Comprehension Strategies
Méthodes et stratégies pour la compréhension écrite et orale en anglais Terminale : analyse de documents, prise de notes et techniques de repérage.
Programme officiel
Compétences de compréhension — Atteindre le niveau B2 en compréhension écrite et orale pour le bac.
Cours complet
I. Reading Comprehension Strategies
Skimming: rapid reading for general meaning (titles, first sentences, conclusion). Scanning: searching for specific information (dates, names, numbers). Intensive reading: careful analysis of language, tone, and structure. For the bac: read the questions FIRST, then the text. Identify the text type (article, speech, fiction, letter) and its purpose (inform, persuade, entertain). Pay attention to: who, what, when, where, why, how.
II. Listening Comprehension Strategies
Before listening: read the title and instructions carefully, anticipate content. First listening: get the general idea — don't panic about words you miss. Second listening: focus on specific details, note key words. Third listening: verify and complete your notes. Tips: listen for stress and intonation (they carry meaning), recognise discourse markers ("however" signals contrast, "in fact" signals clarification), be prepared for different accents (American, British, Australian, Indian).
III. Analysing Documents
For any document, identify: Source (newspaper, novel, speech, blog), Author (journalist, politician, activist — what is their perspective?), Date (historical context), Audience (who is it aimed at?), Purpose (to inform, persuade, criticise, entertain). Analyse tone: neutral/objective, critical, ironic, enthusiastic, pessimistic. Look for implicit meaning: what is NOT said can be as important as what is said.
IV. Answering Questions Effectively
Read the question carefully: "explain" ≠ "describe" ≠ "compare" ≠ "discuss". Quote the text to support your answers (use quotation marks). Rephrase rather than copy: show you understand by using your own words. For "justify your answer" questions: state your answer, then provide evidence from the text. For inference questions: look for clues in the text that suggest meaning beyond the literal words.
Key Vocabulary
Méthode bac
Entraînez-vous régulièrement : lisez un article en anglais chaque jour (The Guardian, BBC News, The New York Times), écoutez des podcasts (BBC 6 Minute English, TED Talks). Pour le bac : gérez votre temps — ne passez pas trop longtemps sur une question difficile, revenez-y après.
Exercices d'entraînement
Q1 : What is the difference between "skimming" and "scanning"?
Answer: Skimming is reading quickly to get the general idea of a text — like reading chapter titles, introductions, and conclusions. Scanning is searching for specific information — like looking for a date, a name, or a number in a text. Both are essential skills: skim first to understand the overall topic, then scan for details needed to answer specific questions.
Q2 : How do you identify the tone of a text?
Answer: Look for: 1) Adjectives and adverbs (positive/negative connotations), 2) Punctuation (exclamation marks suggest emotion, ellipsis suggests hesitation), 3) Rhetorical devices (irony, sarcasm, hyperbole), 4) Sentence structure (short sentences = urgency; long sentences = reflection), 5) Choice of vocabulary (formal = authority; informal = intimacy). Practice by reading the same topic covered differently by different sources.
Q3 : What does "reading between the lines" mean? Give an example.
Answer: "Reading between the lines" means understanding the implicit meaning — what the author suggests without saying directly. Example: if a text says "The CEO smiled and said everyone would keep their jobs," the word "smiled" might imply insincerity, suggesting job cuts are actually planned. In the bac, inference questions test this skill: look for word choice, tone, and context to understand the deeper meaning.
Q4 : How should you take notes during a listening comprehension?
Answer: Use abbreviations (gov = government, bc = because, w/ = with). Write key words, not full sentences. Use symbols (→ for leads to, ↑ for increase, ≠ for different). Note numbers, dates, and proper nouns precisely. Leave space to add details during second listening. Organise notes by speaker or by topic. After listening: immediately expand abbreviations while memory is fresh.
Q5 : The question asks you to "account for" something. What does this mean?
Answer: "Account for" means explain the reasons behind something — give causes and explanations. It is more analytical than "describe" (which asks you to say what happens). Example: "Account for the rise of social media" requires explaining WHY it grew (technology, human psychology, business models), not just describing WHAT social media is. Other key instruction words: "assess" = evaluate strengths and weaknesses; "to what extent" = how far do you agree (requires nuance).
À retenir pour le bac
- •Skimming — notion clé à maîtriser pour cet axe.
- •Scanning — notion clé à maîtriser pour cet axe.
- •Inference — notion clé à maîtriser pour cet axe.
- •Note-taking — notion clé à maîtriser pour cet axe.
- •Critical reading — notion clé à maîtriser pour cet axe.
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