ESAMI DI STATO 2011/ Maturità, seconda prova, liceo linguistico, tema di Inglese (testo letterario), le soluzioni alle tracce ufficiali

Esami di stato, Maturità 2011: liceo linguistico, Inglese (testo letterario), prova di comprensione e produzione –  Mezzo milione di studenti sono giunti a metà del guado. Anche la seconda prova è stata affrontata. Gli studenti di tutta Italia che stanno sostenendo gli esami di maturità avranno, da oggi, qualche giorno per recuperare le forze. Intanto il ministero dell’Istruzione ha pubblicato le trace integrali delle prove. Alcuni potranno rifarle interamente a casa e comprendere se hanno fatto degli errori, altri potranno scovare tracce già sviluppate e confrontarle. Ilsussidiario.net ha fatto sviluppare la prova di comprensione e produzione di Inglese (testo letterario) per il liceo linguistico. Di seguito, il testo della traccia svolta.  

TESTO LETTERARIO-INGLESE

1. What is the lady doing?

She is reading a story aloud to James, who is probably her son, and thinking to herself.  

2. Why is she distracted? What is she thinking about?

She is distracted by a “feeling of anxiety”, which she has because Paul, Minta and Andrew, presumably her other children, have not yet come home. She thinks about Andrew going out to catch things in his net, and all the terrible things that could be happening to him. He could get cut off from land by the sea or fall off of a cliff.   

3. How does she feel?

She feels worried about her children because she does not know where they are, and many terrible things could be happening to them. She also seems to be pensive, thinking about her role as a mother and how difficult it is to always say and do the correct thing for her children. She is anxious not to disappoint James about the Lighthouse, and she is looking forward to being by herself.

4. What does she think James is going to ask?

She thinks that James is going to ask whether or not they are going to the lighthouse the next day.

5. Why is the trip to the lighthouse cancelled?

The trip is cancelled because James’ father has said that they are not going.

6. Why is she afraid of telling James that they are not going to the lighthouse?

She is afraid to tell James because she knows that he will be sad and she thinks that he will remember this pain for the rest of his life.

7. What represents a relief for her?

She is relieved when Mildred comes to call James, and they are distracted from the question of the Lighthouse. She is relieved in general when her children go to bed because it means that she no longer has to watch what she says and does so closely. When her children are asleep, she no longer has to think about them or be afraid of disappointing them, and she can simply be herself.

8. What does she feel like doing?

She does not feel like doing anything in particular, not even thinking. She wants to simply be herself, separate from everyone else, and separate from the bustle of the day.

SUMMARY

A woman, probably a mother, is just reaching the end of a story she is reading to her son, James. While she is reading, she is thinking about her other children and worrying about what could be happening to them while they are not under her eye. When she finishes the story, James looks out the window and sees the light of the lighthouse, where he really wants to go. The mother fears that he will ask her if they are going the next day because she is afraid to disappoint him by telling him that the trip has been cancelled. She realizes that the trip is important to him and that he will probably remember his disappointment at not going for the rest of his life. She is relieved when James is called away to bed, and she can finally be alone. She wants to simply sit and be herself, separate from all other people, and separate from the thinking and doing of the day.

COMPOSITION

Do you ever happen to feel the need to be silent and alone, almost “invisible to others”? What do you do in such cases? How do you react? Write a 300-word paragraph on the topic by referring to your experience.

Life is full of confusion. Everyone is extremely busy, either with work, school, activities, or with their thoughts. I find myself always trying to do more, to pack my days as full as possible so as not to waste time. At school, at work and even at home, there are always people around. There are people to see and talk to, whether formally or informally, and often I feel that I have no time for myself. When I finally have had enough, and wish to be by myself, “invisible to others”, I sometimes retreat into my bedroom, close the door, and do something relaxing. I sometimes watch a movie, or read a book. This makes me feel distant from others, caught up in another world. However, in these cases, I can still be distracted and sometimes I am unable to remain as silent as I would like. When I really want to feel invisible, I like to go to the forest preserve near my house and walk among the trees. In nature, which is so separate from and indifferent to me, I feel invisible. When nature is extremely beautiful, perhaps when the sun sets, or when the rain stops and a rainbow crosses the sky, it is difficult to be bogged down in thoughts and everyday problems. At those times, I feel a lightness in my mind, as though the confusion of life is lifted for a moment. That is when I most feel myself to be a “wedge-shaped core of darkness”, separate and distinct from everything else, yet somehow a part of a larger scheme of things. Then I can return to school or work and remember that feeling of lightness. I can stop during my day and remember that I am a core of darkness unto myself, but also that being connected to the world and to others is not always painful.