Shadowing Practice: Elevated viaducts solution for expressways | Vietnam Today - Learn English Speaking with Video
Creating lesson...
1
Now, the shortage of fuel materials is an immediate challenge that really highlights the need to rethink infrastructure investment.
2
As the Mekong Delta continues to face weak soil conditions, an increasing scarcity of fuel sand and the growing impacts of climate change,
3
many experts believe that increasing the proportion of elevated viaducts on expressway projects is a solution
4
that is worth considering for the region.
5
Stretching more than 96 kilometers, the expansion project of the Ho Chi Minh City, Tung Lu Mee Thong Expressway,
6
is expected to feature elevated viaducts along more than 33% of its total length.
7
According to the project developer, this approach will reduce dependence on increasingly scarce field materials.
8
Elevate viaducts help sell field materials, reduce reliance on scar supplies,
9
improve construction progress and effectively handle weak soil conditions.
10
The choice between elevated viaducts and conventional embankments is not only a matter of construction progress or material availability,
11
it also depends on geological conditions.
12
We need to consider geological conditions,
13
hydrology, climate change impacts and economic efficiency when choosing the best solution for each expressway section.
14
As the Mekong Delta faces increasingly severe land subsidence, rising sea levels and a growing shortage of fuel sand,
15
many experts argue that the effectiveness of expressway investments
16
should be assessed from a long-term perspective rather than being based solely on initial construction costs.
17
If we take into account all the benefits and costs over the entire 100-year life cycle on an expressway,
18
including both visible and hidden costs, then, although the initial investment may be higher,
19
elevated expressway proves to be far more advantageous in the long run.
20
elevated by a dark are not intended to completely replace traditional
21
embankment roads however under the unique conditions of the mekong delta
22
adopting a flexible combination of both approaches can help ease the pressure on construction materials enhance resilience to climate change
📺 Same Channel
B222
Vietnamese rice favoured by Iraqi consumers | Vietnam Today
Business EnglishTravel EnglishUniversity Students
B273
Vietnam national brand ranks among world’s top 32 | Vietnam Today
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B143
Danang through the eyes of urban sketchers | Vietnam Today
Travel EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B230
Call for AI to support inclusive education | Vietnam Today
Business EnglishHigh School StudentsUniversity Students
B128
Ninh Binh adds new national treasure | Vietnam Today
University StudentsWorking Adults
B174
Vietnamese travellers seek top Asian cuisine | Vietnam Today
Travel EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B1143
Steamed Bánh Mì - A new take on a classic | Vietnam Today
Travel EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B12
Flavours & Beyond: Tofu - The Taste of Timeless Tradition | Vietnam Today
Travel EnglishTeensHigh School Students
B234
US$7.15M supports nature-based tourism | Vietnam Today
Business EnglishTravel EnglishUniversity Students
B12
Ban May: A touch of northwest essence | Hello Vietnam | Vietnam Today
Travel EnglishTeensHigh School Students
B1Over 3,080 martyrs’ remains recovered | Vietnam Today
University StudentsWorking Adults
B12
Mooncakes take inspiration from tò he | Vietnam Today
Travel EnglishTeensHigh School Students
B11
3D mapping performance "Nurturing great minds" | Vietnam Today
Daily ConversationUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B21
The Point 2: Driving growth through institutional reform | Vietnam Today
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B12
VTV Special: Ho Chi Minh: Diplomatic resolve in 1946 | Vietnam Today
University StudentsWorking Adults
B13
Phu Quoc: Taste of the sea | Vietnam Today
Travel EnglishTeensHigh School Students
B12
Underwater lion dance wows crowds | Vietnam Today
Travel EnglishTeensDaily Conversation
B21
Metro reshaping Ho Chi Minh City landscape | Vietnam Today
Travel EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B21
Vietnam-Laos strengthen strategic ties | Vietnam Today
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B11
World cultures come together in Hanoi | Vietnam Today
Travel EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
✨ Recommend Video
B21
28 sentences
Vietnam targets high-value FDI | Vietnam Today
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B24
165 sentences
The World's Most Beautiful Bridge Just Opened
British AccentBusiness EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B21
24 sentences
Poverty Reduction Achievements – The Right to a Life of Prosperity and Happiness - VNAMedia
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B29
38 sentences
RE3 Unit 7B
IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepBusiness English
B22
27 sentences
China diversifies trade routes | Vietnam Today
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B21
124 sentences
How Is the World’s Largest 135,000 Seat Stadium Being Built in Vietnam?
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B21
440 sentences
Volvo Mega Manufacturing: The World’s Most Advanced Truck Factory | FD Engineering
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B211
22 sentences
Phát âm chuẩn cùng VOA - Anh ngữ đặc biệt: Concerns for Chinese Development Bank (VOA)
American AccentIELTS PrepTOEFL PrepBusiness English
B21
106 sentences
Vietnam's Visa Problem Nobody Talks About
Business EnglishTravel EnglishUniversity Students
B2371
20 sentences
Urbanisation and the growth of global cities
IELTS PrepBusiness EnglishUniversity Students
B27
165 sentences
Why Bangkok’s Broken Airport System Is IMPOSSIBLE to Fix
Business EnglishTravel EnglishUniversity Students
B23
108 sentences
Vietnam’s Insane Economic Boom Explained
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This B2 speaking lesson is built on the video “Elevated viaducts solution for expressways”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: expressway, elevated, material, conditions, viaducts. This video has 22 sentences and 310 words to shadow. The speech runs for 2:31. The speaker talks at a steady 123 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. Only 74% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is demanding.
Key vocabulary in this video
The 15 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| elevate verb | /ˈɛləveɪt/ | To raise (something) to a higher position. |
| expressway noun | /ɪkˈspɹɛs.weɪ/ | A divided highway, especially one whose intersections and direct access to adjacent properties have been eliminated. |
| viaduct noun | /ˈvaɪəˌdʌk(t)/ | A bridge with several spans that carries rail or road traffic over a valley or other obstacles. |
| delta noun | /ˈdɛltə/ | The fourth letter of the modern Greek alphabet Δ, δ. |
| embankment noun | /ɪmˈbæŋkmənt/ | a long mound of earth, stone, or similar material, usually built for purposes such as to hold back or store water, for protection from weather or enemies, or… |
| geological adjective | /ˌd͡ʒi.əˈlɑdʒ.ɪk.əl/ | Synonym of geologic. |
| shortage noun | /ˈʃɔː(ɹ)tɪd͡ʒ/ | A lack or deficiency; an insufficient amount. |
| advantageous adjective | /ˌædvənˈteɪd͡ʒ(i)əs/ | Being of advantage, beneficial. |
| hydrology noun | The science of the properties, distribution, and effects of water on a planet's surface, in the soil and underlying rocks, and in the atmosphere. | |
| rethink verb | /ɹiːˈθɪŋk/ | To think again about something, with the intention of changing or replacing it. |
| scarcity noun | /ˈskɛɹsɪti/ | The condition of something being scarce or deficient. |
| subsidence noun | /ˈsʌbsɪdəns/ | The process of becoming less active or severe. |
| resilience noun | /ɹɪˈzɪl.ɪ.əns/ | The mental ability to recover quickly from depression, illness or misfortune. |
| scarce adjective | /ˈskɛɚs/ | Uncommon, rare; difficult to find; insufficient to meet a demand. |
| dependence noun | /dɪˈpɛndəns/ | The state of being dependent, of relying upon another. |
Pronunciation to watch
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: shortage /ˈʃɔː(ɹ)tɪd͡ʒ/, proportion /pɹəˈpɔɹʃən/
- Long words — get the stress right: geological /ˌd͡ʒi.əˈlɑdʒ.ɪk.əl/, advantageous /ˌædvənˈteɪd͡ʒ(i)əs/, resilience /ɹɪˈzɪl.ɪ.əns/, effectiveness /ɪˈfɛk.tɪv.nɪs/, availability /əˌveɪ.ləˈbɪl.ɪ.ti/
How to practise with this video
- Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
- Shadow it sentence by sentence at normal speed, repeating each one until your rhythm matches the speaker.
- Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like elevate, expressway, viaduct.
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.