Practice FrenchB2Full sample
Le procès du fromage
The Trial of the Cheese — A village turns a smelly cheese problem into a comic public trial and accidentally creates a local attraction.
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Dans le village de Mont-Ravin, tout le monde connaissait le fromage de M. Borel. Il était délicieux, mais son odeur traversait les murs avec une confiance presque politique. Un mardi matin, la bibliothécaire a trouvé trois lecteurs assis dehors, chacun avec un livre ouvert et le nez dans son écharpe. Le fromage, posé par erreur près du radiateur, avait parfumé toute la salle de lecture.
Au lieu de se fâcher, le maire a organisé un procès public pendant la fête du village. Sur la petite scène, le fromage était l’accusé, protégé sous une cloche de verre. La bibliothécaire a témoigné pour les lecteurs, M. Borel a défendu son produit, et une enfant a demandé si une odeur pouvait vraiment avoir des intentions.
Le jury, composé de cinq voisins et d’un chien très intéressé, a déclaré le fromage « coupable de présence excessive, mais innocent de méchanceté ». La punition a été simple : désormais, il dormirait dans la cave municipale avant le marché. Depuis ce jour, Mont-Ravin vend plus de fromages que jamais, car tout le monde veut goûter l’accusé le plus célèbre de la région.
Vocabulary
- odeursmell
- bibliothécairelibrarian
- accuséaccused / defendant
- témoignerto testify
- cave municipalemunicipal cellar
Show English translation
In the village of Mont-Ravin, everyone knew Mr. Borel’s cheese. It was delicious, but its smell crossed walls with almost political confidence. One Tuesday morning, the librarian found three readers sitting outside, each with an open book and their nose buried in a scarf. The cheese, accidentally placed near the radiator, had perfumed the entire reading room.
Instead of getting angry, the mayor organized a public trial during the village festival. On the small stage, the cheese was the accused, protected under a glass dome. The librarian testified for the readers, Mr. Borel defended his product, and a child asked whether a smell could really have intentions.
The jury, made up of five neighbors and one very interested dog, declared the cheese “guilty of excessive presence, but innocent of malice.” The punishment was simple: from then on, it would sleep in the municipal cellar before the market. Since that day, Mont-Ravin has sold more cheese than ever, because everyone wants to taste the most famous accused person in the region.
Comprehension questions
1. Why does the village organize a public trial?
- To turn the cheese smell problem into a humorous event
- To close the library permanently
- To choose a new mayor
- To ban all village festivals
Show answer
To turn the cheese smell problem into a humorous event
2. Where was the cheese accidentally placed?
- Near the radiator
- In the municipal cellar
- Under the mayor’s chair
- Inside a reader’s scarf
Show answer
Near the radiator
3. The jury decides that the cheese acted with malice.
Show answer
false
4. Complete with the role assigned to the cheese during the trial: Pendant le procès, le fromage occupe sur scène la place de l’___.
Show answer
accusé
5. What does “témoigner” mean?
- to testify
- to smell
- to sell
- to laugh
Show answer
to testify
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