Shadowing Practice: New Year's Eve and New Year's resolutions – Intermediate B1/B2 English Listening Practice - Learn English Speaking with Video
Creating lesson...
1
New Year's is a very important celebration in England.
2
It's a time when people come together to say goodbye to the old year and welcome the new one with festivities,
3
fireworks and traditional customs.
4
The old year finishes on the 31st of December and the new year begins on the 1st of January.
5
The 1st of January is called New Year's Day,
6
whereas the 31st of December is called New Year's Eve.
7
The main new year celebrations happen on the 31st of December.
8
The main cities and towns across England light up with firework displays.
9
You have probably seen the famous firework display in London when you've turned your tv on on the 1st of December.
10
The people who live in London and enjoy this celebration would go to the centre of London to see this display.
11
There are some parks and other areas where you can see the skyline of the city,
12
so the shape of all of the famous buildings in London,
13
and the fireworks in the sky, and it's beautiful.
14
Other people go along the River Thames in London,
15
or to the concert that is held right in front of the firework display.
16
However, it can get very busy.
17
So, if you are someone who doesn't enjoy being in crowded spaces,
18
this is not the place or the time for you to visit.
19
The firework display starts at 12 o'clock.
20
so when the clock strikes midnight on December 31st. People usually tune in to watch this live on TV.
21
So you might be at a party or a family gathering and you would turn the TV on to watch the countdown.
22
Parties and gatherings are one of the main events on New Year's Eve.
23
Many people attend private parties which are hosted by friends and family,
24
whereas others prefer to celebrate at pubs or clubs and other public events.
25
Pubs and bars are open until very late on this special occasion.
26
And people spend time together laughing, listening to music and dancing.
27
Depending on how your year has been,
28
you might be laughing and smiling because the year is over because it was a horrible year,
29
or you might be celebrating the great moments that you have shared the past year.
30
Many people drink a lot of alcohol at these parties and gatherings.
31
Champagne and sparkling wine are the most common drinks.
32
But people also eat too.
33
The main tradition is to have a special New Year's Eve dinner,
34
which is basically a roast dinner with roast meat, vegetables and then a dessert.
35
People have the dinner, then they spend time having fun chatting,
36
laughing and dancing until it is 12 o'clock when the bells strike.
37
In case you didn't know,
38
it is the chimes of Big Ben that we can hear when we watch the countdown.
39
As you have probably seen in films, people usually kiss at midnight.
40
Another important aspect of New Year's are New Year's resolutions.
41
People usually reflect on the past year and set resolutions for the next one.
42
These resolutions are normally about your personal goals, so things that you would like to improve.
43
So for example, you might want to start improving your fitness.
44
So you might say that you are going to go to the gym 3 times a week this year.
45
Or you might just decide to have healthier habits such as eating healthier
46
or using your mobile phone less or using less social media.
47
And other people might set new career goals.
48
Maybe they would like to receive a higher salary before the end of this year,
49
spend less time working and more on their personal life,
50
or get a promotion and become a boss, for example.
51
Not everyone likes setting new year's resolutions,
52
because a lot of people say that if you haven't started a new habit already,
53
then it doesn't make sense to start doing it in January.
54
For example, if you said in November that you wanted to start going to the gym three times a week,
55
then it's the same as if you say that in January.
56
I think that it doesn't harm anyone in setting goals and it could be a motivation for a lot of people.
57
The new year is a reminder to reflect on what you have achieved in the past year and reconsider
58
what point you are at.
59
It makes you think whether you like your job, whether you think you are in good health,
60
and whether you have healthy habits or a healthy lifestyle.
61
And not everyone who sets these goals actually follows them throughout the year.
62
In fact, they say that gyms have a lot of members in January,
63
but by the time September comes they don't have so many clients because people don't follow their new year's resolutions.
64
While new year's eve has lively celebrations,
65
New Year's Day is a more relaxing day.
66
People use this day to rest and recover from the celebrations of the previous night,
67
as many people stay up until the early hours of the morning.
68
In some families, they gather for a special New Year's Day meal and it is a roast dinner, like always.
69
New Year's Day is a bank holiday in England,
70
so people make the most of this day to start with their new year's resolutions.
71
So they might go for a run to stay fit,
72
they might have a healthy meal and they are generally a lot more motivated than usual.
73
One thing that I would like to mention before we finish is that in recent years,
74
firework displays have been replaced with drone displays.
75
These drones are special and they have lights on them and they can change colour.
76
They are programmed to make different shapes and pictures depending on the event.
77
They are being used as a replacement for fireworks
78
because of the fact that they are better for the environment
79
and because of the safety hazards caused by fireworks which can easily create explosions.
80
It is also better for pets, because if you have a cat or a dog,
81
I'm sure that you will know that these animals get very scared when they hear normal fireworks.
82
I find these drone displays quite interesting and very clever,
83
but I'm not sure whether this is a fad,
84
so just a fashion, or whether they are here to stay and to replace fireworks forever.
85
If you have enjoyed this video, please give it a thumbs up and subscribe to my channel.
86
Thank you and I'll see you in the next video.
Why practice speaking with this video?
Engaging with this video about New Year's Eve and New Year's resolutions offers a unique opportunity for english speaking practice. You immerse yourself in the cultural nuances of English-speaking communities while enhancing your listening and speaking skills. The context of celebrations not only broadens your vocabulary but also equips you with phrases and expressions used in social settings. By practicing learn english with youtube, you become familiar with real-life conversations, improving both fluency and confidence. This video, set at a significant time of year, encapsulates traditional customs and reflects on personal goals, making it relatable for all learners.
Grammar & Expressions in Context
During the video, several grammatical structures and expressions stand out:
- Simple Present Tense: The speaker uses the simple present to describe regular activities (e.g., "People usually tune in to watch this live on TV."). This tense is essential for discussing habits and routines, a useful tool in IELTS speaking practice.
- Future Intentions with "going to": The phrase "you might want to start improving your fitness" highlights the use of "might" to express possibilities and suggestions, enhancing your skills in making recommendations.
- Conditional Structures: Phrases like "if you are someone who doesn't enjoy being in crowded spaces" introduce conditional forms, which are crucial for discussing hypothetical situations and their outcomes.
- Expressions of Time: The speaker frequently refers to time markers (e.g., "at 12 o'clock," "on the 31st of December"). Mastering time-related expressions helps you effectively convey schedules and plans in conversation.
Common Pronunciation Traps
As you practice, be aware of pronunciation challenges that may arise from this video. Here are a few key phrases and words to focus on:
- "New Year's Eve" and "New Year's Day": The pronunciation of "New Year" can be tricky due to its rhythmic nature. Make sure to emphasize each word clearly.
- "Firework display": Pay attention to the "firework" sound; it’s often mispronounced. It is important to articulate the syllables clearly to improve your spoken clarity.
- "Champagne" and "sparkling": These words contain complex sounds that may not be present in your native language. Practice saying them slowly and then gradually increase your speed.
- "Crowded spaces": The "crowded" sound may require special attention to ensure you avoid blending syllables, which can confuse listeners.
By focusing on these elements combined with shadowing techniques using a shadowing app, you can significantly enhance your speaking abilities and become more comfortable in conversations about cultural events and personal aspirations.
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.