Shadowing Practice: Why Wagyu Beef Is So Expensive | So Expensive - Learn English Speaking with Video
Kies een oefenmodus
Elke modus opent een volledig scherm oefenruimte.
65 zinnen
Als zinnen te kort of te lang zijn, klik op Bewerken om ze aan te passen.
1
This is Wagyu beef, one of the most expensive meats in the world.
2
Produced in Japan and prized for its rich marbling and buttery taste, high-grade Wagyu can cost up to $200 per pound.
3
And the cows themselves can sell for as much as $30,000.
4
But what is it that makes the meat so expensive?
5
The term wagyu literally translates to Japanese cow, and it generally refers to four main breeds.
6
These cows were bred for physical endurance, giving them more intramuscular fat cells.
7
The fat is distributed more evenly throughout their muscle, which is why wagyu beef looks pink and tastes so tender.
8
And the Japanese government tightly regulates wagyu production to protect the value and quality of the meat.
9
Wagyu is graded on two main factors, how much meat can be yielded, and the quality of the marbled fat.
10
Only A3 to A5 Wagyu is certified for sale in Japan.
11
And the higher the grade, the higher the price.
12
Wagyu beef has gained almost legendary status, and there are many myths about Wagyu farms and the way the animals are treated, from getting daily massages to being fed beer, but these often aren't true.
13
The cows are raised very differently in each region and by different farmers, but they're often raised by a breeder until they're about 10 months old, and then sold at auction to a fattening farmer.
14
By the time the calves are sold at auction, they can already fetch 40 times the price of US cattle.
15
The fattening farmer will keep the animals in small pens
16
and feed them a mixture of fiber and high energy concentrate made from rice, wheat and hay.
17
They are often fed this three times a day for almost two years until the animals are almost 50% fat.
18
Only the pregnant cows and breeding cattle are allowed to graze on pasture.
19
The length of the fattening process
20
and the import prices of the huge amount of concentrated feed increases the cost of the beef.
21
And over this fattening period each cow will eat five tonnes of feed.
22
If and when a cow goes to auction it can sell for as much as $30,000.
23
Comparatively, black Angus cattle, which are considered the cream of the crop in countries like the United States and Australia, typically don't sell for more than $3,000.
24
And depending on the kind, the Wagyu can fetch close to $200 per pound.
25
High marbling is the common goal, but the approach varies by farm and area.
26
While there are more than 300 varieties of Wagyu available, the most notable cuts come from 10 regions.
27
One of the most expensive cuts is Matsusaka Wagyu from Mie Prefecture, made exclusively from virgin female cows and highly prized for its tenderness.
28
In 2002, one Matsusaka cow sold for 50 million yen, or roughly 400,000 dollars.
29
However the best known cut of Wagyu is Kobe beef, which comes from the city of Kobe in Hyogo Prefecture, and is made exclusively from steers or castrated bulls.
30
Although Kobe is commonly seen on US restaurant menus, customers should be wary of items like Kobe burgers, as authentic Kobe beef is too tender to be formed into a patty.
31
Several US restaurants are actually serving hybrid Wangus beef from domestically raised Wagyu and Angus cows.
32
The highest ranking Wagyu is A5 Miyazaki, a two-time winner of the Wagyu Olympics.
33
A5 Miyazaki will cost you $100 or more per pound.
34
At Sakamai in New York City, it's the Wagyu of choice.
35
The restaurant is best known for serving it in an $85 katsu sando, a popular Japanese-style sandwich.
36
On a busy night, we probably serve about 25 of them at $85 a pot.
37
Why is Wagyu so difficult to find in the US?
38
Because Wagyu is so difficult to find in the US, yes, we do have a number of customers coming to us just to try the Wagyu.
39
Sometimes Two Top will come and just order the sandal by itself.
40
There are a lot of tariffs and quotas on Japanese beef imports, and it's actually not allowed to import live cattle, so it is very difficult to source Wagyu.
41
So is it worth it? it, we decided to have our team give A5 Miyazaki Wagyu a try.
42
Holy st.
43
It's so good.
44
It's really like, um, it's like buttery.
45
It's like as if it was like coated in butter but it's like...
46
But it wasn't, it was really just salt and pepper which is crazy.
47
And there might be something even more sought after than the A5 Miyazaki.
48
Hailed as the This is the rarest steak in the world.
49
Olive Wagyu comes from cattle raised on pressed, dried olive peels mixed into their feet.
50
It was developed in 2006 by a Japanese cattle farmer named Masaki Ishii.
51
Only about 2,200 of these cows were slaughtered in 2018, and they all live on the island of Shodashima, home to Japan's oldest olive oil plantation.
52
This special Wagyu is said to be extra tender, and can cost anywhere from $120 to over $300 for a steak.
53
While Wagyu's popularity grows worldwide, the domestic picture is a little different.
54
Wagyu's popularity in Japan is actually slumping slightly, and the country imported more U.S beef than any other country as of 2017.
55
The value of Japanese exports of Wagyu has risen over 200% in the past five years.
56
And as Japan's population ages, farmers are struggling to keep up with the increased global demand, raising prices even more.
57
But the high cost hasn't discouraged international sales.
58
In 2013, Japan exported 5 billion yen worth of wagyu.
59
Last year, exports hit 24.7 billion yen.
60
And many producers are now getting halal certifications for their slaughterhouses, so they can export to Muslim countries.
61
However, Japan may eventually have some competition when it comes to producing high quality Wagyu.
62
Countries like the US, Australia and the UK have been working on breeding their own Wagyu, usually relying on crossbreeding.
63
Most British American and Australian Wagyu are only 50% purebred, but that may be changing soon.
64
In the UK, for example, the Wagyu Breeders Association now registers DNA-verified full-blood Wagyu bulls and certifies authentic British Wagyu.
65
New methods and increased regulation may result in a product as good as the original, which means that the soon could be a lot more waggooth that costs a lot less.
App downloaden
Alles wat je nodig hebt om vloeiend te spreken
AI UitspraakScoor elke zin
IPA OefeningBeheers elk geluid
WoordenschatBouw je woordenschat op
WoordenspelLeren terwijl je speelt
📺 Zelfde Kanaal
B2The Rise And Fall Of The Mall
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
B21
Why This Watch Costs Over $450,000
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
B21
Why Rolls-Royce Cars Are More Expensive Than Ever (with Supercar Blondie) | Well Spent
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
B27
Sneaky Ways Fast Food Restaurants Get You To Spend Money
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B22
Why Japan Can't Keep Up With America's Matcha Obsession | So Expensive | Business Insider
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B25
Why FIFA Spends Millions On World Cup Grass
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B23
The Rise And Fall Of Forever 21 | Rise And Fall | Business Insider
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B24
The Real Reason Disney Is So Expensive
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B22
Tony Robbins One-On-One Coaching Session
Business EnglishWorking Adults
B22
Can Bamboo Replace Paper And Plastic? And Should It? | World Wide Waste | Business Insider
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
C19
Why Single-Origin Coffee Is So Expensive | So Expensive | Business Insider
Business EnglishWorking Adults
B21
How Toxic Green Mussels Feed Millions In Indonesia's Biggest City
Business EnglishWorking Adults
B26
Why Stockfish Is So Expensive | So Expensive Food | Business Insider
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B21
How Ultra-Processed Foods Took Over America And Can Even Pass For Healthy | Business Insider
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B23
This is how much it would cost to follow Argentina through to the finals at the #2026WorldCup. #FIFA
Travel EnglishWorking Adults
B22
The Hidden Process Behind Every FIFA-Certified Football | Big Business
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B27
Why Jasmine Oil Is So Expensive | So Expensive | Business Insider
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B14
How To Make Small Talk
Business EnglishDaily ConversationWorking Adults
B27
Why Mangosteen, The Viral TikTok Fruit, Is So Expensive | So Expensive | Business Insider
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B22
Why Owning Nothing Is So Expensive
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
✨ Aanbevolen Video
B22
43 zinnen
Lab-grown meat is on the rise — here's how it is made
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B22
90 zinnen
Why Steinway Grand Pianos Are So Expensive | So Expensive
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B22
69 zinnen
How the rich avoid paying taxes
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B22
187 zinnen
How Greed is Destroying FIFA
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B13
84 zinnen
Why Parmesan Cheese Is So Expensive | Regional Eats | Food Insider
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B26
195 zinnen
How Amazon Delivers On One-Day Shipping
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B21
20 zinnen
How this overpriced jacket invaded corporate America
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B23
320 zinnen
What a Day at a Japanese Fish Market Auction is like
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B21
267 zinnen
ALL OF BUSINESS Explained in 20 Minutes
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B24
260 zinnen
World's Cheapest vs Most Expensive Laptop!
British AccentBusiness EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B214
45 zinnen
What makes art so expensive? | CNBC Explains
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
Woordenschat en spreektips bij deze les
Deze spreekles op niveau B2 is gebaseerd op de video “Why Wagyu Beef Is So Expensive”. Deze woorden komen het vaakst terug: wagyu, cow, beef, cattle, Japanese. Deze video bevat 65 zinnen en 1043 woorden om na te spreken. Het gesproken deel duurt 6:16. De spreker praat in een natuurlijk tempo van ongeveer 166 woorden per minuut, dicht bij een alledaags gesprek. Slechts 75% van de woorden hoort bij de 3.000 meest gebruikte Engelse woorden, dus de woordenschat is pittig.
Belangrijke woorden in deze video
De 15 moeilijkste woorden uit de video, met uitspraak en betekenis:
| Woord | Uitspraak | Betekenis |
|---|---|---|
| cow zelfstandig naamwoord | /kaʊ/ | koe |
| farmer zelfstandig naamwoord | /ˈfɑɹ.mɚ/ | boer, boerin |
| fatten werkwoord | /ˈfætən/ | vetmesten |
| breed werkwoord | /ˈbɹiːd/ | zich voortplanten |
| import zelfstandig naamwoord | /ˈɪm.pɔɹt/ | import, invoer |
| marble zelfstandig naamwoord | /ˈmɑɹ.bəl/ | marmer |
| tender bijvoeglijk naamwoord | /ˈtɛn.dɚ/ | gevoelig |
| olive zelfstandig naamwoord | /ˈɑ.lɪv/ | olijf |
| buttery bijvoeglijk naamwoord | /ˈbʌt(ə)ɹi/ | boterachtig |
| fetch werkwoord | /fɛt͡ʃ/ | halen |
| steak zelfstandig naamwoord | /steɪk/ | biefstuk, steak |
| authentic bijvoeglijk naamwoord | /ɔˈθɛn.tɪk/ | authentiek, echt |
| concentrate werkwoord | /ˈkɑn.sən.tɹeɪt/ | concentreren |
| castrate werkwoord | /ˈkæs.tɹeɪt/ | castreren |
| intramuscular bijvoeglijk naamwoord | intramusculair |
Grammatica in deze video
De structuren die de spreker het meest gebruikt, met de exacte woorden uit de video:
| Structuur | In de video |
|---|---|
| Lijdende vorm be + voltooid deelwoord — het gaat om wat er gebeurt, niet om wie het doet | were bred · is distributed · is graded |
| Betrekkelijke bijzinnen who / which + zin — extra informatie over een persoon of ding | muscle, which is · cattle, which are · pepper which is |
| Present perfect have/has + voltooid deelwoord — iets uit het verleden dat nu nog telt | has gained · has risen · hasn't discouraged |
Uitspraak om op te letten
De spreker gebruikt 6 samentrekkingen en verkorte vormen, zoals they're, aren't, don't. Spreek ze kort uit, zoals je ze hoort.
- De “th”-klanken: authentic /ɔˈθɛn.tɪk/, myth /mɪθ/
- De klanken “sh” en “zh”: plantation /plænˈteɪʃən/, certification /ˌsɜː.tɪ.fɪˈkeɪ.ʃən/, massage /məˈsɑ(d)ʒ/
- Lange woorden — let op de klemtoon: comparatively /kəmˈpæɹ.ə.tɪvli/, certification /ˌsɜː.tɪ.fɪˈkeɪ.ʃən/
Klanken die Nederlandstaligen lastig vinden:
- Stemhebbende eindmedeklinker — /b/, /d/, /g/, /z/, /v/ niet verscherpen: breed /ˈbɹiːd/, olive /ˈɑ.lɪv/, crossbreed /ˈkɹɑːsˌbɹiːd/, discourage /dɪsˈkɝɪd͡ʒ/, massage /məˈsɑ(d)ʒ/
- /æ/ — opener dan de Nederlandse “e”: wagyu /ˈwæɡ.juː/, fatten /ˈfætən/, castrate /ˈkæs.tɹeɪt/, pasture /ˈpæst͡ʃəɹ/, sandal /ˈsændəl/
- /g/ — een harde plofklank, geen Nederlandse “g”: wagyu /ˈwæɡ.juː/, regulate /ˈɹɛɡ.jə.leɪt/, burger /ˈbɝ.ɡɚ/
Zo oefen je met deze video
- Luister de hele video één keer zonder te spreken en noteer de woorden die je niet kent.
- Begin op 0,75× snelheid, spreek zin voor zin na en ga terug naar normale snelheid zodra het makkelijk gaat.
- Neem jezelf op en vergelijk met het origineel; let daarbij op woorden als cow, farmer, fatten.
Wat is de Shadowing-techniek?
Shadowing is een wetenschappelijk onderbouwde taalleermethode die oorspronkelijk is ontwikkeld voor professionele tolkentraining en gepopulariseerd door polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. De methode is eenvoudig maar krachtig: je luistert naar native Engelse audio en herhaalt het onmiddellijk hardop — als een schaduw die de spreker volgt met slechts 1–2 seconden vertraging. In tegenstelling tot passief luisteren of grammaticadrills, dwingt shadowing je hersenen en mondspieren om echte spraakpatronen tegelijkertijd te verwerken en te reproduceren. Onderzoek toont aan dat het de uitspraaknauwkeurigheid, intonatie, ritme, verbonden spraak, luisterbegrip en spreekvaardigheid aanzienlijk verbetert — waardoor het een van de meest effectieve methoden is voor IELTS Speaking-voorbereiding en echte Engelse communicatie.