Shadowing Practice: How a 13 year old changed 'Impossible' to 'I'm Possible' | Sparsh Shah | TEDxGateway - Learn English Speaking with YouTube
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Numenau ultramicroscopic silicovalcine coniosis, supercalifragilisticexpialidocious,
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Numenau ultramicroscopic silicovalcine coniosis, supercalifragilisticexpialidocious,
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hippopotamonstrous sesquipadaliophobia, pseudo-pseudo-hyperparathyroidism, phloxnasna helipolification,
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anti-disestablishment terrorism, honorary vocabulary to genitalibus,
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lecture encephalographically, antitransubstantialist, disproportionableness, and comprehensibilities.
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So, what you just heard were some of the 11 longest words in the English dictionary.
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Such complex words, right?
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Well, just as these words are complex,
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so has my own life been.
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And although seemingly difficult things,
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such as memorizing long and complex words and numbers, are simple for me.
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Seemingly simple things such as standing and bearing weight are impossible for me.
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That's because I wasn't like any other newborn baby.
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I was born with osteogenesis imperfecta,
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a rare incurable genetic disorder that causes a person's bones to be extremely fragile.
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So I guess you can call me Mr. Glass now.
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During my birth, I had over 35 fractures and was taken immediately to the intensive care unit.
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And these were the sounds that used to resonate throughout the hospital as I was desperately clinging on to my life.
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The doctors gave me the very bleak prognosis that I'd only live for a day or two.
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But due to God's grace and the support of my parents and their never-say-die attitude, I survived.
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In fact, thank you.
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Thank you.
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In fact, I've had 130 fractures so far in just the first 13 years of my life,
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and only God knows how many more will happen.
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I've also had multiple screws and rods placed in my body,
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so I guess you can call me Iron Man as well.
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Ironic, am I right?
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But anyways, no more sob stories,
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because that's not what I want to talk to you about today.
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So now, what do you see on the slide in the back?
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Can you tell me?
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Impossible, right.
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Okay, good.
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Now what do you all see?
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Thank you.
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Awesome.
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And that's exactly what I want to share with you all today.
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How I turn the word impossible into I'm possible in my life by following four simple steps.
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Step one, find your passion.
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Now, despite the fact that I did live a very rough life for the first few years,
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God opened a new door to it that would become my passion and change my life forever,
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and that was music.
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Music has had a tremendous impact on me, both physically and emotionally.
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I started singing ever since I could speak,
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and in fact, I even used to correct my parents when they were singing off key by saying,
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Mom, Dad, you're not singing right.
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At the tender age of six,
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my parents enrolled me into Indian classical vocal training.
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Much later on, I also started taking American vocal lessons,
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therefore helping to increase my versatility as a singer.
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But I found my My true calling as an artist at the age of 10,
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when I wrote my first song,
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this love will never fade.
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Since then, I've written 11 more songs.
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Two, never hold yourself back.
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So one day I came across an amazing rap song many of you may have heard of,
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Not Afraid, by none other than Eminem, also known as Lamsheedy.
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This song struck my chords and was so inspirational to me that I could not hold myself back.
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And I decided that I had to go out there and make a cover of it myself.
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Ha!
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Who knew that the boy with slim chances of survival would go on to sing slim,
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shady songs one day?
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But wait, there's more.
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I didn't just rap the song like any other person.
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First of all, I'm not a fan of profanity,
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So I decided to make my rapper name, Pure Rhythm.
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In other words, I'm clean,
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no curses, but I'm still all about the rhythm.
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Thank you.
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I also added my own touch of Indian classical music to the song,
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which is part of a new music genre that I once a pioneer,
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called Raga Rap, or the fusion of seemingly polar opposites,
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Indian classical music and hip-hop.
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I know right now, to some of you,
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the idea may sound completely crazy,
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but trust me, in the end, the result is beautiful.
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To my pleasant surprise, the cover blew up all over the internet,
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and it became a worldwide phenomenon.
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I received praises from some of the most famous celebrities out there,
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And to date, the cover has gotten over 55 million views,
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and counting, on all social media sites so far.
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Thank you.
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And because I decided that I would not hold myself back,
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and instead decide out to go out and display my musical talents to the world,
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I was able to achieve these,
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among many other achievements, that I've been very blessed to have achieved to this day.
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Step 3.
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Help others.
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Now, I've been singing pro bono for various non-profit organizations,
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and by now, I've helped to raise at least half a million dollars for them.
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Thank you.
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And yes, that is American dollars, by the way.
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Because I know we're in India right now.
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But I believe that the biggest satisfaction for all of us is
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when we get to help change someone else's life for the better.
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Doesn't it give us such an immense amount of gratitude?
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For example, I was once contacted by a family who had a child with brittle bones just like me.
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He's about to go into surgery and was very nervous,
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but his parents reached out to me,
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and we had a FaceTime call which went very well.
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And on the day of the surgery,
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his parents sent us this pic with a smiling Xavier going into the surgery without any fear.
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Thank you.
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And last but not least, dream big.
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None of this would have ever happened if I had not jumped big.
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But my ultimate goal as a musician is still to one day perform in front of a billion,
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yes, you heard me right,
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a billion people one day.
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I want to leave my footprints,
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or rather track prints, into the sand of legacies so deep not even a tsunami can erase it.
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and I firmly believe that every one of us here should strive for such big goals.
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I mean, don't you all want to be remembered when you leave this earth?
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I also have many plans for my life in the future,
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especially in my musical career.
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I want to join an online bachelor's degree course in music at the age of 13,
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come up with many original albums,
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win a Grammy Award one day,
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and most importantly, sparsh everyone's hearts all over the world.
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Thank you.
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Aw, thank you.
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But remember, it's still not over yet.
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I promise you.
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Yeah, so where was I? dispersing everyone's hearts, right?
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I want to spread the message that no matter what happens in your life,
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you should never, ever give up on your passion.
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Everyone in this world goes through struggles of some sort,
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and I know, because I,
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for one, have to deal with constant fractures and lots of pain.
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But I believe that if I can turn impossible into impossible in my life, You can too.
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If you can believe it, you can achieve it.
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And I firmly believe that if you push forward and have faith,
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you will make it big anywhere in life.
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Thank you so much.
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But wait up.
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Before you guys do a standing ovation, it's not over yet.
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Because I'd like to leave you all with a very special gift from me to you.
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This is my rendition of Raga Rap in Eminem's Not Afraid.
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Pure rhythm style.
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So thank you again.
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I'm not
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a friend to take a stand Everybody,
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come take my hand Walk this road together through the storm Whatever weather,
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colds or warm Just let you know that you're not alone Holla
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if you feel like you've been down the same road Yeah!
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It's been a ride
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I guess I have to go to that place to get to this one
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Now some of you must still be in that place If you're trying to get out,
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just follow me I'll get you there,
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promise
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You can try and read my letters off of this paper before I land
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But you won't take this thing out these words before I say them Cause ain't no end,
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I'll let you sign me because a man When I say him,
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I'll do something, I'll do it I don't give a glance, what you think?
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I'm doing this for me,
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forget the work, me the beans is gas up,
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never think you stop for me I'ma be what I said I'd to be,
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without a doubt, undoubtedly And all those who look down at me,
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I'm tearing down your balconies No one's saying the bus,
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don't try to ask me why I'm in it Cause from infinite down to the last,
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we'll have time when we're still fretting Whether he's on salary,
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paid hourly, until he finds out and repeats his file without him Whatever comes first,
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for better or worse, he's married to the game Like a present for Christmas,
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but his gifts is a curse Forget the earth,
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you got dirt, you put yourself in the dirt And curse the whole universe I'm not afraid,
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you take a chance Everybody,
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take my hand We'll walk this road together,
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through the shore Whatever weather,
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colds are warm Just let me know that you're not alone For all you hip-hop fans,
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if you know the lyrics, sing along!
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Ready?
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Cause I just can't keep living this way So we're starting today I'm breaking out of this cage You're standing up,
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I'm gonna phase my twist I'm standing up,
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I'ma hold my ground If that ain't enough,
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I'm
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so fed up Time to put my life back together right
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now It was my decision to get clean I did it for me Admittedly,
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I probably did it subliminally for you
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So I could come back a brand new me You helped me see me through And don't even realize what you did,
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believe me, you I've been through the wringer for things
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And little to the peace fingers I think you got a
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tear in my eye I feel like the kingdom My world haters can make like beers
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But no singers and drop dead No more beef clangers,
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no more drama From the half-worn of problems to focus So the unkindling minds find the village To the brothers,
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so it's hot I swear to always treat this fool Like my brother
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and raise it You couldn't let the singers sing my money
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Cause that's where I feel I'm strong enough to go to the gym On the fitness club And gold is on,
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just trying to hold up,
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cause I'm raising the bar I'm shooting room,
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the two-fits are gazing at the stars I feel amazing,
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I'm not afraid Walk this group together through the storm Whatever weather,
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close the wall Just letting you know that you're not alone Holler if you feel like you're friends Get rhythm!
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Thank you so much!
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Thank you!
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Why practice speaking with this video?
The video titled "How a 13 year old changed 'Impossible' to 'I'm Possible' | Sparsh Shah | TEDxGateway" offers a remarkable opportunity for English learners to practice speaking in a motivational context. Sparsh Shah's inspiring journey teaches valuable lessons about resilience and passion, which can enhance your language skills while uplifting your spirit. The narrative emphasizes critical speaking themes such as overcoming challenges and pursuing passions, making it an ideal resource for learners aiming to improve their spoken English through the shadowing technique.
By repeating and shadowing Sparsh’s phrases, you not only enhance your fluency but also gain insight into how to express complex emotions and ideas in English. Engaging with this video helps you build confidence as you practice articulating similar themes in your own words, leading to greater self-expression and improved English pronunciation.
Grammar & Expressions in Context
Sparsh Shah employs various grammatical structures and expressions that can benefit learners. Here are a few key examples:
- Conditionals: “If I could speak…” This structure emphasizes possibilities and is useful when discussing hypothetical scenarios.
- Passive Voice: “I was born with osteogenesis imperfecta.” Understanding passive constructions enables learners to discuss events where the focus is on the action rather than the subject.
- Direct Speech: “The doctors gave me a bleak prognosis.” Using direct quotes enriches storytelling and personal narratives, which are essential for effective communication.
- Emphatic Structures: “I guess you can call me Iron Man.” This expression shows how to add emphasis to your statements, enhancing your spoken English.
Incorporating these structures into your practice will not only improve clarity but also make your speech more engaging.
Common Pronunciation Traps
As you shadow Sparsh's speech, pay attention to certain words and expressions that may pose pronunciation challenges:
- “Osteogenesis imperfecta” – A medical term that is tricky due to its length and syllable stress. Focus on breaking it down into smaller parts.
- “Fractures” – Make sure to pronounce the soft ‘c’ and the ‘t’ clearly. This helps in sounding natural when discussing injuries or medical conditions.
- “Prognosis” – Emphasize the second syllable correctly;, it can easily be mispronounced as “prog-nosis.”
- Emotional intonation: While shadowing, mimic not just the words but also the emotional tone. This helps in conveying feelings effectively.
By focusing on these tricky words and practicing through shadow speech on this shadowing site, you will greatly improve your English pronunciation and overall speaking abilities, allowing you to communicate your thoughts with confidence.
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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