1.1 Les avis sont partagés

What exactly does the average French person celebrate on Bastille Day? As you will see, opinions can differ widely.

Activité 1 Les avis sont partagés

Regardez la séquence vidéo. Notez les quatre questions que nous avons posées aux personnes interviewées.

Video 1

Transcript (opens in new window)

Pour vous aider

sanglant bloody
un jour férié public holiday
j’en profite pour… I take advantage of it to… (from en profiter pour)
incontestable undeniable
fiers (m.pl.) proud
la Déclaration des droits de l’homme the Declaration of the Rights of Man (passed by the National Assembly in 1789)
la Marseillaise name of the French national anthem

Activité 2 Le quatorze juillet, qu’est-ce que ça représente, pour vous?

Regardez de nouveau la séquence et complétez la grille. Dans la colonne de gauche on manque le nom de la personne qui parle, dans la colonne de droite on manque les mots utilisés en français par cette personne.

If you don’t catch some of the expressions, think about the French equivalent of the English provided in the grid.

Nom		Réponse en français
(A text entry box would appear here, but your browser does not support it.)	(the French national celebration)	(A text entry box would appear here, but your browser does not support it.)
(A text entry box would appear here, but your browser does not support it.)	(a lot of noise)	(A text entry box would appear here, but your browser does not support it.)
(A text entry box would appear here, but your browser does not support it.)	(a day off)	(A text entry box would appear here, but your browser does not support it.)
(A text entry box would appear here, but your browser does not support it.)	(the values of the French Revolution)	(A text entry box would appear here, but your browser does not support it.)
(A text entry box would appear here, but your browser does not support it.)	(a general sense of excitement in the towns and cities)	(A text entry box would appear here, but your browser does not support it.)
(A text entry box would appear here, but your browser does not support it.)	(a bloody episode in our history)	(A text entry box would appear here, but your browser does not support it.)
(A text entry box would appear here, but your browser does not support it.)	(not a lot)	(A text entry box would appear here, but your browser does not support it.)
(A text entry box would appear here, but your browser does not support it.)	(the storming of the Bastille)	(A text entry box would appear here, but your browser does not support it.)
(A text entry box would appear here, but your browser does not support it.)	(something to do with the army)	(A text entry box would appear here, but your browser does not support it.)
(A text entry box would appear here, but your browser does not support it.)	(Paris and France)	(A text entry box would appear here, but your browser does not support it.)
(A text entry box would appear here, but your browser does not support it.)	(a sense of freedom)	(A text entry box would appear here, but your browser does not support it.)

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Answer

Nom		Réponse en français
Roland	(the French national celebration)	la fête nationale de la France
Benoît	(a lot of noise)	beaucoup de bruit
Médina	(a day off)	un jour férié
Nicolas	(the values of the French Revolution)	les valeurs qu'ont apportées la Révolution
Benoît	(a general sense of excitement in the towns and cities)	une agitation générale dans les villes
Nicolas	(a bloody episode in our history)	une épisode sanglante de notre histoire
Médina	(not a lot)	pas grand-chose
Nicolas	(the storming of the Bastille)	la prise de la Bastille
Thierry	(something to do with the army)	c'est militaire
Yasmin	(Paris and France)	c'est Paris, la France
Nicolas	(a sense of freedom)	un sentiment de la liberté

Quelle est la question que beaucoup de gens posent à Madame Biret? Et pourquoi, d’après vous?

Answer

Ils demandent "Qu'est-ce que c'est dehors?"; parce que la plupart de ses clients ne sont pas de France donc ils ne connaissent pas la signification du 14 juillet.

Résumez en anglais, en une trentaine de mots, ce que Philippe explique.

Answer

In 1989 everybody in France was really happy and proud to celebrate 200 years of the Revolution, but it doesn't mean that they're going to feel the same every year.

◄Contents►Next: 1.1.1 Perfect tense

OpenLearn - Intermediate French: 14 July
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