Test: Module 02 — Greetings and Basic Communication¶

Instructions: Answer all questions. Write your answers directly below each question in the > Answer: block.

Total Points: 37 pts (Easy: 5 × 1pt + Medium: 5 × 2pts + Hard: 4 × 3pts + Expert: 2 × 5pts) Bonus Available: 5 pts

Section 1: Easy Questions (1 pt each)¶

Q1. Write the French word for each of these numbers: 70, 80, 90, 71, 91.

Q2. Why are days of the week and months of the year NOT capitalized in French?

Q3. What is the difference between Bonsoir and Bonne soirée? When do you use each?

Q4. Write "It is March 1^st" in French. Why does this date require a special word?

Q5. Give the feminine form of these nationalities: américain, espagnol, canadien, japonais.

Section 2: Medium Questions (2 pts each)¶

Q6. Explain the vigesimal number system in French for numbers 70–99. Why does it exist, and which French-speaking countries use alternative forms?

Q7. Write a 4-line formal introduction that someone named Claire Petit, a French accountant from Bordeaux, might give at a business meeting.

Q8. How do you tell time in French? Explain the system for telling minutes past the hour (for times like 7:20, 3:30, 8:45), using examples.

Q9. What grammatical rule governs whether a nationality word is capitalized or lowercase in French? Give two examples of each.

Q10. Translate the following exchange into natural, informal French. Make sure the register is consistently casual. "Hey! What time is it?" "Almost 9. Do you have a class?" "Yes, at half past nine. See you later!"

Section 3: Hard Questions (3 pts each)¶

Q11. You receive this French voicemail: "Bonjour, rappellez-moi au zéro-six, quatre-vingt-treize, soixante-dix-neuf, quatre-vingt-un, cinquante-deux. Je suis disponible jeudi entre quatorze heures et seize heures trente." Write out the phone number and availability in English.

Q12. Write a complete 8-line dialogue (4 lines per speaker) in which two strangers meet on a train. They exchange names, where they are from, and where they are going. They use appropriate formal register, and end with a polite farewell. Annotate 3 grammatical or register choices you made.

Q13. A student wrote: "Je suis Français et mon ami est Américain. Nous parlons Français ensemble tous les Mardis." This contains four errors. Identify them all, explain each error, and rewrite the corrected sentence.

Q14. Describe three concrete social situations in France where using informal register (tu, salut, ouais) with a stranger would be considered rude or inappropriate. For each, explain why the formal register is expected and what the consequence of using informal language might be.

Section 4: Expert Questions (5 pts each)¶

Q15. French telephone numbers, prices, ages, and addresses all use the vigesimal 70–99 system, creating potential for miscommunication. Synthesize: what cognitive strategies do native French speakers use to process these numbers quickly, and what techniques would you recommend for a learner to internalize them? Reference at least two specific number ranges and explain the distinct challenge each poses.

Q16. Compare the French system of formal address (vouvoiement) with the formal address systems in two other European languages you know (or can reason about from the module). What does the French system reveal about French social values and history? How has the use of tu vs. vous changed over the 20^th century, and what drove that change?

Bonus Questions¶

Bonus 1. (+3 pts) The phrase Il est is used to tell time (Il est trois heures), but C'est is used in many other contexts (C'est le 3 mars, C'est mon ami). Explain the difference between il est and c'est and give three examples of each used correctly.