Anglais BEP : "Un duplex pour 3" : Polite requests

UN DUPLEX POUR 3, COMEDIE DE Danny DEVITO (2003)

TITRE ORIGINAL : DUPLEX

christiankrockyahoo.fr 

Objectif : exploitation d’un support filmique en classe de BEP pour pratiquer les « polite requests ». Être capable de demander poliment à quelqu’un de faire quelque chose.

1.  Brainstorming autour des formules de politesse : Could/Would you please … ? I wonder if you

could … ? Would you mind + verb + ing … ? Would you be so kind as to … ? May I ask you to/

not to … ? Might I suggest that .. ? I should be grateful if you would … (A classer selon le degré de courtoisie.)

Imaginer les réponses possibles : Certainly. Certainly not. Not at all. I’ll do that …

2. Chaque élève fait, oralement, une suggestion réelle à un camarade.

3. Visionnage de deux extraits du film en V.O. sous-titrée (en français ou en anglais, selon le niveau de la classe).  Consignes : repérer les situations de demande de service et les formules de politesse utilisées.

Extrait n°1 : durée 3mn 17

Nancy and Alex are in bed. Mrs Connelly’s television is very loud.

Outside Mrs Connelly’s door.

ALEX : Mrs Connelly ? Mrs Connelly ?

Mrs CONNELLY : Yes. Who is it ?

- Hi ! It’s Alex. I was just wondering if you could maybe turn down your TV a little bit cause we can hear it.

- I fell asleep. Well, I’m sorry. That’s O.K. I’ll do that.

- O.K. Thank you.

But she doesn’t turn the TV down and they can’t sleep all night.

In the morning :

NANCY

: I’ve got to go. Have a good day. See you later. And finish that chapter.

ALEX : I will.

Alex starts typing. DING-A-LING !

Mrs CONNELLY : Good morning, Alex.

ALEX : Good morning, Mrs Connelly.

- I wanted to give you this back. I won’t drink it and I thought you might want it.

- Oh ! Thank you. That’s nice of you. All right, if there’s anything else I can do for you,  I’ll run up. O.K. ?

DING-A-LING !

Mrs CONNELLY : There is one thing …

In the bathroom.

ALEX : I’m sorry. I don’t hear anything.

Mrs CONNELLY : It was very distinctive. The pipes went bang bang bangeti bang bang. Bang ! Bang !

- Well, they are not doing that anymore or it’s stopped so if you hear it again, just come down and get me and I’ll run up and take a listen.

- All right then. It’s a deal.

- Oh ! Alan, dear boy, I wonder …

- Alex.

- Pardon ?

- Alex. My name’s Alex.

- I know.

- No, I think you … I think you said « Alan » but …

- Oh, no ! I don’t think so. I don’t forget names. Could you give me a hand with the garbage ? We don’t want to be feeding the mice.

Extrait n° 2 : 3 mn 35

{DING-A-LING !

MRS CONNELLY : Good morning, Alex.

ALEX : Good morning, Mrs Connelly.

- I wondered if I could ask you a quick question.

- Right. You know what ? Can I just say this to you ? You know I’m working on a book.  Right ? And this book is due in about three weeks and my editor is expecting it on her desk at that time, O.K. ? It’s a contractual

deadline.

- I see.

- Right. So I have to be working on that book all the time here in my apartment which is also my office. It’s just like my office. If I was a lawyer and I went off to an officeevery day, you couldn’t come and knock at my door, could you ? cause I wouldn’t be there. So let’s just pretend that I am a lawyer, O.K. ?}This is my office and unless it’s a really really superimportant emergency, O.K. ?, between hours of nine and six I’m not here. I’m off away in my office, O.K. ? And then after six I’m here, O.K. ?

- I completely understand. I apologize for bothering you.

- You … Not at all. O.K. Have a good day, right ?

- It’s just …

- Well, what is it just ? What is it ?

- I bought a copy of your book yesterday and I wondered if you’d sign it. Of course if  you are too busy I can come back out of business hours.

- Oh ! No, no … That’s so nice. You didn’t have to buy a copy. I have … I have a million copies.

- It’s money well-spent. Just write something I can treasure for years to come.

- How about er … « To my favourite upstairs neighbour. Signed : Alex Rose. » Here you go. I hope you like it.

- Oh ! I know I will.

- O.K. All right. Good day.

- Alex !

- Yeah.

- I know we’ve just had this discussion  but I was wondering if the firm of Rose & Rose could accompany an old lady to the pharmacy. It’s pissing down out there and I need to renew my monthlies. It won’t take any time at all.

At the chemist’s, counting pills : 30, 31, 32 , 33, 34, 35, 36 …

CUSTOMER : How much is a Nicorette ?

CHEMIST : 43,97.

Mrs CONNELLY : I lost my place. 1, 2, 3 …

At the bank, counting coins : 8, 9, 10. 1, 2, 3 …

At the market, counting grapes : 22, 23, 24 …

ALEX : 25, 26, 27, 28, 29 and 30 ! O.K. Good.

Mrs CONNELLY : Oh ! Blueberries ! 1, 2, 3 …

4. Quelques questions de compréhension globale (What's Alex's job ? ...), puis les élèves complètent ce tableau :

Alex and Nancy’s problems	How they ask politely
Mrs Connelly’s TV is too loud and they can’t sleep.	I was just wondering if you could maybe turn down your TV a little bit.
Mrs Connelly’s problems Her shower pipes make a noise. There is a lot of garbage in her flat. Her garbage can is full. She would like Alex to sign a copy of his book. She needs somebody to go to the chemist’s with her. (then to the bank, to the market)	There is one thing (you can do for me.) Could you give me a hand with the garbage ? I bought a copy of your book yesterday and I wondered if you’d sign it. I was wondering if (you) could accompany an old lady to the pharmacy.

5. Les élèves reformulent les demandes avec d’autres expressions vues précédemment.

6. Ils imaginent d’autres problèmes rencontrés par les personnages. (Mrs Connelly to Alex : Would you please walk my dog every morning ? Alex to Mrs Connelly : Could you stop using your washing machine at midnight ?)

7. Ils écrivent la lettre recommandée qu’Alex et Nancy décident d’adresser à Mrs Connelly pour lui demander de cesser les désagréments qu’elle occasionne.