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B2 French reading: who must act on an open letter?

Edited by Chris Lee · Updated · About the library

Read a sculpture group’s open letter, separate its public audience from its decision-maker, and answer five questions about the request.

In short

An open letter can address a committee while informing every member. Find the person or group attached to each request: here the committee must arrange a meeting, and the sculpture group wants the decision postponed until that meeting.

Yellow the idea to rememberBlue French to learn

Workshop access · read before answering

Lettre ouverte au comité du lieu partagé

Nous vous écrivons au nom du groupe de sculpture. Le nouvel horaire proposé pour l’atelier commun supprimerait notre seul créneau1 de travail collectif. Nous comprenons que d’autres groupes aient besoin de la salle. Nous demandons toutefois que la prise de décision soit reportée2 jusqu’à une rencontre entre les groupes concernés et le comité.

Notre demande ne consiste pas à réserver l’atelier à la sculpture. Elle vise à examiner les usages avant de fixer les nouveaux créneaux. Nous publions cette lettre afin que les autres membres comprennent notre démarche3. Nous invitons le comité à proposer une date de rencontre ; les groupes pourront alors présenter leurs contraintes respectives4.

Read it in English

We write on behalf of the sculpture group. The proposed new shared-workshop timetable would remove our only slot for working together. We understand that other groups need the room. However, we ask for the decision to be postponed until a meeting between the groups concerned and the committee.

Our request is not to reserve the workshop for sculpture. Its aim is to examine how the workshop is used before setting new time slots. We publish this letter so that other members understand our approach. We invite the committee to propose a meeting date; the groups will then be able to present their respective constraints.

Three roles in one letter
RoleWho?What the text says
Writersle groupe de sculptureNous vous écrivons au nom du groupe de sculpture.
Direct addresseele comitéNous invitons le comité à proposer une date.
Wider readershiples autres membresAfin que les autres membres comprennent notre démarche.

The concession begins with Nous comprenons que… The request follows toutefois. Holding those two ideas together gives the letter its shape: the group recognises competing needs and asks for discussion before the timetable changes. Publication explains the request to other members; arranging the meeting remains the committee’s next action.

Four things in the shared workshop

Question 1No account needed
Who is asked to propose a meeting date?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

Le comité.. The final sentence names le comité as the group asked to propose a date.

Question 2No account needed
What is the requested endpoint of the postponement?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

A meeting of the groups and committee.. Jusqu’à une rencontre links the postponement to discussion between the named groups.

Question 3No account needed
Which interpretation does the sculpture group reject?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

Un atelier réservé à la sculpture.. Ne consiste pas à réserver l’atelier à la sculpture rejects exclusive access.

Question 4No account needed
What does notre seul créneau de travail collectif refer to?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

This group’s only slot for working together.. Notre refers to the writers; collectif specifies their work together.

Question 5No account needed
Which sentence accurately reports the letter’s status?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

Le groupe demande de reporter la décision.. The letter makes a request. It supplies neither an acceptance nor a final timetable decision.

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