Hundreds of migrants feared drowned in the Mediterranean

Hundreds of migrants feared drowned in the Mediterranean
(Level: intermediate to upper-intermediate / B2 / ***)

Thousands of migrants crossing the Mediterranean from Libya.
Photo credit: www.qz.com

Italy has had to cope with a dramatic upsurge in migrants and refugees for the last few weeks. Indeed, the latest influx amounted to about 10,000 people who made their way from Libya across the Mediterranean. Among them were many women, children and newborns. 

You are going to watch a BBC report focusing on a new boat tragedy in which 400 migrants are feared drowned. 

Before watching

The following words could be useful:

a shipwreck: destruction of a ship at sea         naufrage    

to capsize: to overturn       chavirer   

to scale down: to reduce      réduire   

to deter... from  (doing..).:  to prevent / discourage... from...    dissuader... de...  

Map credit: www.dailymail.co.uk

While watching

Watch, listen and complete the missing information:

These are the first pictures of the  (1)...      of a desperate shipwreck.

Italy has rescued them and they have told a terrifying story: they boarded their boat in Libya and it sank out at sea.  (2) ...

In recent days Italy has rescued almost  (3) ... at sea.

This morning we watched one ship full of rescued migrants make its way to a Sicilian harbour. Slowly the migrants made their way off the boat; some needed extra help. Many have come from Eritrea, Somalia or Syria. Some of these migrants will have  (4) ... and they've made it; they've survived the world's most dangerous migrant journey. They may soon find that they've got to a continent  (5) ...

Italy continues to rescue migrants buit in November it scaled down its search and rescue efforts. It hoped that this might (6) ... 

The arrival of better spring weather has (7) ...

So far this year, a thousand migrants may (8) ... 

You can also watch the video on the BBC site by clicking HERE

When you are finished, you can check your answers:

These are the first pictures of the (1) 145 survivors of a desperate shipwreck.

Italy has rescued them and they have told a terrifying story: they boarded their boat in Libya and it sank out at sea.  (2)  400 of their fellow passengers including teenagers and children may have drowned.

In recent days Italy has rescued almost  (3)  10,000 migrants at sea.

This morning we watched one ship full of rescued migrants make its way to a Sicilian harbour. Slowly the migrants made their way off the boat; some needed extra help. Many have come from Eritrea, Somalia or Syria. Some of these migrants will have (4) spent their life savings on this trip and they've made it; they've survived the world's most dangerous migrant journey. They may soon find that they've got to a continent  (5) which doesn't really want them.

Italy continues to rescue migrants but in November it scaled down its search and rescue efforts. It hoped that this might (6) deter migrants from making the trip.  

The arrival of better spring weather has (7) encouraged more migrants to make the trip. 

So far this year, a thousand migrants may (8) have died trying to get to Europe. 

Surviving several death camps and the gas chamber

Surviving several death camps and the gas chamber 
(Level: intermediate / B1 to B2 / **)

Mrs Turgel whose horrific experiences
during WWII should never be forgotten. 

You are going to read an article focusing on the gruesome experiences Mrs Gena Turgel went through as she was an inmate in the extermination camps of Auschwitz, Buchenwald and Bergen-Belsen. 

You can also watch the BBC report (previous blog entry) focusing on the 70th anniversary of the liberation of the Bergen-Belsen camp by the British troops. Click HERE  

Before reading


The following words and notes could be useful:
to round up: to gather          ramasser / réunir

an inmate: a captive / a prisoner     un(e) détenu(e)

to starve to death: to die from lack of food       mourir de faim

unburied: not buried      non enseveli

makeshift: made with whatever was available  / temporary       de fortune

hospital wards: hospital rooms or facilities where patients receive treatment      salles d’hôpital

engagement: mutual promise to get married / period of that promise      fiançailles

stubborn: obstinate   têtu

to make up one’s mind: to make a decision (about something)     se décider

to let oneself in for…: to become involved in a (difficult or unpleasant) situation without intending to       se mettre dans… (une situation...)

a suitor:  a man trying to gain a woman's love     un prétendant / soupirant

eventually: in the end        finalement

to blossom: to develop      se développer

siblings:  brothers and sisters        frères et soeurs

cramped: uncomfortably small and restricted     exigu

squalid: dirty / deteriorated / sordid        sordide / ignoble

to haunt: continually come to the mind / obsess       hanter

the sewers: (underground) conduit for carrying sewage      les égouts

a chill: a sensation of coldness     un frisson

She was awarded…: She was given (e.g. an award...)        On lui a décerné…

The British Intelligence Corps: one of the corps of the British Army. It is responsible for gathering, analysing and disseminating military intelligence (= renseignements) and also for counter-intelligence (= contre-espionnage) and security.

The Imperial War Museum: a British national museum organisation with branches at five locations in England, three of which are in London. The museum was founded during the First World War in 1917 and intended as a record of the war effort and sacrifice of Britain and her Empire. Today the museum gives its mission as 'to enable people to have an informed understanding of modern war and its impact on individuals and society'.

MBE = Member of the British Empire

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order includes five classes in civil and military divisions. 

In decreasing order of seniority, these are:

- Knight Grand Cross (GBE) or Dame Grand Cross (GBE)

- Knight Commander (KBE) or Dame Commander (DBE)

- Commander (CBE)

- Officer (OBE)

- Member (MBE)

Only the highest two ranks admit an individual into knighthood or damehood automatically, an honour allowing the recipient to use the title "Sir" (male) or "Dame" (female) before his or her first name (though men can be knighted separately from the Orders of Chivalry).

Holocaust Memorial Day (or the International Holocaust Remembrance Day) occurs on 27 January and is the first universal commemoration in memory of the victims of The Holocaust. It was designated by the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 60/7 on 1 November 2005. 

On 24 January 2005, during a special session, the United Nations General Assembly had previously marked the 60th anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi concentration camps and the end of the Holocaust which resulted in the annihilation of 6 million European Jews and millions of others by the Nazi German regime.

January 27 is the date in 1945 when the largest Nazi death camp in Auschwitz-Birkenau (Poland) was liberated by the Soviet troops. Since 2001, 27 January has been Holocaust Memorial Day in the UK.

Click HERE to find the article (*)

(*) "Amazing escape from Auschwitz gas chamber" in Daily Mail, 25 January 2005. 





While reading


Answer the following questions:

1. Gena escaped death several times: explain!
2. What happened to her siblings?
3. She found love in the camps: explain! 

When you are finished, you can check your answers:

 

1. Gena escaped death several times: explain!

Durant l’hiver 1944, elle a survécu miraculeusement à la chambre à gaz à Auschwitz : au lieu du gaz mortel, c’est de l’eau qui a jailli… Elle a survécu aux exécutions des Juifs dans le ghetto où elle s’est retrouvée avec sa famille dès 1941. Elle a survécu à une marche de la mort (du ghetto vers Auschwitz) qui a duré trois semaines par des températures glaciales (- 20 degrés). Elle a survécu dans deux autres camps (Buchenwald et Bergen-Belsen)

2. What happened to her siblings?

Son frère aîné: exécuté après avoir tenté de fuir le ghetto par les égouts Une autre frère : abattu dans le ghetto Sa sœur de 17 ans : assassinée après que les nazis l’aient surprise à ramener de la nourriture dans le ghetto Une autre sœur qu’elle a été forcée d’abandonner  lors d’un de ses transferts vers un autre camp…

3. She found love in the camps: explain!

Norman Turgel faisait partie des services de renseignements britanniques, l’un des premiers contingents à libérer le camp de Bergen-Belsen où Gena était internée… Et il était tombé amoureux d’elle dès qu’il l’eût aperçue. Six mois plus tard, ils étaient mariés…

Bergen-Belsen liberated 70 years ago

Bergen-Belsen liberated 70 years ago
(Level: intermediate / B1 to B2 / **)

Nazi concentration camps with Bergen-Belsen in the North of Germany
Map credit: www.deathcamps.info

British troops liberated the Bergen-Belsen extermination camp 70 years ago. 

Not only was Gena Turgel, one of the few remaining survivors, rescued from that camp on 15 April 1945 but she had also escaped death several times before while being also an inmate in Auschwitz and Buchenwald. 

You are going to listen to her talking about some of the most horrific experiences she went through and no one should ever forget about. 

In the next blog entry, you can also read about Mrs Gena Turgel's poignant testimony in an article by the Daily Mail (*)

(*)  "Amazing escape from Auschwitz gas chamber" in Daily Mail, 25 January 2005. 

Mrs Gena Turgel
Photo credit: www.thejc.com

Gena at the age of 21
Photo credit: wwwnamespedia.com

   

While watching


Answer the following question:

What does Gena remember about the Bergen-Belsen camp and her experiences there? 

You can also watch the report on the BBC site by clicking HERE









When you are finished, you can check your answers:

Suggestions de réponses:
Elle se souvient être arrivée la nuit dans le camp et avoir découvert le lendemain avec horreur tous ces tas de cadavres de femmes, d'hommes et d'enfants empilés devant les baraquements.

Elle se souvient d'Anne Frank qui partageait le même baraquement qu'elle et qui était en train de mourir du typhus.

Elle a vécu la libération du camp par les Anglais le 15 avril 1945; un de ces soldats allait devenir son mari six mois plus tard! 

Are low-cost airlines less safe than "regular" carriers?

Are low-cost airlines less safe than "regular" carriers? 
(Level: upper-intermediate to advanced / B2 to C1 / ***)

The Airbus A320 operated by Lufthansa's budget subsidiary Germanwings which crashed in the French Alps has been the worst accident in Europe for a long time. But some may wonder now whether those low-cost companies have the same high safety standards as the "traditional" carriers. 

Airbus A320
Photo credit: www.mirror.co.uk

You are going to watch a CNN programme focusing on this issue. 






Before watching


The following words could be useful:
to slash costs: reduce the costs drastically           réduire les coûts        
the counterpart: someone who is similar or equal (elsewhere)      homologue / collègue 
the likelihood: probability         possibilité / probability 
efficiency rating: efficiency ratio / the measurement of how well a company can manage income and expenses       rapport coût - efficacité  / cote d'efficacité / rendement   
a fare: price paid for the transport        prix du transport / billet




While watching 


Answer the following question:

Are the following statements true or false?  
Justify your answers!

1. The budget companies are less safe than the "regular" carriers.
2. The pilots working for low-cost companies are less trained than their counterparts in traditional airlines. 
3. The aircraft used by budget companies are generally newer than in other companies. 

You can also watch the CNN report by clicking HERE










When you are finished, you can check your answers:


1 The budget companies are less safe than the "regular" carriers.
FAUX

Aucune économie n’est réalisée sur la maintenance des appareils et la sécurité en général. (Les low cost prônent d’ailleurs dans leurs pubs la sécurité optimale de leurs appareils!)

2 The pilots working for low-cost companies are less trained than their counterparts in 
   traditional airlines. 
FAUX

Le personnel des low cost a les mêmes compétences que celui des compagnies « régulières » mais les salaires sont moins élevés et le temps de travail plus long.

Dès lors : personnel moins expérimenté (les pilotes + expérimentés ne se sentent pas attirés par des compagnies qui proposent des salaires plus bas) et probablement plus fatigué (en raison du temps de travail allongé)

3 The aircraft used by budget companies are generally newer than in other companies. 

En général : VRAI…

…et logique !

En effet : un appareil plus récent est aussi plus rentable (plus de rendement / moins de frais de maintenance / consommation de carburant moins élevée…) 

Wear Yellow for Seth

Wear Yellow for Seth
(Level: Intermediate / B1 to B2 / **)

People from all around the world decided to wear yellow on 27 March 2015 to support a 5-year-old boy who is confined to a sterile environment in hospital. 

Seth in his hospital bed making his appeal in a video that went viral.
Photo credit: www.cbsnews.com

You are now going to watch a BBC video focusing on Seth's campaign.






Before watching


The following words could be useful:
to scrub one's hands: to rub them hard with soap to make them clean      se frotter les mains 
a plastic gown: a long piece of clothing worn over the other clothes      combinaison en plastique
to appeal for: to make an (urgent) request     lancer un appel   
pioneering: done for the first time (using new methods)      novateur 
bone marrow registry:  a list with prospective volunteer donors    registre des donneurs de moelle osseuse







While watching


Answer the following questions:


1 What was the #wearyellowforseth campaign for? 

2 Had Seth and his parents expected the campaign to be so successful?

You can also watch the BBC video on the BBC site by clicking HERE









When you are finished, you can check your answers:

1
Campagne lancée au profit de Seth, petit Britannique de 5 ans, né sans système immunitaire et obligé de rester cloîtré dans une  chambre stérile jusqu'à sa prochaine greffe de moelle.

(Par extension: pour inciter les gens à s'inscrire au registre de donneurs de moelle osseuse.)


2
Non.

La campagne s'adressait initialement aux amis et à la famille. 
Les parents n'ont jamais pensé que la vidéo allait faire le 'buzz' sur la Toile et entraîner autant de réactions, de soutien et d'encouragements dans le monde entier!  

Germanwings Flight 9525

Germanwings Flight 9525
(Level: Intermediate to upper-intermediate / B1 to B2 / ** to ***)

Germanwings Airbus A320
Photo credit: www.mirror.co.uk

You are going to watch a BBC report focusing on what the investigators now know about what happened on board the Airbus A320 on 24th March 2015.

Crash site of Germanwings Airbus A320
Map credit: www.bbc.com

Before watching


The following words could be useful:
GMT: Greenwich Mean Time (*)
to piece together: to assemble (fragments together so as to make sense)     reconstituer / rassembler (les éléments) 
38,000 feet =  11.5824 km 
amicably: in a friendly way    amicalement    
the flight deck: the cockpit     
the intercom speaker: intercommunication system linking two different areas or rooms
 parlophone  / interphone   



(*) GMT refers to the solar time at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, London. It corresponds with the more modern UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) 

Time zone map
Map credit: www.timeanddate.com

When it is 5 p.m. in London (UTC or GMT time), it is 6 p.m. in Brussels or Paris (UTC +1 or GMT +1)

Location of the Prime Meridian (red  vertical line) -
the standard line of 0 longitude
(running through Greenwich, London, England)

The Greenwich Meridian
Royal Observatory, Greenwich, London 

While watching


Answer the following questions:

What happened on board Flight 9525? 
Complete the chart with the missing information!

10:01
Entre 10:30 et 10:40
10:40 et après

You can also watch the BBC report by clicking HERE








When you are finished, you can check your answers:

Suggestions de réponses

10:01	L'avion vient de quitter Barcelone - avec un peu de retard sur l'horaire prévu.
Entre 10:30 et 10:40	L’avion se trouve à une altitude de 38.000 pieds (11,5 km) et s’apprête à aborder les côtes françaises avant de survoler les Alpes de Haute-Provence. Echanges amicaux entre le pilote et son copilote ; contrôles de routine avec les contrôleurs aériens ; discussions quant aux procédures en vue de l’atterrissage à Düsseldorf. Le pilote confie au copilote les commandes de l’appareil  et quitte le cockpit pour se rendre aux toilettes. Seul dans le cockpit, le copilote enclenche délibérément la descente de l’appareil. Le pilote ordonne au copilote d’ouvrir la porte blindée mais ce dernier refuse d’obtempérer. Le pilote essaie alors d’ouvrir la porte, en vain. Les contrôleurs aériens essaient d’entrer en contact avec le cockpit – en vain.
10:40 et après	L’avion disparaît des écrans radar. Les alarmes à bord retentissent, indiquant que l’appareil est à proximité du sol.

A different view of the Palace of Westminster

A different view of the Palace of Westminster
(Level: Intermediate to Upper-Intermediate / B2 / ** to ***)

The Palace of Westminster or the
Houses of Parliamant

The Palace of Westminster (*) is in such a serious state of disrepair that the MPs and peers may have to leave the building within 20 years if no real renovation happens soon. 

You are going to watch a BBC report focusing on that issue. 

(*) If you want more details about the Palace of Westminster, click HERE

Before watching

The following words could be useful:
the decay: the process of deteriorating, of going for a bad to a worse condition     dégradation / détérioration  
to crumble: to break and fall into pieces     s'effriter   
to leak: to go out through a hole               fuir 
outdated: out of date                              dépassé / désuet 
the wiring: the electric wires                    câblage / installation électrique 
the Speaker: the chief officer and highest authority of the House of Commons   / Président de la Chambre 
the outcome: end result; consequence         résultat / conséquence  
the relocation: moving to and establishing in a new place      délocalisation 

The House of Commons
and the Speaker (right in the middle) sitting in the (green) chair  

While watching

Answer the following questions:

1. What is the situation like in the Palace of Westminster?
2. What will / may happen in the future?

You can also watch the video on the BBC site by clicking HERE











When you are finished, you can check your answers:

1

- La maçonnerie s'effrite; les bâtiments bougent et certains d'entre eux s'enfoncent même dans le sol!

- L'édifice contient de l'amiante, les câblages sont désuets et la tuyauterie fuit.

- ...

2

Les parlementaires pourraient devoir quitter définitivement les lieux d'ici 20 ans à moins qu'on ne décide d'entreprendre des travaux d'envergure.

Si l'on devait décider de procéder sérieusement à la rénovation du site, il faudra probablement envisager d'organiser les débats parlementaires ailleurs (sans doute à l'extérieur de Londres).

La note des réparations sera salée pour les contribuables britanniques: il leur en coûtera quelque 3 milliards de livres sterling.

...