Annales gratuites Bac S : Visiting a new house

     At five o'clock on Tuesday afternoon, Zach Willet drove to the neighboring town of Madison and
     parked in front of the sales office of the Cartwright Town Houses Corporation. He went inside,
     where he found a sales clerk, a woman in her thirties, tidying up in preparation for closing down for
     the day. He noted the nameplate on her desk: AMY STACK.
 5       "Hi, Amy," Zach said as he looked around the room. "I can see you're getting ready to
     skedaddle¹ out of here, so I won't take but two minutes of your time."
          On the walls were sketches of different models of the town houses, and the artist's
     conception of how they might look when furnished. Zach walked from one to the other, examining
     them closely. Brochures on the table listed the prices and sizes and particular features of the
10  various units. He picked up one of the brochures and read aloud some of the selling features of the
     most expensive model. "Four-story town house, four bedrooms, master bedroom suite, state-of-
     the-art kitchen, three fireplaces, four baths, washer and dryer, double garage, private patio and
     yard, all services." Zach smiled appreciatively. "Looks as though you just can't go wrong with that
     one," he said. He dropped the brochure back on the table, walked over to the biggest picture, and
15  pointed to it. "Now, Amy, I know you're probably rushing to meet your husband or your boyfriend,
     but how about indulging a nice fellow like me and show me that fancy homestead."
          "I'll be glad to take you over, Mr. ..." Amy hesitated. "I don't think you introduced yourself."
          "That's right. I didn't. I'm Zach Willet, and unless you borrowed somebody else's nameplate,
     you're Amy Stack."
20       "You've got it." Amy opened the top drawer of her desk and fished inside for her key ring.
     "That's 8 Pawnee Avenue. I have to warn you that is our top-of-the-line town house. It's fully
     loaded with every conceivable extra, and naturally that is reflected in the cost. It's also the
     furnished model."
          "Sounds better and better," Zach said genially. "Let's take a look at it."
25       On the way through the development², Amy Stack pointed out that the landscaping was
     almost finished, and was scheduled to be featured in a national gardening magazine, and that the
     driveways were heated to prevent ice from forming in the winter. "Mr. Cartwright has thought of
     everything," she said proudly. "He's one of those hands-on builders who is involved in every detail,
     every step of the way."
30       Ted's a good friend of mine," Zach said expansively. "Has been for forty years, since we
     were both kids riding bareback at the stable." He looked around. Some of the handsome red brick
     town houses were already occupied. "Expensive cars in the driveways," he commented. "Nice
     class of neighbors. I can see that."
          "Absolutely," Amy assured him. "The nicest people you'd ever want to meet." She walked a
35  few steps more, then said, "Here we are at number 8. As you can see, it's a corner unit, and it
     really is the crown jewel of the development."
          Zach's smile broadened as Amy turned the key, opened the door, and led him into the
     family room on the entry level. "Raised-hearth fireplace, wet bar - what's not to like?" he asked
     rhetorically.
40       "Some people use the room on the other side for a gym, and, of course, there's a full bath
     with a hot tub right beside it. It's such a convenient arrangement," Amy said, her voice crackling
     with professional enthusiasm.
          "Two guest bedrooms," he joked. "I don't have close family, but with those two bedrooms,
     I'd better look up those cousins of mine in Ohio and have them out for a weekend."
45       They rode back down in the elevator, went outside, and, as Amy locked the front door, Zach
     said, "I'll take it. As is. Furnished."
          "That's wonderful," Amy Stack exclaimed. "Are you prepared to make a deposit now?"
          "Didn't Ted Cartwright tell you that he's giving me this unit?" Zach asked, his tone
     astonished. "I saved his life once, and now that I have to get out of where I've been living, he told
50  me to come over and choose my space. Ted never forgets a favor. You must be proud to be in his
     employ."

Mary Higgins Clark, No Place Like Home, 2005 (adapted)

1 skedaddle: run away hurriedly
2 development: housing development

1.
a) Give the full names of the characters present.
b) Give the full name of one of the characters mentioned.

2. When exactly does the scene take place? (10 words maximum)

3.
a) Focus on the passage from line 1 down to line 24: where exactly are the characters? (10 words max.)
b) Focus on the passage from line 37 down to line 44: where are they? (10 words max.)
c) How do they go from one place to another? (5 to 10 words)
d) Justify your answer in 3.c by quoting from the text.
e) What do they go to the second place for? (10 words max.)
f) Characterize the second place with four adjectives of your own.

Focus on the female character.

4.
a) Give her boss's full name. What is her job? What does it consist in? (30 words max.)
b) What is she about to do at the beginning of the text? (10 words max.)
c) What does she do instead? (10 words max.)
d) What does it reveal about her? (5 to 10 words max.)
e) Quote one element from the text to support your answer in 4.d.
f) Focus on the passage from line 34 down to line 46.
   Choose the adjective that best applies to her.
             She is: ● sensitive ;
                        ● surprised ;
                        ● convincing ;
                        ● rude ;
                        ● indifferent.
g) Justify you answer in 4.f by quoting three elements from the passage.

Focus on the male character.

5. Read the passage from line 1 down to line 19.
a) Choose the adjective that best corresponds to his attitude.
             He is: ● well-mannered ;
                       ● shy ;
                       ● distant ;
                       ● overfamiliar.
b) Justify your answer in 5.a with two quotations from the passage.

Focus on the passage from line 46 down to the end.

6.
a) Line 46. What does the pronoun "it" refer to?
b) Line 46. What does "take" mean for the female character?
c) Justify your answer in 6.b by quoting one element from the text.
d) Line 46. What does "take" mean for the male character?
e) Justify your answer in 6.d by quoting from the text.

7. Account for your answer in 6.d using elements from the whole text. (20 to 25 words)

I - ANALYSE ET DIFFICULTES DU SUJET

Les questions sont très guidées. Elles doivent être abordées avec aisance pour ceux qui se sont entraînés régulièrement. Elles sont de facture classique et présentées selon un ordre chronologique.

II - COMPREHENSION

1.
a) Give the full names of the characters present.
The characters present are Zach Willet and Amy Stack.
b) Give the full name of one of the characters mentioned.
The character mentioned is Ted Cartwright.

2. When exactly does the scene take place? (10 words maximum)
The scene takes place at 5 o’clock on Tuesday afternoon.

3.
a) Focus on the passage from line 1 down to line 24: where exactly are the characters? (10 words max.)
The characters are in a real estate agency, in the sales office of Cartwright Town Houses Corporation.
b) Focus on the passage from line 37 down to line 44: where are they? (10 words max.)
They have just entered the house Zach is interested in.
c) How do they go from one place to another? (5 to 10 words)
They walked from the office to the house.
d) Justify your answer in 3.c by quoting from the text.
l.34-35 “She walked a few steps more, then said “here we are at number 8”.
e) What do they go to the second place for? (10 words max.)
They go there to see what the house looks like.
f) Characterize the second place with four adjectives of your own.
The house is huge, luxurious, convenient and pricy.

Focus on the female character.

4.
a) Give her boss's full name. What is her job? What does it consist in? (30 words max.)
His name is Ted Cartwright. She is a sales clerk (real estate agent). Her job consists in showing and informing people about houses to help them choose their future houses.
b) What is she about to do at the beginning of the text? (10 words max.)
She is about to close the office for the day and go home.
c) What does she do instead? (10 words max.)
She takes Zack Willet to the house he is interested in.
d) What does it reveal about her? (5 to 10 words max.)
She is conscientious about her job and probably doesn’t have any plans for the evening.
e) Quote one element from the text to support your answer in 4.d.
l.41-42 “Amy said , her voice crackling with professional enthusiasm”.
f) Focus on the passage from line 34 down to line 46.
Choose the adjective that best applies to her.
She is:
● sensitive
● surprised
● convincing
● rude
● indifferent
Amy is convincing.
g) Justify your answer in 4.f by quoting three elements from the passage.
l.34 “Amy assured him”; l. 35-36 “…it really is the crown jewel of the development.”; l.41 “…It’s such a convenient arrangement.”

Focus on the male character.

5. Read the passage from line 1 down to line 19.
a) Choose the adjective that best corresponds to his attitude.
He is:
● well-mannered
● shy
● distant
● overfamiliar
He is overfamiliar.
b) Justify your answer in 5.a with two quotations from the passage.
l. 5-6 “Hi Amy”, Zach said as he looked around the room. I can see you’re getting ready to skedaddle out of here…”
l.15-16 “Now Amy, I know you’re probably rushing to meet your husband or boyfriend, but how about indulging a nice fellow like me and show me that fancy homestead.”

Focus on the passage from line 46 down to the end.

6.
a) Line 46. What does the pronoun "it" refer to?
“It” refers to the house.
b) Line 46. What does "take" mean for the female character?
“Take” means buy.
c) Justify your answer in 6.b by quoting one element from the text.
l. 47 “Are you prepared to make a deposit now?”
d) Line 46. What does "take" mean for the male character?
“Take” means to acquire it for free.
e) Justify your answer in 6.d by quoting from the text.
l.48 “Didn’t Cartwright tell you that he’s giving me this unit?”

7. Account for your answer in 6.d using elements from the whole text. (20 to 25 words)
From the beginning of the text, Zack Willet looks self-confident and knows he will close the deal in no time (l. 6 “I won’t take but two minutes of your time”). He is comfortable with the sales clerk. In addition, he’s only interested in the most expensive houses and he tells Amy he has known Ted for forty years.

Traduction

Traduire en français le passage de "I'll be glad to take you over, Mr. ..." (ligne 17) à ... and fished inside for her key ring." (ligne 20)
- "Je serais ravie de vous y emmener, Monsieur… Amy hésita. "Je ne crois pas que vous vous soyez présenté".
- "C’est vrai. Je ne l’ai pas fait. J’ m’appelle Zack Willet, et à moins que vous n’ayez emprunté la plaque d’un de vos collègues, vous êtes Amy Stack."
- "C’est ça." Amy ouvrit le tiroir supérieur/le premier tiroir de son bureau et y plongea la main pour récupérer son porte-clefs."