Annales gratuites Bac L : Compréhension écrite

"Let me get this straight again," Nan said, "her eyes wide with disbelief." He asked you out. I mean he said the words "I would like you to come out with me one night, and you said no ?"
"No, I didn't say no, and he didn't ask me out like that."
Nan looked to Eve for guidance. They were all three together waiting for the lecturer to arrive. They sat away from the main body of the students in order to gets this matter sorted.
"Well, did he or didn't he ?" Eve asked.
"It was like you'd ask a friend. Casual. It wasn't like a date." (1)
"It certainly wasn't if you said no." Eve said dryly.
"Don't go on like that." Benny looked from one to the other. "I swear, if he does ask me out I'll go. Now are you satisfied ?"
"And where will you stay the night in Dublin ?" Eve asked.
"I could stay with you, couldn't I, Nan ?"
"Oh yes, sure." The reply was half a second late.
Benny looked to Eve. "Or if there was any problem with that I could stay with you, Eve, out in Dunlaoghaire."
"Easily." That was said quickly, but of course Mother and Father would never let her stay in a guest-house full of boys with a woman they didn't know, even if Eve did live there in a semi-work capacity. Benny was philosophical. It wouldn't happen anyway. What were all the plans for ?
In the Ladies' Reading Room stuck on the notice board was a folded piece of paper. "Benny Hogan, First Arts." She opened it casually. (2) It must be from that pale-faced clerical student who had missed the history lecture and she had promised to give him the notes. Benny had remembered to take carbon paper with her. He could keep the copy for himself. She didn't know his name. He was a worried young man, definitely not strong, his white face made even whiter by the black clothes.
She got an odd feeling when she saw that the letter was from Jack Foley. It was like the sudden jolt (3) you get if you touch something too hot or too cold.

Dear Benny,
I remember you said evenings were difficult at the moment, so what do you say to lunch in the Dolphin ?
I've never been there but I'm always hearing about it. Would a Thursday be good ? I remember you saying you didn't have a tutorial (4) or anything on Thursdays. I'll probably see you before then, but if you can't make it or don't want to, can you leave a note in the porter's office ? I hope I won't hear from you because that means I'll see you in the Dolphin at one fifteen on Thursday week.
And thank you for the lovely afternoon in Knockglen. Love, Jack.
Love, Jack. Love, Jack. She said it to herself over and over. She closed her eyes and said it again. It was possible, wasn't it ? Just possible that he did like her. He didn't need to ask her out, or to remember that she had a free afternoon on Thursdays, or be so kind as to think of lunch. He could have sent a postcard if he wanted to be mannerly, as her father would call it. Jack Foley didn't need to ask her to lunch in a big posh hotel where the high of the land went. He must have done it because he liked being with her, and that he liked her.
She didn't dare to believe it.

Maeve BINCHY, Circle of friends.

(1) A date : a rendez-vous
(2) Casually : without paying much attention
(3) Jolt : "tressaillement"
(4) a tutorial : an individual teaching period

1 - Complete with the appropriate question-tag :

a. The three of them were eager to know about Jack, …….?

b. You will accept to eat out, …….. ?

c. You had not promised to lend him your notes, ………. ?

d. Sending a postcard would have been tactful, ………… ?


2 - Ask the questions corresponding to the underlined words or expressions (one for each) :

a. He was a pale-faced clerical student.

b. He had always heard about the Dolphin.

c. It was a letter from an old friend of hers.

d. She had brought carbon paper so as to have two copies of notes.

e. She would spend the night at Nan's.


3 - Transform into :

a. Direct speech :

- He asked her out.
He asked :

- She thought it wouldn't happen anyhow
She thought :


b. Reported speech :

- "I would like you to come out with me one night," he said.
He said

- "Where will you stay the night in Dublin ?" Eve asked.
Eve asked

- "What were all the plans for ?" she wondered.
She wondered


4 - Match A and B, linking the two with the appropriate link-word taken from the list :

PROVIDED - UNLESS - SO THAT - IN ORDER TO - ALTHOUGH - WHETHER - WHEREAS

A
1. Benny hoped for a letter
2. He wrote a little note
3. Her parents would let her stay
4. Benny was a full-time student
5. Girls were not allowed in the guest-house.

B
a. their parents agreed
b. they knew the people there
c. she didn't imagine it possible
d. invite the girl for a meal out
e. Eve had a part-time job.

Rewrite the complete sentences below :

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

1. Complete with the appropriate question-tag :

a. The three of them were eager to know about Jack, weren't they ?

b. You will accept to eat out, won't you ?

c. You had not promised to lend him your notes, had you ?

d. Sending a postcard would have been tactful, wouldn't it ?


2. Ask the questions corresponding to the underlined words or expressions (one for each) :

a. He was a pale-faced clerical student.
- What did he look like ?

b. He had always heard about the Dolphin.
- How long had he heard about the Dolphin ?

c. It was a letter from an old friend of hers.
- Who was the letter from ?

d. She had brought carbon paper so as to have two copies of notes.
- What had she brought carbon paper for ?


3. Transform into :

a. Direct speech :

- He asked her out.
He asked : "Shall we go out ?"

- She thought it wouldn't happen anyhow
She thought : "It won't happen anyhow !"


b. Reported speech :

- "I would like you to come out with me one night," he said.
He said that he wanted her to go out with him one night.

- "Where will you stay the night in Dublin ?" Eve asked.
Eve asked where she would stay the night in Dublin.

- "What were all the plans for ?" she wondered.
She wondered what all the plans were for.


4. Match A and B, linking the two with the appropriate link-word taken from the list :

PROVIDED - UNLESS - SO THAT - IN ORDER TO - ALTHOUGH - WHETHER - WHEREAS

1. Benny hoped for a letter
2. He wrote a little note
3. Her parents would let her stay
4. Benny was a full-time student
5. Girls were not allowed in the guest-house.

a. Their parents agreed
b. They knew the people there
c. She didn't imagine it possible
d. Invite the girl for a meal out
e. Eve had a part-time job.

Rewrite the complete sentences below :

1. Benny hoped for a letter although she didn't imagine it possible.

2. He wrote a little note in order to invite the girl for a meal out.

3. Her parents would let her stay provided they knew the people there.

4. Benny was a full-time student whereas Eve had a part-time job.

5. Girls were not allowed in the guest-house unless their parents agreed.

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