Shadowing Practice: Global impact of US-Israel war with Iran: BBC Learning English from the News - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

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From BBC Learning English, this is Learning English from the News,
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From BBC Learning English, this is Learning English from the News,
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our podcast about the news headlines.
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In this programme, the impact of the US-Israel war with Iran around the world.
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Hello, I'm Phil.
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And I'm Pippa.
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In this podcast, we look at one big news story and the vocabulary in the headlines that will help you understand it.
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You can find all the vocabulary and headlines from this episode as well as a worksheet on our website, bbclearningenglish.com.
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So let's hear more about this story.
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The US-Israel war with Iran continues,
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causing deaths and injuries in Iran and elsewhere in the region.
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The conflict is also impacting commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz,
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which is the stretch of sea near Iran that allows ships to reach the open ocean.
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The US military says it has eliminated 16 Iranian mine-laying ships in the area.
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Iran continues its strikes across the region,
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including in Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Kuwait.
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People in Tehran have told BBC News Persian about heavy strikes and power cuts.
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On Monday, US President Donald Trump said the war was very far ahead of schedule and very complete, pretty much.
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Aside from the human cost,
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the war has had an impact on the global price of oil
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because of the difficulty shipping oil from the region and the uncertainty over how long the war could last.
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Our first headline is about this.
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This is from the Washington Post, a US newspaper.
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Oil prices seesaw as Trump sends mixed messages on what's next in Iran.
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That headline again from the Washington Post.
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Oil prices seesaw as Trump sends mixed messages on what's next in Iran.
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This headline says oil prices seesaw.
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That means they've been going up and down sharply in response to what President Trump has been saying.
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We're interested in this phrase, sends mixed messages.
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What does it mean to send mixed messages?
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Well, if you send someone mixed messages,
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you do or say things that cause confusion about what you really mean.
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Yes, so in this story,
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President Trump spoke to journalists.
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He told CBS News, the war is very complete, pretty much.
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But when asked if military operations would end soon,
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he replied, I don't know, it depends.
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Right, and that could be described as sending mixed messages.
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It's unclear what Trump is planning and whether the war will end soon.
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We can use the phrase send mixed messages in more everyday situations too.
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For example, in relationships, if someone sends mixed messages,
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you're not sure whether they like you or not.
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There's a similar phrase, send mixed signals,
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and it means the same thing.
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We've had send mixed messages.
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Do or say things that cause confusion about what you mean.
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For example, my boss is sending me mixed messages about whether I'll be promoted.
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Sometimes she praises me, sometimes she criticises me.
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This is Learning English from the News, from BBC Learning English.
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We're talking about the impact of the US-Israel war with Iran.
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As we've mentioned, oil prices have risen sharply since the war began,
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though they fell slightly again after Trump spoke to reporters.
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The war is likely to impact the economies of countries around the world.
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Higher oil prices can make other things we buy more expensive,
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such as food and clothes.
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In the UK, Prime Minister Sakhir Starmer has said it is likely the conflict will impact the UK economy.
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Let's have another headline.
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This is from BBC News.
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Chris Mason, the cost of living is catapulted centre stage yet again.
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That headline again.
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Chris Mason, the cost of living is catapulted centre stage yet again.
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And that's from BBC News.
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This headline talks about the cost of living,
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which refers to the recent price increases for basic things like food and energy in the UK.
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Chris Mason is a political journalist at the BBC.
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We're looking at this phrase centre stage.
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Stage makes me think of the theatre,
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but what does that have to do with price increases?
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Well, you're right, Phil.
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Centre stage literally means the middle of a stage,
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like like you might see at the theatre or a concert.
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But this phrase is metaphorical.
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If something is centre stage,
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it's important and has a lot of attention.
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Right.
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So in the headline, the cost of living is catapulted centre stage,
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that means price increases have suddenly become the most important thing that everyone's talking about,
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because of the impact of the US-Israel war with Iran.
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This headline uses the phrase catapulted centre stage, which is very dramatic.
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But we most commonly hear the phrase takes centre stage.
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This just means that something becomes the most important thing or starts to get everyone's attention.
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Yes.
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So an example would be at the end of the school year,
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exams usually take centre stage as pupils begin to revise.
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We've had centre stage, the most important thing or the thing that everyone is paying attention to.
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For example, green energy will be centre stage again at this year's climate conference.
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This is Learning English from the News from BBC Learning English.
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We're talking about the impact of the ongoing US-Israel war with Iran.
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Whilst US-Israel's strikes have continued against Iran,
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Iran has continued to retaliate.
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A new supreme leader of Iran has also been named after Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed by strikes last week.
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The new supreme leader is Khamenei's son, Mujtaba Khamenei.
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Some pro-establishment crowds have taken to the streets to celebrate the appointment,
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but other people in Iran do not support the leader and believe he will continue his father's policies.
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Iran's police chief said any Iranians thinking of protesting against the
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government would be dealt with in the same way we deal with the enemy.
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Let's have another headline.
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This is from Sky News, a British news organisation.
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What we know about Iran's new supreme leader,
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Mujahideen Hamenei, and why his appointment doesn't bode well for peace.
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That headline again from Sky News.
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What we know about Iran's new supreme leader,
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Muhtabar Khamenei, and why his appointment doesn't bode well for peace.
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This headline is about the new supreme leader in Iran.
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We're interested in this phrase, doesn't bode well.
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Yes.
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Bode well means be a sign that good things will happen in the future.
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In this headline, bode well is used in the negative.
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It says the appointment of the new leader doesn't bode well for peace.
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This means it isn't a good sign that this decision does not make peace more likely.
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Bode well is quite an old-fashioned phrase,
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but we do use it in more everyday context in English.
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For example, good sales figures at the start of the year could bode well for a company's profits.
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You might also sometimes see the phrase bode ill.
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This means something is a sign that bad things will happen in the future.
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We've had bode well.
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Be a sign that good things will happen in the future.
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For example, she went to the doctors and they wanted to do lots of tests,
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which doesn't bode well.
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That's it for this episode of Learning English from the News.
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We'll be back next week with another news story.
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Try the worksheet on our website to test what you've learned.
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That's bbclearningenglish.com.
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And you can also follow us on social media at BBC Learning English.
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Bye for now.
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Goodbye.

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About This Lesson

In this lesson, you will practice your English listening and speaking skills through an informative discussion about the ongoing US-Israel war with Iran, as covered by BBC Learning English. You will engage with the key vocabulary from the transcript and learn how to express complex ideas clearly and concisely. This is a great opportunity to learn English with YouTube while enhancing your understanding of current events and improving your speaking agility using the shadowing technique.

Key Vocabulary & Phrases

  • Impact: The effect or influence of one thing on another.
  • Sends mixed messages: To say or do things that create confusion about one's true intentions.
  • Seesaw: To fluctuate or change repeatedly in a back-and-forth manner.
  • Commercial ships: Vessels used for transporting goods and merchandise.
  • Heavy strikes: Intense military attacks.
  • Uncertainty: The state of being unsure or having doubts.
  • Human cost: The impact of conflict on human lives, encompassing loss and suffering.
  • Oil prices: The market price of crude oil, often subject to fluctuations due to geopolitical events.

Practice Tips

To get the most out of this lesson, consider using the shadowspeaks method, a specific shadowing technique where you imitate the rhythm and tone of native speakers. As you watch the video, focus on matching the speed of the speakers. Since news reports often have varied pacing, try the following:

  • Pause after each sentence to repeat what the speakers have said, paying attention to pronunciation and intonation.
  • Use slow-motion playback settings if available. This will help you catch the nuances of their speech and will allow you to mimic it more effectively.
  • Practice with a partner. Recite the vocabulary words aloud, and then discuss their meanings and usage in different contexts.
  • Record yourself shadow speaking. Listen to your pronunciation and compare it to the original audio. This can highlight areas where you need improvement.
  • Incorporate the key phrases into your own sentences during practice to enhance retention and understanding.

By implementing these strategies, you will become more fluent and confident in your English speaking skills, making it easier to engage in discussions about current events like those reported in the video.

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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