bac blanc LV2 Bill Bryson text

6 mars 2006

bac blanc LV2 Bill Bryson text

CORRECTION OF THE EXAM PAPER LV2

« NOTES FROM A BIG COUNTRY » Bill Bryson

Comprehension questions

1 “The bird has flown” and “on losing a son” are the two most appropriate titles.

2.a) OUR refers to the author and his wife

b) THEY refers to children

c) HE refers to the author’s son

d) IT refers to the fact that the author’s son is gone

e) YOU refers to the reader

3. According to Bill Bryson children should “hang up their clothes” and “admire you for your intelligence and wit”.

4. Bill Bryson means that when his son lived with them, he was often out and even when he was in the house, he didn’t really spend much time with his parents.

5.TRANSLATION

Occasionally I would see the top of his head in an easy chair in front of a television on which Oriental people were kicking each other in the heads, but mostly he resided in a place called “Out”.

De temps en temps j’apercevais le sommet de son crâne dans un fauteuil devant un écran de télé sur lequel des Orientaux se donnaient mutuellement des coups de pieds dans la tête, mais la plupart du temps il demeurait dans un endroit qu’on appelle « dehors ».

6.a) False « there are fees for college entrance examinations » L.27-28 FEES = frais de scolarité (ici)

b) False “then there is a fee of……for insurance” L.31-33

c) True “don’t ask me what that is” L.33-34

d) False “still to come……...from

Ohio

” L.35

e) False “airfares are at their most stupefyingly extreme” L 37-38

7.a)I suddenly became fully aware of the situation =” it really hit home” L.48-49

b) a stupid man = “a doofus” L.53

c) I was completely mistaken = “I had it exactly wrong” L. 54

8. “the emotional side of the event was rather overshadowed by the ongoing financial shock” means (c) writing cheques stopped him from realizing his son was leaving.

9.Bill Bryson means that as his son was leaving their house to go to college, he was also going to be independent and autonomous.

10. When he came across his son’s basketball or trophies, Bill Bryson felt a surge of nostalgia, and he realized that he missed his son.

11. a

) At the end of the text Bill Bryson is resigned.

b). “Life moves on; Kids grow up and move away.”