Why Study French?

1.C’est la langue d’amour! “Ooh la la, Pepe!”

2.One of two official languages at the Olympic Games. What is the other language?

3. One of two official languages of the United Nations and Red Cross. Where is the UN?

4. Most frequently required language for international jobs. (Based on survey in 2009): 92% of companies preferred French 36% preferred Spanish 11% a UN language (Arabic,Chinese…) 7% Arabic 5% Russian 1% Japanese, Hindi, German, Chinese

5. French is spoken by our largest trading partner.

6. More tourists visit France than any other country in the world. What continent is France in? What is its capital?

7. There is much French influence in our own culture! Can you identify all these things?

(culture cont’d) Can you recognize these from popular culture?

Do you know what these words mean? 8. To make you more sophisticated as you improve your English vocabulary! Do you know what these words mean? Café trompe d’oeil soufflé Chic laissez faire dormant Tête-à-tête au gratin corps Détante filet fatigue Coup d’état au jus nom de plume Chapeau R.S.V.P. C’est la vie! Haute couteur à la mode chef Touché je ne sais quoi joie de vivre

9. Learning a foreign language makes you smarter and more creative! Why would this be? The girl is big. La fille est grande. The boys are athletic. Les garçons sont sportifs.

10. Knowing French makes you more literate and well-rounded. Can you match the person with the trade? Jules Verne A. rapper from Haiti Claude Monet B. president of France Georges Depardieu C. writer Nicolas Sarkozy D. scientist Marie Curie E. painter Jacques Cousteau F. architect Wyclef Jean G. underwater explorer Gustave Eiffel H. writer Victor Hugo I. actor

Now can you identify them?

11. It helps you learn history. In what war did General Lafayette fight? What kind of ruler was Napoleon Bonaparte? What significance did the Normandy beaches play in WWII? Who was one of our biggest allies in WWII? Where were the first cave paintings found? Why are there so many French speaking countries in Africa? Who was Joan of Arc and what did she do? What happened to the king and queen in the French Revolution? What was the Versailles Peace Treaty and where was it signed? What language did the royal court speak in England before English?

Did you know? Lance Armstrong won the ____ 7 times. The Queen Mary II was built in ____. The second fastest train (TGV) was built in ___. (What’s the first fastest? Where?) Most commercial satellites are put into space on ___Ariane rockets. The ___ Film Festival is a prestigious event held every year in France. The Grand Prix of ____ is one of the most famous Formula I car races in the world. Grace Kelly was an American actress who became a _____ of Monaco. The ____ Rouge is a nightclub in Paris and the name of a movie. The French ____ is an exclusive coastal destination for wealthy Europeans and American movie stars. When we celebrate, we tend to drink ___ , named after a region in France! ____ is the world’s leading center of the fashion industry.

Where else in the world is French spoken? Switzerland Madagascar Belgium Tahiti Luxembourg French Guyana Haiti vietnam Québec, Canada Guadeloupe Africa (west coast and north mostly) Martinique Louisiana Laos

Parlez-vous français?