LESSON

Fabric revolution

B1 learning English in real life with authentic language

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 Transcript
Fabric revolution - 26th February 2020
Fashion is one of the most polluting industries. The 9th Future Fabrics Expo aims to change
that. This textile exhibition in London is promoting new, cleaner materials.
The Expo was founded by The Sustainable Angle. It’s a non-profit organisation which wants
the fashion industry to adopt a new approach.
Many fabrics on display were made using waste materials. These include plastic bottles and
this pineapple leaf fibre from the Philippines.
Ceri Rees, Sales and Marketing Manager Ananas anam: “the fruit is cut and harvested for
consumption and we use the plant, the long plant leaves that are left behind which are
otherwise usually burnt or sometimes they’re left to rot so we, we’re adding value to this
waste, waste product."
In Brazil, fish skin has been turned into leather.
Rodrigo Lopes, Commercial director of Nova Kaeru: “it's a very important food source and
the skins were just going to waste then we turned into this beautiful leather."
The exhibition is to show designers more environmentally friendly options exist.
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 Before you watch
1. What are some of the effects of air pollution on people's health?
2. Have you ever attended a science or technology fair? What kind of
inventions or innovations did you see there?
3. How can individuals make their daily lives more sustainable, in terms of
energy use and waste reduction?
4. Have you ever worked on a farm or known someone who has? What
is it like to harvest crops?
5. How important is the durability of your shoes to you? Do you prefer
natural materials like leather or synthetic ones? Why?
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 Vocabulary matching
Fill the following gaps with the words on the left in the correct form.
1. non-profit A. damaging the environment by releasing harmful substances like chemicals, waste, and plastics
into the air, water, or soil.
The factory is ____________ the nearby river with chemicals.
2. harvested B. a type of cloth or woven fabric.
The company specializes in producing high-quality __________ for clothing.
3. polluting C. an organization that does not aim to make a profit, but instead uses any money it earns to
achieve its goals.
The charity is a ______________ organization that provides food and shelter to homeless people.
4. leather D. a thin thread or strand of material, usually used to make textiles.
This shirt is made from a soft and breathable cotton ________________________.
5. textile E. collected or gathered produce, usually from a farm or field.
The farmers __________________ their crops at the end of the season.
6. fibre F. a material made from animal skin that is used to make clothing, shoes, and accessories.
The _______________ jacket is a classic piece of clothing that never goes out of style.
7. environmentally G. something that is designed or produced in a way that does not harm the environment.
friendly The company's new product is ____________________ and uses only sustainable materials.
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 Video lesson

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 After you watch (True/False)
1. Fashion is one of the least polluting industries. T/F
2. The Future Fabrics Expo in London aims to promote new, T/F
cleaner materials.
3. The Sustainable Angle is a for-profit organization. T/F
4. Some fabrics on display at the Expo were made from waste T/F
materials such as plastic bottles and pineapple leaf fibre.
5. Fish skin has been turned into leather in Brazil. T/F
6. The purpose of the exhibition is to discourage designers from T/F
using environmentally friendly options.
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 Grammar Point
Confusing Verbs and Nouns
Confusing verbs and nouns can be challenging for English language learners. Here are
some popular nouns and verbs easily confused:
Advice (noun) - Advise (verb)
Advice is a noun that means a recommendation or suggestion.
Example: My friend gave me some good advice about my career.
Advise is a verb that means to give advice or counsel to someone.
Example: My teacher advised me to study hard for my exams.
Compliment (noun/verb) - Complement (noun/verb)
Compliment is a noun or verb that means an expression of admiration or praise.
Example: She received a compliment on her new dress.
Complement is a noun or verb that means something that completes or enhances
something else. Example: The red wine complemented the steak perfectly.
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 Grammar Point
Confusing Verbs and Nouns
Practice (noun) - Practise (verb)
Practice is a noun that means the application of a skill or knowledge.
Example: The doctor has a busy practice.
Practise is a verb that means to carry out or perform a skill or knowledge.
Example: I need to practise my guitar playing.
Break (noun) - Brake (verb)
Break is a noun that means a pause or interruption in work or activity.
Example: We took a coffee break in the middle of our meeting.
Brake is a verb that means to slow down or stop a vehicle.
Example: He had to brake suddenly to avoid hitting the car in front of him.
Effect (noun) - Affect (verb)
Effect is a noun that refers to the result or consequence of an action.
Example: The effect of the medication was immediate.
Affect is a verb that means to produce a change or influence something.
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Example: The new policy will affect all employees.
 Grammar Point
Choose the correct form of the word.
1. I need some _____ on my presentation. (advice/advise)
2. Can you _____ me on what to wear to the interview? (advise/advice)
3. The chef received a _____ on her delicious meal.
(compliment/complement)
4. The vegetables _____ the main dish perfectly. (compliment/complement)
5. Dr. Johnson has a busy _____ in the city. (practice/practise)
6. I need to _____ my Spanish speaking skills. (practise/practice)
7. We took a lunch _____ after working all morning. (break/brake)
8. He had to _____ suddenly to avoid hitting the pedestrian. (break/brake)
9. The _____ of the storm was devastating. (effect/affect)
9 10. The new policy will _____ all employees. (affect/effect)
 Questions for discussion
1. Should companies be more transparent about the production
processes and working conditions in their factories? Why or why not?
2. In your opinion, what can we do to reduce the negative impact of fast
fashion on the environment?
3. Have you ever bought second-hand or vintage clothes? Why or why
not?
4. How important is it to you to buy clothes that are ethically and
sustainably made?
5. Do you think that sustainable and ethical fashion is becoming more
popular? Why or why not?
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 Recommendation
We recommend doing the interactive exercises related to the lesson:
Prepositions
Construct sentences
Read at 3 different speeds
Verbs
Sentence muddle

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