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Intermediate parallel reading with exercises

This is a sample resource from frenchteacher.net. It would be for a good GCSE (intermediate) class. Do help yourself and feel free to edit it. Some reformatting will be needed for the matching task. Please credit the resource if you choose to use it.

French text

Un ado marche 65km, son petit frère au dos

Un jeune collégien s'est donné le défi de marcher 65 km en portant sur le dos son frère de 7 ans, atteint d'infirmité motrice cérébrale.

Hunter Gandee, un Américain de 14 ans, voulait attirer l'attention sur la maladie de son petit frère Braden. Celui-ci, âgé de 7 ans, est atteint d'infirmité motrice cérébrale et ne peut se déplacer sans assistance.

Samedi dernier, son frère cadet solidement harnaché dans le dos, il est parti de l’école Temperance (Michigan), où il étudie et dont il est le capitaine de l'équipe de lutte. Son objectif : rejoindre le centre de lutte de l'université du Michigan, à Ann Arbor, après un trek de 65 kilomètres. Ce serait une manière de « montrer les défis physiques et mentaux auxquels font face chaque jour les personnes atteintes par cette maladie ».

Le défi a été plus difficile que prévu. Les marcheurs ont dû affronter la chaleur. Dimanche, c'est la pluie qui a compliqué les choses. Les deux frères étaient si fatigués qu'au bout de 50 kilomètres environ, ils ont failli abandonner.
Mais ils ont compté sur le soutien de leur famille et de leurs proches, qui marchaient à leurs côtés. Au bout de 30 heures, Hunter a atteint enfin la ligne d'arrivée.

Epuisé, mais heureux, il a rendu hommage à son petit frère : « Je ne peux même pas vous expliquer à quel point Braden est spécial pour moi. Je voulais juste lui donner quelque chose en retour. »


Translation

A teenage boy walks 35 miles with his little brother on his back

A young schoolboy set himself the challenge of walking 65km carrying on his back his 7 year-old brother with cerebral palsy.

Hunter Gandee, a 14 year-old American, wanted to draw attention to his younger brother Braden’s disease. Braden, aged 7, suffers from the disease called cerebral palsy and cannot move without assistance.

Last Saturday, with his younger brother safely harnessed to his back, he left Temperance High School in Michigan, where he studies and is captain of the wrestling team. His aim: get to the wrestling centre at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, after a 35 mile trek. It would be a way of “showing the physical and mental challenges faced every day by people suffering from this disease.”

The challenge was harder than planned. The walkers had to deal with the heat. On Sunday, it was rain which complicated things. The two brothers were so tired that after about 30 miles they almost gave up.

But they relied on the support of their family and friends who were walking by their side. After 30 hours Hunter finally reached the finishing line.

Exhausted, but happy, he paid homage to his little brother: “I can’t tell you how special Braden is to me. I just wanted to give him something back.”


Exercises

A. Vrai, faux ou pas mentionné?

1.​Un garçon a porté son frère cadet sur une distance de 65 kilomètres.

2.​L’infirmité motrice cérébrale touche principalement les jeunes.

3.​Hunter Bradlee désirait porter l’attention sur cette maladie.

4.​Les frères ont été accompagnés par leur sœur.

5.​Braden peut se déplacer tout seul, sans aide.

6.​Hunter pratique la lutte à son école.

7.​La destination de la marche a été son école.

8.​La météo a rendu la marche plus difficile.

9.​Il a fait 30 degrés samedi.

10.​Ils n’ont jamais pensé à abandonner la marche.

11.​Ils ont mis 30 heures à terminer le trek.

12.​Hunter a été plein d’énergie au bout de la marche.

13.​Ils ont pu réunir de l’argent en faisant la marche.

14.​Hunter voulait donner quelque chose à son frère.



B. Reliez les débuts et les fins de phrases. Ensuite traduisez-les.

1.​Hunter Gandee avait​​ a.​ duré 30 heures

2.​Son frère cadet est​​ b.​ harnaché au dos

3.​La marche a​​​ c.​ plus dure que prévue

4.​Braden était​​​ d.​ accompagné les frères

5.​La marche était​​ e.​ chaud le premier jour

6.​La famille a​​​ f​. pas se déplacer seul

7.​Il a fait. ​​​​g.​ quatorze ans

8.​Le deuxième jour​​ h.​atteint d’une maladie

9.​A la fin du trek​​​ i.​ ils étaient fatigués

10.​Braden ne peut​​ j.​ il a plu



C. Imaginez que vous êtes Hunter Gandee. Racontez ce que vous
avez fait et pourquoi. Donnez des détails.


(Story adapted from USA Today/Metro News)


Answers

V/F/PM

1. V 2.PM 3.V 4.PM 5.F 6.V 7.F 8.V

9.PM 10.F 11.V 12.F 13.PM 14.V


Matching

1g 2h 3a 4b 5c 6d 7e 8j 9i 10f

Model text

Pour attirer l’attention sur la maladie de Bradlee. (Il est atteint de l’infirmité motrice cérébrale), j’ai décidé de faire une marche, mon frère harnaché au dos. J’ai décidé de partir de mon école et d’aller à l’université de Michigan, une distance de 65 kilomètres. C’était difficile. Le premier jour il a fait très chaud et le deuxième jour il a plu. Nous avons failli abandonner mais nos parents et nos amis nous ont beaucoup encouragés. Nous avons pu finir la marche, mais nous étions vraiment très fatigués. Je suis content parce que j’ai voulu donner quelque chose à mon frère.





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