Gap-fill
French podcast practice: follow the signposts back to the topic
Complete a French podcast extract about commuting. Practise d’abord, ensuite, à propos and revenons, and keep an example separate from the conclusion.
- B1
- 5 gaps
- Translation included
- Learn this in the B1 notebook →
In short
For an explanatory podcast extract, keep the opening question in mind and label the speaker’s moves: first point, next point, aside, return, conclusion. Revenons à… is a useful place to rejoin the main thread after a side story.
Yellow the idea to rememberBlue French to learn
How do you follow a French podcast?
| Signpost | Meaning | Move |
|---|---|---|
| d’abord | first | Start the first point. |
| ensuite | next | Add a second point. |
| à propos de | speaking of | Introduce a connected side topic. |
| revenons à | let us return to | Pick up the main topic again. |
| en résumé | in summary | Pull the points together. |
The commuting example
Find:
The extract asks why people change their journey to work. It develops cost, then journey time. The presenter briefly mentions a helmet before returning to time. Fill each gap with the signpost named by the English hint; keep the French preposition already printed after the gap.
Changer son trajet quotidien
Aujourd’hui, on se demande pourquoi certaines personnes changent leurs habitudes de transport. Il y a (first) la question du coût. Prenons Claire : elle va au travail à vélo trois jours par semaine. Elle dépense moins en carburant et en frais de parking. Elle garde sa voiture pour les longs trajets.
Il y a (next) la question du temps. Claire met vingt minutes à vélo. En voiture, cela dépend des embouteillages. (speaking) de vélo, elle m’a raconté comment elle avait choisi son casque. Il est jaune, et elle le trouve très confortable. Mais (let us return) au temps de trajet : c’est le point qui nous intéresse ici.
(in summary), le coût et la durée peuvent compter dans le choix du transport. Dans le cas de Claire, le vélo convient bien à son trajet quotidien. Pour une autre personne, la distance ou les horaires peuvent changer le choix.
Read it in English
Today, we are asking why some people change their transport habits. First, there is cost. Take Claire: she cycles to work three days a week. She spends less on fuel and parking. She keeps her car for long journeys.
Next, there is time. Claire takes twenty minutes by bicycle. By car, it depends on the traffic. Speaking of cycling, she told me how she chose her helmet. It is yellow and she finds it very comfortable. But let us return to journey time: that is the point we are interested in here.
In summary, cost and duration can matter when choosing transport. In Claire’s case, the bicycle suits her daily journey well. For someone else, the distance or working hours may change the choice.