Alice's Adventures in Wonderland | Progressive Translation Books for French A2 Students

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland | Progressive Translation Books for French A2 Students

Experience the benefits of this forward-thinking translation strategy that tailors language learning to your specific needs. You have control over the difficulty, which ensures that the content is neither too easy nor overly challenging. This method enhances your ability to understand new words through context, reducing reliance on direct translations. While the translations are subtly obscured to foster learning, you can still look up unclear terms. This balanced approach makes language acquisition smoother and more enjoyable. Delve into these translated literary works and discover the satisfaction of mastering a language through reading.

CHAPTERI.DowntheRabbit-Hole
Alicewas
commençait
beginning
togetverytiredofsittingbyhersisteronthe
rive
bank
,andofhavingnothingtodo:
onceor
deux fois
twice
shehadpeepedintothebookhersisterwasreading,butithadnopicturesorconversationsinit,“andwhatistheuseofabook,”thoughtAlice“withoutpicturesorconversations?”
Soshewasconsideringinherownmind(aswellasshecould,forthehotdaymadeherfeelverysleepyandstupid),
si
whether
thepleasureofmakingadaisy-chainwouldbeworththetroubleofgettingupandpickingthedaisies,when
soudain
suddenly
aWhiteRabbitwithpinkeyesranclosebyher.
Therewasnothingsoveryremarkableinthat;
nordidAlicethinkitsoverymuchoutofthewaytoheartheRabbitsaytoitself,“Ohdear!
Ohdear!
Ishallbelate!”
(whenshethoughtitoverafterwards,itoccurredtoherthatsheoughttohavewonderedatthis,butatthetimeitall
semblait
seemed
quitenatural);
butwhentheRabbitactuallytookawatchoutofitswaistcoat-pocket,andlookedatit,andthenhurriedon,Alicestartedtoherfeet,foritflashed
travers
across
hermindthatshehadneverbeforeseenarabbitwitheitherawaistcoat-pocket,orawatchtotakeoutofit,and
brûlant
burning
withcuriosity,sheran
travers
across
thefieldafterit,andfortunatelywasjustintimetoseeitpopdowna
grand
large
rabbit-holeunderthehedge.
InanothermomentdownwentAliceafterit,neveronceconsideringhowintheworldshewastogetoutagain.
Therabbit-holewentstraightonlikeatunnelforsomeway,andthendipped
soudainement
suddenly
down,sosuddenlythatAlicehadnotamomenttothinkaboutstoppingherselfbeforeshefoundherselffallingdownavery
profond
deep
well.
Eitherthewellwasvery
profond
deep
,orshefellveryslowly,forshehadplentyoftimeasshewentdowntolookaboutherandto
se demander
wonder
whatwasgoingtohappennext.
First,shetriedtolookdownandmakeoutwhatshewascomingto,butitwastoo
sombre
dark
toseeanything;
thenshelookedatthesidesofthewell,and
remarqua
noticed
thattheywerefilledwithcupboardsandbook-shelves;
hereandthereshesawmapsandpictureshunguponpegs.
Shetookdownajarfromoneoftheshelvesasshe
passant
passed
;
itwaslabelled“ORANGEMARMALADE”,buttohergreatdisappointmentitwas
vide
empty
:
shedidnotliketodropthejarfor
peur
fear
ofkillingsomebodyunderneath,somanagedtoputitintooneofthecupboardsasshefellpastit.
“Well!”
thoughtAlicetoherself,“aftersuchafallasthis,Ishallthinknothingoftumblingdownstairs!
Howbravethey’llallthinkmeathome!
Why,Iwouldn’tsayanythingaboutit,evenifIfelloffthetopofthehouse!”
(Whichwasverylikelytrue.)
Down,down,down.
Wouldthefallnevercometoanend?
“I
demande
wonder
howmanymilesI’vefallenbythistime?”
shesaidaloud.
“Imustbegettingsomewherenearthecentreoftheearth.
Letmesee:
thatwouldbefour
mille
thousand
milesdown,Ithink—”
(for,yousee,Alicehad
appris
learnt
severalthingsofthissortinherlessonsintheschoolroom,andthoughthiswasnotaverygoodopportunityforshowingoffherknowledge,astherewasnoonetolistentoher,stillitwasgood
pratique
practice
tosayitover)“—yes,that’sabouttherightdistance—butthenI
demande
wonder
whatLatitudeorLongitudeI’vegotto?”
(AlicehadnoideawhatLatitudewas,orLongitudeeither,butthoughttheywerenicegrandwordstosay.)
Presentlyshebeganagain.
“I
demande
wonder
ifIshallfallrightthroughtheearth!
Howfunnyit’ll
sembler
seem
tocomeoutamongthepeoplethatwalkwiththeirheadsdownward!
TheAntipathies,Ithink—”
(shewas
plutôt
rather
gladtherewasnoonelistening,thistime,asitdidn’tsoundatalltherightword)“—butIshallhavetoaskthemwhatthenameofthecountryis,youknow.
Please,Ma’am,isthisNewZealandorAustralia?”
(andshetriedtocurtseyasshespoke—fancycurtseyingasyou’refallingthroughtheair!
Doyouthinkyoucouldmanageit?)
“Andwhatanignorantlittlegirlshe’llthinkmeforasking!
No,it’llneverdotoask:
perhapsIshallseeitwrittenupsomewhere.”
Down,down,down.
Therewasnothingelsetodo,soAlicesoonbegantalkingagain.
“Dinah’llmissmeverymuchto-night,Ishouldthink!”
(Dinahwasthecat.)
“Ihopethey’llrememberhersaucerof
lait
milk
attea-time.
Dinahmydear!
Iwishyouweredownherewithme!
Therearenomiceintheair,I’mafraid,butyoumightcatchabat,andthat’sverylikeamouse,youknow.
Butdocatseatbats,Iwonder?”
AndhereAlice
commencé
began
togetrathersleepy,andwentonsayingtoherself,inadreamysortofway,“Docatseatbats?
Docatseatbats?”
andsometimes,“Dobatseatcats?”
for,yousee,asshecouldn’tanswereitherquestion,itdidn’tmuchmatterwhichwaysheputit.
Shefeltthatshewasdozingoff,andhadjust
commencer
begun
todreamthatshewaswalkinghandinhandwithDinah,andsayingtoherveryearnestly,“Now,Dinah,tellmethetruth:
didyouevereatabat?”
when
soudain
suddenly
,thump!
thump!
downshecameuponaheapofsticksanddryleaves,andthefallwasover.
Alicewasnotabithurt,andshe
sauté
jumped
upontoher
pieds
feet
inamoment:
shelookedup,butitwasall
sombre
dark
overhead;
beforeherwasanotherlongpassage,andtheWhiteRabbitwasstillinsight,hurryingdownit.
Therewasnotamomenttobelost:
awaywentAlicelikethe
vent
wind
,andwasjustintimetohearitsay,asitturnedacorner,“Ohmyearsandwhiskers,howlateit’sgetting!”
Shewasclosebehinditwhensheturnedthecorner,buttheRabbitwasnolongertobeseen:
shefoundherselfinalong,lowhall,whichwaslitupbyarowoflampshangingfromtheroof.
Thereweredoorsallroundthehall,buttheywerealllocked;
andwhenAlicehadbeenallthewaydownonesideanduptheother,tryingeverydoor,shewalkedsadlydownthe
milieu
middle
,wonderinghowshewasevertogetoutagain.
Soudain
Suddenly
shecameuponalittlethree-legged
table
table
,allmadeofsolid
verre
glass
;
therewasnothingonitexceptatinygolden
clé
key
,andAlice’sfirstthoughtwasthatitmightbelongtooneofthedoorsofthehall;
but,alas!
eitherthelocksweretoolarge,orthe
clé
key
wastoosmall,butatanyrateitwouldnotopenanyofthem.
Cependant
However
,onthesecondtimeround,shecameupona
bas
low
curtainshehadnot
remarqué
noticed
before,andbehinditwasalittledooraboutfifteenincheshigh:
shetriedthelittlegolden
clé
key
inthelock,andtohergreatdelightitfitted!
Aliceopenedthedoorandfoundthatit
menait
led
intoasmallpassage,notmuchlargerthanarat-hole:
shekneltdownandlookedalongthepassageintotheloveliestgardenyoueversaw.
Howshelongedtogetoutofthat
sombre
dark
hall,andwanderaboutamongthosebedsofbrightflowersandthosecoolfountains,butshecouldnotevengetherheadthroughthedoorway;
“andevenifmyheadwouldgothrough,”thoughtpoorAlice,“itwouldbeofverylittleusewithoutmyshoulders.
Oh,howIwishIcouldshutuplikeatelescope!
IthinkIcould,ifIonlyknewhowtobegin.”
For,yousee,somanyout-of-the-waythingshadhappenedlately,thatAlicehad
commencé
begun
tothinkthatveryfewthingsindeedwerereally
impossible
impossible
.
Thereseemedtobenouseinwaitingbythelittledoor,soshewentbacktothe
table
table
,halfhopingshemightfindanother
clé
key
onit,oratanyrateabookofrulesforshuttingpeopleupliketelescopes:
thistimeshefoundalittle
bouteille
bottle
onit,(“whichcertainlywasnotherebefore,”saidAlice,)androundthe
cou
neck
ofthebottlewasa
papier
paper
label,withthewords“DRINKME,”beautifullyprintedonitinlargeletters.
Itwasallverywelltosay“Drinkme,”butthewiselittleAlicewasnotgoingtodothatinahurry.
“No,I’lllookfirst,”shesaid,“andsee
si
whether
it’smarked‘poison’ornot”;
forshehadreadseveralnicelittlehistoriesaboutchildrenwhohadgotburnt,andeatenupbywildbeastsandotherunpleasantthings,allbecausetheywouldnotrememberthesimplerulestheirfriendshadtaughtthem:
suchas,thatared-hotpokerwill
brûlera
burn
youifyouholdittoolong;
andthatifyoucutyourfingerverydeeplywitha
couteau
knife
,itusuallybleeds;
andshehadneverforgottenthat,ifyoudrinkmuchfroma
bouteille
bottle
marked“poison,”itisalmostcertaintodisagreewithyou,soonerorlater.
Cependant
However
,thisbottlewasnotmarked“poison,”soAliceventuredto
goûter
taste
it,andfindingitverynice,(ithad,infact,asortofmixedflavourofcherry-tart,custard,pine-apple,roastturkey,toffee,andhotbutteredtoast,)sheverysoon
terminé
finished
itoff.
“Whatacuriousfeeling!”
saidAlice;
“Imustbeshuttinguplikeatelescope.”
Andsoitwasindeed:
shewasnowonlytenincheshigh,andherfacebrightenedupatthethoughtthatshewasnowtheright
taille
size
forgoingthroughthelittledoorintothatlovelygarden.
First,
cependant
however
,shewaitedforafewminutestoseeifshewasgoingtoshrinkanyfurther:
shefeltalittlenervousaboutthis;
“foritmightend,youknow,”saidAlicetoherself,“inmygoingoutaltogether,likeacandle.
I
demande
wonder
whatIshouldbelikethen?”
Andshetriedtofancywhattheflameofacandleislikeafterthecandleisblownout,forshecouldnotremembereverhavingseensuchathing.
Afterawhile,findingthatnothingmorehappened,she
décidé
decided
ongoingintothegardenatonce;
but,alasforpoorAlice!
whenshegottothedoor,shefoundshehadforgottenthelittlegolden
clé
key
,andwhenshewentbacktothe
table
table
forit,shefoundshecouldnotpossibly
atteindre
reach
it:
shecouldseeitquiteplainlythroughthe
verre
glass
,andshetriedherbesttoclimbuponeofthelegsofthe
table
table
,butitwastooslippery;
andwhenshehadtiredherselfoutwithtrying,thepoorlittlethingsatdownand
pleuré
cried
.
“Come,there’snousein
pleurer
crying
likethat!”
saidAlicetoherself,
plutôt
rather
sharply;
“Iadviseyoutoleaveoffthisminute!”
Shegenerallygaveherselfverygoodadvice,(thoughsheveryseldomfollowedit),andsometimesshescoldedherselfsoseverelyastobringtearsintohereyes;
andoncesherememberedtryingtoboxherownearsforhavingcheatedherselfinagameofcroquetshewasplayingagainstherself,forthiscuriouschildwasveryfondofpretendingtobetwopeople.
“Butit’snousenow,”thoughtpoorAlice,“topretendtobetwopeople!
Why,there’shardlyenoughofmelefttomakeonerespectableperson!”
Soonher
œil
eye
fellonalittle
verre
glass
boxthatwaslyingunderthe
table
table
:
sheopenedit,andfoundinitaverysmallcake,onwhichthewords“EATME”werebeautifullymarkedincurrants.
“Well,I’lleatit,”saidAlice,“andifitmakesme
grandir
grow
larger,Icanreachthe
clé
key
;
andifitmakesmegrowsmaller,Icancreepunderthedoor;
soeitherwayI’llgetintothegarden,andIdon’tcarewhichhappens!”
Sheatealittlebit,andsaidanxiouslytoherself,“Whichway?
Whichway?”,holdingherhandonthetopofherheadtofeelwhichwayitwas
grandissait
growing
,andshewasquite
surpris
surprised
tofindthatsheremainedthesame
taille
size
:
tobesure,thisgenerallyhappenswhenoneeatscake,butAlicehadgotsomuchintothewayofexpectingnothingbutout-of-the-waythingstohappen,thatit
semblait
seemed
quitedullandstupidforlifetogooninthecommonway.
CHAPTERII.ThePoolofTears
“Curiouserandcuriouser!”
pleura
cried
Alice(shewassomuch
surpris
surprised
,thatforthemomentshequiteforgothowtospeakgoodEnglish);
“nowI’mopeningoutlikethelargesttelescopethateverwas!
Good-bye,feet!”
(forwhenshelookeddownather
pieds
feet
,theyseemedtobealmostoutofsight,theyweregettingsofaroff).
“Oh,mypoorlittle
pieds
feet
,Iwonderwhowillputonyour
chaussures
shoes
andstockingsforyounow,dears?
I’msureIshan’tbeable!
Ishallbeagreatdealtoofarofftotroublemyselfaboutyou:
youmustmanagethebestwayyoucan;—butImustbekindtothem,”thoughtAlice,“orperhapstheywon’twalkthewayIwanttogo!
Letmesee:
I’llgivethemanewpairofbootseveryChristmas.”
Andshewentonplanningtoherselfhowshewouldmanageit.
“Theymustgobythecarrier,”shethought;
“andhowfunnyit’ll
paraître
seem
,sendingpresentstoone’sown
pieds
feet
!
Andhowoddthedirectionswilllook!
Ohdear,whatnonsenseI’mtalking!”
Justthenherheadstruckagainsttheroofofthehall:
infactshewasnowmorethannine
pieds
feet
high,andsheatoncetookupthelittlegolden
clé
key
andhurriedofftothegardendoor.
PoorAlice!
Itwasasmuchasshecoulddo,lyingdownononeside,tolookthroughintothegardenwithone
œil
eye
;
buttogetthroughwasmorehopelessthanever:
shesatdownandbeganto
pleurer
cry
again.
“Yououghttobeashamedofyourself,”saidAlice,“agreatgirllikeyou,”(shemightwellsaythis),“togoon
pleurer
crying
inthisway!
Stopthismoment,Itellyou!”
Butshewentonallthesame,sheddinggallonsoftears,untiltherewasa
grande
large
poolallroundher,aboutfourinchesdeepand
atteignant
reaching
halfdownthehall.
Afteratimesheheardalittlepatteringof
pieds
feet
inthedistance,andshehastilydriedhereyestoseewhatwascoming.
ItwastheWhiteRabbitreturning,splendidly
habillé
dressed
,withapairofwhitekidglovesinonehandanda
grand
large
fanintheother:
hecametrottingalonginagreathurry,mutteringtohimselfashecame,“Oh!
theDuchess,theDuchess!
Oh!
won’tshebesavageifI’vekeptherwaiting!”
Alicefeltsodesperatethatshewasreadytoaskhelpofanyone;
so,whentheRabbitcamenearher,she
commencé
began
,inalow,timid
voix
voice
,“Ifyouplease,sir—”
TheRabbitstartedviolently,
tomber
dropped
thewhitekidglovesandthefan,andskurriedawayintothedarknessashardashecouldgo.
Alicetookupthefanandgloves,and,asthehallwasveryhot,shekeptfanningherselfallthetimeshewentontalking:
“Dear,dear!
Howqueereverythingisto-day!
And
hier
yesterday
thingswentonjustasusual.
I
demande
wonder
ifI’vebeenchangedinthenight?
Letmethink:
wasIthesamewhenIgotupthismorning?
IalmostthinkIcanrememberfeelingalittledifferent.
ButifI’mnotthesame,thenextquestionis,WhointheworldamI?
Ah,that’sthegreatpuzzle!”
Andshe
commença
began
thinkingoverallthechildrensheknewthatwereofthesame
âge
age
asherself,toseeifshecouldhavebeenchangedforanyofthem.
“I’msureI’mnotAda,”shesaid,“forherhairgoesinsuchlongringlets,andminedoesn’tgoinringletsatall;
andI’msureIcan’tbeMabel,forIknowallsortsofthings,andshe,oh!
sheknowssuchaverylittle!
Besides,she’sshe,andI’mI,and—ohdear,howpuzzlingitallis!
I’lltryifIknowallthethingsIusedtoknow.
Letmesee:
fourtimesfiveistwelve,andfourtimessixisthirteen,andfourtimes
sept
seven
is—ohdear!
Ishallnevergettotwentyatthatrate!
Cependant
However
,theMultiplicationTabledoesn’tsignify:
let’stryGeography.
LondonisthecapitalofParis,andParisisthecapitalofRome,andRome—no,that’sallwrong,I’m
sûr
certain
!
ImusthavebeenchangedforMabel!
I’lltryandsay‘Howdoththelittle—’”andshe
croisé
crossed
herhandsonherlapasifsheweresayinglessons,and
commencé
began
torepeatit,buther
voix
voice
soundedhoarseandstrange,andthewordsdidnotcomethesameastheyusedtodo:—.
“HowdoththelittlecrocodileImprovehisshiningtail,AndpourthewatersoftheNileOneverygoldenscale!
“Howcheerfullyhe
semble
seems
togrin,Howneatlyspreadhisclaws,AndwelcomelittlefishesinWithgentlysmilingjaws!”
“I’msurethosearenottherightwords,”saidpoorAlice,andhereyesfilledwithtearsagainasshewenton,“ImustbeMabelafterall,andIshallhavetogoandliveinthatpokylittlehouse,andhavenexttonotoystoplaywith,andoh!
eversomanylessonsto
apprendre
learn
!
No,I’vemadeupmymindaboutit;
ifI’mMabel,I’llstaydownhere!
It’llbenousetheirputtingtheirheadsdownandsaying‘Comeupagain,dear!’Ishallonlylookupandsay‘WhoamIthen?
Tellmethatfirst,andthen,ifIlikebeingthatperson,I’llcomeup:
ifnot,I’llstaydownheretillI’msomebodyelse’—but,ohdear!”
criedAlice,withasuddenburstoftears,“Idowishtheywouldputtheirheadsdown!
Iamsoverytiredofbeingallalonehere!”
Asshesaidthisshelookeddownatherhands,andwassurprisedtoseethatshehadputononeoftheRabbit’slittlewhitekidgloveswhileshewastalking.
“HowcanIhavedonethat?”
shethought.
“Imustbegrowingsmallagain.”
Shegotupandwenttothe
table
table
tomeasureherselfbyit,andfoundthat,asnearlyasshecouldguess,shewasnowabouttwo
pieds
feet
high,andwasgoingonshrinkingrapidly:
shesoonfoundoutthatthecauseofthiswasthefanshewasholding,andshe
tomber
dropped
ithastily,justintimetoavoidshrinkingawayaltogether.
“Thatwasanarrowescape!”