In the news department, Boris passed the required levels(CBC)  of the job position he has applied for… he even surpassed them in two tests: ECC!

Congratulations Boris!

The order of the pronouns in French… do you know it or do you sometimes struggle with it?… I found an interesting test on pronouns following an imperative… I took it and I got a perfect mark… can you do it, avoiding the traps?… Give it a try!

My Aussie friend sent me an interesting picture…

Apparently, it is the first time he came across a sign in almost perfect English! Be the judge!…

If you want to play my game, click here!

Have fun!

Photo credit by Philip Lean, Canberra, Australia

But, when I get great news, I have to share it with my readers… Morris, who was probably the most nervous student I ever had, went for his oral interaction test last Wednesday… he was convinced he would not get his B at his second attempt… I knew he could get it because only his stress was playing against him! Friday he wrote me saying that he had obtained his B!… What a happy camper!

Congratulations Morris!

Since I do not have much time to write tonight, instead of writing a substantial post, I found a test for you to give a try… There are two sentences and you must choose the one that you think is correct or… you may decide that both are equal… I got 50/50 only because I thought the incorrect sentences were a bit too obvious. Maybe you will disagree with me… let me know!

Two Gold Medals in two days for Canada: Alexandre Bilodeau in freestyle skiing and Maëlle Ricker in snowboarding cross event!…

GO CANADA, GO!!!

When not watching the Vancouver 2010 games, click here to play my game!

Have fun!

Photo credit: http://www.webweaver.nu/clipart/canada-day.shtml

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!

Yesterday Amelia went for her oral interaction test… it went very well since she was led in the fourth part of the interview… therefore she can sleep until she gets her result: the required B is guaranteed!… Yet there were some logistic problems at Slater yesterday morning… six examiners had called in sick!… Not the kind of news candidates (who were already under stress) needed… because of that, Amelia had to wait… finally she took the test over the phone with a male assessor in Montreal…

Krystal was a bit down yesterday… she received an email saying that she had gone through the entire hiring process successfully and her name had been placed in a pool of candidates that would expire at the end of October 2010!… She asked for more information and she was told that they had not filled in the position she had applied for and she would hear from it in a few weeks… Those generic emails are pointless because they never inform the candidates accurately… Mais, c’est le gouvernement du Canada!!! Live with it or look somewhere else for a job I guess…

French grammar terminology evolved quite a bit in the last few years and most parents are thrown off by it when they are trying to help their kids do their homework (though there are courses intended to have them get familiar with this new charabia)… was it necessary to rename everything? I do not think so… it will be interesting to see if this change occurred only in Quebec… I took the test and I got a perfect score: I had to learn the new terminology yet I have to admit I never use it… I work with adults and I will not waste time explaining the difference between now and then… all those components kept the same functions in a sentence anyways…

I will be in Montreal this weekend and hopefully weather will improve!

I am afraid I will not see another day like this one before next year!…

To check your knowledge of this new terminology, click here …

Bonne chance!

Besides, I am still waiting for Krystal and Pam’s results… Is this long waiting unusual?… not at all!… The waiting period depends on paperwork, departments’ HR and other stuff such as staff’s vacation or sick leave… Since we cannot tell from one week to another, we only have to be patient!… This afternoon, I will see Melody for the last time before her oral interaction exam… I am sure that she is glad it will be over soon… although candidates are nervous about the SLE tests, towards the end, they just want to get it done and turn the page!… so they can get their lives back!…

Once again, I decided to check your ability to avoid the influence of English when you speak and write… sometimes, it is quite subtle and people are not even aware that they are using anglicism. And it is one of the reasons why we do have to pay special attention to those faux-amis or a syntax that is borrowed from English. I took the test myself and I got 50/50… well… one would not expect less from a French trainer, right? If you take that extra second to think, you should get the same score!… Were they any traps?… Hmmm… maybe one or two, but nothing to make you sweat!

I do not intend to set one foot outside again today…

It is the kind of day for staying home and enjoying a nice cup of hot chocolate!

Sit in front of a nice cracking fire and click here to play!

Bonne chance!

Photo credit by Philip Lean, Canberra, Australia