Shadowing Practice: Brain drain dents Ukraine's economy as war drags on - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

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The war in Ukraine has seen millions of people flee the country, leaving a shortage of workers to keep things running.
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The war in Ukraine has seen millions of people flee the country, leaving a shortage of workers to keep things running.
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Many of the refugees are skilled laborers who've left a hole in the domestic jobs market.
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Among those who stayed, tens of thousands have suffered injuries that will affect their professional lives.
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Analysts say the brain drain will compound the nation's economic burden for years to come.
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Megumi Lim reports from Kiev.
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Andrei Groshovy has been a dentist for 30 years.
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He opened a new clinic in Kyiv just before Russia's full-scale invasion began.
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But when the war broke out, some of Andrei's staff fled the country and have not returned.
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But some parts have been here.
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They work in France, Germany, somewhere in other countries.
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Surveys have shown that around 50% of Ukrainian refugees either have university or vocational education,
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and almost one-third are proficient in English.
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Their exodus has contributed to a brain drain which will affect the job market for years to come.
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I'm standing in front of Kyiv's Central Railway Station, and this is where millions of people came almost two years ago to flee from Russia's invasion.
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Since then, some have returned, but at least six million people still remain outside of Ukraine.
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The number of vacancies on one of Ukraine's biggest job websites reached 105,000 in September, the highest figure since the war began.
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Since then, the number has dropped only slightly.
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The government has been giving out education vouchers for people to learn new skills for free,
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and many companies have offered mental health support and training programs for students and internally displaced people.
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We have currently more demand for people than supply of workers.
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One of the reasons is women who went outside of the country with their children at the beginning of the war,
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and another is men who are serving in the military.
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Ukraine has also had to grapple with the number of amputees that has only risen as the fighting grinds on.
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According to official figures, more than 20,000 Ukrainians have undergone amputations, but some say the figure could be as high as 50,000.
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Bogdan is one of them.
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He is hoping to return to his pre-war job as a welder, even after losing both his legs.
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Get paperwork done, then going back to my place, because I live in a small city.
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So everybody knows me, knows my job, knows my shop.
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So everybody knows, I'm observing.
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So when I come back, people are gonna know I'm back already.
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And I think it's gonna give me more work, you know.
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But not everyone will be able to return to work like Bogdan
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and hundreds of thousands of working aged people especially men continue to serve in the military.
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Unfortunately 10% of our employees it's 3,300 are mobilized they are protecting us they are protecting our country.
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Novaposchta is Ukraine's largest private courier company.
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Except for Russian-held territories, it delivers parcels to virtually every corner of Ukraine, including areas close to the front lines.
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In October, its depot in the eastern Kharkiv region was hit by a Russian rocket, killing eight people.
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But Olhe says that for employees who have chosen to take that risk, they consider it their mission to deliver to places that have been cut off from other services.
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And though the scale may differ, it is a risk shared by many who continue to live and work in the country.
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Megumi Lim, CNA, Kyu.

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Why practice speaking with this video?

The YouTube video "Brain drain dents Ukraine's economy as war drags on" offers an insightful perspective on the current situation in Ukraine, particularly how the war impacts the workforce and economy. By practicing speaking with this video, you can engage with real-world issues while enhancing your English language skills. The discussions revolve around the challenges faced by skilled workers, including topics such as displacement, job vacancies, and the efforts of those who remain in the country. This context not only enriches your vocabulary but also prepares you to discuss important socio-economic issues effectively.

Utilizing materials like this video helps you improve your English pronunciation and comprehension through the shadowing technique. By imitating the speaker's intonation and rhythm, you'll develop a more natural speaking style, which is essential for effective communication.

Grammar & Expressions in Context

As you listen to the transcript, pay attention to the following key structures that the speaker uses:

  • Present continuous for current actions: "People are fleeing the country." This structure conveys ongoing actions, making it useful in discussions about current events.
  • Modal verbs for possibility: "They could return to work." Modal verbs express possibility, making them versatile for various contexts.
  • Quantifiers: "More than 20,000 Ukrainians have undergone amputations." Understanding quantifiers like "more than" and "almost" helps in discussing statistics and making comparisons.
  • Phrasal verbs: "To grapple with" indicates struggling or dealing with something complicated. Phrasal verbs are essential for fluent conversation and comprehension.

Common Pronunciation Traps

When practicing with this video, you may encounter some pronunciation challenges:

  • Words with "th" sounds: "Three" and "them" can be difficult for non-native speakers, often mispronounced as "tree" or "zem." Focus on the correct pronunciation through repetition.
  • Contractions: Pay attention to how the speaker might use shortened forms like "I've" or "it's." These are common in spoken English and can affect the flow of your speech if mispronounced.
  • Intonation: The emotional tone of the speaker can influence how you understand and convey messages. Pay close attention to the rise and fall of their speech patterns.

By using the shadowing technique with this video, you can practice your pronunciation and intonation, helping you become more fluent and confident in English. The shadow speak approach will deter you from falling into common pronunciation traps, enabling you to incorporate new vocabulary and expressions into your 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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