Key to Mock RC Exam 2: Cinematic Tragedy (PDF)

KEY TO MOCK EXAM 2 READING COMPREHENSION AND WRITTEN EXPRESSION TRY AND DO THIS MOCK TEST IN 1 HOUR 30 MINUTES. Read the following passage from the article by Sandra Shapsay and Steven Wagschal, “Contemporary cinematic tragedy and the Silver-Lining Genre”...

KEY TO MOCK EXAM 2 READING COMPREHENSION AND WRITTEN EXPRESSION TRY AND DO THIS MOCK TEST IN 1 HOUR 30 MINUTES. Read the following passage from the article by Sandra Shapsay and Steven Wagschal, “Contemporary cinematic tragedy and the Silver-Lining Genre” (British Journal of Aesthetics, Vol 54. 2, April 2014.): “A sustained critique (…) inescapable.” p.10, l.18 – p.11, l.32. 1- phonology (optional: 2 bonus marks): a- underline the terms from list below that do not contain the sound [c:] as in bore / bc:, bought /bc:t, roar/ rc:, inform / qn)fc:m, etc… p.10 => interwoven (l.18)/ (qntF)wFxvFn, antagonism (l.19)/ An)tAgFnqzm, chronological (l.20)/ (kronF)lodGqkFl, audience (l.25) / )c:djFns, awkward (l.40) / )c:kwFd, mores (l.31) / )mc:reiz, laws (l.31) / lc:z p.11 => shot (l.1) / Hot, toward (l.7) / tx)wc:d, draws out (l.8) / drc:z axt, moments (l.8)/ )mFxmFntz, zone (l.10) / zFxn, malls (l.16) / , form (l.18) / fc:m, son (l.19) / son, soaring, (l.23) / )sc:rqC, fortune (l.26) / )fc:tjxn, remotest (l.29) / rq)mFxtFst, portrayed (l.31) / )pc:treqd a- underline the terms from list below that do not contain the sound [y] as in dog / dyg, bun /byn, fun / fyn, run/ ryn, come / kym, love / lyv, etc… p.10 => rules (l.18) / ru:lz, obstruct (l.19) / Fbs)trykt, figure (l.24) / )fqgF, upscale (l.27) / )ypskeql, suburban (l.27) / sF)bE:bFn, constructs (l.29) / )konstrykts, much (l.33) / mytH, fund (l.33) / fynd, consumption (l.36) / kFn)symHFn, junk (l.36) / dGynk, hunger (l.42) / )hyCF, burns (l.43) / bE:nz. p.11 => freedom (l.1) / )fri:dFm, plot (l.2) / plot, wisdom (l.6) / )wqzdFm, flood (l.10) / flyd, bonfire (l.11) / )bonfaqF, money (l.11) / )mynq, avuncular (l.19) / F)vyCkjFlF, adopt (l.19) / F)dopt, journeys (l.20) / )dGynqz, splendour (l.23) / )splendF, untouched (l.23) / )yntytHd, recurrent (l.27) / rq)kyrFnt, puffy (l.28) / )pyfq. 2- translate the following passages into French (5 marks): a- “A sustained critique (…) freedom.” (p.10, l.18-20) Une critique soutenue du matérialisme et du gaspillage capitalistes apparaît, intriquée avec1 l’opposition croissante de McCandless aux règles et aux lois sociales qui font obstacle à la liberté individuelle. 1 Ou : mêlée à c- “The action is extreme (…) penniless …” (p.11, l.11-14) C’est un acte radical, qui correspond bien au2 personnage ayant récemment brûlé ses cartes d’identité. Plus tard, cela est relié à sa vision du monde par une note manuscrite, montrée en surimpression de l’image filmée : « Le vagabondage est trop simple avec tout cet argent. Mes journées étaient plus palpitantes lorsque j’étais fauché … ». d- “The idea (…) inescapable.” (p.11, l.30-32) L’idée représentée ici est que les humains ont changé la face de la terre et qu’aussi loin que 3 l’on s’en aille et aussi extrême que l’on puisse être, on ne peut échapper à la technologie et à la société. 3- Read carefully from p.10, l.28 to p.11, l.32 and answer the questions below in your own words (9 marks): a- What does Chris McCandless mail “a printed bank draft for $24,000 to the hunger relief organization, Oxfam” (p.10, l.41-2) for? Chris does so to break free from the consumer society he despises4 and cut all ties5 with his family, social environment, career plans and expectations. By giving his money away to a charity such as Oxfam, he also condemns the financial greed and social unfairness at the heart of American capitalism. But his act is symbolically self-sacrificial too since it is a way for him to do away with6 his former self and begin life anew. b- What makes the title of the film’s 1st chapter “an explicit label” (p.11, l.3)? “My own birth” spells out7 the symbolical significance of Chris’s road trip and decision to break away from8 his alienating social environment: the title equates it to9 a symbolical death and rebirth. The new, temporary freedom he finds is rejuvenating10 and regenerating. c- To what extent can McCandless’s actions be defined as “extreme” (p.11, l.11)? 2 In keeping with sbdy / sth => être en accord avec / conforme à … 3 Proposition subordonnée de concession introduite par le subordonnant complexe « no matter how » + adj. Ou bien « however + adj (=> however far one travels...) / no matter to what extremes one goes = whatever extremes one goes … 4 Or : scorns 5 Or : links, bonds 6 Do away with sth / sbdy = a- abolish (law, rule …) b- kill (sbdy) 7 To spell sth out / spell out sth = explain, make plain 8 Break away from sth = break free from sth 9 Equate sth to sth = assimiler qqch à qqch 10 rajeunissant By getting rid of his car and last savings, McCandless deliberately puts himself in a highly vulnerable position since he is by then utterly destitute11, homeless and can now only rely on others or the natural environment. He has put his life on the line12. d- What is the “apex” marked by the “camera shot from above” (p.11, l.22)? Should the image of “the eagle soaring” (p.11, l.23) be considered a metaphor of this apex? Explain. The bird’s eye view shot (aka aerial shot)13 signifies the apex14 of Chris’s life story and destiny as it is the moment of utmost15 freedom for him. But it also suggests that his rise to freedom or to the feeling and illusion of freedom will be followed by an anti-climax16, that is a terrible downfall. The soaring bird of prey is thus an ambivalent symbol for it can be seen as a figure of identification for Chris as he enjoys his new freedom, as well as a threatening presence foreshadowing17 his tragic fate. e- What meaning do Shapsal and Wagschal ascribe to the sequence showing a “regimented military display” (P.11, l.30)? The authors mention this military airplane display as an example of the ubiquity18 and inescapable presence of society, which reaches out to the remotest and wildest places such as Alaska. The image bears out19 Chris’s indictment20 of the hegemonic, all-encroaching21 and violating presence of human social structures. But it also brings out22 the self-deceptive23 nature of Chris’s search for absolute freedom: no matter how far he may travel around the earth, he will not escape from human social structures. 4- Discuss the following statement in about 200-250 words, giving specific examples from plays or films that you have seen recently: “… it is worrisome that cinematic tragedies are rare while […] melodramas are plentiful, for it seems that we rather need tragedy to prompt us to recognize and deal with [the difficult ethical, existential and political problems facing us today]”. (Abridged from: S. Shapsay & S. Wagschal, “Contemporary Cinematic Tragedy and the ‘Silver-Lining’ Genre”, British Journal of Aesthetics, Vol. 52, Number 2, April 2014, p. 174) (6 marks) 11 Resourceless 12 Or : he has put his life at stake. / he has laid down his life. 13 Plan de plongée verticale ou « vue d’oiseau » au cinéma. 14 )eqpeks sommet, point culminant 15 )ytmFxst maximale 16 Climax / )klaqmAks = point culminant (intrigue, suspense, tension …) / anticlimax / (Antq)klaqmAks= chute 17 fc: )HAdFxqC Or : prefiguring 18 jx)bqkwqti = ubiquité 19 Bear out sth / bear sth out = confirm sth 20 qn)daitmFnt = condemnation 21 (c :lFn)krFxtHqC = invasive, overwhelming 22 Bring sth out / bring out sth = highlight, emphasize sth (mettre qqch en relief) 23 = illusoire Methodological guidelines for the writing of essays: 1- Introduction: the introduction should first introduce the topic and issue (in one sentence) and then make a thesis statement, explaining in one sentence what you are going to show in your essay. For short essays (200-250 words) it is not necessary to give a preview of your plan. 2- Development or main body of the essay: for 200-250-word essays, your development should be restricted to two or three parts, with just one paragraph per part. Write short paragraphs organized as follows: a- Briefly state the main point, core argument, theme or controlling idea of the paragraph. b- explain, analyze and illustrate the main point or theme through at least one example. c- end the paragraph with a sentence that links with and announces the idea to be analysed in the next paragraph. 3- Conclusion: Briefly take stock on the main finding(-s), conclusion or opinion arrived at through the discussion and analysis. This can be done in one or two sentences, before very briefly opening up the discussion to further relevant ideas or issues. Like the introduction, the conclusion can only be about two or three sentences long. Sample essay: With its relentless focus on human suffering and its bleak endings, it may seem strange that audiences should enjoy tragedy. Yet, its gradual decline to the benefit of melodrama could deprive them of a more rewarding form of drama. It comes as no surprise that theatregoers or film viewers seeking comfort after depressing news bulletins should prefer melodramas to tragic films such as Into the Wild. It can indeed be heart wrenching to watch Chris McCandless starving and accidentally poisoning himself while trying to lead a more fulfilling life in the Alaskan wilderness. As the hero’s hopes are dashed, the film bleakly suggests that there is no way out of our alienating and destructive consumer societies. A happier end might have allowed us to shirk such a thorny issue. Unsurprisingly, producers often find it more profitable to fund more reassuring melodramas. However, drama is not only meant to entertain or soothe people but also to refine their minds and sensibilities or urge them to question social norms. Tragedy may fit that purpose better. In Hecuba, Euripides prompts us to empathise with the former queen of Troy enslaved by the patriarchal Greeks before confronting us to her gruesome revenge. The ending lets us grapple with the issue of taking the law in one’s own hands through vengeful murder, however justified such revenge might be. If melodrama generally seems to be a more superficial, commercial genre, it is worrisome that it should supersede thought-provoking tragedies. Yet, it can raise serious issues and be radically subversive too. 254 words