GARDEN CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
170 Rockaway Avenue, Garden City, NY 11530-0216
Tel: (516) 478-2000
Fax (516) 294-2639
http://highschool.gardencity.k12.ny.us
Peter J. Giacalone
6-12 World Languages Coordinator
Inspiring Minds
Empowering Achievement
Building Community
June 15, 2015
Dear Student, Parent(s)/Guardian(s):
In order to support the growth of our students over the summer and continue to foster the transition
in World Languages Courses, we will continue with our commitment to develop a meaningful
summer review packet for your child. The packets are designed to review key concepts necessary for
success, not only for these courses, but also for future language courses.
As you know, the ability to communicate in a second language enables us to know the hopes, dreams
and visions of others around the world. The study of World Languages prepares today’s youth for
tomorrow’s opportunities by supporting basic skills instruction, the development of cross cultural
understanding and preparing our youth to enter the global marketplace. Language learning is a
cumulative process. It can be compared to constructing a building out of blocks: you keep building
on top of what you did the day before. If you don’t keep at the job steadily, pretty soon you’re trying
to put new blocks on top of an empty space. Therefore, it is important to keep up with and learn
what is being presented to you about a language day by day.
Should your child need assistance, various resources are available via the Internet; however, your
child should also utilize notes and worksheets that were received throughout the year. We suggest
that the student complete the packet at his/her leisure but strongly recommend that the student not
wait until the very last minute to do so. On Tuesday, September 8, students will be required to
bring the packet to his/her language class and the packet will be reviewed. Teachers will provide
opportunities for students to ask questions and within the first quarter, students will be tested on the
material that was incorporated in the packets. This will serve as a diagnostic tool to help your child’s
teacher assess his/her skills.
The World Languages Department would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your support
during the 2014-2015 school year and we look forward to working with your child in the fall.
Sincerely yours,
Peter J. Giacalone
Mr. Peter J. Giacalone
College French 2015 Summer Assignment
Please complete the following worksheets by September 15, 2014. We ask that you bring them that
day as they will be reviewed in class. Thank you!
This summer, we have an exciting opportunity to begin preparing for your College French course. This summer
packet will help you prepare by reviewing what you've learned, while you do the best that you can to listen,
read and write. Keep in mind that you have the option to take the College French course for up to six college
credits through St. John’s University College Advantage program. I strongly encourage you to take the work in
this summer packet seriously as it will lead to a good start for you in September!
1. Écrire en français (Writing in French)
Choose one of these essay topics and write your composition of bewtwen 200-250 USING ONLY YOUR
BRAIN AS A RESOURCE. Be sure to try to think in French rather than force your English ideas into some
contorted French message. Make an outline or web. Under NO circumstances may you use a translator.
It is ludicrously easy to spot and I will not give you credit for your composition. Remember to use terms
that make your sentences “flow…” Choices:
Topic 1)Comment l’étude d’une langue étrangère (français ou autre) a-t-elle modifié votre perspective
sur le monde et sur vous-même ? Qu’est-ce que vous avez appris ? Comment avez-vous changé ?
Illustrez vos opinions par des exemples précis.
Topic 2) Dans notre société, les personnes célèbres (sportifs, acteurs, changeurs et autres) exercent
souvent une grande influence. A cause de cela, ont-elles des responsabilités particulières
envers le public ? Devraient-elles, selon vous, se comporter de façon exemplaire ? Discutez
en vous servant d’exemples précis.
Topic 3 3) Un proverbe français dit: <<Les voyages forment la jeunesse.>> Selon vous, quel rôle est-ce
que les voyages peuvent jouer dans le développement des jeunes de votre âge?
2. Lire en français (Reading in French)
Search the Internet, go to a French newspaper, and find three articles of your choice from French
newspapers or magazines. The length of each article should be a minimum of six paragraphs (not
counting paragraphs of one or two sentences).
Each article should be on a different topic. Human interest, politics, travel, science, education, editorial,
or sports are a few examples. Print each article. For each article you will complete the worksheet
provided below. Choose one that particularly interests you.
1. Read and then Re-read the article for meaning (you will likely have to do this more than once) and fill
out the Article handout as you re-read.
2. Summarize the content of the article (in 2-3 sentences) to the best of your ability using your own words
(make inferences!) (Dans cet article, il s'agit de...)
3. Feel free to add your own opinions, conclusions, and reflections on the particular article topic you
chose.
3. Include also a list with key words for each article
Please give me a copy of the article with new words highlighted.
Plan on spending one hour for the entire task. If you find yourself spending a lot more time on an article,
try something a bit shorter and limit your dictionary use to the words you absolutely cannot infer from
context.
Here are websites which may help in locating your articles if you choose to do this online. They offer many
possibilities: newspapers and magazines. You may also use www.fr.yahoo.com(French Yahoo)
French-language Newspapers :
Le Monde read the front page and selected articles from Paris' most prestigious daily
newspaper
Libération full text articles from French daily newspaper.
Le Figaro French daily newspaper.
France-Amérique- International edition of Le Figaro published in New York
Les Échos daily French business newspaper
Le Soleil daily newspaper form Québec with some full text articles.
Le Soir Belgian daily newspaper.
French Magazines :
L'Express selected articles from French weekly news magazine.
Le Point French weekly news magazine
l'Expansion French weekly business magazine.
Paris Match French weekly magazine
Pariscope French entertainment weekly
Le Nouvel Observateur French weekly magazine.
FICHE DE LECTURE
Le Titre et la date de l’article :______________________________________________________
Source /Site Internet :______________________________________________________________
Auteur :__________________________________________________________________________
1. Idées principales de l’article : (2 ou 3 phrases):
Dans cet article/cet entretien/ce reportage il s’agit de : ____________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
2. Le point du vue de l’écrivain : (2 ou 3 phrases):
L’écrivain…..présente l’idée (analyse/ critique /cherche à /souligne /met en évidence/ dénonce /insiste sur /
décrit /suggère /s’interroge sur______________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
3. Votre réaction/réponse à cet article (100 mots minimum).
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
Mots clés pour comprendre l’article
1.
4.
2.
5.
3.
3. Visit this website : http://www.transparent.com/tlquiz/proftest/french/tlfretest.htm
and take the online French Proficiency Test. Complete the entire test. Please take the test without the use of
books, websites, notes, or anyone else. Please take this test once. You will not be penalized for a low score.
Instead, I would like to see areas in which we need to spend time. We will take this test periodically throughout
the year as one way of seeing progress made.
*Take the French Proficiency Test
*Record your score and level of proficiency
*Go back to the actual test noting the numbers that you got wrong.
*Write down or cut and paste the questions that you got wrong. Include the answer you selected and the
correct answer.
*Again, please be honest with this.
Grammar Review!
Amener, Emmener, Emporter, Apporter-Écrivez le verbe qui convient!
1. Bonsoir! J' ……………… mon frère . J'espère que ça ne vous dérange pas.(take)
2. Tiens! Ils………………. une bouteille de vin . (bring)
3. Monte ! Je t’……………………. Tu vas où? (bring)
4. Elle part en vacances demain. Elle…………… leurs valises. (bring)
5. Nous………………..les enfants à la piscine. Tu viens? (take)
6. N'oubliez pas d’……………ton linge sale ce weekend. Vous pourrez utiliser ma machine à
laver. (bring)
7. Est-ce que j’ …………….tous tes livres dans ta nouvelle chambre?(take)
8. Qui est-ce que vous………………………..?
9. S'il te plaît-……………………….moi avec toi.
10. Qu'est-ce que tu veux que nous……………….comme dessert?
Il y a, Pendant, Depuis-Mettez le mot qui convient!
1. ________________________________________________ quand habites-tu ici ?
2. Il est célèbre ________________________ la publication de son premier roman.
3. Je suis rentré ___________________________ deux heures.
4. ________________________ trois mois que nous voyageons.
5. Nous nous connaissons _____________________________________ des années.
6. Nous avons fait la connaissance l'un de l'autre ____________________des années.
7. J'ai vu ce film ____________________________ longtemps.
8. Le bébé pleure ____________________________ des heures !
9. J'ai étudié le français ________________________3 ans.
10. J'ai vu un film __________________________ mon séjour.
Le plus que parfait et le conditionnel passé-Traduisez en français ! Use the pluperfect and past
conditional.
1. We would have eaten if they had been ready.
1.
2. If they had wanted bread, they would have told me.
2.
3. If it hadn’t rained, we would have gone to the beach.
3.
4. If I had studied, I would have succeeded on the test.
4.
5. If she had listened, she wouldn’t have had an accident.
5.
6. If the students had paid attention, they would have received good grades.
6.
7. If he had bought a gift, she would have been happy.
7.
8. If the teacher had been in class more, the parents wouldn’t have been angry!
8.
9. If you had eaten well, you wouldn’t have been sick.
9.
10. If I had had money, I could have bought the tickets.
10.
Je vous souhaite un été plein de repos et de diversion à la
fois et je suis impatiente de vous revoir en pleine forme
prêts à reprendre vos études de la langue et la culture
française en septembre.
Bonne chance; amusez-vous bien cet été…et…
vive la francophonie !
Croyez à toute ma considération –
M. Strauzer