Shadowing Practice: Emma Watson speech for HeForShe Second Year Anniversary (20/9/16) - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

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But first, we will hear from a woman who has lent her name and voice to this important solidarity movement.
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But first, we will hear from a woman who has lent her name and voice to this important solidarity movement.
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UN Women Goodwill Ambassador, Thought Leader,
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and Leading Actor, Emma Watson.
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Thank you.
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Thank you.
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Gosh, I'm so overwhelmed.
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Thank you to everyone that has shared their story tonight
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and has contributed to what has been the most heartwarming moment of my year.
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Good evening.
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Being a part of HeForShe for the last two years has been an incredible learning experience for me.
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There have been some really hard moments,
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and a lot of amazing ones,
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ones I never could have imagined.
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The UN Secretary General, the entire EU Commission,
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the NATO Secretary General, the President of the International Olympic Committee,
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numerous heads of state, and politicians from around the world,
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including those that you've heard from tonight,
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and everyone from Usain Bolt to Tom Hanks,
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and now all he for she.
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We've crashed the UN website on multiple occasions.
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Sorry about that.
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We have lit up the Empire State Building,
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seen he for she in Times Square,
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and made it a term in the Urban Dictionary.
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After two billion media impressions,
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1.1 million pledged he or she's have made practical commitments,
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as have some of the world's leading universities and companies,
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to make gender equality a priority in their work and within their communities.
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Surprisingly though, it was during the hard moments
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that I made the best discoveries about what it means to be part of this movement.
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There is genuinely a spectrum of amazing feminists out there who have not only given me invaluable advice
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but also broadened my perspective and reinforced my belief that we are all linked.
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We all belong to a long history of people who have made sacrifices,
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some groups much more than others,
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in order to make indefinably large contributions to our modern lives.
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We've seen seismic shifts in culture recently.
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I couldn't believe my eyes when I turned on the TV to see
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that Bud Light was plunging gender equality and equal pay as part of their current advertising campaign.
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We already have some amazing things happening,
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some amazing female leaders, but I don't know if I would have believed you if you had told me two years ago,
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before I made my he-for-she speech,
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that we might have the first female president of the United States.
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Please don't let me down, America.
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A female Prime Minister of the United Kingdom,
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and possibly, for the first time in history,
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a female UN Secretary General.
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While women still only make up such a small percentage of political leadership,
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to quote the awesome Michelle Obama,
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because of these women, girls and boys all over the world will have real life examples that women are leaders.
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In the last two years,
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if I have learned anything,
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if they have shown me anything,
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it is that nothing, nothing is impossible.
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And that's why tonight, as well as saying thank you from the bottom of my heart for all that you have done,
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I ask you to recommit yourself to be a part of gender equality.
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I genuinely feel that we are closer to a gender equal world,
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certainly closer than we were two years ago,
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and I know that each and every he for she has played such a huge part in that.
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I am proud to have been part of lots of amazing things in my life,
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but there is nothing that I am prouder of than being part of this.
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Thank you so much.
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Have a wonderful night.

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Why practice speaking with this video?

Practicing speaking with Emma Watson's speech for the HeForShe Second Year Anniversary is an excellent way to improve your English skills. The video provides not only an inspiring message about gender equality but also rich language opportunities. By engaging with her speech, you will expose yourself to a variety of vocabulary and expressions that are relevant to important global issues. This context makes it easier to remember the phrases and enhances your speaking abilities, allowing you to discuss social topics more confidently and fluently.

Moreover, utilizing learn English with YouTube can turn your language practice into an engaging learning experience. You can take advantage of effective shadowing techniques, where you repeat after the speaker, improving your intonation and rhythm. This approach, often referred to as shadow speak, can help reinforce your speaking skills in a meaningful setting.

Grammar & Expressions in Context

In her speech, Emma Watson uses several grammatical structures and expressions that highlight her message effectively. Here are a few examples:

  • Past perfect tense: "Being a part of HeForShe for the last two years has been an incredible learning experience." This structure helps convey experiences that connect the past with the present.
  • Causal conjunctions: "Surprisingly though, it was during the hard moments that I made the best discoveries…" Here, she uses 'though' to emphasize contrast, a useful nuance in English for expressing unexpected outcomes.
  • Direct speech: Quoting figures like Michelle Obama reinforces her points and adds authority to her claims, which is a great way to learn how to integrate others’ words into your own narrative.

By practicing these structures via a shadowing site, you will learn to use them fluidly in your conversations, enhancing both your grammar and expressive capabilities.

Common Pronunciation Traps

While listening to Emma Watson’s speech, you may encounter several tricky words and phrases. For instance:

  • Gender Equality: Pay attention to the pronunciation of “gender” [ˈdʒɛndər] and “equality” [ɪˈkwɑːləti], as the blending of sounds can be challenging.
  • Incredible: This word can easily trip up non-native speakers. Break it down to [ɪnˈkrɛdɪbəl] to master its rhythm.
  • Culture: Note the difference in accents. Watson’s British accent may lead you to hear it as [ˈkʌl.tʃər], which is different from American pronunciation, [ˈkʌl.tʃɚ].

By focusing on these pronunciation traps, you can elevate your speaking performance and sound more natural. Use the techniques learned through shadowing this speech to spot similar patterns in your everyday English usage.

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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