Comprehension: French Police's Notes from Underground

They carry a badge...and an extremely big flashlight. Paris's "cataflics", or "cave cops", have a mission that's unique in the world: to patrol the catacombs under France's capital city and enforce the law among a hidden society of indigents, graffiti artists, and urban explorers.

Watch the video and answer the questions below.  Decide if the statements are True or False.

1. The old catacombs were once a place where stone was mined.
a. True
b. False

2. Audrey thinks that  society in the mines is different from society above the mines.
a. True
b. False

3. Audrey and her team find people down in the catacomb every day.
a. True
b. False

For transcript and answers see below.

Transcript and Answers:

Audrey knows the underbelly of Paris like the back of her hand. She's part of the underground police force, known as "cataflic" in French, and her job is to patrol the old stone mines that run underneath the French capital. She's on the tracks of a rare kind of tourist: the cataphile, urban explorers who illegally tour these parts, attracted by the mystery of the catacombs. 

"They want to leave a little trace in the history of the mines. It's not bad, what they do. But it's forbidden." 

This underground network is so vast that it would take a week of walking non-stop to see it all. Some have made it their home: graffiti artists, drifters, and urban explorers all play cat and mouse games with the police. 

"A group made this, and then another group likes to just damage the mine. They leave their garbage, they destroy everything. Society down here is like society up there: there are those who break things, there are those who like to mend things and between them, there's us, the police."  

This space here is known as the Beach, it's one of the biggest caves, and a popular setting for parties. Audrey and her team have broken up a rave here of 300 people. 

"The cataphiles come here to party, to be on their own. So when they see the police, they're not very happy. They say we’re everywhere." 

Today as well, they will find three people on their watch. 

We were exploring. We just wanted to see some new rooms." 

"I've heard a lot about the catacombs, and I like the art. But it's my first time down here so I'm just exploring." 

"It's rare to find people during the week, but sometimes it happens: groups of three, maybe four. Tourists, for instance - these three weren't French, but it's so famous that you'll still meet them down here." 

With explorers swapping tips on the internet, these subterranean tours are not about to stop. But they are becoming expensive: running into Audrey down one of these rabbit holes will cost you some 60 Euros. 

Answers:
1. a
2. b
3. b

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