Shadowing Practice: How Mobile Phones Are Changing Life in Africa - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

B2
From VOA Learning English, we bring you news about technology in Special English.
⏸ Paused
24 sentences
If sentences are too short or too long, click Edit to adjust them.
1
From VOA Learning English, we bring you news about technology in Special English.
2
The World Bank estimates there are about 650 million mobile phone users in African countries south of the Sahara Desert.
3
That is greater than the number of users in the United States and the European Union.
4
Samia Melham works for the World Bank to increase information technologies in Africa.
5
She says mobile phones are Africa's fastest-growing technology.
6
She says more Africans have access to the Internet than to clean water or sanitation.
7
She says mobile technology has brought about huge changes in how people live.
8
CNN television recently named seven ways life has been revolutionized by mobile phones.
9
They include political activism, education,
10
entertainment, disaster management, agriculture, and health.
11
Banking is another industry that has been transformed by mobile phones.
12
Reports say at least half of the adults in Gabon,
13
Kenya and Sudan use mobile money.
14
Rene Mendy sells goods in the streets of Dakar, Senegal.
15
But he never had enough money to open a bank account.
16
Now, he uses a mobile phone banking service called Orange Money.
17
With his telephone, he can add or take out as little as $1 from his account.
18
He can make payments and send money to family members who live far away.
19
Money says it serves 4 million customers in 10 countries.
20
The World Bank's Samia Melham notes that the French company is facing competition from other mobile banking services.
21
That is not a surprise.
22
The cost of sending a payment by phone is far lower than with traditional transfer agents.
23
like Western Union.
24
For VOA Learning English, I'm Laurel Bowman.

Download App

AI scoring for every sentence you speak

Scan To Download
Scan To Download
Download on theApp Store
Get it onGoogle Play
TRENDING

Popular

Context & Background

The video titled "How Mobile Phones Are Changing Life in Africa" highlights the significant impact of mobile technology on the lives of people across various regions in Africa. With over 650 million mobile phone users in Sub-Saharan Africa, the sheer usage surpasses that of the United States and the European Union. Samia Melham from the World Bank emphasizes that mobile phones have become the continent's fastest-growing technology, reshaping access to information and services. This transformation is not only pivotal for individual users but also creates substantial changes in sectors like banking, education, and health.

Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication

  • “I can make payments and send money.” - Useful for discussing financial transactions and mobile banking.
  • “More Africans have access to the Internet.” - A great way to talk about technology access in different regions.
  • “Mobile phones are Africa's fastest-growing technology.” - A statement for conversations about technological advancements.
  • “I never had enough money to open a bank account.” - Relatable for discussing financial barriers.
  • “The cost of sending a payment by phone is far lower.” - Useful for economic discussions on financial services.

Step-by-step Shadowing Guide

To master the essential phrases and improve your spoken English using the shadowing technique, follow these steps:

  1. Listen Carefully: Start by watching the video without subtitles. Pay attention to the pronunciation and intonation of the speaker.
  2. Repeat After the Speaker: Utilize the shadowspeak method. As the speaker says each phrase, pause the video and repeat exactly what you hear, mimicking their accent and rhythm.
  3. Break Phrases Down: For longer phrases, break them into smaller parts. Focus on mastering each segment before connecting them together.
  4. Practice with Context: Create sentences using the phrases you've learned. This helps you apply your new vocabulary in practical situations.
  5. Record Yourself: Use your mobile device to record your voice while shadowing. Listen to your pronunciation and compare it to the original to identify areas for improvement.

Regular practice using the shadowing site technique will enhance your fluency and comprehension, making you more confident in daily conversations. The more you practice, the more natural it will feel to communicate in English, especially with topics that resonate like technological change and its impact on society.

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.

☕ Buy us a coffee