Link to corrected version

French 237 Mid Term Examination February 29, 2000

Name ____________________________  Points     /60      Grade:

Main Dictionary Used in this Exam __________________________________________

Text A (Already studied)

Alors que j'étais encore en train de pédaler vers chez moi il devint clair, cependant, que les symptômes étaient beaucoup plus vifs que la première fois.  J'éprouvais une grande difficulté à parler d'une manière cohérente. Mon champ de vision basculait devant moi et les objets apparaissaient déformés comme des images dans un miroir incurvé. J'avais l'impression d'être incapable de me mouvoir, bien que mon assistant m'ait dit, plus tard, que je pédalais à bonne allure.  Quand le médecin que j'avais fait appeler arriva, le point culminant de la crise était déjà passé. Pour autant que je m'en souvienne, voici les symptômes les plus marqués que j'en ressentis: vertiges, troubles de la vision...

(a) Using your dictionary if necessary, give the best meaning for each of the bolded words or phrases.  If there are several words, don't forget any of them.

  1. Alors que (1 point)
  2. j'étais encore en train de pédaler (2 points)
  3. bien que mon assistant m'ait dit (2 points)
  4. à bonne allure (2 points)
  5. Pour autant que je m'en souvienne (3 points)


(b) Give the infinitive of the italicized verbs, and say if they are past, present, future or conditional (10 points):
 

Verb form Infinitive Past, Present, Future or Conditional
étais . .
devint . .
apparaissaient . .
ait dit . .
souvienne . .

(c) Find one example of each of the following in the text (5 points):

  1. an adjective
  2. an adverb
  3. a noun
  4. a verb in the subjunctive
  5. the French for climax

Text B (attached)

Answer the following questions:
 
1. What does this page show about Jacques Chirac?  (Summarize in a couple of sentences.) (6 points)
     
    2. Give full details of the way the survey was done (dates, sample size, etc.).  (3 points)
     

    3. What is the usual English equivalent of the "Ne se prononcent pas" category? (1 point)

     
    4. If you look IFOP up in the Collins-Robert, the translation given is in italics.  Why? (2 points)

Text C (attached)

(a) Look up the following words (circled in the text)  in your dictionary and answer the questions (13 points):
 
  • ancien 
    1. What parts of speech can ancien be used as?
    2. What part of speech is it used as in the text?
    3. Which of the meanings given in the dictionary fits best here (more than one will fit)? 
    4. Give another example of ancien used in this same way.
  • elle n'en tient pas rigueur au ministre  (Look this up under rigueur)
    1. What does this mean?
    2. In which section of the entry is this meaning found?
    3. Give another example of tenir rigueur used in this way.
  • milieu
    • 1. Is this always a noun?  Explain.
     

    2. What is the best meaning for milieu in this context?

  • foyer
    1. Give half a dozen different meanings for this word.
    2. Choose the one that fits best in the context.
    3. What indication in the dictionary helped you to decide on the best meaning?
    (b) Based on what is said in the text, decide if the following statements are true or false.  The order of questions corresponds to the order you'll find answers in the text. (10 points)
    1. Every student in France is affected by the problem of violence in schools.  T  F
    2. Some students spoke of the violence to Phosphore.com.  T  F
    3. Students sometimes carry a knife openly.  T  F
    4. The lycéenne being interviewed thinks it's up to the parents to do something.  T  F
    5. She also thinks teachers are not listening to students.  T  F