NB Grade 10 PIF Reading flashcards

34 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Quand vs Combien

Quand asks for a time, date, or moment. Combien asks for a number or quantity. Both are literal question words answered by information stated directly in the text.

ne…que

A restrictive negation meaning 'only'. It changes literal meaning: 'Il ne lit que des romans' states he reads nothing but novels, not that he does not read novels.

False friend: actuellement

Actuellement means 'currently' or 'at present', not 'actually'. The English 'actually' is usually rendered by en fait or en réalité in French.

par exemple

Introduces an illustration of a broader claim. A sentence following par exemple gives one instance and cannot be read as the text's general statement.

Literal answer scope

A detail stated about one person, place, or moment holds only for that case. Options that extend a stated fact to all cases are not literally supported.

Named-entity scanning

Capital letters, digits, and quotation marks mark proper nouns, numbers, and quoted speech. These are the fastest targets when locating explicitly stated information.

Inference defined

A conclusion supported by textual clues but not stated outright. A valid inference needs evidence in the text and fewer unstated assumptions than rival options.

Contrast as inference clue

Connectors such as mais, cependant, and en revanche signal a reversal. The second clause often implies an attitude or fact the first clause leaves unstated.

Irony in context

Praise paired with a clearly negative situation, or exaggerated positive wording, implies the opposite judgment. The literal positive meaning is not the intended one.

Pronoun antecedent resolution

Il, elle, celui-ci, en, y, and dont refer back to a previously mentioned element. The correct antecedent usually agrees in gender and number and fits the verb's logic.

Presupposition triggers

Verbs like cesser de, continuer à, regretter, and éviter presuppose an earlier state or action. The text implies that prior situation without stating it directly.

Rhetorical question function

A question with an obvious or self-evident answer asserts that answer rather than seeking information. It implies the reverse of what the surface form seems to ask.

Context determines sense

A French word may have several senses. The correct meaning is the one that fits the sentence's topic, the word's grammatical role, and its surrounding collocates.

False friend: librairie

Librairie means bookshop or bookstore, not library. The French word for library is bibliothèque. Similar-looking words often carry different meanings.

False friend: attendre

Attendre means to wait for, not to attend. 'Attendre le bus' means waiting for the bus. To attend an event is assister à in French.

Substitution test

To check a vocabulary option, insert it into the original sentence. The correct option preserves both grammatical fit and the sentence's overall meaning.

Register in vocabulary

Soutenu, courant, and familier label formality levels. A slang word in a formal text signals a shift in speaker voice, tone, or social context.

Idiom: tomber dans les pommes

Literally 'to fall in the apples', this familiar expression means to faint or pass out. Idioms carry non-literal meaning that context must confirm.

Morphology clues

Prefixes such as dé-, re-, pré-, and sur- and suffixes such as -tion, -ment, -able, and -eur reveal a word's meaning and grammatical category.

Main idea vs theme

The main idea is the claim the whole text supports. The theme is the broader topic, such as exile or belonging, that the main idea addresses.

Purpose verbs

Informer, convaincre, persuader, divertir, dénoncer, avertir, and inciter à name author intentions. Match the verb to the text's dominant mode and effect.

Too broad or too narrow

A main-idea option fails if it covers only the general topic (too broad) or one paragraph's detail (too narrow). The correct option is precise and complete.

Thesis location

The main claim usually appears in the introduction or conclusion. Middle paragraphs supply evidence, examples, or counterarguments rather than the central claim.

Text type and purpose

A news article usually informs, an editorial persuades or denounces, a narrative entertains or illustrates, and a guide instructs. Text type predicts likely purpose.

Chronological organizers

D'abord, ensuite, puis, and enfin mark sequence. They signal that the text orders events or steps in time rather than arguing a cause or comparison.

Cause-effect connectors

Car, puisque, donc, par conséquent, and c'est pourquoi link cause to consequence. Reading the connector first reveals the logical relation between sentences.

Contrast connectors

Or, pourtant, néanmoins, and en revanche signal opposition between ideas. They mark a turning point in the argument or a shift in the narrative.

Anaphoric reference

Ce, cette, son, sa, and il point back to a previously mentioned noun. Resolving these links is essential for tracking cohesion across sentences.

Gap-fill sentence logic

A sentence inserted into a gap must satisfy the connector before it and the connector after it. Both logical links must hold for the option to be correct.

Flashback marker

A shift to the plus-que-parfait, often with time expressions like quelques années plus tôt, signals a flashback that interrupts the main chronological line.

Modality and stance

Devoir signals obligation, pouvoir signals possibility, and il se peut que signals doubt. Modal choice reveals how firmly the author commits to a claim.

Hedging expressions

Semble-t-il, en quelque sorte, pour ainsi dire, and selon soften a claim. Their absence signals firm commitment to the stated position.

Quoted opinion vs author

A view introduced by selon X or d'après X belongs to the quoted source. The author may distance themselves from it rather than endorse it.

Evaluative vocabulary

Words like hélas, heureusement, scandaleux, and remarquable carry the author's judgment. They are direct signals of stance and tone.