Shadowing Practice: How much nitrogen are we losing?- Graeme Schwenke - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

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Hi it's Graham Schwenke here from New South Wales Department of Primary Industries and today I'm just giving a little talk about some recent work that
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Hi it's Graham Schwenke here from New South Wales Department of Primary Industries and today I'm just giving a little talk about some recent work that
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we've been doing on total Nitrogen losses in cropping systems of northern New South Wales and similar works been going on in Southern Queensland as well
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and we've been focused the last three years on dryland sorghum crops. So what we've been looking at is using isotype labelled fertilizer so the isotope
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is 15N nitrogen and the reason we've been using that is a means of tracing the fate of that fertilizer that we put on usually at sewing with the crop and
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we want to see where that fertilizer ends up by the end of the season; how much goes into the grain, how much goes into the leaves of the crop and
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and also how much is remaining the soil and then by difference knowing how much we put in at the start, we can calculate the amount of total nitrogen loss. So
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we've done this in six experiments at Tamworth and near Quirindi and on the Liverpool Plains at Breeza and there's been another I think 11 experiments done
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in southern Queensland as well near Toowoomba and Kingaroy predominantly and all using the same techniques of using this isotope labelled fertilizer put in at the
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start now we've put in different rates of fertilizer, we've put it in with in conjunction with nitrification inhibitors and we also looked at the timing of the fertilizer going in and I guess something to take home from across
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all of these experiments is that we've had quite surprisingly high total nitrogen losses over the season so perhaps on average around about
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twenty-five to thirty percent of the nitrogen that we put on at the start of the season hasn't been either in the plant or in the soil at the end of the season. So we believe that most of that has been lost through
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the process of denitrification that occurs in soil where there's a low-oxygen environment there is labile carbon and there's excess nitrogen available
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for the microbes to denitrify and turn that nitrate nitrogen into first nitrous oxide which is a global warming greenhouse gas and then through to dinitrogen
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or N2 which eighty percent of the atmosphere is made up of so so there's both environmental and agronomic consequences
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of these losses and as I said we've been looking at some different ways of trying to minimize particularly the losses of the nitrous oxide but also ways of
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preventing that overall loss of the of the dinitrogen thanks.

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Why practice speaking with this video?

Practicing your speaking skills with this engaging video by Graeme Schwenke presents a unique opportunity to enhance your understanding of scientific topics while improving your English speaking practice. As the speaker discusses nitrogen loss in agricultural systems, you can not only learn about environmental science but also adopt the shadowing technique to mimic his pronunciation, intonation, and rhythm. This video is particularly useful for intermediate to advanced learners who wish to gain confidence in discussing complex subjects in English.

Grammar & Expressions in Context

In this transcript, several key grammatical structures and expressions can be beneficial for learners:

  • Present Continuous Tense: The speaker frequently uses this tense to describe ongoing actions. For example, "we've been focused the last three years." This structure can help you express your current activities effectively.
  • Passive Voice: Phrases like "has been lost" and "has been using" reflect how to structure sentences when the focus is on the action itself rather than the subject. Understanding passive constructions can be an asset in more formal contexts.
  • Quantitative Language: Terms such as "around about twenty-five to thirty percent" provide a way to discuss estimates in English. Being comfortable with numbers and percentages is essential for academic and professional discussions.
  • Causal Language: The phrase "we believe that most of that has been lost through the process of denitrification" demonstrates how to articulate cause and effect clearly. Recognizing these structures can improve your ability to make logical connections in conversation.

Common Pronunciation Traps

One of the challenges in this video lies in the pronunciation of specific scientific terms. Words like “nitrification”, “denitrification”, and “isotope” may be tricky for many learners. Pay attention to how Graeme emphasizes syllables and the rhythm of these terms. Additionally, the use of regional accents, such as the Australian accent, might present unique sounds that differ from American or British English. This is a perfect opportunity to improve your English pronunciation by practicing along with the speaker, making sure to mimic not just the words but also the sounds.

Incorporating videos like this one into your routine can significantly enhance your mastery of English. By leveraging tools such as this shadowing site, you can refine your skills and engage in more dynamic conversations on diverse topics.

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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