About the film : Casino Royale
In this edition of Entertainment, BBC Learning reviews the new James Bond film, Casino Royale. How does it compare to earlier films and what is the actor Daniel Craig like in his first performance as 007.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/radio/specials/163_entertainment_ex/
you can also listen to this review on Radio Five ( you hear the full emission (15mn), so it will need some editing if you want to use it in class.)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/aod/mainframe.shtml? http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/aod/fivelive_aod.shtml?fivelive/kermode171106
Here is the official website of the film
http://www.sonypictures.com/movies/casinoroyale/site/
and here is the written review from the BBC
http://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2006/11/06/casino_royale_2006_review.shtml
an several other reviews:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0381061/ (credits and trailers)
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/casino_royale/ (reviews)
http://media.movies.ign.com/media/055/055899/vids_1.html (videos of interviews)
Audio document about « real James Bonds »
the BBC offers aninteresting audio document in London Extras about « real James Bonds ». You can download the programme, read the script,
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/radio/specials/1557_london_extra/
and also visit the sites of the British secret services:
Secret Intelligence Service (SIS or MI16), also available in French http://www.sis.gov.uk/output/Page79.html
MI5 : have a look at « the threats », « how you can help » and « careers »
http://www.mi5.gov.uk/
MI15
A day in the life of a member of the MI15 : in the « career » section, you can discover the different jobs : they are mainly IT technicians and linguists. Here is the day of a female linguist.
https://www.mi5careers.gov.uk/job.aspx?jobid=41&subid=131
and here is the description of a job available only until December the 6th (with a link to the application form)
https://www.mi5careers.gov.uk/job.aspx?jobid=41
See also in the section « how the Service does its work » the page presenting the « methods of gathering intelligence »
http://www.mi5.gov.uk/output/Page77.html
SIS or MI16
Or you may choose a career in the MI16: see the « who are we? » and « what we do » sections (also available in French)
http://www.mi6.gov.uk/output/Page2.html
– what it requires
http://www.mi6.gov.uk/output/Page18.html
– and the descriptions of the careers : there are also the IT techicians and the linguists, but you can also read a description of careers as an operational officer, including profile, training, and the application process
http://www.mi6.gov.uk/output/Page476.html
CIA
Read this comprehensive page about how to become a secret agent at the US Central Intelligence Agency
http://www.askmen.com/fashion/how_to_200/204_how_to.html
http://www.askmen.com/fashion/how_to_200/204b_how_to.html
http://www.soyouwanna.com/site/syws/cia/cia.html
you can compare the two British sites to the US site of the CIA
https://www.cia.gov/
– compare the myth and legends
CIA : https://www.cia.gov/careers/MythsTxt.html
Myth and reality about MI16 agents http://www.mi6.gov.uk/output/Page573.html
– see the jobs there (IT technicians and linguists again, but also scientists and « national clandestine service »!)
https://www.cia.gov/careers/index.html
– take the CIA personality test (the questions are thrilling and the answers disappointing, to deflate the myths, but note that the answers they give don’t take into account the answer you ticked…and this is very disappointing too!)
https://www.cia.gov/careers/CIAMyths.html
– read about the life of real people who chose this career
https://www.cia.gov/careers/chose.html
– and here are the conditions to apply (you may note that the CIA’s position about drug using is more restrictive than for the MI16)
https://www.cia.gov/careers/apply.html
NSA
Here is the page of the National Security Agency
http://www.nsa.gov
the career page is mainly orientated towards business, math and languages
http://www.nsa.gov/careers/careers.cfm
but if you dig deeper, you end up on this page about investigators
http://www.nsa.gov/careers/careers_6.cfm?#ot1inv
and here is the description of the qualifications required:
» Ideal candidates should possess poise, confidence, and a Bachelor’s degree in Liberal Arts from an accredited college or university. Investigators are expected to learn the use of interrogative techniques to resolve adjudicative issues; gain knowledge of significant suitability issues, counterintelligence indicators, and NSA policies and regulations. »
How to become a real James Bond
Using these resources, our colleague Valérie Gély has created a teaching unit for her class of terminale (last year of secondary school). Discover this outstanding work:
http://perso.orange.fr/ecole.st.sulpice/eleves2/james/total.htm
