NATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS CURRICULUM SUPPORT
French
Mike Martin et le Grand Jeu
Advice for Practitioners
[NATIONAL 4]
This advice and guidance has been produced to support the profession with the delivery of
courses which are either new or which have aspects of significant change within the new
national qualifications (NQ) framework.
The advice and guidance provides suggestions on approaches to learning and teaching.
Practitioners are encouraged to draw on the materials for their own part of their continuing
professional development in introducing new national qualifications in ways that match the
needs of learners.
Practitioners should also refer to the course and unit specifications and support notes which
have been issued by the Scottish Qualifications Authority.
http://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/34714.html
Acknowledgement
The publisher gratefully acknowledges permission to use the following sources: image of
teenage girl from
http://us.fotolia.com/microsoftclipart?xc=MP900448566&qu=teenage%20girl%backpack ©
Mehmet Dilsiz – Fotolia; all other images © 2012 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
© Crown copyright 2012. You may re-use this information (excluding logos) free of charge in
any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence,
visit http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ or e-mail:
psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk.
Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain
permission from the copyright holders concerned.
Any enquiries regarding this document/publication should be sent to us at
enquiries@educationscotland.gov.uk.
This document is also available from our website at www.educationscotland.gov.uk.
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MIKE MARTIN ET LE GRAND JEU (NATIONAL 4, FRENCH)
© Crown copyright 2012
Contents
Introduction
4
Summary of the story
6
Details of learners’ questions and activities
9
Answers
13
Learning log and report
19
Transcripts
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MIKE MARTIN ET LE GRAND JEU (NATIONAL 4, FRENCH)
© Crown copyright 2012
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INTRODUCTION
Introduction
Mike Martin et le Grand Jeu
Mike Martin et le Grand Jeu is a set of materials which exemplify possible
approaches to developing a range of listening skills for French at National 4
level.
Introduction
‘Mike Martin et le Grand Jeu’ consists of an audio book in five episodes
about the adventures of a Scottish detective who is working for a French
client. To solve a mystery he has to travel to countries where French is
spoken. Fortunately Mike Martin can speak French because he studied it at
school. All the conversations in the story are in French, while the supporting
narrative is in English.
The dramatic nature of the story ensures that learners can listen for
enjoyment as well as information.
Each episode is accompanied by activities to elicit an understanding of the
listening resource and also a wide range of other activities in talking, reading
and writing to develop language skills. Some of the activities are related
directly to the scripts while others are set in familiar contexts for learners.
The materials provide learners with opportunities to listen, talk, read and
write in French, to apply knowledge of the foreign language, to communicate
and to take part in planning and research.
The integration of skills is an important feature of CfE and these documents
offer practitioners exemplification and guidance on how an integrated, skills
focussed approach to learning and teaching can be delivered in the senior
phase. For example, in Episode 1, the initial listening activity serves as the
basis for the development of writing skills.
The activities provided can be printed in the form of activity booklets or
individual worksheets, or displayed on the whiteboard.
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MIKE MARTIN ET LE GRAND JEU (NATIONAL 4, FRENCH)
© Crown copyright 2012
INTRODUCTION
Websites
For a number of examples there are suggested websites to provide further
information for learners. All of the websites are in French and provide a
wealth of information in the form of video clips, graphics, charts and text.
They enable learners to use different media to view the countries in Martin’s
journey and to explore the topics covered in a motivating and relevant way.
These documents include web links (ie urls) to specific YouTube clips.
Please note the following:
1.
2.
When you click on these web links you are moving away from the
Education Scotland website. Education Scotland is not responsible for
content on external websites.
As YouTube provides an open forum for users to post comments it is
recommended that practitioners check the clips, and any appended
comments, in advance so as to assess suitability before directing
learners to them.
Detective’s assignments (extension tasks)
The detective’s assignment is of a broader and more challenging nature than
the other examples. Learners are asked to carry out assignments and prepare
presentations in French. The tasks provide personalisation and choice,
encouraging learners to use creative and critical thinking. Additionally, by
conducting the research in the target language, learners can develop their
skills in reading and listening for information.
They could be used as classroom projects, homework tasks or adapted to
contribute to the Modern Languages Added Value Assignment.
Meeting learners’ needs
Although these suggestions are intended for National 4 level, the content and
outcomes of the materials are sufficiently challenging, with some adaptation
by the practitioner, to be used with learners working at National 5 leve l or
beyond.
MIKE MARTIN ET LE GRAND JEU (NATIONAL 4, FRENCH)
© Crown copyright 2012
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INTRODUCTION
Themes
There is a strong theme of ‘la francophonie’ (the countries where French is
either the official language or one of the official languages) running through
the materials. Learners will build up an awareness of the influence of French
as a world language and the reasons this came about. As Mike Martin moves
from one country to another, he meets people and learns something about the
way of life and culture of each place he visits.
Self-assessment/reporting to parents
A Learning log for learners is provided at the end of each episode. Learners
can track their progress and self-assess. Alternatively, there is a separate
booklet with the learning logs and a comment box for teachers, taking into
account what the learners have said about themselves. The learning log can
be sent home to parents/carers and there is a box for them t o comment.
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MIKE MARTIN ET LE GRAND JEU (NATIONAL 4, FRENCH)
© Crown copyright 2012
SUMMARY OF THE STORY
Summary of the story
Mike Martin et le Grand Jeu
Episode 1: La femme mystérieuse
Mike Martin is a private detective living and working in Edinburgh. One day
a beautiful and mysterious French woman arrives at his office. Her name is
Désirée and she wants his help to find a laptop which has gone missing from
her mansion in Edinburgh. She believes that the thief has some connection
with a hotel in Paris. She hands Mike an envelope full of money and instructs
him to fly to Paris immediately. When Mike turns around to look out the
window the woman disappears. He hurries after her, but she has gone!
Episode 2: L’arrivée à Paris
At the airport in Paris, Mike discovers that his bag is missing. On his way to
the hotel by taxi he sees many famous sights.
The hotel lobby is splendid. Mike’s room is disappointing because it is small
and basic with shabby towels and a view of the dustbins. He decides to have
his meal in his room.
The meal is delivered by a waitress who seems familiar. Under the s ilver
dome he finds a large white envelope containing a memory stick and a note.
Someone knocks at the door saying that they have brought his missing bag.
When Mike opens the door he sees a black gloved hand and a metal bar. His
head hits the floor…
Episode 3: L’appel à la prière
…When Mike wakes up, to his great surprise he is in a street in Marrake ch.
His head has been injured as a result of the attack at the hotel in Paris.
MIKE MARTIN ET LE GRAND JEU (NATIONAL 4, FRENCH)
© Crown copyright 2012
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SUMMARY OF THE STORY
Mike then meets a little white-haired man who speaks French. The man and
Mike are in front of a mosque and they hear the call to prayer.
The little man goes away and a few minutes later a thin bald man arrives. He
seems to be looking for Mike. The mysterious man thinks that Mike is in
danger and wants to help him. The thin bald man takes Mike to hospital in a
blue car. At the hospital, the doctor speaks to Mike and asks him a few
questions. Mike gets stitches and feels better.
After the hospital, Mike goes to Youssef’s house , where he meets his wife
and children. Youssef’s family is very charming. At the house, Youssef talks
to Mike. Youssef knows Désirée and talks about a problem with cyber
thieves. Désirée is the creator of something which is going to become a
worldwide phenomenon.
Désirée has sent some money for Mike. Youssef has prepared a bag and a
false identity card for Mike. Finally they set off together. Destination la
Réunion!
Episode 4: La marche sur le feu
When Mike and Youssef arrive in La Réunion they are met by a crowd of
photographers, who are there to follow the crew of a film company and a
famous actor, François Binochet.
A driver appears at the airport with several packets of jelly babies for Mike.
He has instructions to take Mike and Youssef to the Océania Hotel.
On the way to the hotel they see a group of people on the beach. They are
taking part in a fire-walking ceremony. In the hotel lobby, they see François
Binochet and his entourage. Youssef suddenly has an idea. A film company
with loads of technical equipment would be an ideal place to hide a lap top.
Youssef and Mike creep towards the trucks outside. Youssef picks the lock of
the boot of the largest one and inside is Désirée’s laptop! They are seen by a
security guard and have to run for their lives towards the beach, dodging
bullets.
They jump in a motor boat to escape. At this moment Mike realises that
Youssef has grabbed the laptop from the boot of the truck. He has nearly
completed his mission! They are heading off into the Indian Ocean towards
the horizon…
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MIKE MARTIN ET LE GRAND JEU (NATIONAL 4, FRENCH)
© Crown copyright 2012
SUMMARY OF THE STORY
Episode 5: Le poète
The French navy has picked up Mike and Youssef from the motor boat.
Youssef has arranged for a military transport plane to take them to Canada.
Mike now realises that Youssef is more than just a Marrakech policeman. On
board the plane, Youssef reveals that he had been watching Mike when he
was attacked at the Paris hotel. Youssef has the memory stick which had gone
missing at that moment. They use the memory stick to open Désirée’s laptop.
Désirée appears in a video clip on the laptop. She has a message for Mike.
She tells him she has invented a video game which will be worth millions of
dollars. A rival company in Canada has been trying to steal the game. The
game is installed in the laptop and Mike knows the secret code to unlock it.
Désirée has left a clue in each country he has visited. If he does not unlock
the computer in time, the game will automatically self-destruct at midnight on
31 July – which is today!
With less than two hours to go, Mike and Youssef land in Montreal. There is
a car waiting for them on the tarmac. They set off for the Sun Life Building
in Montreal where Désirée has a suite of offices. They soon realise that they
are being followed by a mysterious car. Youssef drives at high speed through
the streets, crashing through a barrier and just miss ing a municipal cleansing
truck in a narrow alley. They hear a loud bang behind them as their pursuers
come to a sticky end.
Youssef and Mike come to a halt in Dorchester Square, outside the Sun Life
Building. Only three minutes until the deadline! Mike h as an idea for the
code. All the countries he has visited are French speaking. Youssef types the
word ‘francophonie’ into the laptop. It does not work. What else has Mike
seen in each country? They try ‘jelly babies’. It does not work either. Mike
looks around Dorchester Square desperately seeking a clue. Then he sees
something at the feet of the statue of the Scottish poet, Robert Burns – a pair
of red shoes. With seconds to go he grabs the laptop and types in ‘chaussures
rouges’. It works!
They go into the building and up to the 22nd floor to find Désirée’s offices.
But the beautiful Désirée is not there! A receptionist takes the laptop and
hands Mike a note. In the note Désirée thanks him for his work, tells him that
the receptionist will pay him and wishes him a good journey back to
Edinburgh.
As they turn to leave the telephone rings. To Mike’s amazement it is for him.
A deep chocolaty rich voice speaks to him in Spanish – Hola Señor Martin!
Habla español?
MIKE MARTIN ET LE GRAND JEU (NATIONAL 4, FRENCH)
© Crown copyright 2012
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DETAILS OF LEARNERS’ QUESTIONS AND ACTIVITIES
Details of learners’ questions and activities
In the accompanying suggested learners’ activities there are the following:
Aims
A statement of the aims of each area of work.
Mots clés – a few key words to help learners understand the script and to
build vocabulary.
Questions
A set of questions in English to elicit understanding of the French dialogues.
Résumé (apart from the last episode)
An opportunity for learners to summarise the episodes in English to elicit
understanding of the story and provide a record of it.
Language skills
Exercises to practise talking, reading and writing.
Detective’s assignment
A Suggestion for a presentation about a topic.
Learning log
Learner’s log to keep a record of achievements, including self-assessment.
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MIKE MARTIN ET LE GRAND JEU (NATIONAL 4, FRENCH)
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DETAILS OF LEARNERS’ QUESTIONS AND ACTIVITIES
Contents
Episode
1. La
femme
mystérieuse
Listening
exercises
Key
words
Language skills
exercises
1.Writing: Personal
description
Questions
2. Reading: Odd man
out puzzle
Summary:
gapfilling
exercise
Extension
task
Smoking
Websites
www.tabac.gouv.fr
3. Reading: Numbers
and letters quiz
4. Talking/Listening
for communication:
Describing someone
2. L’arrivée
à Paris
Key
words
5.Talking/Listening
for communication:
Survey about
transport
1. Writing: Personal
description
Pollution in
cities
www.parisinfo.com
www.pariseiffel.com
Multiple
choice
questions
Summary:
complete
the
sentences
2. Reading:
Description of hotel
3. Writing: Email to
hotel manager
4. Talking: Virtual
tours of Paris and
home town
5. Writing: Web page
tourist information
www.baudelet.net/paris/t
our-eiffel.htm
www.arc-detriomphe.monumentsnationaux.fr
www.actuenvironnement.com
www.airparif.asso.fr
MIKE MARTIN ET LE GRAND JEU (NATIONAL 4, FRENCH)
© Crown copyright 2012
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DETAILS OF LEARNERS’ QUESTIONS AND ACTIVITIES
3. L’appel
à la prière
Key
words
True/false
questions
4. La
marche
sur le feu
Summary:
sort out
French
and make
notes in
English
Key
words
Questions
Summary:
write in
English
1. Reading: Marrakech
Healthy
living
2. Reading: Time
line/Morocco
www.jeunes.gouv.fr
www.sports.gouv.fr
3. Talking:
presentation on
Marrakech
4. Talking/Listening
for communication:
Healthy eating
1. Talking/Listening
for communication:
PowerPoint
presentation for travel
agency
www.tourismemarrakech.org
French film
www.reunion.fr
www.volcan.reunion.fr
www.fr.cinema.yahoo.co
m
2. Writing: CV for
holiday job
3. Writing: email to
employer
5. Le
poète
‘À vous’:
guess the
ending
Key
words
Questions
4. Talking/Listening
for communication:
ordering a meal;
holiday job as
waiter/waitress
1. Reading: French
explorers
Holidays
and travel
www.parisinfo.com
2. Reading: role of
women in early Canada
3. Writing: poster for
Montreal
4. Writing: personal
description of
characters in play
5. Talking: script for
drama competition;
greetings and
conversation
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MIKE MARTIN ET LE GRAND JEU (NATIONAL 4, FRENCH)
© Crown copyright 2012
www.reunion.fr
www.tourismemarrakech.org
www.tourismemontreal.org
ANSWERS
Answers
Episode 1
Listening
1.
It was raining heavily. She forgot her umbrella. Her hair is soaking.
2.
He does not need a tan.
3.
Her laptop.
4.
It contains contacts and information essential for her work .
5.
Plumber, builder, nurse, government official .
6.
To remind her of France.
7.
Hotel receipt for hotel in Paris found at scene of crime .
8.
2000 euros.
9.
Hotel in Paris.
10. Two shirts, two pairs trousers, one jacket, one coat, (comfortable)
shoes, underwear, toiletries (any five).
Résumé
Detective, French, laptop, hotel, money, Paris, window
Exercise 1
Jeune, grande, blonds, bleus, visage, blanc, manteau, rouges
Exercise 2
Parrot – it is the only bird among all the animals.
Learner – the others are all paid professions.
Bicycle – the others all require fuel/it is eco-friendly.
Portugal – the others all have French as an official language.
Exercise 3
1.
88
2.
c
3.
yesterday, headlamp/lighthouse, French speaking
MIKE MARTIN ET LE GRAND JEU (NATIONAL 4, FRENCH)
© Crown copyright 2012
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ANSWERS
Episode 2
Listening
1A, 2B, 3C, 4B, 5C, 6B, 7A, 8A, 9B, 10B, 11A, 12C, 13A, 14C, 15B, 16B,
17C, 18A
Résumé (accept similar answers)
At the airport in Paris Mike discovers that his bag is missing.
On his way to the hotel by taxi he sees many famous sights.
The hotel lobby is splendid.
Mike’s room is disappointing because it is small and basic with shabby
towels and a view of the dustbins.
He decides to have his meal in his room.
The meal is delivered by a waitress who seems familiar.
Under the silver dome he finds a large white envelope containing a memory
stick and a note.
Someone knocks at the door saying that they have brought his m issing bag.
When Mike opens the door he sees a black gloved hand and a metal bar.
His head hits the floor.
Exercise 2
Where it is: overlooking the Tuileries Gardens.
Atmosphere in hotel: good-natured, prestigious.
Décor and atmosphere in rooms: luxurious, oasis of calmness and space.
Equipment in rooms: air-conditioning, interactive TV system, internet access,
several phone lines.
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MIKE MARTIN ET LE GRAND JEU (NATIONAL 4, FRENCH)
© Crown copyright 2012
ANSWERS
Episode 3
Listening
1.
True
2.
True
3.
False
4.
True
5.
False
6.
False
7.
False
8.
False
9.
True
10. False
11. False
12. True
13. True
14. False
15. False
16. True
17. True
18. False
19. True
20. True
Résumé (a)
(Teachers could provide sheets for learners to cut up and rearrange.)
5, 3, 1, 2, 4, 8, 6, 7
Résumé(b)
Accept any suitable versions.
Exercise 1
1.
Fourth largest city in Morocco.
2.
Red city, pearl of the south, gateway of the south, o chre city.
3.
Exotic perfumes, spices, jewellery.
4.
Koutoubia mosque, Bahia palace, Majorelle garden, to find quietness .
5.
Spicy.
6.
Snake charmers.
Exercise 2
1.
France and Spain
2.
44 years
3.
15/2/1956: Mohammed ben Youssef went to France to discuss
independence for Morocco.
7/3/1956: Independence announced, Mohammed became King .
MIKE MARTIN ET LE GRAND JEU (NATIONAL 4, FRENCH)
© Crown copyright 2012
15
ANSWERS
7/4/1956: Mohammed V and General Franco of Spain sign agreement to
end Spanish rule in Morocco.
Episode 4
Listening
1.
Croissants, hot chocolate.
2.
A volcano.
3.
A famous French actor.
4.
He received an email from Mike and Youssef’s colleague.
5.
(Oceania) hotel.
6.
Fire-walking.
7.
Not interested/not his thing.
8.
It’s too hot, fresh water.
9.
In the trucks holding the film crew’s equipment .
10. The serial number.
11. Youssef starts the engine and they head off to sea.
12. He does not know how to operate a motor boat .
13. Sharks, sea snakes, pirates.
14. Comedies and American series.
15. They do not have computers.
Résumé
Learner writes own summary in English, then self-corrects by comparing it
with the summary provided on the next page.
Episode 5
Maintenant à vous
Learners work in pairs to read English summary of story so far and invent an
ending. Then listen to episode to compare their idea with story.
Listening
1.
Switch on the laptop.
2.
Youssef had been watching Mike in Paris hotel. Memor y stick had
fallen to the floor when Mike was attacked and Youssef had taken it.
3.
It only works on Désirée’s laptop.
4.
A video game.
5.
A rival Canadian company.
6.
She has left him a clue in each country he has visited .
7.
Game will automatically self-destruct.
8.
Montreal.
9.
‘Captain’. He is an important person in the military .
10. Wednesday 31 July, 22.10/10.30.
11. To avoid drawing attention to themselves.
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MIKE MARTIN ET LE GRAND JEU (NATIONAL 4, FRENCH)
© Crown copyright 2012
ANSWERS
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
Skyscraper.
Centre of town.
22nd.
11.30.
10 minutes.
Headlights on full.
Too fast, he cannot think.
No room to pass cleansing truck, they might crash.
(nearly) 11.55.
First skyscraper built in Canada, biggest building in British Empire
when it was built.
Each country he has visited had French as an official language .
Jelly babies.
Chaussures rouges/red shoes.
A pair of red stilettos.
Give Mike a letter, take the laptop.
A packet containing a considerable sum of money.
She says in the letter ‘until next time’.
Nobody knows him in Canada.
Spanish.
Exercise 1
Jacques Cartier
1.
To look for new countries.
2.
King François I.
3.
St Laurent Valley.
4.
The Iroquois Indians.
5.
He thought the Iroquois word kana:ta was the name of the country. In
fact it was their word for town or village.
Samuel de Champlain
1.
Sailed to Canada/founded Quebec.
2.
Disappeared, descendants were living with other tribes .
3.
To show that it belonged to France. (any suitable answer)
Exercise 2
1.
The first immigrants were men; they needed wives to found the colony.
2.
Women who agreed to go and live in the new colony.
3.
The new French colony could not succeed without them so they were
helping their country.
4.
They became wives and mothers, the colony survived. (any suitable
answer)
5.
They all spoke French as their mother tongue . Canada became one of
the first ‘pays francophone’ in the world outside of France.
MIKE MARTIN ET LE GRAND JEU (NATIONAL 4, FRENCH)
© Crown copyright 2012
17
ANSWERS
Blank CV for use with Episode 4: Exercise 2
Nom et adresse :
Objectifs :
Expériences professionnelles :
Formation :
Compétences spécifiques :
Passions :
18
MIKE MARTIN ET LE GRAND JEU (NATIONAL 4, FRENCH)
© Crown copyright 2012
LEARNING LOG AND REPORT
Learning log and report
Mike Martin et le Grand Jeu
Name______________________________________ Class_______________
Instructions
Use this booklet to keep a record of your work.
When you have finished your teacher will add a comment and you can take it
home as a report.
Learner’s comment
Practitioner’s comment
Parent/Carer’s comment
MIKE MARTIN ET LE GRAND JEU (NATIONAL 4, FRENCH)
© Crown copyright 2012
19
LEARNING LOG AND REPORT
Mike Martin Episode 1 Learning Log
Name______________________________________ Class_______________
Activities
Assez
bien
bien
Très
bien
bien
Très
bien
I can listen to and understand a story in French
I can write a description in French of a character in
the story
I can read and understand a French puzzle
I can read and understand a French quiz
I can talk in French about what someone looks like
I can conduct a survey in French about types of
transport and analyse the results
Detective’s Assignment
I can give a presentation in French about smoking
and health
What went well
Even better if
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MIKE MARTIN ET LE GRAND JEU (NATIONAL 4, FRENCH)
© Crown copyright 2012
Assez
bien
LEARNING LOG AND REPORT
Mike Martin Episode 2 Learning Log
Name______________________________________ Cla ss_______________
Assez
bien
bien
Très
bien
Assez
bien
bien
Très
bien
MIKE MARTIN ET LE GRAND JEU (NATIONAL 4, FRENCH)
21
Activities
I can listen to and understand a story in French
I can write a description in French of a character in
the story
I can read and understand information in French
about a hotel
I can write an email in French to organise
accommodation in a hotel
I can talk about the sights of Paris in French
I can talk about a town in my own country in French
I can work with others to design a web page in
French about a famous tourist attraction
Detective’s Assignment
I can give a presentation in French about pollution in
large cities
What went well
Even better if
© Crown copyright 2012
LEARNING LOG AND REPORT
Mike Martin Episode 3 Learning Log
Name______________________________________ Class_______________
Activities
Assez
bien
bien
Très
bien
bien
Très
bien
I can listen to and understand a story in French
I can read and understand information in French
about Marrakech
I can read and understand historical facts in French
about Morocco
I can work with a group to prepare and deliver a
presentation in French about Marrakech
I can talk in French about healthy eating
I can interview someone in French about healthy
eating
Detective’s Assignment
I can give a presentation in French about a Healthy
Lifestyle
What went well:
Even better if:
22
MIKE MARTIN ET LE GRAND JEU (NATIONAL 4, FRENCH)
© Crown copyright 2012
Assez
bien
LEARNING LOG AND REPORT
Mike Martin Episode 4 Learning Log
Name______________________________________ Class_______________
Assez
bien
bien
Très
bien
Assez
bien
bien
Très
bien
MIKE MARTIN ET LE GRAND JEU (NATIONAL 4, FRENCH)
23
Activities
I can listen to and understand a story in French
I can prepare a Power Point presentation in French
about La Réunion
I can produce a CV in French
I can write an email in French asking for details
about a holiday job in La Réunion
I can play the part of a French speaking waiter in a
Hotel in La Réunion
I can order a meal in French in a hotel restaurant in
La Réunion
Detective’s Assignment
I can give a presentation in French about a French
film
What went well:
Even better if:
© Crown copyright 2012
LEARNING LOG AND REPORT
Mike Martin Episode 5 Learning Log
Name______________________________________ Class_______________
Activities
Assez
bien
bien
Très
bien
bien
Très
bien
I can listen to and understand a story in French
I can read and understand information in French
about the discovery of Canada
I can read and understand information in French
about the role of women in Canada long ago
I can work with others to design a poster in French
for Montreal
I can write in French about characters for a detective
story
I can write a script in French and take part in a
drama competition
Detective’s Assignment
I can give a presentation in French about holidays and
travel
What went well:
Even better if:
24
MIKE MARTIN ET LE GRAND JEU (NATIONAL 4, FRENCH)
© Crown copyright 2012
Assez
bien
TRANSCRIPT – EPISODE 1: LA FEMME MYSTÉRIEUSE
Transcripts
Episode 1: La femme mystérieuse
MM (voice over) – My office was in a damp, dark basement on the wrong
side of town. A tap drip drip dripped relentlessly from a rusty tap in the
corner and I sat alone at my desk, tapping my blunt-ended pencil against the
edge of the table, wishing that I had not chosen this dead -end career. The life
of a private eye was not all that I had imagined. Ten years on , the adventure,
the travel, the beautiful women and the boundless amounts of cash had been –
up until now – somewhat elusive.
The handle turned slowly. This must be her. My only appointment of the day.
Another sad divorce, or another long-lost child.
D – Bonjour Monsieur Martin.
MM – Hello miss… eh…
D – Désirée Monsieur, only Désirée, nothing more. Do you speak French? My
English is very poor.
MM – Yes, a little... oui…un peu…
MM (voice over) – She had a body like a catwalk model and a face like a
beauty queen, but her hair was wet and her make-up ruined. The strange thing
was her red stiletto shoes appeared to be completely dry.
D – Quel temps affreux M. Martin. Il pleut, il pleut des cordes. Je regrette
d’avoir laissé mon parapluie. J’ai les cheveux trempés et j’avais du mal à
avancer avec ce vent.
MM – Moi aussi, je préférerais faire bronzette à la plage.
D – Vous n'avez pas besoin de bronzer. Vous êtes déjà beau.
MM (voice over) – Beau … beau… that means handsome… vous êtes… you
are …this French Mademoiselle was laying it on thick and I didn’t need to be
Inspector Clouseau to work out that she wanted something from me and she
wasn’t going to have to work too hard to get it either ! Still, she used ‘vous’ to
address me, not ‘tu’ so she obviously didn’t see me as a friend… at least not
yet!
I couldn’t help but be flattered by such a comment from a woman like her and
I felt my cheeks redden.
MM – Alors, que puis-je faire pour vous... Désirée?
MIKE MARTIN ET LE GRAND JEU (NATIONAL 4, FRENCH)
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TRANSCRIPT – EPISODE 1: L’ARRIVÉE À PARIS
D – J’ai un travail pour vous. Un travail que la police a omis de faire. Mon
ordinateur portable a été volé de mon hôtel particulie r au nord de la ville. Il
est vital que je le récupère car il y a des contacts et des informations très
importants dedans. Il est essentiel pour mon travail.
MM (voice over) – Ordinateur portable… laptop… travail… ah… that means
work. Judging by the golden tan and the perfect red nail polish, working was
not something that this jeune française was too used to. So who would steal it
and why would she need it back so desperately?
I had to know what she did for a living.
MM – Et quel genre de travail faites-vous, Désirée?
D – Vous n'avez pas besoin de le savoir, M. Martin.
MM (voice over) – She was holding something back and I was making it my
business to find out what.
MM – Eh bien c'est clair que vous n'êtes pas plombier, ni maçon ni
infirmière. Travaillez-vous pour le gouvernement? Quel genre d'information
se trouve sur votre ordinateur?
D – Trop de questions, M. Martin. Trop de questions. Tout ce que vous devez
savoir est qu'il est important, et que je dois récupérer cet ordinateur.
MM (voice over) – My curiosity aroused , I stood up from my battered leather
armchair and sat on the edge of the desk….perhaps it was time to get more
sociable….
MM – Voulez-vous boire quelque chose, Désirée?
D – Non, non merci. Je ne peux pas rester longtemps, je ne veux pas être vue
dans ce quartier.
MM (voice over) – She obviously wasn’t used to this end of town, but
something else was making her jumpy.
MM – Juste un thé peut-être, ou du café, ou même un Orangina pour vous
faire rappeler la France?
MM (voice over) – For a moment I thought I saw her eyes fill up at little at
the mention of her home country, but she quickly got a grip on herself and
those beautiful blue eyes drilled in to me like cold, hard sapphires.
D – Non, vraiment. Je vous remercie.
MM (voice over) – She stood up. Si élégante, si gracieuse – a thing of beauty
in the dreary, dull place that I called an office.
D – Je sais avec certitude que le voleur est à Paris. Nous avons trouvé cela
sur la scène du vol, mais la police ne l’a pas trouvé bien sûr. C'est un reçu
d'un hôtel, le Maurice à Paris. Vous devez y aller et essayer de trouver ce que
vous pouvez. Il y a dans cette enveloppe 2000 euros. Cela devrait payer le vol
et l'hôtel. Je vous en enverrai plus quand vous en aurez besoin. L'argent n’est
pas un problème. Mes coordonnées sont là aussi. Je vous ai réservé une
chambre à l'hôtel pour demain soir, j'espère que cela ne vous dérange pas.
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TRANSCRIPT – EPISODE 1: LA FEMME MYSTÉRIEUSE
MM – Non, non, mais...
D – Plus de questions! Emportez avec vous un petit sac seulement. Deux
chemises, deux pantalons élégants, une veste et un manteau, ainsi que des
chaussures confortables .... et bien sûr... vos sous-vêtements et articles de
toilette. Voyagez léger et, M. Martin, rappelez - vous ... gardez les yeux et les
oreilles grand ouverts.
MM (voice over) – I turned to the window and to reach for a jelly baby. Since
I stopped smoking, I always turned to my multi -coloured friends when I had a
decision to make…and I had so many questions,
MM – Désirée, j'ai besoin de savoir si...
MM (voice over) – I turned around. She had vanished. Vanished into thin air.
All that was left was the lingering scent of her very expensive perfume. I ran
to the door and threw it open ‘Desirée… Desirée…’, but she had gone.
I needed the job… I needed the money… I had no choice.
MM (to himself) – I wonder when the next flight to Charles de Gaulle is…
MIKE MARTIN ET LE GRAND JEU (NATIONAL 4, FRENCH)
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TRANSCRIPT – EPISODE 2: L’ARRIVÉE À PARIS
Episode2: L’arrivée à Paris
MM (voice over) –… and so I found myself at Charles de Gaulle airport. It
was a long time since I had been in Paris, and I intended to make the most of
it. After a 30-minute wait at the carousel, I realised that my bag was well and
truly missing. Queuing was not my favourite pastime, but I waited
nonetheless, somewhat impatiently, at the desk…..
MM – Monsieur, Il me semble que mon sac n’est pas là.... il est perdu...il a
disparu. J’aurais dû le garder avec moi, comme bagage à main.
MM (voice over) – The man was in no hurry. His mood was clearly low. His
face expressionless, his tone nonchalant.
Man – Votre nom?
MM – Michael Martin… Michel Martin.
Man – Comment ça s’écrit?
MM – M-A-R-T-I-N
Man – Numéro de vol?
MM – LF3294
Man – Décrivez, s’il vous plaît!
MM – Je fais un mètre soixante-dix-huit, j’ai les cheveux noirs, les yeux
verts…
Man – Pas une description de vous monsieur… le sac, s’il vous plait, le sac !
MM – Ah je vois. C’est un petit sac noir, rayé rouge. Rien de spécial. Un peu
comme tous les autres – j’imagine qu’on pourrait facilement se tromper…
Man – Qu’est-ce qu’il y a dedans?
MM – Pas grand chose… que des vêtements et des affaires de toilette.
Man – Votre destination Monsieur?
MM – Euh? Destination…?
Man – Où allez-vous loger? Dans un hôtel? Chez un ami? Dans un camping?
MM – Ah, je comprends maintenant … L’hôtel Le Maurice, Rue de Rivoli.
Man – Ça va Monsieur, je le connais. C’est un des meilleurs de la ville.
MM (voice over) – With only the clothes I stood up in and Désirée’s 2000
euros in my wallet, I took a taxi outside the airport and made my way to my
hotel. I was in no mood for a conversation but the taxi driver most certainly
was…
Taxi driver – Bonjour Monsieur – où allez-vous?
MM – Hôtel Le Maurice – Rue de Rivoli
Taxi driver – Entendu! Vous n’êtes pas français Monsieur, vous parlez un peu
la langue?
MM – Oui un peu, je l’ai appris à l’école
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TRANSCRIPT – EPISODE 2: L’ARRIVÉE À PARIS
Taxi driver – C’est votre première visite en France?
MM – Non, j’ai déjà visité Paris il y a longtemps
Taxi driver – C’est une très belle ville monsieur, très animée. Il y a toujours
beaucoup de choses à faire ici à Paris … les concerts, les musées, les
cinémas, les théâtres et surtout les restaurants – on peut bien manger à Paris
vous savez! Il y aussi tous les monuments historiques et les sites
touristiques… et les jardins publiques, les parcs sont magnifiques à Paris. Par
exemple maintenant nous traversons le Bois de Boulogne… derrière vous se
trouve le célèbre hippodrome qui s’appelle Longchamp. Ça vous intéresse?
Vous aimez les chevaux Monsieur?
MM (voice over) – Horse racing had never really been my thing and I was in
no mood for a guided tour.
MM – Euh... pas vraiment… ça ne me dit rien
Taxi driver – Maintenant nous sommes sur l’Avenue de la Grande Armée.
Juste en face se trouve la place Charles De Gaulle et l’Arc de Triomphe.
Vous le voyez? C’est impressionnant, non?
MM (voice over) – I had to admit it was a very impressive sight, but I hadn’t
eaten since breakfast and my attention was more on the cafés that lined the
pavements as we navigated the roundabout and turned into one of the most
famous and elegant avenues in the world – the Champs Elysées. I searched
through my jacket pockets to find a few forgotten jell y babies stuck to the
lining. They would have to do me until dinner time.
Taxi driver – L’hôtel n’est pas loin d’ici. On continue tout droit sur les
Champs Elysées, puis nous allons traverser la Place de la Concorde où on a
coupé les têtes des aristocrates pendant la révolution.
MM (voice over) – History was another subject that didn’t exactly make my
pulse race, but I had to admit that the thought of crowds of people pushing
forward to see the severed, bloody head of some unfortunate comte or
comtesse lifted up for their entertainment made my blood run cold. I shivered
and huddled close to the back seat of the taxi.
Taxi driver – Et voilà Monsieur – La rue de Rivoli, le Jardin des Tuileries se
trouve sur votre droite et voici votre hôtel , Le Maurice, juste en face des
jardins sur votre gauche. Si vous continuez tout droit, vous trouverez Le
Musée du Louvre et après ça, le Pont-Neuf et si vous vous intéressez à
l’architecture…
MM (voice over) – I’d had enough of the old guy’s travelogue so I cut him
off, paid the bill and was left standing on the pavement in fro nt of my hotel.
Looking at the thick green carpet in the lobby and the doorman in his green
and gold livery, I was suddenly aware of my crumpled, shabby suit and my
lack of luggage. The scornful look of the receptionist didn’t help matters
either.
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TRANSCRIPT – EPISODE 2: L’ARRIVÉE À PARIS
I’d read the hotel brochure during my plane journey and the rooms promised
to be as splendid as the entrance and lobby.
MM (reading aloud) – Le Maurice avec sa vue sur le Jardin des Tuileries, est
connu pour son ambiance humour et glamour. 160 chambres décorées dans un
style luxueux. Chacune des chambres est une oasis de calme et d’espace .
Toutes les chambres sont parfaitement équipées et disposent de la
climatisation, d’un système de télévision interactive, d ’un accès Internet haut
débit et de plusieurs lignes téléphoniques.
MM (voice over) – But for me, my room didn’t quite live up to the hype . A
smallish room. A basic room, with a few bars of soap and two rather shabby
towels facing out over the back of the hotel. At 400 euros a night, a view of
the kitchen dustbins wasn’t on – even if it was Michelin-starred rubbish that
spilled out of them. The smarmy receptionist was busy and for the second
time that day, I waited in a queue.
Receptionist – Oui, Monsieur? Que puis-je faire pour vous?
MM – Ma chambre ne me plaît pas. Elle est plutôt petite et pas comme
prévue. Je paie une fortune pour cette chambre et elle est pitoyable. Aussi, la
douche ne fonctionne pas et le tapis est sale.
Rec – Je suis vraiment désolée Monsieur mais vous devriez comprendre...
l’hôtel est complet à cause du Tour de France qui se termine à Paris cette
semaine. Vous avez entendu parler du Tour de France?
MM – Bien sûr que oui! Pour qui me prenez-vous?
Rec – Je m’excuse mais je sais que vous êtes étranger. On accueille des
clients qui viennent de chaque coin du monde pour le Tour. Des gens qui
viennent d’Allemagne, d’Espagne, du Danemark et de la Russie. Il y a aussi
un groupe important d’Ukraine, monsieur. Faire du vélo est une activité trè s
populaire en Ukraine. Avec le plus grand respect, votre réservation a été faite
par e-mail à la dernière minute et malheureusement c’est tout ce qui reste
maintenant.
MM – Alors qu’est-ce vous allez faire?
Rec – Monsieur, je peux vous offrir une réducti on de dix pour cent sur le tarif
de votre chambre et un dîner sans charge.
MM (voice over) – The offer of a free meal reminded me of my rumbling,
empty stomach and the fact that I was out of jelly babies.
MM – Entrée, plat principal et dessert?
Rec (nodding) – Oui, Entrée, plat principal et dessert, Monsieur .
MM – Des boissons aussi?
Rec – Naturellement, Monsieur.
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TRANSCRIPT – EPISODE 2: L’ARRIVÉE À PARIS
MM (voice over) – Satisfied with the offer she had made, I returned to my
room. No clues as yet as to the whereabouts of the laptop. I felt cert ain that
something would get my attention later in the evening, but for now, food. A
meal…
Ravenous and eager to see what the menu could do to satisfy my hunger. I
pressed the button on the phone marked ‘service en chambre’.
MM – C’est la chambre 282. J’aimerais commander s’il vous plait.
Room service – Bien sûr Monsieur – que désirez-vous?
MM (voice over) – At the sound of the word ‘désirez’ my mind drifted back
to that femme fatale who had sent me off on this wild goose chase. My
grumbling belly shook me back to the present and I ordered my meal.
MM – Une soupe à l’oignon...et je voudrais le poulet rôti avec des pommes
de terre et une salade de tomates.
RS– …et comme dessert?
MM – Une mousse au chocolat… et une bouteille d’eau pétillante. Merci.
RS – Je vous en prie Monsieur. A votre service.
MM (voice over) – I had read every last inch of the Paris information pack.
Trips to the Eiffel tower, the wonderful world of Disneyland Paris, so I
switched on the television – just for background noise… for a bit of company.
The newscaster droned on… a serious accident… a murder in the suburbs…
something about an international games company and industrial espionage…
the theft of a long-awaited virtual reality game from…the door knocked.
Ahhh dinner at last.
Waitress – Désolée pour le retard Monsieur.
MM (voice over) – The voice was familiar, but not the face.
MM – Thank you Mademoiselle.
MM (voice over) – She pushed a trolley filled with goodies into my room,
wobbling a little in her red high-heeled shoes. I reached into my pocket to
find an appropriate banknote as a tip, but I looked up and she had left the
room, leaving behind the goodies… I lifted the silver dome to reveal my free
meal…
MM – What’s this?
MM (voice over) – I lifted up a large white, sealed packet. Who could be
sending me a letter? There was no name, no address and as I tentatively
opened the package, I wondered what would be revealed. The faint smell of a
familiar perfume? The first real clue perhaps? The handwriting was elegant,
and in French of course…
MM (reading aloud) – Cette enveloppe contient une clef USB. Vous la
trouverez sans doute très intéressante, surtout quand vous trouverez
l’ordinateur portable. Je serai en contact avec vous au mo ment opportun. A
bientôt…un ami.
MIKE MARTIN ET LE GRAND JEU (NATIONAL 4, FRENCH)
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TRANSCRIPT – EPISODE 2: L’ARRIVÉE À PARIS
MM (voice over) – I reached into the envelope. There was the USB. My
curiosity was stronger than my hunger for the delicious meal that lay before
me. I took the USB to the computer on the workspace in my room. I was just
about to put it into the machine when…
Voice – Monsieur... (KNOCK KNOCK)… monsieur… service...
bagages…votre sac est arrivé.
MM – Un moment s’il vous plait.
MM (voice over) – I left the computer desk and opened the door. A black
gloved hand? A metal bar? The last thing I remembered was the stain on the
thick, green carpet as my head hit the floor.
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TRANSCRIPT – EPISODE 3: L’APPEL À LA PRIÈRE
Episode 3: L’appel à la prière
MM (voice over) – I woke up with the mother of all headaches. My mouth
was dry and my vision blurred… where is this place?... and what was the
racket?
I tried to get to my feet but I had little strength in my legs as I wobbled like a
new-born Bambi. What on earth was wrong with me? My head throbbed
again. I put my hand up to the offending area… I clearly had a massive gash
up there as I felt a gaping hole and had a handful of dried blood . I called to a
little white-haired man as he scurried past…
MM – Monsieur… Monsieur… where am I?
MM (voice over) – He answered in French – was I still in Paris?
Man – Qu’est-ce que vous voulez dire? Vous êtes stupide? Vous êtes devant
la mosquée Koutoubia. C’est l’appel à la prière. Je vais prier… et vous
devriez faire pareil.
MM – Attendez… s’il vous plait… aidez-moi!
MM (voice over) – …but he had hurried away. Koutoubia… Koutoubia? A
Mosque? I’d heard of it… It was coming back to me… could this really be
happening to me? Where was I? Koutoubia… Marrakech!!!
How did I come to be in Marrakech?
From out of the shadows a thin balding man appeared, as if from nowhere. He
was shabbily dressed in what had once been a suit of sorts. He spoke quickly
to me in French but my recent days had helped familiarise me once again to
the language I had only mastered very briefly in my schooldays. Was he
friend or foe? I had no idea but I was in trouble, big trouble and he seemed
like the only person around willing to help.
Thin man – Venez avec moi Monsieur. Vous n'êtes pas en sécurité ici. Vous
êtes en grand danger.
MM – Attendez… attendez… Je dois trouver quelque chose… c’est très
important! Je dois le trouver!
MM (voice over) – I checked my pockets but it was all gone. My wallet, my
money… my passport and the all too mysterious USB stick.
Man – Vous devez m’accompagner tout de suite! Je vais vous emmener dans
un lieu sûr.
MM (voice over) – I was bundled into the back of a dusty blue Citroen and
my new friend drove towards the hospital, blasting his horn at the throngs of
mobylette scooters that seemed to swarm all over every road in this city. The
man had garbled in French and broken English all the way there, but my head
hurt and I was in no mood for small talk. A group of women, covered in black
from head to toe fluttered past me, barely seeming to register my presence. A
pair of sapphire blue eyes seemed to glitter from behind a veil and a flash of
red shoes underneath dark robes, quickly disappeared through the swing
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TRANSCRIPT – EPISODE 3: L’APPEL À LA PRIÈRE
doors of the hospital corridor. The doctor, business-like in his approach to
patient care, arrived to examine me. The bright strip-lighting and white walls
seared my eyeballs as I tried and failed to ignore the jack -hammer in my
head.
Doc – Votre nom?
MM – Michael Martin.
Doc – Votre âge?
MM – J’ai trente-deux ans.
Doc – Vous êtes de quelle nationalité.
MM – Britannique…écossais.
Doc – Votre profession?
MM – Ehm…c’est difficile à dire…détective privé.
Doc – Alors quel est le problème?
MM – Je ne me sens pas bien. J’ai mal à la tête, j’ai mal aux yeux et j’ai soif.
Doc (touching MM’s head) – Ça fait mal?
MM – Oui très mal!
Doc – Vous êtes blessé à la tête mais j’ai besoin de détails supplémentaires
sur vos antécédents médicaux pour que je puisse vous soigner . Etes-vous
diabétique?
MM – Non.
Doc – Avez-vous une maladie cardiaque de toute sorte?
MM – Non.
Doc – Est-ce que vous fumez?
MM – Oui… non… je veux dire je viens d’arrêter. Je mange des bonbons
gélifiés à la place.
Doc – Vous prenez d’autres médicaments?
MM – No.
Doc – Avez-vous des antécédents de maladie cardiaque ou de cancer dans
votre famille?
MM – Comme beaucoup de monde sans doute.
Doc – Vous voyez, vous êtes écossais. Il y a une crise sanitaire dans votre
pays. Les crises cardiaques, le cancer, les accidents vasculaires cérébraux–
vous avez le taux le plus élevé en Europe.
MM (voice over) – I could tell that Scotland’s health record didn’t impress
him, but that wasn’t helping my aching head. I tried to explain…
MM – Nous aimons manger les sucreries, Docteur. Et la nourriture grasse…
les frites, les hamburgers, les saucisses.
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TRANSCRIPT – EPISODE 3: L’APPEL À LA PRIÈRE
Doc – Hmm…voyons … vous devriez éviter tout cela et manger cinq portions
de fruits et de légumes par jour. Allez, vous allez vous rétablir… cette fois…
mais faites attention.
MM (voice over) – He shot a glance to my rescuer. There was something
fishy going on here but I was in no position to question them. The doctor
stitched the gash in my head and my new friend and I left. My head was
clearer by then but I could barely see out of the filthy windows of the car. We
pulled up outside a high wall, covered in some sort of flowering plant and he
pulled me from the backseat. He was always wary… always scanning the
environment, but for what I did not know. We went through a door in a si destreet into a bright sunlit courtyard, made cooler by the sounds of a trickling
fountain in the centre. I followed him through another door that led into a
shady sitting room with a tiled floor covered by some beautiful but rather
threadbare rugs. He gestured for me to sit down. The sofa had seen better
days. He checked behind pictures and examined his phone. He looked under
plant pots and inside the waste basket. It wasn’t clear what he was looking
for. Eventually he gave me a coffee and sat beside me. He spoke in
whispers…
YM – Je m’appelle Youssef Mansour. Je suis agent de police ici à Marrakech.
Je suis en contact avec beaucoup de gens partout dans le monde, monsieur.
Quand ils m'ont dit que vous étiez ici, j'ai eu tellement peur pour vous... I was
very afraid for you… Les gens avec qui vous êtes devenu impliqué font partie
d'un réseau international de cyber -voleurs. How do you say in English…
cyber thieves? C’est très complexe, mais tout ce que vous devez savoir est
que l'ordinateur portable que vous recherchez a déjà été la cause de
nombreuses morts… you understand … several deaths. L’information qu'il
contient, selon toute probabilité, vaut des milliards de dollars pour des
personnes très influentes. Désirée le cherche depuis un mois maintenant. Elle
est la créatrice de quelque chose qui va devenir un phénomène mondial … a
worldwide phénomène, mon ami.
MM – Et pourquoi devrais-je vous faire confiance?
YM – Vous n’avez pas de choix! Vous n’avez ni argent ni passeport.
MM (voice over) – I heard a front door opening and a gaggle of voices and
laughter spilled into the courtyard outside.
YM (whispering) – Shhh! Ne dites rien de notre conversation, monsieur.
Seulement que vous êtes un de mes collègues. Ma famille est habituée aux
visiteurs.
YM (to his wife who has just entered) – Ah –Marhaba Amina. Viens
rencontrer mon nouveau collègue Michel Martin. Il est policier en Ecosse.
A – As-salâm aleïkoum Monsieur Martin. Hala – bienvenue au Maroc.
MM (voice over) – Her smile was the sweetest thing I’d seen since I’d run
out of jelly babies in Paris. She seemed to light up the room and, behind her,
two children giggled shyly.
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A – Dites bonjour à Monsieur Martin, les enfants. Ne soyez pas timides, il
parle très bien français – pour un écossais! Voici mon fils Hassan et ma fille
Jasmina. Comme moi, ils parlent français et arabe mais malheureusement ils
ne parlent aucun mot d’anglais!
MM – salut les enfants!
H + J– Marhaba – bonjour Monsieur.
MM (voice over) – Amina bustled into the kitchen with her bags. She
continued the conversation though, and the children hugged Youssef .
A – Vous allez rester avec nous M. Martin? Nous avons une chambre d’amis
qui est petite mais confortable.
YM– Non… non chérie… et nous ne dînons pas non plus… Nous avons des
affaires importantes ailleurs. En fait, je vais faire ma valise... Nous serons
partis pour quelques jours.
MM (voice over) – He looked at me and nodded his head. I entered into the
spirit of this game as he left the room…
MM – Merci Madame, vous êtes très gentille mais il faut qu’on parte tout de
suite.
MM (voice over) – I sat alone on the sofa and listened to the family go about
their business. After what seemed like an eternity, and a hushed argument
between Youssef and Amina, he emerged from his room with a bag. My
friend Youssef was well set up here – a real family, a lovely wife, nice kids,
and a good place to lay his head – at least he had people who would miss him.
Somehow amidst this family, surrounded by the rush of a busy city, I felt
alone, completely alone.
YM– Je t’ai préparé un sac et une fausse carte d’identité. J'ai aussi une
somme d'argent que Désirée m’a envoyé ce matin pour toi.
MM (voice over) – Youssef had given up on using ‘vous’ with me and was
now addressing me as ‘tu’. Something had shifted in our relationship – maybe
he was a friend after all?
MM – Je te remercie. Il me semble que tout est très bien organisé... Mais où
allons-nous?
YM– A la Réunion...
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TRANSCRIPT – EPISODE 4: LA MARCHE SUR LE FEU
Episode 4: La marche sur le feu
MM (voice over) – As the plane circled over the Indian Ocean, the ‘Fasten
your seatbelt’ sign lit up and the cabin crew made their arrangements for
landing. I glanced back at our fellow passengers on the Air France flight. The
usual bunch of tourists, necks straining to catch their first glimpse from the
window of the paradise island beneath them. Youssef was asleep beside me,
snoring lightly and dribbling into the tiny standard issue pillow that the cabin
crew handed out to economy passengers. I glanced across the aisle to the
honeymooners in the next row who giggled togeth er and stroked each other’s
hair. I tried to ignore the stab of envy that rose up inside me.
I picked up the inflight magazine to pass the final half -hour of the flight and
reread for the third time an article about the exotic place where my
adventures had led me.
MM (reading aloud) – C’est magnifique! Après un vol long-courrier, vous
descendrez de l'avion et vous serez chaleureusement accueillis. Ensuite, vous
prendrez un petit déjeuner ; des croissants et du chocolat chaud. Au premier
regard, la Réunion est comme un morceau de la France téléporté vers les
tropiques.
Ayant une géographie étonnante et diverse, le paysage va de champs de lave à
une forêt vierge luxuriante. .Le volcan du piton de la Fournaise est un des
plus accessibles volcans actifs au monde. Vous pourrez peut-être même voir
jaillir la lave rouge-feu du volcan.
MM (voice over) – Volcanoes… that sounds dangerous!!!
Stewardess – Mesdames et messieurs, nous venons d’arriver à l’aéroport St
Denis de la Réunion.
MM (voice over) – The hot, tropical wind hit us in the face like a furnace.
Ahead of us and already entering the cooled air of the airport were the firstclass passengers. Suddenly a million light bulbs seemed to go off at once as
photographers and pressmen surged forwards to greet a tall, unshaven longhaired guy who strutted ahead a few metres in front of us. It wasn’t the kind
of reception I was used to and I was glad that it wasn’t meant for us. Still, my
curiosity was piqued.
YM – Tu ne le connais pas? Tu ne regardes jamais de films français?
MM (voice over) – French cinema was high up on my list of things I knew
nothing about.
YM – C’est François Binochet – un acteur très connu! Évidemment, il tourne
un film ici… et un plateau de cinéma… a film set… c’est l’endroit parfait si
l’on veut cacher un ordinateur portable!
MM (voice over) – To my surprise, a driver was waiting for us at arrivals,
holding a card with our names printed on it and several packets of jelly
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TRANSCRIPT – EPISODE 4: LA MARCHE SUR LE FEU
babies for me! Youssef didn’t look in the slightest bit taken aback and I
followed them both out to where a shiny new Renault was waiting for us.
Driver – Bienvenue à la Réunion! Votre collègue m’a envoyé un mail pour
confirmer votre réservation à l’hôtel Océanie. Vous avez de la chance :
François Binochet et tous les gens qui tournent le film sont là aussi.
MM (voice over) – I shot a look at Youssef… colleague? As far as I knew we
didn’t have a colleague. Désirée, perhaps? It seemed a coincidence that we
were in the same hotel as the Binochet guy… and I didn’t believe in
coincidences!
Driver – Regardez messieurs – voilà le piton de la Fournaise, le volcan!
MM (voice over) – The sun was setting and night crept in. The heat was still
stifling and I felt a bead of sweat run down my spine. The sky was streaked
black and red – maybe the sunset, maybe the volcano, but it seemed to fill my
soul with a dread of approaching danger.
We neared the coast; I could see the sea glittering in the moonlight. A group
of people were gathered on the beach. As we grew closer, singing and
drumming filled the night and flaming torches lit the night sky. I was hungry
again…
MM – Qu’est-ce c’est? Un barbecue?
Driver (laughing) – Non Monsieur Martin… c’est la marche sur le feu! C’est
une ancienne coutume ici à la Réunion. Une cérémonie grandiose qui est
d’origine indienne. Vous n’en avez jamais entendu parler ? On marche sur des
braises.
MM (voice over) – He pulled the car over and we ventured into the night to
get a closer look. The drums throbbed out a rhythmic beat. Men and women
dressed in colourful robes ran and danced across the white hot coals in bare
feet. How was it possible?
Driver – Vous ne voulez pas essayer Monsieur Martin? Quelque fois les
touristes aiment le faire!
MM (voice over) – The memory of my bash on the head had not yet faded and
I wasn’t going looking for any more pain.
MM – Euh non merci… je peux m’en passer… la marche sur le feu, ce n’est
pas vraiment mon truc!
MM (voice over) – I nearly stumbled over a pile of shoes, no doubt discarded
by the fire-walkers as we made our way back to the car. Among the pile of
leather flip-flops, a pair of red stilettos peeked out…
Youssef let out a long, low whistle as we reached the hotel. Built in the
colonial style, this was my second five star hotel since leaving Edinburgh. It
was a lifestyle that I certainly could get used to…
In the lobby François Binochet, preened himself and bathed in the attention of
his entourage.
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TRANSCRIPT – EPISODE 4: LA MARCHE SUR LE FEU
FB – Non! Non! NON! Je ne supporte pas cette chaleur ! Je n’arriverai pas à
dormir! Je ne pourrai pas travailler demain matin. Amenez-moi de l’eau
fraiche… je me sens un peu faible! Je vais être malade!
YF – Il se comporte comme un enfant gâté! Je ne savais pas qu’il était si
exigeant!
MM (voice over) – Binochet’s flunkies ran around after him, granting his
every whim. His security team, men the size of houses, stood stony-faced and
menacing to the left and right of him. These guys might not look too smart
but I wouldn’t fancy saying that to their faces – I certainly didn’t want a
punch on the jaw from these gorillas. If they had the laptop, they were
welcome to it!
YF – Regarde Michel, regarde!
MM (voice over) – From our place in the lobby, we could see out from the
fancy entrance to the hotel, past the flower beds and a fountain, its jets of
water illuminated in changing colours, to the car park beyond.
Two large trucks were parked at the furthest edge of the car park, ‘Film
France’ written large across their sides. So what? Obviously the production
company had brought their equipment with them from Europe! Nothing
strange there, and as I hadn’t eaten since the inflight lunch, my mind was
more on the air-conditioned seafood restaurant that I’d spotted near the
entrance to the hotel.
YM – Je te parie que l’ordinateur sera là! C'est le moyen idéal de faire passer
un ordinateur volé en contrebande.
MM (voice over) – Okay, I was starting to think that my Moroccan friend
might have a point. A camera crew would have loads of technical gear with
them, including laptops. Sometimes the most obvious place could make the
best hiding place. My heart pounded in my ears as we crept up to the trucks
and I held my breath as Youssef picked the lock on the larger of the two. He
had obviously done this before…
YF – Regarde Michel, je pense que c’est celui-là! Regarde! Un ordinateur
portable BR4216 – exactement comme Désirée l’a décrit.
MM (voice over) – Suddenly I noticed a shadow moving behind the truck –
and it was a big shadow. I heard a click that made the blood run cold in my
veins.
MM (whispering) – Youssef, ferme le coffre! Sortons d’ici!
YF – Un moment! Je vais vérifier…
Shadow – Hey vous deux…écartez-vous! Vous ne savez pas ce que vous
faites!
MM (voice over) – Our cover blown, lungs on fire, dodging bullets, we ran
for our lives towards the beach, and ran along a short, wooden jetty towards
where a small motor boat was moored. Youssef tried to start the motor and on
the third attempt, it spluttered into life.
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TRANSCRIPT – EPISODE 4: LA MARCHE SUR LE FEU
MM – Je ne savais pas que tu pouvais conduire un bateau à moteur.
YF – Moi non plus! Mais j’apprends très vite!
MM (voice over) – The noise of the bullets and the shouts from the beach
faded as we headed out to sea. I was no sailor and sight of dry land
disappearing behind me did not fill me with confidence.
MM – Tu penses qu’il y a des requins?
YF – Michel – c’est l’Océan Indien, bien sûr, il y a des requins – et des
serpents de mer – et des méduses venimeuses! Sans parler des pirates…
MM – Pirates!!!
YF – Oui ils sont plutôt communs dans l’Océan Indien. Tu n’as pas vu les
infos à la télé?
MM – Euh… non… je ne regarde pas souvent les infos… je préfère les
comédies et les séries américaines!
YF – Il faut que tu fasses un peu plus de recherche sur Internet!
MM – Ne sois pas ridicule… ici en pleine mer… les poissons n’ont pas
d’ordinateurs portable tu sais!
YF – Mais nous oui… pour l’instant…
MM (voice over) – I looked down to where Youssef was pointing and there
lying in the bottom of the boat was the missing laptop. In the dark with all the
noise and commotion, I hadn’t seen my crafty pal grab the computer from the
back of the truck, just as we started to run for our lives. For the moment it
was in our possession, but there were plenty of others who wanted it too…
I looked out towards the horizon, to where the heavens met the sea. Millions
of stars lit the night sky and I was suddenly struck by how small we were,
how terribly, hopelessly small.
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TRANSCRIPT – EPISODE 5: LE POÈTE
Episode 5: Le poète
The engines of the Transall C-160 droned in my ears. Not that I wasn’t
grateful that the French navy had picked us up from the middle of the Indian
Ocean – otherwise we would have been fish bait! It struck me how little I
knew about my companion Youssef Mansour. He seemed to be in a position
to make things happen. It had taken him only an hour to arrange a military
transport plane to take us to Canada and I was sure that I had seen the p ilot
salute him as we had boarded the military plane. Questions buzzed in my
head like a swarm of bees – Who was he? Who did he work for? Interpol?
The French military? DGSE, France’s secret service? Why was he so sure we
had to go to Canada? One thing was for sure, with connections like his, he
was no ordinary Marrakech policeman.
YF – Nous sommes en sécurité ici! Jetons un coup d’œil sur l’ordinateur!
MM (voice over) – I pressed a switch and the laptop sprung into life. Now
what?
YF – Voilà la clef USB.
MM (voice over) – I looked at him in astonishment. How did he know about
it? How had he found it?
YF – Je l’ai trouvée dans ta chambre à Paris. Je t’ai surveillé mais je suis
arrivé trop tard. Heureusement, elle était tombée par terre et les hommes qui
t’ont frappé ne l’ont pas vue.
MM (voice over) – I didn’t know if I was being played and I didn’t like it.
Youssef had been in Paris? I liked things neat and tidy; there were too many
loose ends here and it looked like I was the patsy that tied them together .
YF – La clé est protégée par un système de sécurité complexe. Elle ne
fonctionne que dans cet ordinateur. J’ai essayé de l’utiliser quand nous étions
à Marrakech, mais c’était impossible.
MM (voice over) – As soon as he plugged the stick into the port, a file
opened and an all too familiar face appeared. If possible, she was even more
beautiful on the screen than in real life. I reminded myself of the trouble
she’d caused me, but she had the face of an angel and I was a forgiving sort
of guy!
D – Salut Michel! Si vous regardez ce clip vidéo, vous avez trouvé
l’ordinateur – félicitations et merci! Je suis française mais mon entreprise se
trouve à Montréal. J’ai créé un jeu vidéo qui va changer le monde pour
toujours. Le jeu est installé sur cet ordinateur. Une société rivale au Canada
veut voler mon idée donc je l’ai protégée par un code spécial. Michel, vous
connaissez le code – je vous ai laissé un indice dans chaque pays que vous
avez visité.
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TRANSCRIPT – EPISODE 5: LE POÈTE
MM (voice over) – So that was it – industrial espionage! I didn’t know much
about video games, but this one could change the world forever!!! I knew
even less about secret codes and as for clues – well I was clueless!
D – Vous êtes à court de temps Michel. Si vous ne tapez pas le code, le jeu va
s’autodétruire le trente et un juillet à minuit. C’est très important Michel. Ce
jeu vaut des millions de dollars et vous êtes en danger. Je vous rencontrerai
tout à Montréal et faites attention!
MM (voice over) –The screen faded and she was gone… before I could say
anything to my companion, one of the crew from the cockpit appeared beside
us and addressed him.
Crewman – Mon Capitaine! Nous atterrirons à Montréal St Hubert dans
trente-sept minutes.
MM (voice over) – More salutes… Mon Capitaine? Just who was this guy? I
tried to pull my thoughts together but five countries in almost as many days
had left me jet-lagged and as confused as a cow on astro- turf!
MM – Quel jour on est?
YF – Vendredi, trente et un juillet.
MM – Et il est quelle heure maintenant?
YF – Vingt-deux heures dix précisément.
MM (voice over) – So this was it! We had less than two hours to solve the
clue, save the game and find the elusive Désirée! There was no passport
control, no luggage carrousel and no customs control for us at this airport.
Instead we were escorted by a couple of uniformed types to where a small,
ordinary family salon was waiting for us on the Tarmac.
YF – Nous ne devons pas attirer l'attention de nos ennemis. Il se peut qu’ils
ne sachent pas que nous sommes ici à Montréal.
MM (voice over) – I certainly hoped they didn’t know we had landed and I
wasn’t about to advertise the fact that we were here. I knew first-hand how
far these guys would go to get the laptop and the code that would reveal its
secrets. Memories of Paris and la Réunion lightening-flashed through my
mind – we were dealing with heavy-duty gangsters and I didn’t want to end
up as another statistic!
MM – Où allons-nous?
YF – À l’édifice de Sun Life. C’est un gratte-ciel au centre-ville. Les bureaux
de Désirée se trouvent au vingt-deuxième étage. On doit se dépêcher – il est
déjà onze heures et demie. As-tu découvert le code?
MM (voice over) – I racked my brains. What had happened in each country?
What clues were there? I reached into my pocket and my fingers found the
last of my jelly babies. I popped them in my mouth looking for inspiration…
YF – Ah non!
MM – Qu’est-ce qu’il y a?
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TRANSCRIPT – EPISODE 5: LE POÈTE
YF – La même voiture est derrière nous depuis au moins dix minutes.
Regarde la voiture est en plein phares. Je pense qu’ils sont sur notre piste. Je
vais essayer de les semer.
MM (voice over) – I glanced over my shoulder to see two headlights
illuminate the darkness behind us. My eyes, dazzled by the lights, couldn’t
make out the car’s occupants but it didn’t take Sherlock Holmes to work it
out.
YF – Il y a un carrefour juste devant. Je vais brûler les feux rouges.
Accroche-toi!
MM (voice over) – Youssef hit the accelerator and we ran the lights. Cars
swerved to avoid hitting us and horns blasted. Youssef didn’t slow down and
the headlights were still behind us.
YF – As-tu découvert le code secret?
MM – Non, je ne peux pas y penser! Un indice elle a dit! Dans chaque pays!
YF – Il faut réfléchir! Vite, Michel il est minuit moins le quart. On a un quart
d’heure avant que le jeu s’autodétruise. C’est très important! C’est vital que
tu réfléchisses.
MM – J’y arrive pas – tu roules trop vite!
YF – Je ne peux pas faire autrement. Ils sont toujours là, derrière nous. Nous
sommes presque au centre-ville.
MM (voice over) – I shot a look behind. Ahead, the road was marked with a
sign ‘Travaux – Déviation’, the full beam of the headlights were bearing
down on us, nearer and nearer to the back bumper of our car.
MM – Youssef! Attention! La route est barrée. On ne peut pas…
Mm (voice over) – My friend gunned the accelerator again and smashed
through the barrier. A sharp right turn and we avoided a huge crater in the
road. The car behind stuck like glue to our bumper. A twist to the left and we
entered a narrow alley. In front of us, the headlights of a municipal clea nsing
truck blasted our eyes. Youssef pulled out to overtake.
MM – Non, Youssef, attention! Tu ne peux pas passer. Il n’y a pas assez de
place! On va s’écraser.
MM (voice over) – A screech of metal burned my ears as we hurtled through
the narrow gap between the truck and the wall and shot out into the traffic on
Boulevard René-Lévesque. A loud bang told us that the thugs behind us
lacked Youssef’s advanced driving skills.
YF –Ouf, c’était moins une! Oh là là, il est presque minuit moins cinq! On
n’a que cinq minutes. Le code… le code!
MM (voice over) – I had never seen my friend look more hopeless as he
brought the car to a halt in Dorchester Square. Tourists thronged around the
square.
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TRANSCRIPT – EPISODE 5: LE POÈTE
YF – Voilà L’immeuble Sun Life – c’était le premier gratte-ciel construit ici
au Canada. A l’époque c’était le plus grand bâtiment de l’Empire
Britannique! Nous avons presque réussi!
MM – Ce n’est pas encore fini! Passe-moi l’ordinateur!
MM (voice over) – My brain ached as I searched for the clue…What did all
the countries I had been in have in common…?
MM – Okay, il nous reste trois minutes. Tic-toc… tic-toc… Youssef, j’ai une
idée. Il y a un lien entre tous les pays. La langue officielle de chaque pays est
le français. Peut-être que le code est ‘francophonie’.
MM (voice over) – Youssef grabbed the laptop and started to type.
YF – F-R-A-N-C-O-P-H-O-N-I-E… Zut … non… code invalide… accès
refusé. On a deux minutes Michel…
MM (voice over) – What else was there… What had I done in each country?
My stomach grumbled like a discontented wife. Wait a minute! The only
thing I had eaten in each country was…
MM – C’est peu probable… mais essaie ‘jellybabies’!
YM – Okay. Comment ça s’écrit?
MM – J-E-L-L-Y-B-A-B-I-E-S
YM – Non c’est pas ça… code invalide… accès refusé. C’est trop tard
Michel… c’est impossible!
MM (voice over) – My eyes scanned wildly across Dorchester Square
desperate and frustrated. Tourists, horse and carriage rides, illuminated
sculptures. They rested on the statue of a familiar figure… Robert Burns, a
fellow Scotsman far from home! Something wasn’t right… at his feet…
pooled in the light illuminating his plinth were two objects that had become
recently very familiar to me… Edinburgh… Paris… Marrakech… La
Réunion… I grabbed the laptop…
YM – dix… neuf.. huit…
MM – C-H-A-U-S-S-U-R-E-S
YF – cinq… quatre… trois…
MM – R-O-U-G-E-S… C’est ça! Code accepté. On a réussi… On a réussi!!!
MM (voice over) – Désirée’s office suite lived up to its promise from the
outside. Thick carpets, polished wood and floor to ceiling windows gre eted us
as we exited the lift on the 22nd floor. The view seemed to stretch out forever
across all the landmarks of the city. Way down below us, like a tiny ant stood
the proud statue of Robert Burns where someone had placed a pair of shiny,
red, high-heeled shoes… coincidence? I didn’t think so…
Receptioniste – Je regrette, Messieurs, Madame Désirée n’est pas ici, mais
elle m’a demandé de vous donner cette lettre et de prendre l’ordinateur
portable en main.
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TRANSCRIPT – EPISODE 5: LE POÈTE
MM (voice over) – My heart sank at the thought of not seeing the beautiful
woman who had been the source of all my adventures, but there was
something in the sparkling, sapphire blue eyes of her dark -haired receptionist
that told me she wasn’t too far away.
MM (reading out loud) – Mon cher Michel! Si tu lis cette lettre, sans doute
as-tu trouvé mon ordinateur. Je te remercie. Ma réceptionniste te donnera un
paquet qui contient une somme d’argent importante. Bon retour à Edimbourg,
Michel.
A la prochaine fois,
Désirée.
MM (voice over) – La prochaine fois… the next time?
Things were looking up. I ran my thumb over the crisp, new notes and tucked
behind them, I found a packet of jelly babies. Désirée was a woman who
knew my tastes! As we turned to leave, the telephone rang…
Receptioniste – C’est pour vous Monsieur Martin!
MM – Pour moi, mais personne ne me connaît ici! Allo?
MM (voice over) – A deep chocolaty- rich voice whispered in my ear…
Voice – Hola Señor Martin! ¿Habla español?...
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