Gap-fill
French B1 gap-fill: choosing a village noticeboard location
Fill 12 opinion and concession gaps as residents weigh three noticeboard sites. Includes a location comparison, picture cards and an English translation.
- B1
- 12 gaps
- Translation included
- Learn this in the B1 notebook →
In short
Use À mon avis to introduce a view, malgré before a noun, and bien que before a subjunctive clause. Complete 12 gaps as a village chooses between visibility, opening hours and easy access.
| Meaning | French pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Personal opinion | À mon avis | À mon avis, cette entrée est trop étroite. |
| Concession + noun | malgré + noun | Malgré le bruit, on peut discuter ici. |
| Concession + clause | bien que + subjunctive | Bien que le passage soit étroit, il reste ouvert. |
| Contrast | en revanche | La cour est calme ; en revanche, elle est sombre. |
The places under discussion
Find:
Fill each gap with the expression described in its cue. The residents compare the entrance to the town hall, the bus stop and the library porch. Follow each speaker’s reasoning through to the final vote.
Un panneau pour tout le village
Le conseil du village veut installer un panneau d’affichage. Trois lieux sont proposés : l’entrée de la mairie, l’arrêt de bus et le porche de la bibliothèque. « (in my opinion), commence Nadia, le panneau doit rester accessible le soir. » Paul répond : « (in my view; begin with Selon), la mairie serait le lieu le plus logique. »
La mairie est au centre du village. (however; begin with Cependant), sa grille ferme à dix-sept heures. « (even though; two words) la mairie est bien située, on ne pourra pas lire les annonces après le travail », remarque Nadia. (despite; one word) cet inconvénient, Paul défend encore ce choix : beaucoup d’habitants passent devant le bâtiment le matin.
L’arrêt de bus attire aussi du monde. (on the other hand; begin with En), le trottoir y est étroit. « (although; begin with Bien) le panneau soit utile ici, les lecteurs gêneraient le passage », explique Amina. « (for my part; three words), ajoute-t-elle, je préfère le porche de la bibliothèque. Il reste ouvert jour et nuit. »
Paul reconnaît que le porche est moins visible depuis la route. (yet; one word beginning with Pour), il est proche des commerces et accessible sans escalier. « (admittedly; one word), il faudra mieux signaler l’entrée, dit Nadia, mais cela reste possible. » (according to; contracted form) Amina, une flèche sur la place suffirait. Les habitants votent finalement pour la bibliothèque. (in conclusion; two words), ils choisissent l’accès à toute heure plutôt que la visibilité depuis la route.
Read it in English
The village council wants to install a noticeboard. Three places are proposed: the town hall entrance, the bus stop and the library porch. “In my opinion,” Nadia begins, “the board must remain accessible in the evening.” Paul replies, “In my view, the town hall would be the most logical place.”
The town hall is in the village centre. However, its gate closes at 5 pm. “Even though the town hall is well located, people won’t be able to read the notices after work,” Nadia points out. Despite this drawback, Paul still defends the choice: many residents pass the building in the morning.
The bus stop attracts people too. On the other hand, the pavement there is narrow. “Although the board would be useful here, readers would obstruct the way,” Amina explains. “For my part,” she adds, “I prefer the library porch. It stays open day and night.”
Paul acknowledges that the porch is less visible from the road. Yet it is close to the shops and accessible without steps. “Admittedly, we’ll have to make the entrance easier to find,” Nadia says, “but that is possible.” According to Amina, an arrow on the square would be enough. The residents finally vote for the library. In conclusion, they choose access at any time over visibility from the road.