Education Links
Leaving Cert
Maths
French
English
Chemistry
Physics
Biology
Economics
Spanish
Geography
History
Junior Cert
PART I
You will now hear a radio interview with Claude Issora, a paralympic champion. The material will be played three times: first right through, then in three segments with pauses and finally, right through again.1. What is Claude’s handicap?
He is paralysed in both legs as a result of childhood polio.
2. What event spurred Claude to begin training?
He joined a club and won a race against a visiting club.
3. Write down two sources of income that Claude says he has.
[1] Athlete’s fund/grant;
[2] Sponsorship contracts; or,
[3] Numerous marathons.
Relevant Vocabulary
Question 1: ...j’ai attrapé la poliomyélite...Je me suis donc retrouvé paralysé les deux jambes...
Question 2: ...j’ai intégré une association d’handicappés...nous avons fait venir des athlètes d’un club handi-sport de Valdoise...j’ai gagné une course. Cela m’a motivé...
Question 3: ...financèrement les bourses d’athlètes...et des contrats sponsering...faire de nombreux marathons...
PART II
You will now hear an interview with the French actress Isabelle Adjani who will be present at the Cannes Film Festival.The material will be played three times: first right through, then in three segments with pauses and finally, right through again.
1. Write down two points made by Gilles Jacob to persuade Isabelle Adjani to become President of the Festival jury.
[1] She is a French actress with a "happening" career.
[2] He knew that she would do the job very well.
2.(a) What is Isabelle Adjani’s attitude towards rules? (Two points)
[1] She is cool but firm.
[2] She likes when there are rules but thinks that everyone must respect them. They must be agreed upon by all.
(b) Name one official evening function which Isabelle Adjani will attend.
The opening, or the closing, or the evening anniversary celebration.
3 (i) What does Isabelle Adjani say about the extent of her film viewing?
She doesn’t see as many as she’d like to see.
(ii) What type of British film does she admire?
Films about their society.
Relevant Vocabulary
Question 1: ...je veux absoluement une actrice Française - une actrice en mouvement dans sa carrière et je sais que vous ferez ça très bien...
Question 2(a): ...cool mais firm. J’aime bien qu’il y a des règles et que tout le monde les respecte mais ils doivent convenir à tous en parfaite démocratie...
Question 2(b): ...l’ouverture...la soirée d’anniversaire...la clôture...
Question 3(i): ...je ne vois pas autant de films que je voudrais...
Question 3(ii): ...le cinéma social britannique...les films...sur leur société...
PART III
You will now hear an interview with Yvonne Knibiehler who has written a book on motherhood.The material will be played three times: first right through, then in four segments with pauses and finally, right through again.
1 (a) Show in the spaces below how, after the war, young women differed from their mothers in their attitude to motherhood.
(i) mothers’ attitude
[1] Obsessed with keeping the birth rate low.
[2] No baby-minding facilities, no working outside the home.
(ii) young women’s attitude
[1] Optimistic, sense of liberation, baby boom (freely become mothers).
[2] Creche facilities allowed them to work outside the home.
(b) What civil right did French women acquire after the war?
The right to vote.
2. Mention two aspects of their life that caused resentment in women who worked outside the home.
[1] Paid work is structured in such a way as to favour men.
[2] When they reached home, all the housework was waiting for them. They had to do a "double day".
3. Write one point which Yvonne Knibiehler sees as a consequence of women’s greater participation in education.
[1] A gap has developed between mothers and daughters; or,
[2] No time to pass on old domestic skills such as jam-making, knitting and furniture polishing.
4. Write two predictions that the speaker makes about motherhood in the Third Millennium.
[1] Things will continue to improve.
[2] Having a child will still be a woman’s greatest joy; or,
[3] Having a child will no longer be at the centre of a woman’s identity. Women will be able to define themselves in other ways.
Relevant Vocabulary
Questions 1(a) and 1(b): ...la première génération et celle du babyboom...leurs mères qui etaient obsedées par le soucis de limiter les naissances. Dans l’optimisme de la libération, on donne la vie en même temps qu’on reçoit le droit de vote. On devient à la fois maman et citoyenne...et puis des crèches...pour les mères qui travaillent à l’éxterieur...
Question 2: ...l’optimisme cède la place au ressentiment...l’organisation du travail salarié arrange surtout les hommes...les femmes font une double journée, le soir à leur retour au foyer les tâches ménagères les attendent...
Question 3: ...un fossé qui se creuse entre ses femmes et leurs filles...celles-ci s’engagent en masse dans les études...il n’y a plus ni le temps ni l’espace pour la transmission des connaissances domestiques. Alors, adieu tricot, confiture et meubles cirés...
Question 4: ...3ième millénaire...les choses vont continuer de s’améliorer...le grand bonheur...restera toujours d’avoir des enfants...la maternité ne sera plus au centre de l’identité féminine...les femmes pourront se définir autrement que par rapport aux enfants...
PART IV
You will now hear an interview with André Rauch, a specialist on holidays. He speaks about recent opinion polls conducted among foreigners who had holidayed in France.The material will be played three times: first right through, then in four segments with pauses and finally, right through again.
1. Mention one criticism made by foreign visitors.
[1] A lukewarm welcome.
[2] Arrogance of the French.
2. Mention one point André Rauch makes here when asked if tourists’ criticisms are justified.
[1] The customer is always right; or,
[2] If they feel badly treated we must take them at their word (believe them).
3. How does André Rauch explain the present situation? (Two points)
[1] The French have become less open even amongst themselves.
[2] They are more selfish. The old rules of politeness are being lost.
4. Give one example of foreign tourist behaviour patterns which can lead to unsatisfactory relations with the French.
[1] The tourists don’t make the effort to form a contact with the natives; or,
[2] They don’t interact. They bring all their own food and live in a closed manner.
Relevant Vocabulary
Question 1: ...les étrangers...critiquent souvent l’accueil médiocre et une certaine arrogance des habitants...
Question 2: ...dans la vie commerciale, le client est roi. Si les touristes estiment qu’ils sont mal accueillis...nous sommes obligés de les croire...
Question 3: ...même chez eux, les Français sont devenus...moins ouverts...plus égoiste. Les règles de base de la politesse se perdent...
Question 4: ...certains étrangers ne font guère d’effort pour avoir de bon contacte avec leurs hôtes...ils vivent dans un circuit totalement fermé...ils apportent même leur nourriture pour la durée de leurs vacances. Cela ne facilite pas les relations avec la population...
PART V
You will now hear three news items from radio. Each item will be played twice.1 (i) Why are farmers said to be relieved?
It has finally rained. In 48 hours they had half as much rain as usually falls in the month of May.
(ii) What do farmers predict about this year’s wheat crop?
(a) Yields will be greatly increased.
(b) Yields will be slightly increased.
(c) Yields will be average.
(d) Yields will be reduced.
2. What price range is given for these types of fruit?
Twenty to twenty-five francs per kilo.
3. What is unique about Christine Janin’s trip to the North Pole?
She was the first woman to reach the North Pole without the help of dogs.
Relevant Vocabulary
Question 1(i): ...les agriculteurs sont soulagés en raison des chutes de pluie. Tout l’hexagone a été arrosé. En 48 heures, il est tombé...la moitié de précipitation du mois du mai...
Question 1(ii): ...les agriculteurs pensent qu’ils n’éviteront pas une baisse de rendements...
Question 2: ...entre 20 et 25 francs le kilo...
Question 3: ...la première femme à atteindre le Pôle Nord à skis sans l’aide des chiens de traineaux...
FINAL NOTE
In spite of lots of irrelevant, sophisticated language on the 1998 tape, you will surely agree that those who were not scared easily would have recognised virtually all of the relevant vocab needed to answer the questions. An honours candidate who followed this technique and stayed calm would have had no problem. The tape is designed in such a way. Remember that the Ordinary Level candidate listens to the same tape, so there must be lots of basic vocab in there if you calm down and listen!
Practice makes perfect! Use this technique from now until June. Always use your dictionary. Don’t guess when you can be certain. In the exam, you may be depending on some of the vocabulary you have looked up! And do remember that many words recur from year to year.
Finally, "bon courage, mes élèves"!
