Glad to Be a Girl (From Emile KAHOUN, Yadéga High School)
Miriam was very much dissatisfied with her living conditions as a girl. P who was surprised by her attitude is questioning her.
Paul: « Don’t you like being at home? »
She got irritated
Miriam: « Who would? », « What is it? » « I’m all day cleaning what the boys make just as bad every five minutes. I don’t want to be at home; what chance have I? »
Paul: «Chance of what? »
Miriam: « Of knowing anything, of learning, of doing anything. It’s not fair, because I’m a woman Miriam seems very frustrated; Paul wondered: in his own home, Annie was almost glad to be a girl. She had not so much responsibility. Things were lighter for her. She never wanted to be other than a girl. But Miriam almost fiercely wished she were a man. And yet, she hated men at the same time.
Paul: « Being a woman is being a man »
Miriam: « ha ! Is it? Men have everything »
Paul: « I think women ought to be glad that they are women just like men are glad to be men.
Miriam: «No! »(She shook her head). « No, the men have everything ».
Paul: « But what do you want? »
Miriam: « I want to learn. Why should it be that I know nothing? »
Paul: « What?! Such as mathematics and French? »
Miriam: « Why shouldn’t I know mathematics? Yes! » (she cried with her eyes wide open)
Paul: « Well, you can learn as much as I know »
Miriam « Yes, thanks you, with pleasure ».
Adapted from Sons And Lovers, By D. H. LAWRENCE
I- COMPREHENSION
Choose the letter a, b, c, or d that corresponds to the right answer and write it on your answer sheet.
1) The subject of this dialogue is…..
a) mathematics
b) living with one’s family
c) girls’ education
d) learning to discuss
2) Annie….
a) is a student
b) is a school teacher
c) wanted to be a boy
d) is satisfied with her conditions
3) Pick up the sentences which best express Miriam’s feelings
a) everything was less difficult for her
b) her present life didn’t make her happy
c) she thinks girls must not be educated
d) for Miriam, girls are only good for housework
4) Miriam felt frustrated because…
a) she wanted to get school education
b) Paul beat her
c) She had a lot of responsibility
d) She likes staying home
5) She was very much dissatisfied with her conditions means….
a) she was happy with her life
b) She wanted to learn mathmatics
c) She was not lucky
d) She was not happy about her life
6) Miriam didn’t know mathematics because…
a) she was young
b) she was old
c) she had no opportunity
d) there was no school
7) What is true about Miriam
a) she likes being a girl
b) she would like to be a man
c) she liked men
d) she liked cooking…
8) Paul proposed to
a) send Miriam to school
b) teach Miriam at home
c) let the boys teach Miriam
d) get a private teacher
GUIDED ESSAY (10 points)
1) What difference is there between Annie and Miriam? (2-3 lines) 2 pts
2) Is Paul affected by Miriam’s situation ?Justify your answer according to the text(2-3 lines) 2 pts
3) Do you think that girls ought to go to school like boys? Justify your answer (2-3 lines) 6 pts
GRAMMAR
A- Fill in the blanks with the right word : which, whose ; who ; what or that
1) Mr Thomson……… son is a champion tennis player owns a sport shop
2) ……….surprises me is that they lost the match
B) Turn the following sentences into the reported speech
3) « I want to do something », she said
4) « what will you learn ? », Paul asked Miriam
C) Use the verb in brackets in the correct form
5) This bus had been (drive) by a young man
6) When Koffi stole his father ‘s money, he (hide) it in his school bag
D) Turn the following sentences into the future tense
7) Bob can buy a car next week
8) The children may go to the cinema tomorrow evening
IV TRANSLATION 2 pts
Translate the following sentences into English
1) Miriam ne sait ni lire, ni écrire.
2) Les choses étaient si difficiles pour elle qu’elle souhaitait être un homme.
3) Les filles devraient avoir les mêmes chances que les garçons.
4) Il se pourrait qu’elle réussisse dans ses études.