Leçon-4

THE NEW PETS

Having a cat, a dog, a goldfish as a pet is classic. But a crocodile, a ferret or a snake,
that's more original! It's the new fashion in France, and one calls these animals
NAC (New Pets). Among 18-25 year olds, we particularly appreciate the rat, which is
intelligent and playful. In addition, it is not expensive (between 5€ and 15€), the
price of the food and the cage are included. In France, the exotic animal market has
never been so important. Iguanas, chameleons, turtles, snakes, tarantulas and
scorpions are the most requested animals. Parrots and parakeets are also very
popular. These animals should normally come from breeding, but in reality, but most
are taken directly from their environment of origin. This poses the problem of the
disappearance of certain species and can lead to ecological disasters.

DO YOU KNOW JEAN NOUVEL?

Born in 1945 in Fumel (Lot-et-Garonne) in a family of teachers, Jean Novell
graduated from the National School of Fine Arts in Paris. He is one of the first
French architects. In 1981, he designed the plans for the Institute du Monde Arabe
in Paris, his first major project. He then created social housing in Nimes, the Lyon
opera house, the Foundation Cartier building in Paris and the Quai Branly museum in
Paris (2006). In March 2008, he was awarded the profession's highest distinction:
The Pritzker Prize. All the achievements of this architect are very different; he
does not like repetition and is very concerned about the environment. He often
works in France where he has built, for example, in the district of La Defence in
Paris a 300m high tower which has offices, houses and a hotel. Today, he has
projects in abroad: he is going to build the future Louvre museum in Abu Dhabi, a
75-meter high glass tower in Manhattan, or even a hotel complex in Las Vegas. He
has worked all over the world: in Spain, Switzerland, Austria, Denmark, Germany,
Japan, etc.

Leçon-5
Overseas Cuisine.

When you hear the word "French cuisine", perhaps you only think of metropolitan
France and forget all the overseas cuisine? Do you know, for example, the Creole
cuisine, originating from the West Indies?
from the West Indies? It is a cuisine full of flavors and spices, between France,
India and Africa. The African influence is found in the consumption of roots (yams,
manioc, etc.) and peas. The influence of India can be seen mainly in the use of curry.
Finally, the French influence can be felt in the numerous ingredients (flour, rice,
bacon and smoked bacon, starches and dried vegetables, dried cod, etc.) that
arrived in the West Indies from the continent by boat during difficult times. Pepper
is present in Creole cuisine.
A Creole meal usually begins with a fruit punch, a drink made from macerated fruit
and rum. It is accompanied by appetizers such as small white or black puddings,
pâtés (meat) and accras. Pâtés and accras (cod or shrimp fritters). From meat
dishes simmered in a curry sauce to fresh fish and a wide variety of fruits and
vegetables, Creole cuisine is an explosion of flavor. And just as you will enjoy hearing
the French language spoken in the Caribbean, you will appreciate its blend of
cultures. In the West Indies, you will appreciate its mixed cuisine.

The three strikes…….

Every year, 14 million French people go to the theater. They like to see classical
works at the Comédie Française as well as plays by contemporary authors like Eric
Emmanuel Schmidt or Yasmina Reza. Other genres exist: street theater, puppets
(for children) or boulevard theater. The latter always fills theaters because it
stages complicated situations on the theme of love or money, with many
misunderstandings that make the French laugh.
Theatrical techniques also attract a lot of amateurs because they allow them to
gain confidence in themselves, to better master the language and sometimes to get
out of their shyness. These same techniques are also used to improve human
relations in rather unexpected environments such as prisons or companies, where
theater courses are sometimes offered. Jean Michel Ribes - author, actor and
director - reminds us that "the theater is the only place where there is direct
emotional contact between people, between actors and spectators".