In this episode, Mona quizzes Brent on his British English knowledge. See if you can do better than we can!

At the end of the episode, we look at the following vocabulary in more detail:

to have a leg up on someone
to take a stab at something
to fit the bill

Brentoni's English Podcast

021 - Brent Tests His Knowledge of British English

Drink	喝	hē
Drip	滴	dī
Drive	驾驶	jiàshǐ
Drool	流口水	liú kǒushuǐ
Drop; eg as in to fall down	掉下	diào xià


5 Verbs a Day. 每天学习五个动词。

C(21) Vocabulary Set: Drink Drip Drive Drool Drop

Travelers often fly to New York or Paris just for the shopping experience, but according to a new report, it's Milan that should be called the capital of global shopping.

A real estate company has found that Via Monte Napoleone in Milan is the world's most expensive retail destination.

US firm Cushman & Wakefield ranked shopping areas based on the rent prices per square meter, and Milan has knocked New York's Fifth Avenue off the top of the list.

The average rent on the Milan street has risen to more than $20,800 per square meter compared with about $20,300 per square meter on an 11-block area of upper Fifth Avenue.

Via Monte Napoleone's small size — it's just 350 meters long — and walking distance to services and top cultural sites are among the street's key advantages, according to Guglielmo Miani, president of the Monte Napoleone District association.

"Not everything can fit, which is a benefit" since the limited space makes the street even more exclusive, said Miani.

The biggest brands on the street make more than $100 million in annual sales, Miani said, which goes a long way to paying the rent. Tiffany is preparing to open a store on Via Monte Napoleone, and luxury fashion store Fendi is expanding.

The Monte Napoleone District says 11 million people visited the area during the first 11 months of the year, but there's no way to say how many were big spenders and how many were just window shopping.

But according to shopping firm Global Blue, the average shopper on Via Monte Napoleone spent $2,600 per purchase between August and November — the highest average receipt in the world.

Officials from Fifth Avenue praised Milan for its efforts in making the street — and the city — a desirable place to shop.

But they added that the Italian city should enjoy its position at the top of the list while it can!

Practice Listening, Reading & Comprehension

Milan Shopping Street Named World's Most Exclusive

Le ballon rond rassemble des millions de personnes à travers le monde, c'est aussi le sport le plus populaire en France. Mais comme beaucoup de français(es) je m'intéresse à beaucoup de disciplines, c'est toujours plus facile de commenter depuis son canapé. Et toi, quel le sport national dans ton pays ? 

Cher Journal

Episode 12 - Le Sport National

TRANSCRIPTION (explanation included)
These various expressions for negation span a spectrum of formality and tone. In the lexicon of everyday conversation, one might simply assert "no," "nope," or "nah," and even employ a touch of informality with "not gonna happen." When a matter is more absolute, phrases like "without a doubt, no" and "under no circumstances" make the position clear. In informal settings, a definitive refusal might take the form of "not a chance" or "ain't gonna happen," perhaps even with a touch of camaraderie, as in "nah, mate." For matters requiring decorum, a formal approach may involve phrases like "I'm afraid the answer is no" or "I must decline," while adding regret, as in "regrettably, no," imparts a sense of genuine consideration. Politeness tempers the refusal in phrases such as "I'm sorry, but no" and "thank you for considering me, but I'll have to say no," expressing gratitude for the offer. The witty turn of phrase adds a touch of humor to the refusal, suggesting impossibility with expressions like "I'd sooner sprout wings and fly" or "when pigs fly." In more elevated circles, the upper class might communicate their refusal with statements like "I regret to inform you that the answer is in the negative" or "it would not be fitting, I'm afraid," while maintaining an air of politeness. For royalty, a refusal is conveyed with grace and tact, as in "one must respectfully decline" or "I cannot acquiesce to that request," underscoring the formal nature of the response. Ultimately, the choice of expression hinges on the context and the level of decorum required for the situation at hand.

LEARN BY LISTENING

How To say 'NO' in various English Registers

Many students are afraid of speaking because they worry about vocabulary. Find easy ways to describe things. Here is a fun example of describing cheese!

The Social Evolutionary

How can you describe cheese?

Learn the basic music industry terminology so that you can do business as a musician.

New English US

English for Musicians

UK Shoplifting Now at it's Highest Level - Shoplifting is when you take something in a shop and avoid paying for it.

Teacher Joseph's Podcast

UK Shoplifting Now at it's Highest Level

A Few Motivational Thoughts (with transcript)

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xh0luMdhIl9JL-0moeHBmOZlEegtbmt2/view?usp=drive_link