There have been calls for the transition to alternative and renewable energy sources to be speeded up. The War in Ukraine has made many people question their reliance on oil and gas. Rob and Roy look at the vocabulary used in the headlines.
Comment est ce que je peux me préparer à l’examen?
Afin de vous entraîner pour les épreuves vous pouvez consulter les sujets zéro ici: Sujets Zéro BAC 2021
Vous pouvez aussi consulter l’excellente chaine sur YouTube E3C English où vous trouverez des vidéos pour vous entraîner ainsi que des tests de vocabulaire par axe
Qu’est ce qu’on attend de vous lors des épreuves E3C en anglais ?
Compréhension de l’oral – Qu’est ce que je dois faire ?
Vous devez écrire un compte rendu d’un document sonore que vous entendrez 3 fois. Dans votre compte rendu essayez de répondre aux questions suivantes :
Quel est le thème principal du document ?
A qui est ce qu’il peut s’adresser ?
Quelles sont les informations les plus importantes ? (on n’attend pas tous les détails ni tous les chiffres ! Mais si vous avez pu noter des dates ou des pourcentages bien sûr vous pouvez les mettre dans le compte rendu !)
Quel est le lieu ou la situation du dialogue ?
Quels sont les différents points de vue ?
A quoi sert ce document ? (Informer, relater, convaincre, critiquer….)
Comment dois-je rédiger mon compte rendu?
Dès la première écoute il faut essayer de prendre des notes. Même si vous n’avez pas tout entendu ni tout compris vous pourrez les compléter par la suite. Laissez de l’espace entre vos notes pour rajouter d’autres informations par la suite.
Ecrivez votre compte rendu en suivant la chronologie du document avec des phrases correctes en français (pensez à utiliser des mots de liaison)
Le temps est limité donc il est très important de bien gérer votre temps et de vous laisser quelques minutes pour vous relire. Environ 15 à 20 lignes de compte rendu sont suffisantes.
Comment est ce que je suis noté?
La grille comporte trois critères présentés dans trois colonnes que l’on peut distinguer ainsi :
colonne 1 : identification du contexte et de la situation d’énonciation = le document dans son contexte (qui parle, d’où et à qui) ;
colonne 2 : identification des réseaux de sens = le document dans son fonctionnement interne (sa structure d’ensemble ainsi que l’enchaînement logique des éléments qui le composent, sa cohérence globale) ;
colonne 3 : identification des stratégies de communication = le document dans sa visée, sa portée, l’intention de son auteur.
Expression Ecrite – qu’est ce qu’on attend de moi?
Pour l’expression écrite vous aurez à rédiger un texte de 120 mots environ.
Vous aurez le choix entre deux sujets. Vous devez choisir un seul sujet!
Le sujet peut être:
Un dialogue Pour cela apprenez quelques verbes et adverbes que vous pourrez utiliser dans votre texte
he exclaimed, she whispered, he shouted, she cried, he answered, she added
he said quietly, she shouted loudly, he added angrily, she whispered softly
Adaptez le niveau de langue (familier, courant, soutenu…) et le style d’écriture aux interlocuteurs (enfant, adolescent, adulte…)
Vous pouvez aussi ajouter des interjections « hey! » « what?! » ou des petites phrases à la fin des phrases: « you know what I mean? » « You see? » « Ah I see now »
– Ecrire une lettre ou un journal intime
Vous pouvez télécharger les guides en dessous pour vous entraîner à écrire des lettres
– Ecrire un « essay » Pour ce type d’écrit, il est important de choisir une problématique, une question à laquelle vous répondrez en suivant une argumentation structurée. Ensuite vous donnerez plusieurs points de vue, en terminant avec votre propre opinion. Faites un plan au brouillon et inspirez vous du texte de compréhension orale pour thème du texte, n’hésitez pas à vous en inspirer pour construire votre argumentation. Utilisez des phrases et expressions « types » pour présenter vos arguments (voir en dessous)
Introduction:
to begin with….. I’d like to talk about
let’s start with the idea of…
I would like to begin by talking about the advantages of…. and then move on the disadvantages
Let’s take a look at the topic of…
First of all….
Main part:
on the one hand…. on the other hand
First let’s take a look at the positive sides of….
Secondly we will look into the negative side of …..
In my opinion….
It could be argued that….
It would seem that…
This proves that..
This supports the idea that…
Moreover/futhermore/ similarly/likewise
Having said that/then again/in comparison
Conclusion:
to sum up I would say that….
to conclude I would like to give my personal point of view
to finish I would like to point out that….
Downloads with useful expressions (to help you gain points!)
CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA – SEPTEMBER 23: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex visit the Nyanga Township during their royal tour of South Africa on September 23, 2019 in Cape Town, South Africa. (Photo by Karwai Tang/WireImage)
Harry Fights
Back
Do you know the names of the tabloids in the United Kingdom? What are the names of the more serious newspapers?
What members of the Royal Family do we hear about most? Do you have any favourites?
What is your opinion of the Royal Family? What is the Queen’s role compared to a President?
What are the advantages/disadvantages of having a monarch?
How influential is the press in your country? Can you give examples of the power of the press?
Do you read tabloids and people magazines? What kind of public figures do the press usually attack in your country? Do you consider this to be similar to bullying?
Important vocabulary
A tabloid
A ruthless
campaign
Relentless propaganda
Digital age
Newborn son
Pregnancy
To vilify
At someone’s
expense
To be a silent
witness
Press coverage
Chip paper
My deepest fear
Bullying
History repeating
itself
Watch the news
report about Harry and Meghan
Prince Harry’s full statement on his family’s relationship with the media, issued on Tuesday night (02.10.2019) after his wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, launched legal action against the Mail on Sunday over its decision to publish a private letter she had sent to her father.
As a couple, we
believe in media freedom and objective, truthful reporting. We regard it as a
cornerstone of democracy and in the current state of the world – on every level
– we have never needed responsible media more.
Unfortunately,
my wife has become one of the latest victims of a British tabloid press that
wages campaigns against individuals with no thought to the consequences – a
ruthless campaign that has escalated over the past year, throughout her
pregnancy and while raising our newborn son.
There is a human
cost to this relentless propaganda, specifically when it is knowingly false and
malicious, and though we have continued to put on a brave face – as so many of
you can relate to – I cannot begin to describe how painful it has been. Because
in today’s digital age, press fabrications are repurposed as truth across the
globe. One day’s coverage is no longer tomorrow’s chip-paper.
Up to now, we
have been unable to correct the continual misrepresentations – something that
these select media outlets have been aware of and have therefore exploited on a
daily and sometimes hourly basis.
It is for this
reason we are taking legal action, a process that has been many months in the
making. The positive coverage of the past week from these same publications
exposes the double standards of this specific press pack that has vilified her
almost daily for the past nine months; they have been able to create lie after
lie at her expense simply because she has not been visible while on maternity
leave. She is the same woman she was a year ago on our wedding day, just as she
is the same woman you’ve seen on this Africa tour.
For these select
media this is a game, and one that we have been unwilling to play from the
start. I have been a silent witness to her private suffering for too long. To
stand back and do nothing would be contrary to everything we believe in.
This particular
legal action hinges on one incident in a long and disturbing pattern of
behaviour by British tabloid media. The contents of a private letter were
published unlawfully in an intentionally destructive manner to manipulate you,
the reader, and further the divisive agenda of the media group in question. In
addition to their unlawful publication of this private document, they purposely
misled you by strategically omitting select paragraphs, specific sentences, and
even singular words to mask the lies they had perpetuated for over a year.
There comes a
point when the only thing to do is to stand up to this behaviour, because it
destroys people and destroys lives. Put simply, it is bullying, which scares
and silences people. We all know this isn’t acceptable, at any level. We won’t
and can’t believe in a world where there is no accountability for this.
Though this
action may not be the safe one, it is the right one. Because my deepest fear is
history repeating itself. I’ve seen what happens when someone I love is
commoditised to the point that they are no longer treated or seen as a real
person. I lost my mother and now I watch my wife falling victim to the same
powerful forces.
We thank you,
the public, for your continued support. It is hugely appreciated. Although it
may not seem like it, we really need it.
Just to finish, here is a video about the more fun
sides of the Queen!
The definition of identity is who you are, the way you think about yourself, the way you are viewed by the world and the characteristics that define you. An example of identity is a person’s name . An example of identity are the traditional characteristics of a British person.
Cultural identity is the identity or feeling of belonging to a group. … These cultural identifiers can include: location, gender, race, history, nationality, language, sexuality, religious beliefs, ethnicity, aesthetics, and even food.
Let’s take a look at the idea of « Britishness ». What do you think of when you hear the word « British »?
What does it mean to be British?
Watch the video below made by Jo Malone London. It is a British perfume and scented candle brand, founded by Jo Malone in 1983. It has been owned since 1999 by Estée Lauder. The brand is known for its expensive perfumes, luxury candles, bath products, and room scents.
Which of these have you already heard of?
Ideas for teachers:
Go further with this lesson plan:
Why are Brits so obsessed with tea? You can find the lesson plan here with a video, worksheet, idiomatic expressions and ideas for discussion!
Pour chaque voie et série, l’évaluation est composée de trois épreuves :
– deux épreuves écrites passées respectivement aux deuxième et troisième trimestres de l’année de première ;
– une épreuve écrite et orale passée à la même période que les autres épreuves de contrôle continu de l’année de terminale.
Classe de première
Épreuve 1 : Compréhension de l’oral – Expression écrite
Durée: 1 heure
Niveaux visés : B1 pour la langue A ; A2-B1 pour la langue B
L’épreuve est composée de deux parties. Les candidats reçoivent dès le début de l’épreuve l’intégralité du sujet, dans lequel figure le titre du document support de l’évaluation de la compréhension de l’oral :
– la compréhension de l’oral est évaluée à partir d’un document audio ou vidéo dont la durée n’excède pas 1 minute 30. Le document est écouté trois fois, les écoutes étant espacées d’une minute. Durant les écoutes, les candidats peuvent prendre des notes. À l’issue de la troisième écoute, les candidats utilisent le temps dont ils disposent comme ils le souhaitent pour rendre compte du document oral, en français, de manière libre ou guidée, puis pour traiter le sujet d’expression écrite.
– le sujet d’expression écrite, à traiter en langue cible, se fonde sur une ou deux questions, en lien avec la thématique générale du document support de l’évaluation de la compréhension de l’oral.
Notation : La note globale est sur 20. Chaque partie est évaluée sur 10 points, à partir des fiches d’évaluation et notation.
Épreuve 2 : Compréhension de l’écrit – Expression écrite
Durée : 1 heure 30 minutes
Niveaux visés : B1-B2 pour la langue A ; A2-B1 pour la langue B
L’épreuve est composée de deux parties. Les candidats se voient remettre l’intégralité du sujet dès le début de l’épreuve et organisent leur temps individuellement.
– La compréhension de l’écrit est évaluée à partir d’un ou deux textes. Les candidats en rendent compte dans la langue cible, de manière libre ou guidée. La longueur cumulée des textes est comprise entre 2 300 et 4 000 signes, blancs et espaces compris
– Le sujet d’expression écrite, à traiter en langue cible, se fonde sur une ou deux questions, en lien avec la thématique générale du document support de l’évaluation de la compréhension de l’écrit. Le sujet peut prendre appui sur un document iconographique.
Notation : La note globale est sur 20. Chaque partie est évaluée sur 10 points, à partir des fiches d’évaluation et notation.
Classe de terminale
Épreuve 3 : Compréhension de l’oral et de l’écrit – Expression écrite et orale
Niveaux visés : B2 pour la langue A ; B1 pour la langue B.
L’évaluation se déroule en deux temps :
– Le premier temps consiste en une épreuve écrite de 2 heures.
Elle est composée de deux parties, l’une consacrée à l’évaluation des compétences de compréhension de l’oral et de l’écrit, l’autre à l’évaluation des compétences d’expression écrite. Les candidats reçoivent l’intégralité du sujet dès le début de l’épreuve.
La compréhension de l’oral est évaluée à partir d’un document audio ou vidéo dont la durée n’excède pas 1 minute 30. Le document est écouté trois fois, les écoutes étant espacées d’une minute. Durant les écoutes, les candidats peuvent prendre des notes.
À l’issue de la troisième écoute, les candidats utilisent le temps dont ils disposent comme ils le souhaitent pour rendre compte du document oral, en français, de manière libre ou guidée, puis pour traiter la compréhension de l’écrit et le sujet d’expression écrite.
La compréhension de l’écrit est évaluée à partir d’un ou deux textes. Les candidats en rendent compte dans la langue cible. Ils sont guidés par des questions qui portent également sur la compréhension de l’ensemble du dossier constitué par les documents supports de l’évaluation de la compréhension de l’oral et de l’écrit. La longueur cumulée des textes est comprise entre 2 500 et 4 500 signes, blancs et espaces compris (entre 800 et 1 000 pour le chinois et le japonais).
Le sujet d’expression écrite, à traiter en langue cible, se fonde sur une ou deux questions, en lien avec la thématique générale du dossier constitué par les documents supports de l’évaluation de la compréhension de l’oral et de l’écrit.
Le sujet peut prendre appui sur un document iconographique.
– Le second temps consiste en une épreuve orale individuelle d’une durée de 10 minutes, sans temps de préparation.
Le candidat a le choix entre trois axes culturels du programme proposés par l’examinateur.
En tenant compte du choix du candidat, l’examinateur propose des pistes de discussion : deux documents iconographiques, ou deux citations, ou un document iconographique et une citation. Le candidat explique en langue cible pendant cinq minutes maximum quel document ou quelle citation illustre à son sens le mieux l’axe qu’il a choisi et pourquoi.
L’entretien est élargi à des questions plus générales, portant par exemple sur le travail réalisé par le candidat sur l’axe choisi.
Notation : La note globale est sur 20. La compréhension (de l’oral et de l’écrit) et l’expression (écrite et orale) comptent à parts égales et sont évaluées à partir des fiches d’évaluation et notation.
2. L’enseignement de spécialité Langues, littératures et cultures étrangères
Les élèves pourront choisir un enseignement de spécialité complémentaire à l’apprentissage d’une langue vivante : Langues, littératures, et cultures étrangères. Si cet enseignement n’est pas poursuivi en Terminale, il sera évalué lors des épreuves communes de contrôle continu qui aura lieu en fin de 1re (coeff. 5) Si l’élève choisi de maintenir l’enseignement en Terminale, l’épreuve aura lieu durant le 2ᵉ trimestre de Terminale, par exemple en décembre et comptera (coeff. 16) dans la note finale.
The Brexit is a perfect topic for illustrating the notion of Spaces and Exchanges. What will be the implications for the movement of people and of goods across the new borders? How will industries and businesses be affected by the new taxes placed on cross-border trade? How will the fishing industry be organised? How will people be able to travel out of and to the UK? How will student exchanges be affected? There are so many questions and the answers are not always clear.
For a simple explanation about the Brexit take a look at the BBC’s « Newsround » website.
The Northern Irish Border is also very important in the Brexit negotiations. Watch this video to understand just why the problem of the Backstop is holding things up. It also explains the history of the troubles in Northern Ireland and why the border is so important.
You can also read this article on the Speakeasy website which explains what is the difference between a « hard Brexit » and a « soft Brexit » and what is « no deal ».
Finally with such a complex subject it helps to have some humour. Here is funny video about the « Brexit divorce »!
A myth is a well-known story which was made up in the past to explain natural events or to justify religious beliefs or social customs. There may not be records or other proof that they happened, but at least some parts of myths may be true. All cultures have myths.
What is a hero?
A hero is someone who is admired for either for their courage, qualities or particular achievements. They can be regarded as an ideal or role model. A hero can also be someone that you know personally and that you look up to, usually because of a particular quality or skill that they have.
What can we talk about to illustrate this notion?
a patriotic or national hero (sportsman, politician, human rights defender)
a fictitious hero (superhero or film star)
an icon or role model (fashion, tv, music)
a historical personality
mythical places in the world
Ideas for topics:
Historical heroes : how did they pave the way for others?
Rags to riches stories : Richard Branson, Steve Jobs, JK Rowling…
Disgraced heroes in sport :Oscar Pistorius, Lance Armstrong…
Founding myths of the United States (Pilgrim Fathers, the Constitution, Thanksgiving)
The American Dream – stories about those how have succeeded but also reasons to believe that it is simply a myth : the American Dream is dead
Heroes or fallen heroes of the Vietnam War that are portrayed in American films (Platoon, Born on the 4th July, Apocalypse Now, Full Metal Jacket)
National leaders or political figures who can be considered as heroes: Queen Elizabeth II, Obama, Mandela, Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, Malala Yousafzi …..
American movies : superheroes such as Superman or Captain America and their role in society: why do Americans love superheroes?
Reality TV stars – are they the new heroes?
Famous British film characters: Sherlock Holmes, James Bond
British heroes or heroines: Churchill, Florence Nightingale, Stephen Hawking
The heroes of Irish independance
British myths and legends: Robin Hood, King Arthur, the Loch Ness Monster
2. Spaces and Exchanges
Our modern world is built on the exploration and the conquest of new spaces. Nations are becoming more and more dependant on each other and our world seems geographically smaller then ever before thanks to improved transportation and communication systems. Throughout history trade, emigration, communication and conquest have brought about numerous cultural, political and economical exchanges across the world
What can we talk about to illustrate this notion?
Trade exchanges across borders
Globalisation
Immigration
Language and educational exchanges
Cultural exchanges (arts, media, fashion, music)
International communication
Internet and social networks
Ideas for topics:
The Brexit – how will it affect Europe and trade across borders?
New technologies and internet and their influence on world trade
Globalisation – McDonalds/Starbucks/Amazon/Apple (to name but a few!)
The US-Mexican border issue
The Cold War
Space exploration (Satellites/ Life on Mars/ Missions to the Moon
The brain drain: the emigration of talented/highly educated individuals from developing countries to seek a higher standard of living elsewhere (doctors and scientists leaving India for example)
Northern Ireland (history of the country and it’s relationship with Ireland, and more recently the « backstop » in the Brexit deal)
Immigration to the USA (Ellis Island, colonial period, Trump’s policies…)
Culture shock
South Africa (immigration history)
Canada (labour shortage and need for immigrants)
The Commonwealth (the role of the Queen and the link between the different Commonwealth countries)
3. The Idea of Progress
This notion can be defined as an improvement, a development or a change in technology, science and social organisation which bring about a positive change to our society. These advances help improve our daily lives and give us a better quality of life. Social progress, scientific progress and economic development are usually considered as having a positive effect on our society however there are some cases where this change can have a negative effect too. Very often progress is also accompanied by opposition because society isn’t comfortable with the changes being made (same sex marriage, women’s rights, minority rights for example).
What can we talk about to illustrate this notion?
Scientific Progress such as medical advances, cures for illnesses, cloning, performance-enhancing drugs, genetically modified organisms.
Technological Progress such as technologies to slow down climate change: hybrid cars, wind turbines, solar panels, biofuel
New forms of communication: the internet, social media, satellite
Social Progress: changes that affect the social and environmental needs of a society. This can include wellness (health, shelter and sanitation), equality, inclusion, sustainability and personal freedom and safety.
Ideas for topics:
Designer babies – the ethical considerations
Internet and social networks – improvement to international communications
Cyberbullying and cyber criminality
Suffragettes – the right for women to vote
The civil rights movement in the USA
Same-sex marriage and the redefinition of family values
Equal access to education for girls and women
The end to apartheid in South Africa
New techologies to produce energy and protect the environment
The effects of industrial progress on the environment (greenhouse effect, melting ice caps, rising of ocean levels, ocean temperature increase
New methods for predicting severe weather (tsunami, tornado, storm warnings) that save thousands of lives
Journalism and internet and the problem of fake news
Progress in India: is it a modern country?
Online shopping: the pros and cons (increase in the offer of goods but decrease in the number of shops in towns and cities)
Equality: the same rights for women and men (salaries, number of women in influential positions)
4. Places and forms of power (or seats and forms of power)
In politics and social science, power is the ability to influence people’s behaviour. In order to be able to live together, members of a community draw up rules, regulations and law and try to respect them. This helps to create social cohesion but can also lead to conflicts and tensions when certain members of the community disagree with these rules. This notion deals with the different forms of power in the world and the places where it is exerted. It also includes the counter powers and the struggles when people try to resist.
What can we talk about to illustrate this notion?
Civil rights movements across the world
Financial power
The power of the press
The different places where power is exerted (parliaments, palaces, White House, Downing Street…)
Resistance to power (uprisings, riots, demonstrations)
The struggle for equality
The power of language
The power of the arts/cinema
Ideas for topics:
The Gun control debate in the USA – the US Constitution
Social media and the internet – the influence on our lives
Ellis Island – how immigration was controlled in the USA
The Brexit – how the media were able to influence the voting process
The superpowers: how can these countries influence events across the world
President Trump and his environmental policies
Wall Street and the 2008 financial crisis
Love of power – people who have made a name for themselves in history: Obama, Churchill, Kennedy, Mandela
The influence of Queen Elizabeth II and the role of the Monarchy
Violence in cinema/ video games: can it encourage people to be violent?
The different scandals in the media: how it can affect people’s lives
The power of art: Banksy – how his works bring our attention to a different side of the truth
Here are a few links to help you prepare the oral comprehension part of the BAC
The first one is a general explanation of the exam and some tips to help you earn points!
The second link is a channel on YouTube with different videos to help you prepare the exam. You can watch with or without subtitles and the 1 minute breaks are included in the video to put you in the real situation of the exam:
Here is just one example. You can subscribe to the channel for more videos: