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Advanced parallel gapped translation

This is a reminder of a worksheet format I like and which deals, to a large degree with the 'Google Translate/ChatGPT problem'. Yes, I guess the devious students could spend some time using unofficial help, but in any case it's a different way to tackle both comprehension and translation in both directions.

Below is an example resource from frenchteacher.net. I produced this is around 30 minutes today. The topic is tourism in France, part of the patrimoine theme favoured by some exam boards. I have pasted in the two gapped texts, plus the completed versions. On the printed page, students would see the French on the left of a double spread, the French on the right (A4 format). The level is around CEFR B1, and I'd recommend it for a good Y12 class or Y13. The gaps are chosen to force students to translate with the help of the other text and occasional dictionary use.

The same text could then be used for oral exploitation in various ways - question-answer, aural gap-fill (where you read a part-finished sentence from the text to be completed from memory), discussion of places visited by students, comparisons with tourism in the L1 country, and so on.

Parallel gapped translation : Le tourisme en France

French version

Paris l’été ______________ Paris sans ses foules de Japonais sous la Tour Eiffel, ses hordes de touristes, _________________, prenant d’assaut le Louvre aux premières lueurs du jour et Montmartre aux ________ feux du ___________.

Atout France, l’agence de développement touristique, _______________________ sur le marché chinois qui confirme l’___________________ : non seulement 88 % des Chinois placent la France en premier choix pour leurs vacances ____________ mais aussi 71 % le recommandent ______________.

Pourquoi ce succès touristique ? Paris d’abord et au-dessus de tout. « Les garçons de café et _____________ y sont les moins aimables du monde, le métro est ___________________, étouffant mais Paris n’a jamais déçu un touriste _____________ » constatent les ________ du Guide du Routard. Pour l’adjoint au tourisme de la Ville de Paris, Jean-Bernard Bros « Paris ne s’est jamais endormie sur ses lauriers. Le __________, la fête, la mode, le luxe et dans les __________ le château de Versailles et Disneyland restent des _______________, mais la mise en valeur des musées, les programmes d’____________, les nouveautés comme Paris-Plage renouvellent l’_______ de la ville».

La réputation de la capitale _____________________. Peu de pays ont une gamme d’activités touristiques __________________. Les stations de ski valent celles d’Autriche. A la côte méditerranéenne _________________ un littoral atlantique où ______________ comme en Californie. Le réseau routier et le TGV ____________ depuis Paris de se rendre très vite sur _________________ comme les châteaux de la Loire _______________ les Anglais et les Allemands, les régions viticoles adorées par les Asiatiques et la Normandie _________________ aux Américains. Enfin des régions à forte identité comme la Côte d'Azur, la Bretagne, la Corse, des manifestations comme la braderie de Lille, la fête des Lumières à Lyon, le festival de Cannes, le jazz à Marciac ___________ des voyageurs à ____________________ de l’année.

 

English version

Paris in summer would not be Paris ___________________ beneath the Eiffel Tower, its hordes of tourists, guides under their arm, storming the Louvre __________________ and Montmartre at the last lights of twilight.

Atout France, the ____________________________, has just released a study on the _______________ which confirms the attractiveness of France: ________ 88% of Chinese place France as their ___________ for their holidays abroad but also 71% recommend it to their friends.

Why this tourist success? Paris first and ___________. "The waiters and locals are _______________ in the world, the metro is dirty, crowded, noisy, _______, but Paris ____________________ a tourist for a century" note the authors of the Guide du Routard. For the tourism assistant of the City of Paris, Jean-Bernard Bros “Paris has ___________________________. Heritage, parties, _______, _______ and in the vicinity the Palace of Versailles and Disneyland remain major assets, but the _____________ of museums, exhibition programmes, __________________ such as Paris-Plage renew the attraction of the city".

The reputation of the capital does not explain everything. _____________ have such a comprehensive range of tourist activities. The ski resorts are __________________. To the Mediterranean coast we can add ____________________ where you can surf as if in California. The _______________ and the TGV make it possible from Paris to ____ very quickly to major sites such as the Loire châteaux appreciated by the English and Germans, _________________ adored by Asians and Normandy essential to Americans. Finally, regions ________________________ such as the Côte d'Azur, Brittany, Corsica, events such as the Lille _________________, the Fête des Lumières in Lyon, the Cannes festival, jazz in Marciac motivate travellers at different periods of the year.

Original French version

Paris l’été ne serait pas Paris sans ses foules de Japonais sous la Tour Eiffel, ses hordes de touristes, guides sous le bras, prenant d’assaut le Louvre aux premières lueurs du jour et Montmartre aux derniers feux du crépuscule.

Atout France, l’agence de développement touristique vient de sortir une étude sur le marché chinois qui confirme l’attrait de la France : non seulement 88 % des Chinois placent la France en premier choix pour leurs vacances à l’étranger mais aussi 71 % le recommandent à leurs amis.

Pourquoi ce succès touristique ? Paris d’abord et au-dessus de tout. « Les garçons de café et les habitants y sont les moins aimables du monde, le métro est sale, bondé, bruyant, étouffant mais Paris n’a jamais déçu un touriste depuis un siècle » constatent les auteurs du Guide du Routard. Pour l’adjoint au tourisme de la Ville de Paris, Jean-Bernard Bros « Paris ne s’est jamais endormie sur ses lauriers. Le patrimoine, la fête, la mode, le luxe et dans les environs le château de Versailles et Disneyland restent des atouts majeurs, mais la mise en valeur des musées, les programmes d’expositions, les nouveautés comme Paris-Plage renouvellent l’attrait de la ville».

La réputation de la capitale n’explique pas tout. Peu de pays ont une gamme d’activités touristiques aussi complète. Les stations de ski valent celles d’Autriche. A la côte méditerranéenne on peut ajouter un littoral atlantique où on peut surfer comme en Californie. Le réseau routier et le TGV permettent depuis Paris de se rendre très vite sur des grands sites comme les châteaux de la Loire appréciés par les Anglais et les Allemands, les régions viticoles adorées par les Asiatiques et la Normandie indispensable aux Américains. Enfin des régions à forte identité comme la Côte d'Azur, la Bretagne, la Corse, des manifestations comme la braderie de Lille, la fête des Lumières à Lyon, le festival de Cannes, le jazz à Marciac motivent des voyageurs à différentes périodes de l’année.

Original English version

Paris in summer would not be Paris without its crowds of Japanese beneath the Eiffel Tower, its hordes of tourists, guides under their arm, storming the Louvre at the first light of day and Montmartre at the last lights of twilight.

Atout France, the tourism development agency, has just released a study on the Chinese market which confirms the attractiveness of France: not only 88% of Chinese place France as their first choice for their holidays abroad but also 71% recommend it to their friends.

Why this tourist success? Paris first and above all. "The waiters and locals are the least friendly in the world, the metro is dirty, crowded, noisy, stuffy, but Paris has never disappointed a tourist for a century" note the authors of the Guide du Routard. For the tourism assistant of the City of Paris, Jean-Bernard Bros “Paris has never rested on its laurels. Heritage, parties, fashion, luxury and in the vicinity the Palace of Versailles and Disneyland remain major assets, but the enhancement of museums, exhibition programs, new attractions such as Paris-Plage renew the attraction of the city".

The reputation of the capital does not explain everything. Few countries have such a comprehensive range of tourist activities. The ski resorts are as good as Austria’s. To the Mediterranean coast we can add an Atlantic coast where you can surf as if in California. The road network and the TGV make it possible from Paris to go very quickly to major sites such as the Loire châteaux appreciated by the English and Germans, the wine regions adored by Asians and Normandy essential to Americans. Finally, regions with a strong identity such as the Côte d'Azur, Brittany, Corsica, events such as the Lille street market, the Fête des Lumières in Lyon, the Cannes festival, jazz in Marciac motivate travellers at different periods of the year.


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