Shadowing Practice: 3 Best TED Talks for Learning English - Learn English Speaking with Video

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Today we're learning English with TED Talks.
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One characteristic emerged as a significant predictor of success.
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And it wasn't social intelligence.
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It wasn't good looks.
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physical health, and it wasn't IQ.
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It was grit.
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Grit is passion and perseverance for very long -term goals.
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Grit is having stamina.
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Grit is sticking with your future day in day out not just for the week, not just for the month, but for years.
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and working really hard to make that future a reality.
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Grit is living life like it's a marathon.
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not a sprint you you.
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An important part of being a successful language learner is having the right mindset.
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And TED Talks can help you with that.
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If you've never heard of TED Talks, they are fun, interesting, and as you saw in the preview, often inspiring speeches by professionals.
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They are also a great way of improving your listening skills and vocabulary.
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In today's lesson, we'll look at three examples of TED Talks that can help develop your mindset to advance your English.
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But before Before we get started, if this is your first time here, welcome.
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Each week we help millions of learners like you understand fast speaking English, without getting lost, without missing the jokes, and without needing subtitles.
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So join our community of over 5 million learners by hitting
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that subscribe button and bell down below so you never miss out on any of our new lessons.
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One of the first
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and most important steps to being a successful English speaker is understanding why you're learning English in the first place.
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In this popular TED talk, author and inspirational speaker Simon Sinek explains the power of knowing your why.
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By why I mean what's your purpose, what's your cause, what's your belief?
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Why does your organization exist?
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Why do you get out of bed in the morning?
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And why should anyone care?
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Well, as a result, the way we think, the way we act, the way we communicate, is from the outside in.
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It's obvious.
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We go from the clearest thing to the fuzziest thing.
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Let me give you an example.
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I use Apple because they're easy to understand and everybody gets it.
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If Apple were like everyone else, A marketing message from them might sound like this: We make great computers.
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They're beautifully designed.
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Simple to use and user friendly.
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Want to buy one?
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Meh.
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But it's uninspiring.
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Here's how Apple actually communicates.
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Everything we do We believe in challenging the status quo, We believe in thinking differently.
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The way we challenge the status quo is by making our products beautifully designed, simple to use and user friendly.
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We just happen to make great computers.
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Want to buy one?
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Totally different, right?
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Be ready to buy a computer from me.
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Why does your organization exist?
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Why do you get out of bed in the morning?
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Although Simon Sinek uses Apple as an example, this applies to individuals as well.
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When we understand why we do anything, our purpose becomes clear and we can more easily work towards it.
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Here, when we talk about what gets you out of bed in the morning, it means what is your purpose and motivation in life.
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What motivates you to go to work each day?
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An expression that sounds similar
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but has a totally different meaning is to wake up on the right
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or wrong side of the bed which is used for saying that someone is in a good or bad mood.
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For example, He seems very grumpy today.
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It seems he woke up on the wrong side of the bed.
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So what's something you do every morning without fail?
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Oh, unfortunately I check my phone.
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Same here.
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Yeah.
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What gets you out of bed?
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My dog, Noon.
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Cute.
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and the clearest thing to the fuzziest thing.
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In this context, when we refer to an idea or concept as fuzzy, we mean that it is still unclear or undeveloped as you haven't yet given it enough thought.
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For example, he wants to start his own business, but his business plan is still a bit fuzzy.
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Which of these pictures also represents the meaning of fuzzy?
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Bye.
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What?
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The slippers and rabbit are fuzzy because they are covered with short soft fur and in English we call this fuzzy.
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The display screen is fuzzy because the image is not clear, making it difficult to see.
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Ew!
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Oh!
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Ew!
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Gross!
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Idiot!
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Stupid little fuzzy yellow creature!
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Oh look at me, I'm so cute, I'm a little chick who's disgusting!
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Do you want to be able to watch absolutely any movie or TV series without needing subtitles?
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If understanding the jokes, culture, and every word is important to you,
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then our free 3 -part masterclass is just what you need to speak English more naturally and confidently.
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simply sign up now by clicking up here or down in the description below.
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They're beautifully designed, simple to use and user -friendly.
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This is a word that you might hear related to software and technology.
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You can use the word user -friendly to describe something that is simple or easy for people to use or learn.
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My new computer came with Windows 7.
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Windows 7 is much more user -friendly than Windows Vista.
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I don't like that.
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Everything we do...
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We believe in challenging the status quo,
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The word "status quo" is a Latin phrase that is still used today mostly in formal or academic situations.
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However, it's perfectly normal to use it in everyday conversations.
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We use it to mean the present situation or the way things usually are.
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Louis said I'm not allowed to prioritize your work anymore.
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You think I'm taking orders from Louis now?
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Consider things status quo.
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Yeah, well, they aren't.
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They are, as far as you and I are concerned.
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We just happen to make great computers.
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we use the phrase "happen to" Plus, verb to say that something happened by chance or without preparation.
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For example, he happens to be best friends with his boss's daughter.
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Hi, Isaac.
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Isaac.
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Hi.
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You know, we haven't actually met.
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Your dog.
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Yes, I suppose I am a dog.
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But Isaac, see, I happen to have a girlfriend.
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Oh, right, that Rachel chick from the coffee place.
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Yeah, that's the one.
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We just happen to make great computers.
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Want to buy one?
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Notice how Simon uses connected speech here.
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Instead of asking "want to buy one", the words "want" and "to" flow into each other.
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So the "t" sound at the end of "want" and at the beginning of "to" are silent.
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So all we hear is "wanna".
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Together this sounds like Wanna buy one?
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Want to buy one?
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The next step is to accept the fact that mistakes and vulnerability are part of learning a new language.
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In this powerful TED Talk, Brene Brown talks about the power of vulnerability, or more simply put, the power of embracing possible mistakes
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and failure the one thing that keeps us out of connection is our fear that we're not worthy of connection.
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I took all of the interviews where I saw worthiness, where I saw people living that way, and just looked at those.
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what they had in common.
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was a sense of courage.
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And so these folks had very simply the courage to be imperfect.
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They had the compassion to be kind to themselves first and then to others.
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The other thing that they had in common they fully embraced vulnerability.
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They talked about the willingness to say I love you first.
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the willingness to Thank you.
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do something where there are no guarantees.
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you The one thing that keeps us out of connection is our fear that we're not worthy of connection.
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The word "worthy" has several meanings.
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In this context, it means that someone deserves respect admiration or support.
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You must be so proud to have him as your brother.
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Well, truth be told, he does bring me a lot of joy.
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Thank you for telling me this, Charlie.
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You're welcome.
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Just promise me you won't embarrass him by bringing it up.
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Not a word.
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I just hope I can be worthy of him.
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As a suffix, at the end of a word, it can also mean suitable or deserving.
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For example, road plus the suffix worthy makes roadworthy.
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which means that something, usually a vehicle, is suitable to be used on the road.
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Trust plus the suffix worthy makes trustworthy, which means that someone can be trusted.
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For example, He is a very trustworthy employee.
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what they had in common.
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was a sense of courage.
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And so these folks had very simply the courage to be imperfect.
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We say that people have something in common when they share similar interests or characteristics.
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He obviously went crazy.
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You obviously lost his mind.
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I didn't lose my mind.
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Okay, Janice and I have a lot in common.
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We've both been divorced.
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We both have kids.
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The word 'folks' can be used in different ways.
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We use it to refer to people in general.
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For example, folks need to realize that global warming is a reality.
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We use it to refer to people of a particular group.
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That area is very popular amongst rich folks.
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"Fox" also refers to your parents.
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I'm going home over Thanksgiving to see my folks.
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You can say, folks, if you want to speak in a friendly way to people you don't know, for example.
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to be kind to themselves first.
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and into others.
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Compassion is a positive word that refers to a strong feeling of sympathy
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and sadness for the suffering or bad luck of others and a wish to help them.
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The other thing that they had in common they fully embraced vulnerability.
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In this situation, embrace is a synonym for accepting something.
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"I think it's great that you're going on a date, you know?
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I mean, it sounds healthy.
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I mean, you have needs.
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Embrace your womanhood." However, to embrace can also mean to hold someone tightly with both arms to express love.
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liking or sympathy, or when greeting or leaving someone.
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For example, the boy embraced his mother to show his gratitude.
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They talked about the willingness to say I love you first.
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The noun willingness means that the person is ready and voluntarily wants to do something.
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You could also change the sentence structure slightly by using the adjective "willing".
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So instead of They talked about the willingness to say, "I love you" first.
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You could say: They talked about being willing to say I love you first as they have the same meaning.
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Thank you all for assembling at such short notice.
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And I want to thank you for your willingness to serve.
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One of the main reasons many learners study English is that it is a global language.
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In order to truly become a global citizen, we need to be open to understanding the world from different perspectives.
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In this TED Talk, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie explains why this is important.
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Thank you.
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Years later, I thought about this when I left Nigeria to go to university.
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in the United States.
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I was 19.
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My American roommate was shocked by me.
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She asked where I had learned to speak English so well, and was confused when I said that Nigeria happened to have English as its official language.
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She asked if she could listen to what she called my tribal music.
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and was consequently very disappointed when I produced my tape of Mariah Carey.
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- My roommate had a single story of Africa a single story of catastrophe.
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In this single story, there was no possibility of Africans being similar to her in any way.
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No possibility of feelings more complex than pity.
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No possibility of a connection as human equals.
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So that is how to create a single story.
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Show a people as one thing, as only one thing, over and over again, And that is what they become.
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"She asked if she could listen to what she called my tribal music." Here,
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tribal music refers to the music created by indigenous people of a particular area who belong to a specific tribe.
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It is music that is special and symbolic of the culture.
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I was consequently very disappointed when I produced my tape of Mariah Carey.
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The word 'consequently' is often used in writing and means the same as 'therefore' or 'as a result of something'.
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Last year, you bet me that you could steal my Medal of Valor.
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And you did.
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Consequently, I was forced to do your paperwork for a week, And to say words I thought I'd never have to say.
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I was consequently very disappointed when I produced my tape of Mariah Carey.
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When she refers to her tape, she means a cassette tape, which is a flat, rectangular object used for playing and recording audio.
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Cassette tapes were popular in the 1980s and 90s.
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For dinner music, I thought we could listen to that tape that you made me.
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Oh, the mixtape!
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This is quite humorous because she is saying that the music
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that is symbolic of her culture or tribe is from international superstar Mariah Carey.
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My roommate had a single story of Africa.
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The word 'single' means one, so when she talks about a single story, she means that her roommate only understood one part of the story,
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or she only had limited information about Africa, and this became how she viewed the entire continent.
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We use the word catastrophe to refer to a bad situation or an event that causes very great trouble or destruction.
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Show a people as one thing.
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When we talk about a people, It might sound incorrect, but in fact it refers to a nation,
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a tribe, a community that is regarded as a single unit.
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So that brings this lesson to an end.
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Before you go, let's do a quick quiz to see how much you've learned.
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But it's uninspiring.
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Here's how Apple actually communicates.
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Everything we do We believe in challenging the status quo, we believe in thinking differently.
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The way we challenge the status quo is by making our products beautifully designed, simple to use and user -friendly.
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We just happened to make great computers.
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Want to buy one?
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Totally different, right?
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You ready to buy a computer from me?
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What is the opposite of status quo?
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unusual, regular, Atypical.
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They had the compassion to be kind to themselves first, and then to others.
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The other thing that they had in common they fully embraced vulnerability.
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They talked about the willingness to say I love you first.
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the willingness to Okay.
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do something where there are no guarantees.
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Which of these pictures shows the verb embrace?
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Bye.
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Bye.
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Bye.
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you Years later, I thought about this when I left Nigeria to go to university.
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in the United States.
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I was 19.
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My American roommate was shocked by me.
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She asked, where I had learned to speak English so well, and was confused when I said that Nigeria happened to have English as its official language.
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She asked if she could listen to what she called my tribal music.
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and was consequently very disappointed when I produced my tape of Mariah Carey.
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LAUGHTER Which of these means the same as consequently?
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vulnerability, Why
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therefore?
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Hey, real lifers.
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So I just got to work and I was about to start my tasks when I realized I haven't signed in yet.
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So to sign in means to insert a username and password in order to gain access to a device.
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such as your computer or your phone.
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You could also use the word login.
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So sign in and login have the same meaning.
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Now that I've organized my tasks, I'm going to start working on an urgent project that my boss assigned to me.

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About This Lesson: Mastering English with TED Talks

Unlock your potential as an English learner with this insightful lesson that leverages the power of popular TED Talks. This video dives into three key mindsets crucial for achieving fluency: cultivating grit, understanding your personal "why," and embracing vulnerability. You'll not only enhance your listening comprehension but also expand your vocabulary with impactful words and phrases that can transform your English speaking practice. From discussing personal drive to understanding cultural perspectives, this lesson equips you with the tools and inspiration to approach your language learning journey with renewed confidence and drive, paving the way for improved English fluency.

The lesson specifically covers:

  • Exploring vocabulary related to personal growth, motivation, and resilience.
  • Practicing comprehension of natural, often fast-paced, English speech from various speakers.
  • Understanding idiomatic expressions and common phrases used in everyday conversation and formal settings.
  • Gaining insights into the nuances of conveying complex ideas clearly, a valuable skill for IELTS speaking and daily communication.

Key Vocabulary & Phrases

This lesson introduces several powerful words and expressions vital for enhancing your English communication:

  • Grit: This refers to your passion and perseverance toward very long-term goals. It's about having stamina and sticking with your future day in, day out, regardless of challenges.
  • Know Your Why: Understanding your core purpose or motivation. As exemplified by Simon Sinek, this concept helps you clarify your beliefs and drive, applicable to both businesses and individuals learning English.
  • User-friendly: Describing something that is simple or easy for people to use or learn, often in a technological context, but transferable to any accessible resource or method.
  • Status Quo: A Latin phrase meaning the present situation or the way things usually are. The video discusses "challenging the status quo," implying a desire for change or innovation.
  • Worthy: In the context of the video, it means deserving respect, admiration, or support. As a suffix (e.g., trustworthy), it indicates suitability or deservingness.
  • Have something in common: To share similar interests, characteristics, or experiences with someone.
  • Embrace (vulnerability): To willingly accept something, especially an idea or a challenging situation, rather than resisting it.
  • Consequently: Often used in writing, meaning "therefore" or "as a result of something." A useful connector for logical arguments.

Practice Tips for This Video

To maximize your learning from this video and boost your English speaking practice, try these specific tips:

  • Narrator's Clarity: The primary narrator speaks with clear, North American English pronunciation at a moderate pace. Start your shadowing technique by mimicking the narrator's intonation and rhythm before moving on to the TED Talk excerpts. This is excellent for fundamental pronunciation practice.
  • Connected Speech Focus: Pay close attention to examples of connected speech, like "wanna buy one" from "want to buy one." Practice saying these phrases naturally, letting the words flow together without pausing between them. This is crucial for sounding more fluent.
  • Expressing Complex Ideas: The TED Talks cover abstract concepts like grit, vulnerability, and single stories. As you shadow, focus on how the speakers use pauses, stress, and intonation to convey conviction and meaning. Try to emulate their confidence when discussing these deeper topics, which is great preparation for the conceptual questions often found in IELTS speaking tests.
  • Vocabulary Application: After learning the key vocabulary, pause the video and try to form your own sentences using words like "grit" or "embrace vulnerability." Think about how these concepts relate to your own journey of achieving English fluency.
  • Re-listen and Reflect: Some sections, particularly the TED Talk snippets, may be faster. Don't hesitate to re-listen multiple times. After listening, take a moment to reflect on the message and how it was delivered, then try to paraphrase it in your own words to solidify comprehension and speaking skills.

Grammar in this video

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

StructureIn the video
Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does itare covered · be told · can be trusted
Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters nowyou've never heard · haven't actually met · you've learned
Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thingbed which is · trustworthy, which means · tape, which is

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 →