Quick answer: Négritude was a literary and cultural movement started in Paris in the 1930s by Black francophone students, mainly Aimé Césaire from Martinique, Léopold Sédar Senghor from Senegal and Léon-Gontran Damas from French Guiana. This French 4 test on Négritude has 8 questions worth 20 points, to do in 45 minutes: writers and works, identity vocabulary and true or false. The scoring guide is on a separate page; free printable PDF.
Level: French 4 (high school, ACTFL Intermediate Mid) · Standards: ACTFL Intermediate Mid, WL 1.2 Interpretive, WL 1.3 Presentational, WL 4.1 Language Comparisons, WL 2.2 Cultural Products
Question 1 Writers and works (3 points)
Match each writer to a work.
- Aimé Césaire (1 point)
- Léon-Gontran Damas (1 point)
- Léopold Sédar Senghor (1 point)
Works: Pigments; Chants d’ombre; Cahier d’un retour au pays natal.
Question 2 Identity vocabulary (3 points)
Translate into English.
- la dignité (1 point)
- revendiquer (1 point)
- la diaspora (1 point)
Question 3 True or false (2 points)
Write true or false and correct the false one.
- Senghor was born in French Guiana. (1 point)
- The movement began among students in Paris. (1 point)
Question 4 Prepositions (2 points)
Complete with en, au or à.
- Damas est né ____ Guyane. (1 point)
- Senghor est né ____ Sénégal. (1 point)
Question 5 Verb forms (2 points)
Put in the passé composé.
- Senghor (devenir) président. (1 point)
- Les poètes (refuser) de cacher leur culture. (1 point)
Question 6 English to French (2 points)
Translate into French.
- According to Césaire, pride is a strength. (1 point)
- The poet is proud of his heritage. (1 point)
Question 7 Reading (3 points)
Read the poster, then answer in English.
- Where is the event? (1 point)
- When does it start? (1 point)
- What does the evening honor, and is it free? (1 point)
Question 8 Short writing (3 points)
Write 3 or 4 sentences in French in your own words about what the Négritude movement wanted. Use selon or affirmer once. (3 points: facts, grammar, own words)


