Shadowing Practice: SUSHMITA SEN INTERVIEW L.A. - Learn English Speaking with Video

Creating lesson...
1
Loved, adored and envied, our very own Miss Universe has spent the last few months literally in a spin.
2
She's begun traveling from one part of the globe to another
3
and being the chief guest at function after function all across America.
4
Shushmita Sen is in fact perhaps the most active ambassador India has had for some time.
5
In fact, the only thing that has kept her pinned down for a while was a short bout of chicken pox.
6
In a long and exclusive interview with Shonali Bose, it's clear that Shushmita Sen is not just a pretty face.
7
In this, the first of two parts, the next part will be shown in the world this week next Thursday,
8
she talks about how she's working hard at a speech she's due to give at the United Nations shortly
9
and how she may even give up modelling.
10
Shushmita Sen on the balcony of her apartment in Los Angeles, her home for the next year.
11
It is a part of a resistible appeal,
12
the pleasure in the simple things of life, the instant camaraderie.
13
Shushmita, how come your eyes are blue?
14
I knew you were going to get thicker.
15
I just knew you were going to thicker that.
16
I mean, were you born with this?
17
Is this something in your genes?
18
I was born with it when I became a model.
19
And is it just blue or is there a variation of colors?
20
Well, at the moment, it's just blue.
21
I will let out all my secrets.
22
For this 18 year old, transported to Los Angeles after she won the Miss Universe crown, the fun moments have included indulgences like these.
23
Do you also come shopping by yourself?
24
Oh yes, shopping and me, and how do you pay for it?
25
Usually I just sign cheques or I leave it on the, depending on what the shop knows about the company, and I can just sign the company's name and the company base for it.
26
Great, Fabulous.
27
Well, enjoy it while you have it.
28
Come, let's see a little more.
29
But life in Los Angeles for Miss Universe has not just been a whirlwind of excesses and adoration.
30
There is serious business, too, as spokesperson for Miss Universe Incorporated, organizers of the pageant.
31
All requests come into our office.
32
We select which one she can do.
33
We don't want her traveling too much.
34
But if you looked at the travel schedule of a title holder, you see they're in this part of the world one day, this part of the world two days later, and then possibly next week back where they started from.
35
So it's a very busy schedule.
36
She'll accrue a lot of mileage this year.
37
We don't offer frequent flyer mileage to our title holders, though.
38
That's something that they're not entitled to.
39
At the moment, Shushmita is preparing for a speech to be delivered at the United Nations.
40
I'm basically at this point of time concentrating on these books that have been given to me for starting the UN programs, the investment on women world over,
41
and especially the Asian countries because they really need attention for women.
42
How do you think winning this title has changed your life?
43
You see, it's just been a month ever since I won the crown.
44
And as of now, what I can tell you is that it certainly adds a lot to your confidence as a person.
45
you feel more beautiful because people think you're beautiful.
46
Other than that, you feel good about yourself.
47
Every day in the morning when you wake up, you feel like you've achieved something in life.
48
What other things have changed me is that suddenly from a very childish girl, to a great extent, it changed me into a lady.
49
What do you have planned to do for your future when you go back to India?
50
Would you like to continue in the beauty business, modelling and stuff like that?
51
Do you want to be a journalist or writer?
52
You had said earlier you'd like to be that.
53
Tell us something about that.
54
Well, you know, when an 18-year-old gets everything she wants in a matter of just three months, she's a little lost as to what she wants really after that.
55
That's exactly what happened with me because in a matter of January to May, I got the Miss India and the Miss Universe, which was the ultimate which I could look forward to as a model.
56
And I don't think modeling is what's going to be on my mind once I get over with this
57
because I've always had this mind that the day I wake up in the morning
58
and feel I don't want to do this, oh God, I hate doing this, I wouldn't do it anymore.
59
And I already feel like that about modeling.
60
But yes, I'm going to work on the aspiring models who need help.
61
I'm there for them in whichever way I can.
62
But the most important aspect that I'm looking forward to is the UN.
63
If that works out fine, then just being an active member of the UN is by itself a great job
64
because now and to the rest of your life, if you want, you can be working for it.
65
Of course, I want to have a family life of my own.
66
I want to do things for myself.
67
It's not just that I'll be doing things for others.
68
And I basically want to be a very content person, no matter what I do.
69
A Bengali gentleman in the Indian press said that first there was Ruby Thakur, then there was Shotojit Rai, and now there's Shushmita Sen.
70
Would you like to comment on that?
71
All I can say is that's really nice of the gentleman who has written it, but this is an honest confession.
72
I think there's no comparison.
73
They were great.
74
These people were absolutely great.
75
I mean, if one is talking about people who have like, okay, if you're talking about Kapil Dev and me, I can understand because he achieved an international record.
76
I achieved something internationally.
77
There's a comparison.
78
But if you're talking in terms of great thinkers and poets such as them, I don't think there's any comparison.
79
I could never, ever reach where they are today.
80
Shishmita, you write poetry, right?
81
That's right.
82
In fact, I was thinking of saying something, something that I've been just the last couple of days thinking about.
83
You know, somebody happened to ask me this question that you are the Miss Universe.
84
What can you do for poverty, for children, for population, for literacy and all that?
85
So I told them, listen, I'm not a politician and all I know is that I'm a beauty queen.
86
And yes, what I can do maximum is reach out to people, talk to them, convey my messages and share my experiences with them
87
so that I can teach them something from my experiences and I can learn something from theirs.
88
And this is what I like to quote in the form of a poetry.
89
If all my pains and all my tears and all that I've learned throughout these years could lift a fallen head, could lighten a darkened mind,
90
then I should think that not in vain was my service to mankind.
91
That is what I want to work you just wrote this
92
this is not just now it was quite after my Miss India
93
but right now all that I've been writing about is anxiety
94
and inferiority complex and things like
95
that come to your mind just before the Miss Universe it came to my mind too
96
and that's what I wrote about I wrote about beauty within or without and things like that.
97
But did you feel that just if you're judged, because one is being judged there, just if other people judge you as not being the number one,
98
that affects your self-esteem, you would feel inferior that was affecting your self-esteem?
99
To be very honest, when I came for this pageant, the one thing that I had very clear in my mind was, no matter whatever the result,
100
I must come back successful and content that I put in my best and I couldn't have done better.
101
and well that's what's more important I think not everybody can
102
be a winner no matter how many qualities of a winner you might have
103
because if everybody could be a winner then there would be no number one
104
and then there'll be no loser there'll be no winner
105
so I think it's more important that you from within feel
106
that you're successful and that you're a winner in your own right because not everybody can make your winner but yourself
107
Come here, I want to show you my craft.
108
Wow, you have it here?
109
Yeah, yeah.
110
So this is yours to keep?
111
Oh, for a lifetime.
112
There it is.
113
A gorgeous little thing.
114
It's not a little very.
115
Let me just put this down.
116
Let me just put it down like that.
117
Let me just put it down like that.
118
What would they be like?
119
I have no idea, but it's very true.
120
Thank you.
121
That's quite a secret.
122
Thank you.

About This Lesson

In this lesson, you will engage with the captivating interview of Shushmita Sen, the renowned Miss Universe. This content provides an excellent opportunity to learn English with YouTube, focusing on themes of personal growth, international representation, and the responsibilities of a public figure. You will practice listening and speaking by shadowing the conversation, which allows you to not only understand the language better but also improve your pronunciation and fluency through direct imitation. This practical exercise will help you become more confident while navigating discussions on similar topics.

Key Vocabulary & Phrases

  • Chief guest: A key speaker or honored guest at an event.
  • Ambassador: Someone who represents a particular group or country.
  • Speech: A formal address delivered to an audience.
  • Indulgences: Special treats or luxuries that bring pleasure.
  • Investment on women: Efforts and resources allocated to empower women.
  • Confidence: A feeling of self-assurance that arises from one's appreciation of their own abilities.
  • Camaraderie: A spirit of friendship and community.

Practice Tips

To make the most of this English speaking practice, apply the shadowing technique while watching the interview. Start by listening closely to sections of the transcript. Pause the video frequently to repeat phrases and sentences out loud. Try to match the speed and tone of Shushmita Sen and the interviewer; this will help you improve your English pronunciation and speaking rhythm. Since the pace of the conversation in the interview varies, focus on smaller clips at first—perhaps just a few sentences. Gradually increase the length of passages as you become more comfortable. Utilize the embedded keywords within your practice to enhance your search for related content, like how to learn English with YouTube, which can provide additional resources for improving your conversational skills. Remember, consistency is key in mastering a new language, so practice regularly using the shadowing technique for optimal results!

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.