This Word in an English Exam Has Outraged French Students

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By Naina Bajekal
June 23, 2015

Thousands of French teenagers were stumped by a question in their English exam paper using the word ‘coping.’ The question, based on Ian McEwan’s novel Atonement, asks how the character Robbie Turner – falsely accused of rape – is “coping with the situation.”

A disgruntled 17-year-old, known only as Arthur, launched a petition describing the question as “incomprehensible” and “impossible” and called for the notorious ‘Question M’ either to be annulled when grading the exam, known in France as the baccalaureate or for bonus points to be awarded to those who managed to answer it. More than 12,000 pupils had signed it by Tuesday morning.

Arthur told a local TV station that ‘coping’ is not a word in common usage and would only be familiar to someone with “excellent” English.

Others defended the question. Fellow student Hugo Travers, 18, tweeted: “In 2015, you find a question hard and you write a petition full of errors. No, just no.”

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5 Horrible Habits You Need to Stop Right Now
<strong>Do Not Email First Thing in the Morning or Last Thing at Night</strong> “The former scrambles your priorities and all your plans for the day and the latter just gives you insomnia,” says Ferriss, who insists “email can wait until 10am” or after you check off at least one substantive to-do list item.
Do Not Email First Thing in the Morning or Last Thing at Night “The former scrambles your priorities and all your plans for the day and the latter just gives you insomnia,” says Ferriss, who insists “email can wait until 10am” or after you check off at least one substantive to-do list item.
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<strong>Do Not Agree to Meetings or Calls With No Clear Agenda or End Time</strong> “If the desired outcome is defined clearly… and there’s an agenda listing topics–questions to cover–no meeting or call should last more than 30 minutes,” claims Ferriss, so “request them in advance so you can ‘best prepare and make good use of our time together.'”
Do Not Agree to Meetings or Calls With No Clear Agenda or End Time “If the desired outcome is defined clearly… and there’s an agenda listing topics–questions to cover–no meeting or call should last more than 30 minutes,” claims Ferriss, so “request them in advance so you can ‘best prepare and make good use of our time together.'”
Sam Edwards—Getty Images/Caiaimage
<strong>Do Not Check Email Constantly</strong> Batch it and check it only periodically at set times (Ferriss goes for twice a day). Your inbox is analogous to a cocaine pellet dispenser, says Ferriss. Don’t be an addict. Tools like strategic use of the auto responder and Boomerang can help.
Do Not Check Email Constantly Batch it and check it only periodically at set times (Ferriss goes for twice a day). Your inbox is analogous to a cocaine pellet dispenser, says Ferriss. Don’t be an addict. Tools like strategic use of the auto responder and Boomerang can help.
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<strong>Do Not Carry a Digital Leash 24/7</strong> At least one day a week leave you smartphone somewhere where you can’t get easy access to it. If you’re gasping, you’re probably the type of person that most needs to do kick this particular habit.
Do Not Carry a Digital Leash 24/7 At least one day a week leave you smartphone somewhere where you can’t get easy access to it. If you’re gasping, you’re probably the type of person that most needs to do kick this particular habit.
by nacoki ( MEDIA ARC )—Getty Images/Flickr RF
<strong>Do Not Let People Ramble</strong> Sounds harsh, but it’s necessary, Ferriss believes. “Small talk takes up big time,” he says, so when people start to tell you about their weekends, cut them off politely with something like “I’m in the middle of something, but what’s up?” But be aware, not everyone agrees with this one (and certainly not in every situation), and you may want to pay particularly close attention to norms around chit chat when traveling internationally.
Do Not Let People Ramble Sounds harsh, but it’s necessary, Ferriss believes. “Small talk takes up big time,” he says, so when people start to tell you about their weekends, cut them off politely with something like “I’m in the middle of something, but what’s up?” But be aware, not everyone agrees with this one (and certainly not in every situation), and you may want to pay particularly close attention to norms around chit chat when traveling internationally.
Reza Estakhrian—Getty Images
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Write to Naina Bajekal at naina.bajekal@time.com.

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