It's time for some more Mini-Sagas, I think.

This year's Mini-Sagas have been written by students in the Lycée First Certificate group. The students are all in Terminale.

For your information, a Mini-Saga is a complete story in exactly 50 words.

We hope you enjoy them!

1. My Geeky Brother by Salomé

My brother is a geek. A real one. He has all the symptoms : Glasses. Spots. Braces. The computer as a passion . My mother knows it. She locks the computer hardware into a room and keeps the key on her.
My brother doesn’t mind: he’s made a copy of the key.

2. Drunk Once Again by Jocelyn

I must have been completely pissed because I saw an angel walking towards me. I immediately fell in love with her. Suddenly, she yelled at me.
‘Hey dickhead, what the hell are you doing? We’re shooting the last scene’
I’d forgotten that Spielberg was making his latest movie near here.

3. The Diver by Thibault

He went scuba diving every Saturday in the ocean. He was falling in love with mermaids.
One day, he dived with his friend in the darkness of the sea at 60 feet underwater. His friend didn't look at him for just 20 seconds and lost him.

He never came back.

4. The Schizophrenic by Romain

I had a friend who was so good. We liked to do the same things. I met him at the end of a party. I was drunk. The last time I saw him was when I wanted to give him an apple. It fell. He told me I was schizophrenic.

(Weird stuff,Romain. I love it!)

If you need to write a discursive essay (an essay where you discuss a subject, give opposite views and conclude with your own opinion) you need to organise your ideas and write in a clear and logical way.

First, you could brainstorm all your ideas - both for and against the subject. This should give you a lot of ideas quickly.
Next, decide which of your ideas are positive and which are negative. Do you have any examples to justify your opinions?
Finally, what do you really think? This will be your conclusion.

It is a good idea to use linking words.

Here is a short list of linking words which should help improve your writing skills. It is not a complete list - but it is enough.

You will see that there are some expressions that you have probably learnt in school, such as "indeed", "moreover", "according to me" which are not actually used very much by English people. Yes - these words exist - but you will not see them used very often. Read a newspaper or a magazine and try to find the word "moreover". You will probably need to read THOUSANDS of words before you find it - so don't use it if you are going to write 150 - 200 words.

Ordonner les idées

First of all ….
Secondly… / also…/ next…
Finally…..
In conclusion…

Etoffer l’argumentation

It is obvious that…
In addition…
What's more....(à eviter:moreover)

Donner des arguments s’opposant à ceux qui sont déjà mentionnés

However…
On the other hand…(à éviter: on the one hand)
Despite….

Exprimer la consequence

Therefore…
As a result (of this)….
Consequently

Donner des exemples

For example…
Such as….(à éviter: as)

Insister sur un point particulier

In fact…(à éviter: indeed)
It is common knowledge that…
According to … (recent reports/ the latest statistics/ the Government)

Donner son opinion

Personally, I think that… I don’t think that…
In my opinion (à éviter : according to me)

Pour enrichir le style et le lexique de votre rédaction, évitez les répétitions, structurez le discours grâce aux mots de liaisons et prolonger les phrases simples avec les pronoms relatifs : (which, who, whose, where, that)

Donnez deux ou trois exemples concrets, empruntés à des domaines divers: histoire, actualités, expérience personnelle…

Organiser votre rédaction en quatre paragraphes :

• Introduction :
You may paraphrase the question here and you may use rhetorical questions. However you should try to uses synonyms. If you DO copy any part of the question, make sure you do not make any spelling or grammatical mistakes!
• Expand your ideas : give examples.
• Give an opposing opinon.
• Conclusion:Give your personal opinion

Here are the Mini Sagas which have been written by English Connection students.
As I explained in a previous post, Mini Sagas are a complete story in exactly 50 words.
We hope you enjoy them!

Soulmates by Jeanne

Blind Naina and Officer Toby had been childhood sweethearts before marrying one Christmas Eve.
One day Toby disappeared, leaving Naina shattered.
As years passed by she befriended an old beggar who seemed strangely familiar.
But that Christmas Eve the beggar had left. All that was found was his wedding ring.

A Flat Tyre by Frédérique

I was already late. I started my car and drove fast. Suddenly I lost control and the car ran over something which burst the tyre. I got out of my car and discovered the cause of the puncture. I was extremely angry.
The idiot had a bottle in his pocket!!

The Storm by Alice

The night was rainy and windy but everything was too quiet in my flat. Suddenly I heard a terrible noise. I jumped out of bed and switched on the light. In front of me, everything was on the floor. What’s going on?
Only my cat knocking things from the shelf!

The Storm by Claire

I was walking along a railway track in spite of a terrible storm.
An unbelievable gale uprooted a tree which fell on me. I was nearly unconscious and stuck in the middle of train lines! Suddenly a loud whistle... GOD! The train!

“Cut. That’s it for today”, said The Director.

The Holiday By Anne-Sophie

She was so excited! For her fortieth birthday, her husband offered her a trip to Marrakech with her best friend. A last check to her luggage; is everything ok? She arrived at the airport and joyfully met her friend.
But who is crying? No! Her daughter is having a nightmare…

Bad – Worse – Worst by Sophie

One day a ripe apple looked down and saw some cow dung right under her tree. “I don’t want to fall on you”, she said to the dung, “You are repulsive!” Finally, she fell next to it, but was swallowed by the cow. “See you soon!” the dung said mischievously.

An Unforgettable Holiday (a true story) by Armelle

A couple wanted to see their son in Thailand. They even managed to buy some low cost tickets so they arrived happily at the check-in desk.
“Sorry, these tickets aren’t valid because the plane left yesterday.”
They had got the day wrong and had to buy two full price tickets!

The English Lesson By Bronwen (because I enjoy writing Mini Sagas too!)

The English teacher frowned. Something wasn’t quite right. The students were working in absolute silence; some were reading, some were writing, some were looking in a dictionary. Everyone was occupied, so what was on earth was wrong? She checked her timetable. Yes, she thought so…
This was a CONVERSATION class!

The Holiday By Marie

Today is D-day. We’re going to leave the house for summer with all the family, cat and dog too. Right! Is everybody in the car? Here we are, so let’s go!
At lunch time, after driving 100 kilometres, we stop for a picnic. And that’s when we notice…

No luggage!

The Storm by Brigitte

She sat down on a paradise beach. The sun was shining, the landscape was marvelous. Suddenly the wind got up. It was raining cats and dogs and the sea was raging. She stood up, but a huge wave knocked her over. She shouted and….woke up!
It was just a nightmare.

Science Teacher’s Revenge by Bronwen (For Gilles – who I hope will enjoy his retirement!)

It was his last day. He had worked in the same dusty old place for 30 years and the most galling thing of all was that his replacement was going to walk in to a new, shiny, cutting edge laboratory.
Suddenly, a thunderous “BOOOOOOMMM!!!”

He’d always wanted to do that!

Now here come two really good ones......

The Star By Sabrina

I filmed myself singing in my bubble bath:

“I’m much sexier than Carla Bruni / I’d put Sarkozy in my hot Jacuzzi”

I put this music video on You Tube. A few days later I became an Internet Star!

And Nicolas Sarkozy personally phoned me…..and asked when we could meet.

And the winner is.....

Till Death Do Us Part By Aurore

Her husband was very sick. She sat by him and he said: “You were there to support me through everything; when I got fired, when my business failed, when I got shot, when we lost the house, and when I got sick...... You know what?......

You bring me bad luck!”

Aurore, who is in "seconde", wins a FABULOUS English Connection prize! (She laughed when she saw it - I wonder what that can mean??!!)

Thank you to everyone who participated in this exercise. I look forward to Mini Sagas 3 this time next year.

A Mini Saga is a complete story, often with a twist in the tail which is composed of EXACTLY 50 words. Contractions count as one word. The English must be grammatically correct.

Here’s an example:

Revenge by Bronwen

Maria had wanted her husband dead for years. She smiled wickedly as he poured out the tea she had poisoned.
Neither of them spoke. “Go on”, she thought, “Drink it!”
She finished her own cup of coffee, which tasted strangely bitter.
For Stephano had wanted her dead for years too!

Last year, English Connection students studying at B2 wrote some excellent Mini sagas. Here are two examples:

Never Again is by Gilles:

Outstanding wines were maturing in Charles’ cellar. Unfortunately, some bottles had a sour taste. Charles was disappointed. Suddenly, a brilliant idea came to his mind. He’ll give them to John!
Later, Charles was invited to John’s party. Coming back home, Charles was frantic.
John had served the wine he’d given...

And A Holiday Romance is by Frédérique

I was alone on a heavenly beach. Suddenly, a beautiful man came towards me. I immediately fell in love at first sight. We started a friendly conversation and we became, in the course of the holiday, extremely close.
Naturally we exchanged phone numbers.
Back home, I called him.
Wrong number!

It’s time for a new collection of Mini Sagas. Send them to me at english.connection@orange.fr and I’ll publish the best in Part 2 of MINI SAGAS.

PS: A story with a "Twist in the tail" is a story which has an unexpected or surprising end.

Student article by Jean-Michel studying at B1

Hello from Miami...

During the Easter holidays, we went to Florida. Why Miami? Several reasons: First, I have an old friend who has lived there since 2000, he works in Fort Lauderdale just near Miami, and I haven’t seen him for 10 years.
Second: after this cold and very long winter all the family wanted to be warm and have sun and beaches ... and the last reason is because we have another friend (American) who lives in Sarasota on the Gulf Coast.

Fort Lauderdale beach

Florida is a pleasant place, because the landscapes are very different between the cities, the Everglades, the Keys, the Gulf Coast. The distances are very great and we travelled many miles.
Miami is a dynamic city. It's a holiday destination, for many people in USA and also in the world. There are a lot of cafés, restaurants, beautiful hotels, clubs etc. The nightlife is very intense!

A traditional “Baywatch” on the Miami beach;

Key West, the town where Ernest Hemingway lived.

Our car (a beautiful Ford Mustang ...) near two trucks on the Everglades road between Miami and Naples on the Gulf Coast

Ocean Blvd, Miami's historical district

From our appartment in South Beach

As you can see we went to Miami to have sun and we got clouds and rain ... but happily not all the time.

Next destination San Francisco ...

Best regards,

Jean-Michel

« Oceans » written by JC studying at B1

Recently I saw a film, called « Oceans » which was produced by Jacque Perrin. There are no actors, only fish, marine animals and sometimes sea-birds; there are no special effects, but sophisticated cameras above and under the sea.

I didn’t feel the time going by; I was in an unknown and amazing blue world. When you are sailing or surfing, you discover only the surface of the sea, if you are diving, you discover a few things. In this film you discover “the people of sea”, it’s life.

Imagine a crazy army of fast dolphins, jumping and diving while hunting an enormous fish-school, their screams and “click-click” language. Imagine a noisy rain of sea-birds, diving among these dolphins and hunting the same fish-school ! What a busy and hungry world !

Imagine after the peaceful giant whales, their songs used to communicate with the other whales, a noisy troop of crabs walking on a sand shoal underwater and a diver swimming slowly close to a quiet enormous shark which had such a toothy smile!

This film also shows us uncommon narwhals among the North pole ices, sea-lions, sea-leopards, killer-whales catching seals, penguins; 5 meters broad manta skates, sea-turtles, so small when they are born and “running” to sea under bird attacks and so giant later, a fish resembling a brown rough rock, another like a bright yellow an blue ribbon, undulating across seaweeds, and so many other ones.

This film doesn’t forget the sea pollution : plastics, chemicals, drifting nets becoming deadly traps for dolphins, turtles, sharks, sword-fishes, and many others.

This film shows us an astonishing and so beautiful world, a world we must protect because it’s more and more damaged by pollution.

I would recommend this film to anyone who likes sea and nature, and wants to spend a quiet two hour moment.

My first steps in learning the English language
By Dr C. studying at level B2 – medical English

This story starts a long time ago when I was twelve. My parents sent us, my sister and I, to Edinburgh in Scotland, it was in August. We were received in the family of my sister’s pen friend.
It was a nice Scottish family but I remember that I couldn’t understand anything they said!

The only thing I remember, and I have a very nice memory, this family took us to the EDINBURGH TATTOO, excellent music and special atmosphere with a pipe band ! Very exciting !

Then two years later I returned across the Channel. I was fourteen and my parents decided to send me to England with a French association which still exist : Turgis Organisation. I don’t know how it is now but at this time it was a very catholic and strict course. We went to England with a priest and a supervisor for thirty boys, not mixed of course. We were received, each one, in an English family, one boy per family for four weeks and we had English courses every day except Saturday and Sunday. Every week we had an excursion.

The particularity of this course was that the teachers were English of course and we had a book call the “Good Companion” where we had to do all our exercises, dictation and narrative composition every day. There was also Mass every Wednesday.

The first time I went to Bracknell, well known now for its weather forecast station. The family were young people with two babies. They were very nice to me, but I especially remember the food which was just horrible!

The second year I went to Hartford, not so far away from London but very close to the airport. I was received by a widow, a nice old lady, who has been a cook in a French London restaurant! She was very funny and very friendly with Tom Jones. Yes! TOM JONES!!

They took me to some football matches and I especially remember she was a very great cook. All my friends used to stay with us to eat the evening meal. The only problem was the noise of the planes landing and taking off nearby which even the TV couldn’t cover!

The third year was in South London, I don’t remember the name of the area, just that my girl friend for one month was the daughter of an English London Policeman! This was very useful to come back from London’s night club after the last tube. We always had a police car to bring us home!

The fourth summer I went to Ireland to stay with an Irish family, near to Dublin. They were a very nice family, very practising Catholic who made me go to the mass twice a week, once with the school and once with the family. The father who was working every night at the Dublin newspaper was also a very practising pub drinker, but always clean! Never drunk !

This was the year I passed my Irish coffee maker exam one night in a Dublin pub on a Saturday night. I was not at mass on the Sunday morning!

Later, in 1971, when I was twenty, I went to the States for three months in a farm in Connecticut for tobacco picking. This was a great moment too!

Since then, I have lost a lot of my English vocabulary, but I have always had a great time learning English!

Christian

Invictus (review written by Bronwen at level C1)

Having read Arthur and René’s reviews of Invictus, I decided to see it myself (in English with subtitles) in Lorient this week.

Morgan Freeman does a brilliant job in portraying Nelson Mandela halfway between a saint and a wily old fox. He had studied Mandela’s accent, intonation & way of walking very well indeed, making his character truly believable. Matt Damon got stuck in as the Springboks' captain François Pienarr, looking hunky and carrying off a credible South African accent.

The basic premise is that Mandela plays a political game to try and unify black and white South Africans by making the principally white South African rugby team appeal to everyone in the country. Until then, white South Africans supported the Springboks and black South Africans supported any opposition, as the national team was hated and seen to represent the old apartheid regime.

Using the slogan “One team, one country”, and wearing the despised gold & green jersey himself, Mandela cajoles the team via their captain and makes it clear that he expects them to win the 1995 Rugby World Cup.

This is no mean feat, as South Africa had been out of world class rugby for many years due to an international boycott of South African sporting events.

Whether you are interested in rugby or not, this is an uplifting tale with a satisfactory ending. I especially enjoyed the final match against the All Blacks. Clint Eastwood, the Director, gets the tension mounting with the use of African drumming and other excellent sound effects as the two teams clash. The game is interspersed by shots of the crowd both inside the stadium & outside in the bars. As the match progresses, so does the friendship between black & white South Africans.

If you haven’t already seen this film, do go and see it while it is still on. I’m sure you won’t regret it.

La Cirque du Soleil - Une nouvelle forme d’art du cirque et une nouvelle expression artistique.
by Alexander studying at level B1

The “Cirque du Soleil” is a new form of circus art that was invented in Canada in 1982. Since the beginning the artists have looked for a new circus art form and a new expression.
Last week, they were in Nantes in the Zenith Metropolitan for three days only. The “Circus of the Sun” thinks up special shows which resembles a piece of theatre with special wardrobe, sets, choreography and numbers.
They have 12 pieces in their repertoire and they perform around the world with great success.

In Nantes, they decided to show the “piece” called “Saltimbinco” which was created in 1992. The event was absolutely riveting.

This show was entirely dancing and every number was choreographed. The set was decorated in such a way that the audience had the impression of watching a never-ending show. The movement was continuous and the wardrobe matched the decoration for every number.

There were traditional numbers that reminded me of a street circus. For example: juggling, trapezes, acrobats, clowns… but one difference was there also was a singer and a rock band that played throughout the show. A second difference is that there are no animals in the numbers, no dogs, cats, horses and naturally no lions or tigers.

It was a very exciting experience to see this new form of circus and the night was very nice.

INVICTUS by René studying at level A2

Let me tell you about the last film I saw.

“Invictus” is a film which takes place in South Africa which is coming out of segregation.

Nelson Mandela goes back to freedom after twenty seven years of imprisonment.
Having won elections, he is very popular.

The Springboks « gold and green » team is not going the right way, and is supported in most cases by whites.

To unite the people Mandela persuades the black people to follow and to support the national rugby team.
He said : « This is not a political calculation, it’s a human calculation »

The team won the rugby world cup in 1995.

Of course, it’s romanticized and different to real life, but this dream is important and invites humans to remain master of their destiny.