possible
Choisissez d’abord la taille de la ville où vous voulez étudier : une petite ville où tout est accessible à pied ou une grande cité avec des sorties et des musées à visiter en abondance. Y a-t-il une ville en particulier qui vous fait rêver
Key ideas
I’ve always wanted to study in the USA. All the films you see with those American teenagers having the time of their lives, the big-name Ivy League universities that open doors to all the best jobs later in life. I think studying in a big city like Boston with both Harvard and MIT would be amazing!
Correction
compréhension de l’écrit 10 points
Document 1
1 1.An English family that has recently moved to New Hampshire, USA.
Focus on lines 1 to 12
2 What surprised them most about their new country was how kind and welcoming people were: “the friendliness of the people” (l. 2-3)
3 1. False: “this little town in New Hampshire” (l. 4)
2. False: “people received us as if the one thing that had kept them from total happiness up to that point was the absence of us in their lives” (l. 4-6)
3. True: “it was dazzling” (l. 8)
4 The neighbours were helpful and kind.
The family was surprised and thankful.
Focus on line 13 to the end
5 Two things that seemed both surprising and nice were first that people can leave their cars unlocked and secondly they can leave their windows open because no one will steal anything.
6 The lady means that this town is very different and special compared to the rest of the world.
Document 2
7 This document is an article from a blog.
8 1. The narrator arrived in London “exactly ten weeks” ago (l. 1).
2. The narrator “still panic[s] a bit” (l. 7) and “get[s] lost everywhere” (l. 12).
3. The narrator is “American” (l. 9).
9Three minor annoyances are: she is not yet familiar with British currency, she can’t find all the ingredients for recipes she usually cooks, and she always gets lost.
10It is the first time she has lived in such a huge city. She finds it difficult to get used to the “fast pace” of life there and “the people”: there are so many of them!
Documents 1 and 2
111. Both families have moved to a different place and need to adapt.
3. Both families experience a culture shock.
12The first family seem surprised about how different things are but adapt quickly and are very happy with their new life. The second family find it more difficult but accept that they will get used to things in time.
expression écrite 10 points
1 Guidelines
So, this morning marks our second week in New York City. When my parents first told me that we were moving to the Big Apple, it was a dream come true, but the reality is a little harder to get used to. Life here is so different to living in France, I wasn’t expecting things to be so big, so noisy, so vibrant!
Repère
Un peu de vocabulairevibrant: vivant
to get used to: s’habituer à
exhibition: exposition
The biggest change is perhaps where we are living: in France we lived in the countryside in a house with a garden but here in New York we live in an apartment on the 6th floor of a small building in Manhattan. There are cars and people everywhere. I feel so small and lost in this city. But I’m sure things will get better and I’ll get used to it in time.
On the other hand, it is a city full of opportunities: I’m a huge art and theatre fan so this city is amazing for that. In my first week I managed to visit three art exhibitions and see two shows for cheap prices as I didn’t mind waiting outside for a last-minute ticket. I could never have imagined that living in my little French village!
It’s true that it doesn’t feel like home here yet, but I’m starting to get used to things and enjoying life to the full!
2 Guidelines
I’ve always wanted to study in the USA. It has been a dream of mine since I started learning English so actually going to university would be amazing.
Repère
InfoL’Ivy League est un groupe de huit universités privées des États-Unis parmi les plus anciennes et les plus prestigieuses du pays.
All those films you see about American teenagers having the time of their lives, the big-name Ivy League universities that open doors to all the best jobs later in life. I mean what is there not to like!
Repère
Un peu de vocabulaireto thrive : s’épanouir
to achieve : réussir
to rely on : compter sur
amenities : équipements
Personally, I think studying in a big city like Boston which is home to both Harvard and MIT would be amazing. I think you would really have a sense of competition, which I thrive on, to achieve and be the best.
On the other hand, a smaller town could be interesting too: you would get to know people more easily and could do everything on foot instead of having to rely on public transport. Pollution would be less of a problem: I’m a keen cyclist myself and that is something that would worry me about being in a big city: the pollution and having an accident.
Having weighed a few pros and cons I think the reputation of a big city university would be the right choice for me. The universities are often campus based which gives you the best of both worlds: having all the amenities of a big city but with a village feel of the university grounds.