A brief history of the United States

A. The foundation of the American Dream in History (video).

 Match the dates / periods of time with the correct historical events :

17th - 18th centuries		American War of Independence
1775 - 1783		Move from downtown to the suburbs for a lot of people
July 4th 1776		End of Segregation
Up until (= jusqu'en)1865		Europeans and a lot of English people moved to the New World, sometimes in order to escape religious persecution.
1861 - 1865		Declaration of Independence by the Founding Fathers
1955		American Civil War and end of slavery
1964		Beginning of the Civil Rights Movement triggered by Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King.
1950's - present		Slavery

B. Complete each part of the USA's history with expressions from the list. 

1) freedom ; England ; Europe ;  escaping ; searching ; founded ; been ; North America ; decided ; independent ; to emigrate ; adventure

The United States of America was _________________ in 1776. The settlers (= les colons),

who had ____________ from ___________ (the Old World) to ________________ (the New World), were _____________ persecution and were __________ for ____________ and ____________. They had ______ there since the 17^th century when they __________ to become _____________ from ___________.

2) exploited; emancipated ; had ; forced; won ; waged war (= faire la guerre) ; stop ; North ; South

For (= pendant) 200 years, Americans _________ slaves, mostly in the __________ of the country. They ____________ Black people who were ____________ to come to the USA. Between 1861 and 1865, the _________ (the Union) ______________ to the South (the Confederacy) in order to _________ slavery. The North ________ and the slaves were ______________ .

3) stood ; became ; rights ; sat ; community ; fought

Unfortunately, African-Americans only ___________ free in 1964, after Rosa Parks had __________ up against racism (when she _______ in the front of the bus) and Martin Luther King had ___________ for the Civil _____________ of his __________________.

4) suburbs ; country ; world ; conditions; young ; fleeing ; living

The USA may be _________, but it is the richest ___________ in the _________. Since the 1950's, the American population has been _______________ to the suburbs, where they have been ________________ in comfortable _______________.

Is the American Dream alive today?

A. General comprehension.

1. Before listening, match each expression with the correct definition.

be tanking		to change, to rearrange
affluent		very surprising
elusive		rich
available		be a complete failure
puzzling		difficult to achieve
to shift		obtainable

2. Listen to the document and tick the correct answers.

a) This document is : □ a speech   □ an interview   □ a documentary   □ a report

b) It deals with the : □ death   □ evolution   □ success of the American dream.

c) Number of speakers and their role / job : __________________________

B. Part One : Tick the words you hear.

1. The economy may be □ sinking   □ tanking.
2. For me, the American dream is to have a great □ fantasy   □ family.
3. I want to become □ a lawyer   □ an employer
4. It's being able to have the □ opportunism   □ opportunity

Pick out 3-4 important words near the end: ___________________________

C. Part Two : Right or wrong? Circle the correct answer and justify.

1. The majority of the citizens say they have achieved (= réussi) their dream.

R/W: __________________________________________________________

2. Rich people in Manhattan are having a hard time achieving their dream.

R/W: __________________________________________________________

3. One of the men says that when he was young, the American dream was based on luck only (= seulement).

R/W: __________________________________________________________

4. Even in difficult times, people keep the same definition of the American dream.

R/W: __________________________________________________________

5. Nowadays, values are more crucial than material achievement (= réussite).

R/W: __________________________________________________________

Defining the American Dream

I. Listen to the American national anthem, and memorize the lyrics.

II. Listen to Rosa Parks's definition of the American dream, and complete. 

!!! Her accent is Southern and difficult.

I think the American Dream ____________ be to ________ a good _______, and to live ________, and to be a good ____________. I think that should ________ to all of ____. That it is the _______ of the _______ and the _______ of the _______, and I __________ it _________ be just that for all _________. Who can ________ of __________ as _________ beings and that they will _________ the ____________ of the ___________ of this _____________.

Gun violence in the USA nowadays

I. General comprehension :

1. Where was the report recorded ?

2. What happened recently, and where ?

3. Concentrate on figures and statistics :

6 corresponds to the number of __________________

More than a dozen corresponds to the number of __________________

3 corresponds to the number of states in which guns do not ______________ any kind of __________

More than 10 is the number of __________ that you can shoot with an assault weapon.

80 million corresponds to the number of American _______ ___________.

5 corresponds to the number of __________ _________ held against Jared Loughner.

II. The situation.

1. Who is Gabriel Giffords ? Where was she at the time of the report ?

2. Right or Wrong ? Justify with elements from the document :

a) It is legal to have weapons in the USA.

R/W : _____________________________

b) The legislation on fire arms in the USA is very strict.

R/W : _____________________________

c) In Arizona, you may not carry a gun in public places.

R/W : _____________________________

d) Buying a gun in Arizona is extremely easy.

R/W : _____________________________

e) Arizona isn't a state where there is a lot of violence.

R/W : _____________________________

f) Before, you couldn't legally have certain types of assault weapons.

R/W : _____________________________

3. What type of gun did Jared buy ? Where and when did he buy it ?

III. Reactions.

1. Tom compares the USA with 3 countries. Name these countries :

He says that the USA is the __________ when it comes to owning guns and buying guns.

2. People who defend the right to have guns are called gun ___________. They _________ against any type of _______ which __________ upon the ________ to bear _________.

3. Mohammad thinks we _________ not __________ American gun owners who _____ absolutely ________ to _____ with this _________, many of whom are _______ to _________ crime from occurring. They carry fire arms for ______-_____________.

4. Right or Wrong ? Justify with elements from the document :

a) Paul thinks the USA is the safest country in the world.

R/W : _____________________________

b) Jared is accused of murder.

R/W : _____________________________

c) We know the reasons for his actions.

R/W : _____________________________

d) It wasn't difficult for him to have access to a gun.

R/W : _____________________________

Gun culture in the USA

 

!!!! This video is extremely satirical. The historical events are real but exaggerated through irony.

I. Tick the dates that you hear in the video :

1. □ 1655   □ 1715    □ 1755   □ 1775

2. □ 1826   □ 1836    □ 1846   □ 1946

3. □ 1751   □ 1851    □ 1871   □ 1971

4. □ 1935   □ 1955    □ 1965   □ 1975

II. Put the 14 events in the right chronological order :

A black woman refused to move to the back of a bus ; Killing the British ; Slave trade ; The KKK was declared an illegal terrorist organization ; Pilgrims went to the New World ; Black people began demanding their rights ; Samuel Colt made fire arms popular ; Native Americans were massacred ; The Second Amendment was passed ; The North won the Civil war and the slaves became free ; The Witch Hunt ; The KKK was formed ; The slaves started rebelling ; The NRA was founded

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.
8.

9.
10.

11.
12.
13.

14.

III. Associate the dates (I.) with the corresponding historical events (II.) :

DATE	EVENT

IV. Right or Wrong ? Circle the correct answer and justify with elements from the video :

1. The Pilgrims went to the New World because they wanted to be protected.

R/W : ___________________________________

2. They considered the Indians as civilized people.

R/W : ___________________________________

3. Some settlers (= colons) thought other settlers were possessed by Satan.

R/W : ___________________________________

4. The Second Amendment forbids people to carry guns.

R/W : ___________________________________

5. White people had slaves because they were lazy.

R/W : ___________________________________

6. There were more White people than Black people in the South of the country.

R/W : ___________________________________

7. A law prevented Black people from having guns.

R/W : ___________________________________

8. The National Rifle Association is against guns.

R/W : ___________________________________

9. The Ku Klux Klan is a terrorist organization.

R/W : ___________________________________

10. White people left for racially diverse neighborhoods.

R/W : ___________________________________

Jake and Elwood

I. General comprehension:

1) Where / in what type of vehicle does the scene take place?
2) What is the relationship between the two men?


II. Detailed comprehension:

1) Complete:

 Jake: What's _____?
Elwood: ______?
Jake: This ______? This _________ _____? Where's the _________? The ________ ? Where's the _________?
Elwood: The ______?
Jake: The ________ we _______ to ______. The Blues_________.
Elwood: I _________ it.
Jake: You _______ the Blues________ for _____?
Elwood: _____. For a ___________.
Jake: A ____________? Okay, I can _____ that. What the ______ is this ?
Elwood: This was a __________. I ________ it ____ at the Mount Prospect City ________ auction last _______. It's an ____ Mount Prospect _________ _____. They were practically ________ them _______.
Jake: Well, ______ you, pal. The ______ I _____ out of _________, my own _______ ______ me ____ in a __________ _____.
Elwood: You _____ _____ it?
Jake: ____. I ______ _____ it.

2) Right or Wrong? Justify with elements from the script.

a) Jake likes the vehicle.
R/W: _____________________________

b) Jake and Elwood have never had a different car.
R/W: _____________________________

c) The vehicle was expensive.
 R/W: _____________________________

3) Why is today special for Jake?

4) What does he blame Elwood  for?

5) What is the effect? □ absurdity   □ humour   □ suspense   □ irony

The Mother Road

A. General comprehension:

1. Nature of the document: __________________________

2. Number of speakers and their accent (American? British?): ___________________

3. Give the real name of the Mother Road: __________________________

B. Part One

1.Tick the passages you hear:

a) It is the first cross-country □ highway   □ away

b) making your □ road   □ own itinerary

c) do it □ when you wanna do it   □ when you gonna do it

d) The Mother Road really offers □ a lot of veracity   □ a lot of variety

2. Tick the correct answer and justify:

The Mother Road offers □ freedom   □ indecision ; Justification: _________________

C. Part Two

1. Name the geographical elements mentioned by the speaker.

Town: _____________________ Lake: _____________________

It is where the Mother Road □ starts □ goes through □ ends

2. Lou Mitchell's is:

a) a wonderful □ dinner   □ diner

b) the best breakfast □ you're gonna have   □ you've ever had

3. Pick out names or titles concerning these elements:

a) Singer: ____________________	b) Prison: ____________________
c) Film: ____________________	d) TV series: ____________________

D. Part Three

1.  The Mother Road goes through numerous states. Make a list of all these states:

2. Name one city and explain its importance.

________________________. It is where the road _______.

3. The road is a ________ of American ____________.

4. Tick what you hear, then complete.

□ Steinbeck    □ Steinway  □ grapes   □ rapes   □ wrap   □ wrath

________________, an American author, wrote a novel entitled _______________________. This novel deals with _____________ coming from the mid-_______ on their way to _______________ in search of a better _______.

5. For the United States, this road is one of the ______ _________.