TRANSCRIPT (Download Transcript in below)
# Introduction to
the Episode
Host Alex:
Hello, everyone! Welcome to another episode of English on the Go, the
podcast where you can learn English anytime, anywhere. I’m Alex, your host, and
today we’re diving into a topic that is becoming more and more important—fast
fashion and its impact on the environment. Fashion is a huge part of our
lives, but have you ever thought about the environmental cost of keeping up
with the latest trends? Let’s explore this together.
# Introduction to
the Topic
Host Alex:
Today, we’ll be discussing How Fast Fashion Is Impacting the Environment.
Fast fashion has made clothing more affordable and accessible, but it has also
brought serious environmental concerns. To help us understand the issue better,
we’ll listen to a conversation between two friends, Mia and Jake. They’ll talk
about the rise of fast fashion and the hidden costs that come with it. Is there
a way to enjoy fashion without harming the planet? Let’s find out!
# Pre-listening
Questions
Host Alex:
Before we dive into today’s conversation, I want you to think about a few
questions to get you ready. These will help you focus on the main ideas and get
you thinking about the topic
- What do you know about fast fashion?
- How do you think fashion can impact the environment?
- Have you ever thought about where your clothes come from and
how they’re made?
# Conversation
Mia: Hey Jake, have
you heard about the environmental impact of fast fashion?
Jake: Yeah, I’ve read a
bit about it. It’s shocking how much damage the fashion industry can cause. I
mean, people don’t usually think about the waste and pollution that goes into
making clothes.
Mia: Exactly. Fast
fashion is all about producing clothes quickly and cheaply, but it’s really
harmful to the environment. Factories pump out tons of cheap clothes every
season, and a lot of it ends up in landfills.
Jake: Not to mention
the water and energy used to produce the clothes. I’ve heard that making just
one cotton T-shirt can take thousands of liters of water.
Mia: That’s right! And
many factories use harmful chemicals to dye fabrics, which then pollute rivers
and oceans. It’s a huge problem that most people don’t even realize when
they’re shopping for trendy, low-cost clothes.
Jake: It’s scary to
think about. I used to love shopping for new clothes, especially when they were
on sale. But now I’m starting to think more about where my clothes come from
and what impact they have.
Mia: I’m the same way.
I used to shop a lot, but now I try to buy fewer, better-quality pieces that
will last longer. It’s better for the environment, and I think it’s worth
spending a bit more to reduce waste.
Jake: That makes sense.
I guess it’s also about changing the way we think about fashion. Instead of
constantly buying new clothes, we can focus on sustainability and reusing what
we already have.
Mia: Absolutely! We
can also support brands that are trying to be more eco-friendly. Some companies
are starting to use recycled materials or reduce the water and energy they use
in production.
Jake: That’s great to
hear. I think more people are becoming aware of these issues, and hopefully,
the fashion industry will continue to change. But it’s not just about what the
companies do—it’s about what we do as consumers, too.
Mia: Exactly. If we’re
more mindful about what we buy and where it comes from, we can make a big
difference. It’s not easy, but every little bit helps.
Jake: I agree. It might
mean buying fewer clothes, but in the long run, it’s better for the planet and
probably better for us, too.
Mia: Definitely!
Fashion doesn’t have to come at the cost of the environment. We just need to
make smarter choices.
# Vocabulary
Analysis
Host Alex:
Let’s go over some of the key vocabulary from the conversation.
- Fast fashion: This refers to the rapid production of
cheap clothing to keep up with the latest trends. For example, Fast
fashion companies produce new collections every season, often at the
expense of the environment.
- Landfill: A place where waste is buried. For example, Many
old clothes end up in landfills, contributing to pollution.
- Sustainability: The idea of using resources in a way
that does not harm the environment. For example, We should focus on
sustainability when choosing what to buy.
- Pollute: To make air, water, or land dirty and unsafe.
For example, Factories that dye fabrics often pollute nearby rivers.
- Eco-friendly: Something that is not harmful to the
environment. For example, More people are looking for eco-friendly
clothing brands.
Host Alex:
Now, listen to the conversation again and try to identify these words as you
listen.
# Comprehension
Questions
Host Alex:
Let’s take a moment to check your understanding of today’s conversation. I’ll
ask a few questions to help you reflect on what was discussed. Try to answer
them based on what you heard.
- What is fast fashion, and why is it harmful to the
environment?
- How much water is used to make one cotton T-shirt?
- What are some of the environmental problems caused by
clothing factories?
- What changes have Mia and Jake made in their shopping habits?
- What are some ways that companies are trying to become more
eco-friendly?
# Post-listening
Questions
Host Alex:
Now, let’s go beyond today’s conversation and apply what you’ve learned. I have
a few more questions for you to think about. How can you relate these ideas to
your own life?
- How often do you think about the environmental impact of the
clothes you buy?
- What steps can you take to be more mindful about your fashion
choices?
- Are there any eco-friendly brands or practices that you
already support?
# Conclusion
Host Alex:
That’s it for today’s episode of English on the Go. I hope you found the
conversation helpful and learned something new about the impact of fast fashion
on the environment. We’ve also prepared a free PDF with tips and vocabulary
from today’s episode, so be sure to check it out! See you next time, and keep
learning English on the go!
***Here are some idioms and life-related phrases :
1.
"Have you heard about" – A
common phrase used to start a conversation about a topic that may be new or
interesting to someone.
2.
"Fast fashion" – Refers to
the rapid production of inexpensive clothing that follows current trends but
often harms the environment.
3.
"Pump out" – A phrasal
verb meaning to produce something in large quantities, often rapidly and with
little concern for quality or impact.
4.
"Ends up in landfills" –
Refers to the final destination of waste material that cannot be recycled or
reused, implying negative environmental impact.
5.
"On sale" – A phrase
referring to discounted items, often used in conversations about consumerism
and shopping habits.
6.
"Used to" – A common
phrase indicating a past habit that has since changed.
7.
"Worth spending a bit more" –
Suggests the idea that investing more money in quality can lead to long-term
benefits.
8.
"Changing the way we think" –
A life-related phrase encouraging a shift in mindset or behavior.
9.
"Every little bit helps" –
A phrase that expresses how small efforts can accumulate to make a big
difference.
10. "In
the long run" – An idiom used to talk about the future and how
actions taken now will have a lasting impact over time.
EXERCISE
EXERCISE 01: Fill
in the Blanks
Instructions: Listen to the
conversation and fill in the blanks.
- Mia: Hey Jake, have you heard about the environmental impact of __________?
- Jake: It’s shocking how much __________ the fashion industry can cause.
- Mia: Factories pump out tons of cheap clothes every __________.
- Jake: I’ve heard that making just one cotton __________ can take thousands of liters of water.
- Mia: Many factories use harmful __________ to dye fabrics.
- Jake: I’m starting to think more about where my clothes come from and what __________ they have.
- Mia: I try to buy fewer, better-quality pieces that will last __________.
Answer Key
1. fast fashion
2. damage
3. season
4. T-shirt
5. chemicals
6. impact
7. longer
EXERCISE 02:
Multiple Choice
Instructions: Choose the
correct answer for each question.
- What is the main topic of the conversation?
- a) The latest fashion trends
- b) The environmental impact of fast fashion
- c) The history of clothing production
- According to Jake, how much water is used to make one cotton
T-shirt?
- a) A few liters
- b) Thousands of liters
- c) Hundreds of liters
- What does Mia suggest about shopping habits?
- a) Shop more frequently
- b) Buy fewer, better-quality pieces
- c) Buy only trendy clothes
Answer Key
1. b) The environmental impact of fast fashion
2. b) Thousands of liters
3. b) Buy fewer, better-quality pieces
EXERCISE 03: True
or False
Instructions: Read the
statements and mark them as True or False.
- Jake believes fast fashion is harmless to the environment.
(True/False)
- Mia mentions that factories produce cheap clothes every
season. (True/False)
- Both Mia and Jake are indifferent about where their clothes
come from. (True/False)
- Mia advocates for supporting brands that are eco-friendly.
(True/False)
Answer Key
1. False
2. True
3. False
4. True
Instructions: Match the phrases
to the correct endings.
|
Phrases |
Endings |
|
1. Fast fashion
is about producing clothes |
a. and what
impact they have. |
|
2. Mia tries to buy
fewer, |
b. quickly and
cheaply. |
|
3. Jake is
starting to think more about |
c.
better-quality pieces that will last longer. |
|
4. It’s
important to make smarter choices |
d. for the
planet and probably better for us. |
Answer Key
1. b) quickly and cheaply.
2. c) better-quality pieces that will last longer.
3. a) and what impact they have.
4. d) for the planet and probably better for us.
Instructions: Rearrange the
words to form correct sentences based on the conversation.
- fast / impact / heard / Mia / about / environmental / the /
have / Jake.
- clothes / factories / pump / tons / out / cheap / every /
season.
- harmful / dye / factories / chemicals / use / to / fabrics.
- the / change / industry / hopefully / fashion / continue /
will.
- smarter / choices / we / make / need / to / just / need / to
/ the.
Answer Key
1. Mia has heard about the environmental impact of fast fashion.
2. Factories pump out tons of cheap clothes every season.
3. Factories use harmful chemicals to dye fabrics.
4. Hopefully, the fashion industry will continue to change.
5. We just need to make smarter choices.
EXERCISE 06: Gap
Fill with Word Bank
Instructions: Fill in the gaps
with the correct words from the word bank.
Word Bank: (impact,
eco-friendly, quality, clothes, pollution)
- The fashion industry causes a lot of __________.
- Mia tries to buy fewer, better-__________ pieces.
- Supporting brands that are __________ is important.
- The __________ of fast fashion is significant.
- Factories produce cheap __________ quickly.
Answer Key
1. pollution
2. quality
3. eco-friendly
4. impact
5. clothes
EXERCISE 07:
Sentence Reordering
Instructions: Rearrange the
following sentences to form a coherent dialogue based on the conversation.
- Jake: I used to love shopping for new clothes, especially when they were on sale.
- Mia: Fast fashion is all about producing clothes quickly and cheaply.
- Jake: It’s scary to think about.
- Mia: Exactly! If we’re more mindful about what we buy, we can make a big difference.
- Mia: It’s better for the environment, and I think it’s worth spending a bit more to reduce waste.
- Jake: But now I’m starting to think more about where my clothes come from.
- Jake: I guess it’s also about changing the way we think about fashion.
Answer Key
1. 2. Mia: Fast fashion is all about producing clothes quickly and cheaply.
2. 1. Jake: I used to love shopping for new clothes, especially when they were on sale.
3. 6. Jake: But now I’m starting to think more about where my clothes come from.
4. 3. Jake: It’s scary to think about.
5. 7. Jake: I guess it’s also about changing the way we think about fashion.
6. 5. Mia: It’s better for the environment, and I think it’s worth spending a bit more to reduce waste.
7. 4. Mia: Exactly! If we’re more mindful about what we buy, we can make a big difference.
