Six étudiants de différents pays se rencontrent. Qu’ont-ils en commun ? Ils sont tous venus passer un semestre dans une université américaine. Pendant ce séjour, ils vont améliorer leur niveau d’anglais, découvrir un peu plus la culture américaine et approfondir leurs connaissances dans leur domaine d’étude. Cette série de conversations en anglais est consacrée à ces six étudiants et à leur quotidien pendant ces quelques mois aux États-Unis. Elle a été conçue pour les apprenants ayant un niveau d’anglais intermédiaire ou avancé.
Cliquez sur le lien audio et écoutez la conversation tout en la lisant ci-dessous. Les mots importants sont expliqués à la fin, en anglais, de façon à vous immerger totalement dans la langue. Ils sont suivis d’une brève traduction ou explication en français. Et si vous voulez suivre la leçon tout en anglais, de l’introduction à la conclusion, cliquez ici.
Dans cette conversation, deux étudiants (Peter et Ajay) discutent de la protection des monuments culturels.
Ajay: On a whim, I signed up for an archeology class next s emester. And the professor is well known for protecting cultural monuments.
Peter: What exactly does that mean?
Ajay: It means that she tries to prevent monuments from being vandalized or destroyed.
Peter: I cannot imagine who would want to destroy a part of someone’s culture. Is there a lot of destruction of cultural monuments?
Ajay: Unfortunately, there is. My professor also helps restore damaged monuments. I think she’s pretty famous around the world for this.
Peter: That would be a really cool job. I’d like to try doing that.
Ajay: I’m so glad you said that! My professor has asked for volunteers to help her with a restoration project next semester. And I signed us both up.
Un peu de vocabulaire
Archeology: the study of past cultures by studying the bones, tools, buildings and other objects of past people.
To protect means to keep someone or something from being harmed, hurt or damaged. (Protéger)
A cultural monument is a building, statue, etc., built to remind people of a famous person or event in history and that is important to the past or present culture of the people.
To prevent means to stop something from happening or to stop a person from doing something. (Empêcher, prévenir)
To vandalize something means to intentionally damage or destroy something without a good reason. “Intentionally” means that it is done in a way that is planned. The verb “vandalize” is often used in the passive form. For example: “My car was vandalized last night.”
Destruction: the act of destroying something so badly that it cannot be repaired or no longer exists.
In the conversation, restore means to repair a building, monument, work of art, etc., so that it looks similar to the way it did before it was damaged. (Restaurer, rénover)
A volunteer is someone who offers to do something without being paid to do it or without being asked to do it. (Un bénévole, un volontaire)
A project is planned work that is designed to improve something, produce something, or other purpose. It usually takes a lot of time.
To sign up means to show that you will do a job, join a team, etc. Sometimes, the person signs his/her name on a list to show that he/she will do or get something. (S’inscrire pour quelque chose)
Vous voulez approfondir vos connaissances en anglais ? Profitez de nos articles sur ShareAmerica.
Le site American English* propose toute sortes de ressources gratuites pour les profs d’anglais et les apprenants. Sur la page Facebook d’American English*, retrouvez chaque jour du matériel d’apprentissage en anglais.
Les conversations en anglais sont produites par Heidi Howland, des programmes d’anglais du Bureau des affaires éducatives et culturelles du département d’État.
*en anglais
