Theme 2: Local, national, international and global areas of - Topic 2: Social issues — AQA GCSE French
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Theme 2: Local, national, international and global areas of - Topic 2: Social issues explained
Theme 2: Local, national, international and global areas of - Topic 2: Social issues covers 2 specification points, including Charity/voluntary work and Healthy/unhealthy living.
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Open a point below for its explanation and revision guidance.
Charity/voluntary work
This topic covers vocabulary and structures for charity and voluntary work (le travail bénévole / le bénévolat). Students must learn to discuss different charities (les associations caritatives), volunteer activities, and reasons for volunteering. Key vocabulary includes 'un bénévole' (a volunteer), 'aider les autres' (to help others), 'les sans-abris' (the homeless), and 'récolter des fonds' (to raise funds). Students should be able to express opinions on the importance of charity work, describe past volunteering experiences using the perfect and imperfect tenses (e.g., 'j'ai travaillé dans une soupe populaire' - I worked in a soup kitchen), and outline future plans to help the community using the near or simple future tense.
Healthy/unhealthy living
This topic focuses on discussing healthy and unhealthy living (un mode de vie sain / malsain). Students must learn vocabulary for diet, exercise, and habits. Key terms include 'manger équilibré' (to eat a balanced diet), 'faire de l'exercice' (to exercise), 'le tabagisme' (smoking), and 'l'ivresse' (drunkenness). Students should describe their habits, give advice using modal verbs like 'il faut' (it is necessary to) or 'on devrait' (one should), and discuss the consequences of unhealthy choices. They must also understand descriptions of past habits (e.g., 'avant, je mangeais trop de bonbons' - before, I used to eat too many sweets) and future resolutions (e.g., 'je vais faire plus de sport' - I am going to do more sport).
Your focus
- Recall and apply vocabulary related to charity and voluntary work.
- Comprehend texts and audio describing volunteering experiences and motivations.
- Differentiate between past, present, and future charitable activities.
Show all 6 objectives
- Recall and apply vocabulary related to healthy and unhealthy lifestyles.
- Comprehend advice and opinions on diet, exercise, and habits in reading and listening tasks.
- Identify changes in lifestyle habits across different timeframes.
Theme 2: Local, national, international and global areas of - Topic 2: Social issues exam tips
Marking Points
- Identify key vocabulary related to charities and volunteering, such as 'une association caritative' and 'le bénévolat'.
- Recognise specific groups that charities help, such as the homeless (les sans-abris) or the elderly (les personnes âgées).
- Understand descriptions of volunteering activities, such as raising money (récolter des fonds) or distributing food (distribuer de la nourriture).
- Distinguish between past, present, and future volunteering actions using appropriate time markers and verb tenses.
- Identify vocabulary related to healthy eating (e.g., les matières grasses, les fruits et légumes) and physical activity.
- Recognise terms associated with unhealthy habits, such as smoking (fumer), drinking alcohol (boire de l'alcool), and stress.
- Understand advice and recommendations given using structures like 'il faut' followed by an infinitive or conditional verbs like 'tu devrais'.
- Distinguish between descriptions of past unhealthy habits and current or future healthy resolutions.
Examiner Tips
- 💡Look out for synonyms in reading and listening texts, such as 'aider' (to help) and 'soutenir' (to support).
- 💡Pay attention to tense indicators like 'l'année dernière' (last year) or 'à l'avenir' (in the future) to correctly identify when the charity work took place.
- 💡Memorise the names of well-known French charities often mentioned in exams, such as 'Les Restos du Cœur' or 'Médecins Sans Frontières', to quickly grasp the context.
- 💡Watch out for negative structures like 'ne... jamais' (never) or 'ne... plus' (no longer) which completely change the meaning of a habit (e.g., 'je ne fume plus' means I no longer smoke).
- 💡Familiarise yourself with body parts and illness vocabulary, as healthy living texts often mention the physical consequences of bad habits.
- 💡Pay attention to modal verbs like 'devoir' (must/should) and 'pouvoir' (can/be able to) to understand whether a statement is a rule, advice, or a possibility.
Common Mistakes
- Confusing 'un volontaire' and 'un bénévole'; 'un bénévole' is strictly unpaid and is the most common term for a charity worker, whereas 'un volontaire' can sometimes receive a stipend.
- Misunderstanding 'les sans-abris'; students often think it means 'without trees' by confusing 'abri' with 'arbre', but the correct translation is 'the homeless'.
- Translating 'to raise money' literally as 'lever l'argent'; the correct French phrase is 'récolter des fonds' or 'ramasser de l'argent'.
- Confusing 'sain' (healthy) with 'saint' (holy); ensure 'sain' is used when describing a healthy lifestyle, such as 'un mode de vie sain'.
- Misinterpreting 'régime'; students often assume it only means a weight-loss diet, but 'un régime alimentaire' refers to a person's general daily diet.
- Translating 'to exercise' directly as 'exercer'; the correct phrase to use for physical activity is 'faire de l'exercice' or 'faire du sport'.