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Oral Proficiency -- for 28 May, 1998

The following exercise is the work of Kathy Barton, of California. It is reproduced here because I wanted to modify it a bit, but the original exercise can be found on the Web.

This is only one of many Web activities created in Technology Workshops run by the California Foreign Language Project and the California Language Teachers' Association. A site explaining the workshops and presenting their results is available, if you are interested.

1. In this activity, you will visit the web site for the popular mail order catalogue company that millions of French people use to buy clothes, items for the home and other products. You get to shop through the on-line catalogue for a complete outfit for a particular occasion.
Bons Achats!

2. What information do you expect a catalogue to include for articles of clothing?

3. Go to this web site: http://www.redoute.fr

a. click on "Commandez en ligne dans la boutique électronique"
b. To the left of the screen, you will see "Découvrez les collections". Click on one of the collections (hommes, femmes, sports).
c. In each collection, you may choose a type of clothing from a pull-down menu (click on the arrow), then click on "OK" to see those items. If you see something interesting, click on the photo, and you'll see a description of the article of clothing, along with its size and price.
d. Remember you can use the back arrow to return to preceding pages as you browse.

4. Choose a complete outfit for one of the following occasions:

• a) going to a wedding or

  b) going on a picnic with friends.

  Follow these steps to make your selection:

  5. Choose from any of the following categories: "pret-a-porter" (ready to wear), "collection homme", or "collection femme".

  6. Now, browse through what's available and choose your outfit. Buy at least three items (e.g., pant, shirt, shoes, or dress, shoes, hat, or whatever items will make a complete outfit).

  7. For each item, write down:

  a) color
  b) any other descriptive information you want to remember
  c) material
  d) price

  8. Total the amount for your three items in francs and then write down the equivalent amount in dollars. To convert francs into dollars, use the following address: http://www.myna.com/~cfeltham/money.htm
  
  9. After you have completed the activities above, be prepared to tell a partner, the class or your teacher about the outfit you chose. Include the following information in your oral description:

  a) where you will wear your outfit (à un pique-nique, à un mariage) and why it is an appropriate outfit for this occasion (i.e. Ces vêtements sont chic, élégants, relaxes, confortables, pratiques, etc.).
  b) describe the three articles of clothing (what they are, color, size and material, for instance).
  c) the price in francs.

   

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