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Annales gratuites Bac ES : Books bartering

Le sujet  2007 - Bac ES - Anglais LV1 - Compréhension écrite Imprimer le sujet
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Les questions de compréhension ne devraient pas vous poser de problème ; elles sont principalement axées sur des faits explicites.
Attention toutefois à ne pas négliger les cinq questions qui exigent de la rédaction. Celles-ci nécessitent une bonne maîtrise du texte et vous donnent l'occasion d'exploiter vos connaissances.

LE SUJET


The story is set in the nineteenth century, before the American Civil War.

           When she saw the books the tall slave named Grace straightened and asked if I would like a
     ewer1 of warm water for my toilet before she showed me to the master's room. I had shaved by
     the river that morning before I'd made my crossing, but I was pleased at the chance for a hot
     wash. When Grace returned, she said the master bade me to bring the books and leave the
  5  rest. She led the way through the narrow hail that joined the kitchen, warming room, and
     buttery to the cool expanse of the main house. The house was not especially large, nor by any
     means the grandest I had been in-some of the plantation homes along the James2 were more
     like palaces-but it was perfect in proportion and exquisite in appointments.
          Grace gestured with her long-fingered hand - not hands that appeared much accustomed to
 10  heavy chores, I noted-indicating I should sit upon a marble bench. "That is the master's library.
     He will be with you presently," Grace said, and swept away to her duties.
          The home's, massive entrance was to my right, the wide door surrounded by lights of
     beveled glass, and I sat there, watching the golden morning sunshine fracture into tiny
     rainbows. Because I had been staring into the bright light, I could not see him well when he at
 15  last opened the library door, for he stood in its shadow. There was an impression only; of great
     height, very erect bearing, and a mellow voice.
         "Good day to you, sir. Would you kindly come in?"
          I entered and I stopped and twirled as if I were on a pivot. It was a double-height room, with
     a narrow gallery at the midpoint. Books lined every inch of it. A very large, plain, and beautiful
 20  rosewood desk stood in the center.
          "Augustus Clement", he said, holding out his hand. I shifted the weight of the books into the
     crook of my left arm and shook his hand absently, for I was transfixed by the magnitude of his
     collection. "I've always imagined paradise as something like a library. Now I know what it looks
     like." I barely realized I had spoken aloud, but Mr. Clement laughed, and clapped me on the
 25  shoulder.
          "We get a few of you men through here, or we used to, before my daughter married. I think
     she just liked to talk to young men, actually. But I've never come across one of you with an
     interest in books: Set them down there, would you?"
          I placed them on the rosewood desk, and he worked briskly through the pile. Now that I had
 30  seen the magnitude of his library, I doubted he would find anything of interest to him. But the
     Lavater Physiognomy caught his eye. "This is a later edition than the one I have; I am curious
     to see his revisions. Tell Grace what you require for it and she will see to your payment,"
          "Sir, I don't sell the books for cash."
          "Oh?"
 35       "I trade for them-barter3-a book for a book, you know. That way I keep myself in something
          fresh to read along the journey."
          "Do you so! Capital idea!" he said, "Though no way to make a profit."
          "I am interested in money, of course sir; it is necessary for a young man in my circumstances
     to be so. But I trust you will not think me irresponsible if I tell you I am more interested in laying
 40  up the riches of the mind4."
          "Well said, young Mr.—March, was it? Well, as it happens I have business elsewhere this day,
     so why don't you make yourself free of the library. Do us the honor of taking dinner here, and
     you can tell me then what volume you would consider in barter for the Lavater."
          "Sir, I could not impose upon you-"
 45       "Mr. March, you would be doing me a great kindness. My household is reduced, at present.
          My son is away with my manager on business. Solitude is no friend to science. You must know
     that we in the South suffer from a certain malnourishment of the mind: we value the art of
     conversation over literary pursuits, so that when we gather together it is all for gallantries and
     pleasure parties. There is much to be said for our agrarian way of life. But sometimes I envy
 50  your bustling5 Northern cities, where men of genius are thrown together thick as bees, and the
     honey of intellectual accomplishment is produced. I would like to talk about books with you; do
     be kind enough to spare me an evening."
          "Mr. Clement, sir, it would be my very great pleasure."
          "Very good, then. I shall look forward."
 55       By afternoon, I could say I was ready to love Mr. Clement. For to know a man's library is, in
     some measure, to know his mind.

1 ewer : container of liquids
2 the James : river
3 barter : exchange merchandise for merchandise without using money
4 laying up the riches of the mind : accumulating cultural knowledge
5 bustling : noisy and busy

Abridged and adapted from March, Geraldine Brooks, 2005

 

NOTE IMPORTANTE AUX CANDIDATS :

Les candidats traiteront le sujet sur la copie qui leur sera fournie en respectant l'ordre des questions et en faisant apparaître la numérotation (numéro et lettre repère le cas échéant, ex : 15b - voir en particulier les questions 1, 4, 5, 8, 9 et 10). Ils composeront des phrases complètes chaque fois qu'il leur est demandé de rédiger les réponses. Le nombre de mots indiqué constitue une exigence minimale. En l'absence d'indication, les candidats répondront brièvement à la question posée. Les citations seront limitées aux éléments pertinents et précédées de la mention de la ligne.

1. Grace, Mr. March, Augustus Clement are characters in the story.
a) Which one is the narrator?
b) How are the other two related?

2. In whose house does the scene take place?

3. In what part of the US is the scene set?
Quote two elements from the text to justify your answer.

4. True or False? Justify your answer each time with a quotation from the text.
The narrator:
a) is an elderly person.
b) feels welcomed.
c) gets a favourable impression of the house.

Questions 5 and 6. Focus on the passage from line 1 to line 29.

5.
a)
Which room do the two men meet in?
b) What effect does the room have on Mr. March? (20 words) Justify your answer with a quotation.

6. lines 25-26: "Mr. Clement laughed and clapped me on the shoulder."
Among the following adjectives, choose the one that best describes Mr. Clement's feelings at that moment.
aggressive, disappointed, distrustful, enthusiastic, indifferent, puzzled
Explain why the character feels that way and find a quotation to support your view.

Questions 7 and 8. Focus on the passage from line 30 to line 37.

7. What do the underlined pronouns refer to?

line 30: "I placed them on the rosewood desk"
line 33: "Tell Grace what you require for it"
line 36: "I trade for them"

8.
a)
What does Mr. Clement think Mr. March has come for?
b) Is he right in thinking so? (20 words)

Questions 9, 10 and 11. Focus on the passage from line 38 to the end.

9. Find the missing words to complete this summary.

Mr. (1)... is asking Mr. (2)... for dinner. As Mr. (3)... has to go away on business, he suggests Mr. (4)... should wait for him in the (5)... and take his opportunity to select a (6)...
Mr. (7)... hesitates but finally (8)...

10.
a)
What do the two characters have in common?
b) In what way are they different? (20 words)

11. At the end of the passage, one of the characters presents two contrasting visions of the US.
What are they? (30 words) Use elements from the text to justify your answer.

12. Translate into French from line 24: "I've always imagined ..." to line 26: "...shoulder."

LE CORRIGÉ


I - L'ANALYSE ET LES DIFFICULTES DU TEXTE

Pas de problème particulier pour ces questions factuelles et axées sur des faits explicites (who, where, what...). Elles devraient être rapidement résolues par les élèves habitués à ce genre d'exercices. Attention toutefois à ne pas négliger les 5 questions qui vous offrent la possibilité de vous exprimer plus longuement, en variant les structures syntaxiques et lexicales.

II - LES REPONSES ATTENDUES

1. Grace, Mr. March, Augustus Clement are characters in the story.
a) Which one is the narrator?
Mr March is the narrator.

b) How are the other two related?
Grace is Augustus Clement's slave.

2. In whose house does the scene take place?
The scene takes place in Mr. Clement's house.

3. In what part of the US is the scene set?
Quote two elements from the text to justify your answer.
The scene is set in the South. l 8 "some of the plantation homes along the James" & l 48 "we in the South".

4. True or False? Justify your answer each time with a quotation from the text.
The narrator:
a) is an elderly person.
False. l.27-28 "I think she just liked to talk to young men, actually". / l.39 "it is necessary for a young man".

b) feels welcomed.
True l.43 "Do us the honor of taking dinner here". / l.1-2 "Grace straightened and asked if I would like an ewer of warm water".

c) gets a favourable impression of the house.
True l.9 "it was perfect in the proportion and exquisite in appointments.".

Questions 5 and 6. Focus on the passage from line 1 to line 29.

5.
a)
Which room do the two men meet in?
They meet in Mr. Clement's library.

b) What effect does the room have on Mr. March? (20 words) Justify your answer with a quotation.
Mr. March feels ecstatic upon seeing such a beautiful room with luxurious furniture, and containing an impressive book collection. l.24 "I've always imagined paradise as something like a library.".

6. lines 25-26: "Mr. Clement laughed and clapped me on the shoulder."
Among the following adjectives, choose the one that best describes Mr. Clement's feelings at that moment.
aggressive, disappointed, 
distrustful, enthusiastic, indifferent, puzzled
Explain why the character feels that way and find a quotation to support your view.
Mr. Clement is enthusiastic because he didn't expect to meet a young man with the same passion for books. l.28 "But I've never come across one of you with an interest in books.".

Questions 7 and 8. Focus on the passage from line 30 to line 37.

7. What do the underlined pronouns refer to?

line 30: "I placed them on the rosewood desk"
"Them" refers to Mr. March's books.

line 33: "Tell Grace what you require for it"
"it" refers to the book entitled the "Lavater Physiognomy".

line 36: "I trade for them"
"them" refers to Mr. March's books.

8.
a)
What does Mr. Clement think Mr. March has come for?
Mr. Clement thinks that Mr. March is interested in selling his books and thus, money.

b) Is he right in thinking so? (20 words)
Mr. Clement is completely wrong. Indeed, Mr March wants to barter (exchange) his books in order to further his well-rounded education : "intellectual accomplishment" (l.52).

Questions 9, 10 and 11. Focus on the passage from line 38 to the end.

9. Find the missing words to complete this summary.
Mr. Clement is asking Mr. March for dinner. As Mr. Clement has to go away on business, he suggests Mr. March should wait for him in the library and take his opportunity to select a a book volume
.
Mr. March hesitates but finally accepts.

10.
a)
What do the two characters have in common?
The characters share a love for books and science.

b) In what way are they different? (20 words)
Mr. Clement is a wealthy plantation owner in his fifties, and the father of a daughter and a son whereas Mr. March is a young, independent man who doesn't seem to have much money.

11. At the end of the passage, one of the characters presents two contrasting visions of the US.
What are they? (30 words) Use elements from the text to justify your answer.
Mr. Clement opposes an agricultural and party-oriented South to an urban, and "bustling" North. According to him, Southerners prefer pleasant conversations to literary discussions while most Northerners favor intellectual accomplishment.

12. Translate into French from line 24: "I've always imagined ..." to line 26: "...shoulder."
"J'ai toujours imaginé le paradis un peu comme une bibliothèque. Maintenant je sais à quoi ça ressemble. Je me rendis à peine compte que j'avais parlé à haute voix, mais Mr. Clement éclata de rire et me tapota l'épaule."

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