LE BILINGUE Ecole Jeannine Manuel Paris’ student newspaper
February 2021
Editorial Dear Readers, First of all, a Happy (belated!) New Year! After a 2020 filled with disease, economic distress and political turmoil, we can only hope that 2021 will bring the world some much needed peace and calm. One month into this new year, however, that appears to be quite a challenge. The pandemic continues to keep the world unaware of what is to come, and though vaccines provide some light at the end of this year-long tunnel, it is clear that we will have to keep living in this strange new world for a while longer. These difficult months have taught us much about ourselves as individuals and as a global community, through lessons of resilience, kindness and cooperation. This past year has also revealed the political and social divisions that exist in today’s world and that threaten the very basis of our democracies. It has also shown us the importance of political activism in the face of injustice, and the power we all have to make a difference around us. After the world united in outrage last year, a wind of political activism promoted large-scale protests and renewed calls for meaningful social change. As we move into a new year, and as new issues emerge from the news, we must not let the flame that burned so brightly last year die out. Whether it be on a small scale -- examining our own biases and beliefs, reflecting on our actions and challenging family and friends -- or on a larger one -- raising awareness, speaking out and working to create change within our communities -- we cannot allow ourselves to forget about these consequential issues, just because they are no longer at the forefront of the news cycle. To that end, we hope that some of the quotes dispersed throughout the issue will inspire you and will offer you some food for thought. Much of the news this past year has been far from joyful, despite occasional stories of unity and hope, and it has justifiably been largely centered on the pandemic, and notably on its human and economic toll. The result of this has been a constant flow of bad news, all related to the same general themes, trapping the world in an endless echo chamber of gloom and doom. This edition of Le Bilingue is therefore exclusively dedicated to other topics, from school news to student perspectives on politics, and also contains a healthy dose of much-needed entertainment. Finally, as it is le Bilingue’s mission to be the newspaper and voice of the EJM student body, we would like to gather feedback from you, our readers, in order to tailor the content of our publications to your interests. We therefore kindly ask you to take a few minutes to fill out this short survey to share your thoughts with us. On that note, we hope that you enjoy this new edition of Le Bilingue, and we look forward to hearing from you! Sincerely, The Editorial Team of Le Bilingue
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Table of contents Poem of the issue............................................... 4 Cultural Clubs at EJM........................................ 5 Sports in French, American and British schools.... 6 Pardons: what are they?...................................... 9 Nancy Pelosi: a Feminist Icon............................ 10 VGE: La Mort du Modernisateur de la France..... 12 Narcos: a review............................................... 14 Meet You There: a Short Story........................... 15 The Financial Times......................................... 17
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Poem of the issue
There Will Come Soft Rains by Sara Teasdale There will come soft rains and the smell of the ground, And swallows circling with their shimmering sound; And frogs in the pools singing at night, And wild-plum trees in tremulous white; Robins will wear their feathery fire, Whistling their whims on a low fence-wire; And not one will know of the war, not one Will care at last when it is done. Not one would mind, neither bird nor tree, If mankind perished utterly; And Spring herself, when she woke at dawn Would scarcely know that we were gone.
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Cultural Clubs at EJM - Jade J.
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nternational understanding through a bilingual education” has always been the mission EJM students adhere to. The presence of cultural diversity on campus constitutes an essential asset to our school life, with students originating from more than 80 different countries. Fortunately, multiple students have attempted to share with us their culture by opening clubs, organizing activities, etc. This year in particular, the blooming of multiple cultural and linguistic clubs have reinforced our school’s mission.
This Club offers multiple activities in relation with Japanese practices and traditions, including exchanges with individuals interested in Japanese culture and hands-on practice diverging from the European culture surrounding us. This year, due to confinement limitations, their activities occur once every month, each time hosting different guests bearing ties with Japanese gastronomy. Whether that be through a zoom call during confinement, from a sushi master’s shop, or in a typical Japanese home, the objective of the club is to experience various activities in order to In October, four Chinese students came up with the enrich knowledge about Japan. initiative of founding a Chinese Club. Chinese is an imposed language course at EJM, an indecipherable language for most students. These four girls therefore “Thanks to these clubs, cultures from all over the opened up weekly sessions of Chinese Club, welcoming world are able to bloom at the heart of campus, any students encountering trouble in Chinese or allowing all students to learn about interesting seeking oral practice. In extension, the Club will cultures from the other side of the globe.” also organize certain activities throughout the year, especially in relation to traditional Chinese festivals. For instance, in honor of Chinese New Year, the club is hosting 2 workshop sessions during which students The abundance of cultural diversity of EJM is create collaborative art projects, such as a character significantly highlighted by the operation of these dragon, paper cutting or calligraphy. This Club aims to fascinating clubs, which, again, constitute only a boost the students’ interest and confidence in learning few out of so many. Thanks to these clubs, cultures the language, while expanding their knowledge of from all over the world are able to bloom at the Chinese culture. heart of campus, allowing all students to learn about interesting cultures from the other side of the globe. Chinese club is not the only linguistic club present Therefore, if you are interested in or come from a on campus. Our school has another club bearing particular background, do not hesitate to start a significantly similar motivations and subjects - the project or a club about it, since this would give you the Russian Club. This club opens their doors to students opportunity to not only share your interest with your interested in learning the Russian language and peers but to truly live your interests in the heart of the deepening their understanding of Russian culture. precious cultural diversity that marks our school. Their small-scale sessions are taught by motivated students who are familiar with Russian as a mother tongue, and students are encouraged to attend on a A few cultural clubs you can join at EJM: regular basis. For anyone interested in digging deeper into Russian culture, this might just be the club for • Chinese Club you. Similarly, two Premiere students have founded the Kaiseki Club, a club centered on Japanese culture.
• Russian Club • Kaiseki Club
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The Role of Sports in French, American and British High Schools - William M. & Ulysse R. Whether we like it or not, sports have always been more or less a part of our education. However, physical education holds different levels of importance in different countries. Whilst sports take an essential role in American and UK schools, the French educational system does not seem to be as concerned. Here is why they could be wrong.
one tunes into. This sports culture is also often carried down through generations. The most common reason you will start to play a sport is not necessarily because you want to but because your parents do. If a dad played baseball because his dad did then he is most likely going to push his child to start playing too and willingly finance the journey, whereas a French parent might not see the point of doing so. American high In 2018, in the United States, there were 929,000 schools also spend a large amount of money on sports high school basketball players, 1,006,000 American as it’s a great way to advertise the school and can often Football players and 438,000 Baseball players. This influence kids to go there. isn't even comparable to France where school sports hardly exist. As you can see from the statistics above, America obviously did a better job in including sports into its educational system.
One possible reason for the growth of high school sports in America is that kids and their families see the opportunities that are available to them. For example, every year, 160 000 students are given the opportunity to play sports in college for free including a full college education. The quality of the education can be debated, however ultimately, they have the option to get a diploma that can help them later in life if sports don’t work out. Knowing this can be the deciding factor for parents to enroll their children at a young age into school sports. Another reason that can be attributed to the success of high school sports in America is the general sports culture that is present in the country.
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Why is this the case? Is it the over-saturation of homework or just the culture of sports in the US compared to France? The actual time dedicated to PE per Week is the same in France as in the US so it can’t be that France does not include enough sports in their curriculum.
On the other hand, it is obvious that the French education system focuses little on sports, which appear to play a minor part in school. Many of us require some form of regular physical exercise to maintain physical and mental health. However, our needs are only met with a single EPS lesson every week and the rare opportunity of competitions on the weekends. Usually, we only do 2 hours of sports in school every week even though teenagers are recommended to exercise 1-2 hours a day. In terms of school teams, France doesn’t have anything that resembles the sports in America. The only teams available in France are Basketball and Soccer, which often train only once a week and rarely play games. If you are looking for a similar experience Sports are extremely popular in the US and each city “sport étude” is available which only permits half a is often very attached to their local team which is not day of academic work so that young people can use necessarily the case in France. Events like the Super their afternoons for practising their chosen sporting Bowl and NBA finals are national events that every- activity.
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This can also entail living away from your family and can be quite costly depending on the situation. In addition, we often find ourselves submerged by work, resulting in a lack of time for extracurricular activities outside of school. To achieve a better balance between academics and sports, the curriculum should slightly decrease our workload to enable more PE in and out of school.
harsh mark out of 20. Therefore, it is clear that sports are a significant part of British education as they are less academically centred like in France. More people are encouraged to participate in sports, which can become a major part of education, especially if students are enthusiastic.
“Routine participation in sport and physical activity has a positive correlation with higher levels of attentiveness in classrooms”
In conclusion, it is clear that currently, physical education does not occupy the place that it deserves in French schools. Perhaps we should take into account the benefits of sports on the health of their students and also follow the example of other methods used in anglosaxon countries.
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Another country where sports in schools have a more important role then in France is the UK. However, it is done differently than in the US. For example, Latymer Upper School — a private school in central London — offers 2 hours of sport every week (referred to as game sessions) in addition to training sessions and weekend matches and this doesn’t include regular PE lessons which take place once weekly. The sports that are offered during ‘games’ are compulsory and usually include football, rugby and athletics for boys and netball, hockey and rounders for girls. This does unfortunately mean that there is less opportunity to experiment with different sports and that there is clear segregation in gender when it comes to sports in British secondary schools. Sports are however rarely graded in these schools, putting less pressure on students and therefore helping them to enjoy it more. This is a clear contrast to the way grading is done in France as students are graded after an ‘evaluation day’ with a
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Our EPS sessions involve different physical activities such as badminton, climbing and dance. It works on a rota, meaning that every six weeks, students change sport. It is true that this offers a good taster for teenagers by trying out many sports although it also means that they cannot focus on one specifically. If they want to invest more time in a particular activity, they are forced to do so outside of school. Therefore, the problem over sports in France runs deeper than just high schools spending more time and money on sports.
There is no clear evidence of the impact of additional sports for UK A Level results compared to other countries due to varying educational systems. However, it is clear that sports have a positive impact on grades in general. Routine participation in sport and physical activity has a positive correlation with higher levels of attentiveness in classrooms which means that students will be able to recall content more easily. In addition, team sports can help students with their social skills as they are given new opportunities to interact and engage with one another. Sports also have benefits on our health, including mental and physical aspects. Sports releases endorphins which trigger a positive feeling in the brain. When we do sport, we are more likely to be enthusiastic and to engage even in the most tedious lessons. So why shouldn't we have the opportunity to do more sports if it will boost our academic results ?
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“We press on for what is right, for what is fair, and for what is just. But we will not go back. We’ve come too far. And we’re not going to give up now.”
- John Lewis
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Pardons in the United States: What are they ? - Anna H. We have all heard of pardons recently due to the many rumors about Donald Trump preemptively pardoning himself for any crimes he may have committed but how could he do that?
has been almost entirely ignored, according to the Washington Post “Of Trump’s first 94 pardons and commutations, only seven appeared to have come on recommendation of the pardon attorney”. In addition, most of Trump’s pardons have gone to “well-connected Pardons are a part of the presidential prerogative offenders” to issue clemency. It is derived from the English Kings’ right to do so. Cited in the second article of the “Most of Constitution, (“he shall have Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offences against the United States, Trump’s pardons except in Cases of Impeachment.”) this power has have gone to been used by every president going back to George Washington. Its use is therefore not exceptional.
“well-connected offenders”
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The pardon power comes from Article II of the US Constitution The right to grant clemency is a key element in the American judicial system. Pardons are usually granted to people who were unjustly accused or sentenced. Barack Obama pardoned many people who were convicted on drug charges during the ‘war on drugs’, which public opinion considered to be unjust. In most cases requests for executive clemency are addressed to the pardon attorney. However, it has been gravely misused on a number of occasions. A notable controversy regarding pardons occurred when Bill Clinton pardoned Marc Rich who donated significant sums of money to the Democratic Party and Hillary Clinton’s Senate campaign that same day.
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Trump’s pardon of Charles Kushner, the father of his sonin-law Jared Kushner
But recently there were rumors of Donald Trump preemptively pardoning himself. Some constitutional and legal experts said he couldn’t. But others said he could. The truth is we don’t really know. Until now, the question had only been brought up for Richard Nixon who resigned. Another question raised was: would pardoning himself have been beneficial to him? There again answers are mixed. At first thought it seems obvious that it would have been, however it might not have protected him from state charges and it would possibly have led to charges of abuse of power.
So pardons are key to maintaining order in the American judicial system; they have been used to mend wounds in the nation and correct judicial mistakes. However Donald Trump has shown us in many of his acts that what is is not always what should be. He has shown that norms are not laws and has made it flagrantly clear that the American system has Under the Trump presidency the pardon attorney some flaws which must be amended.
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Nancy Pelosi: a Feminist Icon - Elizabeth K.
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Nancy Patricia d’Alesandro was born on the 26th of March 1940 in Baltimore to Thomas and Anunciata d’Alesandro, both of Italian descent. She was exposed to political life at a very young age, her father being a Democratic congressman, and says that “People knew (...) where Congressman D'Alesandro lived, and would line up at our door, looking for help". At the age of 12 she attended her first Democratic National Convention and even attended John Kennedy’s inauguration. At 18 she graduated from the Institute of Notre-Dame, an all-girls catholic high school, and at 22 years old received a degree in political science from Trinity Washington University, located in Washington, D.C. In her early twenties she worked as an intern in the office of Senator Daniel Brewster of Maryland, along with Steny Hoyer whom, years later, she would meet again in the U.S. House of Representatives. It was during the time in which she worked with Sen. Brewster as a receptionist that she first encountered the double standards laid for women in the political world. Whilst attending college, she met her husband Paul Francis Pelosi and they married in Baltimore, before moving to New York and, shortly thereafter, San Francisco. There, she befriended Phillip Burton, a then-congressman, and started a Democratic Party Club. It was at this point that she was appointed to the library commission of San Francisco, her first public position. In 1976 she was hired to work
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for Jerry Brown’s presidential campaign and, that same year, was elected as a Democratic National Committee member. A year later she was elected party chair, before becoming the head of the California Democratic Party in 1981. There, she stayed out of the spotlight, working mostly in recruiting candidates and fundraising. She later served as the Committee Host Chairwoman of the San Francisco Democratic National Convention, and after that as the finance chair of Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee until 1986. Pelosi became a member of the U.S. House of Representatives in 1987, the same year her youngest child, Alexandra Pelosi, left for college. Sala Burton, the incumbent for the seat, who had previously succeeded her husband, contracted cancer and didn’t run for reelection. Sala personally chose Pelosi as her successor and guaranteed her the support of her family's contacts. She died in early 1987, and the first round of the special elections to fill her seat took place in April. In the democratic primaries, Pelosi narrowly defeated Harry Britt. In the election in early June, she defeated Republican candidate Harriet Ross, securing her seat. She officially took office on June 9th 1987. She hosted no less than a hundred house parties during her campaign, and raised over 1 million dollars in the span of seven weeks. A year later she was reelected in the regular elections, and has consistently won reelection since then, most recently last year, where she
defeated her challenger Sahid Buttar, also a Democrat. A little over a decade later, in 2001, Pelosi was chosen to serve as the House minority whip, a symbolic move as she became the first woman in US history to do so. In 2002 she became House minority leader, her first step into the national spotlight. During the 2006 elections Democrats won the house, with a majority of 233 seats to 202. She was picked as the Democratic candidate for Speaker of the House and was elected unanimously by all the representatives of her party. She was officially sworn in on the 4th of January 2007, once again being the first woman to hold the position. She is widely credited for passing President’s Obama health care reform act in 2009, and was reelected in 2010, albeit as House Minority Leader after Republicans regained control of the House. One of her greatest tests came in 2016, when her position as Minority leader was challenged by Tim Ryan: she defeated
him by 71 votes and maintained her post. In the 2018 elections, Democrats regained control of the House for the first time in over 8 years, and she regained her place as Speaker in early January of 2019. She had a tumultuous relationship with former President Donald Trump: she announced in the fall of 2019 the beginning of an impeachment inquiry linked to the TrumpUkraine scandal. She was reelected as Speaker on the 3rd of January of 2021, and has since then spearheaded a second impeachment of Donald Trump. She is the first woman to ever hold such a leadership post in a major political party, and has helped pave the way for a new generation of politics. Considered to be the most powerful woman in US politics before the election of Kamala Harris to the vice-presidency, she is credited with leading the movement towards a more gender-equal vision of government.
“My mother told me to be a lady. And for her, that meant be your own person, be independent.”
- Ruth Bader Ginsburg
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VGE: la Mort du Modenisateur de La France - Georges T. Le 2 décembre 2020 est mort Valéry Giscard d’Estaing, le troisième président de la Vème République Française. N’ayant servi qu’un mandat de sept ans, son bilan et son effet sur la politique française sont souvent négligés. Il fut cependant une des grandes figures de la modernisation du pays dans la seconde moitié du XXème siècle, et une figure incontournable de l’histoire moderne de la France. Ayant fait partie de ceux qui ont libéré Paris en Août 1944, VGE (comme il était surnommé) devint ministre des Finances sous Charles de Gaulle et Georges Pompidou. Après la mort de ce dernier, il décida de se présenter à l’élection présidentielle organisée en urgence, du haut de ses 48 ans. N’ayant que quatres semaines et demi pour se préparer au premier tour de l’élection, il donna une image de soi comme étant une rupture avec la république des deux présidents précédents, dans l’idée d’ancrer la France dans les temps modernes. En effet, il admettra s’être inspiré du modèle laissé par les Kennedy aux Etats-Unis, souhaitant être assimilé au progrès. Il remportera le second tour de l’élection avec 50,81% des suffrages contre François Mitterrand, la victoire la plus mince de la Vème République.
français en costume de ville, regardant droit dans l’objectif, là où ses prédécesseurs se tenaient plus solennellement. Sa présidence fut marquée par de nombreuses avancées sociales, poussées par une volonté de réformer les mœurs du pays. En 1974 il fit voter la majorité à 18 ans, alors qu’elle avait été, depuis 1792, à 21 ans, donnant le droit de vote aux jeunes. En 1975 fut dépénalisé l’avortement avec la loi portée par Simone Veil, donnant enfin aux femmes le droit de disposer de leur corps. La même année, le divorce par consentement mutuel fut autorisé, permettant aux couples de se séparer sans qu’il n’y ait de faute commise par un des partis. Sous sa présidence fut aussi renforcée l’égalité hommes-femmes dans le cadre professionnel. Il tenta tout au long de sa présidence de promouvoir la coopération internationale, à travers le projet du G7, créé à son initiative, et montra aussi une volonté de renforcer et d’accélérer la construction de l’Union Européenne. (wikimedia.commons.com)
Cependant, sa présidence fut aussi entachée par plusieurs événements. Après 1976, il fut critiqué pour sa politique devenue de plus en plus conservatrice, notamment sur les sujets de l’immigration, qu’il juge alors trop élevée, et de l’austérité qu’il impose face au Une fois président, Giscard d’Estaing tenta de mod- déficit grandissant de la France. Le grand scandale de erniser la fonction. Pour son portrait officiel, pas de sa présidence fut celui des diamants qui lui ont été ofpompe ou de décorations: il posera devant le drapeau ferts par l’Empereur centrafricain Jean-Bedel Bokas-
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sa. Même s’il déclara les avoir vendus au profit d’œuvres caritatives, ladite ‘affaire des diamants’ lui donna une image corrompue aux Français. C’est aussi sous VGE que la France connut les deux chocs pétroliers successifs de 1973 (causée par la guerre entre l’Israël, l’Egypte et la Syrie) et 1979 (causée par la révolution iranienne). Ceux-ci mirent fin aux Trentes Glorieuses, période d’après-guerre qui vit une forte croissance des économies de l’Ouest, et après ces années l’Occident entama les ‘Trente piteuses’, lors desquelles austérité et récessions s’enchaînèrent. En 1981, à l’élection présidentielle, Giscard d’Estaing perdit contre François Mitterrand avec 48,24% des votes. Cette défaite fut notamment poussée par l’accession au vote par la jeunesse de moins de 21 ans, penchant plus à gauche, mais aussi par la crise économique qui poussa les Français à chercher une al-
ternative à la droite, au pouvoir depuis plus de 24 ans (la plus longue période de continuité politique depuis l’Ancien Régime). Il se trouva donc en 1981 dans une position étrange: à 57 ans, il avait déjà atteint le sommet de toute carrière d’homme politique. Il décida donc de se concentrer sur ses projets pour la construction Européenne, et devint aussi un écrivain reconnu, obtenant même en 2003 un siège à l’Académie Française. La mort de Valéry Giscard d’Estaing fut pour de nombreuses personnes la fin d’une certaine époque de l’histoire de France: celle de l’espoir du pays à la sortie de la Seconde Guerre mondiale et de son évolution vers la modernité. Même les critiques de VGE saluèrent à sa mort un homme qui, en tant que président et même après, transforma profondément la France.
“It is with the heart that one can see clearly. The essential is invisible to the eye.” — the Fox
The Little Prince, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
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Narcos review - Ulysse R.
The acting is of a high level, showing a gritty and raw representation of the infamous drug wars. Wagner Moura’s performance as Escobar was especially memorable as he created a highly layered character, both cruel and evil but also loving: he managed to reconcile the intricacies and contradictions of Escobar. The first two seasons both overbrim with action and intensity, and the intrigue proves to be very unpredictable, making for a thrilling watch. The ironic narrative voice of character Steve Murphy (played by Boyde Holbrook) guides the viewer and helps for an easier and more enjoyable watch. On the other hand, the constant violence does become slightly repetitive and tedious, especially by the third season as the same types of scenes tend to come back It feels like the death of Pablo Escobar in the second season should have been the natural end of the series, making it seem like the filmmakers desperately wanted to elongate the series as much as possible with a third. All in all, the Narcos series does still remain an exciting and thrilling watch which will hook you in from its very beginning.
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The Narcos series, released in 2015 by Netflix, offers a great insight on the famous drug war and the Colombian conflict during the 1980s. It gives the opportunity to learn a lot about a delicate and gripping subject that isn't often discussed. Of course Narcos (as its name indicates) mainly focuses on drug trafficking, which only represents one of the many actors of the Colombian conflict, such as the FARC and paramilitary groups.However, the series is useful in learning about the major drug lords of the time, whose wealth and influence truly shaped the era.
Meet You There - Melody Z.
A small, simple bedroom. Light grey walls and dark grey furniture. Faded light comes in through half-open shutters. A man is buried under white sheets on the double bed. A yellow Post-it note lies on the second pillow. Freddie stirs, reaching across the bed for something — someone — next to him. Finding nothing, he frowns slightly, he’s usually the first one up. He stretches and opens his eyes, blinking in the grey-white light flooding through the window. “Honey?” he calls, quickly scanning the room for anything unusual. His gaze lands on the Post-it. Still frowning, he picks it up and turns it over. Slowly, a wicked grin makes its way onto his face. MEET YOU THERE the note says in bold, rushed letters. Freddie gets out of bed, eager to face the day. He gets to work a little late. As he settles at his desk, the captain comes out of his office and walks to him, a tired but resolute look in his eyes. “Sir?” Freddie asks. The first explosion resonates through the precinct. Officers rush to the windows to see a mushroom-shaped cloud of purple smoke rising above the city. Freddie lets out an exasperated sigh as frantic orders are shot left and right. He apologizes to the captain as he grabs the equipment thrown at him, quickly checks his messages before running
to catch up with his colleagues who are hurriedly climbing into their cars. “Don't worry, man,” his partner, Val, says once they’re on the way. “I'm sure she’s fine.” That's what I'm worried about, Freddie thinks. He checks his phone for the sixth time. The cars pull up to a barricade blocking the street. Various pieces of broken furniture litter the road. All the remaining parked cars’ alarms are going off, lights blinking on and off. A broken fire hydrant spews water on the pavement mixing with the sweet-smelling lilac smoke that seems to constantly shift and shimmer, constantly move but never dissipate. A muffled rumbling reaches their ears. “What kind of twisted bombs are they using now?” Freddie hears one of the officers say. A second explosion echoes through the street. Instinctively, they all drop to the ground. A jet of fluorescent green light splits the sky behind the barricade. The smoke suddenly falls to the ground like a heavy cloak of fog concealing the officers’ feet. They wade ankle-deep in thick purple fog around the barricade, squeezing between a rusty motorcycle and half-empty trash can, pushing off a torn lampshade to reveal a scene of organized destruction. Debris is being sorted, stacked, and treated by the Collectors, then fed into a cleansing device that processes them to create the neon substance
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that was shot through the sky moments earlier. The rumbling sounds more like the petrifying roar of thunder, vibrating through Freddie’s rib cage. Lines of recruits stretch across the square, all the way to a second barricade a hundred or so yards away, waiting for instructions. In the centre of it all stands Nina. Her dark hair flows around her shoulders like water cascading down a cliff. She’s wearing a mask, like her followers. Her pale hands in purple fingerless gloves dance before her, sending people from one end of the street to the other, assigning jobs, giving orders. Her gear contrasts with her light skin. Another jet of the fluorescent stuff zips through the air making her glow. She seems ethereal. Freddie watches her. Captivated, as always. He swears he sees her wink his way. He shakes himself back to reality before shooting whispered orders to the officers. The squad carefully proceeds to encircle the Collectors, hiding behind pieces of forgotten debris. Freddie notices a few terrified faces behind a flipped car though they don’t appear to be in any immediate danger. His eyes follow Nina as she walks to the device spitting out neon jets of green stuff. She passes her hand over a screen, the rumbling fades into a weak gurgle before stuttering off. As if pushed by the same force, the recruits all rush to the edge of the square, blowing the officers’ cover. Freddie is ready. "Clear out the witnesses, they're innocent!” he calls, springing into action. Two men on his left rush to a terrified family herding them through the barricade then turning back to help others. Three officers on his right pull out their guns and aim effective bullets at the fleeing Collectors. Val is by his side, guarding his six. Small puffs of bright white smoke erupt all around them. The crowd of Collectors thins out fast. Through the noise and commotion, Freddie sees Nina drop to the ground and crawl towards the buildings on the
other side of the street. He sprints to her— The ground shakes, his knees buckle, he hits the ground, hard. Rubble flies across the square, obscuring his view. Ears ringing from the force of the explosion, Freddie pushes himself up on his knees, spluttering. A quick sweep of the street establishes that no one is seriously injured. He can’t tell where the bomb came from, or who detonated it. Freddie spots the officers pressed behind chipped pillars, flipped tables, and loose doors, eyes darting around in search of a flash of black or purple movement. A charged silence settles. They’ve reached a standstill — the Collectors either hidden or escaped, the officers still prowling, hunting. A shot. A muffled screech. A thud. Freddie watches, as if in slow motion, as a body hits the ground. Silence, heavy as the rapidly dissipating purple fog, envelops the street again. He glances in the direction of the shot. Val is standing stock still, something much like terror painting her face when Freddie catches her gaze. Long locks of dark hair streak across the road to the body’s side. Freddie breathes out a sigh of relief. The squad closes in on Nina instantly, pointing guns at her head, one officer even pulls out handcuffs. Val jogs up to them, stumbling a little, in a state of shock. Nina protectively pulls the body — a woman’s — in her lap. Cradling the head, she delicately removes her mask. Oblivious to the weapons aimed at her face capable of killing her in seconds, she brushes light, trembling fingertips down her follower’s face. Freddie hears whispered words before she reaches for the woman’s wrist. Nina snaps one of the bracelets, a thin metallic cable, and throws it on the ground at Freddie’s feet. There's a spark, a crack, and smoke. Thick, opaque, white smoke, causing the surrounding officers to cough and cover their eyes. In a few seconds, the smoke clears. Nina's gone.
Want to know how the story ends? Click here to read the rest!
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The Financial Times You can now create your free school account with the Financial Times from anywhere in the world! How to create a FREE account with the Financial Times with the school: 1. Go to the following link: https://subs.enterprise.ft.com/en-gb/services/groupsubscriptions/secondary-education/ 2. Click on ‘Request Sign-Up Link’ 3. Enter Ecole Jeannine Manuel in the ‘Enter your School’s name’ bar, then hit ‘Next’ 4. Select Ecole Jeannine Manuel FRANCE 5. Enter your school email address, you should receive the message: Success! We’ve sent you an email with a link to activate your FT.com account. 6. You should receive an email from noreply@enterprise.ft.com 7. Click on the link to finalize your account! For more information about getting involved in the Financial Times, contact b.pare22@ejm.org!
Why the Financial Times? The Financial Times is a great resource for many reasons: It allows you to be be well informed about current events, something that is useful for general knowledge but also for things such as University interviews It allows you to deepen your understanding of school subjects by contextualizing and applying the notions and concepts studied in class The FT has a wide range of articles and topics, ranging from climate change to finance to the arts The Financial Times is reliable source which can be used for projects and research papers like the Extended Essay or Internal Assessments in the IB
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oUR TEAM Alessia V. Georges T. Melody Z. Anna H. Gabriel G. Elizabeth K. Emilien M. Beatrice P. Justin P. Jade J. Rumi S. William M. Ulysse R. Melisa O. Talia C. Oscar M.
Co-Editor in Chief & layout Co-Editor in Chief Editor & reporter Editor & reporter Editor Editor & reporter Editor & social media Editor Editor Reporter Reporter Reporter Reporter & social media Reporter Reporter Social media
A SPECIAL THANKS TO: Ms. Stathopulos
CONNECT WITH US! issuu.com/lebilingue bloglebilingue.wordpress.com @lebilingue studentjournalism@ejm.org
