> From the end

of the British Empire to Europe

Squence 6-AN01

45

1.

> Civilisation et culture

..............................................................................................................

51

2.

> Texte 1 : The Landlady 1

.......................................................................................................

57

3.

> Texte 2 The Landlady (2 et 3) > Prononciation et vocabulaire > Grammaire > Traduction

.......................................................................................

62

4.

.....................................................................................

71

5.

.................................................................................................................................................

73

6.

...................................................................................................................................................

77

7.

> Expression crite

.............................................................................................................................

78

8.

> Prsentation orale : texte 1

...........................................................................................

79

Squence 6-AN01

47

ontenu de la squence 6

ette sixime squence aborde certains aspects de la Grande-Bretagne depuis la fin de lpoque victorienne jusqu nos jours en passant par les Sixties puis une nouvelle de Roald Dahl dmontre la vigueur de la littrature anglaise actuelle.

Civilisation et culture

The end of the British Empire. The Commonwealth, the 60s. How the English view themselves. Some popular English writers.

Comprhension crite Expression orale

The Landlady (a short story)

Prsentation dun dessin humoristique The Landlady, prsentation orale Les sons [i] et [i:], [D] et [Q] Prononciation de mots difficiles

Expression crite Mthodologie

Continuer une histoire

Lecture expressive dun passage Traduction dun passage Lexique : les vtements, le suspense

Comptence linguistique

La terminaison verbale en ing; Le prtrit simple et en be + ING Le past perfect

Squence 6-AN01

49

Civilisation et culture - The end of the British Empire, the Commonwealth

Task
Read the following information
Fill in the blanks in the text from the list on the left.

From Empire to Europe

The Commission for Racial Equality for the picture, somewhere in the course book.

Decline, joined, realized, toward, allowed, reach, former, settlers, achieved, notably. World War I saw the British Empire its full expansion. It covered two thirds of the planet and held two thirds of its people, but in the years that followed came its .. . Victory over the Germans had been .. with considerable help from people of the Empire (more than 200,000 men from the overseas empire died in the war). However, the men from the colonies who had left their country to fight in France and Belgium . that the British were not so superior after all. The huge number of deaths bled Europe. Once they went back home the soldiers from Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, India and British Africa expected now some sort of self-government. Nationalist agitation against economic disparities, often stimulated by acts of racial discrimination by British .., was particularly strong in India and in parts of Africa. Britain gradually capitulated to the pressures of nationalist sentiment. Iraq gained full sovereignty in 1932 and concessions were made self-government in India and later in the African colonies. Meanwhile, uprisings had started in Ireland which declared itself independent in 1919. In 1931 Great Britain officially recognized the independent and equal status of its colonies, most of them became members of the Commonwealth of Nations. After World War II, selfgovernment advanced rapidly in all parts of the Empire. In 1947, India was partitioned and independence
Squence 6-AN01
51

granted to the new states of India and Pakistan. Other parts of the Empire, . in Africa, gained independence and subsequently joined the Commonwealth. The Commonwealth is thus an association of states which have economic ties with Britain, speak and write in English as well as in their own languages, have a common allegiance to the Queen, meet and help one another, are supposed to have democratic elections to elect their own government, play cricket and rugby, drink tea, wear school uniforms and are allowed to emigrate in the UK when the British have a labour shortage. In 1973, the United Kingdom joined the European Union, deciding to become part of Europe.

Check your work now.

Who said what a quiz
Find the names of the people who marked life in Britain and in the Commonwealth and who said the following quotes. Write the letter and the corresponding number.

Choose from one of these famous figures

a) Non-violence is the greatest force at the disposal of mankind. It is mightier than the mightiest weapon of destruction devised by the ingenuity of man. b) No one would remember the Good Samaritan if he only had good intentions. He had money as well. c) All I need to make a comedy is a park, a policeman and a pretty girl. d) Were more popular than Jesus Christ now. I dont know which will go first; rock and roll or Christianity. e) The world is indeed full of peril, and in it there are many dark places; but still there is much that is fair; and though in all lands love is now mingled with grief, it grows perhaps the greater. f) Every murderer is probably somebodys old friend. g) It is not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves. h) Id like to be the queen of peoples hearts. i) Let freedom reign. The sun never sets on such a glorious human achievement. j) I wanted to change the world. But I have found that the only thing one can be sure of changing is oneself. k) I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat. 1. Aldous Leonard Huxley, (1894-1963), A British writer, author of Brave New World. 2. John Lennon, (1940-1980), a British Pop star, member of the Beatles. 3. J.R.R. Tolkien, a South African born writer (1892-1973) in The Fellowship of the Ring. 4. Margaret Thatcher, British Prime Minister from 1979 to 1990. 5. Charlie Chaplin (1889-1977), a British comic actor and filmmaker. 6. Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948), Indian political and spiritual leader. 7. Diana (1961-1997), Princess of Wales. 8. Nelson Mandela (born in 1918), South African leader. 9. Sir Edmund Hillary (born in New Zealand in 1919), the conqueror of Mount Everest. 10. Winston Churchill (1874-1965), a British statesman who led Britain during the Second World War. 11. Agatha Christie (1891-1976), a British mystery writer.

Check your work now.

Task
Listening comprehension: The Sixties
2 10
Listen to the French introduction. Listen to the recording only once, answer the following question.

11

General comprehension
Sum up the content of the recording in about three lines. ............................................................................................................................................................... ............................................................................................................................................................... ...............................................................................................................................................................

52

Squence 6-AN01

Listen and repeat the following words or expressions:

12

The Swinging sixties, trends, a kaftan, a felt hat, flared trousers, the mop top hair, cellars, a band, fab, the hub, Carnaby Street, the Shrimp, the baby-boomers, a rebellion, social consciousness, to tackle, Eastern religion, an Indian guru, involved in, prevailed, labels, permissive, the contraceptive pill, abortion, legal, illegal, protest marches, an upheaval, participate, demos, a black and white TV set. trends = tendances, modes to tackle = sattaquer a kaftan = un caftan (robe porte dans des pays the baby-boomers = les bbs ns aprs la musulmans) guerre a felt hat = un chapeau de feutre involved in = impliqu dans flared trousers = pantalon pattes dlphant prevail = prvaloir, rgner the mop top hair = la coupe de cheveux des Beatles labels = tiquettes cellars = caves permissive = tolrant a band = un groupe musical an abortion = un avortement fab (fabulous) = fabuleux (pop) an upheaval = un soulvement the hub = le centre demos = des manifs (pop)
Listen to each part of the recording several times and answer the following questions.

Vocabulary help

Detailed comprehension
Part 1 a) What were the two things that represented the Swinging Sixties for Jennie? ............................................................................................................................................................... b) Describe her favourite clothes and what it meant for her. ............................................................................................................................................................... ............................................................................................................................................................... Part 2 c) What is the name of the town the Beatles come from. ............................................................................................................................................................... d) Describe what Jennie says of London and the people there. ............................................................................................................................................................... ............................................................................................................................................................... Part 3 e) What did Rock and Roll mean for Jennie? ............................................................................................................................................................... ............................................................................................................................................................... f) What do you learn about Jennies personality and ideas through her favourite songs? ............................................................................................................................................................... ............................................................................................................................................................... Part 4 g) Explain the situation concerning contraception and abortion in Britain and in France in the Sixties. ...............................................................................................................................................................

Squence 6-AN01

53

h) What was the political expression of the Hippies? ............................................................................................................................................................... Part 5 i) Choose four events which shook the world in the Sixties. ...............................................................................................................................................................

Check your work now. Task

Describing a cartoon
This task is particularly recommended for those of you who are training for the oral examination. However, we advise all of you to practice this task as it will help in your description of characters. The vocabulary in task four may help you. Observe the cartoon and read the captions, pay attention to your first impression (characters, place, clothes, activities).

From the How to Be British Collection LGP, Brighton, UK www.lgpcards.com

Prsentation dun document iconographique (Reportez-vous la squence 2 si ncessaire ainsi qu lannexe 1 si ncessaire). Les candidats se prsentant loral prparent leur travail sous forme de notes. Ensuite ils enregistrent leur expos sur leur cassette personnelle. Le tout doit durer environ 15 minutes. Les candidats se prsentant lcrit peuvent rdiger lcrit.

54

Squence 6-AN01

Introduction
Nature, origin, title, characters, captions? This is a cartoon on a postcard from the series How to be British Postcards. Its title is . There are eight characters who each represent a stereotype of British society.

Description and meaning

Characters, room, objects, the environment outside, lighting, familys social class?
(Je dcris chaque personnage mais ma description nest pas gratuite, je ne la spare pas de leffet voulu, je commence par ce qui saute aux yeux et ne me noie pas dans une numration ennuyeuse. Je parle dattitudes, de la pose des personnages, et je ne dcris que ce qui sert les dfinir. Jassocie la description aux paroles du personnage. Il faut donc que je dispose du vocabulaire des vtements et accessoires, des gestes, des attitudes. Par contre, sil est vrai que je ne me noie pas dans la minutie, je peux rester plus longtemps sur un dtail qui fait sens comme ici la description des vtements du premier personnage car pour lui le paratre est essentiel. La jeune fille en seconde position peut aussi tre dcrite en dtails. Le troisime personnage peut tre oppos au premier. La description des autres personnages porte plutt sur les emblmes quils portent.

The first character, a man, wears the clothes of his condition. He is the stereotyped English gentleman. He is old, he has a moustache. He wears a bowler hat, a blue suit and a red waistcoat. He never goes out without He is not afraid of his opinion and can declare By contrast, the next character

The message of the cartoon

The cartoonists aim is to make fun of

Give your opinion and ponder (think about) on our stereotyped views of the British

Squence 6-AN01

55

Task
Vocabulary
Learn by heart the vocabulary met so far. Use your dictionary if necessary. Here is a list headed Fashion and garments (La mode et les vtements) which you need to know as well. Once you know by heart the words below, take a sheet of paper and classify the words by clusters of meaning. Write the words in colour, one colour per bubble.
leather fur woollen a plain fabric a flowery material checked a collar a shoulder pad gear clothes match suit dress casually wear a necklace earrings an umbrella a tie casual old-fashioned
cuir fourrure en laine un tissu uni un tissu fleurs carreaux un collier une paulette des fringues des vtements assortir (des couleurs) aller, convenir shabiller simplement porter un collier des boucles doreille un parapluie une cravate sans faon, de dtente dmod

have no dress sense take something off roll up ones trousers an apron bare arm/foot a shirt a sweater a scarf trousers a miniskirt a suit a vest boots a bra a bracelet a bowler hat a handbag provocative a fashion designer a trend

shabiller sans got ter qqe chose remonter les jambes du pantalon un tablier bras/pied nu une chemise un pullover une charpe un pantalon une minijupe un costume un maillot de corps des bottes un soutien-gorge un bracelet un chapeau melon un sac main provocant un crateur, un styliste une tendance

Whats on the Internet?

www.whathaseuropedone.org/ www.backdate.co.uk/ www.nostalgiacentral.com/sixties.htm www.wikepedia.org/wiki/

56

Squence 6-AN01

Texte 1 : The Landlady 1

Task
Some popular writers in Britain
The British people are fond of reading and you know many recent British writers no doubt. See if you can write their names from memory, if not choose from the list of names given under the texts and write them in the blanks. (1916-1990) was a short story writer, a novelist, a playwright and a screenwriter. He wrote many stories for children such as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (now a film) and James and the Giant Peach. He is noted for his tales of grotesque horror. He once said that the writer for children must be unconventional and inventive. Of children he said: They loved being *spooked. They love chocolate and toys and money. They love being made to *giggle.
*spook = effrayer ; giggle = rigoler

It has been noted by many critics that . has upgraded and expanded the entire genre of mystery writing; and that many of her books, especially the police procedurals starring Dalgliesh, the poetry writing detective, fit the mainstream novel criteria as much as they do the detective genre. Her strengths are characterization and her ability to construct atmosphere and stories rich in detail. (1901-2000) was one of the most successful writers of romance novels. She was bizarre looking, dressed in outfits of pastels and whites and with heavy makeup. Her daughter was Lady Dianas stepmother. Although she was ridiculed by the press in her later years as she claimed to be an expert on love matters, her novels were very successful. She wrote a total of 724 novels and sold over one billion books. . was born in Bombay in 1947 and later came to England. His novel, the Midnights Children, (1981), was acclaimed as a new start for the late-twentieth-century novel. His fourth novel, The Satanic Verses, lead to accusations of blasphemy against Islam. A fatwa was issued against the writer on 14 February 1989 - effectively a sentence of death - and he was forced into hiding under the protection of the British police. He continued to write and publish books. is the author of a series of over 17 novels featuring Detective Chief Inspector Wexford, set in Kingsmarkham, a fictional English town. The first of these, From Doon with Death was published in 1964, the latest is End in Tears (2005). Many of her novels and short stories have been adapted for television. She is said to be one the best detective story writers of today. .. (1892-1973) was Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Oxford. As he was marking examination papers one day he, inexplicably, jotted on a blank sheet: In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. He had started one of the worlds most widely-read works of literature: The Hobbit, later followed by its sequel: The Lord of the Rings. . was born in Nagasaki, Japan, in 1954 then came to Britain with his family. His most famous novel, The Remains of the Day (1989), is set in post-war England, and tells the story of an elderly English butler confronting disillusionment as he tells his memories. It was awarded the Booker Prize for Fiction, and was subsequently made into an award-winning film starring Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson. is todays most popular British writer. The magic of her character has touched a huge audience of all ages all over the world. The sixth title, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, set a new record for a first printing with 10.8 million copies hitting stores on July 16, 2005. .. was born in Trinidad, in 1932, the eldest son of a second-generation Indian. He was later educated in Oxford. His acclaimed novel A House for Mr Biswas (1961),

Squence 6-AN01

57

is based on his fathers life in Trinidad. He was knighted in 1989. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2001.
In Bridget Jones, created a massively successful, very funny comic

character who was silly, shallow and insecure.The Bridget Jones books launched a fresh comic language of witty neologisms and list-making.
V.S. Naipaul, J.K. Rowling, Dame Barbara Cartland, Ruth Rendell, PD James, Salman Rushdie, Kazuo Ishiguro, J.R.R. Tolkien, Helen Fielding, Roald Dahl.

Check your work now. Task

Text 1
The Landlady, a short story by Roald Dahl
This work is for all students. It can be used for oral presentation and will count as three texts. In this chapter we only do the first part, which constitutes one text for oral presentation.

The landlady
The Landlady is part of a series of short stories by Roald Dahl called Tales of the Unexpected published by Penguin in 1979.

Anticipation
Taking into account the title, the illustration and what you know of the author, anticipate the nature and content of the text choosing from one or several of the following alternatives. a) The text is an extract from a detective story. b) The text is an extract from a novel. c) The text is a whole short story. d) Judging by the reputation of its author it is likely to be a mystery story.
TopFoto/Roger Viollet

e) Judging by its title it will have a very English flavour. f) The events will concern the character in the title.

Task
Pronunciation
2 13
The following words and expressions may cause problems. Listen to the CD to repeat them out loud.

Starry, blade, lodgings, settled, fantastically, amazing, swanky, faades, chrysanthemums, the hearth, dachshund, congenial, boarding-house, rapacious, queer, dithering.

58

Squence 6-AN01

Task
Read the text
Texte Bac

Do not use your dictionary, read without stopping

Billy Weaver had travelled down from London on the slow afternoon train, with a change at Swindon on the way, and by the time he got to Bath it was about nine oclock in the evening and the moon was coming up out of a clear starry sky over the houses opposite the station entrance. But the air was deadly cold and the wind was like a flat blade of ice on his cheeks. 5 Excuse me, he said, but is there a fairly cheap hotel not too far away from here? Try The Bell and Dragon, the porter answered, pointing down the road. They might take you in. Its about a quarter of a mile along on the other side.

Billy thanked him and picked up his suitcase and set out to walk the quarter-mile to The Bell and Dragon. He had never been to Bath before. He didnt know anyone who lived there. But Mr Greenslade at the Head 10 Office in London had told him it was a splendid city. Find your own *lodgings, he had said, and then go along and report to the Branch Manager as soon as youve got yourself settled. Billy was seventeen years old. He was wearing a new navy-blue overcoat, a new brown trilby hat, and a new brown suit, and he was feeling fine. He walked *briskly down the street. He was trying to do everything briskly these days. Briskness, he had decided, was the one common characteristic of all successful businessmen. 15 *The big shots up at Head Office were absolutely fantastically brisk all the time. They were amazing. There were no shops on this wide street that he was walking along, only a line of tall houses on each side, all of them identical. They had porches and pillars and four or five steps going up to their front doors, and it was obvious that once upon a time they had been very *swanky residences. But now, even in the darkness, he could see that the paint was peeling from the woodwork on their doors and windows, and that the 20 handsome white faades were cracked and blotchy from neglect. Suddenly, in a downstairs window that was brilliantly illuminated by a street-lamp not six yards away, Billy caught sight of a printed notice propped up against the glass in one of the upper panes. It said BED AND BREAKFAST. There was a vase of yellow chrysanthemums, tall and beautiful, standing just underneath the notice. 25 He stopped walking. He moved a bit closer. Green curtains (some sort of velvety material) were hanging down on either side of the window. The chrysanthemums looked wonderful beside them. He went right up and peered through the glass into the room, and the first thing he saw was a bright fire burning in the hearth. On the carpet in front of the fire, a pretty little *dachshund was curled up asleep with its nose tucked into its belly. The room itself, so far as he could see in the half-darkness, was filled with pleasant furniture. 30 There was a baby-grand piano and a big sofa and several plump armchairs; and in one corner he spotted a large *parrot in a cage. Animals were usually a good sign in a place like this, Billy told himself; and all in all, it looked to him as though it would be a pretty decent house to stay in. Certainly it would be more comfortable than The Bell and Dragon. On the other hand, a pub would be more *congenial than *a boarding-house. There would be beer and 35 *darts in the evenings, and lots of people to talk to, and it would probably be a good bit cheaper, too. He had stayed a couple of nights in a pub once before and he had liked it. He had never stayed in any boardinghouses, and, to be perfectly honest, he was a tiny bit frightened of them. The name itself conjured up images of watery cabbage, rapacious landladies, and a powerful smell of *kippers in the living-room. After *dithering about like this in the cold for two or three minutes, Billy decided that he would walk on 40 and take a look at The Bell and Dragon before making up his mind. He turned to go. And now a queer thing happened to him. He was in the act of stepping back and turning away from the window when all at once his eye was caught and held in the most peculiar manner by the small notice that was there. BED AND BREAKFAST, it said. BED AND BREAKFAST, BED AND BREAKFAST, BED AND BREAKFAST. Each word was like a large black eye staring at him through the glass, holding him, *compelling him, for45 cing him to stay where he was and not to walk away from that house, and the next thing he knew, he was actually moving across from the window to the front door of the house, climbing the steps that led up to it, and reaching for the bell.
Squence 6-AN01
59

He pressed the bell. Far away in a back room he heard it ringing, and then at once it must have been at once because he hadnt even had time to take his finger from the bell-button the door swung open and a woman was standing there.
Roald Dahl, The Landlady in the series Tales of Unexpected, (1979) Droits rservs

Vocabulary help

lodgings = hbergement briskly = avec vivacit the big shots = les gros bonnets swanky = qui en impose dachshund = dachshund (race de chien) a parrot = un perroquet

congenial = sympathique a boarding-house = une pension de famille darts = des flchettes kippers = des harengs saurs / en saumure to dither =se tter, hsiter compelling = irrsistible

Task
Understanding the text - part one

The initial situation (up to line 49: a woman was standing there)
Complete the grid. Answer in complete sentences.
When? Where? Who? (give name age, social background, jobs, expectations and interests) The two main characters present are What about? (Sum up the story so far) Narrator?

The events happen during

The scene takes place in

A young man is looking for lodgings

The point of view is that of

Check your work now.

Detailed comprehension
a) Put London and Bath on the map. b) Say if the statements are right or wrong. Justify your answer by quoting from the text.

1. Billy wanted to act like a successful businessman. ............................................................................ ............................................................................................................................................................... 2. Billy was elegantly dressed................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................... 3. The weather was pleasant. ................................................................................................................ ............................................................................................................................................................... 4. Billy didnt know anyone in this city................................................................................................... ...............................................................................................................................................................
60

Squence 6-AN01

5. The street he walked on had an air of being prosperous .................................................................... ............................................................................................................................................................... 6. Billy was struck by something bright and cheerful ............................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................... 7. Billy hesitated then decided to push as far as the Bell and Dragon. ............................................................................................................................................................... 8. In the end he was irresistibly attracted to the boarding-house and he rang the bell.......................... ............................................................................................................................................................... c) Billy compared a pub to a boarding-house and thought a pub was nicer or worse than a boarding-house. Because

Characteristics of a pub

Characteristics of the boarding house he is looking at

............................................................................................................................................................... ............................................................................................................................................................... ............................................................................................................................................................... ............................................................................................................................................................... d) Foreboding (un mauvais pressentiment) Now we have only read the beginning of the story. Dont you think something strange is already happening? Find examples (and justify by quoting the exact words or expressions), which are puzzling for Billy and the reader. ............................................................................................................................................................... ............................................................................................................................................................... ............................................................................................................................................................... e) Vocabulary Find out the following words or expressions in the story (l. 1 to 49). un ciel clair toil une lame de glace plate hbergement un chapeau de feutre marcher dun bon pas les grands pontes qui en imposent tach aperut en velours regarda travers la vitre la chemine rembourrs remarqua sympathique une pension (de famille) des flchettes bien moins cher harengs saurs/en saumure retourner dans sa tte contraindre trange

Check your work now.

Squence 6-AN01

61

Texte 2 : The Landlady (2 et 3)

Task
2 15

Pronunciation
The following words and expressions may cause problems. Listen to the CD to repeat them out loud.

This dame, popped, compulsion, accurately, fantastically, a teeny weeny bit choosy ,the law

Task
Read the extract (from line Normally you ring the bell down to line Mr Wilkins.

Do not use your dictionary, read without stopping

50 Normally you ring the bell and you have at least a half-minutes wait before the door opens. But this dame was a like *a jack-in-the-box. He pressed the bell and out she popped! It made him jump. Texte Bac She was about forty-five or fifty years old, and the moment she saw him, she gave him a warm welcoming smile.

Please come in, she said pleasantly. She stepped aside, holding the door wide open, and Billy found himself 55 automatically starting forward into the house. The compulsion or, more accurately, the desire to follow after her into that house was extraordinarily strong. I saw the notice in the window, he said, holding himself back. Yes, I know. I was wondering about a room. 60 Its all ready for you, my dear, she said. She had a round pink face and very gentle blue eyes. I was on my way to The Bell and Dragon, Billy told her. But the notice in your window just happened to catch my eye. My dear boy, she said, why dont you come in out of the cold? How much do you charge? 65 Five and sixpence a night, including breakfast. It was fantastically cheap. It was less than half of what he had been willing to pay. If that is too much, she added, then perhaps I can reduce it just *a tiny bit. Do you desire an egg for breakfast? Eggs are expensive at the moment. It would be sixpence less without the egg. Five and sixpence is fine, he answered. I should like very much to stay here. 70 I knew you would. Do come in. She seemed terribly nice. She looked exactly like the mother of ones best school-friend welcoming one into the house to stay for the Christmas holidays. Billy took off his hat, and stepped over the threshold. Just hang it there, she said, and let me help you with your coat. There were no other hats or coats in the hall. There were no umbrellas, no walking-sticks nothing. 75 We have it all to ourselves, she said, smiling at him over her shoulder as she led the way upstairs.

62

Squence 6-AN01

You see, it isnt very often I have the pleasure of taking a visitor into my little nest. The old girl is slightly *dotty, Billy told himself. But at five and sixpence a night, who gives a damn about that? I shouldve thought youd be simply swamped with applicants, he said politely. Oh, I am, my dear, I am, of course I am. But the trouble is that Im inclined to be just *a teeny weeny bit 80 *choosy and *particular if you see what I mean. Ah, yes. But Im always ready. Everything is always ready day and night in this house just on the off-chance that an acceptable young gentleman will come along. And it is such a pleasure, my dear, such a very great pleasure when now and again I open the door and I see someone standing there who is just exactly right. She was 85 half-way up the stairs, and she paused with one hand on the stair-rail, turning her head and smiling down at him with pale lips. Like you, she added, and her blue eyes travelled slowly all the way down the length of Billys body, to his feet, and then up again. On the first-floor landing she said to him, This *floor is mine. They climbed up a second *flight. And this one is all yours, she said. Heres your room. I do hope youll 90 like it. She took him into a small but charming front bedroom, switching on the light as she went in. The morning sun comes right in the window, Mr Perkins. It is Mr Perkins, isnt it? No, he said. Its Weaver. Mr Weaver. How nice. Ive put a water-bottle between the sheets to air them out, Mr Weaver. Its such a comfort to have a hot water-bottle in a strange bed with clean sheets, dont you agree? And you 95 may light the gas fire at any time if you feel chilly. Thank you, Billy said. Thank you ever so much. He noticed that the bedspread had been taken off the bed, and that the bedclothes had been neatly turned back on one side, all ready for someone to get in. Im so glad you appeared, she said, looking earnestly into his face. I was beginning to get worried. Thats all right, Billy answered brightly. You mustnt worry about me. He put his suitcase on the chair 100 and started to open it. And what about supper, my dear? Did you manage to get anything to eat before you came here? Im not a bit hungry, thank you, he said. I think Ill just go to bed as soon as possible because tomorrow Ive got to get up rather early and report to the office. Very well, then. Ill leave you now so that you can unpack. But before you go to bed, would you be kind 105 enough to pop into the sitting-room on the ground floor and sign the book? Everyone has to do that because its the *law of the land, and we dont want to go breaking any laws at this stage in the proceedings, do we? She gave him a little wave of the hand and went quickly out of the room and closed the door. Now, the fact that his landlady appeared *to be slightly off her rocker didnt worry Billy in the least. After all, she was not only harmless there was no question about that but she was also quite obviously a 110 kind and generous soul. He guessed that she had probably lost a son in the war, or something like that, and had never got over it. So a few minutes later, after unpacking his suitcase and washing his hands, he trotted downstairs to the ground floor and entered the living-room. His landlady wasnt there, but the fire was glowing in *the hearth, and the little dachshund was still sleeping in front of it. The room was wonderfully warm and cosy. Im a 115 lucky fellow, he thought, rubbing his hands. This is a bit of all right. He found the guest-book lying open on the piano, so he took out his pen and wrote down his name and address. There were only two other entries above his on the page, and, as one always does with guestbooks, he started to read them. One was a Christopher Mulholland from Cardiff. The other was Gregory W. Temple from Bristol. 120 Thats funny, he thought suddenly. Christopher Mulholland. *It rings a bell. Now where on earth had he heard that rather unusual name before? Was he a boy at school? No. Was it one of his sisters numerous young men, perhaps, or a friend of his fathers? No, no, it wasnt any of those. He glanced down again at the book.

Squence 6-AN01

63

Christopher Mulholland, 231 Cathedral Road, Cardiff. Gregory W. Temple, 27 Sycamore Drive, Bristol. As a matter of fact, now he came to think of it, he wasnt at all sure that the second name didnt have almost as much of a familiar ring about it as the first. 125 Gregory Temple? he said aloud, searching his memory. Christopher Mulholland? Such charming boys, a voice behind him answered, and he turned and saw his landlady sailing into the room with a large silver tea-tray in her hands. She was holding it well out in front of her, and rather high up, as though the tray were a pair of reins on a frisky horse. They sound somehow familiar, he said. 130 They do? How interesting. Im almost positive Ive heard those names before somewhere. Isnt that queer? Maybe it was in the newspapers. They werent famous in any way, were they? I mean famous cricketers or footballers or something like that? Famous, she said, setting the tea-tray down on the low table in front of the sofa. Oh no, I dont think 135 they were famous. But they were extraordinarily handsome, both of them, I can promise you that. They were tall and young and handsome, my dear, just exactly like you. Once more, Billy glanced down at the book. Look here, he said, noticing the dates. This last entry is over two years old. It is? 140 Yes, indeed. And Christopher Mulhollands is nearly a year before that more than three years ago. Dear me, she said, shaking her head and heaving a dainty little sigh. I would never have thought it. How time does fly away from us all, doesnt it, Mr Wilkins? Vocabulary help
Roald Dahl, The Landlady in the series Tales of Unexpected, (1979) Droits rservs

a jack-in-the box = un diable ressort a tiny bit = un petit peu dotty = toqu a teeny weeny bit = un tout petit peu (pop) choosy = difficile (pop) particular = pointilleux

floor = tage the law = la loi, les autorits flight = escalier be slightly off her rocker = tre cingl the hearth = ltre it rings a bell = a me rappelle qqe chose

Task
Understanding the text
a) The narrative: put the following events in the correct order from 1 to 12. The first sentence comes first. a. Billy asked the lady how much she charged for the night. b. Billy unpacked his suitcase. c. Billy had a look at the names in the guest book. d. Billy put the suitcase on the bed and opened it. e. The landlady asked Billy to come down to the living-room in order to sign the guest book. It was the law. f. The landlady proposed Billy some supper but he declined the offer. g. Billy ran down to the living-room. h. Billy realized that he was the only guest in the boarding-house.

64

Squence 6-AN01

 i. The lady told Billy he might light the gas fire if he was cold. j. Billy took off his coat and hung it. k. Billy and the landlady went upstairs to the room. l. Billy entered the house.

Extra for experts

The lady charged Five and sixpence for one night. Before 1971 (decimalisation) Britain used a different currency system from today (1 = 100 pence) How much would it be in todays English currency ? ............................................................................................................................................................... English currency today British currency before 1971 1 = 100 pence (p) 10.40 (ten pounds forty (pence) 1 = 20 shillings (s) 1 shilling = 12 pence (d) Five and sixpence = 5 shillings and 6 pence. 5 shillings and 12 pence = 6 shillings (because 12 pence make a shilling) 19 shillings and 12 pence = 1 (12 pence = a shilling and 20 shillings = 1 pound) b) The stereotyped landlady: a deceiving appearance What stereotyped ideas about landladies come to Billys mind and reassure him? ............................................................................................................................................................... ............................................................................................................................................................... ............................................................................................................................................................... ............................................................................................................................................................... ............................................................................................................................................................... c) Foreshadowing (prsage) Are there any elements that give a negative impression of the landlady and foreshadow the events? ............................................................................................................................................................... ............................................................................................................................................................... ............................................................................................................................................................... Didnt Billy notice something strange for a boarding-house? How did the landlady explain it? ............................................................................................................................................................... ............................................................................................................................................................... Make a list of the things that seem to indicate that Billy was expected in the house. (dont forget to quote the text and note down the line numbers). - ............................................................................................................................................................ - ............................................................................................................................................................ - ............................................................................................................................................................ - ............................................................................................................................................................ Billy does want to stay and he dismisses the landladys strange behaviour. Why? ...............................................................................................................................................................

Squence 6-AN01

65

d) The names in the guest book The two names are : ......................................................................................................................... What adverb is used to indicate a change in Billys awareness? ............................................................................................................................................................... Why does Billy keep thinking of those two names on the guest book? Quote the text. ............................................................................................................................................................... ............................................................................................................................................................... Who / what does Billy associate the names with? - ............................................................................................................................................................ - ............................................................................................................................................................ - ............................................................................................................................................................ What strange thing does Billy notice about the two names in the guest book? ............................................................................................................................................................... e) The landlady Show that the landlady is not interested in the conversation about the names or does not want to be interested in it. ............................................................................................................................................................... ............................................................................................................................................................... ............................................................................................................................................................... ............................................................................................................................................................... The lady forgets Billys family name. She addresses him as Mr . instead of Mr Weaver. What is that supposed to show ? ............................................................................................................................................................... ...............................................................................................................................................................

Check your work now.

Task
2 17

Pronunciation
The following words and expressions may cause problems. Listen to the CD to repeat them out loud.

W-E-A-V-E-R, apologise, as though, tantalising, sipping, peculiar, trifle, ignoring, a pause,

Task
Part three Read the last extract (from line Its Weaver as far as the end).

Do not use your dictionary, read without stopping.

66

Squence 6-AN01

Its Weaver, Billy said. W-e-a-v-e-r. Oh, of course it is! she cried, sitting down on the sofa. How silly of me. I do apologise. In one ear and out the other, thats me, Mr Weaver. You know something? Billy said. Something thats really quite extraordinary about all this? 150 No, dear, I dont. Well, you see both of these names, Mulholland and Temple, I not only seem to remember each one of them separately, so to speak, but somehow or other, in some peculiar way, they both appear to be sort of connected together as well. As though they were both famous for the same sort of thing, if you see what I mean like like Dempsey and Tunney, for example, or Churchill and Roosevelt. 155 How amusing, she said. But come over here now, dear, and sit down beside me on the sofa and Ill give you a nice cup of tea and a ginger biscuit before you go to bed. You really shouldnt bother, Billy said. I didnt mean you to do anything like that. He stood by the piano, watching her as she fussed about with the cups and saucers. He noticed that she had small, white, quickly moving hands, and red finger-nails. 160 Im almost positive it was in the newspapers I saw them, Billy said. Ill think of it in a second. Im sure I will. There is nothing more tantalising than a thing like this which lingers just outside the borders of ones memory. He hated to give up. 165 Now wait a minute, he said. Wait just a minute. Mulholland... Christopher Mulholland... wasnt that the name of the Eton schoolboy who was on a walking-tour through the West Country, and then all of a sudden... Milk? she said. And sugar? Yes, please. And then all of a sudden... 170 Eton schoolboy? she said. Oh no, my dear, that cant possibly be right because my Mr Mulholland was certainly not an Eton schoolboy when he came to me. He was a Cambridge undergraduate. Come over here now and sit next to me and warm yourself in front of this lovely fire. Come on. Your teas all ready for you. She patted the empty place beside her on the sofa, and she sat there smiling at Billy and waiting for him to come over. 175 He crossed the room slowly, and sat down on the edge of the sofa. She placed his teacup on the table in front of him. There we are, she said. How nice and cosy this is, isnt it? Billy started sipping his tea. She did the same. For half a minute or so, neither of them spoke. But Billy knew that she was looking at him. Her body was half-turned towards him, and he could feel her eyes resting on 180 his face, watching him over the rim of her teacup. Now and again, he caught *a whiff of a peculiar smell that seemed to emanate directly from her person. It was not in the least unpleasant, and it reminded him well, he wasnt quite sure what it reminded him of. *Pickled walnuts? New leather? Or was it the corridors of a hospital? Mr Mulholland was a great one for his tea, she said at length. Never in my life have I seen anyone drink 185 as much tea as dear, sweet Mr Mulholland. I suppose he left fairly recently, Billy said. He was still puzzling his head about the two names. He was positive now that he had seen them in the newspapers in the headlines. Left? she said, arching her brows. But my dear boy, he never left. Hes still here. Mr Temple is also here. Theyre on the third floor, both of them together. 190 Billy set down his cup slowly on the table, and stared at his landlady. She smiled back at him, and then she put out one of her white hands and patted him comfortingly on the knee. How old are you, my dear? she asked. Seventeen. Seventeen! she cried. Oh, its the perfect age! Mr Mulholland was also seventeen. But I think he was a 195 trifle shorter than you are, in fact Im sure he was, and his teeth werent quite so white. You have the most
Squence 6-AN01
67

Texte Bac

beautiful teeth, Mr Weaver, did you know that? Theyre not as good as they look, Billy said. Theyve got simply masses of *fillings in them at the back. Mr Temple, of course, was a little older, she said, ignoring his remark. He was actually twenty-eight. 200 And yet I never would have guessed it if he hadnt told me, never in my whole life. There wasnt *a blemish on his body. A what? Billy said. His skin was just like a babys. There was a pause. Billy picked up his teacup and took another sip of his tea, then he set it down again gently 205 in its saucer. He waited for her to say something else, but she seemed to have lapsed into another of her silences. He sat there staring straight ahead of him into the far corner of the room, biting his lower lip. That parrot, he said at last. You know something? *It had me completely fooled when I first saw it through the window from the street. I could have sworn it was alive. Alas, no longer. 210 Its most terribly clever the way its been done, he said. It doesnt look in the least bit dead. Who did it? I did. You did? Of course, she said. And have you met my little Basil as well? She nodded towards the dachshund curled 215 up so comfortably in front of the fire. Billy looked at it. And suddenly, he realised that this animal had all the time been just as silent and motionless as the parrot. He put out a hand and touched it gently on the top of its back. The back was hard and cold, and when he pushed the hair to one side with his fingers, he could see the skin underneath, greyish-black and dry and perfectly preserved. Good gracious me, he said. How absolutely fascinating. He turned away from the dog and stared 220 with deep admiration at the little woman beside him on the sofa. It must be most awfully difficult to do a thing like that. Not in the least, she said. I *stuff all my little pets myself when they pass away. Will you have another cup of tea? No, thank you, Billy said. The tea tasted faintly of bitter almonds, and he didnt much care for it. 225 You did sign the book, didnt you? Oh, yes. Thats good. Because later on, if I happen to forget what you were called, then I can always come down here and look it up. I still do that almost every day with Mr Mulholland and Mr Mr... Temple, Billy said. Gregory Temple. Excuse my asking, but havent there been any other guests here 230 except them in the last two or three years? Holding her teacup high in one hand, inclining her head slightly to the left, she looked up at him out of the corners of her eyes and gave him another gentle little smile. No, my dear, she said. `Only you.
Roald Dahl, The Landlady in the series Tales of Unexpected, (1979) Droits rservs

Vocabulary help

a whiff = une odeur pickled walnuts = des noix macres filings = des plombages

a blemish = une imperfection had me fooled = mavait dup stuff = empailler

68

Squence 6-AN01

Task
Part 3 - Understanding the text From Its Weaver to the end. a) The landlady Isnt it surprising and contradictory that she has forgotten Billys name when she speaks about Mulholland and Temple? Quote the text to give examples. ............................................................................................................................................................... ............................................................................................................................................................... ............................................................................................................................................................... ............................................................................................................................................................... ............................................................................................................................................................... b) The suspense Billy is uneasy about the names. Does his attitude to the landlady change when she says that the young men are still upstairs? ............................................................................................................................................................... ............................................................................................................................................................... ............................................................................................................................................................... ............................................................................................................................................................... What makes the reader even more suspicious than Billy and increases the suspense? ............................................................................................................................................................... ............................................................................................................................................................... ............................................................................................................................................................... The landlady had said : There wasnt a blemish on his body. A what? Billy said. His skin was just like a babys. Why is there a silence afterwards? Can you think of an explanation for their presence upstairs? ............................................................................................................................................................... ...............................................................................................................................................................

Squence 6-AN01

69

The stuffed animals: When Billy learns about the animals in the house and the landladys role the story reaches its climax. Why? ............................................................................................................................................................... ............................................................................................................................................................... ............................................................................................................................................................... The guest book. Which word shows that the landlady insists on Billy signing the book? Why does she insist? ............................................................................................................................................................... ............................................................................................................................................................... c) The cliff-hanging ending (une fin suspense) Is there any explicit denouement? What can readers conclude? ............................................................................................................................................................... ............................................................................................................................................................... d) Vocabulary (from parts 2 and 3) Find out the following words in the story and make sure you know what they mean. Deduce their meaning from the context or use your dictionary.
Frisky Handsome Dainty Sigh Peculiar To bother To fuss Tantalising Eton Undergraduate (in Britain) To pat Pickled walnuts Sweet Mr Mulholland She arched her brows A trifle A blemish

e) The craft of the writer and your reactions

For candidates in L LV1 and candidates preparing the oral examination

When the reader realizes what happened and what will happen, some passages in the story may be seen in retrospect? Give some examples. (about 100 words) ............................................................................................................................................................... ............................................................................................................................................................... ............................................................................................................................................................... ............................................................................................................................................................... ............................................................................................................................................................... ............................................................................................................................................................... ............................................................................................................................................................... ...............................................................................................................................................................

Check your work now.

70

Squence 6-AN01

Prononciation et vocabulaire
Task
Pronunciation Lecture expressive : lecture dun passage du texte
Reprez les mots ou expressions dont la prononciation peut poser problme. Attention lintonation, exprimez ltonnement de Billy par exemple et la voix doucereuse de la femme.

19

coutez le CD et rptez dans les blancs les mots et expressions mis en gras dans le passage suivant. Faites cet exercice plusieurs fois et diffrents moments du cours. Good gracious me, he said. How absolutely fascinating. He turned away from the dog and stared with deep admiration at the little woman beside him on the sofa. It must be most awfully difficult to do a thing like that. Not in the least, she said. I stuff all my little pets myself when they pass away. Will you have another cup of tea? No, thank you, Billy said. The tea tasted faintly of bitter almonds, and he didnt much care for it. You did sign the book, didnt you? Oh, yes. Thats good. Because later on, if I happen to forget what you were called, then I can always come down here and look it up. I still do that almost every day with Mr Mulholland and Mr Mr... Temple, Billy said. Gregory Temple. Excuse my asking, but havent there been any other guests here except them in the last two or three years? Holding her teacup high in one hand, inclining her head slightly to the left, she looked up at him out of the corners of her eyes and gave him another gentle little smile. No, my dear, she said. `Only you.

Prononciation de [i] et [i:] et de [D] et de [Q]

20

Ces sons sont difficiles prononcer par les Franais car ils ncessitent une gymnastique buccale peu habituelle, entre autres les sons [ i ] et [ i: ] et [D] et [Q]. coutez le CD et imitez le modle en vous concentrant sur les lettres en caractres gras. a) Prononciation de [ i ] (comme dans ship) et de [ i: ] (comme dans sheep)

Ship

Sheep

How absolutely fascinating. He turned away from the dog and stared with deep admiration at the little woman beside him on the sofa. It must be most awfully difficult to do a thing like that. Not in the least, she said. I stuff all my little pets myself when they pass away. Will you have another cup of tea? No, thank you, Billy said. The tea tasted faintly of bitter almonds, and he didnt much care for it. You did sign the book, didnt you? Oh, yes.
Squence 6-AN01
71

b) Prononciation de [D] (comme dans the book) et de [Q] comme dans Thank you Thats good. Because later on, if I happen to forget what you were called, then I can always come down here and look it up. I still do that almost every day with Mr Mulholland and Mr Mr Temple, Billy said. Gregory Temple. Excuse my asking, but havent there been any other guests here except them in the last two or three years? Holding her teacup high in one hand, inclining her head slightly to the left, she looked up at him out of the corner of her eyes and gave him another gentle little smile. No, my dear, she said. Only you. Ecoutez et rptez le passage, en faisant vous mme les pauses.

21

Task
Enrich your vocabulary
Vocabulaire du suspense Faites un brainstorming du vocabulaire de ltrange, de la peur, du suspense, voici un exemple. Vous pouvez le classer par catgories grammaticales ou en bulles de sens. Bien videmment consultez votre dictionnaire si vous ne comprenez pas le sens exact dun mot. Vous devriez connatre ce vocabulaire par cur. adjectifs verbes adverbes noms expressions strange, queer, peculiar, extraordinary, unexpected, unusual, spooky, terrible, awful, dead, disturbed, puzzled, anxious, frightened, scared, interested, excited, scary, terrifying. wonder , dismiss, realize, perceive, worry, kill, murder, wound, flee, die, be fooled, be deceived, be afraid of, fear for, frighten, be frightened, scare, be scared. extraordinarily, suddenly, all at once. a spook, a foreboding, a foreshadowing, a twist, a murder, a murderer, a killer, a killing, a strangling, a flight. a serial killer, a cold-blooded murder, a cliff-hanging situation, a fearsome sight.

72

Squence 6-AN01

Grammaire
Task
La forme en ing, le grondif et le participe prsent
a) Observez et classez 1. The moon was coming up. 2. the porter answered pointing down the road. 3. He was wearing a navy-blue overcoat and he was feeling fine. 4. They had four or five steps going up to their front doors 5. he could see that the paint was peeling 6. He stopped walking. 7. Green curtains were hanging down 8. and the first thing he saw was a bright fire burning in the hearth. 9. After dithering like this in the cold for two or three minutes 10. Billy decided that he would walk before making up his mind.
prtrit en be + ing grondif participe prsent

Vrifiez vos rponses avant de continuer.

b) Choisissez la rponse qui convient ou compltez. Dans lexemple 1, la forme en ING est associe loprateur be conjugu au Un exemple de prtrit en be + ING au pluriel est .. Certains exemples de prtrits en be + ING dcrivent un personnage (ex) ou des choses qui taient en train de se faire (ex ). Le participe prsent existe aussi en franais.

pointing down the road se traduit par en montrant la rue montrer la rue going up to their front doors se traduit par qui montaient jusqu leur porte dentre montant jusqu leur porte dentre a bright fire burning in the hearth se traduit par ..
Dans lexemple 6 le grondif est sujet complment du verbe stopped. En anglais les prpositions sont normalement suivies de noms de verbes conjugus dune forme en -ING Dans les exemples 9 et 10 les prpositions . et sont suivies dune

Squence 6-AN01

73

En franais After dithering se traduit par

Aprs hsitant Aprs avoir hsit Avant de prendre une dcision Avant prenant une dcision

Before making up his mind se traduit par

Vrifiez vos rponses.

e) Retenez

Le prtrit en be + ING indique quune action tait en cours dans le pass : the moon was coming up. La forme en -ING semploie aprs une prposition alors que le franais emploie linfinitif : before making up his mind (avant de se dcider), aprs un verbe exprimant un got : I love reading.

Exercices
a) Compltez les phrases. 1. He kept . . (wonder) where he had come across that name before. 2. He made a point of .. briskly. (walk) 3. He . down the avenue when he noticed a bright light. (walk) 4. He went on his tea without ..(drink, hesitate) 5. There was a staircase . to the second floor. (go up) 6. On the house he saw that there were no other guests. (enter)

Check your work now. Task

Rvision Le prtrit simple et le prtrit en be + ING
Nous avons dj abord ce point dans la premire squence mais il est important de bien possder la notion de laspect en anglais. a) Observez et surlignez les prtrits Billy was seventeen years old. He was wearing a new navy-blue overcoat, a new brown trilby hat, and a new brown suit, and he was feeling fine. He walked briskly down the street. He was trying to do everything briskly these days. Briskness, he had decided, was the one common characteristic of all successful businessmen. The big shots up at Head Office were absolutely fantastically brisk all the time. They were amazing. There were no shops on this wide street that he was walking along, only a line of tall houses on each side, all of them identical. b) Rflchissez

was seventeen, were brisk, were amazing, there were, was et were sont des prtrits simples du verbe be, ils donnent lge du personnage, ils sont suivis dadjectifs qui le dcrivent, ils traduisent la forme il y avait (there was, there were).

74

Squence 6-AN01

was wearing, was feeling, was trying Grce ces formes en be + ING, lnonciateur dcrit Billy et commente cette description afin de nous montrer la fiert du jeune homme.
c) Opposez

He walked briskly down the street. There were no shops on this wide street that he was walking along.
Dans le premier nonc, lnonciateur annonce une action que Billy faisait. Dans le second nonc, lnonciateur et nous savons dj que Billy marchait dans la rue, maintenant lnonciateur commente laction en la montrant dans son droulement, cest parce quil tait en train de marcher le long de cette rue que Billy pouvait observer ltat dlabr des maisons, donc il est important de mettre la forme en be + ING qui nest pas une dclaration neutre comme dans le premier exemple.

Exercices
a) Complete with the correct aspect of the preterit 1. As he he how derelict the area (walk along, notice, be) 2. Then she the tea and he it without any foreboding. (pour, drink) 3. Billy see that the room .. cosy indeed. (can, be) 4. He .. quite pleased with himself as he down the stairs in a leisurely manner. (be, come) 5. She ..the tea-tray with a decisive air. (carry) 6. Finally, they both on the sofa and she .. him on the knee. (sit down, pat) b) Translate into English using the appropriate tenses 1. Il marchait seul. Cest pour a quil a remarqu la lumire venant de la fentre. 2. Que faisiez-vous hier soir ? - Je lisais un roman dpouvante. 3. Il tait trop naf, il a fait son malheur lui-mme. 4. Elle prenait une tasse de th devant ltre tout en rvassant, quand la sonnette a retenti. 5. Il allait au pub deux fois par semaine quand il tait tudiant. 6. La propritaire, qui tait folle, tuait puis empaillait ses htes.

Check your work now. Task

Le past perfect (ou pluperfect/plus-que-parfait) rvision de la squence 2
Rvision Observez et surlignez les verbes au plus-que-parfait

Billy Weaver had travelled down from London on the slow afternoon train, with a change at Swindon on the way, and by the time he got to Bath it was about nine oclock in the evening and the moon was coming up He had never been to Bath before. He didnt know anyone who lived there. But Mr Greenslade at the Head Office in London had told him it was a splendid city. They had porches and pillars. And it was obvious that at one time they had been very swanky residences.
Rpondez et compltez : les actions se droulent dans un rcit pass. Oui Non

Squence 6-AN01

75

Les premires actions (had travelled down, had never been, had told him, they had been) sont antrieures aux secondes (he got to Bath, ). Oui Non

Dans un rcit au pass, une action antrieure une autre est au plus-que-parfait, que ce soit en franais ou en anglais. Le plus-que-parfait situe lvnement dans un pass antrieur au pass du rcit. Il est form de lauxiliaire HAVE au prtrit et du participe pass du verbe :

HAD + Participe pass

Le plus-que-parfait en BE + ING (rappel)

He could see that she had been crying. Il voyait bien quelle avait pleur.
Comme le present perfect en BE + ING, le past perfect (ou plus-que-parfait) est form de lauxiliaire HAVE + BEEN+ VING, mais ici HAVE est au pass :

HAD + BEEN + VING

a) Mettez les verbes au plus-que-parfait 1. When he got to his room, he realized that she (already, make) the bed. 2. Once he saw that the animals were stuffed, he understood why they (be) so still. 3. Now he knew why she (watch) him so closely. 4. The woman (wait) for quite a while before Billie entered her place. 5. After many attempts at getting up, he (give up)any hope of escaping and was now only wishing for a new visitor. b) Mettez les verbes du texte suivant au prtrit, simple ou en be + ing, ou au pluperfect, simple ou en be + ing, la voix active ou passive. 1. Billie .(wonder) where and why he . (already hear) of those names before. 2. Previously, when he (be away) from home, he ( always stay) in a pub, now he (dither). 3. Up to now, Billie .. (always think) that little old ladies (be) harmless, presently he .(be/not) so sure. 4. He then .. ( realize) that they .. (be dead) for over two years and that he . (be) in great danger of being her next victim. 5. This time he .. (try) hard to get up but his legs ..(fail him once more) and he. (feel) the irresistible urge of sleep overcoming him.

Check your work.

76

Squence 6-AN01

Traduction
Read again the following passage which you will later translate
So a few minutes later, after unpacking his suitcase and washing his hands, he trotted downstairs to the ground floor and entered the living-room. His landlady wasnt there, but the fire was glowing in the hearth, and the little dachshund was still sleeping in front of it. The room was wonderfully warm and cosy. Im a lucky fellow, he thought, rubbing his hands. This is a bit of all right. He found the guest-book lying open on the piano, so he took out his pen and wrote down his name and address. There were only two other entries above his on the page, and, as one always does with guestbooks, he started to read them. One was a Christopher Mulholland from Cardiff. The other was Gregory W. Temple from Bristol. Thats funny, he thought suddenly. Christopher Mulholland. It rings a bell. Now where on earth had he heard that rather unusual name before?

Choose the best alternatives

He trotted downstairs to the ground floor and entered Il descendit rapidement jusquau rez-de-chausse et entra Il trotta en bas jusquau rez-de chausse et entra the little dachshund was still sleeping in front of it. le petit teckel dormait encore devant lui. le petit teckel dormait encore la mme place. The room was wonderfully warm and cosy. La pice tait merveilleusement chaude et comfortable. Il faisait merveilleusement bon et la pice tait agrable. I am a lucky fellow Je suis un gars chanceux Jai de la veine This is a bit of all right. Cest un peu de tout bien. Cest pas mal du tout.

You must check your work now and read the explanations.
Translate
The passage fromHe found the guest-book to the end name before?

Check your work now.

Squence 6-AN01

77

Expression crite
Continue the story. Write up to 250 words
Un type de sujet frquent au Baccalaurat
Attention bien respecter le style de lhistoire et latmosphre. Lhistoire est raconte du point de vue de Billy, avec son vocabulaire et les connaissances encore limites quil a de son htesse, avec sa personnalit, sa peur peut-tre et noubliez pas que cest un jeune homme daction, mais le th et enfin que va faire la landlady ? Faites attention lemploi des temps et des formes verbales (voir Chapter 4 Enjoy your grammar)

Check your work now.

78

Squence 6-AN01

Prsentation orale : texte 1

Ce chapitre concerne principalement les candidats se prsentant loral.
Cette nouvelle compte pour 3 textes. Aprs lintroduction et la prsentation des personnages communes toutes les prsentations vous dciderez de prsenter en dtail seulement une des trois parties votre choix. Lors de lexamen vous annoncerez ce choix, en anglais, lexaminateur.

Task
Lecture
Vous vous tes entran lire une partie du texte haute voix, arrter le CD aprs chaque phrase ou lment de phrase et rpter.

Task
Faisons le point sur le texte. Compltez la grille de travail sous forme de notes. Je dtermine la nature du document, son origine. Je parle brivement de lauteur. Je donne le titre, le lieu, la date. La nature du document va me permettre de mentionner que la nouvelle a les caractristiques dune histoire dpouvante. Je dcris lillustration qui amorce latmosphre.

Je donne la situation initiale en parlant des lieux. Je mentionne les personnages en prsence. Je rsume trs brivement lhistoire que je divise en trois parties. Jannonce lexaminateur que je choisis de ne prsenter quune des trois parties de lhistoire. Je commente donc maintenant en dtail cette partie en utilisant le travail des chapitres 2 et 3. Quelle que soit la partie choisie, je termine toujours en rappelant les passages qui ont inquit le lecteur avant Billy et que lon ne comprend qu la fin. Je noublie pas de mentionner que la rvlation tardive de lactivit de taxidermiste de la femme est un tour de force de la part de Roald Dahl.

Dans mon commentaire, je parle des vnements mais sous loptique du suspense. JE CITE chaque fois que je veux dmontrer un point. JE SUIS SANS ARRT DANS LE TEXTE et non autour du texte.

Je conclus par une rflexion sur lintrt que nous portons aux histoires dpouvante.

Squence 6-AN01
79