Annales Bac ES : A teacher's job interview

    "I am a teacher and I understand this is the place at which I should present myself for a position in
    that particular profession." Through the woman's warm smile I detected a little confusion. Too well
    bred to say "What?" she looked a quizzical eye on me, which shouted the word just as audibly. I
    repeated myself clearly but before I had completed the statement the woman asked of me sweetly,
 5  "Did you say you are a teacher?"
    "I am," I said. My own smile was causing me some pain behind my ears but still I endeavoured to
    respond correctly. I handed her the two letters of recommendation which I had taken from my bag in
    anticipation of their requirement. She politely held out her slim hand, took them, then indicated for me
    to sit. However, instead of studying the letters she merely held them in her hand without even
10  glancing at their contents.
    "What are these?" she asked with a little laugh ruffling up the words.
    "These are my letters of recommendation. One you will see is from the headmaster at—"
    Interrupting me, her lips relaxed for just a moment before taking up a smile once more. "Where
    are you from?" she asked. The letters were still held in mid-air where I had placed them. "I
15  am from Jamaica," I told her.
    She was silent, we both grinning on each other in a genteel way. I thought to bring her
    attention back to the letters. "One of the letters I have given you is from my last post.
    Written by the headmaster himself. You will see that—"
    But once more she interrupted me: "Where?"
20  I wondered if it would be impolite to tell this beguiling woman to read the letter in her hand
    so all her questions might be answered. I concluded it would. "At Half Way Tree Parish
    School," I told her.
    "Where's that?"
    "In Kingston, Jamaica."
25  "Well, I'm afraid you can't teach here," and passed the unopened letters back to me.
    I was sure there had been some misunderstanding, although I was not clear as to where
    it had occurred. Perhaps I had not made myself as understood as I could. "If you would read
    the letters," I said, "one will tell you about the three years of training as a teacher I received
    in Jamaica while the other letter is concerned with the position I held as a teacher at—"
30  She did not let me finish. "The letters don't matter," she told me. "You can't teach in this
    country. You're not qualified to teach here in England."
    "But..." was the only sound that came from me.
    "It doesn't matter that you were a teacher in Jamaica," she went on, "you will not be
    allowed to teach here." She shook the letters at me. "Take these back. They're of no use."
35  When I did not take them from her hand she rattled them harder at me. "Take them," she
    said, so loud she almost shouted. Her smile was stale as a gargoyle. My hand shook as it
    reached out for the letters.
    And all I could utter was "But—"
    "Miss, I'm afraid there really is no point your sitting there arguing with me." And she
40  giggled. The untimely chortle made my mouth gape. "It's not up to me. It's the decision of
    the education authority. I can do nothing to change that. And, I'm afraid, neither can you.
    Now, I don't mean to hurry you but I have an awful lot to do. So thank you for coming."
    Every organ I possessed was screaming on this woman, "What are you saying to me?"
    She went back about her business. Her face now in its normal repose looked as severe
45  as that of the principal at my college. She picked up a piece of paper, wrote something at
    the top. She looked to another piece of paper then stopped, aware that I was still there.
    "How long is the training in England?" I asked her.
    "Goodbye," she said, pointing a finger at the door.
    "Must I go back to a college?"
50  "Really, miss, I have just explained everything to you. You do speak English? Have you
    not understood me? It's quite simple. There is no point you asking me anything else. Now,
    please, I have a lot to do. Thank you."
    And she smiled on me — again! What fancy feigning. I could not stand up. My legs were
    too weak under me. I sat for a little to redeem my composure. At last finding strength to pull
55  myself up, I told this woman, "I will come back again when I am qualified to teach in this
    country."
    "Yes," she said, "you do that. Goodbye."

Small Island, Andrea Levy, 2004
(abridged and adapted)

Choose subject 1 (a+b) or subject 2.

1.
a. Some time later the two characters in the text meet again. The narrator has become "qualified to teach in this country" and decides to go and see the same person again. Write their conversation. (150 words)
b. Should French diplomas be valid everywhere in Europe? (150 words)

2. How can overcoming obstacles at school or at work make someone stronger? Illustrate your point with one or two examples. (300 words)