Festivals and Celebrations in French-Speaking Countries - Worksheets, Questions and Revision

8 original exam-style questions - 6 pages of questions with a full mark scheme - free printable PDF.

Download PDF Jump to mark scheme (page 7)Festivals and Celebrations in French-Speaking Countries revision guide

This topic is chapter 3 of GCSE French: Vocabulary Practice Book 2.

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2.10 Festivals and Celebrations in French-Speaking Countries

AQA 8652 · about 60 minutes

Total Marks

Name: _______________________________ Date: ____ / ____ / ______

Use full sentences for translation tasks where asked. Time guidance: 35 minutes.

Traduisez en français ces phrases anglaises sur les fêtes. Utilisez un français correct et naturel de niveau GCSE.

(a)At Christmas, we eat with our grandparents.(2)

(b)For La Chandeleur, I am going to make crêpes.(2)

(c)The parade was interesting but very crowded.(2)

(Total for Question 1 is 6 marks)

Écrivez environ 90 mots en français sur une fête que vous aimez. Mentionnez : la fête et la date ou la saison ; ce que vous faites normalement ; ce que vous avez fait l'année dernière ; pourquoi vous aimez cette fête.

(Total for Question 2 is 12 marks)

Complétez: Fill the blanks in the festival descriptions using the word bank. Context: vocabulary for how festivals are celebrated in francophone countries.

(a)On célèbre Noël le 25 _______.(1)

(b)Pour la Chandeleur on fait des _______.(1)

(c)À Pâques on cherche des _______ en chocolat.(1)

(d)Au Carnaval les gens se _______ en personnages et portent des masques.(1)

(e)Le 14 juillet il y a un grand _______ militaire dans les rues de Paris.(1)

(f)En Québec on a l'habitude de faire des feux et des grandes _______ pendant certains festivals.(1)

(g)À l'Épiphanie on mange la _______ des rois pour trouver la petite figurine.(1)

(h)Pendant les feux d'artifice on admire les _______ dans le ciel la nuit.(1)

(Total for Question 3 is 8 marks)

Traduisez: Translate each French sentence about festivals into natural English. Context: short statements describing when and how events are celebrated.

(a)On fête la Chandeleur en faisant des crêpes en famille.(2)

(b)Les enfants cherchent des œufs en chocolat pour Pâques au parc.(2)

(c)À Québec il y a des carnavals d'hiver avec des sculptures de glace.(2)

(d)Le défilé du 14 juillet est souvent à la télévision nationale.(2)

(e)On se déguisait autrefois pour certaines fêtes en Afrique francophone.(2)

(f)Nous avons l'habitude de regarder les feux d'artifice après le repas de famille.(2)

(Total for Question 4 is 12 marks)

Traduisez: Translate the English sentences about festivals into French. Context: short sentences using festival vocabulary and simple tenses.

(a)We celebrate New Year with a big party and fireworks.(2)

(b)They wear costumes and masks at the carnival.(2)

(c)We share a galette des rois and the person with the bean gets a crown.(2)

(d)In some countries people watch fireworks on New Year Eve.(2)

(e)They usually have a parade on Bastille Day in many towns.(2)

(f)During the carnival people dance in the streets.(2)

(Total for Question 5 is 12 marks)

Classez: Group the following festivals by season. Context: choose which are typically winter festivals in France or francophone areas.

(a)Select two festivals from this list that are typically in winter: Noël, Pâques, Carnaval, La Chandeleur, fête nationale du 14 juillet.(2)

(Total for Question 6 is 2 marks)

Choisissez le bon mot pour compléter chaque phrase sur les fêtes francophones. Contexte : les mots doivent s'accorder avec le sens de chaque phrase.

(a)À Noël, beaucoup de familles décorent le ______.(1)

(b)Le 14 juillet, on voit souvent des feux ______.(1)

(c)À l'Épiphanie, on mange une ______ des rois.(1)

(d)Pour le Carnaval, les enfants portent souvent des ______.(1)

(Total for Question 7 is 4 marks)

Traduisez en anglais ces phrases françaises sur des fêtes bien connues. Donnez une traduction naturelle en anglais britannique.

(a)À l'Épiphanie, ma famille partage une galette des rois.(2)

(b)Le soir du 14 juillet, il y a des feux d'artifice dans beaucoup de villes.(2)

(c)Je préfère Noël parce que l'ambiance est joyeuse.(2)

(Total for Question 8 is 6 marks)

Mark scheme · 2.10 Festivals and Celebrations in French-Speaking Countries

Question 1

(a) M1 Correct present tense with À Noël / pendant Noël and eating with grandparents
(a) A1 Uses grands-parents and appropriate preposition accurately
(a) Answer: À Noël, nous mangeons avec nos grands-parents.
(b) M1 Correct near future form je vais faire
(b) A1 Correct reference to La Chandeleur and crêpes
(b) Answer: Pour la Chandeleur, je vais faire des crêpes.
(c) M1 Correct past tense or imperfect sense for was interesting
(c) A1 Conveys very crowded with correct agreement
(c) Answer: Le défilé était intéressant mais il y avait beaucoup de monde.

Question 2

Content (AO3)
- Level 1 (1-2): Some relevant information is communicated, but ideas are simple or partly unclear.
- Level 2 (3-4): Relevant information is communicated clearly, with some opinions or reasons.
- Level 3 (5-6): A clear response covers the bullet points with developed ideas, opinions and reasons.
Range and accuracy (AO3)
- Level 1 (1-2): Limited vocabulary and simple structures. Errors may often impede communication.
- Level 2 (3-4): Some variety of vocabulary and structures. Errors are present but meaning is usually clear.
- Level 3 (5-6): Good variety of GCSE vocabulary and structures, with generally accurate verbs and agreements.
Indicative content:
- Names a relevant festival such as Noël, l'Épiphanie, la Chandeleur, le Carnaval or le 14 juillet.
- Describes usual activities using present tense vocabulary accurately.
- Includes at least one past event using the perfect or imperfect tense.
- Gives opinions and reasons with appropriate adjectives and connectives.
- Uses accurate agreements for festival vocabulary, dates and family members.

Question 3

(a) B1 Correctly fills 'décembre' to complete the date
(a) Answer: décembre
(b) B1 Correctly fills 'crêpes' or 'crêpe' (plural accepted) as the food eaten
(b) Answer: crêpes
(c) B1 Correctly fills 'œufs' for chocolate eggs
(c) Answer: œufs
(d) B1 Correctly fills 'déguisent' (se déguiser) conjugated to match 'les gens' implicit plural
(d) Answer: déguisent
(e) B1 Correctly fills 'défilé' to name the parade
(e) Answer: défilé
(f) B1 Correctly fills 'célébrations' or 'fêtes' but 'fêtes' preferred; accept 'fêtes'
(f) Answer: fêtes
(g) B1 Correctly fills 'galette' to refer to the Epiphany cake
(g) Answer: galette
(h) B1 Correctly fills 'lumière(s)' or 'couleurs'; accept 'lumière' or 'lumières' or 'couleurs'
(h) Answer: lumières

Question 4

(a) B1 Either 'We/people celebrate Candlemas by making crêpes with family' or 'Candlemas is celebrated by making crêpes with the family' conveying meaning
(a) A1 Reference to family and crêpes included accurately
(a) Answer: Candlemas is celebrated by making crêpes with the family.
(b) B1 Correct sense: Children look for chocolate eggs at Easter in the park
(b) A1 Place 'in the park' and 'chocolate eggs' correctly expressed
(b) Answer: The children search for chocolate eggs for Easter in the park.
(c) B1 Reference to Quebec winter carnivals and ice sculptures
(c) A1 Correct translation of 'sculptures de glace' and 'carnavals d'hiver'
(c) Answer: In Quebec there are winter carnivals with ice sculptures.
(d) B1 Correctly conveys that the 14 July parade is often on national television
(d) A1 Includes 'often' and 'national television' in the translation
(d) Answer: The 14 July parade is often on national television.
(e) B1 Correct use of past habitual: people used to dress up for some festivals in francophone Africa
(e) A1 Includes location and idea of dressing up for festivals
(e) Answer: People used to dress up for certain festivals in francophone Africa.
(f) B1 Uses habitual present: we usually watch the fireworks after the family meal
(f) A1 Includes 'after the family meal' and 'watch fireworks' correctly
(f) Answer: We usually watch the fireworks after the family meal.

Question 5

(a) M1 correct French: On fête le Nouvel An / Le Jour de l'an with reference to party and fireworks
(a) A1 includes 'une grande soirée' or 'une grosse soirée' and 'feux d'artifice' correctly
(a) Answer: On fête le Jour de l'an avec une grande soirée et des feux d'artifice.
(b) M1 correct reflexive/construction: Ils se déguisent et portent des masques au Carnaval or equivalent
(b) A1 uses 'déguisent' and 'masques' correctly
(b) Answer: Ils se déguisent et portent des masques au Carnaval.
(c) M1 correct present tense and object: Nous partageons la galette des rois
(c) A1 includes 'celui qui trouve la fève porte une couronne' or 'la personne qui trouve la fève a une couronne' equivalent
(c) Answer: Nous partageons la galette des rois et la personne qui trouve la fève porte une couronne.
(d) M1 correct structure: Dans certains pays les gens regardent des feux d'artifice le soir du Nouvel An
(d) A1 time phrase 'le soir du Nouvel An' or 'la veille du Jour de l'an' included
(d) Answer: Dans certains pays, les gens regardent des feux d'artifice la veille du Jour de l'an.
(e) M1 correct present habitual: Ils ont habituellement un défilé le 14 juillet dans beaucoup de villes
(e) A1 includes 'défilé' and '14 juillet' and 'dans beaucoup de villes' or equivalent
(e) Answer: Ils ont habituellement un défilé le 14 juillet dans beaucoup de villes.
(f) M1 correct present tense: Pendant le Carnaval, les gens dansent dans les rues
(f) A1 includes 'dansent' and 'dans les rues' correctly
(f) Answer: Pendant le Carnaval, les gens dansent dans les rues.

Question 6

(a) B1 One mark for identifying Noël as a winter festival
(a) B1 One mark for identifying La Chandeleur (and/or Carnaval where winter carnival is specified) as a winter festival; accept 'La Chandeleur' as required second answer
(a) Answer: Noël; La Chandeleur

Question 7

(a) B1 sapin
(a) Answer: sapin
(b) B1 d'artifice
(b) Answer: d'artifice
(c) B1 galette
(c) Answer: galette
(d) B1 masques
(d) Answer: masques

Question 8

(a) B1 Conveys that at Epiphany the family shares a galette/king cake
(a) A1 Correctly conveys family and sharing
(a) Answer: At Epiphany, my family shares a galette des rois.
(b) B1 Conveys the evening of 14 July and fireworks
(b) A1 Includes that this happens in many towns/cities
(b) Answer: On the evening of 14 July, there are fireworks in many towns.
(c) B1 Conveys preference for Christmas
(c) A1 Conveys that the atmosphere is joyful
(c) Answer: I prefer Christmas because the atmosphere is joyful.

Festivals and Celebrations in French-Speaking Countries - Worksheets, Questions and Revision

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2.10 Festivals and Celebrations in French-Speaking Countries

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