L'orientation et les études

Document 1. Extract from a British school website: « Meet our Year 11 pupils ».
« Amina, 16, is taking nine GCSEs this summer. Her favourite subjects are chemistry and design and technology, and she can't stand history. « I'm hopeless at remembering dates, » she laughs. Next year, she is going to stay in our sixth form to take three A-levels: chemistry, physics and maths. « I'd like to study architecture at university in order to design eco-friendly houses. » Her twin brother Youssef has chosen a very different path. He isn't keen on exams, but he is brilliant with his hands, so he is going to leave school in June and start an apprenticeship with a local carpenter. « I'll earn money while I learn, and I might open my own workshop one day, » he explains. Their form tutor, Mr Patel, thinks both choices are excellent: « There isn't only one road to success. » »

1. How many GCSEs is Amina taking, and which subjects does she like and dislike?
2. What is Amina going to do next year, and what is her long-term plan?
3. Why is Youssef going to leave school, and what is he going to do?
4. Explain in French what Mr Patel means by « There isn't only one road to success ».

Document 2. Comparing two school systems.

1. At what age do French pupils take the brevet, and at what age do English pupils take their GCSEs?
2. Which English years correspond to the French collège? Which French classes correspond to the English sixth form?
3. Give two differences between the two systems that you can read in the table.
4. Write two sentences in English comparing the brevet and the GCSEs (use « whereas » or « while » in one of them).

1. Complète avec la préposition ou la forme du verbe : « I'm keen ___ biology, I'm bad ___ (draw) ___ and I'm interested ___ (become) ___ a nurse. »
2. Complète avec take, pass ou fail à la forme correcte : « Last year, my cousin ___ her A-levels in June ; she ___ chemistry with an A, but she ___ history and had to retake it. »
3. Réécris ces deux phrases en une seule avec « in order to », puis avec « so that » : « I'm learning Spanish. I want to work in Madrid. »
4. Corrige les trois erreurs : « I'm good in maths, so I want study the economics at the university. »

1. Traduis en anglais : « le professeur principal », « un examen blanc », « une année de césure », « réviser ».
2. Explique en anglais la différence entre « to take an exam » et « to pass an exam », puis entre « college » in Britain et « collège » in France.
3. Écris ces matières en anglais avec la bonne orthographe et la bonne majuscule : la physique, l'espagnol, la technologie, la SVT.
4. Trouve l'intrus et justifie en français : a) timetable, mark, report, apprenticeship — b) revise, retake, fail, enjoy.

Your English pen friend asks you: « What are your plans after the brevet? » Write your answer (80 words minimum), following the four steps.

1. Say which subjects you are good at and which one you can't stand (use « good at » and a verb of dislike + V-ing).
2. Explain what you are going to do next year and which options you are going to choose (use « be going to »).
3. Describe the job you would like to do later and justify with « because » and « in order to ».
4. Ask your pen friend two questions about his or her own plans, using « take » or « pass » and « be going to ».