Help please! [GCSE-level books in French / self-teaching Mandarin]

To get better at French I want to read some GCSE level novels..
does anyone know any good ones I can easily get from a library?

Also can anyone recommend any beginners Mandarin books so I can start to self-teach?

Thanks.

Reply 1

oldrafiki

GCSE level novels? :eek:

I can't think of anything tbh, although you could try and find a french translation of something you've read in English (e.g. Harry Potter) because then you won't have to look in a dictionary every other second to keep hold of the plot.

I didn't read any french literature until the second half of my AS year so I think you're getting a bit ahead of yourself! No reason why you shouldn't try, but I still find reading in French really tough and frustrating at times so be warned.

anyone?

Nah, you won't find any literature which is aimed at GCSE French kids, sorry :frown:

GCSEs in languages are basically all about being able to understand the vocab (and apply it with the relevant grammar) which is prescribed in the specification. You'll certainly be going way beyond the level required if you start reading French lit.

Reply 4

Inter-Company

interested in the OP's latter objective also - so if anyone can give some help that would be great :smile:

Reply 5

username196545

L'etranger (Camus). That's A level standard, I think.

Reply 6

afua12

childrens books.

I read a couple of very short, very basic childrens books during gcse. Even though they are basic, it still felt nice to be able to read something authentic, rather than a generic paragraph about how "she went by plane to France. She stayed in a Hotel for a week". You don't have to go for the really basic "a is fo..." books, maybe a short fairytale or whatever.

Don't be put off by the fact they're aimed at like 5/6/7 year olds... it still feels nice to have achieved something!