Date:

1ere- (Seats and forms of Power)

(BACK-TO-SCHOOL SPECIALS : LANGUAGES

(DOC 2 / CE)

Identify the nature of the document . Tick the correct answer( s):
an ad

an advert
refers to

an advertisement

a logo the advertisers name others a language school

Describe it with the help of the Wordbank below. What is it composed of ?

The ad is composed of a photograph of a shopping street and the advertisers logo in the
bottom
left- hand corner . It is actually an advert for Berlitz which is a language school
as it is indicated
underneath the logo. The photo must have been taken somewhere in
Asia, as the ideograms or Chinese characters may suggest.
How do you feel / What do you think when first seeing the picture? Explain.
At first sight, the viewer feels puzzled and lost due to the lack of understanding of the signs
that seem to be written in Chinese. (logograms). When first seeing the picture the reader
feels frustrated as he is not able to read the signs .He doesnt feel at ease as he doesnt really
know where he is. You feel like an alien in Asia, or in an Asian district.
What can you realize after a few seconds ?
However when you take a closer look at the picture, you realize that what at first sight may
look like Chinese characters or ideograms, are easily recognizable . All the signs are written in
English . Its actually an optical illusion. If you dont give up and stick to the picture , you
realize that you are actually able to understand and read the signs and consequently you feel
reassured and relieved. So the closer you look, the more relieved you feel. All of a sudden,
the place seems more familiar as he viewer can read / decipher most of the signs such as as
Mad Dog tavern, Barber Shop, Drugstore, Shops, Dancing school, Toys, Gym, Fish,
Sex Girls Hotel etc. The language barrier has suddenly disappeared.

 Who do the advertisers target?

The advertisers may target either travellers , or people who want to learn a foreign language
to avoid feeling bewildered (drout) in a foreign country.
What is the message ?
This ad aims to show that you can cope with any situation if you speak English. Being able to
communicate in English is obviously a big advantage to communicate in a foreign country.
Berlitz could help you cope with any situation and feel at home anywhere you go. Berlitz can
enable you to speak with confidence and survive anywhere. Learning English with Berlitz is
the key to global communication.
Is this ad convincing ? Why? Why not?
On the one hand, I find this ad convincing as it is cleverly done ! The optical illusion creates
an unexpected effect , which is quite clever since the viewer feels stupid .
On the other hand , I dont think this ad is effective as the viewer might not see the Berlitz
logo in the bottom left-hand corner of the ad. In addition, the picture looks old-fashioned and
is not really attractive. On top of that, there is no catch phrase that could catch the eye.

Branching out : If you were offered to learn a new language, what would it be? Explain your answer!
(50/60 Words)

If I was offered to learn a new language, I would study . / If I could , I would .

Useful vocabulary
:
- a shopping street
signs = les enseignes (magasins)
- logograms = ideograms = Chinese characters
- When first seeing the picture / at first sight = au premier coup doeil / premire vue
- to realise sth = se rendre compte de qqch
- to feel comfortable = to feel at ease = to feel at home
- to feel lost = to feel puzzled
- to target = viser /cibler
- foreign languages = les langues trangres
- to enable sb to do sth = permettre qn de faire qqch
- a drawback = an obstacle = a disadvantage
to give up = laisser tomber
- to stick at sth = saccrocher
- effective = effcient - convincing = convaincant