1.3 La vie contemporaine

5 min read•december 23, 2022

Margaret Schmidt

AP French 🇫🇷

52 resources

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What are the characteristics of modern Francophone life?(Quels sont les caractèristiques de la vie francophone moderne?)

In everyday life, members of any and every culture experience some unique phenomenon related to their upbringing, tradition, and surroundings. Ranging from holidays to schooling to living arrangements, Francophone cultures exhibit a wide range of trends and habits, dependent on everything from family life to religion.

Les Rites de Passage

Rites of passage are ceremonies or traditions that mark the transition from one stage of life to another. These rituals can vary significantly from one culture to another, and Francophone countries are no exception:

France: In France, one of the most significant rites of passage is the "baccalauréat," a high school graduation examination that is required for admission to university. The bac is an important cultural aspect of education in France, and many students spend years preparing for it. It is often seen as a key step towards higher education and a successful career, and it is highly respected by employers and universities.
Quebec: In Quebec, a province in Canada, the "Confirmation" is an important rite of passage for Catholic children. This ceremony, which is similar to the Catholic rite of Confirmation, is typically held when a child is around 14 years old and marks their transition to adulthood.
Senegal: In Senegal, a West African country, there are many traditional rites of passage that mark different stages of life. For example, boys may undergo initiation rituals when they reach puberty, and girls may undergo similar rituals when they reach marriageable age. These rituals may include ceremonies, dances, and other cultural traditions.
Haiti: In Haiti, a Caribbean country, the "Kanaval" is an important rite of passage that takes place during the celebration of Carnival. This is a week-long festival that includes music, dancing, and other cultural traditions, and it marks the transition from the end of the old year to the beginning of the new year.

Les Fêtes

France has a long history of colonization in Africa, and as a result, many African countries have inherited elements of French culture, including holidays. Here are a few examples of French holidays that are celebrated in some African countries, as well as in France itself:

Bastille Day: Bastille Day (July 14th) is a national holiday in France that marks the start of the French Revolution. It is also celebrated in some African countries that have a significant French influence, such as Senegal and Morocco.
Armistice Day: Armistice Day (November 11th) is a national holiday in France that marks the end of World War I. It is also celebrated in some African countries, such as Tunisia, that have a significant French influence.
Easter: Easter is a Christian holiday that commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is celebrated in many African countries, including those with a significant French influence, such as Algeria and Morocco.

L'Education

France

Other Francophone Countries

Education is highly valued, wherein the French education system is one of the best in the world. Free education from ages 6-16 is provided; beyond that, French university is advanced and allows students to pursue various types of degrees for little to no cost. Education is competitive and seen as an essential investment for French young adults. Universities and career development are respected and valued by the French.

While levels of schooling and the general emphasis on its importance are relatively similar, conditions may prevent all schooling from being without cost. Secondary education, such as university, may have limited access due to resources and funding. In Morocco, for example, school quality varies greatly by region, with dropout rates much higher than a French school counterpart and many fewer girls than boys present in the education system.

La Logement

France, an urban country with plenty of economic breadth and infrastructure, sees many more urban homes with updated resources and not much lack of housing availability. In contrast, African countries with Francophone backgrounds can have challenges with access to housing given higher rates of poverty. In urban cities, housing may be similar to what one may find in France, Canada, or other European nations. In more rural areas, though, mud houses and other traditional forms of shelter are common. These differences in housing can encourage migration and urbanization, since certain families or citizens seek out better housing, work, and schooling opportunities.

Strive for Five Vocab 🔑🔑

Preparing for the Exam

The main theme of Unit 1 is Families & Communities, but also includes Personal & Public Identities, Contemporary Life as well as Global Challenges.

Unit 1 highlights three of the FRQs—the Free-Response Questions:

Email Reply 💻
Conversation 🗣️
Cultural Comparison ⚖️

1. Email Reply

For the email reply, you might be asked to describe your family, or explain what you know about family structures of a francophone culture. You may be asked to explain challenges facing families in today's world, the impact of social media on identity, or your own personal interest and goals Don't forget: The email reply is formal! "Vous", monsieur, madame, s'il vous plaît! A successful email reply should include clear examples and appropriate language. Practice using the vocabulary and expressions shared here to prepare. You got this!! 💻

2. Conversation

For the conversation, you'll need to respond (spontaneously!) to questions about contemporary issues (life, your family, your interests, school, friends, even global issues). For the Conversation task, you'll always be speaking with someone your age, so the register is informal—"tu", not "vous"! Your questions and answers should be informal, but you still need to use accurate vocabulary, as well as appropriate greeting and leave-taking expressions. 🗣️

3. Cultural Comparison

The cultural comparison is a formal presentation, and you'll need accurate vocabulary and clear examples, and good organization to respond well. Past topics include technology, immigration, health care, and recycling, to name a few. Thinking about the theme of Families & Communities, you might be asked to compare family structures or changes to family structures, rites of passage, changing roles in families, or maybe housing structures and affordability. Using the resources above, as well as your own rock-star skills, you'll hit this one out of the park! ⚖️

Browse Study Guides By Unit

👨‍👩‍👧Unit 1 – Families in French-Speaking Countries

1.0Unit 1 Overview: Families in Different Societies

1.1Families in Different Societies

1.2Aspects of Family Values & Life

1.3La vie contemporaine