Shadowing Practice: Transforming grass into building materials | Vietnam Today - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

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In Europe, the green economy comprises of renewable energy,
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In Europe, the green economy comprises of renewable energy,
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electric vehicles and often specific types of markets such as building materials.
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In Belgium, a company is transforming excess grass from riverbanks,
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canals, parks and urban areas into bio-insulation panels for homes and buildings.
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Let's find out more in a report from the Vietnam Television Correspondent Team in Europe.
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Instead of being discarded, grass cut from canal banks,
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river banks, parks or urban areas in Belgium is being processed into a new production line.
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At a Belgian company's factory,
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this grass is used to produce bio-insulating panels for the construction industry.
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Notably, this is not grass grown on agricultural land.
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The company does not use cultivated land,
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does not need irrigation and does not use fertilizers or pesticides to produce the raw material.
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When trucks carrying dry grass arrive at the factory,
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the material is checked for moisture content,
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then put through a cleaning system to remove dust and impurities such as wood, stone or metal.
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The grass is brought here.
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We work in bulk in bulk
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so there's a truck coming with a walking floor who pushes all the grass behind us
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and after that is done the whole building behind me is used to treat the grass
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so we remove all the dust and fine particles of the grass
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and then we also remove all the pieces of wood
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stone metal that we can also find in the grass we do this
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because the grass that we are using is not coming from agricultural land
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so it can contain other pollution that we don't want into your final product.
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After cleaning, the grass is mixed with recycled jute fibers from old coffee and cocoa bags and a binder.
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According to the company, the finished material consists of approximately 70% grass,
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20% recycled jute fibers and 10% binder.
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The fiber mixture then passes through a conveyor belt and is fed into an oven at approximately 160 degrees Celsius.
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Upon exiting the oven, the fibers have formed flat sheets which are cooled,
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measured for thickness, cut to standard dimensions and package for delivery to the construction site.
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So we just cooked the panel so the raw material enters the oven and the oven is at 160 degrees.
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So it's the same temperature as to cook a fish.
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So we have a low temperature and low energy process
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and once it gets out of the oven we are cooling the panel
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and then it's ready to be cut into the the right dimension.
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Not only does this production line create new materials from biological sources,
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but it is also designed to minimize waste.
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The excess material from cutting is crushed and returned to the production line.
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The company also encourages customers to bring leftover materials back to the factory for recycling.
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At the construction site, grass-based insulation panels are installed in walls and ceilings,
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providing both thermal and sound insulation.
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In Europe, this is a concrete example of the bio-economy utilizing local by-products,
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partially replacing traditional materials and reducing the ecological footprint of the construction industry.
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The story in Belgium shows that the green economy is not only about advanced technology,
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sometimes it starts with a simple idea,
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turning ordinary local resources such as roadside or cannon grass into products that create both economic and environmental value.
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Thế Dũng, reporting from Europe for Vietnam Today.

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Context & Background

The video titled "Transforming grass into building materials | Vietnam Today" unfolds an innovative approach in Belgium where local by-products, specifically grass collected from urban landscapes, are being converted into sustainable building materials. This initiative aligns with the green economy, showcasing how simple yet effective ideas can lead to eco-friendly practices and reduced waste in the construction industry. Understanding the process described can enrich your vocabulary and comprehension, especially in environmental contexts, making it highly suitable for English speaking practice.

Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication

  • “Excess grass from riverbanks, canals, and urban areas”: Useful for discussions about environmental management and resource recycling.
  • “Processed into bio-insulation panels”: A great way to describe manufacturing processes in an eco-friendly sector.
  • “Mixed with recycled jute fibers”: Handy for conversations about sustainable materials.
  • “Minimize waste”: A critical phrase in discussions about sustainability and efficiency.
  • “Reducing the ecological footprint”: Perfect for talking about environmental responsibility in everyday life.

Step-by-step Shadowing Guide

To effectively improve your English speaking skills and comprehension using this video, employ the shadowing technique as follows:

  1. Watch the Video: Start by watching the video without multitasking. Focus entirely on the content.
  2. Listen Actively: Play the video again, focusing on the pronunciation and intonation. Take note of the top phrases listed above.
  3. Pause and Repeat: Use the shadow speech method. Pause the video after each sentence and repeat it aloud. Try to mimic the speaker’s tone and rhythm for better fluency.
  4. Record Yourself: Record your voice while shadowing the phrases. This will help you identify areas needing improvement.
  5. Review: After completing the shadowing, listen to your recording. Compare it with the original to assess your progress, focusing on articulation and speed.

This method is ideal for those seeking to learn English with YouTube, as it combines listening with active practice. By incorporating these steps, you can enhance your vocabulary, improve pronunciation, and build confidence in using English in both everyday and specialized contexts.

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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