Shadowing Practice: Bill Gates Chats with Ellen for the First Time - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

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I'm so happy to have you here.
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I'm so happy to have you here.
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This is the first time having you on, so thanks.
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So I know you were nervous about the entrance.
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You thought, I think people feel like they're supposed to dance.
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And so, and I was really surprised, because I was here earlier today for your rehearsal, and then you abandoned it.
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But we should at least show them the rehearsal, because it was really good.
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Shout out to them people.
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People.
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People.
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I get it how I live it.
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I live it how I do it.
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Come to my, a pillow with a lemon.
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Not to smell a living.
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It's just your eyes, get a sitter.
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This ain't a scrimmage.
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My, she's scrimmage.
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I tell you we won't stop.
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It was good.
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Your daughter's looking at you like, I've never seen you dance like that.
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Hi.
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So the last time we saw each other, it was at the White House.
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We both were receiving the Medal of Freedom.
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And that was quite a day, wasn't it?
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That was an amazing group.
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Yeah, really, really fun.
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So you are here with your daughter, who is 21, right?
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And you were 21 when you became a billionaire.
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Is that right?
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Almost, yeah.
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All right, so around that age.
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You were like the youngest person to become a billionaire.
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Is that right?
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Yeah, in terms of my own, earning it on my own, yeah.
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Right.
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OK, so, well, it's just the most important thing, yes.
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So did you, when you were a kid, did you care about money?
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Or you just cared about technology, and that's, it just happened?
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Mostly I loved software.
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I do remember at the private school I went to, there were other kids whose families were better off.
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Like they had a Porsche or something.
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But it wasn't that big of a deal.
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My thing was that I just loved doing software.
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I loved hiring people.
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And I was stunned when it ended up being so valuable.
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Really?
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Yeah.
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It surprised you?
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Yeah, because I always had to be careful that we wouldn't hire too many people.
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I was always worried because people who worked for me were older than me and they had kids.
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And I always thought, well, what if we don't get paid?
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Will I be able to meet the payroll?
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So I was always very conservative about the finances.
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And then when we did go public, what was I, 30 by then, then I was kind of stunned at what it multiplied out to.
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Right.
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So when you became a billionaire, at what point did you start relaxing?
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Were you still nervous when you became a billionaire, like, I got to watch this?
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Well, I always wanted to have enough money in the bank so that even if our customers didn't pay us for a year, we could still keep paying everybody and do the R&D.
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So I'd still be viewed as conservative.
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I don't have that many things that are extravagant tastes, so it didn't change too much.
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So nothing really changed?
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So you didn't say, oh, I'm going to buy a Porsche?
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I did.
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OK, all right.
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Yeah.
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You did.
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All right.
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Yeah, that was an indulgence.
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And then eventually, from my travel, I got a plane, which is a huge indulgence.
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So those are my two sins.
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Well, not really, because you travel all the time.
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So that's important that you have a plane.
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So you have a Porsche and a plane, and that's it.
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Well, in terms of crazy things, yeah.
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Yeah.
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There's not like any wild, like you didn't build an aquarium with sharks in it, or something like that?
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We have a trampoline room in our house.
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Oh, wow.
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The kids like that.
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Indoor trampoline.
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I recommend it.
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Just one giant trampoline?
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Yeah.
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Yeah, it's a room with a very high ceiling.
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Well, yeah, I hope.
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Yeah.
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That would be cruel if you didn't put a high ceiling in there.
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Go on, kids.
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All right, so let's talk about this.
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So you have already put $40 billion of your own money into your foundation.
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Yep.
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40 billion.
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And you've, I think, kind of encouraged other billionaires to do this as well.
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Because it really is kind of up to the people to fix the problems in the world, it seems, right?
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So what is your main focus right now?
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My wife, Melinda, and I picked global health as our big thing.
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The fact that still we have 5 million kids who die under the age of 5.
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Now, it was over 10 million when we got started.
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So there's been huge progress over the last 18 years.
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So things like malaria, diarrhea, coming up with new drugs and vaccines, and getting them out to all the kids in the world.
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That's our main thing.
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Our second biggest thing is all in the US, which is trying to help improve the education system here.
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Yeah, which needs, boy, right?
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I mean, and how do you do that?
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I always think you get what you pay for.
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So if you don't pay teachers, because most teachers are paying out of their own pocket to take care of these students.
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So how do you do that?
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Well, there are some really phenomenal teachers.
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And so the dream is that you could take that top 10% and have them help the others to get best practices, the best teaching ideas to spread all over the country.
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And how would, you know, we're listening to you, obviously, $40 billion does a lot.
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And there are other people that are helping.
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But what can we do?
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What is the best thing that you could say that just one person can do to help?
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Well, particularly with schools, the ability to go to the local public school or charter school and engage with the kids, mentor kids, talk about the kind of work you do, there's huge opportunities there.
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With the challenges, say, in Africa, part of it's people's voice.
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There's a real question now whether the US sort of takes this less than 1% of our budget that saves tens of millions of lives, some other we don't prioritize continuing that.
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So it's a hot debate in terms of is it good for America to be generous and help the rest of the world live a healthy life.
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Well, I mean, the fact that you're helping so many people all around the world, that you have this, because that to me is what money, when you have that kind of money, it's for.
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It's like that's the best thing you can do is actually you're making such a huge difference.
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So I'm glad you're a billionaire.
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All right.
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All right, you can learn more about the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation on the website and at gatesletter.com.

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About This Lesson

In this lesson, learners will engage with a fascinating conversation between Bill Gates and Ellen DeGeneres. The dialogue provides insights into personal experiences and anecdotes, emphasizing Bill Gates' journey and perspective on life, success, and technology. As you practice, you will refine your English speaking practice skills through the shadowing technique, which helps enhance fluency and build confidence in your pronunciation. By immersing yourself in this lively exchange, you'll not only learn new vocabulary but also understand the natural rhythm and tone associated with conversational English.

Key Vocabulary & Phrases

  • Rehearsal - practice for a performance or presentation.
  • Medal of Freedom - a prestigious award given for contributions to society.
  • Billionaire - a person whose net worth is at least one billion dollars.
  • Software - programs and applications that run on computers.
  • Hiring - the process of employing individuals for various roles.
  • Valuable - something that has high worth or importance.
  • Private school - an independent school that is not funded by the government.
  • Worried - feeling anxious or concerned about something.

Practice Tips

To make the most of this lesson, utilize the shadow speech approach while watching the video. Pay attention to the pacing of both Bill and Ellen's dialogue, which is a blend of casual conversation and thoughtful reflection. Ideally, you should aim to shadow them in real-time, repeating phrases immediately after you hear them. If the speed feels too quick, don’t hesitate to pause and replay sections to catch the nuances of their speech patterns. Focus on articulating the key vocabulary listed above. This targeted practice will significantly improve English pronunciation and readiness for everyday conversations. Remember, learn English with YouTube videos like this not only enhance your understanding of the language but also expose you to diverse accents and conversational styles.

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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