Shadowing Practice: Are you a foodie? 6 Minute English - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

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6 Minute English from bbclearningenglish.com Hello and welcome to 6 Minute English.
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6 Minute English from bbclearningenglish.com Hello and welcome to 6 Minute English.
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I'm Neil.
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And I'm Rob.
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Now Rob, you look like you enjoy a good meal.
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Ha!
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Well, I do like eating out and I like to think I know a good meal when I have one.
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Well, that should give you an advantage with today's quiz.
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In 2016, which is the last year we have statistics for,
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how many restaurants and mobile food services were there in the UK?
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Was it a about 75,000,
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b about 83,000 or c about 93,000?
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Well, I know there are a lot,
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so I'm going to say 93,000,
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but that is just a guess.
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I'll reveal the answer a little later in the programme.
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Today we're talking about being a foodie.
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Rob, what is a foodie?
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Well, I would describe a foodie as someone who has a strong interest in food.
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They like preparing it as well as eating it.
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They like using good ingredients and they're probably not fans of fast food.
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Angela Hartnett is one of Britain's top chefs.
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In the BBC podcast, The Bottom Line,
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she talked about this topic.
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In this first clip, how does she describe people who say they are foodies?
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I think people who say they're foodies buy the books,
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watch TV and will cook a little bit.
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She's saying that people who say they are foodies may not actually know that much about food.
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They buy books and watch cookery programmes on TV and will cook a little bit.
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A little bit is a common phrase that means a small amount and if you do something a little bit,
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it means you don't do it a lot.
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You could just say a little,
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but adding bit to the phrase makes it very natural.
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Well, we heard a little bit of Angela Hartnett there.
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Let's hear more now.
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What's her description of a foodie?
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My idea of a foodie is the very European idea that people go and shop every day.
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They understand one end of a pig from another.
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And maybe that's a bit romantic,
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but I look at my mother and I look at my grandmother and our background,
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you know, they made food.
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They knew about what was expensive,
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they knew about quality and stuff like that.
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Rob, do you know one end of a pig from another?
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Well, I hope so.
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But the point Angela Hartnett is making is that a true foodie has a good understanding,
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for example, of the different parts of an animal that are used in cooking and what they're used for.
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She says that idea might be a bit romantic.
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We normally think of the word romantic when we're talking about love and relationships,
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but that's not what it means here, is it?
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No. Romantic can also describe a pleasant ideal,
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an imaginary perfect way of life that forgets about the difficult things of everyday existence.
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Let's hear some more from chef Angela Hartnett now.
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What is she worried about?
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I think we think we're foodies,
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but I think food is expensive in this country.
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I don't think it's affordable for lots of people.
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And I think we are in danger of not knowing,
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you know, how to cook any more,
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how to make a meal for a family of four for £5.
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So Rob, what is Angela Hartnett worried about?
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She commented that food was very expensive here in Britain.
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Many people don't have enough money to buy it.
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As she said, it's not affordable.
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She thinks we might be in danger of not being able to feed our families cheaply.
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Can you say a bit more about the phrase, in danger of?
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Sure.
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The phrase to be in danger of is followed by a gerund
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and it means that there is the possibility of something bad happening.
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It's not happened yet, but it could happen.
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Thanks, Rob.
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Right, well, we're in danger of running out of time,
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so let's get to the answer to the question I asked at the start of the programme.
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I asked how many restaurants or mobile food services there were in the UK in 2016.
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And I said, it was a guess, 93,000.
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But was I right?
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I'm afraid you're 10,000 out.
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The answer is approximately 83,000.
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Right.
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Well, I've still got a few more to get to before I can tick them all off my list.
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Me too.
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Well, before we go, let's recap the words and phrases we talked about today.
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The first was foodie.
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Yes, foodie is a modern word to describe someone who is very interested in all aspects of food,
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from buying, preparing and cooking to eating and someone who may or may not know which end of a pig is which.
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Well, I think you're being a little bit silly there, aren't you?
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Well, a little bit was our next phrase, wasn't it?
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Yes, a little bit.
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A very simple but a very natural conversational phrase that means a small amount.
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The next word was the adjective romantic.
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Not used in the context of love here though, was it?
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No, it wasn't.
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A romantic idea here is one that is not realistic but is an imagined perfect situation.
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For example, we have a very romantic view of our childhoods
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when every Christmas was a white Christmas and every summer holiday was baking hot and spent on the beach.
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Of course, it wasn't like that at all.
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In reality, both Christmas and summer were cold and rainy.
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Then we had the adjective affordable,
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for something we have enough money to buy.
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Finally, the phrase to be in danger of.
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Yes, meaning the possibility of something bad happening.
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Well, that's it for this programme.
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For more, you can find us on Facebook,
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Twitter, Instagram and our YouTube pages and of course,
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our website bbclearningenglish.com where you can find all kinds of videos and audio programs and activities to help you improve your English.
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Thanks for joining us and goodbye!
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Bye-bye!
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Well, I have to say,
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I'm a little bit hungry and if I don't get some food soon I'm in danger of getting very grumpy.
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You're always grumpy, Neil, but there is a very affordable cafe around the corner.
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Let's head over there now, shall we?
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Hmm...
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About This Lesson

In this lesson, you will practice your English listening and speaking skills through the engaging topic of food and culinary culture. You will learn how to describe yourself as a 'foodie' and discuss various aspects of food preparation and appreciation. The audio features native speakers, making it a great opportunity to improve English pronunciation and comprehension. By the end of this lesson, you will be more confident in engaging in conversations about food and expressing your thoughts on culinary experiences.

Key Vocabulary & Phrases

  • Foodie - A person who has a strong interest in food.
  • Cookery - The art or practice of cooking.
  • A little bit - A common phrase meaning a small amount.
  • Understand one end of a pig from another - To have good knowledge about the different parts of an animal used in cooking.
  • Romantic - In this context, meaning a pleasant ideal.
  • Ingredients - The individual components used to create a dish.
  • Fast food - Quickly prepared food, often seen as low-quality.

Practice Tips

To maximize your learning from this lesson, try the following shadowing techniques. Shadowing is an effective method to improve your speaking skills by mimicking the audio you hear. Here are some specific tips:

  • Listen Actively: Start by listening to the audio without any distractions. Focus on the tone, rhythm, and pronunciation of the speakers.
  • Shadow Speech: Use a shadowing app or simply play the audio and speak along with it. Aim to match their speed and intonation as closely as possible.
  • Repetition is Key: Repeat sections multiple times. This will help you retain the vocabulary and familiarize yourself with the conversational flow.
  • Record Yourself: Listen to your shadowed speech. Compare your pronunciation and intonation to that of the native speakers in the video. Identify areas for improvement.
  • Engage with the Content: After shadowing, try discussing your favorite foods or culinary experiences with a friend or language partner. This will give you a chance to use the new vocabulary in context.

By utilizing these shadowing techniques, you can significantly enhance your English speaking skills and pronunciation. Embrace the practice, and enjoy making new culinary conversations!

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.

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