Shadowing Practice: Bài 2 - Chứng Nghiện Cà Phê - Learn English Speaking with Video
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This is 6 Minute English from bbclearningenglish.com Mmm,
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a quick sip of my coffee just to get me in the mood for today's programme.
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Welcome to 6 Minute English from BBC Learning English.
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I'm Rob.
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And I'm Finn.
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Rob, you seem to be enjoying that cup of coffee.
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Yes, indeed.
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I love all styles of coffee.
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That's coffee made in different ways.
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You could say, I'm a coffee addict.
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An addict.
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That's someone who likes doing a particular activity very much and they can't stop doing it.
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And if you have a strong need to keep drinking coffee, then we could say you have an addiction.
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That's me.
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And that's what we're talking about today.
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Coffee addiction.
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and we'll be talking about the dangers of drinking too much.
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Another word for drinking here is consuming.
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We'll look at some other coffee-related language in today's programme too.
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But first, Rob, how about a question?
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Yes, of course.
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I have a coffee-related question to ask you.
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OK.
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Do you know which country drinks the most coffee per person?
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Is it A.
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Egypt, B.
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Finland, or C.
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Italy?
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I think they're all coffee-drinking countries, but I'll say B.
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Finland.
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OK.
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As always, I will let you know the answer at the end of the programme.
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Thank you.
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OK, Finn, I haven't asked you yet if you drink coffee, so do you?
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I do, Rob, yes, but only in moderation, so that means not too much.
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I love the taste and the smell, especially.
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We could call that the aroma.
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But it's the caffeine contained in the drink that can have a bad effect.
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If I drink too much, it can give me headaches.
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Right.
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Well, for me, it's the caffeine that keeps me awake.
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OK.
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It stimulates my brain.
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It makes me more alert.
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That's why we call caffeine a stimulant.
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Caffeine can also be found in energy and cola drinks and even in tea.
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Mmm.
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The New Scientist magazine says caffeine is a psychoactive drug and
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that 90% of people in the United States consume it every day.
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Psychoactive drug.
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So what does that mean?
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It's a drug that affects how a person feels and sometimes how they behave.
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The drug can be found in food, like waffles and chewing gum, surprisingly, not just in drinks.
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That's why scientists who study public health are worried people don't know how much caffeine they are taking.
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Indeed.
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Too much caffeine can lead to insomnia.
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So that's when you can't sleep. And indigestion.
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So that's a pain in your stomach when it can't process the food that you've just eaten.
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And finally, high blood pressure.
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So blood flowing around your body at a higher pressure than is normal.
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That's dangerous.
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Well, sometimes drinking coffee does stop me sleeping and sometimes I feel very alert.
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then very lethargic.
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You know, that's not having any energy.
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But I still can't give up.
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And Rob, you're not alone.
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We asked people on our BBC Learning English Facebook page how they felt about coffee and we had a lot of responses.
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Yumiko says, My happiest time is smelling coffee beans just after grinding it.
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Fresh roasted coffee has a really good fragrance.
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Fragrance is a word usually associated with perfume, but I think she just means the good smell.
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Samuel Le says, one cup of good espresso is the daily energy for my body and mind.
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And Rasha claims, a cup of coffee every day is useful for our health.
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Ahmed loves coffee too, but he says, be aware that too much coffee is not good for your health.
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So there seem to be some good effects and some bad or negative effects of drinking coffee, Rob.
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Well, I find that if I try to give up drinking coffee, I'll also get headaches and feel tired.
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And these are what we call withdrawal symptoms – the nasty physical and mental effects of stopping.
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Well, I may drink lots of coffee, but not as much as people in another country.
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Finn, earlier I asked you if you knew the people of which country drink the most coffee.
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And I said be Finland.
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And guess what?
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You were right.
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Oh yes!
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Yes, the people of Finland consume an incredible 12 kilograms of coffee per person every year.
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That compares with the average consumption of 1.3 kilograms per person.
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OK Finn, before we go there's just time for you to remind us of some of the words that we heard today.
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We heard...
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Addict.
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Consuming. In moderation.
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Aroma.
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Caffeine.
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Stimulant.
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Psychoactive drug.
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Insomnia.
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Indigestion.
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High blood pressure.
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Lethargic. And...
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Withdrawal symptoms.
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Thanks, Finn.
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Thank you, Rob.
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Do join us again for another edition of 6 Minute English from BBC Learning English.
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Bye for now.
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Bye.
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That was 6 Minute English from bbclearningenglish.com.
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Why This Video Is Great for English Speaking Practice
Learning English with YouTube doesn’t get much better than this casual, conversational clip. The dialogue between Rob and Finn feels natural—like a real chat over coffee—making it perfect for practicing everyday speech. The pace is steady, with clear pronunciation, and the topics (coffee, habits, science) are relatable, so you’ll pick up useful vocabulary while honing your listening and speaking skills. It’s ideal for shadowing technique practice because the speakers use common phrases and intonation patterns you’d hear in daily life.
Breaking Down Natural English Phrases
Let’s look at a few lines that make this dialogue sound authentic:
- “Mmm, a quick sip of my coffee just to get me in the mood for today's programme.” The filler word “Mmm” and the casual phrase “get me in the mood” show how native speakers add personality to their speech. It’s not just about words—it’s about tone and expression.
- “I do, Rob, yes, but only in moderation, so that means not too much.” Finn clarifies “in moderation” with “that means not too much,” a common way to explain terms in conversation. This structure helps you learn how to simplify ideas when speaking.
- “It stimulates my brain. It makes me more alert.” Short, simple sentences connected by a topic (caffeine) show how native speakers keep conversations flowing. Repeating “it” here feels natural, not repetitive.
A Simple Shadowing Routine for This Video
To improve your English pronunciation and shadow speech, try this: First, watch the video once to understand the context. Then, play a 5-10 second clip, pause, and repeat it out loud, copying the tone, speed, and stress. Record yourself, then compare it to the original. Notice how Rob emphasizes “addict” or Finn softens “aroma”—these details make your speech sound more natural. Do this daily for 10 minutes, focusing on phrases that feel tricky. Over time, you’ll start to mimic the rhythm and intonation without thinking, making your English sound more fluent. Remember, shadowing isn’t just about repeating—it’s about feeling the language.
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | haven't asked · you've just eaten |
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | be found · can be found |
| Superlatives the -est / the most … — the top or bottom of a group | the most coffee · My happiest |
| Future with “will” will + verb — a decision, promise or prediction | we'll be · We'll look · I'll say |
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.