Shadowing Practice: Bài mẫu IELTS Speaking Part 1 về chủ đề Festivals | Coffee with Charles - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

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Hello everyone and welcome back to my channel Coffee with Charles.
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Hello everyone and welcome back to my channel Coffee with Charles.
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Here I am today joined by lovely teacher Harvey.
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How are you feeling today?
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I'm feeling a-okay.
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A little bit hot, boiling hot.
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Well we've got a boiling hot topic today and that ladies and gentlemen is the topic of festivals
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and I really want to pay attention here and explain some of the cultural differences between festivals in the UK and indeed here in Vietnam now that I've lived here for almost five glorious years.
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So without further ado Harvey tell me what's your favorite festival of the year in British culture you think?
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Oh I think I'd have to go with one of the big ones the main ones Glastonbury I think.
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Ah that's interesting so you immediately think of music festivals.
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That's the first place my mind goes yeah see normally when we talk about festivals and this is a little
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bit controversial in ielts most people think of holidays for example christmas or easter holiday or indeed like this independence
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day in vietnam or tet lunar new year but tell me a little bit about music festivals in the uk so in british culture we tend often not to go more forward towards these religious holidays.
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Of course we celebrate Christmas and Easter and things like that with a feverish pattern.
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Yes.
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But when it comes to festivals, I think especially with the younger generations,
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my mind goes more towards the music festivals where people will go and listen to their favourite artists, enjoy food, camp out, spend time with their friends and loved ones.
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Absolutely.
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Now often in IELTS it's good to give a specific example, even in part one.
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So I might use the past tense and say, oh for example, I can vividly remember last year I visited Glastonbury Festival, which was an extreme example of a multinational festival with headline artists from around the globe.
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It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, you know?
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So remember, guys, when you're giving a part one answer, there's nothing wrong with giving a little example as well.
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If anything, it can reinforce and support your ideas in the long run, yeah?
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Of course, absolutely.
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And as someone who's lived in both the UK and Vietnam, you're probably a bit of an expert on these kind of things.
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So perhaps, can you tell me, what are some of the, maybe the cultural differences between festivals in the UK versus festivals in Vietnam?
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You know it's fascinating Harvey because festivals in Vietnam are very much family focused you know.
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I can clearly remember visiting Long An, a very rural area in Vietnam with an extended family of mine and it was all family especially about the babies and they the particular highlight was then was receiving lucky money.
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I don't know if you're familiar with this.
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We all put our money in an envelope and hand it around.
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So the, whereas in the UK, by contrast, festivals are more focused on smaller families.
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So it's getting together, mother, father, brother, and maybe babies in the future, you know, whereas here it's more about extended family.
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Moreover, in Vietnamese culture, I find that festivals involve a huge amount of drinking, particularly beer, which is a particular highlight for me as I'm very fond of that.
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And in the UK, people tend to drink more wine and champagne.
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And also the food is very different.
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In the UK, you know I still love my traditional British cuisine, simply scrumptious and mouth-watering.
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However, in Vietnam, the food is more traditional Vietnamese food, like Bumbo Hui and Ba.
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It's truly beautiful, wonderful mountain water and food.
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Absolutely, yeah.
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Are there any special activities that people do at festivals?
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For example, Christmas Day in the UK?
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Well, of course there are a wide variety.
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What sticks out to me?
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Of course, many people like to go to church, midnight mass the night before.
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Definitely.
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Therein lies the religious aspect.
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But if we think more about the family coming together, it would be the traditional Christmas dinner.
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Of course.
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A particular highlight.
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I always loved and I have a multitude of wonderful, fond memories of spending time with my family, eating until we could eat no more.
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Tanuka burst.
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Yes.
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Bit to bursting.
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My favourite phrase, eyes bigger than your belly.
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Yeah.
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Being, I would take so much food on my plate thinking, oh, I'm so hungry.
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I will absolutely wolf all of this away.
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But alas, I never could.
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Never successful.
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Aye.
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Yes.
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But it's very much the taking part that counts.
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That's what we must focus on.
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By all means.
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By all means.
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Yeah.
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Getting used to and adjusting to the different cultures is what makes moving to Vietnam so fascinating, you know?
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You will experience many incredible holidays and traditions here and I can't wait for you to embrace them and grasp the opportunities with both hands.
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In truth, I have been completely blown away by just how family-oriented the Vietnamese people are.
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It's truly heartwarming to see.
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Well it's that difference between the collectivist culture in the East compared to the individualistic culture in the West and it really shines through on a daily basis.
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Yes, absolutely.
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Fantastic.
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Well thank you for enjoying that conversation with me about festivals.
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I hope you enjoyed it and thank you very much.
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Cheers.
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Cheers.
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So guys, I hope you enjoyed that chat there about the topic of festivals.
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Again, a very hot and common topic in IELTS speaking part one.
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and sometimes in part three.
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Please take heed, there's nothing wrong with comparing the differences between Western and Eastern culture in your IELTS.
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In fact, if anything, they love it because most of the IELTS examiners are from Western countries.
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So they will find it fascinating that you understand and have a deep knowledge about their culture.
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So please don't be afraid to step outside your comfort zone and really push the boundaries.
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As always guys, thank you for watching Coffee with Charles.
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I hope you enjoyed this video.
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Please hit subscribe if you did and leave any comments with any notes you might have.
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Hit like as well.
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Thanks for watching guys.
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Bye bye.
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Context & Background

In this engaging YouTube video, English teachers Charles and Harvey discuss the cultural differences between festivals in the UK and Vietnam. With Harvey's experience living in both countries, the dialogue offers unique insights into how festivals are celebrated differently, highlighting aspects such as family orientation, food, and traditional activities. This exchange not only exposes viewers to cultural nuances but also presents an excellent opportunity for English learners to enhance their conversational skills in a fun and relatable context.

Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication

  • “I can vividly remember…” - A great way to introduce personal anecdotes.
  • “It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience…” - Use this phrase to emphasize memorable events.
  • “Cultural differences…” - A good term for discussing varying customs across cultures.
  • “Traditional cuisine…” - Essential when talking about food from different cultures.
  • “Particular highlight…” - Useful for pointing out significant aspects of any experience.

Step-by-step Shadowing Guide

To effectively improve your English pronunciation using the shadowspeak technique from this video, follow these steps:

  1. Watch the Video Carefully - Pay attention to how Charles and Harvey articulate their thoughts. Focus not just on the words but on their pronunciation, intonation, and rhythm.
  2. Pause and Imitate - After each sentence or phrase, pause the video and repeat what they said. Use the phrases listed above to practice integrating them into your speech. Aim for accuracy in pronunciation and emotion.
  3. Record Yourself - Use your phone or a recording device to capture your imitation. This will allow you to hear any discrepancies in your pronunciation and work on them effectively.
  4. Compare and Evaluate - Listen to your recording alongside the original audio. Identify the areas you excelled in and the aspects that need improvement. Focus on the areas where your pronunciation differs from theirs.
  5. Practice Regularly - Consistency is key in mastering pronunciation and fluency. Regularly watch the video and repeat this process to solidify your learning.

By employing the shadowspeak method, you can not only learn English with YouTube but also gain confidence in speaking about various subjects, including cultural themes like festivals. The more you practice, the more proficient you'll become at expressing your thoughts clearly and effectively.

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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