French A Level Reading Exam for OCR

OCR’s A-Level French reading exam tests your ability to comprehend, analyse, and translate authentic French passages with a strong focus on cultural and societal issues.

OCR Exam Format

  • Reading Comprehension: Texts include a range of formats such as articles, opinion pieces, and excerpts from Francophone literature.
  • Translation: A 60-80 word passage that needs to be translated from French into English, centred around key themes.

Question Types

  • Short-answer questions: Questions to be answered in French or English, requiring both specific details and broader understanding.
  • Multiple-choice questions: Tests comprehension of explicit details.
  • True/False/Justify questions: Assess critical reading and ability to cite evidence.
  • Translation: Examines translation precision and fluency in English.

Marks and Weighting

  • Reading and Translation make up half of Paper 1.
  • Translation: Worth approximately 10 marks, focusing on linguistic accuracy, idiomatic expression, and meaning retention.

Skills Required

Vocabulary and Synonyms

  • Expand your vocabulary by theme: OCR themes include societal trends, immigration, and Francophone culture.
  • Learn synonyms and rephrasing: OCR often tests your understanding of varied vocabulary and expressions.

Inference and Cultural Awareness

  • Read for both explicit and implied meanings: Look beyond the literal to grasp nuanced sentiments or tones.
  • Understand Cultural References: Be familiar with common references and idioms in Francophone culture to interpret correctly.

Translation Proficiency

  • Focus on fluent English expression: Translate idiomatic phrases into their natural English counterparts.
  • Grammar and Sentence Structure: Be aware of differences in word order and tense use between French and English.

Key Themes

  1. Social Issues and Trends: Topics like family, education, and the changing workplace.
  2. Political and Artistic Culture: Includes media, festivals, and artistic expressions.
  3. Immigration and Multiculturalism: Explores integration, racism, and immigration policies.
  4. Occupation and Resistance: WWII-era France, Vichy government, and the Resistance.

OCR Exam Strategies

  • Work from Context: Start with an overall understanding, then tackle specific questions.
  • Prioritise Natural Translations: Don’t focus on word-for-word translations. Prioritise clarity and fluency in English.
  • Identify False Friends: Avoid common translation traps with words like actuellement (currently), not “actually.”

Sample Translation Passage and Approach

Passage (French)

"Les jeunes sont de plus en plus engagés dans des causes sociales, que ce soit pour l'environnement ou contre les injustices."

Translation (English)

"Young people are increasingly involved in social causes, whether for the environment or against injustices."

Analysis

  • Vocabulary: "Engagés dans des causes sociales" translates as “involved in social causes,” maintaining the meaning.
  • Grammar: "De plus en plus" expressed as “increasingly,” which reads naturally in English.