Bac 2004 Série STI SMS STL STT

	Dominick D'Angelo had arrived in New York at the turn of the century, a frightened immigrant,
	fourteen years old, wearing the clothes his widowed mother had made for him before he left Sicily.
	He had the address of an uncle, five American dollars, and promises he had made to a mother he
	would never see again.
5	He would be an honorable man, always. He would give his word only when he knew he could
	keep it. He would work hard, everyday of his life. He would take no charity, for the bread of charity
	was made of dust. He would pray for his mother and brothers and sisters. He would send home a
	picture when he found a wife.
	He would never dishonor any woman, just as he would not permit anyone to dishonor his sisters.
10	He would raise his children to be good Catholics and honorable people.
	He lived near starvation, working at any job that required a strong back. He was not a large man,
	but he could lift and carry. He never cheated on his hours. He never claimed one penny he had not
	earned. For seven years he saved every single dollar he could towards his own business. He was a
	good shoemaker. Although in this country there were shoe stores filled with shoes of all kinds, they
15	were not made to last. Although his shop was called Dominick D'Angelo, Shoemaker, he was really
	a shoe repairer. He knew which children were hard on the tips and on the heels, so he reinforced
	those places with small steel crescents that tapped and clattered and delighted the kids and pleased
	the parents. After all, shoes were expensive and should last longer than from the store to the home.
	On Sundays, after church, after tidying the small apartment at the back of his shop on 181st Street,
20	he walked in the spring air all the way to Fordham Road and then cut down to Bathgate Avenue.
	Here were the fresh fruit and vegetable stands, the kosher live-chicken markets (the Jews were
	careful to get the cleanest poultry and meat). Although he rarely bought anything but vegetables and
	fruit, Dom D'Angelo liked to wander about, just looking. There were any number of clothing shops,
	discount places where you could buy a slightly off-size coat or pair of pants, an off-color shirt, or
25	socks or underwear that hadn't been cut exactly right.
	Mothers dragged cranky children in and out of the shops, holding clothes against their bodies,
	wrapping a sock around a child's fist for size.
	The men waited outside the shops, smoking, talking about jobs, politics, word from home. Dom
	edged closer to the men who spoke Italian, listened to their accents, until he felt comfortable.
30	Sounds of home.
	He rarely spoke to anyone. He was too shy.
	But each week he went to the stand in front of the Rucci Family Vegetable and Fruit Company and
	bought exactly the same thing. Three red apples, two yellow apples, two oranges, three bananas.
	The girl who served him, a plump, bright-eyed girl of fifteen named Angela Rucci, smiled at him,
35	held up her hand, said, "Don't tell me, let me guess." She filled a brown paper bag with his order,
	and Dom D'Angelo walked home to 181st Street in a daze. She was aware of him. She remembered
	him from week to week. She had noticed him.

The Ryer Avenue Story, Dorothy Uhnak, 1993

I - GENERAL COMPREHENSION

A. Complete the following summary with words from the text:

The main character whose name is .........................................................................migrated from ................................ .........................................to New York when he was .........................................................................After working hard, he became a .........................................................................Every .........................................................................after .........................................................................he went shopping and one day a girl ...................................................... ........ him.

B. Tick the correct answer:

1- The scene is set

q in the mid-nineteenth century.
q in the early twentieth century.
q in the mid-twentieth century.
q nowadays.

2- When he arrived

q he hoped his family would join him.
q he hoped to go back to his mother country.
q he knew he would never go back home.
q he planned to go back home for a holiday.

Justify : (line .................................)

.........................................................................................................................................................................................

II – DETAILED COMPREHENSION

A) Right or wrong? Justify all your answers with brief quotations.

1. The main character had no family in New York City q Right. q Wrong

(line....................................) ...........................................................................................................................................................................................

2. He didn't feel very comfortable at the beginning of his American life. q Right q Wrong

3. He was unable to make any physical effort q Right q Wrong

4- He did not spend much q Right q Wrong

5- He lived far away from his shop. q Right q Wrong

6. He enjoyed hearing his native language q Right q Wrong

B) Circle the four adjectives which best apply to the main character:

aggressive / timid / lazy / extravagant / honest / religious / talkative / hardworking

C) Pick out sentences showing that:

1. Once in America he did not want to be helped.

2. He didn't often buy meat.

3. He enjoyed going to the market.

4. Angela was not indifferent to him (2 sentences).

D) In the text find equivalents of the following words or expressions:

educate:      ..........................................................
famine:        ..........................................................
too big:        ..........................................................
got nearer    .......................................................... .......................................................... (2 words)
conscious:   .........................................................

III - EXPRESSION

Choose one of the following subjects and indicate the number of words.

a) The following Sunday the main character decided to speak to Angela. Write their conversation (200 words).

b) Why do people leave their native countries? Give example (200 words).