Shadowing Practice: VOA Learning English - Health Report # 393 - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

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This is the VOA Special English Health Report.
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31 sentences
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This is the VOA Special English Health Report.
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The United Nations is seeking to improve electronic communication for health workers in Africa.
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Workers in rural areas would have a better way to get training,
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information, and advice from doctors hundreds or even thousands of kilometers away.
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In 2005, the World Health Assembly passed a resolution urging countries to plan for e-health services.
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The idea is to look for ways to use modern information and communications technologies to strengthen health systems.
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The World Health Organization says Africa is behind other parts of the world in treating HIV-AIDS,
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tuberculosis, and malaria.
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So, the United Nations Economic and Social Council is supporting the expansion of telecommunications technology for healthcare workers.
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Telemedicine is another term for e-health.
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Stenar Pedersen is the director of the Norwegian Center for Telemedicine at the University Hospital of North Norway.
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Dr. Pedersen is working with the WHO.
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He recently met with West African health officials in the Ghanaian capital, Accra.
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He says the technology can provide easier access to medical specialists and make it easier for people to seek medical information themselves.
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Elias Sori is the Director General of Health Services in Ghana.
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He says eHealth will offer a way to reduce the effects of health worker shortages
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and make it easier to train existing workers.
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Dr. Sori says the technology will also make it easier for doctors at Ghana's main teaching hospital to share their knowledge.
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Dr. Sori said this would help doctors in villages with difficult cases.
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They would be able to link up easily with a top doctor in the hospital to get advice.
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He also said that there is always new medical information.
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But it is not necessary for all doctors to go to the teaching hospital to be trained and increase their knowledge.
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He said eHealth can bridge that gap.
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And medical education is one of the most important parts of e-health.
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Services must be shaped to fit each country's health care needs and level of technological development.
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Another issue is patient privacy.
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The hope is that health ministries will together develop policies on collecting and storing electronic health information about individuals.
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And that's the VOA Special English Health Report.
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Transcripts, MP3s, and archives of our reports can be found at voaspecialenglish.com,
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where you can also post comments.
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Thank you.

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Why practice speaking with this video?

Practicing speaking with the "VOA Learning English - Health Report # 393" video is an excellent way to enhance your English skills, particularly in the context of health communication. Engaging with authentic content allows you to absorb new vocabulary and expressions effectively. Using the shadowing technique, you can listen to the speaker while simultaneously repeating their words, which helps improve your English pronunciation and fluency. By focusing on a topic like e-health, you'll gain valuable insights into modern healthcare improvements while also refining your speaking abilities.

Grammar & Expressions in Context

In the transcript, several key structures can enhance your understanding of English grammar:

  • Present Continuous Tense: The speaker uses this tense to discuss actions that are currently ongoing, such as "is seeking" and "is supporting." This usage reflects a focus on current efforts and initiatives.
  • Passive Voice: The phrase "the resolution was passed" showcases how the passive voice is often utilized in formal communication. This structure helps emphasize the action over the subject.
  • Future Intentions: The expressions like "will offer" signal future services and developments, illustrating how to indicate plans and intentions in English.

By practicing these structures within the context of the video, you can effectively boost your grammatical accuracy and apply these expressions in conversations about health topics.

Common Pronunciation Traps

As you practice with this video, be aware of certain words and phrases that may be challenging:

  • Telemedicine: The correct pronunciation places emphasis on the "med" syllable, and breaking it down can help internalize it better.
  • Accra: This capital city of Ghana might be unfamiliar. Emphasize the "A" sound, pronounced like "ah," to articulate it correctly.
  • Specialists: The subtle distinctions in the "c" and "i" sounds can be tricky, so pay close attention to how the speaker enunciates it.

Utilizing a shadowing app or a dedicated shadowing site can allow you to hear these words repeatedly, facilitating the improvement of your English pronunciation.

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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