Expression Écrite d'anglais bac 2016

Document 1

1 The scene is set in New York City. Several geographical references confirm this: “The Hudson… The Harlem River” (l. 3-6) “this section of north Manhattan” (l. 21-22).

Attention !

Manhattan est un quartier de New York, pas une ville !

2 1. Two men are present: Eddie and Beck.

2. They are fishing.

Remarque

La réponse a) vient par l’élimination des autres réponses, qui font référence à des dates trop récentes par rapport aux éléments d’urbanisme cités.

3 The scene takes place at the beginning of the 20th century. “the Hudson, littered with oystering boats” (l. 7), “Several bridges had recently been built across the waters,” (l. 7-8).

“this section of north Manhattan was still dotted with small farms” (l. 21-22) “He knew it wouldn’t be long before the countryside disappeared” (l. 8-9).

4 1. Eddie has noticed bridges, pavement, the subway and apartment buildings.

2. Firstly, the new constructions are replacing nature: where there were once fields and marshes there are now buildings and pavement. Secondly, the skyline has risen: buildings can be seen from all around.

5 1. a) Eddie feels “agitated” about these changes (l. 23). He is unhappy and concerned about them and “he avoided” one of the rivers because of how much it has changed, for the worse.

b) Beck also feels “agitated” (l. 23) and annoyed, he tries as hard as he can to protect the land from intruders (l. 15).

2. Both men choose isolation as an immediate reaction. While he is very aware of it, Eddie avoids the problem and tries to keep it out of his sight by choosing to fish at a different river. Beck, on the other hand, lives near the river and puts up a real fight against anyone trying to intrude and trespass.

Uniquement pour les candidat(e)s de LVA.

6 The overall mood is one of nostalgia and pessimism. Both men are completely powerless when faced by the changes the city is experiencing. The scene takes place at “daybreak”, the author uses poetic language to express the soft lighting and calmness of the scene. Eddie reflects on the past and on the effect urbanisation is having on the city now and how it will continue. The change is described with negative adjectives like “overcrowded”, “overfished”. The old man’s futile attitude to “chase off intruders” and “vow” to kill any poachers seems quite pathetic compared to the obvious power of the city.

Document 2

7 1. The architect who built the Ritz Tower was Emery Roth.

2. It was opened in October 1926.

3. It is located along Park Avenue on the corner of Fifty-seventh Street.

8 The shape of some buildings was b).

9 This type of architecture is compared to a wedding cake and a telescope.

10 It was voted because of growing concerns about “diminishing sunlight and fresh air” (l. 9).

11 1. Architects had to: b) Limit the height of new buildings: “the city placed a limit on the maximum height and bulk of tall buildings” (l. 11-12) and c) Adapt the shape of new buildings “if (the building) exceeded the legal limit, the stories above it had to be set back” (l. 13-14).

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