This will be my last post this year… I will be leaving on vacation this coming Saturday and, since I have lots to do, I do not think I will have time left to dedicate to my blog…
In the news department, I got a phone call from Corey in Montreal… after more than six weeks of painful waiting, he finally got his reading comprehension and written expression test results in the mail this morning and he made it!… He got a strong C in reading (and if he had had the time to complete the 65 questions, I am convinced he would have obtained an E) and he got his B in writing, missing the C by only one answer (that killed him actually!)… He wrote an email to his contact at the CRA to let him know that he had met the language requirements of the position he applied for and that he was expecting to be invited to take the oral interaction test some time in January!… Sometimes, these people need to be reminded of some basic stuff!
Congratulations Corey!
And I heard from Mikaela who finally took her oral interaction exam last week… Great news!… She got the C she needed to maintain her job position!…
Congratulations Mikaela!
Last Friday, «les Irréductibles du Club français» gathered at Leonardo’s Ristorante for a nice dinner before the Holidays… Everyone had a good time and, amazingly, there was not a single word of English spoken that evening!… Seema drastically improved her oral expression skills lately and even Corey’s French seemed to flow better than usual… and, of course, Alice was «aux anges»!… I was indeed impressed… and very proud of them!
Speaking of Alice... as usual, she did not want to be on any pics... yet she complied!
Mark, on the other hand, has no problems... he loves to appear on photos... I am not sure about Corey and myself though!
Mark and Seema are always smiling!
La Bande des Joyeux Lurons!...
On that note, I found quite an interesting quizz for you to play before 2009 ends… Questions are not targeting any specific grammar rules in French… I took it and I got 50/50!… Give it a try and let me know how you did!
Click here to play!…
And… I want to take this opportunity to wish you all
HAPPY HOLIDAYS AND AN AMAZING 2010!
6 Comments
Wow!!! I was so happy to get my required results of a C and a B and a little bit with some anxiety of negative anticipation. It was great however to see that I missed a C in the second one just by one question because it boosted my confidence that I can really achieve some better levels some day, and it might be a turning point on making a decision on continuing or stopping my efforts for this exam. Needless to say, all this would have been impossible for me without Lyne, and I had always been ready to consider this as a sport on such an unfamiliar terrain not speaking a word of French two years ago. I am grateful to this examination for the chance to get to befriend Lyne, who always brings in a far greater human dimension to her classes than a mere teacher student interaction. I have known her to envelop herself with the duresse of her students to an extent beyond the call of duty and beyond a level of endurance that I know I could not have sustained. Thank you Lyne for your expert guidance, teaching, and when necessary, your handholding, during the gruesome «processus» that we candidates all suffer in this period of our lives.
Well Corey… I don’t know what to say at this very moment…
I’m speechless (if ever that is possible!
)!!!… Of course, I did help you to achieve your levels and I often pushed you to the limits of your patience… yet, you are the one who took those tests and gave the correct answers… you deserve most of the credit!
Now, together, we will get the C you need in oral interaction to meet the language requirements of the position you applied for!… Just be patient a bit longer and, soon, it will be over!…
Thank you for your trust in me!
I played this game and got a 25/50… It is a bit difficult for my level, but it is very educational. I definitely learned some things within just ten questions illustrating the use of more difficult verbs such as «affecter», «échapper» and «émettre», and the viability of expressions such as «saveur du mois». Even the last question, which I thought was senseless, had an important message to teach, on the difference between English and French city names.
Actually you did well on this quizz Corey because it is intended to French native speakers… therefore, for someone who did not know a single word of French two years ago, your score is quite impressive!
And you learned a couple of useful things… c’est ce qui importe le plus!
Bonjour Lyne,
J’ai eu 35/50… Je n’arrivais pas à trouver les anglicismes, parfois plusieurs réponses me paraissant toutes être des anglicismes (comme “la vedette de l’heure”, expression inconnue en France…). De même que le nom de la ville qui ne prend pas de tiret, impossible à deviner pour moi
Nous avons de la neige depuis ce matin et des températures juste en dessous de 0° C . Tu vas rire, mais ce genre d’événement climatique provoque le chaos sur les routes ici…
Je te souhaite de très bonnes fêtes de fin d’année.
Au fait, quel est le repas typique de Noël au Québec ?
Bonsoir Isabelle,
En effet, ce test n’était pas simple… surtout lorsque les gens viennent de différentes cultures : les expressions ici et celles en France (ou dans n’importe quel autre pays de la francophonie) diffèrent souvent… Alors, disons que c’était un bain dans la culture québécoise!
J’ai souri en pensant que quelques centimètres de neige pouvaient provoquer le chaos sur les routes… Ici, il en faut des tonnes pour nous arrêter de circuler!
Il fait un froid de loup aujourd’hui : moins 20° C et, avec le facteur éolien, c’est comme s’il faisait moins 35° C!!!
Le repas traditionnel de Noël ici comporte généralement une dinde farcie accompagnée de canneberges en gelée, des tourtières (ce sont finalement des tartes au boeuf et au porc hachés), d’un cipaille (un genre de tarte à plusieurs rangées… on alterne avec des pommes de terre en cubes, du chevreuil ou de l’orignal et de la perdrix… en principe, cette tarte doit avoir 6 rangées)… comme dessert, la tarte au sucre est toujours un impératif ainsi que le gâteau aux fruits confits et la fameuse bûche de Noël au chocolat… Mais, de plus en plus de gens se détournent de ce repas typique : les buffets de traîteur sont de plus en plus en vogue!
Trop de travail peut-être?…
Je profite de l’occasion pour te souhaiter de très belles fêtes aussi… nous en passerons une partie à Montréal et, le lendemain de Noël, nous irons nous réchauffer sous le soleil de Cuba et nous y célébrerons le Nouvel An!
À 2010!