Annales gratuites Bac L : Compréhension écrite

"You get up to your room and when you are ready to apologize to your mother and act like a decent human being you can come down".
Muttering under the breath, Jenny stamped out of the room and started up the stairs, her feet banging on each step.
Suddenly the doorbell rang."Who's that now ?" Greg said with a scowl. "What timing".
"I'll get it", said Karen. She walked out into the center hallway and opened the door. A stranger stood on the doorstep. She was around thirty, slim and nicely dressed, with dark, shoulder-length hair. She was holding a bouquet of flowers and a shining, ornate wooden box. Her face was pale and heart-shaped, with a dusting of freckles across her nose. She looked at Karen with anxious blue eyes and swept her bangs(1) off to the side with a nervous gesture that gave Karen's heart a queer little twist.
"Mrs Newhall ? she asked ?".
Karen nodded.
"I know I should have called first, but I was afraid I'd lose my courage".
Karen's heart thudded(2) in her chest. "That's all right", she said automatically, but a voice in her head was clamoring. "No, it's not". This was a face she had never seen, a voice she had never heard, a name unknown to her. But, instantly, instictively, Karen knew her.
"May I come in ?".
Karen stood back, and the woman stepped into the hallway. Jenny, who had halted at the step when the dorbell rang, came halfway down and hung curiously over the bannister.
The woman looked up and saw Jenny there. Her eyes widened. "Are you Jenny ?" she asked.
Jenny nodded and came down the steps.
The woman looked apologetically at Karen. "I hope you don't think this is too terribly rude or strange, but I had to come".
"Who is it ?" asked Greg, coming into the foyer.
Karen felt as if she were frozen where she stood, her gaze riveted to the woman's face, unable to reply.
The woman was staring at Jenny. "I've tried to picture you a million times", she said almost to herself.
Jenny looked questioningly from the stranger to Karen and then back. "Am I supposed to know you ?" What do you want ?".
It was obvious to Karen that Jenny did not see it. To a thirteen-year-old girl, her own appearance was nothing more than a collection of insoluble problems, a source of constant anxiety. A mouth too wide, hair too greasy, a pimple no make-up could disguise. A thirteen-year-old girl could not be expected to see her reflection in a middle-aged face. But Karen could see it. And more than that, she could feel it, like a threat in the air. "Wait a minute", Karen blurted out.
But it was too late to stop her. The woman smiled tremulously(3).
"My name is Linda Emery", the woman said to the bewildered girl.
"I'm your mother, Jenny. Your real mother."

Mother's day, Patricia MACDONALD (Headline Book Publishing, 1994)


1. Rephrase the following sentences using a compound adjective, as in the example.

Ex : Her face had the shape of a heart = Her face was a heart-shaped (line 9)

a. Her hair was greasy = She was .....

b. This situation breaks the mother's heart = It is a ..... for the mother.

c. She was around thirty = She was a .....

d. The box contained cakes that she had bought = Those cakes were not .....


2. Give the corresponding verb or noun for each of these words.

VERB	NOUN
To apologize	.....
To .....	(her) breath
To .....	A threat
To .....	collection

3. In the following rephrasing of the text, put the verbs in the appropriate forms :

a. The woman (never/worry) ..... about her daughter before.

b. One day she (come) ..... to see her daughter, whom she (not/see) ..... for years.

c. If she had phoned, they (speak) ..... to Jenny.

d. Karen (always/cry) ..... these days, which gets on Greg's nerves.

e. Next time Linda (come) ..... to see Jenny, she (talk) ..... to her.


4. Find the questions corresponding to the underlined phrases.

a. The woman looked apologetically at Karen.

b. I've tried to picture you a million times.

c. They will meet again next week.

d. Look at these beautiful flowers. I like the red ones best.

e. Jenny's mother opened the door.


5. Turn the following sentences into the passive voice :

a. The woman offered Jenny a nice box = .....

b. Her father had told Jenny off = .....

c. They made her go upstairs = .....


6. Finish the following sentences, using the elements in sentences a, b and c :

a. Perhaps she has not wanted to abandon her baby.

She wishes she .....
She regrets .....
She may .....


b. They forbid her to leave her room
She is not .....

c. She was obliged to obey them.
She .....

COMPETENCE LINGUISTIQUE

1. Rephrase the following sentences using a compound adjective, as in the example.

Ex : Her face had the shape of a heart = Her face was a heart-shaped.

a. Her hair was greasy = she was greasy-haired.

b. This situation breaks the mother's heart = It is a heart-breaking situation for the mother.

c. She was around thirty = She was a thirty-year-old woman.

d. The box contained cakes that she had bought = Those cakes were not home-made.


2. Give the corresponding verb or noun for each of these words.

VERB	NOUN
To apologize	an apology
To breathe	(her) breath
To threaten	a threat
To collect	collection

3. In the following rephrasing of the text, put the verbs in the appropriate forms :

a. The woman (never/worry) had never worried about her daughter before.

b. One day she (come) came to see her daughter, whom she (not/see) had not seen for years.

c. If she had phoned, they (speak) would have spoken to Jenny.

d. Karen (always/cry) is always crying these days, which gets on Greg's nerves.

e. Next time Linda (come) comes to see Jenny, she (talk) will talk to her.


4. Find the questions corresponding to the underlined phrases.

a. The woman looked apologetically at Karen.
Who(m) did the woman look at ?

b. I've tried to picture you a million times.
How many times have you tried to picture me ?

c. They will meet again next week.
When will they meet again ?

d. Look at these beautiful flowers. I like the red ones best.
Which ones do you like best ?

e. Jenny's mother opened the door.
Whose mother opened the door ?


5. Turn the following sentences into the passive voice :

a. The woman offered Jenny a nice box = Jenny was offered a nice box by the woman.

b. Her father had told Jenny off = Jenny had been told off by her father.

c. They made her go upstairs = She was made to go upstairs.


6. Finish the following sentences, using the elements in sentences a, b and c :

a. Perhaps she has not wanted to abandon her baby.

She wishes she had not abandoned her baby.
She regrets she abandoned her baby.
She may not have wanted to abandon her baby.


b. They forbid her to leave her room

She is not allowed to leave her room.
She is not to leave her room.

c. She was obliged to obey them.
She had to obey them.

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