Sunday, December 11, 2011

M1 Students: next exams / program of revisions

The second main exam  ("examen final" for students in this case) will take place next week (Dec 16) and will cover:
1/ Audio reports (listening comprehension + vocabulary) 
  • Blood Diamonds
  • Press Freedom
  • WikiLeaks (2 reports)
2/ Grammar in translation
  • units 132, 133, 134 and 135
  • units 38, 39, 40 and 41
3/ Vocabulary: chapters 34, 35, 38, 39 and 42
4/ There will be no False Friends next week (Dec 16 - second main exam/"contrôle final"), students in "contrôle continu" will have them in January (they will be in 2nd short vocab text)
The second short vocab test will take place on Jan 06:
1/ Audio reports (vocabulary) 
  • Blood Diamonds
  • Press Freedom
  • WikiLeaks (2 reports)
2/ Vocabulary: chapters 34, 35, 38, 39 and 42
3/ False friends: ex: 1, 2, 3 and 4
4/ Students in "contrôle final" can also take this short vocab test, they will get extra points too.
REMINDER:
There will be no catch-up session whatsoever if you are absent for the exam on December 16, even if you have a valid and sincere reason.

M1 students: grammar exercises corrected

Since, some students were not able to stay longer last Friday, as promised, here are the corrections of the exercises from Units 40 and 41.

Ex 40.1

1/ TR: Si j'avais su que tu étais à l'hôpital, je serais allé te voir.

2/ If he had missed the train, he would have missed his flight.

TR: S'il avait manqué son train, il aurait raté son vol.

3/ If you had not reminded me about Amanda's birthday, I would have forgotten it.

TR: Si tu ne m'avais pas rappelé l'anniversaire d'Amanda, je l'aurais oublié.

4/ If I had had your address, I would have sent you a postcard.

TR: Si j'avais eu ton adresse, je t'aurais envoyé une carte postale.

5/ We would have enjoyed it more if the weather had been nicer.

TR: On en aurait profité davantage si le temps avait été meilleur.

6/ It would have been quicker if I had walked.

TR: Cela aurait été plus rapide si j'avais marché.

7/ If I was tired, I would go home now.

TR: Si j'étais fatigué, j'irais à la maison.

8/ If I had been tired, I would have gone home earlier.

TR: Si j'avais été fatigué, je serais rentré à la maison plus tôt.

Ex: 40.3

1/ TR: Je regrette d'avoir mangé autant!

2/ I wish I had applied for the job.

TR: Je regrette de n'avoir pas postulé à ce travail.

3/ I wish I had learnt a musical instrument when I was a child.

TR: Je regrette de n'avoir pas appris à jouer d'un instrument de musique quand j'étais enfant.

4/ I wish I had not painted the gate red. / (other possibility) I wish I had painted the gate in another colour.

TR: Je regrette d'avoir peint le portail en rouge. / Je regrette de n'avoir pas peint le portail dans une autre couleur.

5/ I wish I had brought my camera.

Je regrette de n'avoir pas amené mon appareil photo.

6/ I wish they had phone first.

Je regrette qu'ils n'aient pas appelé d'abord.

Ex: 41.2

1/ TR: Si seulement la pluie pouvait s'arrêter de tomber!

2/ I wish she would arrive!

TR: Si seulement elle venait!

3/ I wish somebody would give me a job!

TR: Si seulement quelqu'un me proposait du travail!

4/ I wish the baby would stop crying!

TR: Si seulement, le bébé pouvait cesser de pleurer.

5/ I wish Brian would not wear the same clothes for years! / I wish Brian would buy some new clothes!

TR: Si seulement Brian ne portait pas les mêmes vêtements pendant des années! / Si seulement il pouvait s'acheter de nouveaux vêtements.

6/ I wish you wouldn't drive so fast!

TR: Si seulement tu ne conduisais pas si vité!

7/ I wish you wouldn't leave the door open all the time!

TR: Si seulement tu ne laissais pas la porte ouverte tout le temps!

8/ I wish people wouldn't drop litter in the street.

TR: Si seulement les gens ne jetaient pas les détritus dans la rue.


41.4

1/ TR: Je regrette de l'avoir dit.

2/ TR: Si seulement la pluie pouvait s'arrêter de tomber!

3/ I wish I knew the answer.

TR: Je regrette de ne pas connaître la réponse.

4/ I whish I had taken your advice.

TR: Je regrette de ne pas avoir suivi tes conseils.
 REMINDERS:
  • un conseil: a piece of advice / des conseils: advice, advice is always singular: your advice is relevant/useful etc.: tes conseils sont pertinents/useful, etc.
  • other uncountables: furniture, luggage, information, evidence, news
5/ I wish I could come with you.

TR: Je regrette de ne pas pouvoir venir avec toi.

6/ I wish I wan't so tired.

TR: Je regrette d'être si fatigué.

7/ I wish they hurried up / (other possibility if irritation, frustration, exasperation) I wish they would hurry up!

TR: Je regrette qu'ils ne se dépêchent pas. / Si seulement ils se dépêchaient!

8/ I wish we didn't have to leave now.

TR: Je regrette que nous devions partir maintenant.

9/ I wish we could have stayed longer.

TR: Je regrette que nous n'ayons pas pu rester plus longtemps.

10/ I wish it wasn't so cold. / (other possibility) I wish it was warmer.

TR Je regrette qu'il fasse si froid. / Je regrette qu'il ne fasse pas plus chaud.

11/ I wish he decided. / (other possibility if irriation, frustration, exasperation) I wish he would decide!

TR Je regrette qu'il ne se décide pas./ (other possibility) Si seulement il se décidait!

12/ I wish we had not gone there.

TR Je regrette que nous y soyons allés.

Friday, December 9, 2011

M2 students - next exams

The second main exam  ("examen final" for students in this case) will take place next week (Dec 13) and will cover:
1/ Audio reports (listening comprehension + vocabulary) 
  • Blood Diamonds
  • The Cost of Coffee
  • Dot Com Camps
  • Bunker Roy
2/ Grammar in translation
  • units 132, 133, 134, 135 and 136
  • units 38, 39, 40 and 41
3/ Vocabulary: chapters 34, 35, 38, 39 and 42
The second short vocab test will take place on Jan 03:
1/ Audio reports (vocabulary) 
  • Blood Diamonds
  • The Cost of Coffee
  • Dot Com Camps
  • Bunker Roy
2/ Vocabulary: chapters 34, 35, 38, 39 and 42
+ for bonus points: chapters 50, 51 and 52
3/ Students in "contrôle final" can also take this short vocab test, they will get extra points too.
REMINDER:
There will be no catch-up session whatsoever if you are absent for the exam on December 13, even if you have a valid and sincere reason.

Thursday, December 1, 2011

MESSAGE FOR M1 STUDENTS ONLY: NO CLASS ON DEC 02

12/01/11

Dear M1 students,

I sincerely apologise but I won't be able to have class tomorrow (Dec 02) as I was asked to attend a meeting for a disciplinary hearing ("conseil de discipline") at Villejuif at 2:30 pm and, most probably, I will not be able to make it at Immeuble France at 4 pm. Some students at my engineering school in Villejuif had misbehaved and an emergency meeting for a disciplinary hearing has been called for tomorrow afternoon by the head of the school.

As a result, I will catch up next Friday (Dec 09) and we will have class from 4 pm to 7pm.

The short vocab test next week (Dec 09) is maintained and will cover the following:
  • vocab chapters: 34/35/38/39/42
  • vocabulary from "Blood Diamonds" / "Press Freedom" / "WikiLeaks" (both audio reports)
  • False Friends (exercises 1/2/3/4)
 
The homework for tomorrow is postponed for next week too: 
  • Grammar unit 40 ex 1/3
  • Grammar unit 41 ex: 2/4
OPTIONAL WORK: in the meantime and if you can, do check and watch the following documentaries online:
  • "Wikisecrets" (PBS), click on "CC" so as to have the subtitles in English:

  • Read the interviews by Jullian Assange, Daniel Domscheit-Berg and Adrian Lamo:
  • Arte:
"WikiLeaks: la guerre contre le secret:":

Could you also inform your classmates whom you may be in touch with? Thanks in advance! 

I apologise again for the inconvenience and for this very short notice.

Best regards,

M
ounir Nassor

email: mounirnassor@yahoo.co.in