LE BILINGUE Ecole Jeannine Manuel Paris’ student newspaper
January 2022
Table of contents School news: Eco committee interview……………………………… p.3-4 Interview du Corals & Co et du Peace Club….………… p.5-6 Teacher interview: Mr Donnelly………………….…… p.7 Teacher interview: Mystery teacher……….…………… p.8 FWH Mauritius letter………………………………… p.9 JMUN's Moot Court………………….……………… p.10-11 Christmas collaboration with the photography club…… p.12-13 Selection of timely articles: Famous cases of Plagiarism…………………….……… p.14 Les origines des friandises & plats traditionnels de Noël… p.15-16 Student poem: Burn out………………………………… p.17 Vitrines of Spirit……………………………………… p.17-19 Drawings Explanation………………………………… p.20 Reviews: Disney twisted tales……………………..……………… p.21-22 10 movies to watch………………………….………… p.23-24 Theater - La 2nde surprise de l'amour…………………… p.25 3 Books reviews…………………………………………p.26 Writing competition - Winter / Holidays: College winner………………………………………… p.27-28 Lycée winner…………………………………………… p.29-30
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Letter from the editors Dear readers, Chers lecteurs,
Fist of all, we would like to wish all of you a happy new year! Although the pandemic is still raging, we hope that you all had a nice and restful holiday. Dans cette nouvelle edition, la première de cette année 2022, nous avons la chance de pouvoir partager avec vous de très nombreux articles sur des sujets divers. Notre équipe s'agrandit constamment, travaillant pour vous proposer des idées nouvelles et de la créativité. Vous verrez ainsi que nous avons mis un point d’honneur à nous distinguer d’autres journaux nationaux ou internationaux en rapportant du contenu unique et des nouvelles de l’école, tout en proposant des articles intéressants et originaux sur des sujets variés. This issue will therefore feature our well appreciated series of teacher interviews, helping you learn more about your favorite teachers. You will also enjoy a return of students literary and artistic work, as well as different Christmas related projects. You will still find the traditionnal poems and quotes selection, and finally the much anticipated results of our writing competition will be announced! Si vous avez quelques minutes pour apprécier les efforts et le long travail de notre équipe, n'hésitez pas et découvrez cette nouvelle publication du Bilingue. Sur ce, bonne lecture ! Sincerely, The editorial team of Le Bilingue
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Eco committee interview - Victoria K.
The eco committee reached out to our team, asking us if we could feature them in our next issue in hopes that more students will be introduced to their committee. I couldn’t turn down this great idea so I thought: what better way to find out more about the eco committee than by interviewing its members? Here are the answers of Constantin B. and Alice M. , two members of the eco committee, to 10 questions I had about their committee, its goals and its achievements. Thank you to them! 1) What is the role of the eco committee in our school?
4) Which of your achievements have contributed to our school receiving the title of eco-school?
The eco-committee is a non-profit project our school started in 2017 and our role is to spread awareness about the environment and the framework of eco schools.
Each and everyone of our achievements stated in question 2 contributed to our school receiving the title of an eco-school.
2)What have you already achieved? 2020 and 2021 → EJM received the eco school certification Built a thriving and interesting club Did some webinars (with Jean Louis Etienne) Anti plastic project (we gave students metal water bottles to encourage them to stop using plastic bottles) Saving electricity project (put stickers near every light switch to remind people to turn them off) 3) What are your goals for the future? Our goals for the future is to make our school a greener place and to educate and inform others in our school about ecology.
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5)What is the biggest project you’re working on at the moment? Mr. Blanchard came in and talked about recycling with all the eco delegate members from 6eme to Terminale We are also working on putting plants all over the school to make it greener
6) The eco-committee consists of 112 students and two principles. How do you manage to work well as a team? We have a WhatsApp group chat where we discuss everything. We are about 20 active members in the eco committee but there are also 2 eco delegates per class so there are about 112 in total. 7)How would you describe committee in 3 words?
the
8) Could you tell us a bit about how your meetings are run? The meetings take place every other Monday (week B) from 5 to 6 in the library of the school. We sit down around tables and discuss our projects and any events that are coming up. 9)Why did you choose to join the ecocommittee?
eco-
turbulent (we are always working on so many different things and starting new projects all the time) blooming (we are constantly evolving) invested (we put in a lot of work and effort)
We chose to join the eco-committee because we care a lot about ecology and we were hoping to make an impact on our school environment. 10)Finally, what message would you like to convey to the readers of Le Bilingue? We would like to inform the readers of Le Bilingue about our eco committee and if anyone is interested, feel free to join! and STOP POLLUTING!!
“You are never too small to make a difference” -Greta Thunberg
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Interview du Corals & Co et du Peace Club - Charlotte M. Ces dernières années, de très nombreux clubs ont été créés au sein de l’école. Certains d’entre eux défendent des idées ou des causes qui tiennent à cœur à leurs membres, pour sensibiliser et tenter de trouver des solutions. Afin de partager ces initiatives, nous avons interrogé deux de ces clubs, créés par des élèves l’année dernière : Le Peace Club et le Corals & Co. Découvrez-ici leurs projets ! Un grand merci à Thaïs M. du Peace Club ; ainsi qu’à Pia G. et Gabriel R. de Corals & Co d’avoir bien voulu répondre à nos questions.
Corals & Co https://fr-fr.facebook.com/pg/chasingcoral/photos/
• Création du club : d’où est venue l’idée, quand ? Notre club a été créé en février 2021, mais fut réellement lancé en septembre sous sa forme actuelle. L’idée est venue de Pia après avoir regardé un documentaire sur l’extinction des coraux, Chasing Corals. Avant, on ne connaissait que très peu de choses sur ce problème, et ce documentaire nous a ouvert les yeux. Après nous avons souhaité créer ce club afin de sensibiliser les élèves aux problèmes des océans et discuter de solutions avec des gens motivés. • Quel est le but du club ? • Organisation du club et des séances ? Ce que vous retenez de l'expérience pour l’instant ? Pour l'instant, notre action principale est de publier un journal tous les mois, The Coral Times, afin d’informer plus les élèves. Souvent c’est un sujet que l’on connaît très peu. Au départ, nous discutions des coraux, puis nous avons souhaité nous élargir à l’océan en général. Grâce à la newsletter on peut sensibiliser et communiquer. Pendant les réunions, c’est surtout beaucoup d’échanges d’idées, beaucoup de communication. Avec cette expérience du club, on s’est rendu compte que c’est compliqué de faire un club, des actions… Pour l’instant, on retient surtout l’expérience comme enrichissante !
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Pour le moment, on est encore petit, on agit à notre niveau… Plus tard on aimerait vraiment se développer, parler avec des scientifiques et peut-être organiser des expéditions, comme Our Blue Project par exemple. C’est le début du voyage Corals & Co, et pour le moment on se concentre surtout sur la sensibilisation des élèves, mais notre but est de s’agrandir !
• Avez-vous des projets en cours ? En plus du Coral Times, on cherche à faire le plus d’actions possibles pour amener l’attention sur ce sujet souvent peu discuté. On veut par exemple essayer de contacter des associations, afin d’en connaître encore plus sur le sujet. L’année dernière, nous avons interviewé une scientifique, Emily Lorch, sur l’histoire des coraux. Ce fut très enrichissant et nous souhaiterions poursuivre comme cela. Notre but et projet final serait de pouvoir un jour replanter des coraux, pour aider les océans ! En attendant, on essaye d’organiser des projets, comme des vidéos et présentations… L’année dernière nous n’avons pas pu faire ce que nous voulions pour le world ocean day, mais cette année, le 8 Juin, on organisera peut-être quelque chose.
• Finalement, avez-vous un message pour les élèves? Si vous êtes passionnés par ce sujet, n’hésitez pas à nous envoyer un article que vous avez écrit, on serait ravis de l’inclure dans The Coral Times, même si vous ne participez pas au club ! On est ravis de cette expérience du club, et avec chaque séance on en apprend plus tous ensemble. Malheureusement à Paris et en ville, les gens ne connaissent que très peu ce problème, mais on rêve de pouvoir inspirer et motiver pour faire changer les choses ! Par exemple, entre 2009 et 2018, 14% des coraux ont disparu dans le monde, soit 11 700 km2 de corail… Si ce sujet vous intéresse, n’hésitez pas à aller voir le documentaire Chasing Corals, et à vous renseigner plus sur ce sujet. Vous pouvez également lire la dernière édition de notre newsletter ici. Merci beaucoup !
Peace Club • Comment avez-vous eu l’idée de créer ce club ? Le club a été créé l'an dernier par un groupe de Terminales dont Sophie L. , Justine D. et Valentine S. Elles voulaient créer un espace pour les élèves afin de les éduquer sur certains sujets dans le but d'une entente plus harmonieuse entre élèves et d'une meilleure compréhension du monde. • Que faites-vous en général durant les réunions ? Pendant les réunions, nous nous organisons par équipe pour avancer sur nos projets respectifs. Les trois équipes sont Education, Event Organisation et Social Media. La première travaille sur des projets dirigés vers les plus jeunes dans un but éducatif. La deuxième organise des événements dans l'enceinte de l'école à de diverses échelles. La dernière gère le compte Instagram du club (@thepeaceorganisation ) pour y publier des posts informatifs et divertissants.
• Quelques projets en cours ? Pour le moment, l'équipe Education avance sur la réalisation d'une présentation sur le harcèlement scolaire pour les classes de CM2. L'équipe Event Organisation envisage d'organiser un bake sale dans le futur proche pour lever des fonds pour l'International Peace Bureau, par exemple. On a plein d'autres projets en tête et à venir ! Si vous êtes en 3ème et au-dessus n'hésitez pas à m'envoyer un mail si vous êtes intéressé(e), que notre projet vous intéresse ! Nous nous retrouvons tous les mardis en I12 (semaine A) ou NA12 (semaine B) à 12h10.
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Teachers Interviews - Melody Z. We are back for our Teacher interviews! And while we could do a pompous introduction we'll let the interviews speak for themselves. Read on to learn more about... Mr. Donnelly and a Mystery Teacher!
. . . t e e M y l l e n n o M r .D Mr. Donnelly...
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M e e t ... M yste ry T e a ch
er
6) Home-cooked meal or take-out? Home cooked Christmas dinner yesssssirrr
1) Something you can’t live without? A strong confidence in yourself but not arrogance.
7) Something you’d say to your past-self? Always say yes to a party
2) Best childhood memory? Not much
8) The role you would play in a movie? Angry neighbour
3) One thing you’d bring on a desert island? Survival stuff
9) Your first concert? Noah and the whale
4) Guilty pleasure? I’d say ABBA but that’s not guilty at all
10) A country you’ve visited or would like to visit? Boat cruise in the Nile
5) A book that changed your life? Probably a book that taught me to read.
11) Your life motto? Life motto “if you don’t ask, you don’t get”
Mystery Teacher...
7) Dream job?
1) Something you can’t live without?
The one I’m doing - despite what my previous answer might suggest. I have never wanted to be anything except a teacher, not including a brief period at the age of 6 when a career in professional wrestling seemed really appealing. In retrospect it may have been the less conflict-driven choice.
Music. My life is saturated with it. If I’m not directly listening to something, I’m either singing a song inside the privacy of my own head, or more often than not singing out loud and inflicting my music tastes on others, whether they like it or not. 2) One thing you’d bring on a desert island? An e-reader loaded with all of the books I’ve promised myself I’ll get around to reading. Presumably it will have to be solarpowered, because otherwise it’s just a useless sun-baked block of plastic and metal in a few days. 3) A book that changed your life? The Road by Cormac McCarthy – an exploration of the power of love set against desperation, darkness and futility. Beautiful.
4) A country you’ve visited or would like to visit? It’s been a long-term ambition of mine to visit Russia. I would love to visit St. Petersburg and see the Hermitage Museum, see the sights of the 1917 Revolution, and just travel around the regions to experience the beautiful wild expanses of land and nature. 5) Childhood idol? Eric Cantona – one of France and Manchester United’s greatest-ever footballers. A cryptic genius on and off the ball. I am still trying to understand the mysteries of that goal against Sunderland and his cryptic comments about seagulls and sardines at that press conference.
8) Which cause would you donate to? The two charities that I donate to are Women’s Aid – which supplies emergency accommodation, childcare and other relief to women and children fleeing domestic abuse, and Medical Aid for Palestinians – who provide medical care for Palestinians living under occupation or as refugees in Lebanon. 9) Favourite teacher and why? It’s a split between Ms. C, my high school languages teacher who took me seriously and was supportive and challenging, even when I was being an annoying teenager, and my Dad – who taught me how to drive and explained Hamlet to me when I didn’t get it. 10) Favourite holiday? Christmas – I always enjoy going home to see my family, eating all the food I’ve missed out on, smelling the ocean through the cold air, reconnecting with my friends. We’ve all left our home town, so it’s the only time of year when we all come home and can see each other. It’s always a beautiful few days of friendship, family, food, music, sports and laughter. 11) Do you have any superstitions? Yes! I’m pretty sure that Fairies aren’t real, and that they can’t hurt me if I offend them; but I’m not taking any chances. I don’t touch hawthorn trees and I always make sure there’s iron and salt in my home. 6) What kind of student were you? A bad one. I was a sarcastic know-it-all who did not, in fact, know it all. I was a constant daydreamer, prolific doodler and was regularly in conflict with my teachers. I sometimes wonder if my teaching career is the result of some form of cosmic justice for my bratty teenage behavior.
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FWH Mauritius : lettre aux élèves Cher lecteur, Une équipe de cinq étudiants (dont quatre anciens élèves de l’EJM), nous avons récemment lancé une ONG qui vise à soutenir la population vivant dans une situation de précarité, de faim et d’inégalité à l’île Maurice. FWH (Food Water Hygiene) Mauritius, distribue des produits de première nécessité, dont la nourriture, l’eau et les produits d’hygiène (en particulier féminine) à cette population à travers des missions régulières. Notre première distribution a eu lieu le 29 août! La pandémie mondiale du COVID-19 a révélé les nombreuses inégalités qui existent à l’île Maurice. Lorsque les supermarchés ont fermé pendant de nombreuses semaines, des milliers de personnes ont été confinées avec un accès restreint à la nourriture et à l'eau. Pour les aider dans cette situation de crise, et établir un soutien au long-terme, FWH agit selon trois piliers principaux: lutter contre la pauvreté, soutenir les femmes, et réduire le gaspillage alimentaire. À ce titre, nous voulons lutter contre le gaspillage alimentaire et la faim en collectant les produits non utilisés des entreprises locales pour ensuite les distribuer aux personnes dans le besoin. Notre principale source de fonds se trouve dans nos partenariats avec des entreprises locales et dans des dons volontaires. Pour cette raison, le marketing et notre présence sur les réseaux sociaux jouent un rôle essentiel dans le développement de FWH. C’est précisément là que nous pensons que les élèves de l’EJM peuvent nous aider. Dès le début de l’année scolaire 2021/2022, les élèves de l’EJM auront l’opportunité de nous aider à travers les options suivantes:
L’organisation de bake sales / évènements similaires pour collecter des fonds (dès que la situation COVID-19 le permettra). Rejoindre l’équipe en nous aidant à développer notre présence sur les réseaux sociaux, en échange d’heures HSD/CAS. Les heures CAS devant être obtenues à travers des projets construits avec davantage de profondeur, les élèves souhaitant nous aider dans cette optique auront la possibilité de nous rejoindre dans plusieurs activités. Ils feront partie intégrante de l’équipe pour la durée de leur projet, nous aidant ainsi à nous rapprocher de nos objectifs long-terme. Si vous êtes intéressés par le projet, n’hésitez pas à nous envoyer un e-mail à notre adresse fwhmauritius@gmail.com. Vous pouvez également trouver davantage d’informations ou faire un don sur notre site www.fwhmauritius.com. Nous sommes fiers de collaborer avec l’EJM sur ce projet, et attendons vos retours avec impatience! L’équipe FWH.
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JMUN's Moot Court - Nguyen L. & Justin P. "[Moot Court] was an extremely enriching experience […] that highlighted many important things in our society. The cases were interesting and […] controversial. The feedback was specific and will definitely help us [improve]". - Norah A. (finalist) "Moot was an incredible opportunity which truly allowed me to develop an ease in debating and communication with my teammate." - Joy D. (finalist) JMUN? Moot Court? What? JMUN is an in-school debate conference for high schoolers hosted by the École Jeannine Manuel Debate Club. Organised by a group of dedicated and experienced teachers, the conference is an excellent opportunity to debate, regardless of one’s skill level. Newcomers can taste test the world of competitive debating while veterans can reinforce their skills and achieve new heights. Of the three choices that debaters can choose from –– General Assembly, Crisis and Moot Court –– the latter is a recent addition that has quickly captured the interest of many. It is safe to say that this popularity comes with merit! Moot Court is an activity that relies heavily on roleplaying as it forces participants to fill the shoes of lawyers in a simulated legal proceeding. This offers an intriguing opportunity to discover the judicial system, an element absent in the other two committees. However, Moot Court is not your regular court reenactment as JMUN’s execution of the activity places an emphasis on the American Constitution. Participants are asked to address the U.S. Supreme Court and lay out their arguments with respect to how the American Constitution should be interpreted.
Ready, set, debate! So, how does Moot Court work? The important idea to understand is that the U.S. Supreme Court is the highest judicial body, capable of overruling decisions of lower courts. The objective is to evaluate the verdict made by lower courts by referring to the American Constitution. To facilitate this task, participants are given case briefs which detail the issue and contain valuable legal information, such as amendments and precedents. JMUN’s Moot Court organises participants into teams of two, with teams facing off against each other in an elimination tournament bracket. Participants stand before the justices as either petitioner or defendant, with the former going first, then alternating. Each person gets five minutes of speaking time, equating to ten minutes in total per side. One trademark of Moot Court is that the justices may interrupt the speaker at any moment to ask a question, except for the first and last thirty seconds of a person’s speech. These sudden questions are like ambushes, forcing the speaker to respond cleverly.
"Believe you can and you're halfway there" —Theodore Roosevelt
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Yay or nay? Moot Court is without a doubt an activity that efficiently balances fun and competition. The satisfaction of winning a case is sufficient motivation to fuel one’s competitive drive, making Moot Court a must for adrenaline junkies and tryhards. Students looking to pursue law should especially consider participating in Moot Court. It is a miniature summary of what a legal career involves, offering an introductory exploration of the law. One can obtain insight into how courts of law operate and interact with other law enthusiasts. For everyone else, Moot Court is a powerful opportunity where participants can enhance their speaking skills and build confidence. This is achieved thanks to the intensity of the questions, leading to quick adaptation, and the complex nature of some cases, necessitating creative arguments.
Justin
In my opinion, what is more defining in Moot Court than the 20 minutes of extremely engaging debates is the hours in between.
Around a circular table, I collaborated with my partner and some of the other members participating in Moot Court. I distinctly remember reading the intricate details which were surrounding each case file, discerning the portions of the text which were advantageous to our case, and highlighting the portions which were not.
The stressful situation only amplified when we exchanged our ideas, rearranged topics and arguments, and thought of possible rebuttals. The worst part: anticipating questions. Already knowing the potential ruthless questions which may be upon us, the preparations needed to keep our heads above the water during the moment of truth was, while stressful, also extremely exciting.
Nguyen
In my opinion, what differentiates a masterful debater from a novice is not the amount of time spent preparing a case but, instead, how one reacts to and subdues the stress.
An embodiment of the above statement is how I argued the Tinker v. Des Moines case. I vividly remember my legs giving out while I was waiting for my turn. I reassured myself by looking over the abundance of notes on my sheet but this was futile; the words seemed to disintegrate into illegible bits of text. In fact, the pressure was so intense that I forgot which side I was on when my speech started, resulting in a hesitant and fumbled start.
Further worsening the situation was the ticking stopwatch, reminding me of the limited amount of time I had to present my arguments. Then came the dreaded questions. Merciless! Nothing is more tortuous than being bombarded by them. They are what turbulence is to planes. They completely derail your momentum and throw you into panic.
Tips and tricks! CREATED WITH THE GRACIOUS HELP OF THE 2020 AND 2021 JMUN MOOT COURT CHAMPION ADRIEN A. Evaluate all of the precedents and amendments in the case file. Determine whether they support your case or not and why they’re valid or irrelevant. Familiarise yourself with the case and its facts. Don’t just read from a script or else a single question will destroy your entire structure. A justice’s questions are your friends. Answer them properly as that’s what the justices want. It doesn’t matter if they disrupt what you prepared
See you in court…
We hope that we have succeeded in painting a representative picture of what Moot Court entails and hopefully, more students in and outside of the École Jeannine Manuel Debate Club will be enticed by this one of a kind activity.
Unfortunately, JMUN’s Moot Court is only open to high school students (from seconde upwards) but it is definitely worth the wait!
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It's Christmas!
Collaboration with the Photography Club Winter, Christmas food, the lights and decorations everywhere... it's that time of the year again! To enjoy this moment together, discover this special collaboration with the photography club. Here are photos inspired by Christmas songs...
Olga B. Alina E.
Léa C.
Esther G.
Jessica E.
Sophia M.
Anna B.
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Talia C.
Violette M.
Isabella G.
Isabella G.
In winter which he has summoned White-Eyes all the singing is in from the north— BY MARY OLIVER the tops of the trees which he has taught
where the wind-bird to be mild, and silent— from under his beating wings
as long as he stays awake. with its white eyes thicken, and begin to fall But his big, round music, after all, into the world below shoves and pushes is too breathy to last. among the branches. like stars, or the feathers
Like any of us of some unimaginable bird So, it's over.
In the pine-crown he wants to go to sleep, that loves us, he makes his nest, but he's restless— that is asleep now, and silent— he's done all he can. he has an idea, that has turned itself
and slowly it unfolds into snow. I don't know the name of this bird,
I only imagine his glittering beak
tucked in a white wing
while the clouds—
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Famous cases of plagiarism - Anna H. We all have our opinions of the Trump presidency, and we all know of former First Lady Melania Trump. Some of you may remember a scandal over her first speech at the Republican National Convention. On the opening night of the convention in 2016, Melania Trump gave a touching speech about values and was much lauded for it. However, comparisons were soon made between her speech and one previously given by Michelle Obama in 2008 at the Democratic National convention. This was denied by the Trump campaign, however, analyses have found full sections to be the same nearly word for word. Yet, this is the same administration that brought up Biden’s precedents…
In 1987, Joe Biden ran for president for the first time. In a debate with Michael Dukakis, Jesse Jackson, Al Gore and others at the Iowa State Fair, Joe Biden used a part of a speech given by Neil Kinnock - the former leader of the British Labour party - omitting to mention his name. This was seen by many, including Kinnock himself, as an unintentional mistake, which Biden admitted to. However, it was recognized by a member of the Dukakis campaign and created a scandal which cost him his campaign and continued to haunt him. Indeed, opponents such as members of the Trump administration kept bringing up this scandal. On top of this, when he became president, his administration acknowledged that they had lifted phrases from different nonprofits in its climate and education plans. This has been fixed, and Biden was not directly implicated in this, however, it brings back precedents.
Jayson Blair was a full time New York Times reporter who is now considered a celebrity plagiarist - someone primarily famous for having plagiarized. He wrote over 600 articles for the Times before an investigation was launched on his work. Of the 73 articles he wrote as a national reporter, the New York Times found 36 of them contained various levels of plagiarism. This case rose to fame and his career was destroyed by the discovery of his dishonesty.
https://www.francetvinfo.fr/monde/melania-trump-accuseed-avoir-plagie-le-discours-de-michelle-obama_1721259.html
We have all been through roughly this situation: it’s 3 a.m., you have 2 more DSTs to prepare for and you are still working on your bibliography for a “short assignment” which your teacher didn’t feel the need to tell you about until the day before you had to hand it in. In these times of utter despair, the idea of “borrowing” someone else’s ideas doesn’t seem quite so bad. You may start to wonder: would it matter if I plagiarize a few ideas once I become successful and rich? Well, the following are some of the most famous cases of plagiarism with consequences ranging from the scandal becoming a comical event to it having dire consequences on the careers of the people involved.
Although there are some cases where plagiarism is obvious such as the ones previously mentioned, others are much less obvious, and some questions remain unanswered. To what extent can we say that our past experiences affect what we think and who we are? We owe something to every book we have read and every person we have met, but to what extent do we credit them and can we even tell who inspired us?
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Les origines des friandises et plats traditionnels de Noël - Auxane B. Noël, une période où les chocolats et les gourmandises sont à l’honneur ! Dans cet article, nous allons découvrir certaines gourmandises traditionnelles, passant par les incontournables de la France jusqu’en Espagne, en passant par l’Italie. Les papillotes
La bûche de Noël La bûche de Noël est une tradition bien avant d’être le dessert délicieux que l’on connaît aujourd’hui. En effet, on brûlait une bûche de bois pour célébrer le solstice d’hiver, la plus longue nuit de l’année, dans l’Europe du Nord. On y ajoutait une offrande pour « bénir » la bûche, que ce soit du vin ou autres aliments. Cette tradition date de 2500 avant J.C mais elle a été découverte en sa forme de gâteau vers 1945. Les pâtissiers, dont l’inventeur n’est pas certain, trouvaient que les gâteaux roulés ressemblaient aux bûches, ce qui à tout commencé. Aujourd’hui, et surtout en cette période, il est très facile de trouver ces bûches dans toutes les pâtisseries, qu’elles soient au chocolat, à la vanille, à la fraise et tant d’autres parfums ! Si vous en voyez, n’hésitez pas à les goûter, car c’est un dessert exquis !
Commençons donc par les papillotes, ces chocolats emballés de papier doré. Originaires de Lyon, la légende raconte que tout commença en 1790, rue Bat- d’Argent, dans l’atelier de confiserie de Monsieur Papillot. Un apprenti du maître, follement amoureux d’une belle demoiselle, s’appropriait des chocolats de la fabrique pour les lui offrir. Il ajoutait à ces gourmandises des mots doux et déclarations d’amour qu’il enroulait autour des chocolats. M. Papillot se rendit compte petit à petit du manège de son commis et le renvoya par la suite, mais garda son idée. Au lieu d’enrouler ses chocolats de messages romantiques, il remplaça ces derniers par des citations, des rébus, et des petits dessins. Si la papillote est toujours dans le commerce aujourd’hui, c’est grâce à Révillon, la fameuse marque chocolatière reconnue pour ses friandises, qui, un siècle après l’invention de la papillote, se Le Calendrier de L’Avent feront commercialiser !
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Auxane B.
Auxane B.
Le Calendrier de l’Avent trouve ses origines en Allemagne au XIXème siècle. Pour que les enfants soient au courant du nombre de jours qu’il restait avant Noël, les parents cachaient dans des petites boîtes des éléments de la crèche, pour qu’ils puissent la construire petit à petit. En quelque sorte, ils les préparaient à « l’avènement », la période avant Noël et la naissance de Jésus, dans la religion chrétienne. Ce n’est qu’en 1920 que le calendrier en carton avec des fenêtres est inventé, puis en 1950 que ceux remplis de chocolats voient le jour. Désormais, les Calendriers de l’Avent peuvent se trouver de partout et pas qu’avec des chocolats. Bonbons, produits de beauté, parfums, vins… la liste est sans fin !
Roscón de Reyes
La galette des rois
Voyageons désormais en Espagne pour découvrir le Roscón de Reyes, une brioche aux fruits confits traditionnelle, mangée le 6 janvier pour célébrer l’Épiphanie et ouvrir les cadeaux de Noël, contrairement à la France où nous les ouvrons le 24/25 décembre. Mais, même si ce gâteau est associé aux Rois Mages, donc à la religion chrétienne, la tradition remonte à bien avant, aux racines païennes. Ce sont les Romains qui créent cette gourmandise pour célébrer le dieu Saturne (le dieu du Temps et de l’agriculture) durant les fêtes Saturnales, en décembre. La brioche était mangée le jour où les esclaves étaient égaux à leurs maîtres ; et si l’un d’entre eux trouvait une fève sèche enfouie dans sa part, il était libre pendant le reste de la journée et traité comme un roi, d’où très sûrement le nom « galette des rois ». Ce n’est que depuis le IVème siècle que le christianisme adopte ce gâteau pour sa fête des Rois Mages. Aujourd’hui, il y a deux éléments cachés dans la brioche : une figurine et une graine de haricot. Pour la personne chanceuse qui trouve la figurine, elle se retrouve couronnée et pleine de bonne chance pendant toute l’année. Au contraire, la tradition veut que celui qui trouve le haricot paye le roscón. De plus, on peut trouver cette brioche avec ou sans crème, au choix !
Voici maintenant la version du roscón de Reyes que tous les Français connaissent, la galette des rois ! Ce gâteau à les mêmes origines que le roscón: les Saturnales chez les Romains. C’est en fait grâce au roi d’Espagne Philippe V que s’est répandue la tradition, et selon les régions et les pays, le gâteau s’est modifié. Nous pouvons désormais trouver la version de la galette feuilletée, fourrée de frangipane, ici en France !
Auxane B.
https://www.marmiton.org
Le panettone Pour finir avec une dernière gourmandise, partons en Italie, plus précisément à Milan, pour y découvrir les origines de ce fameux gâteau. C’est vers 1400 que cette tradition naît pour célébrer Noël. On y ajoute des produits précieux, comme de la farine blanche, du miel, des fruits secs et du beurre. Une autre légende raconte que c’est Toni, un commis de cuisine, qui après avoir brûlé le dessert d’un banquet, aurait sacrifié un sachet de levure ainsi que de la farine, du miel et du sucre pour en faire un autre. Résultat : sa brioche rencontre un succès fou, et son maître, Ludovic le More, nomme ce dessert le ‘Pan de Toni’, donc le Pain de Toni. Quelle que soit la vraie légende, nous pouvons confirmer que cette brioche est délicieuse et apprécié par tous !
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Student Poem Burn out Anonymous
I watch as the flame ignites the match
Sparks fly It begins, it’s begun, it’s beautiful Devouring the little red hood It grows and grows and grows And spreads Yellow and orange tongues leaving red scars in the feeble wood The stem darkens as the fire thrives Giving away it’s lifeforce to keep the light alive It twists, twines and turns and Cracks Away from the heat, the burning blue
I feel when the flame reaches the end The match falls A burnt out, blackened, brittle thing
I am the match.
image from https://unsplash.com
Vitrines of Spirit - Patricia J. The Christmas spirit awakens in the hearts of Paris as, from the sullen dead fall leaves, a new and exciting opportunity of discovering the wonders that the magical elves of the holy spirit bring to us at this time of year. Not feeling truly in connection with the Christmas vibes? Well, that can easily be changed. Hearing the Christmas carols playing in the background, pushing through the bustling crowds, seeing children press their faces against the icy windows to get a better view of the beautiful displays, is enough to really understand what energy the season of winter gives to people through the power of a well earned and merry holiday. Perhaps it is the return of the chestnut vendors roasting their produce or of the delicious waffles, or maybe the christmas cookies, hot chocolate, or savory but pungent smelling raclette sandwich which will immediately put you in a good mood. Despite this, you need not go to the Christmas markets to eat all of these delicious indulgences. Instead, you can get them all in front of the Lafayette food court with their make-shift mini christmas booths! Why should you prefer this option? Well, first of all you can go inside the store and do some serious christmas shopping for amazing prices, but you can also see its lovely christmas displays.
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Okay, now let's get down to business and discuss the vitrines and store displays of the grands magasins. The smooth transition made to the one at Galerie Lafayette was carefully crafted as it is in my opinion the least impressive display, though it still baffles me with it’s grandeur. Despite this, things will only get better from here! I would certainly recommend the activity of visiting this Christmas window setup for families with small children, as it focuses on incorporating infantile characters like plastic dolls, blue bunnies, and a very hip-pop santa claus into their arrangements. Here, they definitely went for a burst of colour and vibrancy, and quantity, perhaps overlooking the quality of the decor. Even so, it makes for great fun to go by and see Santa Claus playing an electric guitar! Once at this grand marché, the inside of the shop is also decorated:the big dome hides a huge Christmas tree suspended from the ceiling of the building, and there is even a glass sky bridge at the top of the 5th floor. Definitely worth passing by this one!
And again, don’t forget the proximity this has to the little snack stands in front of the galerie Lafayette food court previously mentioned. If Xmas themed treats are not your style, you can go inside to grab a few culinary delicacies as well.
Moving on to the next vitrine, which is but a few hundred meters away from this one, the Printemps also invested in a beautiful installation. Here the theme is the ‘fabrique des lutins’, so we are immediately bewildered by the little creatures making all sorts of things. And I mean everything! There is a display where they bake, one where they are responsible for haute couture, for perfume mixing, or simply for the traditional task of packaging toys. Again, the display is great for children as it is interactive and filled with motion. Personally, I think that this display shows a little more artisan craft and refinement in contrast to the starkly plastic dense display provided by the Galeries Lafayette. If you want a fun challenge, (though it might get a little hectic after a while), you could try counting how many little elves the vitrines hide!
The last of the more playful and kid friendly windows is that of the Bon Marché. Here, there are gingerbread men that have learned all kinds of different dances don’t ask me how or why! They dance with a cane, cheerlead, and get down in the groove of a hipster hiphop beat. The only downside to this exposition is that the gingerbread figures are quite similar in each window, and there are only so many ways that they can move their arms and legs… Nevertheless, it is always fun to join in and dance together with these jiving gingerbread men!
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Now that all of the infantile and hyped up revival of childhood memories has been achieved by visiting these windows, we can move on to ones that are a little more focused on the beauty instead of the gimmicks. As of such, we can look towards the meticulously crafted golden inlaid mannequins that are charmingly positioned behind the glass of the Samaritaine. The luxury of going skiing in one of these beautifully made ski lifts that the mannequin sits on makes me feel like I would rather take its spot, sitting monarchically in its little cabin all day. Of course, these displays have minimal to no movement, but their beauty makes up for it. Don’t get me wrong though, they aren’t all that serious… There is even a display where we see a dog do its business on the corner of the road! You may laugh, but even the act of walking a dog is elevated through the displays, making it seem almost regal to pick up this little mop’s poop!
It’s the BHV! (My personal favorite) The theme of this display is absolute winter wonderland, and the windows are made so that layers of panoramic Swiss mountains all focus into a little scene in which we see a parade of different animals promoting an item. The displays here are small, and the movement is minimal, with a monotonic colour scheme of white and gray. However, I think this is the cutest and prettiest display that I have ever seen. It encapsulates all of the winteryness that I love in an adorable yet sophisticated way that makes it a flawless piece. I truly enjoyed visiting this vitrine the most! [If you go inside the shop and buy something, there is also a little lottery game where, using your bill code, you can attempt to uncover three of the same symbols in a grid of cards… - unfortunately I didn’t win but you never know!]
I have now come to a closing point, with one final display that I haven’t mentioned. Now is your chance to guess what it is! Think and then uncover the rest of the text! Okay, if you're ready, scroll down!
Now it’s your turn to decide which one you like the most! All of them have a variety of different styles and approaches, and it really depends on personal preference - but one thing is certain: visiting them is something that is unmistakably obligatory to do!
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I hope this will bring joy and Christmas cheer, and with that: I wish you all the best merriment!
Student Art - Andrea B.
I have always had an extreme fascination towards art. I have always admired those who could draw effortlessly, which has led me to start creating myself. When I started drawing as a toddler, I wanted to achieve a unique and intricate style, which would differentiate me from others. I was inspired by looking at multiple famous painters, such as Francis Bacon, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and many others. By picking a few characteristics of each artist’s creation that I enjoyed, I made it my own. Although growing up my main goal whilst drawing was to let go of any stress and be free, I have recently had many more objectives, such as portraying and communicating a certain emotion or state of mind. This is notably visible through the faces I draw with no eyeballs, which symbolizes emptiness. I have also enjoyed drawing puzzling designs on faces, or particular accessories, in order to establish shock or surprise.
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Holiday readers: The Disney Twisted Tales - Jade J. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Sleeping Beauty, The Little Mermaid… these classic Disney tales have accompanied us through our entire childhood. Since 2015, however, a group of authors have begun to rewrite the stories of certain classic Disney characters by slightly twisting the plots of their original tales. While the classic movies were more directed towards young children, the Twisted Tales books mostly target adolescents. Twelve Twisted Tales have already been published, each based on a different Disney film. If you are nostalgic for your favorite Disney heroes, make sure to check some of these stories out! 1) A Whole New World, Liz Brazwell As you might have recognized from the title, this first Twisted Tale to be published focuses on the story of Aladdin. Aladdin is an orphan fighting for survival on the streets. Jasmine is a princess reluctant to engage in an arranged marriage. The only difference with the original story is that Aladdin has never found Genie’s lamp, now in the evil wizard Jafar’s possession. He uses his first two wishes to become sultan and the most powerful sorcerer in the world, and the entire kingdom awaits in fear for his final wish. To combat his tyrannical rule, Aladdin and the former princess Jasmine strive to unite the people of Agrabah. But will they succeed, or will the kingdom be plunged instead in a violent civil war? An interesting story to discover for the fans of ‘Ce rêve bleu’.
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2) As Old as Time, Liz Brazwell The beginning of this story remains loyal to the original as Belle follows her father’s tracks to the Beast’s enchanted castle. However, when Belle touches the enchanted rose, she sees images of the enchantress who she recognizes to be the mother she has never met. To break the curse, the Beast and Belle set off on a journey to find the lost enchantress and discover an atrocious secret in the process. A fascinating tale based on one of the most incredible Disney classics of all time. 3) Part of Your World, Liz Brazwell That’s right, as you have probably noticed by now, every Twisted Tale’s title is an iconic song lyric from the original movie. This book, therefore, centers around the Little Mermaid who has lost against the evil sea witch Ursula during their final showdown. Ursula now rules Prince Eric’s kingdom on land, and Ariel has inherited the throne of Atlantica. However, when Ariel discovers her father, King Triton, might still be alive, she is forced to return to the human world and to find a prince she thought she would never see again. An interesting twist that modifies the original ‘happily ever after’ ending.
All images from www.amazon.com
4) Conceal, Don’t Feel, Jen Calonita Frozen - a movie we all know and whose songs we have hummed practically every day during the year of its release- what if the magical tale of the two sisters was transformed into a totally different story? Imagine a world where Princess Elsa has grown up as the sole heir to Arendelle’s throne or so she thought. Following her parents’ unexpected death, Elsa rises up to the challenges of a young queen but suddenly finds herself trapped by the surge of mysterious ice powers and the resurfacing of childhood memories. Meanwhile, Anna has grown up as the baker’s daughter in Harmon who dreams of one day visiting Arendelle. When Elsa plunges Arendelle into an eternal winter, the long lost sisters set off on a harrowing journey to save their kingdom, uncover past secrets and find their way back to each other. 5) So This is Love, Elizabeth Lim We all know the ending of Cinderella: a classic happily ever after where the prince finds his princess after she tries on the glass slipper and marries her. But what if Cinderella was not able to try on the glass slipper because of her evil stepmother’s plots? Unable to prove she is the woman the prince is looking for and tired of living under her stepmother’s oppression, Cinderella engages herself as a seamstress in the royal palace. When the Grand Duke appoints her to serve the king’s visiting sister, Cinderella witnesses the forming of a plot to throw the king and the prince out of power while being disturbed by a long-standing prejudice against fairies, including her own fairy godmother. Cinderella must therefore attempt to save her kingdom and her love before it is too late.
6) Go the Distance, Jen Calonita While basing itself on the movie Hercules, this story actually revolves around Megara, Hercules’ love interest. After Hercules saves Meg from Hades, Zeus declares that Hercules and Meg could not be together since Megara was a mortal. Hera, therefore, offers Meg a place on Mount Olympus in exchange for a quest Meg must complete. The quest consisted of rescuing a girl from the Underworld - not just any girl, specifically, the current girlfriend of Meg’s former boyfriend, for whom Meg had sold her soul to Hades, only to be abandoned for another girl. Will Meg accomplish this seemingly impossible challenge, or will she lose her chance with Hercules forever? Be sure to check it out to uncover the truth!
7) What Once Was Mine, Liz Braswell ‘Make the clock reverse, bring back what once was mine…’ was the incantation Rapunzel would sing in Tangled every time she used her hair for healing purposes. In the Twisted Tale, however, Rapunzel’s mother was healed from her sickness by drinking the moondrop flower, instead of the sundrop flower. As a result, she gave birth to a baby girl with hair as silver as the moon. The girl’s hair, however, wielded the power to hurt and not to heal. She is therefore locked in a tower by the goodwife Mother Gothel to protect the kingdom from her dangerous magic. One day, Rapunzel decides to flee her tower alongside two outlaws, Flynn Rider and Gina, to see the floating lanterns that glow in the sky on the night of her birthday, thus embarking on a thrilling and moving adventure.
Of course, the Twisted Tales series does not end here. They also include Reflection about Mulan, Mirror, Mirror about Snow White, Once Upon a Dream about Sleeping Beauty, Straight On Till Morning about Wendy and Peter Pan, and Unbirthday about Alice in Wonderland. If you are nostalgic for your favorite stories and interested in brand new adventures with the characters that have marked your childhood, do not hesitate to flip the pages of a Twisted Tale to embark on an amazing ride!
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10 Movies you need to watch - Luisa G. Film is considered to be an important art form, a source of popular entertainment, and a powerful medium for educating people. The following list of 10 movies include some of the BEST MOVIES IN THE HISTORY OF HUMANS (or at least according to me) that you NEED to watch! So grab some popcorn, get comfortable, and let’s begin. 1) The breakfast club - 1985 Genre = Coming-of-Age / Teen
This is an iconic movie about five very different high-school teenagers that are put in detention at school on a Saturday morning. It’s a great film to watch with family and friends and one that you will definitely be able to relate to! 2) 10 things I hate about you - 1999 Genre = Romance / Teen
The movie tells the story of Kat Stratford, a young woman who is not very interested in boys. However, her younger sister Bianca will not be allowed to date until Kat has a boyfriend. So Bianca decides on a plan to find her sister a date in order for her to be allowed to have one herself. This movie is simply a must watch! If you haven’t watched it yet, then what are you doing? 3) Dirty dancing - 1987 Genre = Romance / Dance
Baby is dragged along to spend her summer at a placid resort, where she falls in love with a rebellious dance instructor. However, her father opposes their relationship which sets a strain on the two characters. This movie will make you fall in love with dance and have you rooting for the two characters throughout the span of the movie. TRUST ME, it is THAT GOOD!
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4) Stand by me - 1987 Genre = Coming-of-Age / Adventure
Follows the story of four friends who set off along the train tracks to find the corpse of Ray Brower, who had been hit by a train. This movie is a masterpiece that does a great job in portraying adolescence. Whoever you are and wherever you are, GO WATCH THIS MOVIE! 5) Dead poets society - 1989 Genre = Drama / Comedy
Tells the story of John Keating, an English teacher who encourages his students to break free and go against the status-quo. This movie really embraces the theme of “carpe diem, seize the day”. This masterpiece will teach you that it is not who you are, but what you do that defines you. 6) Rain man - 1989 Genre = Drama
Tells the story of Charlie, who kidnaps his autistic brother Raymond and tries to manipulate him to give up his inheritance after their fathers death. This movie is a great eye opener that will teach you many things about autism. Also, it features Tom Cruise. What more do you need in a movie? 7) Four weddings and a funeral - 1994 Genre = Romance / Comedy
Follows the story of Charles as he tries to discover love while he attends four weddings of his friends and a funeral. This movie includes everything from comedy to romance to tragedy. It will bring you laughter and tears. Just sit down, press play and let the show go on… 8) Life is beautiful - 1999 Genre = War / Romance
Tells the story of a jewish father and his family as they are taken to a concentration camp. This movie is a beautiful masterpiece, but it requires many tissues and comfort chocolates because it will make you cry like you have never done before!
9) Airplane - 1980 Genre = Comedy / Parody
10) The impossible- 2012 Genre = Thriller
Follows the story of Ted Striker, a former pilot who is scared of flying and finds himself with the responsibility of landing a plane safely after the crew and passengers of the plane all become sick. Trust me when I tell you that this movie will make you cry… OF LAUGHTER! This film is so absurd it will have you rolling around the floor laughing.
Tells the story of a family who decide to spend Christmas in Thailand. However their holidays become a fight for survival when a tsunami separates the family. This movie is easily one of the best action movies I have ever seen. With the thriller elements of the story, it will have you grabbing the edges of your seat. This film will take you on a whirlwind of emotions. [P.S: you will be needing tissues for this one too].
From comedies to tragedies, this list has it all. So in the words of Bugs Bunny- THAT IS ALL FOLKS 😉
"Au milieu de l'hiver, j'ai découvert en moi un invincible été" —Albert Camus
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La Seconde Surprise de l'Amour - Nikolai T. La Seconde Surprise de l’Amour – the first surprise this season at Odéon Theatre. The pompous Comme tu me veux and the fantastically boring Fraternité, conte Fantastique glimpsed some issues that Odéon is facing– primarily the lack of good theatrical content. Alain Françon’s production of Marivaux’s La Seconde Surprise de l’Amour at Atelier Berthier/Odéon is, in my opinion, the first success of this season. La Seconde Surprise de l’Amour is a beautiful example of simplicity and elegance in theatre. It is difficult for me to judge what is the cause of this: the experience of Alain Françon, the simplicity and the age of the play text, its comedic genre, or the actors’ talent. Perhaps, all of the above.
Pierre de Marivaux’s play is a loosely associated sequel to his more famous comedy La Surprise de l’Amour. Being a comedy, the play was often over exaggerated and suffered too much modern-day hysteria in contemporary productions. Françon’s interpretation, however, depicts the opposite. Often called “the great actors’ director”, Françon made the production actor-focused: theatrical, but still realistic. The Brechtian acting which was put on display at all times during Comme tu me veux in September is thankfully not to be found here.
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The audience is consistently hooked on the characters’ actions instead of being distracted by various theatrical devices that came with postmodern theatre. Indeed, the young Suzanne de Baecque (in the role of Lisette) and the slightly older Georgia Scalliet (in the role of La Marquise) are gorgeous and simple in their acting. Male actors, in particular Thomas Blanchard (in the role of Lubin), also contribute to the audience’s fascination. In general, the actors (most of whom are young) are joyous and fresh; they are not pretending to be or inhabiting characters but living them. The lightness and simplicity of the production are magnified by the play’s setting – the garden between Le Chevalier and La Marquise’s houses, for example. No needless props, just three chairs and an artificial pond with no water running. No distractions from the drama for the audience. La Seconde Surprise de l’Amour – gave breath of fresh aircoup de souffle to the current season’s repertoire, refreshed the audience concealed in 21st century burlesque, and showed that “old” is not synonymous with “bad” in modern theatre. It has proven music composer Steve Reich’s words: “if it’s still alive and it’s kicking, then it’s contemporaory.”
3 Books Reviews - Hugo B. Heart of Darkness: “We live as we dream--alone...” ― Joseph Conrad, Heart of Darkness Heart of Darkness is the masterpiece, an uncontested classic from one of literature's best authors; Joseph Conrad. Heart of Darkness is the story of a young man exploring the colonial madness of a dying man. It’s a tale of gore, horror, ethics and madness told by a genius. It’s a short read, easy, accessible and really intriguing. If you liked the book, make sure to watch a Hollywood classic inspired by this novel and set in Vietnam: Apocalypse Now by Francis Ford Coppola (available on Netflix). Coppola has adapted many classics like The Great Gatsby, The Outsiders and Frankenstein, but you likely also know him for The Godfather.
The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs:
Hugo B.
Why we sleep:
“Dinosaurs had been around for over 150 million years when their time of reckoning came. They had endured hardships, evolved superpowers like fast metabolisms and enormous size, and vanquished their rivals so that they ruled an entire planet… Then, literally, in a split second, it ended.”
― Stephen Brusatte, The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs
“Not sleeping enough, which for a portion of the population is a voluntary choice, significantly modifies your gene transcriptome—that is, the very essence of you, or at least you as defined biologically by your DNA. Neglect sleep, and you are deciding to perform a genetic engineering manipulation on yourself each night, tampering with the nucleic alphabet that spells out your daily health story.”
― Matthew Walker, Why We Sleep
This New York Times bestseller is the scientific book of the year. In a single book, one of the best paleontologists of our time explains and tells the story of the dinosaurs, creatures who lived on our planet for over 150 million years. It's the tale of amazing colossal giants with unique abilities, from the Quetzalcoatlus Northropi with a wingspan of 36 feet who could fly thousands of kilometers without stopping, to the Spinosaurus, at first glance a dinosaur similar to the T-rex but that was much bigger and could swim for food. The story is humorously illustrated by anecdotes and personal experiences. This book is very accessible, as no scientific knowledge whatsoever is needed. I really recommend this book as it is probably the best on the subject that I've read.
It seems stupid but if I asked you “why do we sleep?”, could you tell me exactly why we spend a good 30 years of our lives inactive, sleeping? I doubt you could answer. Sleeping seems idiotic--why would we voluntarily lose time and put ourselves in danger by how defenceless we are? Despite evolution itself, animals, like humans, sleep every day. I have read hundreds of scientific books, and of all these books this one remains one of my favourites. In this book, Matthew Walker, an expert on sleep, wakes us up to the importance of sleep and its function. Sleep benefits every single part of your body and mind.
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Winners of the winter holiday writing competition… Suite au succès des compétitions d’écriture que nous avons organisé l’an dernier, nous avons eu le plaisir de pouvoir renouveler cette opportunité, sur le thème de l'hiver. Les écrits proposées par des élèves de toutes les classes étaient du plus haut niveau et la compétition a été difficile. Comme dans les éditions précédentes, les participants ont été séparé en deux catégories : collège et lycée. Finalement, le choix du jury c’est porté sur le travail d’Elizabeth W. pour la section collège et celui d’Azenor R. pour la section lycée. Bravo aux gagnants ! Merci à tous les participants qui nous ont apporté des textes tous très intéressants et touchants. Vous pouvez lire les textes de tous les participants ici. Nous allons maintenant sans plus tarder vous laisser apprécier leur écriture. The Butterfly Elizabeth W.
She is sitting by her window with her coffee in her paws Warm and protected, hidden from winter claws The snow is sprinkling down in unique shots of sugar That kiss the soft padding of foamy milk before her
Everything is white, as a blank canvas should be The trees, the ground, the wind: cold and frosty The wind sings it’s sweet song, it’s whispers and purrs And she is inside, wrapped in blankets and furs
Seated there, warm and cozy, a burning fire by her side, A single tear drips down her cheek, it escapes her as she sighs. Her thoughts are racing in her mind, and upon a wild whim She gets up to her feet, a burning fire within
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She stands up in a hurry, in a bounce of adrenaline And leaps out the door, her legs shakily swaying They have their own mind, they are beyond her control She steps down through those thin sheets of ice, a lost soul.
Her toes are throbbing and her hair is a lion’s mane She is so freaking freezing, but she can’t feel the pain Her bare feet are numb with the weight of the cold Yet she is standing there motionless, hidden, shy, but bold
The truth is that winter is not gentle, or friendly It hides behind a mask, in a terrifying frenzy With snowstorms and hurricanes and wind to tear down trees That pretend to sing like bluebirds but sting you like bees
She is standing there alone, in a sea of fairytale white On a world perfectly blank, so tintless and light But it isn’t flawless, it’s a bittersweet mess That strikes the folk of the earth in a stinging caress
She is sad, she thinks. Well, she isn’t happy She is trapped in some nightmarish daydream, surely The quaintness around her is so chaotically attractive As she is imprisoned in this fear that keeps her captive
She is trying to make noise, to cause a commotion To break apart this monotonous lack of motion She is not able to move though, her limbs are stuck in place So instead she gives in, and lets the air wrap her in an embrace
Suddenly she feels it, the burning cold of the snow It is tingling up her legs, stripping her of her glow But she is distracted by some miraculous happening She turns her head up and her smile starts sparkling
As a lone butterfly trembles across the sugar coated ground.
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Les Années Azenor R.
Comme la neige, son cœur tourbillonne. Elle se tient au bord du lac, immobile. L’onde s’est pétrifiée sous la glace lisse et blanche. L’eau. Le miroir du monde, le reflet de sa solitude. Une ombre glacée tombe des arbres, leurs branches caressent sa peau. Elle frémit. Elle ne sait plus, elle ne sait rien. Elle lève les yeux. Dans le ciel, s’amoncellent et roulent des nuages noirs. Plus un oiseau ne vole, ne transperce l’impénétrable. Elle va chuter. A ses pieds, s’étendent le vide de la vie, le gouffre de la mort. Elle n’est plus rien. Son corps transi, à bout va se résigner. Elle pleure mais les larmes gèlent sur sa peau. Sa douleur l’inonde et la noie, sa souffrance la broie. L’errance des cœurs détruits est infinie. Agenouillée sur la berge, elle pose sa main contre la glace. Elle ressent de tout son être la brûlure du froid. Elle s’étend contre les herbes humides, la tête posée sur le lac, les yeux figés, étendus vers le firmament. Le ciel va s’affaisser. Les nuages vont s’effondrer. Le monde va l’engloutir. Et elle se laissera faire, souriante, reconnaissante. Elle a tant lutté, elle a tant résisté. Elle a vécu, tant vécu. Elle a saisi la vie, l’a fait sienne, et a joui encore et encore. Mais elle a trop pris, trop demandé. Elle ne s’est pas livrée, mais elle a été vaincue. Et désormais, seule, seule face à l’éther, seule face à l’éternité, elle se soumet, soudainement apaisée. La glace craque, et l’horreur s’engouffre à travers les craquelures, les fissures, à travers sa peau, ses veines, l’anéantit. Son front dodeline. La mélodie de la mélancolie coule danse son âme. Elle entrouvre les lèvres, goûte avidement les flocons qui effleurent sa langue. Au loin, gisent les vestiges de sa vie. Au loin, c’est Noël. On se presse devant la cheminée, les rires se déploient, colorent le ciel. Les ventres se remplissent, l’amour exulte, et la joie, ivre et libre, enveloppe et étreint les vivants. Mais elle n’est plus rien pour eux. Mais elle ne leur appartient plus. Elle n’appartient à personne. Et elle se relève et elle danse. Elle valse dans les bras de la mort, son corps fin tournoie, ses cheveux dorés virevoltent.
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Elle est submergée par le poids du monde, mais elle est danse, plus libre que jamais, dans une extase incommensurable, elle danse jusqu’à que sa vie se consume. La musique de son âme enveloppe la montagne. L’immensité retient son souffle, tend l’oreille, tétanisée. Le vent ne souffle plus de peur de l’emporter. Elle s’abîme dans le silence qui s’étire et s’étale, son corps vibre et ondoie, animé d’une grâce abyssale, elle ravit les étoiles, arpente les comètes, sonde les planètes. Et dans sa peau, et dans sa tête, résonnent les palpitations, les soubresauts, de la plénitude, de l’absolu. Et elle se perd à jamais dans l’infini, dans le temps, et dans l’univers, belle et immortelle. Et la nuit se retire, la nuit se déchire, et la nuit gémit, se ploie et s’abaisse devant cette furie, cette force de la vie, aux yeux qui brûlent et à la bouche qui flambe, et foudroyée, elle s’envole. Làhaut elle salue l’héritière, ses joues roses, ses iris clairs. Année l’Ancienne ôte la couronne de sa tête et la pose sur Année la Nouvelle qui courbe le cou. Un sourire jeté dans l’éternité et une pensée aux vivants qu’elle a protégé et qu’elle a aimé. Elle a fait de son mieux, elle les a guidés, elle les a menés, elle a séché leur larmes et consolé leurs âmes, le crâne vide, Année l’Ancienne vient d’expirer.
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Our Team Charlotte M. Anna H. Alessia V. Melody Z. Prity L. Victoria K. Auxane B. Jade J. Nikolai T. Luisa G. Justin P. Nguyen L. Patricia J. Hugo B. Andrea B. Elliot T. Laura T. Adele C.
Co-editor in chief & layout Co-editor in chief & layout Co-editor in chief Co-editor in chief Social Media Reporter Reporter Reporter Reporter Reporter Reporter Reporter Reporter Reporter Reporter Editor Editor Editor
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