FREN 1201 (Stephenson)

FRENCH SPEAKING TEST

A major goal of the French program at UNCC is to help students develop communication skills in French. One of the communication skills stressed throughout the semester is speaking ability, that is, the ability to get along and be understood in typical, everyday situations. Consequently, the instructors have selected materials and activities to accomplish this objective. In order to learn if students are progressing in their ability to communicate in French, the pilot classes have adopted a Speaking Test.

The Speaking Test is scheduled to take place at the end of the semester. The Test is in two parts:

Part 1: a series of questions and answersPart 2: a brief conversation.

The first part gauges the student’s ability to both answer and ask questions correctly. The emphasis is on accuracy in pronunciation and grammar and in providing (or asking for) information. The second part evaluates the ability to sustain a conversation in a limited context. The emphasis here is on fluency. This part is keyed to a national test developed by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Language that evaluates speaking ability on a scale that ranges from novice, to intermediate, to superior.

The question items and the conversational situations are based on vocabulary and structures studied in class. For example, Leçon 2 of Voilà! presents descriptions of several people, including Patrick, Jean, Michel, and Bertrand. Could you answer the question “What’s your roommate like?” or “Vous êtes très occupé aujourd’hui?” Leçon 3 has as two of its objectives to allow you to describe your room and to talk about your possessions. Could you describe your room and carry on a brief conversation about it? The questions and conversational situations are attached and you will have the opportunity to practice.

At the beginning of the Speaking Test students randomly select two cards. These cards will have questions on them the tester will ask; you will also have to ask the tester two questions. You then select another card, also at random, that provides a conversational situation. After a pause the tester will begin the conversation, but the student does most of the talking.

The tester evaluates the performance based on a rating scale:

Part 1: 0 - 20 Student is unable to answer most of the questions.

21 - 30Answers mostly unintelligible; numerous mistakes.

31 - 40Several mistakes but can understand with effort.

41 - 50Answers basically correct but some minor mistakes.

51 - 60Answers are both correct and fluent.

Part 2: 0 - 20 Student reacts only minimally; little ability to converse.

(Equivalent to ACTFL Level Novice—Mid)

21 - 30 Conversation is uneven, but native speaker would understand.

(Equivalent to ACTFL Level Novice-High)

31 - 40 Student actively participates; conversation moves along well.

(Equivalent to ACTFL Level Intermediate-Low)

The tester adds the scores for Parts 1 and 2 for averaging into the final grade.

FREN 1201 (Stephenson)

Speaking Test Questions and Conversational Situations

Leçon 1

1.Comment ça va?

2.Vous êtes (Tu es) d’où?

3.Vous aimez (Tu aimes) l’automne?

4.Vous aimez (Tu aimes) les chats?

5.Comment vous appelez-vous (t’appelles-tu)?

6.Quelle est la date aujourd’hui?

7.C’est quand votre (ton) anniversaire?

8.C’est quel jour aujourd’hui?

9.Posez (Pose) une question.

Leçon 2

1.Vous êtes (Tu es) fatigué(e) maintenant?

2.Vous êtes (Tu es) français(e)?

3.Vous êtes (Tu es) sportif (sportive)?

4.Les professeurs de l’université sont sympathiques ou pénibles?

5.Vous aimez (Tu aimes) les fêtes?

6.Qui est plus intelligent, Mickey Mouse ou Goofy?

7.Est-ce que vous êtes (tu es) paresseux (paresseuse) ou travailleur (travailleuse)?

8.Comment sont les étudiants de l’université?

9.Vous êtes (tu es) très naïf (naïve)?

10.Posez (Pose) une question.

Leçon 3

1.Qu’est-ce qu’il y a dans une salle de classe?

2.Vous avez (Tu as) un chien?

3.Qu’est-ce qu’il y a dans une chambre?

4.Vous avez (Tu as) une chambre agréable?

5.Est-ce que votre (ta) chambre est en ordre ou en désordre?

6.Est-ce qu’il y a un tapis ou des rideaux dans votre (ta) chambre?

7.De quelle(s) couleur(s) sont les fleurs?

8.Posez (Pose) une question.

Leçon 4

1.Est-ce que vous aimez (tu aimes) voyager?

2.Est-ce que vous parlez (tu parles) espagnol?

3.Qu’est-ce que les étudiants détestent?

4.Est-ce que vous avez (tu as) beaucoup d’amis?

5.Est-ce que vous aimez (tu aimes) mieux étudier ou ranger?

6.Est-ce que vous avez (tu as) des frères et des soeurs?

7.Posez (Pose) une question.

Leçon 5

1.Quel âge avez-vous (as-tu)?

2.Où est-ce que vous habitez (tu habites)?

3.Combien de télévisions est-ce qu’il y a chez vous (chez toi)?

4.Est-ce que New York est près de Paris?

5.Est-ce que vous sortez (tu sors) souvent le week-end?

6.Est-ce que vous avez (tu as) beaucoup de problèmes?

7.Est-ce que vous dormez (tu dors) beaucoup?

8.Posez (Pose) une question.

Leçon 6

1.Quelle heure est-il?

2.Est-ce que vous sortez (tu sors) le mercredi soir? Où est-ce que vous allez (tu vas)?

3.Est-ce que vous préférez (tu préfères) la mer ou la montagne?

4.Est-ce que vous avez (tu as) sommeil à huit heures du matin?

5.Est-ce que vous avez (tu as) froid en été?

6.Quel jour de la semaine est-ce que vous préférez (tu préfères)? Pourquoi?

7.Est-ce qu’il y a une piscine à l’université?

8.Où est-ce que vous aimez (tu aimes) étudier?

9.Est-ce que vous allez (tu vas) souvent à la bibliothèque?

10.Posez (Pose) une question.

Leçon 7

1.Qu’est-ce que vous voudriez (tu voudrais) faire le week-end?

2.Quel temps fait-il aujourd’hui?

3.Combien de frères et de soeurs est-ce que vous avez (tu as)?

4.Quand est-ce que vous êtes (tu es) né(e)? (Indiquez le jour et le mois.)

5.Où est-ce que votre (ta) famille habite?

6.Est-ce que vous aimez mieux (tu aimes mieux) faire la cuisine ou faire la vaisselle?

7.Est-ce que vous allez (tu vas) étudier le français ce soir? (Utilisez un pronom d’objet direct.)

8.Qu’est-ce qu’on fait avec le français? (Utilisez un pronom d’objet direct.)

9.Est-ce qu’il pleut beaucoup en hiver?

10.Qu’est-ce que vous faites (tu fais) à 7 heures du soir?

11.Est-ce que vous aimez (tu aimes) les examens? (Utilisez un pronom d’objet direct.)

12.Est-ce que vous regardez (tu regardes) souvent la télévision? (Utilisez un pronom d’objet direct.)

13.Posez (Pose) une question.

Leçon 8

Est-ce que vous jouez (tu joues) au tennis?
Est-ce que vous jouez (tu joues) du piano?
Qu'est-ce que vous voulez (tu veux) faire pendant les vacances d'été?
Qu'est-ce que vous avez (tu as) envie de faire maintenant?
Qu'est-ce que vous ne faites jamais (tu ne fais jamais)?
Est-ce que vous chantez (tu chantes) bien?
Est-ce que vous préférez (tu préfères) faire du sport ou jouer aux cartes?
Qu'est-ce que vous devez (tu dois) faire ce soir?
Est-ce que tout le monde doit faire de l'exercice?
Est-ce qu'on peut faire du vélo en rover?
Posez (Pose) une question.

Conversational situations for oral testing

Note:Topics with an (*) are also used in Conversation en français in VOILÀ! and are modeled in a dialogue on the text CD-ROMS. The numbers correspond to the lessons where the content is introduced.

(1*)You see someone in the school cafeteria sitting alone and reading the magazine Paris- Match. Approach, start a conversation, and eventually extricate yourself politely.

(2a*)You’re talking to a friend who has a knack for writing personal ads. Tell this friend about yourself. Keep in mind that absolute truth may not be to your advantage in this situation.

(2b)The ideal (man, woman, teacher, student). Choose one and tell what this person is like.

(3)Explain why you like or dislike your room. Give as many details as possible. You may want to begin with: J’aime (je n’aime pas) ma chambre parce que...

(4a*)You cannot stand it one more second. Your roommate is driving you crazy. Tell the person in charge of housing why you can no longer room with your roommate.

(4b)Find out what your instructor is like and what he/she likes or doesn’t like to do.

(5*)Bring a picture of your mother, your father, your brother, your sister or one of your friends and be ready to talk about him or her.

(6*)You need to make an appointment to talk to your French teacher about some homework that you don’t understand. Set up a time for the two of you to meet.

(7*)Describe your family. How many people are there? What is their relationship to you? How old are they? What are they like?

(8a*)You've gone home for the weekend only to find that your younger brother (16 years old) has a guest for the weekend--a French teenager who doesn't speak English! Your family, in desperation, enlists your services to find out what their guest likes to do so that they can plan the weekend. Find out the guest's preferences, likes, dislikes, and so forth.

(8b)Imagine you are going to spend next Saturday with the person to whom you are talking. Find out what this person's preferences are.

(8c)What would you like to do this weekend? Start with: Ce week-end, je voudrais...

Copy of the sheet used for grading your Speaking Test:

FREN 1201 (Stephenson)Spring 2005

Oral Final Exam

Name Date:

0202530354045505560

Part 1:

0 10 15 20 25 30 35 40

Part 2:

Total:

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