Shadowing Practice: 24/08/2026 | Vietnam Today - Learn English Speaking with Video

Creating lesson...
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The World Cup ended a month ago, but the football story worth watching right now is happening in the mountains of Vietnam.
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This is Today in 2.
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One trophy, 12 women's teams from ethnic minority communities.
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Who will win?
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Piano!
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Both!
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Trong!
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Win the Cup!
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Win the Cup!
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The Vietnamese ethnic minority women's football tournament VTV Cup 2026 has officially kicked off in Laocai,
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Baokai and runs from August 23 to 29.
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This is the first time Vietnam holds a national tournament just for women from ethnic minority communities.
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Some players are 17, others are over 40.
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Who will make it to the final?
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Comment down below!
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Paying for YouTube without ads, it could be getting more expensive.
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Some YouTube Premium users in Europe have reportedly received notices of steep price hikes,
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with individual plans rising to as much as 20.99 euros a month and family plans reaching 29.99 euros.
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And here's the twist.
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In Europe, users have to actively agree to the new price.
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Do nothing and YouTube cancels your plan.
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The move comes on the heels of recent price bumps in the US and other markets, prompting sub-subscribers to consider cancelling their subscriptions.
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In Vietnam, premium prices have remained unchanged since the service launch in 2023.
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But with another round of global increases, users may be wondering, could Vietnam be next?
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Right now, northern Vietnam is bracing for days of heavy rain.
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Typhoon Nara, known in Vietnam as Storm No. 4, has continued to shift direction over the Gulf of Tongan,
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bringing heavy rain to parts of northern Vietnam.
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So why has the storm been so unpredictable?
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Forecasters say Nara is being steered by relatively weak atmospheric currents,
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while its interaction with other tropical systems in the region is also affecting its movement.
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As the storm hovers over the Gulf of Tongan, heavy rain is expected to continue in parts of northern Vietnam,
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with authorities warning of possible flooding and landslides.
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Stay safe, stay updated, and tell us how the weather is where you are.

What You’ll Learn from This Real-World Video

The video covers a mix of local and global news, from a women’s football tournament in Vietnam to YouTube Premium price hikes and typhoon updates. This diverse content makes it perfect for english speaking practice—you’ll hear casual and formal tones, plus real-life vocabulary like “price bumps” and “atmospheric currents.” It’s like getting a slice of daily conversation, which is great for IELTS speaking practice too, since the test focuses on real-world topics.

Top 5 Phrases to Use in Daily Talks

  • “Kicked off” (started): “The new project kicked off yesterday.”
  • “On the heels of” (right after): “She got a promotion on the heels of her big presentation.”
  • “Bracing for” (preparing for): “We’re bracing for a busy weekend.”
  • “Prompting” (causing): “The rain prompted us to stay home.”
  • “Hover over” (stay nearby): “Clouds hovered over the city all day.”

How to Shadow This Video Like a Pro

Shadowing (repeating speech right after the speaker) is a proven way to boost fluency. Here’s how to use the shadowing technique with this video:

  1. Step 1: Listen once—focus on the main ideas. Don’t worry about every word.
  2. Step 2: Pause and repeat—play 2-3 second clips, then mimic the tone and speed. Pay attention to how “Win the Cup!” is said with energy.
  3. Step 3: Use a tool—a shadowing app or even your phone’s voice recorder can help you compare your speech to the video.
  4. Step 4: Focus on tricky parts—phrases like “atmospheric currents” might be hard. Break them into syllables: “at-mo-spher-ic cur-rents.”
  5. Step 5: Practice daily—spend 10 minutes a day. Over time, you’ll notice your pronunciation and rhythm improve, which is key for shadowspeak (natural, flowing speech).

This video isn’t just news—it’s a tool to make your English sound more natural. Give shadowing a try, and you’ll be speaking like a pro in no time!

Grammar in this video

The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:

StructureIn the video
Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters nowhave remained unchanged · has continued
Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does itbeing steered · is expected

What is the Shadowing Technique?

Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.

Shadowing technique: read the full step-by-step guide →