Shadowing Practice: VOA Learning English Health Report #20 - Learn English Speaking with YouTube
C1
From VOA Learning English, this is the Health Report.
149 sentences
If sentences are too short or too long, click Edit to adjust them.
1
From VOA Learning English, this is the Health Report.
2
The World Health Organization, or WHO,
3
says the use of surgical childbirth is growing worldwide.
4
worldwide.
5
Surgical childbirth is when a woman gives birth with the help of an operation,
6
also called a cesarean section.
7
WHO officials say the operation is becoming especially popular in what they call high and middle income countries.
8
Doctors may advise a cesarean birth,
9
also known as a c-section when normal childbirth would put the mother or the baby at risk.
10
But the WHO says it is concerned about the possible abuse of this life-saving surgery.
11
It supports c-sections when they are justified medically because it can save lives.
12
But the WHO says when c-sections are performed without medical need mothers and their babies are put at risk
13
health experts say the ideal rate for c-sections is between 10 and 15 percent of all births
14
New studies show when the rates go below 10%,
15
mothers and babies can die if the operation is not available.
16
Dr. Marlene Tenerman is director of the WHO's Department of Reproductive Health and Research.
17
She says that a C-section is generally a safe operation
18
and advisable when a traditional vaginal delivery puts the baby or mother in danger.
19
But she adds health risks do exist.
20
She says changing opinions and other lifestyle issues generally are the reason for what she calls an epidemic of C-sections.
21
These operations, she adds, are easier for doctors and hospitals because planned C-sections help them better control their planning.
22
She says many women choose a C-section because they do not want the pain of childbirth or the possible physical after effects.
23
For VOA Learning English, I'm Carolyn Prasuti.
24
From VOA Learning English, this is the Health Report.
25
The World Health Organization says about 3 billion people use solid fuels for heating and cooking food in their homes.
26
The practice creates dangerous indoor air pollution.
27
WHO officials say more than 4.3 million people die from household air pollution a year.
28
Most are in developing countries.
29
WHO officials say indoor pollution leads to early deaths from stroke,
30
heart and lung disease, childhood pneumonia, and lung cancer.
31
women
32
and girls are the main victims the who says these diseases
33
can often result from high levels of fine particulate matter and carbon monoxide released by burning wood coal animal waste
34
crop waste, and charcoal.
35
Carlos Dora is with the WHO's Department of Public Health,
36
Environmental and Social Determinants of Health.
37
He says people should not use unprocessed coal and kerosene fuel indoors.
38
He says opening a window or door to let out the harmful air will not correct the situation.
39
It only will pollute the outdoors.
40
The United Nations found that more than 95 percent of households in sub-saharan Africa depend on solid fuels for cooking.
41
It says huge populations in India,
42
China, and Latin American countries such as Guatemala and Peru also are at risk.
43
Agency experts say some safe and low-cost technologies are available.
44
In India,
45
you can buy an induction stove for about eight dollars
46
and in africa you can buy a solar lamp for less than one dollar
47
but this the agency says is just a start it is urging developing countries to use cleaner fuels
48
and increase access to cleaner and more modern cooking and heating equipment For VOA Learning English,
49
I'm Carolyn Persuti.
50
From VOA Learning English, this is the health report.
51
Telemedicine is the name for when doctors give advice to patients by telephone or the internet.
52
It also describes when health care providers in rural areas connect with specialists in big cities.
53
Telemedicine has existed for a long time,
54
but the rise of smartphones,
55
tablets, and webcam-equipped computers is raising telemedicine to new levels.
56
Some health care systems in the United States now offer virtual urgent care.
57
Patients see a doctor by video chat without having to leave home.
58
Diana Ray is a nurse educator in the northwestern state of Washington.
59
She recently demonstrated how virtual urgent care works works.
60
She used an iPad tablet and Skype,
61
the video chat service, to have a virtual appointment with Dr. Ben Green.
62
He had the patient describe her symptoms.
63
Dr. Green decided that the problem was a sinus infection after having her perform a facial exam that he demonstrated.
64
For medicine, he prescribed an antibiotic.
65
Dr. Green says about three out of four of his patients have health problems
66
that can be treated like this through virtual urgent care.
67
That means a video chat could replace a visit to the doctor's office in some cases.
68
Dr. Green treats patients by Skype for the Franciscan Health System,
69
based in Tacoma, Washington.
70
It operates hospitals and other health care facilities.
71
Franciscan charges $35 for this kind of virtual house call.
72
That is much less than the cost of going to an emergency room,
73
a doctor's office, or an urgent care clinic.
74
After trying the video conference,
75
Diana Ray says she would have been happy to pay the $35
76
when she was when she was recently home with a bad cold.
77
For VOA Learning English, I'm Carolyn Prasuti.
78
From VOA Learning English, this is the Health Report.
79
Do you often start your day feeling tired?
80
Do you ever fall asleep at work?
81
Do you sometimes feel out of it,
82
as if your brain is still asleep even though your body is awake?
83
If you answered yes to any of these questions,
84
you might be suffering from what some researchers call social jet lag.
85
Till Roneberg is a German chronobiologist,
86
a scientist who studies how living things adapt to and are governed by periods of time,
87
such as lunar or solar cycles.
88
Mr. Roneberg says that many people are working at times that do not match their body's natural sleep-wake cycle.
89
This natural cycle is called the circadian rhythm.
90
Mr. Roneberg says, When your work schedule conflicts with your body's inner clock,
91
it can lead to extreme tiredness, similar to jet lag.
92
With jet lag, people feel extremely tired when they travel long distances in a short period of time by air.
93
Till Rohnenberg led researchers in a study at Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich, Germany.
94
They studied social jet lag among workers at a steel company in Europe.
95
Factory workers were given work times that matched their natural sleeping habits habits.
96
Changing the workers' schedules to fit their lifestyle made them feel more rested and improved their sense of well-being,
97
says Mr. Ronenberg.
98
But the people who worked at night did not report the same level of improvement.
99
Mr. Onenberg adds that employees who wake after better rest are more productive.
100
The journal Current Biology published the study.
101
For VOA Learning English, I'm Jonathan Evans.
102
From VOA Learning English, this is the Health Report.
103
The World Health Organization has declared the Pakistani city of Peshawar the world's largest reservoir of polio virus.
104
And WHO officials fear Pakistanis could face travel restrictions unless steps are taken immediately to stop the disease from spreading.
105
Researchers studied all the cases of poliomyelitis reported in Pakistan last year.
106
They found that almost every case could be linked genetically to the polio virus often reported in Peshawar.
107
Polio mainly affects children under five years of age.
108
The virus is passed through food or water.
109
The virus reproduces in the body and later invades the nervous system.
110
The disease can lead to loss of muscle control in part of the body.
111
The WHO study found that 90% of Pakistan's polio cases could be linked to the virus in Peshawar.
112
In addition, 12 of the 13 polio cases in Afghanistan were also linked to the city.
113
Elias Dori serves as the WHO's emergency coordinator for polio in Pakistan.
114
He says local officials need to take urgent action to strengthen polio vaccination campaigns.
115
He says the situation in Peshawar threatens the gains Pakistan has made against polio.
116
And he warned it could also harm international efforts to end the disease.
117
He also noted an increase in attacks on vaccination workers in Peshawar and other areas.
118
Taliban militants often attack polio workers in Pakistan.
119
The militants accuse them of being American spies,
120
or part of a plot to keep Muslims from having babies.
121
Most of the attacks have taken place in Peshawar.
122
The city is close to Pakistan's tribal districts.
123
Extremist groups operate bases in those areas.
124
For VOA Learning English, I'm Carolyn Prasuti.
125
From VOA Learning English, this is the Health Report.
126
Zambia has one of the highest rates of cervical cancer in the world.
127
90 of every 100,000 Zambian women get the disease.
128
The Zambian government recently launched a program to vaccinate schoolgirls against the human papillomavirus, or HPV.
129
The virus can cause cervical cancer.
130
HPV can spread through sexual contact.
131
The government hopes to vaccinate schoolgirls between the ages of 9 and 11 against HPV.
132
The program was launched in May at several schools.
133
One of them is the Kalingalinga Primary School in Lusaka.
134
About 100 students there received the HPV vaccine.
135
Euphrasia Mueshi Mutale is a teacher.
136
She was involved in efforts to inform the community about what was expected to be a difficult subject.
137
Ms. Mutali is happy with the early results.
138
She says people involved in the program met with parents
139
and teachers to tell them why it is good to vaccinate the girls.
140
She notes there have been no reported side effects from the vaccine,
141
like high body temperature or skin discoloration.
142
Mulindi Mwanahamantu is director of the Cervical Cancer Prevention Program in Zambia.
143
He says health officials wanted to vaccinate 25,000 girls,
144
but he says there was some resistance from churches and other groups.
145
Zambian and international health officials are working to end the resistance by educating communities about medical issues.
146
Zambia is third on the World Health Organization's list of countries with the highest death rates from cervical cancer.
147
The country also has the highest cervical cancer rate in Africa.
148
For VOA Learning English, I'm Carolyn Prasuti.
149
Thank you.
Download App
AI scoring for every sentence you speak
TRENDING
Popular
About This Lesson
In this lesson, you will practice your English listening and speaking skills with a focus on health-related topics. Inspired by the VOA Learning English Health Report, this content emphasizes the importance of understanding complex health issues such as surgical childbirth and household air pollution. You will engage with authentic language used by health experts, enabling you to enhance your vocabulary and comprehension. By using the shadowing technique, you’ll mimic native speakers, which will improve your pronunciation and fluency while learning about critical global health concerns.
Key Vocabulary & Phrases
- Surgical childbirth: Refers to giving birth through an operation, also known as a cesarean section.
- C-section: A common abbreviation for cesarean section, a surgical procedure to deliver a baby.
- Health risks: Potential adverse effects associated with medical procedures or diseases.
- Indoor air pollution: Contaminants present in the air within homes, often caused by burning solid fuels.
- Household air pollution: Air quality issues caused by pollutants indoors, leading to health problems.
- Fine particulate matter: Microscopic particles in the air that can cause serious health issues when inhaled.
- Access to cleaner fuels: The availability of less harmful energy sources for cooking or heating.
- Developing countries: Nations with lower levels of industrialization, often facing various health challenges.
Practice Tips
To maximize your learning experience with the shadowing technique, focus on these practice tips tailored for the content of the video:
- Listen actively: Start by listening to the video without trying to repeat anything. This helps you grasp the context and tone.
- Segment your practice: Break the segment into smaller parts. Repeat each phrase or sentence slowly before moving on to the next.
- Match the speed and tone: Pay attention to the speaker's speed in the video. Try to imitate their rhythm and intonation as accurately as possible, as this will enhance your shadow speech.
- Use a shadowing site: If available, use a shadowing site or platform that allows you to practice alongside the video, making the process seamless.
- Record yourself: After shadowing, record your attempts to speak the phrases. Compare your pronunciation and fluency with the original speaker to assess your progress.
- Repeat regularly: Consistent practice is key. Engage with the content multiple times to reinforce your learning and build speech confidence.
By effectively utilizing these shadowing techniques, you’ll not only learn English with YouTube but also develop a deeper understanding of significant health issues affecting communities worldwide.
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.
☕ Buy us a coffee
ShadowingEnglish remains 100% free thanks to your support. Server and AI costs are high — your coffee keeps us going! 🙏