First Leson

Small dialogue between the reader and the author

1. You have this book between your hands and you’re wondering if it’s for you;
2. Then, turn your back to the salesman for a second and listen to this dialogue:
3. What do you mean by “the practice of French”
4. I know what you’re going to say! Say, do you speak French?
5. But of course. At least, I make myself understood. I can say what I want and others…
6. You mean that the people you’re talking to understand you. ---- Excuse me?
7. Then, this book is indeed for you. You have a good base in grammar and a fairly rich
vocabulary, but you’re missing the “little something”
8. The little what? ----- The little something which means that you live the language;
9. You know it’s peculiarities of style, it’s moods, it’s “idiosyncracies”; you know that the
language is the reflection of the country and people who speak it.
10. In short, you need practice.
11. It’s much than the texts; it’s a journey through France and French that we’ll make
together.
12. Well, shall we go? But first, let’s see what the future has in store for us…

Exercices
I smoked too much; I have a headache.
She wondered why Jean had called.
He doesn’t have enough money; he’s short ten francs.
I didn’t understand how to use it. There’s surely a knack to it.
It’s a lot more than a simple exercise book.
I saw it through the window.