Scientific innovations and responsibility
ANGLAIS
37
ang1_2000_00_09C
Scientific innovations and responsibility
Space tourism: from science fiction to reality
compréhension de l’oral et expression écrite
Intérêt du sujet • Depuis le xixe siècle, la science-fiction nous fait voyager dans l’espace à bord de vaisseaux extraordinaires. La fiction est-elle sur le point de devenir réalité ? Le tourisme de demain sera-t-il spatial ?
Compréhension de l’oral 10 points
En rendant compte, en français, du document, vous montrerez que vous avez compris les points ci-dessous.
Thème principal • informations fournies • identité des personnages • différents points de vue (s’il y a lieu) • éléments implicites (s’il y a lieu) • fonction et portée du document.
Expression écrite 10 points
Vous traiterez en anglais l’un des deux sujets suivants au choix. Répondez en 120 mots au moins.
Sujet A
You have just won the lottery and you decide to spend part of your winnings on space tourism. Write an email to Virgin Galactic or Bloon to be on their first commercial flight. Explain why you are interested and why you should be one of their first passengers.
Sujet B
Do you believe that space tourism will really develop in the future? Justify your answer.
Les clés du sujet
Compréhension de l’oral
Identifier les caractéristiques clés du document (1re écoute)
Affiner sa compréhension (2e et 3e écoutes)
Expression écrite
Sujet A
Key ideas. The email you have to write is an application (une demande) to a space travel company so as to be part of their first commercial flight. Explain the reasons why you think you deserve to be part of it and show that it’s not an eccentric idea or a whim (un caprice) but the result of a longlasting passion for space exploration.
A few tools. You have to address the recipient (le destinataire) of your email directly: “Dear Sir”, “Dear Madam” or by his/her name. As there will be lots of applications, try to find arguments that will make a difference. You have to be sincere, passionate, convincing and use formal language. To conclude, use one of the following expressions: “Yours truly”, “Yours sincerely”, “Yours faithfully”.
Sujet B
Key ideas. You have to give your opinion concerning the future of space tourism. Consider the objective facts mentioned in the video; for example, there are already companies which are soon to offer space travels at a high cost. Is space tourism something that will remain exceptional and overly (excessivement) expensive or is it likely to develop and generalise like air travel?
A few tools. To introduce your opinion, use expressions such as “I (do) think”, “I (do) believe”, “to my mind”, “my personal view is that…”, etc. Give examples or arguments that illustrate your point of view. You can also clearly express your own feelings about space tourism itself. Do you approve of it or not?
