Why beaucoup and not bien?

Question

In the lesson above, you have AIMER BIEN / BEAUCOUP - TO LIKE  /  (A LOT). In the quiz, "J'aime bien tes chaussures." was marked incorrect for "I really like your shoes."  It was corrected with beaucoup. If bien and beaucoup don't mean the same thing, then you need to clarify that in the lesson because as it is written, they look interchangeable.

Answer

Agree, it can be confusing. However, the translation follows the same format on the right as the word order on left; so expanded, this means: Aimer bien (To like); Aimer beaucoup (To like a lot). This pattern is followed pretty consistently throughout the lessons. In the lesson, it is explained that 'aimer bien' is used as an expression that softens, reduces or lessens, the degree of liking, rather than increasing it, whereas beaucoup does just as you would expect, and enhances the meaning; neither reaches the level of 'love' for somebody (Aimer trop fort), or adorer.