Introduction card
Expanding your vocabulary: the eight axes
General track, B2 towards C1. The lighter version for the technological track is here.
| Audience | Première and Terminale, general track, English as first or second foreign language. |
|---|---|
| Length | Two sessions of 55 minutes, each opened by a marked recap, two homework banks with answer keys and a short marked assessment. |
| Objectives | Build a word bank for each of the eight axes of the programme. Use the right collocation and the right register. Build new words with prefixes and suffixes. Link ideas in an essay. Understand and use metaphorical language. Remember words for good with a notebook and spaced review. Grammar tied to each step: verb patterns, word classes, the passive and concession. |
| Link with the programme | The programme for Première and Terminale (official bulletin of 22 January 2019) is built on one theme divided into eight axes, and at least six axes are studied each year. It asks for vocabulary learnt in context, organised in semantic fields linked to the axes, and reused from one sequence to the next. This session follows that order: the axes first, the methods in their service. |
| Link with the bac | The bac assesses four activities: understanding a recording, understanding a written text, writing, and speaking. In each one, precise words make the difference: you understand the document faster, you summarise it in your own words, you argue with nuance, and you speak without searching for words. |
| Before this session | Big Brother Is Watching, Artificial Intelligence and Fahrenheit 451, Learning in the Age of AI and Through the Lens. The recaps draw on these sequences. |
| Materials | The gap-fill worksheet of the session (paper or ENT). A dictionary, paper or online. A vocabulary notebook. |
| Adapted version | Adapted version (dys). |
Session 1 · A word bank for each axis
Session plan (55 minutes)
- Marked recap while the register is taken: 5 min
- The eight axes and their word banks: 12 min
- Collocations and register: 8 min
- Exercises 1 to 4: 18 min
- Game, Axis Taboo: 8 min
- Students write the homework in their planners: 4 min
Marked recap · 5 minutes · out of 5
What you already know
While the register is taken, one student presents this recap, prepared at home. It draws on Big Brother Is Watching and Artificial Intelligence and Fahrenheit 451. The class listens, then adds details if needed.
| Question | Marks |
|---|---|
| Who wrote Nineteen Eighty-Four, and in which year was it published? | 1 mark |
| Who wrote Fahrenheit 451, and what does the job of a fireman consist of in the novel? | 1 mark |
| Give one word for a frightening imagined society, and its opposite. | 1 mark |
| Grammar. Put the verb in the right form: “Big Brother makes people (feel) watched all the time.” | 1 mark |
| Voice, eye contact, speaking without reading your notes. | 1 mark |
Recap answer key
- Who wrote Nineteen Eighty-Four, and in which year was it published?
George Orwell, 1949. - Who wrote Fahrenheit 451, and what does the job of a fireman consist of in the novel?
Ray Bradbury, 1953. Firemen do not put out fires: they burn books. - Give one word for a frightening imagined society, and its opposite.
A dystopia. Its opposite is a utopia. - Grammar. Put the verb in the right form: “Big Brother makes people (feel) watched all the time.”
feel. After make someone, we use the bare infinitive: Big Brother makes people feel watched. - Voice, eye contact, speaking without reading your notes.
A voice that reaches the back of the room, eyes on the class, notes checked only at a glance.
Why learn words by axis?
A word learnt alone is forgotten in a week. A word learnt in a family of ideas comes back when you need it. When the bac subject is about social networks, you open your “Citizenship and virtual worlds” bank, and the words are there, ready, with their collocations.
“Social media is bad because there are a lot of lies on it.”
“Social media can fuel misinformation: a false claim may go viral long before anyone has time to fact-check it.”
The second sentence says the same thing, but it is precise, it sounds natural, and it shows the examiner that you master the topic.
The eight axes and their word banks
Each card gives the key question of the axis, then six words or phrases, with a short definition and an example. Copy two axes into your notebook each week.
Axis 1 · Identities and exchanges
How do borders, migration and travel shape who we are?
| Word or phrase | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| a sense of belonging | the feeling of being part of a group or a place | Moving abroad can weaken or strengthen a sense of belonging. |
| to settle (in) | to start living somewhere and feel at home there | It took her two years to settle in Manchester. |
| a culture shock | the confusion you feel in a very different culture | His first week in Tokyo was a real culture shock. |
| hospitality | a warm welcome given to guests or newcomers | The village is proud of its hospitality towards refugees. |
| upward mobility | moving to a higher social position | Education is often seen as the key to upward mobility. |
| to bridge the gap between | to bring two groups or ideas closer | Exchange programmes bridge the gap between young Europeans. |
Axis 2 · Private and public space
Where does private life end and public life begin?
| Word or phrase | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| gender equality | the same rights and chances for women and men | Gender equality at home starts with sharing household chores. |
| household chores | the daily jobs of a home: cleaning, cooking, washing | Household chores are still unequally shared in many families. |
| remote work | working from home instead of an office | Remote work has changed the way people use their homes. |
| to emancipate oneself | to become independent from social or legal control | Many women emancipated themselves through paid work. |
| a gathering place | a public place where people meet | The local café used to be the main gathering place. |
| to blur the line between | to make a limit less clear | Smartphones blur the line between work and home. |
Axis 3 · Art and power
How can art serve, challenge or resist those in power?
| Word or phrase | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| to commission | to officially ask and pay an artist to create a work | The king commissioned a portrait to show his authority. |
| propaganda | information used to promote a political cause, often misleading | Wartime posters were a powerful form of propaganda. |
| to glorify | to present someone or something as greater than reality | Official statues often glorify military leaders. |
| satire | humour used to criticise people in power | Political cartoons use satire to expose hypocrisy. |
| protest art | art created to denounce an injustice | Street murals can be a form of protest art. |
| to censor | to remove or ban content judged dangerous | The regime censored any song that mocked the president. |
Axis 4 · Citizenship and virtual worlds
How do digital tools change the way we act as citizens?
| Word or phrase | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| misinformation | false information spread, often without intent to deceive | Misinformation spreads faster than corrections. |
| personal data | information that identifies you: name, location, habits | Apps collect personal data every time we scroll. |
| cyberbullying | harassing someone online, again and again | Schools now train staff to spot cyberbullying. |
| a whistleblower | an insider who reveals wrongdoing to the public | The whistleblower risked her career to expose the scandal. |
| to go viral | to spread very quickly across the internet | The video went viral within a few hours. |
| to fact-check | to verify whether a claim is true | Journalists fact-check statements made during debates. |
Axis 5 · Fictions and realities
How does fiction shed light on the real world?
| Word or phrase | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| a dystopia | an imagined society where life is frightening or unjust | Orwell’s Oceania is the best-known dystopia in English. |
| a cautionary tale | a story that warns readers about a danger | Fahrenheit 451 can be read as a cautionary tale about screens. |
| a role model | a person others admire and want to imitate | Superheroes are role models for many children. |
| a myth | a traditional story, or a widely believed false idea | The American Dream is sometimes called a national myth. |
| to depict | to represent in words or images | The novel depicts a world without books. |
| far-fetched | difficult to believe, unlikely | What seemed far-fetched in 1953 now looks familiar. |
Axis 6 · Scientific innovation and responsibility
Who should decide how far science and technology go?
| Word or phrase | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| a breakthrough | an important discovery that allows progress | The vaccine was a major medical breakthrough. |
| to carry out research | to do scientific work in a careful way | Teams carry out research on renewable energy. |
| ethical concerns | worries about what is morally right | Gene editing raises serious ethical concerns. |
| sustainable | able to continue without harming the planet | Cities are looking for sustainable means of transport. |
| a carbon footprint | the amount of greenhouse gas an activity produces | Flying increases your carbon footprint. |
| unintended consequences | effects nobody planned or wanted | New technologies often have unintended consequences. |
Axis 7 · Diversity and inclusion
How do societies include everyone?
| Word or phrase | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| disability | a condition that limits some physical or mental activities | The law requires schools to adapt to disability. |
| accessibility | the quality of being easy to reach, use or understand | Ramps and subtitles improve accessibility. |
| to face discrimination | to be treated unfairly because of who you are | Many workers still face discrimination when hiring. |
| a minority | a smaller group within a larger population | Welsh speakers are a linguistic minority in the UK. |
| the generation gap | differences of opinion between young and old people | Social media has widened the generation gap. |
| equal opportunities | the same chances for everyone | The company claims to offer equal opportunities. |
Axis 8 · Territory and memory
How is a collective past built and passed on?
| Word or phrase | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| heritage | the history, buildings and traditions passed down | Industrial heritage is now protected in many regions. |
| a memorial | a monument built to remember people or events | The memorial lists the names of the soldiers. |
| to commemorate | to honour the memory of an event officially | Every year the town commemorates the armistice. |
| collective memory | what a group remembers and shares about its past | Songs help to shape collective memory. |
| to pay tribute to | to show respect and gratitude to | The ceremony paid tribute to the nurses. |
| the scars of history | the lasting damage left by past events | The divided city still bears the scars of history. |
Method 1 · Collocations: words that go together
A collocation is a group of words that native speakers naturally use together. You can understand “make a research”, but it sounds wrong: we say carry out research. Learn verbs and nouns as pairs, never alone.
| Verb | goes with | Example in an axis |
|---|---|---|
| raise | awareness of, concerns about | Protest art raises awareness of injustice. |
| pose | a threat to, a challenge to | Deepfakes pose a threat to democracy. |
| take | responsibility for, measures | Platforms must take responsibility for harmful content. |
| strike | a balance between | Laws must strike a balance between safety and privacy. |
| play | a key role in | Memorials play a key role in collective memory. |
| draw | attention to | The photograph draws attention to rural poverty. |
| meet | a need, a demand, a deadline | Ramps meet the needs of wheelchair users. |
| reach | an agreement, a consensus | Scientists have not reached a consensus yet. |
Grammar point. Many collocations are followed by a preposition, and after a preposition, a verb takes the -ing form: responsibility for protecting users, a key role in shaping opinion, concerns about losing jobs.
Method 2 · Register: formal or informal?
An essay is written in a formal register. A conversation with a friend uses an informal register. The same idea can be expressed in both.
| Informal | Formal, for the essay |
|---|---|
| a lot of | a great deal of (uncountable), numerous (countable) |
| kids | young people, children |
| get | obtain, receive, become |
| find out | discover |
| really bad | deeply harmful |
| think about | consider |
| I think | It could be argued that |
| But, at the start of a sentence | However, |
| don’t, can’t | do not, cannot |
Grammar point. Formal English often uses the passive or an impersonal structure to sound objective: It is often argued that…, Personal data is collected without our knowledge. Form: be + past participle.
Exercises · Session 1
Level 1Exercise 1 · Which axis?
Instructions. Write the number of the axis (1 to 8) that each word belongs to most naturally.
1. a whistleblower
2. to commemorate
3. propaganda
4. household chores
5. a culture shock
6. accessibility
7. a breakthrough
8. a cautionary tale
Answer key
1. a whistleblower: 4, Citizenship and virtual worlds. 2. to commemorate: 8, Territory and memory. 3. propaganda: 3, Art and power. 4. household chores: 2, Private and public space. 5. a culture shock: 1, Identities and exchanges. 6. accessibility: 7, Diversity and inclusion. 7. a breakthrough: 6, Scientific innovation and responsibility. 8. a cautionary tale: 5, Fictions and realities.
Some words fit several axes: propaganda also works in axis 4, and a cautionary tale in axis 6. In an essay, that is a strength: it lets you link two axes.
Level 1Exercise 2 · The right verb
Instructions. Complete with the right verb from Method 1, in the right form: raise, pose, take, strike, play, draw, meet, reach.
1. The campaign aims to awareness of cyberbullying.
2. Rising sea levels a threat to coastal towns.
3. Governments must responsibility for the data they store.
4. Remote work makes it hard to a balance between job and family.
5. Teachers a key role in fighting misinformation.
6. Her murals attention to the lives of migrants.
7. After months of talks, the two parties an agreement.
8. The new station the needs of disabled travellers.
Answer key
1. raise. 2. pose. 3. take. 4. strike. 5. play. 6. draw. 7. reached (past simple, the talks are over). 8. meets (present simple, third person singular).
Level 2Exercise 3 · From informal to formal
Instructions. Rewrite each sentence in a formal register for an essay. Use the table of Method 2, and the passive in sentences 4 and 6.
- A lot of kids get their news from TikTok.
- I think AI is really bad for jobs.
- But we can’t stop progress.
- People collect our data all the time.
- We need to think about who controls the algorithms.
- Someone painted the mural in 2020.
Answer key
Possible answers.
- Numerous young people obtain their news from TikTok.
- It could be argued that artificial intelligence is deeply harmful to employment.
- However, progress cannot be stopped.
- Our personal data is collected constantly.
- We need to consider who controls the algorithms.
- The mural was painted in 2020.
Grammar: in 4 and 6, the passive (is collected, was painted) puts the focus on the action, not on a vague “someone”.
Level 3Exercise 4 · Guess the meaning from the context
Instructions. Read this short text, written for this session. For each word in bold, give its meaning and the clue in the text that helped you.
For decades, the textile mill stood derelict at the edge of town: broken windows, rusty gates, pigeons in the roof. Then a group of residents decided to repurpose it. Today the building houses a museum of local work, a library and a café. Former workers come to tell visitors what life was like on the factory floor. For some of them the visit is bittersweet: they are proud to see their past cherished, but sad to remember the friends they lost when the mill closed. The chimney, which can be seen from every hill, has become a landmark.
Answer key
- derelict: abandoned and in very poor condition. Clues: broken windows, rusty gates, pigeons in the roof.
- to repurpose: to give a new use to something. Clue: it now houses a museum, a library and a café.
- bittersweet: pleasant and sad at the same time. Clue: proud but sad, explained right after the colon.
- cherished: loved and protected. Clue: they are proud to see their past respected.
- a landmark: a building that everyone can see and recognise. Clue: it can be seen from every hill.
This text belongs to axis 8, Territory and memory: industrial heritage and collective memory.
Game · Axis Taboo (8 minutes)
Two teams. A player draws a card and makes the team guess the word in 45 seconds, without saying the word or the three forbidden words. One point per word guessed. Then the other team plays.
| Word to guess | Forbidden words |
|---|---|
| a whistleblower | secret, reveal, company |
| heritage | history, past, old |
| a breakthrough | discovery, science, new |
| satire | funny, criticise, politics |
| accessibility | disabled, ramp, easy |
| remote work | home, office, computer |
| a dystopia | future, bad, society |
| a sense of belonging | feel, group, home |
Game answer key
Possible descriptions.
- a whistleblower: “An employee who tells journalists that their employer is doing something illegal.”
- heritage: “What a country receives from previous generations: buildings, traditions, songs.”
- a breakthrough: “A big step forward, for instance a vaccine that saves millions of lives.”
- satire: “Mocking powerful people to show their faults, like in cartoons.”
- accessibility: “When a building, a website or a film can be used by everyone, including wheelchair users or deaf viewers.”
- remote work: “Doing your job from your kitchen table, with a laptop.”
- a dystopia: “An imaginary world where life is a nightmare, like in Orwell.”
- a sense of belonging: “The feeling that you are part of a team or a place.”
Homework · Session 1
To do at home before the next session. Write it in your planner now.
- Notebook. Choose two axes. For each one, copy the six words in your notebook, in four columns: the word, its family, a collocation, and a sentence about your own life or opinions.
- Vocabulary. Choose the right word: censored, carbon footprint, minority, settle in, depict, gathering place.
- Many films ______ the future as a dark, polluted world.
- Taking the train instead of the plane reduces your ______.
- Under the dictatorship, newspapers were ______.
- It is not easy to ______ a new country without speaking the language.
- For teenagers, the shopping mall has become a ______.
- Breton speakers are a linguistic ______ in France.
- Grammar: verb + preposition + -ing. Complete with the right form of the verb.
- Platforms are responsible for (remove) ______ hateful posts.
- The museum plays a key role in (pass on) ______ local memory.
- Many people worry about (lose) ______ their jobs to robots.
- She succeeded in (raise) ______ awareness of the issue.
- Grammar: the passive. Rewrite in the passive: “Millions of users share fake news every day.” “The city built the memorial in 1921.”
Homework answer key
2. a. depict. b. carbon footprint. c. censored. d. settle in. e. gathering place. f. minority.
3. a. removing. b. passing on. c. losing. d. raising. After a preposition, the verb is in the -ing form.
4. Fake news is shared by millions of users every day. The memorial was built by the city in 1921 (or simply: The memorial was built in 1921).
1. Personal answers. Example: to commemorate; family: commemoration, commemorative; collocation: commemorate the victims; my sentence: “Every November, my grandfather goes to the village memorial to commemorate his uncle.”
Session 2 · Building, linking and picturing words
Session plan (55 minutes)
- Marked recap while the register is taken: 5 min
- Word formation, linking words, metaphors: 12 min
- Exercises 5 to 8: 15 min
- Game, Word Family Relay: 6 min
- Reuse: essay paragraph and one-minute oral: 10 min
- Short marked assessment, then homework in planners: 7 min, or at the start of the next session
Marked recap · 5 minutes · out of 5
What we did last time
One student presents this recap, prepared at home. It draws on session 1 and on Learning in the Age of AI.
| Question | Marks |
|---|---|
| Name three axes of the programme and give one word for each. | 1 mark |
| Complete the collocations: to ______ awareness of, to ______ a balance between. | 1 mark |
| Give the formal equivalent of “a lot of kids” and of “I think”. | 1 mark |
| Grammar. Put in the passive: “The school bans phones in class.” | 1 mark |
| Voice, eye contact, speaking without reading your notes. | 1 mark |
Recap answer key
- Name three axes of the programme and give one word for each.
For example: Citizenship and virtual worlds, misinformation; Art and power, propaganda; Territory and memory, a memorial. - Complete the collocations: to ______ awareness of, to ______ a balance between.
to raise awareness of; to strike a balance between. - Give the formal equivalent of “a lot of kids” and of “I think”.
Numerous young people; It could be argued that. - Grammar. Put in the passive: “The school bans phones in class.”
Phones are banned in class (by the school). - Voice, eye contact, speaking without reading your notes.
A voice that reaches the back of the room, eyes on the class, notes checked only at a glance.
Method 3 · Word formation: prefixes and suffixes
From one root you can build a whole family. Knowing the prefixes and suffixes lets you understand new words and vary your style.
| Prefix | Meaning | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| un-, in-, im-, il-, ir- | not | unfair, inequality, impossible, illegal, irresponsible |
| dis- | opposite, not | disagree, disconnect, disadvantage |
| mis- | wrongly | misinform, misunderstand, misuse |
| over-, under- | too much, not enough | overpopulation, underpaid |
| re- | again | rebuild, rethink, reconnect |
| counter-, anti- | against | counter-culture, anti-racist |
| Suffix | Makes | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| -ment, -tion, -ity, -ness, -ism, -ship | nouns | development, inclusion, equality, awareness, activism, citizenship |
| -able, -ful, -less, -al, -ive | adjectives | sustainable, harmful, powerless, ethical, inclusive |
| -ise (-ize), -ify, -en | verbs | criticise, modernise, justify, threaten |
| -ly | adverbs | deeply, increasingly, ethically |
| Verb | Noun | Adjective | Opposite |
|---|---|---|---|
| include | inclusion | inclusive | exclude, exclusion |
| to be equal | equality | equal | inequality, unequal |
| respond | responsibility | responsible | irresponsible |
| remember | memory, memorial | memorable | forget, oblivion |
| inform | information, misinformation | informative | misinform |
Grammar point: word classes. The place in the sentence tells you which form to use: after an article or an adjective, a noun (a growing inequality); after be or before a noun, an adjective (the law is unfair); to describe a verb or an adjective, an adverb (deeply unfair).
Method 4 · Linking words for the essay
| To | Formal, for the essay | Grammar to watch |
|---|---|---|
| add | Moreover, Furthermore, In addition, | At the start of a sentence, followed by a comma. |
| contrast | However, On the other hand, Whereas | whereas joins two clauses in one sentence. |
| concede | Although + clause, Despite / In spite of + noun or -ing | Although it is useful… / Despite being useful… |
| give a cause | because + clause, because of / due to + noun | because of misinformation, not because misinformation |
| give a consequence | Therefore, As a result, Consequently, | Followed by a comma at the start of a sentence. |
| illustrate | For instance, such as, as shown by | such as + noun: platforms such as TikTok |
| conclude | To conclude, All things considered, Ultimately, | Never “In conclusion” twice in a row. |
Method 5 · Metaphorical language
English often talks about abstract ideas with images. Using one well-chosen image per paragraph makes your writing vivid. Learn them by families of images:
| Image | Expressions | Axis |
|---|---|---|
| information is water | a flood of information, to be drowning in notifications, to filter the news | 4, Citizenship and virtual worlds |
| society is a building | the pillars of democracy, to build bridges, to break down walls | 1 and 7 |
| the past is a wound | the scars of history, to heal old wounds, a painful chapter | 8, Territory and memory |
| ideas are plants | to sow the seeds of doubt, an idea takes root, a movement blossoms | 3, Art and power |
| technology is a tool with two sides | a double-edged sword, a blessing and a curse | 6, Scientific innovation and responsibility |
Trap. Too many images kill the image. One per paragraph is enough, and never mix two families in the same sentence.
Remembering words for good
- A personal example: write each new word in a sentence about your own life. A sentence you invented is remembered far better than a sentence you copied.
- A notebook in four columns: word, family, collocation, my sentence. Add the axis number in the margin.
- Spaced review: read your list again on day 1, day 3, day 7 and day 21. Each time, hide the word and find it from your sentence.
- Recycling: reuse five words from the previous axis in each new sequence, as the programme asks.
- Your voice: record yourself saying the words and your sentences on your phone, and listen to them on the way to school.
Exercises · Session 2
Level 1Exercise 5 · Build the right form
Instructions. Complete with the right form of the word in brackets: noun, adjective, adverb or opposite.
1. Women still face at work. (equal, opposite noun)
2. A truly school welcomes every student. (include, adjective)
3. Leaving plastic on the beach is . (responsible, opposite)
4. Fake accounts can easily voters. (inform, wrongly)
5. Phones have become important in daily life. (increase, adverb)
6. The government launched a campaign to raise of the problem. (aware, noun)
Answer key
1. inequality. 2. inclusive. 3. irresponsible. 4. misinform. 5. increasingly. 6. awareness.
Grammar: in 2 the word comes before a noun, so an adjective; in 5 it describes an adjective (important), so an adverb.
Level 2Exercise 6 · Link the ideas
Instructions. Complete with: although, despite, whereas, because of, therefore, such as.
1. AI saves time, it may weaken our memory.
2. its success, the film was censored.
3. Some people trust online reviews, others ignore them.
4. The flight was cancelled the storm.
5. Personal data has a price. users should read the terms.
6. Platforms Instagram depend on advertising.
Answer key
1. Although (+ clause). 2. Despite (+ noun). 3. whereas. 4. because of (+ noun). 5. Therefore, (followed by a comma). 6. such as.
Level 2Exercise 7 · Read the images
Instructions. For each sentence, say which family of images is used, then rewrite the sentence without the image.
- The war left scars on the city that are still visible.
- Social media is a double-edged sword for young people.
- Teenagers are drowning in notifications.
- The exhibition sowed the seeds of a new movement.
Answer key
- The past is a wound. Without the image: the war caused damage that can still be seen.
- Technology has two sides. Without the image: social media has both advantages and disadvantages for young people.
- Information is water. Without the image: teenagers receive far too many notifications.
- Ideas are plants. Without the image: the exhibition started a new movement.
Compare: the sentences with images are shorter and stronger. That is why one image per paragraph is useful.
Level 3Exercise 8 · Upgrade a paragraph
Instructions. This paragraph is correct but poor. Rewrite it using at least three words from the axis cards, two collocations, two linking words and one image.
Robots are good and bad. They do a lot of work. But they take jobs. Scientists do research on them. We must think about it. Rules are needed.
Answer key
A possible answer (axis 6, Scientific innovation and responsibility):
Robots are a double-edged sword. On the one hand, they carry out repetitive and dangerous tasks, which is a real breakthrough for workers’ health. On the other hand, they may cause unintended consequences, such as the loss of thousands of jobs. Although research on robotics is advancing rapidly, its ethical concerns are rarely discussed. Therefore, governments must take responsibility for striking a balance between innovation and employment.
Checklist: words from the card (breakthrough, unintended consequences, ethical concerns); collocations (carry out tasks, take responsibility for, strike a balance between); linking words (On the one hand, On the other hand, Although, Therefore); one image (a double-edged sword). Grammar: for striking, -ing after a preposition.
Game · Word Family Relay (6 minutes)
Teams of four in front of the board. The teacher writes a root. Each player in turn runs to the board and adds one word of the family (noun, adjective, verb, adverb, opposite), then hands the pen on. One point per correct word, one bonus point if the team uses one of its words in a sentence about an axis.
Roots: power, equal, create, connect, remember, sustain.
Game answer key
- power: powerful, powerless, empower, empowerment, powerfully.
- equal: equality, inequality, unequal, equally, equalise.
- create: creation, creative, creativity, creator, recreate.
- connect: connection, connected, disconnect, disconnection, reconnect.
- remember: memory, memorial, memorable, commemorate, commemoration.
- sustain: sustainable, sustainability, unsustainable, sustainably.
Bonus sentence example: “Social media can empower minorities, but it can also disconnect us from real life.”
Reuse · write, then speak
An essay paragraph (15 lines, at home or in class)
Choose one subject. A. Should social networks be held responsible for what their users post? (axis 4) B. Why do societies build memorials? (axis 8)
Success criteria: five words from the axis card, two collocations, two linking words, one image, one passive, a formal register throughout.
Model answer
Model paragraph, subject A. Social networks are often described as neutral platforms. However, it could be argued that they cannot escape responsibility for what is published on them. Their algorithms are designed to make content go viral, and misinformation, which is more shocking than the truth, spreads faster than any correction. Moreover, victims of cyberbullying are left powerless when hateful messages are not removed. Although moderation has a cost, these companies earn billions from our personal data. Therefore, they should be required to fact-check and remove harmful posts, so that the pillars of democracy are not undermined.
Checklist: axis words (go viral, misinformation, cyberbullying, personal data, fact-check); collocations (escape responsibility for, remove harmful posts); linking words (However, Moreover, Although, Therefore); image (the pillars of democracy); passives (are designed, are not removed, should be required, are not undermined).
The one-minute oral
Present one axis in one minute, as if you were starting your oral at the bac: the key question, three words from the card, one example from a sequence studied in class, your opinion. Use two linking words and one image. A classmate times you and ticks the words used.
Model answer
Model, axis 5, Fictions and realities. “The axis Fictions and realities asks how stories shed light on the real world. A good example is Fahrenheit 451: in 1953, Ray Bradbury depicted a society where books were burnt and people were glued to giant screens. At the time, it seemed far-fetched. However, today we spend hours on our phones, so the novel reads like a cautionary tale. In my opinion, dystopias are not predictions, they are warnings: they sow the seeds of doubt in our minds, and that is exactly why we need them.”
About 90 words: one minute at a calm pace. Words from the card: depict, far-fetched, a cautionary tale, a dystopia. Linking words: However, so. Image: sow the seeds of doubt.
Short marked assessment · 10 minutes · out of 10
Check your progress
In class, without notes. Vocabulary and grammar from both sessions.
- Vocabulary (2 marks). Give the axis of each word: a memorial, propaganda, gender equality, a carbon footprint.
- Collocations (2 marks). Complete: to ______ a threat to; to ______ attention to; to ______ research; to ______ tribute to.
- Word formation (2 marks). Give the noun: include, aware, responsible, equal.
- Grammar: the passive (2 marks). Rewrite: “The regime censored the film.” “People share millions of photos every day.”
- Grammar: concession (2 marks). Join with although, then with despite: “Robots are useful. They destroy jobs.”
Assessment answer key
- a memorial: 8, Territory and memory; propaganda: 3, Art and power; gender equality: 2, Private and public space; a carbon footprint: 6, Scientific innovation and responsibility. Half a mark each.
- pose; draw; carry out; pay. Half a mark each.
- inclusion; awareness; responsibility; equality. Half a mark each.
- The film was censored (by the regime). Millions of photos are shared every day. One mark each.
- Although robots are useful, they destroy jobs. Despite being useful, robots destroy jobs (or: Despite their usefulness, robots destroy jobs). One mark each.
Homework · Session 2
To do at home before the next session. Write it in your planner now. The short assessment above comes in addition to this homework, never instead of it.
- Spaced review. Plan your reviews in your planner: today, in three days, in a week, in three weeks. Each time, hide the words and find them from your own sentences.
- Vocabulary. Add a prefix or a suffix to complete each sentence: under, mis, dis, able, less, ism.
- Nurses are often ______paid for the work they do.
- Without a voice, citizens feel power______.
- Many tourists ______understand local customs.
- We need sustain______ solutions.
- Feminism and activ______ changed public space.
- Screens can ______connect families.
- Grammar: although, despite, whereas. Complete.
- ______ the rain, thousands gathered at the memorial.
- ______ it was banned, the song became a hymn of resistance.
- Older people prefer newspapers, ______ teenagers prefer videos.
- Writing. Write the paragraph of the other subject (A or B) and record your one-minute oral on a second axis.
Homework answer key
2. a. underpaid. b. powerless. c. misunderstand. d. sustainable. e. activism. f. disconnect.
3. a. Despite (+ noun). b. Although (+ clause). c. whereas.
4. Model for subject B: “Societies build memorials because collective memory is fragile. Without a place to gather, the names of the victims would fade from history. Moreover, a memorial allows a nation to commemorate and to pay tribute to those who died. It is often argued that the scars of history should be hidden. However, they remind us of what must never happen again. Ultimately, memorials are built not only for the dead, but for the generations to come.”
1. Personal work, checked in class.
Keep going
- Big Brother Is Watching: Orwell and dystopia, for axes 4 and 5.
- Artificial Intelligence and Fahrenheit 451: reality, fiction and responsibility, for axes 5 and 6.
- Learning in the Age of AI: who is thinking when a machine answers, for axes 4 and 6.
- Through the Lens: Dorothea Lange, art and power, for axes 3 and 8.
All texts, word banks, examples and exercises on this page were written for this session. The programme references come from the official bulletin of 22 January 2019 (languages, Première and Terminale, general and technological tracks).