BTS-SIO-1 2025-26 – ACOBAS.net

Thursday Oral List:

BOUARICHA Achraf
CHAUDRILLIER Valentin
COLLIER Jimmy
DALLE Jean-Sébastien
DELAVAL Julien
ETROUBEKA Jade
MABROUK Kais
SALOM Axel
ABDALLAH Wesley
AFAHOUNKO Noam
AKIR Mohamed Ali
ALVES–RODRIGUES Emilien
BADOT Mathis
BECLE Clara

WEDNESDAY Oral List:

SCHMID Johan
WEBER–VILLAUMIE Samson
FORNARI Mathis
FOURRIER Enzo
HALEINE Romain
JUILLET Paul
KANOUNY Nabil
LACROIX Morgan
LUVOVADIO Lutete
MALAISÉ Evan
MARECHAL Ariane
MARSOUL Marwane
PHILIPPET Sacha

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 27th

Leave big tech behind! from The Guardian

PDF download

Thursday, 26th / Wednesday, FeBruary 25th

Getting ready for the oral

Monday, February 23rd

Bank of Dave : QUIZ

Thursdsay, February 5th and Wednesday, 4th

oral presentation about a piece of hardware, software, a technology…

Friday, january 30th

theguardian.com-Its not too late to fix it web inventor Tim Berners-Lee says

Thursdsay, January 29th and Wednesday, 28th

oral presentation about a piece of hardware, software, a technology…

Monday, january 26th

Sujets écrit mai 2022 SECOND PART

Vous rédigerez en ANGLAIS et en 200 mots (+/- 10%) le courriel suivant :

Vous travaillez pour l’agence de recrutement Scope Recruiting située au 3001 9th Ave SW, Huntsville, Alabama 35805 Tel: (256) 384-5077 – s.davies@scoperecruiting.com.

Vous rappelez aux recruteurs les domaines qu’il faudrait aborder lors des entretiens d’embauche.
Les diplômes obtenus;
Les compétences acquises dans le cadre professionnel;
Les missions et activités qui leur seront confiées;
Les projets professionnels des candidats;
La rémunération et avantages offerts par l’entreprise;

Et les sujets sensibles à éviter :
La vie privée;
L’apparence physique ou tout élément lié à une forme de discrimination.

Pour chacun des points, veillez à rédiger des phrases complètes. Vous pouvez étoffer avec un exemple de votre choix. Présentation d’usage et formules de politesse.

HELP: JUMBLED VOCABULARY LIST

to remind
regarding
we would like to emphasize
job interview
to focus on
qualifications
do not hesitate to contact us
academic background
professional experience
skills acquired
key competencies
assigned tasks
responsibilities
daily duties
projects and career goals
long-term objectives
salary expectations
kind regards
compensation package
benefits offered
company policy
it is important to discuss
we recommend addressing
to avoid discussing
we remain at your disposal
personal life
private matters
sincerely
physical appearance
discriminatory topics
best regards
equal opportunities
recruitment process
candidates should be asked about
please ensure that
during the interview
clear communication
professional conduct

From: s.davies@scoperecruiting.com

To: *recruiters@scoperecruiting.com

Object: Job Interviews Best Practices

Dear Recruiters,

I am writing to remind you of the main points that should be addressed during job interviews with candidates.

First, it is important to ask candidates about their qualifications and academic background. This helps us understand their level of education and training. You should also discuss their professional experience and the skills they have acquired in previous positions.

During the interview, please make sure to clearly explain the tasks, responsibilities and missions that will be assigned to the candidate if they are hired. It is also recommended to ask about their professional projects and career goals in order to check if they match the company’s expectations.

In addition, recruiters should discuss remuneration, including salary expectations and benefits offered by the company, in a clear and professional way.

However, please remember that some topics must be avoided. Questions related to candidates’ private life, physical appearance or any form of discrimination should not be discussed during interviews.

Thank you for your attention. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Kind regards,
Sarah Davies
Scope Recruiting

Friday, January 23rd

Sujets écrit mai 2022 FIRST PART

Méthode pour un brouilllon : identifier une dizaine d’idées clefs, ensuite ile ne reste plus qu’a rédiger et rajouter une ligne d’intro avec la source du doc et sa nature etc.

Draft notes – key ideas (brainstorming stage)

1. Context: job interviews / icebreaker questions
2. Example: strange / off-the-wall questions (tree, manhole covers, brain teasers)
3. Sally Gibson: caught off guard during interview
4. Trend: very popular in early 2000s
5. Main criticism: questions considered useless
6. No real insight into candidates’ skills or personality
7. Origin unclear: rumours about Google / Microsoft
8. Google’s position: brain teasers = waste of time
9. Intended goal: test logic / critical thinking
10. Better alternatives: real work situations, past experience, mistakes, priorities

Possible solution:

The document is an online press article entitled “Wait, Why Are Manhole Covers Round?”, written by Mirel Zaman and published on the website Refinery29 in October 2021. It focuses on the use of unusual or “brain teaser” questions in job interviews and questions their relevance.

The article opens with the personal experience of Sally Gibson, who was destabilised by an off-the-wall question during a job interview. Such questions became very popular in the early 2000s and were widely used across different professional fields.

However, the text strongly criticises this practice. According to both Gibson and recruitment specialists, brain teasers do not provide meaningful insight into candidates’ skills or personalities. Although they are supposed to test logic and critical thinking, studies conducted by companies such as Google show that they are ineffective and do not predict job performance.

The article also points out that there are more relevant ways to assess candidates, such as asking about real professional situations, problem-solving strategies or past mistakes. In conclusion, the text suggests that brain teaser questions are outdated and tend to reflect company culture more than candidates’ abilities.

Thursday, January 22nd and Wednesday, 21st

Preparing an oral presentation

about a piece of hardware, software, a technology, but I’d say that the more concrete, the better.

=> search the web IN ENGLISH for information and vocabulary,the specs etc.)
Google is mainly going to give you results in French, try another search engine called Duckduckgo which can be easily switched to another language and location => https://duckduckgo.com/settings
=> compile a long list of elements (nouns, adjectives, VERBS, phrases, sentences etc. Store this list ONLINE.
=> prepare your presentation using the collected material
=> you may bring some pictures or a very short video clip on your phone (but no slides and no notes)

Friday, January 16th

CES (Consumer Electronics Show) is a big technology fair where companies present new ideas and products. Here are the most interesting devices presented at CES 2026 according to The Verge (an American technology news website).

1. Withings Body Scan 2 (Health Tech)

What is it?
A smart scale that does much more than just show your weight.

What does it do?
It measures several health indicators linked to your heart and metabolism.

Why is it interesting?

It uses foot sweat, not blood or urine
It helps people understand their health, not just their weight
It focuses on long-term health (longevity)

2. L’Oréal LED Face Mask (Wearable Tech)

What is it?
A flexible LED light mask for skincare.

What does it do?
It uses light therapy to improve skin quality.

Why is it interesting?

Comfortable and easy to wear
Scientifically tested (not “fake” beauty tech)
Only needs 5–10 minutes per session
Planned for release in 2027

3. ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo (Laptop)

What is it?
A powerful gaming laptop with two screens.

What does it do?
It allows users to play games, work, and multitask more easily.

Why is it interesting?

Two 16-inch OLED screens
Can be used like a laptop or like two monitors
Portable but very powerful

4. Aqara Smart Lock U400 (Smart Home)

What is it?
A smart door lock.

What does it do?
It unlocks your door automatically when you approach.

Why is it interesting?

Uses ultra-wideband (UWB) technology
Works without keys, codes, or fingerprints
Compatible with many smart home systems
Very easy and fast to use

5. Roborock Saros Rover (Robot Vacuum)

What is it?
A robot vacuum cleaner that can climb stairs.

What does it do?
It cleans multiple floors of a house by itself.

Why is it interesting?

Can go upstairs and downstairs
Cleans areas other robot vacuums cannot
Still a concept, but planned for the future

6. Samsung Galaxy Z Trifold (Smartphone)

What is it?
A smartphone that folds three times.

What does it do?
It opens into a large tablet-sized screen.

Why is it interesting?

10-inch internal screen
Could replace a laptop for some users
Very expensive (luxury product)
Shows the future of mobile devices

7. TCL X11L (Television)

What is it?
A very high-end LED television.

What does it do?
It displays extremely bright and accurate colors.

Why is it interesting?

Up to 10,000 nits of brightness
Covers almost all visible colors
Very expensive, but technology may become cheaper later

8. Fender Mix Headphones (Audio)

What are they?
Wireless headphones made by Fender.

What do they do?
They provide high-quality sound with noise cancellation.

Why are they interesting?

Up to 100 hours of battery life
Battery can be replaced
Good sound quality and comfort
Price: around $300

9. Mercedes Drive Assist Pro (Car Technology)

What is it?
A semi-autonomous driving system.

What does it do?
It helps drive the car in cities and on highways.

Why is it interesting?

Uses many cameras and sensors
Powered by NVIDIA AI computers
Safer than camera-only systems
Driver must still pay attention

10. Haply MinVerse (Creative Tech)

What is it?
A haptic pen for 3D design.

What does it do?
It lets users feel digital objects while modeling them.

Why is it interesting?

Makes 3D modeling feel like sculpting clay
Very intuitive and fun to use
Mainly for designers and creators
Price: $1,500

11. Lil Milo (Robot Pet)

What is it?
A robotic toy dog.

What does it do?
It reacts to touch, sound, and emotions.

Why is it interesting?

Acts like a pet
Designed for companionship
No real practical use
Made for emotional comfort

12. LEGO Smart Brick (Smart Toy)

What is it?
A LEGO brick with a computer inside.

What does it do?
It makes LEGO figures and vehicles interact with each other.

Why is it interesting?

Recognizes characters using NFC
Produces sounds and reactions
Encourages creative play
Real product, launching in 2026

Monday, January 5th up to January 15th

Telling a Tale: WORKSHEET

Thursday, December, 18th & Wednesday,17th

What’s your learning style ? – You don’t need to give your email address at the end, just click on SKIP !

translate and build

irregular verbs in context

Monday, December 15th & Friday, 12th

Watching The Circle

Thursday, December 11th & Wednesday, 10th

Watch the video (using headphones on the computer or on your phone) and fill-in the blanks exercise

Monday, December 8th

test

Friday, December 5th

Sujets écrit mai 2023

1. Growing labour shortages

Constat d’ouverture : certains secteurs ne parviennent plus à recruter, malgré une demande de main-d’œuvre importante.

2. Massive resignations and workforce shifts

Depuis quelques années, les démissions sont massives : changements de carrière, mobilité accrue, départs du marché du travail.

3. Workers not returning after the pandemic

Dans plusieurs secteurs, les salariés partis pendant la pandémie ne reviennent pas, ce qui accentue la pénurie.

4. Acute shortages in hospitality and service sectors

Les pénuries sont particulièrement fortes dans l’hôtellerie-restauration et les services : de nombreux postes restent vacants depuis des années.

5. Workers want better jobs, not no jobs

Selon les experts, les salariés ne refusent pas l’idée de travailler : ils souhaitent de meilleures conditions, de meilleurs salaires, et davantage de respect.

6. Pandemic-driven job transitions

Le bouleversement du marché du travail a permis à de nombreux travailleurs de trouver de meilleurs emplois : les secteurs en difficulté doivent se rendre plus attractifs.

7. The Great Resignation’s long-lasting effects

L’épisode de la Grande Démission (2021-2022) a laissé de nombreux postes ouverts, surtout dans les métiers faiblement rémunérés.

8. Why workers left: low pay and lack of respect

Une enquête montre que les principales raisons de quitter un emploi sont le faible salaire, l’absence de perspectives d’évolution et un sentiment de manque de considération.

9. Employers offering bonuses and higher wages

Certains employeurs tentent d’attirer des salariés grâce à des primes d’embauche et des salaires plus élevés, mais ces mesures ne suffisent pas à résoudre les problèmes de fond.

10. What workers really want: flexibility and predictability

Les employés cherchent aussi des horaires prévisibles, davantage de flexibilité, de meilleures conditions et une vraie écoute de leurs besoins.

Wednesday, December 3rd

Orals +

Almost a dictation, about airpods, the first commercial when they got released/launched.

The voice is that of Jony Ive, long-time Apple designer and one of the most celebrated designer today.

Monday, December 1st

Sujets écrit mai 2023

Friday, November 28th

Extract from The Drowning Woman

Now answer the QUIZ

Thursday, November 27th & Wednesday, 26th

The Guardian: AI systems could be ‘caused to suffer’ if consciousness achieved, says research

===>>> Use my contact page to answer (and use the vocabulary below each question) <<<===

1. According to the article, why are experts worried about the possibility of AI systems becoming conscious?

•s’inquiéter de (to be worried about)

• soulever (un problème / des inquiétudes) (to raise [a problem / concerns])

• mettre en garde (to warn)

•reconnaître (to acknowledge)

•éviter (to avoid)

2. What measures do the researchers suggest to prevent AI systems from experiencing any form of suffering?

•prévenir (to prevent)

•prendre des mesures (to take measures)

•empêcher (to stop / to hinder)

•atténuer (to mitigate)

•envisager (to consider)

3.In what ways might powerful AI systems reproduce themselves, and why does this raise ethical concerns?

•se reproduire (to reproduce themselves)

•faire émerger (to bring about / to create)

•exiger (to require / to demand)

•soulever des questions éthiques (to raise ethical questions)

•intervenir (to intervene)

4. Why do some experts think that the creation of conscious AI might be closer than we believe?

•estimer (to estimate / to judge)

•prétendre (to claim)

•appuyer (to support [an argument])

•susciter (to provoke / arouse [interest, reaction])

•souligner (to underline / to highlight)

5. How do the authors of the paper propose to share their findings with the public, and why is this considered important?

•proposer (to propose)

•rendre publics (to make public)

•s’engager (to commit oneself to)

•diffuser (to disseminate / to broadcast)

•justifier (to justify)

6. What potential consequences do the researchers mention if companies accidentally develop conscious AI?

•mentionner (to mention)

•provoquer (to cause / to lead to)

•déclencher (to trigger)

•s’apercevoir de (to realize)

•franchir (to cross [a threshold])

7. Why do the experts emphasize the need for a phased approach to AI development?

• mettre l’accent sur (to emphasize)

•adopter (to adopt)

•établir (to establish)

•mettre en œuvre (to implement)

•encadrer (to regulate / to oversee)

8. If an AI system is recognized as a “moral patient,” what changes might society need to make in how it treats AI?

•reconnaître (to recognize)

•accorder (to grant / to give)

•traiter (to treat)

•respecter (to respect)

•réviser (to revise [laws, policies])

9. In the article, how is the public’s perception of AI consciousness portrayed as both a risk and a potential distraction?

•représenter (to represent)

•égarer (to mislead / to distract)

•se focaliser sur (to focus on)

•exagérer (to exaggerate)

•détourner (to divert [attention])

10. Which notable individuals are involved in this discussion, and how do they contribute to the debate on AI consciousness?

•participer à (to take part in)

•signer (une lettre / un accord) (to sign [a letter / an agreement])

•défendre (to defend / to stand up for)

•faire valoir (to assert / to argue in favor of)

•influencer (to influence)

Monday, November 24th

wired.com-With the Rise of AI, Cisco Sounds an Urgent Alarm About the Risks of Aging Tech

Friday, November 21st

a short-story, The Gun by Philip K. Dick

read online
read on your phone/tablet/e-reader
listen to the audiobook (file here or below)

Thursday, November 20th & Wednesday, 19th

DJI Mavic, a fill in the blanks exercise

Monday, November 14th

The Secret Rules of Modern Living: Algorithms | a BBC Documentary

Thursday, November 13th & Wednesday, 12th

Orals + Reported Speech => exercise & correction

Monday, November 10th

Reported Speech

Friday, November 7th

now watch this other video and answer these questions.

Thursday, November 6 & Wednesday, 5th

Orals +

Online exercises about the Passive:

PA003-The History of Paper

PA018 – Passive Voice

PA019 – Active To Passive Sentences

PA020 – Active to Passive Sentences

PA006 – Active and Passive Sentences

PA007 – Passive or Active sentences

PA010 – Passive Voice Gap-fill exercise

PA002 – Passive Voice – Incident in the sky

Monday, November 3rd

Friday, October 17th

about MKBHD

Thursday, October 16th GR1 & Wednesday, October 15th GR2

Oral presentation about:

something you like
something you know about
something which can be talked about in English

1. => search the web IN ENGLISH for information and vocabulary,
2. Google is mainly going to give you results in French, try another search engine called Duckduckgo which can be easily switched to another language and location => https://duckduckgo.com/settings
3. => compile a long list of elements (nouns, adjectives, VERBS, phrases, sentences etc. Store this list ONLINE.
4. => prepare your presentation using the collected material
5. => you may bring some pictures or a very short video clip on your phone (but no slides, there are no slides during the exam)
6. => you need about 300 words to talk for a few minutes.

Monday, October 13th

The Modals

1. Certainly, Tina knows that smoking is forbidden

Tina MUST KNOW that …

2. Certainly, Tina knew that smoking was forbidden.

Tina MUST HAVE KNOWN that…

3. It is possible that Tina didn’t know that smoking was forbidden.

Tina MAY NOT HAVE KNOWN that…

4. The Masked Avengers were probably the best group at the concert.

The Masked Avengers MUST HAVE BEEN …

5. Brian forgot his own address. That’s incredible.

Brian CAN’T HAVE FORGOTTEN …

6. Perhaps she is right after all.

She MAY BE right after all

7. It is probable that the fire started in the kitchen.

The fire MUST HAVE STARTED…

Thursday, October 9th GR1

you need to work with 2 windows side-by-side (one for the sound, the other for the exercise, or you may listen to the sound file on your smartphone)

The Bear and The Dragon by Tom Clancy – American accent + extract from a spy novel – you may download the mp3 file or listen to it directly below.

and/or

Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling – British accent – extract from the first chapter of the first volume – you may download the mp3 file or listen to it directly below.

Wednesday, October 8th

Oral presentation about:

something you like
something you know about
something which can be talked about in English

1. => search the web IN ENGLISH for information and vocabulary,
2. Google is mainly going to give you results in French, try another search engine called Duckduckgo which can be easily switched to another language and location => https://duckduckgo.com/settings
3. => compile a long list of elements (nouns, adjectives, VERBS, phrases, sentences etc. Store this list ONLINE.
4. => prepare your presentation using the collected material
5. => you may bring some pictures or a very short video clip on your phone (but no slides, there are no slides during the exam)
6. => you need about 300 words to talk for a few minutes.

Wednesday, September 30th GR2

you need to work with 2 windows side-by-side (one for the sound, the other for the exercise, or you may listen to the sound file on your smartphone)

The Bear and The Dragon by Tom Clancy – American accent + extract from a spy novel – you may download the mp3 file or listen to it directly below.

and/or

Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling – British accent – extract from the first chapter of the first volume – you may download the mp3 file or listen to it directly below.

Friday, September 26th

Re-write the story using Morag’s point of view, and write it in the first person (350 words +/-10%)

put yourself in her shoes an visualize the landscape (see photos below) and the scene (the Vikings coming ashore)
collect vocabulary and information in the short-story which you are going to recycle in your own version.

Reading Tartan, a short-story by George Mackay Brown.

Thursday, September 25th GR1 & Wednesday, September 24th GR2

Use these handouts as reference : Simple Tense Chart / Complete Tense Chart

Monday, September 22nd

Reading Tartan, a short-story by George Mackay Brown.

Friday, September 19th

Reading Tartan, a short-story by George Mackay Brown.

Visualizing the scene by drawing elements. The scene takes place in the north of Scotland, near Durness and it looks like this when the weather is good!

Wednesday, September 17th GR2

numbers and figures (to train yourself at home use this)
Compound adjectives
Compound nouns
Word formation
useful vocabulary
Howlers – most common mistakes to avoi d

Monday, September 15th

==> Use the 8 forms of WRITE to complete the following sentences.

Allan ………………..… songs to impress girls when he was a teenager.

Allan …………………… for years on this old typewriter.

Allan …………………… , be quiet!

Allan …………………… three novels before becoming famous.

Allan ……………………poetry, he is a poet.

Allan (also) ……………………six novels.

Allan ……………………his fourth novel when he got the Booker prize.

Allan …………………… for years when at last a publisher phoned him.

Allan WRITES poetry, he is a poet.
Allan IS WRITING.Be quiet!
Allan HAS also WRITTEN six novels.
Allan HAS BEEN WRITING for years on this old typewriter.

Allan WROTE songs to impress girls when he was a teenager.
Allan WAS WRITING his fourth novel when he got the Booker prize.
Allan HAD WRITTEN three novels before becoming famous.
Allan HAD BEEN WRITING for years when at last a publisher phoned him.

==> Use the 8 forms of DRINK to complete the following sentences.