Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Historic Landmarks, English Version
Historic Landmarks, English Version
Axe thématique
Territoire et mémoire
OBJECTIVES
This chapter will be devoted to methodology and practice for the baccalauréat. It will be divided into four
parts:
Section A: Using cultural elements as a basis for argumentation
Section B: Linguistic tools
Section C: Method
Section D: Bac practice
Section A
• You will research the signification of a famous quote by John Winthrop, and think about the significance
of this quote in American culture.
Section B
• You will compare the use of the definite article in English and in French to avoid the intrusion of your
mother tongue, and in order to recognize exceptions and literary devices.
• You will learn to pay attention to the spelling and pronunciation of transparent and semi-transparent
words.
Section C
• You will learn how to comment on a quote (oral exam, except ‘Séries technologiques’ LVA).
• You will learn how to analyse rhetorical devices in a speech.
Section D
• You will practice oral and written comprehension, written expression and commenting on a quote for
the oral exam.
2. Answer the following questions about this quote. The answers can be found on the
two websites indicated:
https://www.reference.com/history/meaning-city-upon-hill-80108adb30d102b2
a. What does the quote refer to?
b. In what domains is the quote used?
c. Who was the author of the quote the first time it was pronounced/uttered?
d. Which famous American politician used the quote in one of his speeches?
Vocabulary
utter = say.
3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City-upon-a-Hill
a. Where was the quote derived from originally?
b. What does it imply in a modern context?
c. At which two periods of American history was the quote revived?
d. What was it used to endorse?
e. Name two other politicians who have used this quote to support their political views.
Vocabulary
endorse = support, justify.
2 CNED TERMINALE ANGLAIS
Section B - Linguistic tools
Vocabulary
outcast = exclu.
→ Consultez le corrigé.
Faites les exercices 216 et 218 à la page 113 de votre livre de grammaire.
Activity 4 - Pronunciation
As we saw in Part 1, transparent words may be tricky to pronounce. Check the pronunciation of the
following words in ‘the Jones’ online. ‘The Jones’ is the reference dictionary for pronunciation.
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/pronunciation/english/jones
equality / equal / quality / quantity / quandary / quota / quango
→ Check the correction.
Section C - Method
Cette activité ne s’adresse pas aux inscrits en série technologique. Elle ne concerne que
l’évaluation de l’oral de la voie générale
‘Le candidat a le choix entre trois axes culturels du programme proposés par l’examinateur’.
L’examinateur vous proposera ensuite deux citations, deux documents iconographiques ou une citation et
un document iconographique:
‘Le candidat explique en langue cible pendant 5 minutes quel document ou quelle citation illustre le
mieux l’axe qu’il a choisi et pourquoi.’
La deuxième partie de l’épreuve (5 minutes) sera consacrée à la présentation du travail réalisé pendant
l’année sur l’axe choisi.
Nous prendrons l’exemple de la citation de l’activité 1, même si elle est plus difficile que les citations qui
seront proposées à l’examen.
‘For we must consider that we shall be as a City Upon a Hill. The eyes of all people are upon us.’
4 CNED TERMINALE ANGLAIS
Méthode – commenter une citation (évaluation orale voie Générale)
1) Dites pourquoi la citation illustre l’axe thématique choisi : The quote illustrates the theme ‘land,
territory and memory’ because it reminds us of the founding principles of America.
2) Si vous connaissez l’auteur de la citation, présentez-le brièvement : The quote was made by John
Winthrop, the first governor of Massachusetts. He was one of the Pilgrim Fathers.
3) Si vous ne connaissez pas l’auteur, faites des hypothèses : The language is old-fashioned, so we can
guess that the author is not contemporary. It appears to be a religious or political message, so the quote
was probably uttered by a religious leader or a politician in an English-speaking country.
4) Expliquez le sens de la citation : The quote is a metaphor, we can note the use of ‘as’. The metaphor of
a city upon a hill reminds us of either a protected place because of its geographical advantage or a vulner-
able place because everyone can see it. We can suppose it may be both. The use of ‘city’ reminds us of
Athens, used to mean ‘community’ at the time of the Antiquity. If we think of Athens, we imagine an ideal
community which is what the author appears to be implying with the use of capitalization.
5) Donnez votre opinion personnelle sur l’efficacité et la pertinence de la citation : To my mind,
the quote is effective due to the imagery which is evocative. We can easily visualize a city on a hill and
understand that it stands out. The old-fashioned language is also quite striking, as it is unusual, we pay
attention. We can note that ‘shall’ is no longer used to evoke the future; we use the auxiliary ‘will’. It is
not difficult to realize that the use of ‘shall’ has biblical overtones, it implies a moral obligation. In other
words, the author exhorts his listeners to build an exemplary community. This is still relevant today at a
time when the revival of citizenship and community-spirit is significant.
6) Concluez en disant pourquoi la citation illustre mieux l’axe thématique que le document qui n’a
pas été retenu : This quote illustrates the theme well in the sense that it refers to the founding principles
of America which are of universal scope. The photo of the Mayflower is more evocative of the symbol of
the ship itself as representing adventure and courage. Conversely, the quote reminds us of the conquering
of new territory, the founding of a new land and the memory of its first leaders.
Vocabulary recap
effective; efficace (s’emploie pour une stratégie- pour une personne on emploie efficient)
relevant: pertinent
Enr. 3
Pour vous mettre en situation d’examen, écoutez l’enregistrement trois fois, chaque écoute étant
espacée d’une minute.
Titre du document : The Great Society.
En rendant compte à l’écrit et en français du document, vous montrerez que vous avez compris :
– la nature du document ;
– le thème principal du document ;
– à qui s’adresse le document ;
– le déroulement des faits, la situation, les événements, les informations ;
– l’identité des personnes ou personnages et, éventuellement, les liens entre elles/entre eux ;
– les différents points de vue éventuels;
– les éventuels éléments implicites du document ;
– la fonction et la portée du document (relater, informer, convaincre, critiquer, dénoncer, etc.).
→ Consultez le corrigé.
6 CNED TERMINALE ANGLAIS
Text 1: Let America be America again
Interviewer: You write about having some American Indian heritage yourself. Did that influence your
research and writing at all, in terms of how you felt as you were reading about this?
Sarah Vowell: Well it influences who I am in terms of my relationship with American history. I wouldn’t
exist if not for the failure of the constitution. I wouldn’t exist if the Indian removal policies of Andrew
Jackson hadn’t forced my Cherokee ancestors on the Trail of Tears at gunpoint. Knowing that, at such an
early age…has sort of clouded my view of American history. It doesn’t just influence how I think about the
world-that you always have to be aware of who is telling a story, and how a story is told.
Extract from an interview with the author Sarah Vowell.
Smithsonian Magazine, November 4, 2008
Question A
You are taking part in a summer school in the USA. You are enrolled in a debating society. Each member has to
write a speech entitled ‘The Great Society’. Write your personal speech.
Question B
How can each and every one of us contribute to building a better society?
Conseils
Question A :
• Bien respecter la forme du discours ;
• Penser à utiliser les procédés de la rhétorique (activité 6 et le corrigé de l’activité 7);
• Vous pouvez reprendre des expressions utilisées dans le discours de la compréhension orale, telle
que ‘So will you join me.. ?’.
Question B :
• Veillez à bien structurer votre expression : introduction, deux parties, conclusion.
• Posez une question dans l’introduction (‘problématique’) à la quelle vous répondrez par une
argumentation claire ;
• Donnez des exemples concrets en s’appuyant, si possible, sur des éléments culturels du monde
anglophone.
• Pensez à utiliser des exemples des documents étudiés dans la partie compréhension.
8 CNED TERMINALE ANGLAIS
Activity 10 - Commenting on a quote
Choose one of the following quotes and say why you think it illustrates the theme ‘Land, territory and
memory’.
Quote 1.
‘America is great because she is good. If America ceases to be good, America will cease to be great.’
Alexis de Tocqueville, Democracy in America, 1835.
Quote 2.
‘If there is one principle more deeply rooted in the mind of every American, it is that we should have nothing
to do with conquest.’
Thomas Jefferson (1743-1836)
→ Check the correction.
10 CNED TERMINALE ANGLAIS