French stories
These Ants Blow Themselves Up to Protect Their Homes
Certaines fourmis en Asie explosent pour protéger leurs maisons.
Certaines ser-TEN Some
fourmis FOOR-mee ants
en on in
Asie ah-ZEE Asia
explosent eks-PLOZ explode
pour poor to
protéger pro-tay-ZHAY protect
leurs lur their
maisons. may-ZON homes.
Les fourmis ont de la glu dans leur corps.
Les lay The
fourmis FOOR-mee ants
ont on have
de la duh la some
glu gloo goo
dans don in
leur lur their
corps. kor bodies.
L’explosion couvre les ennemis de glu collante.
L’explosion lek-splo-ZYON The explosion
couvre KOO-vruh covers
les lay the
ennemis en-uh-MEE enemies
de duh with
glu gloo goo
collante. ko-LONT sticky.
La fourmi meurt quand elle explose.
La la The
fourmi FOOR-mee ant
meurt mur dies
quand kon when
elle el it
explose. eks-PLOZ explodes.
Quand le danger arrive, une fourmi serre fort son corps.
Quand kon When
le luh the
danger don-ZHAY danger
arrive, a-REEV comes,
une oon an
fourmi FOOR-mee ant
serre sair squeezes
fort for hard
son son its
corps. kor body.
Cela fait éclater la fourmi.
Cela suh-LA This
fait fay makes
éclater ay-kla-TAY pop open
la la the
fourmi. FOOR-mee ant.
La glu empêche les ennemis de bouger.
La la The
glu gloo goo
empêche om-PESH stops
les lay the
ennemis en-uh-MEE enemies
de duh from
bouger. boo-ZHAY moving.
Les fourmis qui explosent s’accrochent souvent à de plus gros insectes avant d’éclater.
Les lay The
fourmis FOOR-mee ants
qui kee that
explosent eks-PLOZ explode
s’accrochent sa-KROSH grab onto
souvent soo-VON often
à ah to
de plus gros duh ploo gro bigger
insectes an-SEKT bugs
avant a-VON before
d’éclater. day-kla-TAY they pop.
Sources:
Test your comprehension
What do some ants in Asia do to protect their homes?
- They build larger nests.
- Elles explosent.
- They camouflage themselves.
- They call for help.
What substance do the ants have in their bodies?
- De l’eau.
- De la glu.
- Du venin.
- De la poudre.
What happens to the ant when it explodes?
- La fourmi meurt.
- Elle s’échappe.
- Elle se transforme.
- Elle devient plus forte.
What do exploding ants often attach themselves to before bursting?
- Des plantes.
- De plus gros insectes.
- D’autres fourmis.
- Des rochers.
Grammar cards for this story
Present Tense
- Example: “Les fourmis ont de la glu dans leur corps.”
- Explanation: The present tense is used to describe actions that are currently happening or general truths. In this example, the verb “ont” (have) indicates a state of being that is true now.
Future Tense
- Example: “Quand le danger arrive, une fourmi serre fort son corps.”
- Explanation: The future tense is implied in the phrase “Quand le danger arrive,” which suggests that when the danger comes, the action of the ant squeezing its body will happen. It indicates a future event based on a condition.
Conditional Mood
- Example: “Les fourmis qui explosent s’accrochent souvent à de plus gros insectes avant d’éclater.”
- Explanation: The conditional mood is used to express actions that depend on certain conditions being met. In this case, the action of the ants clinging to larger insects occurs under the condition that they are in a situation where they might explode.
Passive Voice
- Example: “L’explosion couvre les ennemis de glu collante.”
- Explanation: The passive voice is used when the focus is on the action rather than who is performing it. Here, “les ennemis” (the enemies) are the recipients of the action of being covered by the explosion.