Shadowing Practice: New Supercomputers Aid Weather Forecasts - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

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From VOA Learning English, this is the Technology Report.
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From VOA Learning English, this is the Technology Report.
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Many Americans start to closely follow weather reports in the early fall,
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during the Atlantic hurricane season.
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Predicting the strength and movement of these huge storm systems is of crucial importance.
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Thanks to new supercomputers, meteorologists for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,
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or NOAA, are getting better at predicting the weather as far as six days out.
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Hurricane Sandy hit the East Coast last October and caused deaths and widespread damage.
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It was one of the costliest storms in United States history.
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At the time, some people blamed meteorologists for not correctly predicting the path of the storm.
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But weather forecasting is extremely difficult, says Ben Kiger.
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He is the director of central operations at NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Prediction in College Park, Maryland.
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Ben Kiger says oceans are another issue because they closely interact with the atmosphere and have a huge effect on storms.
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NOAA has spent about $20 million on two new supercomputers in an effort to improve the dependability of its forecasts.
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It takes a huge amount of computational power to examine data from weather satellites,
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ground stations, and other sources.
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It then takes a lot of power to predict temperature,
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air pressure, humidity, and and wind speed.
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But human brains and experience are still very important to the process.
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Meteorologists at the National Centers for Environmental Prediction scan the same data that the supercomputers get before issuing a weather report.
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NOAA issues worldwide forecasts every six hours,
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every day of the year.
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For VOA Learning English, I'm Alex Villareal.

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Why practice speaking with this video?

Practicing your English speaking skills with the "New Supercomputers Aid Weather Forecasts" video is an excellent way to immerse yourself in real-world context. As weather forecasting is a topic of general interest, you can engage in meaningful conversations about current events while improving your language skills. By shadowing the speaker, you not only improve your English pronunciation but also gain insights into how technical subjects are discussed in English. This method, also known as shadowspeak, encourages you to mimic the intonation and rhythm of native speakers, making your English sound more natural.

Grammar & Expressions in Context

Throughout the video, several key structures and phrases are highlighted that can enhance your understanding and speaking abilities:

  • Future tense for predictions: The phrase “is getting better at predicting” shows how to use progressive tense to indicate ongoing improvement in abilities.
  • Descriptive adjectives: Terms like “huge,” “costliest,” and “widespread” offer valuable examples of using adjectives to emphasize scale and impact, which is crucial for effective communication.
  • Complex sentences: The sentence “It takes a huge amount of computational power to examine data…” illustrates how to connect ideas using conjunctions, a skill necessary for fluent speaking.
  • Present continuous tense: “Meteorologists… scan the same data” employs the present continuous form to discuss ongoing actions, essential for expressing real-time events.

Common Pronunciation Traps

As you practice with this video, be mindful of tricky words and phrases that may challenge your pronunciation:

  • “Meteorologists”: This word can be difficult for non-native speakers due to its length and the stress on the third syllable. Break it down into smaller parts to master it.
  • “Dependability”: Pay attention to the way this word is articulated, especially the 'b' and 'd' sounds, as they can blend together for learners.
  • “Hurricane”: Be sure to stress the second syllable—this may differ from pronunciation in your first language, so practice saying it clearly.

By focusing on these elements, you can significantly improve your English pronunciation and develop your speaking skills. Use this video as a practical tool to learn English with YouTube effectively.

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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