Shadowing Practice: Luyện Nghe Tiếng Anh Cơ Bản A2 | Vegetarian Food in Vietnam | English Podcast - Learn English Speaking with Video

Creating lesson...
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Hello everyone, I'm Vanessa, and today we're talking about vegetarian eating in Vietnam.
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This episode is for beginner level, A2, so we'll use simple words and slow speech.
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Our goal is to help you practice real conversations, learn new vocabulary, and feel more confident speaking English.
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We'll have a fun dialogue between two friends, Mark and Lily, about why people eat vegetarian in Vietnam,
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where to find it, how it works, and some cool things about it.
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Listen closely and try to repeat after us.
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Let's get started.
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Hey, Lily.
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Have you tried vegetarian food in Vietnam?
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I heard it's really popular here.
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Oh, yes, Mark.
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I love it.
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In Vietnam, many people eat vegetarian for health or religion.
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What about you?
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I'm curious.
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Why do people choose to eat vegetarian?
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Is it just no meat?
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Well, vegetarian means no meat, no fish, sometimes no eggs.
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In Vietnam, it's often because of Buddhism.
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Buddhists eat vegetarian to be kind to animals. That makes sense.
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So, when do people eat vegetarian?
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Every day?
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Not always.
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Many eat vegetarian on the 1st and 15th of the lunar month.
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It's like a special day for good luck and peace.
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Cool!
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Where can I find vegetarian food? In restaurants?
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Yes, there are Quan Che.
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That's vegetarian restaurants.
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They're everywhere in cities like Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City.
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Some markets have vegetarian stalls too.
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How does it work?
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Do they use fake meat or something?
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Exactly.
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They make fake meat from tofu, mushrooms, or beans.
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It looks and tastes like real meat, but it's all plants.
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That sounds interesting.
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Is it healthy?
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Very healthy.
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Lots of vegetables, fruits, and herbs.
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It helps with weight and energy.
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No heavy fats from animals.
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Where does this tradition come from?
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Is it old?
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It's from Buddhist temples.
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Monks eat vegetarian all the time.
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People join them on holy days.
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So it's not just food, it's cultural?
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Yes.
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During festivals like Vulan, everyone eats vegetarian to honor parents and ancestors.
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Vulan?
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What's that?
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It's a festival in August lunar calendar.
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People go to temples, eat chai, and release lanterns. That sounds beautiful.
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Are there fun dishes to try?
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Oh, definitely.
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Try fo-che, vegetarian fo soup with noodles and herbs.
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Or ban-mi-che, a sandwich with tofu instead of meat.
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Yummy?
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Is it cheap?
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Super cheap.
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A meal costs about 30,000 to 50,000 dong.
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That's like one or two dollars.
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Great for budget travelers like me.
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Do kids eat it too?
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Sure, families teach kids about it.
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It's good for the environment too.
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True.
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Less pollution.
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So how often do you eat vegetarian?
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I try twice a month on those lunar days.
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It makes me feel light and happy.
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Maybe I'll join you next time.
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Where's a good spot?
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Let's go to a Quan Che near the market.
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They have fresh salads and stir fries.
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Awesome!
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What makes it special in Vietnam?
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The flavors!
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Lots of lemongrass, ginger and chili.
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Even without meat, it's tasty and spicy.
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I can't wait!
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Is there any rule when eating che?
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Just no animal products.
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Some avoid garlic and onions, too, for purity.
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Got it.
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Thanks for explaining, Lily.
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No problem, Mark.
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Let's eat che soon.
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Yes.
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Sounds fun.
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Okay, now.
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We're going to listen to the conversation without Vietnamese subtitles.
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Let's see how much you can understand.
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Hey, Lily.
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Have you tried vegetarian food in Vietnam?
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I heard it's really popular here.
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Oh yes, Mark.
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I love it.
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In Vietnam, many people eat vegetarian for health or religion.
101
What about you?
102
I'm curious.
103
Why do people choose to eat vegetarian?
104
Is it just no meat?
105
Well, vegetarian means no meat, no fish, sometimes no eggs.
106
In Vietnam, it's often because of Buddhism.
107
Buddhists eat vegetarian to be kind to animals. That makes sense.
108
So, when do people eat vegetarian?
109
Every day?
110
Not always.
111
Many eat vegetarian on the 1st and 15th of the lunar month.
112
It's like a special day for good luck and peace.
113
Cool!
114
Where can I find vegetarian food? In restaurants?
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Yes, there are Quan Che.
116
That's vegetarian restaurants.
117
They're everywhere in cities like Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City.
118
Some markets have vegetarian stalls too.
119
How does it work?
120
Do they use fake meat or something?
121
Exactly.
122
They make fake meat from tofu, mushrooms or beans.
123
It looks and tastes like real meat, but it's all plants. That sounds interesting.
124
Is it healthy?
125
Very healthy.
126
Lots of vegetables, fruits and herbs.
127
It helps with weight and energy.
128
No heavy fats from animals.
129
Where does this tradition come from?
130
Is it old?
131
It's from Buddhist temples.
132
Monks eat vegetarian all the time.
133
People join them on holy days.
134
So, it's not just food, it's cultural?
135
Yes.
136
During festivals like Vulan, everyone eats vegetarian to honor parents and ancestors.
137
Vulan?
138
What's that?
139
It's a festival in August lunar calendar.
140
People go to temples, eat che, and release lanterns. That sounds beautiful.
141
Are there fun dishes to try?
142
Oh, definitely.
143
Try fo che – vegetarian fo soup with noodles and herbs.
144
Or ban mi che – a A sandwich with tofu instead of meat.
145
Yummy?
146
Is it cheap?
147
Super cheap.
148
A meal costs about 30,000 to 50,000 dong.
149
That's like one or two dollars.
150
Great for budget travelers like me.
151
Do kids eat it too?
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Sure, families teach kids about it.
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It's good for the environment too.
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Less animal farming.
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True.
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Less pollution.
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So how often do you eat vegetarian?
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I try twice a month on those lunar days.
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It makes me feel light and happy.
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Maybe I'll join you next time.
161
Where's a good spot?
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Let's go to a Quan Che near the market.
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They have fresh salads and stir fries.
164
Awesome!
165
What makes it special in Vietnam?
166
The flavors.
167
Lots of lemongrass, ginger, and chili.
168
Even without meat, it's tasty and spicy.
169
I can't wait!
170
Is there any rule when eating chay?
171
Just no animal products.
172
Some avoid garlic and onions, too, for purity.
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Got it.
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Thanks for explaining, Lily.
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No problem, Mark.
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Let's eat chai soon.
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Yes.
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Sounds fun.
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Great job listening to that dialogue, everyone.
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Now, let's explain some vocabulary.
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I picked three new or tricky phrases from the conversation.
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First, fake meat.
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This means food made from plants that looks and tastes like real meat, but it's not from animals.
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Example 1.
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In the restaurant, they serve fake meat made from tofu.
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Example 2.
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My friend loves fake meat in her burgers because she's vegetarian.
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Second, lunar month.
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This is a month based on the moon's cycle, not the regular calendar.
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In Vietnam, it's used for festivals.
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Example 1.
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The lunar month starts with the new moon.
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Example 2.
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Tet holiday is in the first lunar month.
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Third, holy days.
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These are special religious days for prayer or traditions.
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Example 1.
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Christmas and Easter are holy days for Christians.
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Example 2.
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In Buddhism, holy days include Buddha's birthday.
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Remember, practice makes perfect.
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Try shadowing.
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Listen to the dialogue and repeat after Mark and Lily.
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Say it out loud to improve your speaking.
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If you like this video, please give it a thumbs up, comment below with your favorite vegetarian food,
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subscribe to Fluent Future Vietnam, and share with friends.
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It helps us make more helpful lessons like this.
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Thanks for joining me today.
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Keep practicing English and see you in the next episode.
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Bye for now.

Why Practice Speaking with This Video?

Practicing your speaking skills with real-life contexts, like the dialogue in this video about vegetarian food in Vietnam, is essential for any language learner. This content specifically targets beginner-level English speakers (A2), offering a unique opportunity to enhance your english speaking practice through engaging conversations. By participating in this shadowing exercise, you not only listen but also imitate the natural rhythm and intonation of native speakers. This method, known as shadow speech, promotes better fluency, pronunciation, and comprehension.

The topic of vegetarianism is culturally rich and relevant, allowing learners to explore new vocabulary while gaining insight into Vietnamese culture. As you follow along, try repeating key phrases after the speakers to reinforce your understanding and retention of the material. Engaging with such content supports your journey towards achieving a higher score in IELTS speaking practice as well.

Grammar & Expressions in Context

In the dialogue, several key structures are useful to understand for enhancing your speaking skills:

  • Question Formation: "Have you tried vegetarian food in Vietnam?" This structure is a great way to practice forming questions, which are vital for conversational exchanges.
  • Present Perfect Tense: "I have heard it’s really popular here." This tense emphasizes experience and ongoing relevance, which is common in discussions.
  • Conditional Statements: "If they use fake meat or something." This introduces hypothetical situations, giving learners a way to express possibilities in English.
  • Frequency Adverbs: "Many eat vegetarian on the 1st and 15th of the lunar month." Understanding frequency adverbs helps describe habits and routines in conversations.

Common Pronunciation Traps

As you practice speaking, be aware of some tricky words and accents that might challenge your pronunciation:

  • Vegetarian - Many learners struggle with the pronunciation of this word. Focus on the syllables: ve-ge-ta-ri-an.
  • Buddhism - This term can be difficult to pronounce correctly, especially the ‘Budd’ sound. Practice saying it slowly at first.
  • Quan Che - Being a local term, it might not be familiar. Break it down into syllables: Quan - Che and emphasize the 'Ch' sound in 'Che.'
  • Tofu - Remember the 'to' is pronounced like 'toe,' and the emphasis is typically on the first syllable.

Utilizing the above strategies while engaging with this video can help you improve your English skills effectively. Consider making this a regular practice on your shadowing site to continuously enhance your conversational abilities. Whether you are aiming for fluency in daily discussions or excelling in exams, learning English with YouTube can provide you with diverse and entertaining ways to practice.

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.