1/ Compréhension écrite

Texte de compréhension n°1

Green internet warms people’s homes

“The cloud” is a real place. The pictures you post on Instagram, the comments you leave on
Facebook, and the TV shows you stream on Netflix aren’t living in a ball of condensation in the sky.
They live on a massive series of servers – all connected together in rows and towers in giant
warehouses.

In the Swedish capital of Stockholm, these information labyrinths are not only housing data but
helping to warm homes in the city. Computers get hot. Imagine the heat that your laptop generates,
but multiplied across an entire warehouse; thousands of computers all connected together running
non-stop.

How it works: cold water is fed into the data centre, where it’s used to cool the servers to keep them
from overheating. The water, which has been heated by the cooling process, then runs back out
where it is distributed for heating homes.

Stockholm Data Parks is expecting to generate enough heat to warm 2,500 residential apartments by
2018, but the long term goal is to meet 10% of the entire heating needs of Stockholm by 2035.

1. According to the text, what is “The Cloud”? a. cooling fans

a. a real place in the sky b. heated water
b. a ball containing Facebook, Instagram and c. cold water
Netflix d. an entire warehouse
c. where online data is stored and streamed from
d. a server in a warehouse 4. What do they hope will be possible?
a. to heat residential apartments by 2018 and
2. The warehouses do not contain: 10% of Stockholm 17 years later
a. data b. to heat 2500 buildings and 10% of Stockholm
b. a massive series of servers c. generate enough heat to warm 10% of
c. thousands of computers residential apartments by 2035
d. Stockholm Data Parks d. generate enough warmth to heat 2500
residences by 2018 and 10% by 2035
3. What stops the computers from getting too
hot?

Texte de compréhension n°2

The Crisis of American Consumerism

Some people buy inflatable Santa Clauses to put on the rooftop. You ask if they really need that,
they chuckle and say “no, no, of course not.” But, when you ask them about flat screen TVs,
nobody chuckles anymore, people feel uncomfortable.

The truth is that we are obsessed with the acquisition of things we don’t need - but want. There has
been a drastic increase in consumption and people will do almost anything to find the money to do
it. They will buy homes beyond their means and think nothing of running up credit-card debt

Large numbers of people in society firmly believe that they are working to make ends meet but if
you go through their shopping lists and closets, you’ll see that a large proportion of income is spent
on expensive branded goods.
As long as consumption is focused on satisfying basic human needs — safety, shelter, food,
clothing, health care, education — it is not consumerism. But when, on attempts to satisfy these
needs through the simple purchase of goods and services, consumption turns into consumerism —
and consumerism becomes a social disease.

5. A synonym for “chuckle” is:
a. smile
b. laugh
c. frown
d. cry
6. According to the article Americans are:
a. buying only the things they need
b. buying nothing they want
c. buying homes on credit-cards
d. buying things they can’t afford
7. Large numbers of people firmly believe they
are working:
a. to only pay for the things they want
b. to only pay for the things they need
c. to join two ends together
d. to consume without limits
8. Is consumption a bad thing?
a. yes, it is a social disease
b. yes, because it turns into consumerism
c. not if it is used to meet basic human needs
d. no, the purchase of goods and services is
simple

2/ Connaissances lexicales et grammaticales

9. Much of the debate on how to _______ the economy is based on wishful thinking.
a. fax
b. stick
c. fix
d. repatriate

10. Sign up to receive a monthly newsletter __________ our company.

a. to
b. in
c. form
d. from

11. The teacher had __________ arrived when you entered the room.
a. yet
b. since
c. already
d. before

12. What do you want to cook __________ dinner tonight?

a. of
b. by
c. for
d. at

13. I __________ delivered the report by 4 PM tomorrow.

a. will be
b. will has
c. will have
d. will had
14. They said he saw her ________________ just as the clock struck nine.
a. got in the taxi
b. got the taxi
c. getting taxi
d. getting into the taxi

15. The negotiations ________________ on for six months before they reached an agreement.
a. had been going
b. have been going
c. having been going
d. had been gone

16. Would you be __________ pour me glass of water?

a. kindly enough to
b. best enough to
c. enough to
d. kind enough to

17. I do not wish to participate __________ debate.

a. from the
b. in the
c. to the
d. for the

18. He __________ buy a new pair of running shoes this summer.

a. want to
b. wants to
c. wanting to
d. to want

19. This application might be rejected __________ numerous flaws in it.

a. due to
b. want to
c. today
d. because to

20. Independence day processions will __________ the city center.

a. march through
b. march with
c. march for
d. march to

21. Microsoft are planning ____________ an update to Windows 10 this Spring.

a. to release
b. to exit
c. released
d. to releasing
22. This translator __________ translations in 3 languages.
a. seller
b. deals
c. proposes
d. offers
23. The article is __________ making an impact, not money.
a. for subject
b. talk about
c. speak to
d. about

24. Guests should __________ all valuables in the hotel safe.

a. pose
b. put
c. putting
d. has put

25. The electorate of Catalonia __________ return to the polls in December.

a. will has to
b. will have to
c. are musting
d. will must

26. There has been __________that the company will soon go bankrupt.
a. prospection
b. inspection
c. speculation
d. instigation

27. __________ is the process of organizing activities to achieve a desired goal.

a. Postulating
b. Hypothesizing
c. Encrypting
d. Planning

28. Customer’s rights organizations prevent companies from __________ advertising.

a. misleading
b. misjudging
c. mishandling
d. mismanaging

29. In my view, Obama was a far ___________ president than Trump will ever be.
a. more good
b. best
c. better
d. more best

30. The thieves were seen driving away in a ___________ car.

a. big, red, Italian, sports
b. red, Italian, sports, big
c. Italian, big, sports, red
d. sports, big, red, Italian
 3/ Compréhension orale
Speech One: Polytechnic
Question 1 – What is the abbreviation of the name of Question 5 – Who has tried to convince the
the university? protesters to leave?

Question 2 – Who are the police arresting?
Question 3 – How are the protesters feeling?
Question 4 – What injuries do the protesters have?
Question 6 – How long has the wider protest
movement been going on?
Question 7 – What title would you give to this
speech?

Speech Two: Smartphones

Question 1 – Which event radically changed every
aspect of teenagers’ lives?
Question 2 – Amongst which teenagers does the
trend appear?
Question 3 – How do older people feel about the
smartphone craze?
Question 5 – Are most generational changes positive
or negative?
Question 6 – In what types of problem are today’s
teens less likely to be involved?
Questions 7 – Are teens safer in today’s world?

Question 4 – What is the aim of a generational Question 8 – What title would you give to this
study? speech?
4/Email Writing
Veuillez rédiger le courrier électronique suivant.
VOUS DEVEZ REPRÉSENTEZ CE QUE VOUS VERRIEZ À L’ÉCRAN DE VOTRE BOITE E-MAIL
Votre courriel doit contenir les formules et présentation d’usage qu’il convient d’appliquer lors d’un tel
exercice (vous inventerez les noms, les adresses mail, les numéros de téléphone et les fonctions si
nécessaire). 150 mots minimum sont attendus (hors format) et doivent être comptés et indiqués sur la
copie.

Vous êtes responsable des ventes dans l’entreprise écossaise « THE WHITE SHEEP » qui propose une
gamme de vêtements et d’accessoires en laine de mouton pour hommes, femmes et enfants : vestes,
pullovers, chaussettes, écharpes, bonnets et chaussons. Tous les produits sont en laines locales et de
fabrication écossaise. L’entreprise a souffert de la pandémie et la clientèle se fait de plus en plus rare en
raison d’une forte concurrence française. Vous décidez d’envoyer un courriel à tous les plus fidèles clients
pour leur proposer la nouvelle collection et leur offrir l’offre exceptionnelle valable 1 mois de 20% de remise
sur la gamme homme/femme et de 30% sur la gamme enfant. Vous leur précisez par ailleurs qu’il y a un
parrainage possible leur permettant d’avoir un bon d’achat de 50 livres sterling. Enfin, vous précisez que le
site internet a été mis à jour et mettez la brochure et le bon de commande en pièces jointes ; la livraison est
offerte pour toute commande à partir de 100 livres sterling.

Mot en anglais:
vestes, pullovers, chaussettes, écharpes, bonnets et chaussons = jackets, pullovers, socks, scarves, knit caps
and slippers
laine = wool
bon d’achat = voucher
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