La querelle gronde dans l’ouest de la France. Breton ou Normand ? Où se trouve le Mont-Saint-Michel ? La réponse dans ce nouvel épisode de Douce France.


Douce France

Le Mont-Saint-Michel est-il breton ? 

Ъ - the hard sign, it seems what could be easier? But no, the Internet can change even that. 💡

A word to read in the episode "объект".

All about Russian language 🌟

Chapters from Books

Victor Hugo - Sefiller (Les Miserables)

Textile waste is an urgent global problem, with only 12% recycled worldwide, according to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, a fashion sustainability nonprofit.

Nowhere is the problem greater than in China, the world's largest textile producer and consumer, where more than 26 million tons of clothes are thrown away each year, according to government statistics. Most of it ends up in landfills.

The country's clothing industry is dominated by "fast fashion" — cheap clothes made from unrecyclable synthetics. And Chinese e-commerce brands Shein and Temu make the country one of the world's largest producers of cheap fashion, selling in more than 150 countries.

Currently, only about 20% of China's textiles are recycled, according to the Chinese government. And many Chinese consumers are unwilling to buy used items anyway.

Still, among younger Chinese, there is a growing awareness of sustainability and some "remade" clothing businesses have emerged.

Designer Zhang Na's fashion label, Reclothing Bank, sells clothes, bags and other accessories made from materials such as plastic bottles, fishing nets and flour sacks.

The items' labels have QR codes that show their composition, how they were made and the source of the materials.

Reclothing Bank began in 2010 to give "new life to old things," Zhang said of her store in Shanghai. A large used clothes deposit box sits outside the entrance.

Zhang said she has seen sustainability consciousness grow since she opened her store, with core customers in their 20s and 30s.

But recycled garments sold at stores like Reclothing Bank cost much more than fast-fashion brands due to their production methods.

And that's the real problem, said Sheng Lu, professor of fashion and apparel studies at the University of Delaware.

"Studies repeatedly show consumers are not willing to pay higher for clothing made from recycled materials" he said.




Practice Listening, Reading & Comprehension

26 Million Tons of Clothes Discarded in China Each Year

Un episodio lleno de construcciones que narran la historia de Colombia como amalgama de culturas, pensamientos y modos de ser y habitar el mundo. 
En el siguiente google docs encontrarán el artículo del podcast y algunas fotografías de distintas construcciones en épocas diferentes: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HQYl66bsQbhd7k-Funmx8P9W-dLJiIkvRn4cRdC41QI/edit

Voces Difusora

Arquitectura colombiana: trazos de la historia

Mona and I discuss my theory that students of ANY language should read Haruki Murakami's novels.

Starting at 17:26, I explain the following vocabulary from the episode:

to get a feel for (something)
on the one hand; on the other hand
down to earth

As always, a full transcript of the episode can be found at www.american-idiom.com

Brentoni's English Podcast

013 - Why Language Learners Should Read Haruki Murakami

AI is everywhere — but is it helping or hurting your IELTS score? In this episode of Kev’s English Podcast, Kev Dean (The English Native) exposes the hidden dangers of using tools like ChatGPT, Grammarly, and DeepSeek for IELTS Writing and Speaking.

You’ll learn:

Why AI-generated phrases can sound robotic and unnatural

How overusing AI can damage your fluency, coherence, and ideas

The right way to use AI for feedback without losing your voice

Real IELTS examples of “AI English” vs natural, native-like alternatives

Perfect for IELTS Band 6.5–7+ students, OET candidates, and English learners who want authentic, confident communication skills.

🎯 Get the transcript for this episode at theenglishnative.com
📺 Watch my videos https://www.youtube.com/@TheEnglishNative
🎙 Follow Kev’s English Podcast for weekly real English tips

Keywords: IELTS Writing Task 2 tips, IELTS Speaking tips, ChatGPT for IELTS, AI IELTS preparation, natural English

Kev's English Podcast

KEP 35: IELTS Disaster: When AI Makes You Sound Like a Robot

История создания праздника, основные традиции и приметы.