Re: PM’s French Re-entry into the Matrix - Phase 1: 500 Hours Extensive Reading

[jeffers]

Okay, thanks to smallwhite for getting me thinking about the exam again, to the point where I've decided to get focused

As moral support, I have borrowed one textbook and one novel and I will study French with you over the next six weeks.

What a great idea! I will join the cheerleading squad as well and push myself a bit more in the time leading up to your exam, Peter.

Course: I will make every effort to finish Hugo French in 3 Months by the the end of May.
Listening: I will continue with regular listening to Au coeur de l'histoire
Reading: I will read one of the novels I bought for Kindle back in 2014 for the last super challenge but never even looked into. Either Un sac de billes by Joseph Joffo or Un aller simple by Didier Van Cauwelaert. I'll probably read the first few pages of each and make a decision.



What date does your exam take place?

[Serpent]

This is a 'test paste' to see if I can get this right... I'll come back and paste the rest of the images in this post later

--to be edited post dialang--



Ah I don't understand computers

For now I've posted the image into MWord as I can't even find Paint on this computer- I'll try to figure it out later. I found the web image 'paster' that rlnv used but can't find a suitable program to paste my images to and can't be bothered right now (take into account until recently I never used to use this computer until mine decided to not work anymore). I get frustrated the moment things don't work (I hate wasting time when it comes to computers).

https://snag.gy/ can help
The img tag requires a url that ends in .jpg/png/gif (maybe a couple other formats).

[smallwhite]

I recall recently you posted some of your study notes not long ago. I was looking for them with no success, ...

These?

The French Subjunctive

[smallwhite]

Hope you're going well out there smallwhite!

My novel doesn't grab me at all. It's supposed to be a thriller but nothing happens SRS and re-listening are going well - knowing that you're also studying more or less the same things make them feel more real and more relevant.

Have you registered?

[PeterMollenburg]

Hope you're going well out there smallwhite!

My novel doesn't grab me at all. It's supposed to be a thriller but nothing happens SRS and re-listening are going well - knowing that you're also studying more or less the same things make them feel more real and more relevant.

Have you registered?

Sounds like you're not too enthused by your chosen book. All i've done is read 20 pages of Harry Potter and then realised I'd started with the wrong book in the series. And I did one session of intensive reading with Bien-dire. I haven't touched Think French and can't see me making much use of it at all at this stage. I find Bien-dire much better quality and the articles are graded as per CERFL. Moreover, they are actual paper magazines which i'd prefer to use as digital copies of TF can be used at any time in future. Also, i've found errors on occasion in TF, which don't bother me as they are rare, but still I find Bien-dire an all round better resource. I say this, so you know smallwhite so you know that i'm not actually making much use of Think French, but if you were looking for sth close to what i'm using predominantly (Bien-dire), then you might be fine.

Not registered yet, too busy buying stuff like this http://www.underwateraudio.com/hydroactive-ipod-music-player-for-swimming/ to allow me to listen to audio while kayaking (i chose this device as I refuse to use bluetooth next to my brain, and cords in a kayak aren't a good idea) - i've never liked music while exercising, as I prefer the peacefullness of getting away from distractions. However with what's coming up (the exam) and the fact i'm not willing to give up my renewed enthusiasm for kayaking of late, i'm willling to give it a shot this time... and it's not music i'm planning on listening to, but podcasts, so we'll see how that goes with my new gadget. Don't stress anybody, this is flatwater kayaking... in terms of 'action' it's like going for a long run on water, in a kayak- ie no rapids, no surf, no sharks, no croc's, no big swells (I'm avoiding windy lakes after I got totally swamped and overcome with water to the point I had to bail and swim 60m to shore- that's how little my kayak copes with biggish waves) Falling out is rare and after learning the choppy lake lesson (i'm used to flat water rivers), I shouldn't have to bail again either. The aim of the game is speed over a long distance - endurance. Anyway waffling on. The sport has fallen into a poor state here in Australia, it was never hugely popular but unfortunately with 10yrs plus away from it, many other ppl have left and not returned. Still the competitors at the top end are world-class. So, waterproof ipod headphones should be interesting (you see what i"m competing with here? My ego is being pulled in other directions, it's like i've taken on another language in the form of a sport).

I've also been buying other products useful for kayaking and arguably rather necessary too, but not pertinent to language learning, thus more distraction.

So SRS remains a part of my routine, that's fine, nothing much to tell there, and Podcasts have been 99% of the time RFI Journal en français facile, which i've decided is in fact easy French, since I listened to another podcast. That podcast was 'L'humour d'Inter' by France Inter, which I was utterly lost in. There was talking over the top of each other, fast speech, unclear speech, likely cultural references, slang, jokes and every single time they would laugh in unison, I had NO CLUE what they were laughing at. I'm concluding with newfound realisations that I'm not a solid B2, but maybe an average one. As for Journal en français facile, i've barely found the time at all to get through the first paragraph of the occasional transcript- i've been too busy at work, or too tired so that I can't work fast to find spare moments to look at the transcript. And my writing is weak i've decided. I've lost some confidence, but happy to move forward-ish.

[jeffers]

So SRS remains a part of my routine, that's fine, nothing much to tell there, and Podcasts have been 99% of the time RFI Journal en français facile, which i've decided is in fact easy French, since I listened to another podcast. That podcast was 'L'humour d'Inter' by France Inter, which I was utterly lost in. There was talking over the top of each other, fast speech, unclear speech, likely cultural references, slang, jokes and every single time they would laugh in unison, I had NO CLUE what they were laughing at. I'm concluding with newfound realisations that I'm not a solid B2, but maybe an average one. As for Journal en français facile, i've barely found the time at all to get through the first paragraph of the occasional transcript- i've been too busy at work, or too tired so that I can't work fast to find spare moments to look at the transcript. And my writing is weak i've decided. I've lost some confidence, but happy to move forward-ish.

Comedy is notoriously difficult, for the reasons you mentioned. You might want to try Au coeur de l'histoire for a non-fiction podcast other than news. The host speaks quite quickly but also very clearly. There are daily episodes, but I tend to pick 2-3 that interest me and listen to them several times. Here's the itunes link: https://itunes.apple.com/fr/podcast/id423534806 (since you use an ipod, right?). But I prefer this link: http://www.europe1.fr/emissions/au-coeur-de-l-histoire. There are short versions called "Le récit", which are extracts from a full episode on one of the topics of the day, and there are full episodes called "L'intégrale", which range from 40-60 minutes. Occasionally they leave the ads in the full version, which may be a nuisance for people who just want the podcast, but I think they're great practice!

I'm sure you've written about it before, but could you comment on what they [EDIT Bien Dire] offer? I see they do 6 episodes a year, and you can pay more to get a CD with the magazine. So the cheap version doesn't have audio downloads?

[PeterMollenburg]

I just listened to a podcast that might interest you. It was about the La Paix de Fexhe which appears to have been a significant event for political freedoms in Liège/Belgium.

Interesting, tnx DaveBee, I read the wikipedia article and listened to the excerpt of that particular podcast, but can't seem to listen to the actual entire podcast from that day.

there seems to be two players embedded on that page. One at the top of the article, and another at the bottom. I think you want the one at the bottom.

EDIT
From within iTunes, if I right-click "get info" I can see a file url location, pasted below.

http://rtbf-pod.l3.freecaster.net/pod/r ... V3bOgt.mp3

I now have this podcast added to my listening, tnx DaveBee I also downloaded some more RTBF content for a try.

Okay, thanks to smallwhite for getting me thinking about the exam again, to the point where I've decided to get focused

As moral support, I have borrowed one textbook and one novel and I will study French with you over the next six weeks.

What a great idea! I will join the cheerleading squad as well and push myself a bit more in the time leading up to your exam, Peter.

Course: I will make every effort to finish Hugo French in 3 Months by the the end of May.
Listening: I will continue with regular listening to Au coeur de l'histoire
Reading: I will read one of the novels I bought for Kindle back in 2014 for the last super challenge but never even looked into. Either Un sac de billes by Joseph Joffo or Un aller simple by Didier Van Cauwelaert. I'll probably read the first few pages of each and make a decision.

What date does your exam take place?

Thanks for joining me Jeffers The more support the better, and we can hopefully all motivate each other.

Exam date is May 18th. The oral component could be a week earlier or later than the18th.

So SRS remains a part of my routine, that's fine, nothing much to tell there, and Podcasts have been 99% of the time RFI Journal en français facile, which i've decided is in fact easy French, since I listened to another podcast. That podcast was 'L'humour d'Inter' by France Inter, which I was utterly lost in. There was talking over the top of each other, fast speech, unclear speech, likely cultural references, slang, jokes and every single time they would laugh in unison, I had NO CLUE what they were laughing at. I'm concluding with newfound realisations that I'm not a solid B2, but maybe an average one. As for Journal en français facile, i've barely found the time at all to get through the first paragraph of the occasional transcript- i've been too busy at work, or too tired so that I can't work fast to find spare moments to look at the transcript. And my writing is weak i've decided. I've lost some confidence, but happy to move forward-ish.

Comedy is notoriously difficult, for the reasons you mentioned. You might want to try Au coeur de l'histoire for a non-fiction podcast other than news. The host speaks quite quickly but also very clearly. There are daily episodes, but I tend to pick 2-3 that interest me and listen to them several times. Here's the itunes link: https://itunes.apple.com/fr/podcast/id423534806 (since you use an ipod, right?). But I prefer this link: http://www.europe1.fr/emissions/au-coeur-de-l-histoire. There are short versions called "Le récit", which are extracts from a full episode on one of the topics of the day, and there are full episodes called "L'intégrale", which range from 40-60 minutes. Occasionally they leave the ads in the full version, which may be a nuisance for people who just want the podcast, but I think they're great practice!

I'm sure you've written about it before, but could you comment on what they offer? I see they do 6 episodes a year, and you can pay more to get a CD with the magazine. So the cheap version doesn't have audio downloads?

Yeah you're right, comedy is difficult indeed, and I did know this, still I was confident going in and left deflated going out. I've still such a lot more to learn! Your words did help though- I shouldnt expect to necessarily understand such a podcast with ease just yet. Thanks for the links too Jeffers- I've added this podcast to my podcasts (as I have done with DaveBee's too) on my device (iPhone). I shall indeed give them some airplay.

Bien-dire, you mean, right? A magazine each 2 months. You can opt to purchase the accompanying audio CD or not. No digital version of the magazine itself, no audio for download. Can now buy a beginners version of the magazine or intermediate/advanced version and if wanted op for optional extras via online learning activities (not my thing- enough courses already on hand to sink a small island). Articles vary greatly in content and are graded for difficulty as per CEFRL, with word lists (FR/EN) for vocab. http://editions-entrefilet.fr/pages/fr/accueil/accueil-bien-dire.php

[smallwhite]

Exam prep week one
terrible start to my exam prep ... distracted while listening to podcasts to the point I wasn't taking anything in much ...
... I'm also realising (yet again) that my course only approach was indeed holding me back - too much has been neglected for too long (although it has been good in some ways too) ...

... Podcasts have been 99% of the time RFI Journal en français facile ...
... 'L'humour d'Inter' by France Inter, which I was utterly lost in ... I'm not a solid B2, but maybe an average one ...
... And my writing is weak i've decided. I've lost some confidence ...

You won't listen anyway but I will say it anyway. For the next 6 weeks, I suggest you sit down and consolidate what you already know - organise your knowledge and practise demonstrating them - before you use new material to acquire new knowledge. You've already had 6 years of exposure and learning, and 6 further weeks of them won't make much difference (52:1). 6 further weeks of initial exposure to new material won't be of much use in the exam anyway. And no single piece of knowledge is critical to your exam; not 1 piece out of every 52 pieces anyway. Whereas, if you can't fully utilise and demonstrate your previous 6 years of work, you can ruin those 6 years in 6 weeks.

Here are some concrete examples of what I would do. Many people do languages better than I do but at least I did well at school overall
* I would re-listen to old audio clips played at higher and higher speed (instead of listening to new podcasts).
* I would practise reading fast. In fact, I shouldn't have used the conditional, because that's what I actually did for my exam. It didn't take long to get used to reading faster, and it really boosted my confidence in the exam, and of course actually gave me more time to answer the questions.
* I would think about what topics are likely to appear in the reading exam, and re-read articles that are among those topics. (Instead of finding new articles to read, and reading things that won't appear in the exam such as articles about mafia, prostitution, controversial topics like same-sex marriage, politics, religion) (Also, people here read a lot of fiction as exam prep but I don't think they have fiction or stories in B1-C2 exams?)
* I would go through all my flashcards (instead of adding new words).

And when I (re-)listen to audio or (re-)read articles, I would simulate the exam environment - if exam audio clips are usually 45 seconds long, then I would now, at home, listen to audio for 45 seconds at a time, paying full attention and trying to remember key information or whatever the exam usually expects you to do. Listening to 20-second clips would be insufficient exam prep, same with listening with 20-second attention spans, while listening to 15-minute podcasts is unnecessary for this exam and not the best use of the next few weeks.

In short, I would not aim to learn in these 6 weeks. I would aim to consolidate my existing knowledge. And all decision-making would be based on this aim.

[iguanamon]

I agree with smallwhite. Listening and reading to learn and improve a language is one thing. Preparing for an exam is another. You may be asked to talk about topical subjects like "traffic congestion in Paris"; "going green"; "immigration"; etc, for example. Of course, it's not possible to know in advance what subjects may come up, but you can level up vocabulary and associated grammar in defending a position and practice writing and speaking about these kind of things in general. It's important to have this kind of stuff down. Look over your exam prep and practice. If possible, work with a French tutor who has experience in helping people with exams.

Mark Twain once wrote about his experience as a riverboat pilot in Life On The Mississippi being tested about his piloting knowledge by his mentor. He was, to say the least, somewhat unprepared.

‘What is the shape of Walnut Bend?’
He might as well have asked me my grandmother’s opinion of protoplasm. I reflected respectfully, and then said I didn’t know it had any particular shape. My gunpowdery chief went off with a bang, of course, and then went on loading and firing until he was out of adjectives. ... By and by he said--
‘My boy, you’ve got to know the shape of the river perfectly. It is all there is left to steer by on a very dark night. Everything else is blotted out and gone. But mind you, it hasn’t the same shape in the night that it has in the day-time.’
‘How on earth am I ever going to learn it, then?’
‘How do you follow a hall at home in the dark. Because you know the shape of it. You can’t see it.’
‘Do you mean to say that I’ve got to know all the million trifling variations of shape in the banks of this interminable river as well as I know the shape of the front hall at home?’
‘On my honor, you’ve got to know them better than any man ever did know the shapes of the halls in his own house.’
‘I wish I was dead!’

You won't have to know French as well as you'd have to know the Mississippi in order to safely pilot it in the dark, but you should be able to write and speak well defending your position or expounding upon the main points of an argument and summarizing it in your own words. Mark Twain did indeed become a river pilot on the Mississippi. I know you will do well. Bòn chans, PM!

[Serpent]

Agreed You might need to learn some specific vocabulary but not much. The biggest challenge is learning to understand the words you know in writing (or can understand in Assimil/TY).