Shadowing Practice: Global transition to cleaner transport | Vietnam Today - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

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As the energy crisis and net zero goals accelerate the global transition to cleaner transport,
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As the energy crisis and net zero goals accelerate the global transition to cleaner transport,
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countries around the world are rethinking how people move in more sustainable ways.
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Right, and we actually have data to illustrate this growing trend.
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Now, globally, transportation systems are rapidly evolving,
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and more people are moving away from gasoline-powered vehicles and opting for electric cars,
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e-bikes and cleaner public transport.
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According to the latest Vision 2050 report released by the International Council on Clean Transportation,
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electric vehicles accounted for around 25% of global vehicle sales in the first half of 2025.
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China continues to dominate the EV market,
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while emerging economies such as Vietnam,
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Thailand, Turkey and Indonesia are seeing some of the fastest growth.
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And amid this high-tech mobility revolution,
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one of the simplest solutions is also making a comeback.
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The bicycle.
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Bikes tackle air pollution, traffic noise and rising health costs,
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all whilst building infrastructure that's kinder on nature and people.
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UN Habitat estimates that if just 10% of urban residents replaced one daily car trip with cycling,
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millions of tons of carbon emissions could be avoided every year.
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Now in the race towards greener cities and more sustainable mobility,
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the bicycle may no longer be just an alternative but part of the future itself.
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And now we're zooming into specific examples.
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Bicycle are now infrastructure is becoming an increasingly important part of city planning.
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And to better understand how this transformation is taking shape,
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let's take a look at some of the world's leading cycling nations
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and how they're building cities around people and not just vehicles.
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Copenhagen continues to raise standards in infrastructure and design.
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It now has the world's highest cycling infrastructure density,
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with 52 km of protected cycle tracks for every 100 km of roadway.
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As car numbers grow, the focus is on strengthening traffic calming,
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expand 30 km per hour speed limit zones,
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creating car-free areas near schools and improving greener, climate-friendly streets.
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In a city known for its many canals and small streets,
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Amsterdam has continued innovating and using the water to its advantage.
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In 2023, the city opened a spectacular underwater bicycle parking garage underneath the canal.
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This was a global first and proved once again that Amsterdam is a leader in cycling innovation.
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Amsterdam is also reclaiming space from cars,
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transforming the historic canal built into a continuous bicycle street.
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The city of life has become the city's of bikes.
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By reclaiming road space for cars and investing heavily in active mobility,
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Paris has seen cycling's model share rise from 5% to 11% in just five years.
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Believe, the city's shared bike system and other private dockless services together offer over 45,000 bikes,
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which generated 56 million trips in 2024, a European benchmark.
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Cycling investment is far more than building bicycle lanes.
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It is a foundation for healthier,
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more resilient cities and future-ready urban mobility.
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Now seeing that we've always wondered how that trend would look like in Vietnam.
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In fact here discussions surrounding greener and more sustainable forms of mobility are gaining increasing attention among researchers and urban planners.
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RV Hansen, research professor at the Center for Global Sustainability at the University of Oslo,
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suggested that for a more sustainable future,
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Hanoi may need to rediscover its identity as a bicycle-friendly city.
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So let's connect with him now.
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Well, first of all, thank you so much for joining us on Newsline today.
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Now, our first question is that at the policy level,
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what are the key challenges Hanoi faces in promoting cycling,
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especially in a context where motorbikes dominate and car ownership is on the rise?
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Yeah, thank you.
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It's certainly not easy, but I think it's needed.
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I think it's hard to see how much worse the traffic has become in Hanoi.
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This is mainly, I would argue, due to cars.
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Of course, motorbikes cause some problems as well, we know.
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But actually, in mobility terms,
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they work better than cars.
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There were periods many years ago when bicycle lanes were developed in Hanoi to some extent.
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However, they were not prioritized.
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So many of these bicycle lanes that came in place were used for parking for cars.
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And then there have been different kinds of initiatives in the past the past,
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but much the take has been sort of trying to encourage people to use the bicycles,
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which is a good idea,
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but it's been without sort of really prioritizing it in terms of urban planning.
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If this proposed motorbike ban will come into place,
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which I think should count for cars as well,
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it could be a good opportunity to make the city more bicycle-friendly again.
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Right.
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So are there any international models or cities that Hanoi could realistically learn from or adapt to its own context?
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Yeah, I think there are many.
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Of course, Hanoi is a particular place with its particular challenges,
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but I think there are many lessons to be drawn from elsewhere.
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But I think maybe for Hanoi,
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it could be just as useful to look at some of the cities that are more recently tried to promote bicycling.
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These include Helsinki in Finland,
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Milan, London, but also closer to Hanoi, Tokyo and Taipei.
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So just one of many examples of cities that have more recently taken this challenge seriously.
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So I think there are many places to look for Hanoi.
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Right.
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So beyond policy, what role does public awareness play play
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and what changes in mindset
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or daily habits are needed to make cycling more widely accepted
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in vietnam that's a very good question um i think somehow we have to sort of move the bicycle from
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being seen as as either as sort of an outdated mode of transportation
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or as a means of exercise right
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and that's what we see from the cities
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that have succeeded in this is that um if you
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If you manage to make the bicycle a safe and convenient means of transportation,
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then you can succeed.
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So I agree that the mindset is important,
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but I think that could come along with policies.
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As part of this overall broader net zero ambitions of Vietnam,
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prioritizing bicycle is a very good strategy also for the images of Vietnam as taking environmental sustainability seriously.
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Well, thank you so much for your insights.

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About This Lesson

In this lesson, you will practice English listening and speaking skills through a discussion on the global transition to cleaner transport, with a focus on cycling infrastructure and sustainable urban mobility. This topic is particularly relevant as cities worldwide, including those in emerging economies like Vietnam, seek to reduce carbon emissions and enhance the quality of life for residents. By engaging with the transcript, you will improve your ability to articulate ideas on sustainability, transportation, and urban planning, which are increasingly important in today's conversations.

Key Vocabulary & Phrases

  • Global transition: The movement towards more sustainable practices on a worldwide scale.
  • Electric vehicles (EVs): Cars powered by electricity instead of gasoline.
  • Infrastructure: The basic physical structures needed for the operation of a society, such as roads and bridges.
  • Air pollution: The presence of harmful substances in the air.
  • Carbon emissions: Carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere, contributing to climate change.
  • Cycling infrastructure: Facilities and systems designed to support cycling as a mode of transport.
  • Active mobility: Modes of transport that involve physical activity, such as walking and cycling.

Practice Tips

To effectively improve your speaking skills using this lesson, consider employing the technique of shadowspeaking. This method involves listening to the transcript and immediately repeating what you hear. Focus on the speed and intonation of the speaker to develop your own natural rhythm and flow. As you practice, try using a shadowing app to record your voice and compare it to the original audio. This will help you identify areas for improvement and boost your confidence during IELTS speaking practice.

Given the academic nature of the video, start by listening to short segments and repeating them at a slower pace. Gradually increase to match the natural speed of the video. Remember to practice regularly, aiming for at least 15-20 minutes a day, to reinforce your learning and enhance your pronunciation and fluency. Happy practicing!

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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