Shadowing Practice: ENGLISH SPEECH | BTS: Speak Yourself (English Subtitles) - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

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Thank you, Mr. Secretary General, UNICEF Executive Director, Excellencies and distinguished guests from across the world.
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57 sentences
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Thank you, Mr. Secretary General, UNICEF Executive Director, Excellencies and distinguished guests from across the world.
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My name is Kim Nam Jun, also known as RM, the leader of the group BTS.
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It’s an incredible honor to be invited to an occasion of such significance for today’s young generation.
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Last November, BTS launched the LOVE MYSELF campaign with UNICEF building on our belief that true love first begins with loving myself.
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We’ve been partnering with UNICEF’s end violence program to protect children and young people all over the world from violence.
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And, our fans have become a major part of this campaign with their action and their enthusiasm.
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We truly have the best fans in the world.
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I’d like to begin by talking about myself.
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I was born in Ilsan, a city near Seoul, South Korea.
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It is a really beautiful place with a lake, hills, and even an annual flower festival.
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I spent a very happy childhood there and I was judged as an ordinary boy.
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I used to look up at the night sky and I used to dream the dreams of a boy.
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I used to imagine that I was a super hero who could save the world.
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In an intro to one of our early albums there’s a line that says, “My heart stopped when I was maybe nine or ten.” Looking back, I think that’s when I began to worry about what other people thought of me and started seeing myself in their eyes.
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I stopped looking up at the night skies, the stars.
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I stopped daydreaming.
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Instead, I just tried to jam myself into the molds that other people made.
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Soon, I began to shut out my own voice and started to listen to the voices of others.
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No one called out my name and neither did I.
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My heart stopped and my eyes closed shut.
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And so, like this I, we, all lost our names.
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We became like ghosts.
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But, I had one thing and that was music.
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There was a small voice inside of me that said, “Wake up, man, and listen to yourself.” But, it took me quite a long time to hear music calling my real name.
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Even after making the decision to join BTS, there were a lot of hurdles.
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Some people might not believe it, but most people thought we were hopeless.
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And, sometimes, I just wanted to quit.
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But, I think I was very lucky that I didn’t give it all up.
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And, I’m sure that I and we will keep stumbling and falling like this.
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BTS has become artists performing in those huge stadiums, and we’re selling millions of albums right now.
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But, I am still an ordinary 24-year-old guy.
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If there’s anything that I’ve achieved it was only possible that I have my other BTS members right by my side, and because of the love and support that our ARMY fans all over the world made for us.
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And, maybe I made a mistake yesterday.
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But, yesterday’s me is still me.
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Today, I am who I am with all of my faults and my mistakes.
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Tomorrow, I might be a tiny bit wiser, and that would be me too.
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These faults and mistakes are what I am, making up the brightest stars in the constellation of my life.
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I have come to love myself for who I am, for who I was, and for who I hope to become.
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I would like to say one last thing.
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After releasing our “Love Yourself” albums, and launching the Love Myself campaign, we started to hear remarkable stories from our fans all over the world—how our message helped them overcome their hardships in life and to start loving themselves.
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Those stories constantly remind us of our responsibility.
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So, let’s all take one more step.
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We have learned to love ourselves, so now I urge you to speak yourself.
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I would like to ask all of you, "What is your name?" What excites you and makes your heartbeat?
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Tell me your story.
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I want to hear your voice.
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I want to hear your conviction--no matter who you are or where you’re from, your skin color, your gender identity.
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Just speak yourself.
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Find your name and find your voice by speaking yourself.
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I’m Kim Nam-joon and also RM of BTS.
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I am an idol and I am an artist from a small town in Korea.
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Like most people I’ve made many and plenty mistakes in my life.
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I have many faults and I have many more fears, but I am going to embrace myself as hard as I can.
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And, I am starting to love myself gradually, little by little.
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What is your name?
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Speak yourself.
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Thank you very much.

Why practice speaking with this video?

Practicing your english speaking practice with authentic materials like the "Speak Yourself" speech by RM of BTS can be incredibly beneficial. This video offers a real-life context where a speaker shares personal thoughts and experiences, making it relatable and engaging. By mimicking RM's delivery and intonation, you not only improve your fluency but also gain confidence in expressing your feelings and beliefs.

Engaging with inspiring content encourages you to reflect on your own life and communicate your story. This aligns perfectly with the shadowing technique, where you listen and repeat what you hear. Such practice helps you internalize sentence structures and vocab, enhancing your ability to articulate complex emotions effectively.

Grammar & Expressions in Context

  • “I used to” - This phrase is used to indicate habits or states that were true in the past but are no longer the case. For example, “I used to look up at the night sky.” This structure is great for expressing past experiences.
  • “I want to hear your voice” - Utilizing the present tense here adds immediacy and warmth to the request, making it a powerful expression for inviting others to share their stories.
  • “Let’s all take one more step” - This call to action employs the imperative form, creating a sense of urgency and community, urging listeners to engage and participate.
  • “What is your name?” - This straightforward question exemplifies how to initiate conversations and can prompt further storytelling, vital for effective communication.

These phrases and structures are perfect for learners who want to learn english with youtube as they can be easily practiced through repetition and application in daily conversations.

Common Pronunciation Traps

When practicing the speech, pay attention to words and phrases that might pose challenges in pronunciation:

  • “Excellencies” - The initial 'ex' can be tricky, so make sure to articulate it clearly to avoid blending sounds.
  • “Ordinary” - This word often gets pronounced in several ways. Make an effort to pronounce all four syllables distinctly.
  • “Conviction” - Pay attention to the syllable stress; focus on emphasizing the second syllable (/kənˈvɪkʃən/) when practicing.

Using the shadow speech method, repeat these words after the original speaker. This technique will help you improve your accent and intonation, making your speech sound more natural.

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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