Primero de secundaria
By Gary Soto
Standards For Foreign Language Learning
1.1, 1.2, 1.3.2
“Primero de secundaria” tells the story of Victor Rodriguez’s first day in the seventh grade at a school in Fresno, California. Victor has chosen to take a French class because he would like to visit France some day, and because he knows that Teresa, a girl he likes, will be in that class. While walking to homeroom, Victor meets his friend Miguel Torres and asks him why he is making a strange face. Miguel replies that he has been studying a popular magazine and has noticed that all the male models shown in the magazine are scowling. Victor is not sure that this is a good idea. The two boys then discuss their summer, including the fact that they had to pick grapes to buy their fall clothing.
On his way to class, Victor tries out the scowling technique and is gratified when a girl looks at him. In homeroom, Victor glimpses Teresa reading a book, and later he lingers on his way to first period long enough to overhear her ask the teacher about ballet classes. She then smiles at Victor and says hello, but he is too flustered to do more than make a silly remark. In his first-period English class, the teacher asks for an example of a noun, and Victor replies “Teresa.” After Social Studies, Victor and Miguel practice their scowling while they eat lunch, and Victor tries to catch a glimpse of Teresa. He finally spots her sitting with a friend under a plum tree. Their eyes meet and Teresa smiles at him.
Then it is time for French class. The teacher, Ms. Bueller, asks if anyone speaks French, and Victor boldly attempts to impress Teresa by asserting that he does. Unfazed by Victor’s absurd attempt to substitute nonsense syllables for French, Mr. Bueller calmly proceeds with the lesson. Victor, thought is chagrined by his failure and tries to rush out of class right after the bell rings. He has to return, however, to get his math book. Teresa tells Victor that she is indeed impresses with his French. Victor silently prays that Mr. Bueller won’t say anything.
Much to Victor’s relief, the teacher just smiles as he sits down to do some work. Mr. Bueller recalls to himself his own attempts to impress a girl in college. Teresa asks Victor if he will help her with her French. After school that day, Victor sprints to the library and checks out three French textbooks. He decides he is going to like seventh grade.
Esta historia es realista en la cual el escritor nos habla de los problemas internos e internos de Víctor el estudiante protagonista. El autor nos habla de su adolescencia. Después de leer la versión en ingles y en español comenta con tus compañeros estas preguntas.
1. Porque decide Víctor estudiar francés?
2. Crees tú que sea necesario de que un chico tenga que hacer muecas---gestos para poder conquistar a una chica?
3. Has hecho alguna vez algo tonto para tratar de impresionar a alguien, como hace Víctor para impresionar a Teresa?
4. Víctor espera algún día viajar a Francia. Que país te gustaría conocer si tuvieras la oportunidad?
5. Además de aprender el idioma, que otra cosa harías para prepararte para el viaje?