Instructions
This worksheet is divided into two parts. Part 1 focuses on French vocabulary and dictionary skills. Part 2 explores the themes and characters in three philosophical tales by Voltaire. Read each section carefully and answer the questions to the best of your ability.
Part 1: The Power of Words (Based on dictionary skills)
Activity 1: Word Families (Les Familles de Mots)
A word family is a group of words that share a common root. Based on the root word provided, find a related noun, adjective, and adverb in French. You may use an online dictionary if needed.
- Root Verb: penser (to think)
- Noun: _________________________
- Adjective: _________________________
- Adverb: _________________________
Activity 2: Define and Use
For each of the following sophisticated French words, find its English definition and then write an original French sentence using the word correctly.
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Word: la bienveillance
- Definition: _________________________
- Sentence (in French): __________________________________________________
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Word: désuet (or désuète in feminine form)
- Definition: _________________________
- Sentence (in French): __________________________________________________
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Word: inéluctable
- Definition: _________________________
- Sentence (in French): __________________________________________________
Part 2: Voltaire's Philosophical Tales
The following activities are based on three of Voltaire's famous short stories: Micromégas, Le Monde comme il va, and Jeannot et Colin.
Activity 3: Character Match-Up
Match the character from the story to their correct description by writing the letter of the description next to the character's name.
| Character | Description |
|---|---|
| 1. Micromégas _____ | A. A young, arrogant man who scorns his old friend after his family becomes wealthy, only to learn a lesson in humility. |
| 2. Babouc _____ | B. An honest and hardworking young man who remains a loyal friend and finds happiness in a simple, useful life. |
| 3. Jeannot _____ | C. A giant philosopher from the star Sirius who travels the cosmos and is astonished by the arrogance of tiny humans. |
| 4. Colin _____ | D. A philosopher tasked by an angel to observe the city of Persepolis to decide if it should be destroyed, ultimately finding a mix of good and bad. |
Activity 4: Understanding Satire
Voltaire used his stories to criticize society. This is called satire. Answer the following questions based on your understanding of the tales.
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In Micromégas, Voltaire makes his main characters gigantic in size compared to humans. What aspect of humanity is he satirizing with this contrast in scale?
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In Jeannot et Colin, what does Voltaire suggest is more valuable than wealth and social status?
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In Le Monde comme il va, Babouc concludes that despite all its flaws, the world should not be destroyed because "if all is not well, all is passable." What does this conclusion suggest about Voltaire's view of human society?
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Answer Key
Part 1: The Power of Words
Activity 1: Word Families
- Noun: la pensée (the thought)
- Adjective: pensif / pensive (pensive, thoughtful)
- Adverb: pensivement (pensively, thoughtfully) (Note: Other answers may be acceptable, such as "le penseur" for noun.)
Activity 2: Define and Use
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Word: la bienveillance
- Definition: Kindness, goodwill, benevolence.
- Sentence (in French): (Example) Le professeur a traité tous ses élèves avec bienveillance.
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Word: désuet / désuète
- Definition: Outdated, obsolete, old-fashioned.
- Sentence (in French): (Example) Utiliser un minitel aujourd'hui est complètement désuet.
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Word: inéluctable
- Definition: Inevitable, inescapable.
- Sentence (in French): (Example) Le changement climatique semble être une conséquence inéluctable de l'industrialisation.
Part 2: Voltaire's Philosophical Tales
Activity 3: Character Match-Up
- Micromégas: C
- Babouc: D
- Jeannot: A
- Colin: B
Activity 4: Understanding Satire
- He is satirizing human arrogance, pride (or "hubris"), and self-importance. By showing humans as microscopic specks from the perspective of the giants, Voltaire emphasizes how absurd their wars, conflicts, and philosophical arguments are in the grand scale of the universe.
- Voltaire suggests that true friendship, hard work, humility, and a simple, useful life are far more valuable than wealth and high social status, which he portrays as fleeting and corrupting.
- This conclusion suggests that Voltaire had a realistic, rather than idealistic, view of society. He believed that human society is inherently imperfect, a mix of good and evil, virtue and vice. However, he implies that this balance is tolerable and that one should not seek perfection but rather accept the world for what it is and work to improve it where possible.