Department of French

French in Part IB

In order to do Part IB of the Modern and Medieval Languages Tripos, you must have completed Part IA. If you followed the more advanced language course (the B papers) in both languages for Part IA, you will take one language paper in each of your languages in Part IB: translation into the foreign language and language through audio-visual media (Paper B3). In addition, you will take three optional papers chosen from a wide range of literary, linguistic, and historical options, dividing them as you wish between different language areas.

If, on the other hand, your second language in Part IA was taken at the introductory level (the A papers), you can take up to two papers in French for Part IB, chosen from the Part IB French language paper (translation into French and French through audio-visual media) and the optional literature or linguistic papers available in French.

Part IB language paper:

• Paper FR B3: Translation into French and French through audio-visual media

French culture and Society lectures

The department offers 8 lectures on contemporary French culture(s). These lectures will give Part IB students the opportunity to explore a wide range of issues and topics that should allow them to develop a good understanding of contemporary issues. The approach will be historical as well as sociological or linguistic, audio-visual media will be given a prominent place. There is no exam directly linked to this series of lectures but they will provide IB students with the background knowledge necessary in order to approach the FRAV exam successfully, attendance is therefore essential. The lectures will also provide crucial excellent preparation for the Year Abroad. Some of the topics covered will: France and its institutions, the Algerian War, May 68, the far-right in France, inequalities in France, the French language in its various forms.

In addition to the French Culture Lectures, the department will be offering 8 FRAV Practice Lectures, which will focus on the exam itself. They will alternate with the 8 Culture Lectures (held on even weeks), and will also be on Fridays at 1 pm, odd weeks. The FRAV Practice lectures will be using material which is similar in nature to that used in the exam, and they will help you hone your comprehension and analytical skills. They should be seen as exam practice, even though each FRAV Practice Lecture might focus on different sections of the exam. They are not mock exams as such, but they will involve your active participation, by making you work in groups to find answers, discuss ideas raised by the clip which will be shown, etc. Most of the clips used will be available at the Language Centre, so as to enable you to watch them again and practise exam skills further at a later stage. We hope that this combination of Culture Lectures (also useful for your comprehension and analytical skills) with FRAV Practice lectures will give you ample opportunities to practise all of your FRAV skills. Both types of lectures should be seen as an invaluable way of learning in depth about new aspects of French culture and of dealing with a rich and varied range of visual material. Attending these lectures will be an integral part of your syllabus and preparation for the FRAV exam.

The faculty lectures will be complemented by supervisions undertaken by College lectors.