Questonnaire sur l'article provenant de The Guardian: But I am your son.... (mais je suis ton fils...) (document en anglais)

Question 1:

1. This document is an article entitled "But I am your son ..." It was taken from the Guardian and published on October 14th, 1979. The text is composed of an introduction and the article is divided into two parts separated by the narrative sentence "After three months at the hospital there was an assessment meeting." There are four paragraphs in the article.

2. « Mais je suis ton fils… ». On devine dès le titre qu’il peut y avoir un souci dans le rapport enfant/ parent(s). On parle que d'un seul parent car il y a l'adjectif possessif qui désigne " ton " au lieu de " votre ", qui est le père de l'enfant.

3. This is the story of a mentally handicapped teenager who is sixteen. He has stayed at home with hisparents since his birth. Now, his parents who have mixed feelings must make a choice.

4. "In his ward there are men much more limited than David and he has a place among them."

David is with people whose handicap is worse. This place seems to be the right place for him.

This last sentence could be the answer to the doubts of the parents mentioned in the introduction and in the text. Their son is better here than at home.

5. The journalist is present since he tells his own story. This is a first-person narration. "I was thinking" for instance. He even expresses his feelings: "I am so sorry, David, I don’t want you [...] I have thought of murdering you." He also speaks about his doubts: "The contradiction haunts me." This is quite unusual in an article.

Question 2:

The father is tired of his son and he wants to send him away. Number: 2

David is a very nice boy but his father did not manage to accept his handicap. Number: 4

David is a sociable boy in the hospital. Number: 5

David has been staying with his parents for 16 years. Number: 1

The father confesses horrible feelings he had. Number: 3

Question 3:

1. Mes réussites : my achievements (line 5)

2. Tuer : murder (line 9)

3. IL a un large sourire: grins wickedly (line 13)

4. Pardonner : to forgive (line 14)

5. J’étais très surprise : I was staggered (line 20)

6. Chambre d’hôpital : ward (line 21)

Question 4: True ou False

1. The boy stayed at home until he was ten. False

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