Aufgabe: Sach- und Gebrauchstext

Text: "Squirm, worm!" The Sun, 11 March 2003 (Online edition)

Wortzahl des Textes: 524

Annotations

[Hint: The formatting resembles that of the online version.]

1 sacré bleu – [emotional interjection] 24 supremo – highest in authority 45 WH Smith – bookstore chain

Arbeitsanweisungen

1. Describe The Sun's mission in Paris putting it in the context of the present political situation. [Orientation/Context]

2. Work on the linguistic and pictorial characteristics that mark the journalism of The Sun. [Analysis]

3. Evaluate the effect of The Sun's article. [Evaluation]

Hilfsmittel:

       Dictionary of Contemporary English

Squirm, worm!

From MEL HUNTER and SALLY BROOK in Paris

SACRÉ bleu — Le Worm is really squirming.

French President Jacques Chirac was outraged yesterday after we told his people what we thought of his wobbly policy on a war against Iraq.

We delivered a special edition of The Sun, translated into French, to the streets of Paris.

The front page headline declared: CHIRAC EST UN VER (Chirac Is A Worm). It was alongside a huge picture depicting Chirac as one of the wriggly creatures boring his way out of a map of France.

The story blasted Chirac trying to block an attack on Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein.

We told our Gallic readers: “We think your president, Jacques Chirac, is a disgrace to Europe by constantly threatening to veto military action to enforce the will of the United Nations in Iraq.”

And we lambasted Chirac for apparently forgetting it was American and British help that saved his country in World War Two.

Our tirade prompted howls of protest from the French government and media. Even Cabinet ministers were called on to defend their leader.

But Chirac did not answer our criticisms himself — because he was too busy having cosy chats with another despicable dictator, Zimbabwe’s Robert Mugabe.

Instead, his spokeswoman Catherine Colonna said: “Insults often say more about the people who make them than about those they claim to describe.”

Culture minister Jean-Jacques Aillagon waded in by saying: “It’s aggressive, very disagreeable, pretty vulgar and shows contempt for our country. I’d say they’ve been very badly brought up.”

And transport supremo Gilles de Robien, said: “It’s disgusting.”

But many ordinary French men and women BACKED The Sun’s assault on their government’s apathy.

A member of the army, who asked to remain anonymous, emailed to say:

"French people have bravery, but not our government. I’m French, I’m a soldier, so I can’t give you my name, but I want to say to you about my people.

Our nations have had a lot of differences and wars in past, but since the first great war, we are allies and friends.

It’s unforgivable for our president to ignore your soldiers’ sacrifice and I want to say my sympathy to your brave country.

The others soldiers like me want to fight this tyrant and kick him out."

Another 25-year-old Frenchman wrote: “I found your paper absolutely fabulous. Chirac is a worm and an idiot.

“Yes, Chirac is the shame of our country. He is ridiculous.

“I just want to tell you and all your readers I have never forgotten American or British soldiers for their help and courage in the Second World War. I’m proud of them.

“Don’t judge all French as if they are the worm people.”

A German in Paris also applauded our stand.

He said: “Congratulations on the Chirac coup. Why don’t you do the same thing on the German Chancellor Schroeder. Many Germans are ashamed and disgusted.”

International media, from the BBC to the Wall Street Journal, rushed to cover the fuss sparked by the special Sun.