1 - Say who or what the underlined words refer to :

a) "photographs of her..." : the mother

b) "hers was a classic story" : Britt's

c) "with their sons or daughters" : parents'

d) "collect hers by post" : her degree

e) "with her parents" : the parents of the only other student from Rothwell Grammar

f) "that her parents might..." : Britt's parents

2 - Put the verbs in the appropriate forms and tenses.

a) If her parents had come to the ceremony when she was a student, she would have felt ashamed of them.

b) She had changed since she had gone to Oxford.

c) She was afraid her friend would tell her parents the truth.

d) They were proud that she had obtained her degree.

e) She wishes she had behaved differently with her parents when she was younger.

f) If she told them the truth now, she would be relieved.

3 - Rephrase the following sentences using the prompts given.

a) She regrets not having asked her parents to come.
    She thinks she should have asked her parents to come.

b) She felt so ashamed that she had to look away.
    Feeling ashamed, she couldn't help looking away.

c) For the first time in her life she realised she was wrong.
    It was the first time she had realised she was wrong.

d) The parents certainly felt very disappointed.
    They must have felt very disappointed.

e) She thought her parents were too conventional.
    She blamed her parents for being too conventional.

4 - Use the following linkwords in the sentences, rephrasing them when necessary. Each word must be used once only :

Thanks to - unlike - so.... what - in order to - although.

a) Life was very difficult for the parents. The mother had become faded and anxious.
    Life was so difficult for the parents that the mother had become faded and anxious.

b) Her parents would have loved to go. They were not invited to the ceremony.
    Although her parents would have loved to go, they were not invited to the ceremony.

c) They had sacrificed themselves. They wanted to help their daughter to get a good education.
    They had sacrificed themselves in order to help their daughter to get a good education.

d) She had been successful at school. Her parents' encouragements had helped her.
    She had been successful at school thanks to her parents’ encouragements.

e) Her fellow students had asked their parents to come. She hadn't.
    Unlike her, her fellow students had asked their parents to come.

5 - Translate :

"with each new achievement, she had moved further and further away from them".
"Chaque nouvelle réussite l'avait éloignée un peu plus d'eux".

"If they did hear, nothing was ever said".
"Même s'ils l'apprirent un jour, ils n'en dirent jamais rien".

1 - Who are the main characters ? What are they doing ? When does the scene take place ? (40 words).

The mother and her daughter. Britt is sipping her morning tea; her mother is lighting a fire.

2 - What can you say about the girl's results at school and university ?

She succeeded in entering Oxford University and obtained her degree.

3 - From "And as she sat slipping..." to "...had to look away." :

   a) Mention four rituals of a typical Graduation Day at Oxford.*

   b) To what extent was Britt's Graduation Day different from her friends' ? Explain Why.

   c) How long ago did it take place ?

twelve years ago

4 - Today how does she feel when she remembers that day ? Quote the elements from the text in your answer. (30 words)

She feels ashamed : "bringing [...] a sick feeling of shame". She deprived her parents of the ceremony and the ritual photo that should proudly stand on the family mantelpiece: "as she looked at the empty mantelpiece [...] she felt so ashamed that she had to look away".

5 - "... She had now almost nothing in common with them"
Fill in the grid with elements from the text to illustrate this quotation.

6 - As far as human values are concerned, what does the main character become aware of at the end of the text ? (40 words).

Britt becomes aware of her individualism and selfishness : she always believed in self-reliance. Contrary to her, her parents always had a strong sense of community. Now, as she is pregnant and by herself she realises she was wrong in despising their way of life.