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Compréhension orale et prononciation - Exercices gratuits

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Le support de ces exercices, qui sont libres d'accès et gratuits, est un clip vidéo diffusé le 17 décembre 2011 sur BBC News :
"Credit warning for eurozone nations".

1. Exercices de compréhension orale :

a - Ecoutez cet article deux ou trois fois. Il est très souhaitable de ne pas lire le script ci-dessous lors de cet exercice.
Cependant, vous pouvez, si vous en ressentez le besoin, et lors de la 1ère écoute seulement, y jeter un coup d'oeil (cadre bleu ci-dessous).

b - Answer the questions, and check your answers by hovering your mouse over 'Check
(vérifiez vos réponses en passant la souris sur 'Check') :
1. What did the Europeans leaders think about their new agreement? Check
2. Why were the news delivered by Fitch worrying? Check
3. What does the Triple-A rating mean? Check
4. Name the six countries that are targeted. Check
5. Why is Spain targeted? Check
6. Would it be surprising if Fitch downgraded Ireland? Why not? Check
7. What does the jounalist call a 'junk status'? Check
8. What does the agency think about France? Check
9. What does that French MP think about the euro? Check
10. What are shop owners doing in Greece, and why? Check
11. What is happening now among Greek businesses? Check

Credit warning
Debt crisis in Italy

c - Give an oral summary of this article. It should last 3 to 4 minutes.

2. Exercice pour améliorer la prononciation et l'intonation en anglais :

Vous allez maintenez entendre ce même article en 'lecture éclatée', c'est à dire découpée en membres de phrases qui font unité de sens.
Si vous en ressentez le besoin, suivez des yeux le script ci-dessous : chaque ligne est un membre de phrase.
Après chaque membre de phrase (et donc à la fin de chaque ligne), il y aura un silence de quelques secondes.
Pendant ce silence, répétez le membre de phrase que vous venez d'entendre.
ATTENTION : ne vous laissez pas 'influencer' par l'orthographe, et REPETEZ EXACTEMENT ce que vous avez entendu, en reproduisant, non seulement la prononciation des mots, mais aussi l'intonation du membre de phrase.
Les syllabes accentuées sont soulignées, quand il peut y avoir difficulté de placer l'accent tonique.
A terme, il vaut mieux faire ces répétitions sans lire le texte : c'est le but à atteindre.
Mais, si vous en ressentez le besoin, le voici ci-dessous.
Lancez cette lecture éclatée.

CREDIT WARNING FOR EUROZONE NATIONS

They thought they had a plan
that would give the eurozone
a fighting chance of economic recovery (1).
But then the credit ratings agency (2) Fitch
delivered some worrying news (3).
The agency says it's thinking about
further (3) credit ratings (4) cuts (5)
for six countries
that use the European single currency (6).
And here is why:
Italy is under fire (7) again
despite (8) a tough (9) new austerity package (10).
Spain's regional government debt (11) is soaring (12).
Third quarter GDP (13) in Ireland
fell by 1.9 per cent (14).
Belgium has already been downgraded (15)
by Moody's.
Now Fitch might do the same.
Slovenia has been targeted (16)
for a possible ratings cut,
and so has Cyprus.
Its credit rating is hovering (17)
just about 'junk' status (18)
Another cut
would be a blow (19).
The only good news is that
Fitch says France will keep its Triple-A rating...
for now.
But the country's long term outlook (20)
went from stable to negative,
which means it could be downgraded
within two year'.
One of president Sarkozy's MPs (21), Jacques Myar,
has told BBC that he is sceptical
about the future of the single European currency,
but that his comments were not
representative of the French government.
In Greece, shop owners are slashing prices (22)
to bring in the customers,
as the holiday period gets into full swing (23).
But money is really tight (24),
and people are loath (25) to spend out.
The National Confederation of Greek Commerce
says sixty thousand Greek businesses
have closed since 2009,
and warned that another sixty thousand
could go to the wall (26),
in 2012.

Wendy Urquhart, BBC News
 Words and phrases

(1) recovery: redressement
(2) credit ratings agency: agence de notation du crédit
(3) worrying news: des nouvelles inquiétantes
(3) further: supplémentaire, nouveau
(4) credit rating: notation du crédit
(5) cuts:  réduction
further credit ratings cuts: de nouvelles réductions des notes de crédit
(6) single currency: monnaie unique
(7) to be under fire: être la cible de critiques
(8) despite: malgré
(9) tough: rude, sévère
(10) austerity package: plan d'austérité
(11) debt: la dette
(12) to soar: s'envoler, monter en flèche
(13) third quarter GDP: le PIB du troisième trimestre
(14) to fall by 1.9 percent: chuter de 1.9%
(15) downgraded: abaissé
(16) to target: viser, désigner
(17) to hover: planer. Ici, hésiter, fluctuer autour de...
(18) 'junk' status: un statut de '"mise au rebut"
(19) a blow: un coup sérieux



(20) long term outlook: perspective à long terme


(21) MP (Member of Parliament): député




(22) to slash prices: massacrer les prix


(23) to get into full swing: commencer à battre son plein

(24) tight: serré, étroit (allusion au porte-monnaie). Ici, rare
(25) to be loath to...: être peu disposé à...




(26) to go to the wall (= to go bankrupt): "fondre le plomb" (= faire faillite)

Très bientôt, seront en ligne d'autres articles servant de supports à vos exercices.
Bon travail.