Difficulty: Intermediate
France
Don’t confuse Noah’s Ark with Zoé’s Ark. The first is said to have saved Noah, his family, and two representatives of each living creature, and the second claims it tried to save children. The members involved in this child abduction scheme have been found guilty, but who should pay the restitution?
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
Two students from Gabon were expelled from a French University and deported back to their home country for having low grades in school. One was even forced to leave behind his wife and young daughter (a French citizen). The government of Gabon is not pleased and may take measures to retaliate in kind.
Difficulty: Beginner
France
The young and the old are always the most severely affected by crises – a fact illustrated by this demonstration, in which the elderly clamor for emergency measures so they can make ends meet.
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
Whether heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual, “jouets intimes”-sexual, or sexagenarian, women affirm that sexuality is not just for men.
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
You’ve heard of Elvis impersonators? Well France has Claude François impersonators! Meet Tom Evers, who performs in the style of Podium at the very same club where the real Claude used to come to relax, comme d’habitude.
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
Residents of the seaside town Sables d’Olonne have a sizable problem on their hands: a beached ship that they can’t seem to get unstuck. Looks like they’ll have to try again tomorrow.
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
The beached ship in Sables d’Olonne is still stuck in the sand. In fact, it’s becoming quite the local attraction!
Difficulty: Beginner
France
How should a restaurant owner go about finding the right recipe for passing on the increasing cost of basic ingredients to the customer? By math or by witchcraft?
Difficulty: Beginner
France
Those of us who live in the United States are used to being able to buy some medications right off the shelves. But in France, until very recently, you weren’t able to purchase painkillers without first speaking to a pharmacist. Now certain painkillers are available on a self-serve basis, but are pharmacists ready for this change?
Difficulty: Beginner
France
Brr! It’s hard to believe that anything could survive in waters as cold as minus two degrees. But recent research expeditions in the Antarctic Ocean have found life forms, like the icefish, that manage to thrive despite the chilly temperatures.
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
Neighbors, friends, and the people of France remember Lazare Ponticelli, the last Poilu, who saw one hundred and ten springtimes and two world wars before passing away in March of 2008.
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
Just how bad can stress from work get? Though the effects of stress may not always be visible or immediately apparent, some employees have been driven to insomnia, depression, even suicide because of difficulties at work. Some companies have implemented new anti-stress measures, but will that be enough?
Difficulty: Adv-Intermediate
France
It’s common to see photos of celebrities aged forty and up happily pregnant or pushing a pram. But according to most doctors, a woman’s chances of conceiving drop dramatically after age thirty-eight or so. Of course there are exceptions. Modern medical fertility treatments allowed a sixty-six-year-old Romanian woman to give birth to twins in 2005. But unless we’re willing and able to procure such treatments, which can be financially, emotionally, and physically draining, those who want to wait until their forties to have kids will have to take their chances.
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
What’s in a name? Quite a lot, as it turns out! Thanks to changes in what land is covered by the Champagne Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (or AOC, the French method of labeling foods and wines according to region), some farmers will soon be able to start cultivating official champagne. But not everyone is a winner—some farmers will lose this prestigious appellation.
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
Another protest on the streets of Paris: this one about the difficulties of obtaining a driving permit. The steep price of a permit is currently about 1200 € in France, and candidates must face long waits of several months or more just to take the test. Increasing the number of driving inspectors would help both to lessen these delays and lower costs.
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
At the Paris Salon du Livre this year, in response to the visit of the Israeli president, six Arab nations decided to exclude themselves from the event. Some attendees were puzzled by the boycott, especially considering that many Israeli writers are known to advocate the creation of a Palestinian state. With all that pressure, no wonder the roof collapsed!
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
Buddhist monks and other Tibetans protest against Chinese rule while their spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, continues his exile in India. The topic of Tibet was a sore point for China as it prepared to host the Summer Olympics.
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
Chantal Sébire, whose face was disfigured by a large and incurable tumor that caused her excruciating pain and made her blind, had one request: to end her own life. But the French government refused to allow her to obtain a prescription from her doctor for a lethal amount of drugs. One week after this report, Ms. Sébire was found dead in her home.
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
Choosing a name for a new baby is just one of the tricky tasks parents face. Should you go with a classic, like Jeanne; a trendy name, like Mathéo; or an old-school throwback, like Alphonse? It can be tough to decide, but if all else fails, just use your alphabet blocks!
Difficulty: Beginner
France
A group has designed a new tool to bring sex education into the digital age. It’s “Neutros”: an informative and fun online video game designed to teach young people about sexuality, contraception, and other adolescent issues.
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
Meet the various artists in residence at number 39 Saint-Pavin Street in Le Mans. The city-sponsored studio space is a great opportunity for artists to grow in their art and exchange with others.
Difficulty: Adv-Intermediate
France
Youssef Ben Amar is a rapper and political activist who is running for office in the fourth legislative district of the Sarthe department. He shares his views and urges people to take an interest in politics, which he believes is something that all people do every day.
Difficulty: Intermediate
France, French Guiana
French Guiana is currently debating a controversial topic: the Montagne d'Or (Gold Mountain), in the heart of the Amazon rainforest. The environmental impact is a major concern, and many people and organizations are opposing the project.
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
Which is better for the environment: a real Christmas tree or a fake one? Find out in this video.
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