Shadowing Practice: The Death Penalty: Why It Must Be Abolished | Seojun Shim | TEDxYouth@IASA - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

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Transcriber: Demir Davran Reviewer: Trang Phạm I’m Seojun Shim from Incheon Academy of Science and Arts.
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Transcriber: Demir Davran Reviewer: Trang Phạm I’m Seojun Shim from Incheon Academy of Science and Arts.
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Our school IASA, is one of the best schools in South Korea.
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Students here study to represent our society in math and science.
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And you like to talk about our society’s issues.
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But the most important thing is we love soccer.
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Did you watch the Qatar World Cup?
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Well, over 99% of you know these handsome guys.
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Thanks to Cho Sun and the football team.
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Our country made it to the round of 16 and made every Korean proud and happy.
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But I’m here to tell something different in the World Cup.
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Do you know this team?
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They are Iranian football team right now in Iran.
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Protests are happening all over the country to criticize the Iranian government for executing a 22-year-old woman just because she was improperly wearing the hijab.
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The Iranian football team decided to support the protesters and dancing their national anthem in the club opening.
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Unfortunately, the government didn’t like it and they threatened the football team that they could be punished to death penalty.
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This is not the end. The government decided to arrest the protesters and execute them.
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The Wall Street Journal reported that there are almost 300 people that were executed because of protesting and 44 of them are teenagers.
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Just yesterday, I saw some news about the Iranian government executing two protesters and held their body in front of Russell, two supporters.
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We need to take this seriously.
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Was execution really needed?
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People cannot understand.
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In the 21st century that we live in majority of the countries, ban the death penalty.
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On the other hand, there are some countries that maintain the death penalty in both law and practice.
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People are executed and sentenced to death as punishment for various crimes.
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Sometimes they are even punished for acts that should not be criminalized.
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In some countries it can be for drug related offenses and in others like Iran, it can be for terrorism related acts or murder.
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This graph shows the countries that maintain the death penalty in both law and practice.
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China has the most desperate inmates and Iran is following.
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Keeping the death penalty in our society has always been a controversial issue.
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I strongly believe that the death sentence is inhumane and certainly abolished.
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These are the reasons.
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First of all, the death penalty does not give any benefits for the society.
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Think about it.
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If someone committed a violent crime and they should be properly isolated from society, then taking away their lives is neither appropriate or necessary.
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Furthermore, the death penalty does not reduce the crime rate.
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Countries that commonly execute death penalty insist that the death penalty is a good means of reducing crime.
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However, this claim has been repeatedly discredited and there is no evidence that the death penalty is any more effective in reducing crime than life imprisonment.
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Also, the death penalty could be abused and innocent people could be sentenced to death.
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What this means is that it cannot only be used to suppress people, but also people can be killed by a mistake.
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Remember, judges are human and human makes mistakes.
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Stories of prisoner conviction cases over the 21st century have shown that approximately 1% of prisoners are firstly convicted.
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The death penalty is irreversible.
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Once you execute a death sentence, you can never correct it.
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As long as you have other means which are less lethal, more appropriate.
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You don’t need to rely on extreme punishment.
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Thank you for listening to my speech

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Context & Background

In the TEDxYouth talk titled "The Death Penalty: Why It Must Be Abolished," Seojun Shim, a student from the Incheon Academy of Science and Arts in South Korea, addresses significant societal issues surrounding the death penalty. By highlighting recent events in Iran, where protests erupted following the execution of a young woman, he emphasizes the urgent need to reconsider capital punishment. This talk not only sheds light on global human rights concerns but also serves as a compelling piece for English learners to engage with real-world topics while practicing their language skills.

Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication

  • “Was execution really needed?” - A phrase that invites critical thinking and discussion on societal issues.
  • “We need to take this seriously.” - A call to action that emphasizes the importance of addressing urgent matters.
  • “The death penalty does not give any benefits for society.” - This statement makes a strong argument against capital punishment.
  • “It cannot only be used to suppress people.” - A phrase indicating the complexities and potential abuses of the law.
  • “As long as you have other means which are less lethal.” - Encouraging the exploration of alternative solutions.

Step-by-step Shadowing Guide

To effectively improve your English speaking skills using the shadowing technique with Seojun Shim's TEDx talk, follow these steps:

  1. Listen Actively: Start by watching the video while paying close attention to both the content and the speaker's pronunciation. This will help you understand the context before attempting to replicate it.
  2. Break it Down: Divide the talk into smaller sections. Focus on one segment at a time. For example, concentrate on Seojun’s introduction and key phrases for your first practice session.
  3. Repeat & Imitate: Use the shadow speech method by repeating Seojun's words immediately after he speaks. Try to match his intonation, rhythm, and emphasis as closely as possible. This mimicking helps improve English pronunciation.
  4. Record Yourself: After shadowing, record your voice while speaking the same phrases. Listen to your recordings to identify areas where you can improve.
  5. Review & Expand: After you’re comfortable with the phrases, revisit the video to pick up new vocabulary or expressions. Consider incorporating these into your daily conversations. Engage with both the video and additional materials to further your understanding of the topic.

By following this guide, you not only enhance your English speaking practice but also learn to discuss complex issues more fluently. Remember, learning English with YouTube can be a powerful tool when combined with effective practices like shadowing.

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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