Shadow Girl Read Online Free PDF Page B

won’t have to bother to learn the grammar? It’ll all come to me automatically?’ She hands him the requested espresso.
    â€˜ C’est exactement ça! ’ confirms Yaouen, barely keeping the excitement from his voice. ‘No more lengthy manuals detailing countless rules of verbal agreement! No more plodding through the gullies of French conjugation! No more tedious ruminations over lists of cryptic phrases! The core sounds of French will give you access to the universal signs underlying all languages, through a process of neurolingual resonance. And those signs will in turn deliver the key to the specific grammar of French! Incredibly simple and effective!’
    He takes a sip of his coffee, closing his eyes in silent appreciation.
    Too bloody simple if you ask me , thinks Sandra. ‘So if I understand you correctly,’ she says, ‘the key to gaining instant command of French is to tap into some sort of universal structure, which presumably is embedded in all of us.’
    â€˜ Oui oui , that’s it.’
    â€˜But if I follow your logic, why do I need to practise French sounds at all? Why can’t I start with English sounds? Shouldn’t that also allow me to plug into that deep structure and then, by implication, into French?’
    â€˜Good point, but unfortunately it does not work like that. You need to prime the connection between the target language and the universal grammar, and the only way to do that is to begin with the sounds of French, I’m afraid. No short cut here.’
    Sandra eyes him warily.
    â€˜I already know the basic French sounds.’
    â€˜With respect, you only think you do. Precision is paramount — no short cut here either. And that’s what we’ll be focusing on.’
    His eyes drift back to the Streeton painting.
    â€˜But the beauty of it is,’ he adds, ‘you can learn in one day.’
    â€˜One day?’ She cannot believe her ears.
    â€˜Yes, one day. One session to be precise and you’ll be babbling away happily in the language of Monsieur Molière, as the French have nicknamed their native tongue. You see, the sounds have to be mastered in a very short timeframe. That is why I make use of auxiliary techniques to help focus the mind. Some yogic breathing, but also a good old-fashioned system of rewards and penalties.’
    He brings his cup back to his lips.
    â€˜Penalties?’ asks Sandra, puzzled.
    â€˜The rewards come in the form of small but delicious Belgian chocolates,’ he continues, smiling. He motions at the box he has set down on the mahogany table.
    She notices one of the tassels tied to the box is longer than the others, and a creamy colour. Made of natural fibres, perhaps.
    â€˜As for the penalties, they are purely symbolic. Small taps on the back of the hand.’
    Taps? The word pricks Sandra like a bee sting. What sort of crackpot is she dealing with?
    â€˜There is nothing to worry about,’ laughs Yaouen, who seems to have read the alarm in her eyes and the stiffness in her body. ‘As I say, it’s all purely symbolic. A gentle reminder to try again, really. I am a professional, chère Sandra. I know what I am doing. I have tested many different techniques over the years and, believe me, this one delivers the best and quickest outcomes.’
    Chocolates? Taps? Learning French in one session? Is this guy for real? Sandra’s scepticism has reached danger levels and she is this close to kicking him out. Thank you Yaouen, I appreciate the presentation, but this is not really what I was looking for.
    Something, however, keeps her lips sealed. Perhaps the memory of Jenny’s words — people are ‘raving’ about him, her friend said. Or perhaps it is the colour in his eyes, which adds a strange aura to his words. Or the peculiar inflexion of his voice, which feels like velvet against her skin. She is not sure. Anyway, what has she got to lose? An