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The modern Prometheus : Frankenstein et la responsabilité du créateur (Première)

Fiche à imprimer : le cours, les trois exercices et le corrigé (sur une page à part). Revenir au cours en ligne

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The Modern Prometheusle Prométhée moderne (sous-titre du roman)
hubrisla démesure, l'orgueil
to play Godse prendre pour Dieu
artificial intelligencel'intelligence artificielle
If Victor had cared for it, it wouldn't have become violent.Si Victor s'en était occupé, elle ne serait pas devenue violente.
to take responsibility forassumer la responsabilité de

Le sous-titre du roman, The Modern Prometheus, renvoie au Titan grec qui vola le feu aux dieux pour le donner aux hommes, et fut puni. Comme lui, Victor franchit une limite par orgueil (hubris) ; mais sa vraie faute est peut-être d'abandonner sa créature. Deux siècles plus tard, le roman sert de référence dans les débats sur l'intelligence artificielle ou le génie génétique : qui est responsable de ce que l'on crée ? Pour imaginer un passé différent : If + past perfect, would have + participe passé.

Mise en situation : le débat

Teacher : Why is Frankenstein subtitled 'The Modern Prometheus'?
Pourquoi Frankenstein a-t-il pour sous-titre « Le Prométhée moderne » ?
Lucas : Prometheus stole fire from the gods and was punished. Victor steals the secret of life, and he's punished too.
Prométhée a volé le feu aux dieux et a été puni. Victor vole le secret de la vie, et il est puni lui aussi.
Ines : But I think his real crime is abandoning the creature. If Victor had cared for it, it wouldn't have become violent.
Mais je pense que son vrai crime est d'abandonner la créature. Si Victor s'en était occupé, elle ne serait pas devenue violente.
Teacher : Is the novel still relevant today?
Le roman est-il encore d'actualité ?
Lucas : Definitely. With artificial intelligence and genetic engineering, scientists are creating things they can't fully control.
Absolument. Avec l'intelligence artificielle et le génie génétique, les scientifiques créent des choses qu'ils ne contrôlent pas complètement.
Ines : The lesson is that creators must take responsibility for what they create, not just play God and run away.
La leçon, c'est que les créateurs doivent assumer la responsabilité de ce qu'ils créent, et pas seulement se prendre pour Dieu puis s'enfuir.

À retenir

  • The Modern Prometheus, hubris, to play God, artificial intelligence, genetic engineering.
  • Conditionnel passé : If + had + participe, would have + participe ; to take responsibility for.

Exercice 1 : Le Prométhée moderne : exercice 1 (QCM)

  1. « la démesure, l'orgueil »
    1. hybrid
    2. humbleness
    3. hubris
  2. « se prendre pour Dieu »
    1. to play the God
    2. to play God
    3. to game God
  3. « l'intelligence artificielle »
    1. artificious intelligence
    2. artificial intelligence
    3. artificial intelligent
  4. Prométhée a volé...
    1. l'or
    2. le feu
    3. la foudre de Zeus
  5. « Si Victor s'en était occupé... »
    1. If Victor had cared for it...
    2. If Victor would have cared for it...
    3. If Victor cared for it before...
  6. « ... elle ne serait pas devenue violente. »
    1. ... it won't have become violent.
    2. ... it wouldn't become violent before.
    3. ... it wouldn't have become violent.
  7. « assumer la responsabilité de »
    1. to make responsibility for
    2. to take responsibility for
    3. to take responsibility of
  8. « abandonner »
    1. to abandon
    2. to abandonate
    3. to give in
  9. « Absolument. »
    1. Definitely.
    2. Definitively of.
    3. Defiantly.
  10. « voler (dérober) »
    1. to steal
    2. to fly
    3. to steel

Exercice 2 : Le Prométhée moderne : exercice 2 (à compléter)

  1. Prometheus .......................... fire from the gods. (steal)
  2. He was .......................... .
  3. If Victor .......................... cared for it, ...
  4. ... it wouldn't have .......................... violent.
  5. His real crime is .......................... the creature.
  6. Scientists shouldn't play .......................... .
  7. Creators must take .......................... for what they create.
  8. Artificial .......................... .
  9. Is the novel still .......................... today?
  10. They can't fully .......................... it.

Exercice 3 : Le Prométhée moderne : mise en situation

  1. Le prof demande la raison du sous-titre.
    1. Why Frankenstein is subtitled 'The Modern Prometheus'?
    2. Why is Frankenstein subtitle 'The Modern Prometheus'?
    3. Why is Frankenstein subtitled 'The Modern Prometheus'?
  2. Prométhée a volé le feu et a été puni.
    1. Prometheus stole fire from the gods and was punished.
    2. Prometheus stole fire from the gods and punished.
    3. Prometheus stealed fire from the gods and was punished.
  3. Victor vole le secret de la vie.
    1. Victor steels the secret of life.
    2. Victor steals the secret of life.
    3. Victor steal the secret of life.
  4. Son vrai crime est l'abandon.
    1. His real crime abandon the creature.
    2. His real crime is abandoning the creature.
    3. His real crime is to abandoning the creature.
  5. S'il s'en était occupé, elle ne serait pas devenue violente.
    1. If Victor would have cared for it, it wouldn't become violent.
    2. If Victor had cared for it, it wouldn't have become violent.
    3. If Victor had cared for it, it won't have become violent.
  6. Le prof demande si c'est encore d'actualité.
    1. Is the novel still relevant nowadays of?
    2. The novel is still relevant today?
    3. Is the novel still relevant today?
  7. Les scientifiques créent des choses incontrôlables.
    1. Scientists create things they fully can't control.
    2. Scientists are creating things they can't fully controlling.
    3. Scientists are creating things they can't fully control.
  8. Les créateurs doivent assumer leurs responsabilités.
    1. Creators must take responsibility of what they create.
    2. Creators must to take responsibility for what they create.
    3. Creators must take responsibility for what they create.
  9. Si tu avais révisé, tu aurais réussi.
    1. If I would have revised, I would have passed.
    2. If I had revised, I would have passed.
    3. If I had revised, I would passed.
  10. Tu nuances.
    1. On the other hand, science has also saved millions of life.
    2. On the other hand, science has also saved millions of lives.
    3. In the other hand, science also has saved millions lives.

Corrigé

Exercice 1

1. c) hubris · 2. b) to play God · 3. b) artificial intelligence · 4. b) le feu · 5. a) If Victor had cared for it... · 6. c) ... it wouldn't have become violent. · 7. b) to take responsibility for · 8. a) to abandon · 9. a) Definitely. · 10. a) to steal

Exercice 2

1. stole · 2. punished · 3. had · 4. become · 5. abandoning · 6. God · 7. responsibility · 8. intelligence · 9. relevant · 10. control

Exercice 3

1. c) Why is Frankenstein subtitled 'The Modern Prometheus'? · 2. a) Prometheus stole fire from the gods and was punished. · 3. b) Victor steals the secret of life. · 4. b) His real crime is abandoning the creature. · 5. b) If Victor had cared for it, it wouldn't have become violent. · 6. c) Is the novel still relevant today? · 7. c) Scientists are creating things they can't fully control. · 8. c) Creators must take responsibility for what they create. · 9. b) If I had revised, I would have passed. · 10. b) On the other hand, science has also saved millions of lives.