Shadowing Practice: We’re Keeping the Ocean Wild — and You Can Join Us | Sylvia A. Earle | TED - Learn English Speaking with YouTube
C1
So in 2009, I stood here as a TED prize recipient, given a chance to make a wish big enough to change the world.
124 sentences
If sentences are too short or too long, click Edit to adjust them.
1
So in 2009, I stood here as a TED prize recipient, given a chance to make a wish big enough to change the world.
2
So what was that wish?
3
(Video) I wish you would use all means at your disposal: films, expeditions, the web, new submarines, a campaign to ignite public support for a global network of marine protected areas.
4
Hope Spots large enough to save and restore the ocean, the blue heart of the planet.
5
Sylvia A. Earle: So why did I make that wish?
6
How much of the ocean should be protected?
7
It's our life support system.
8
We need to treat all of it with respect.
9
Part of the reason for my wish was because of what I've seen, what I've explored, what I've come to know in a lifetime of diving in to see things in ways that most people will never get to see.
10
To use systems that make it possible to stay underwater for days, weeks at a time.
11
To explore places that most people will never get to see.
12
And to be a witness to the change that's currently taking place.
13
I've had the chance to use more than 30 different kinds of submarines.
14
Sometimes sharing the view with government officials, such as the Minister of the Environment from Ecuador.
15
(Laughter) He was a little apprehensive.
16
(Laughter) But he warmed up to the idea thanks to a Mola mola who kind of whispered in his ear.
17
I’ve also witnessed how we’re trashing the ocean -- more than just what we’re putting into the ocean, [but] what we’re taking out, how we are stripping the ocean of the wild creatures that maintain Earth as a habitable planet.
18
When I voiced concerns, when I served as the chief scientist of NOAA in 1990, I was called the Sturgeon General.
19
(Laughter) And I was told not to worry.
20
But in a few decades, with billions of dollars in subsidies, we have dewilded the ocean, taking these wild animals to markets globally.
21
Industrial fishing is simply too efficient, and the markets are too demanding.
22
Wild animals don't stand a chance.
23
Nothing in their history enables them to escape the mechanized killing.
24
Their fleets move like cities across the high seas, taking and marketing wildlife.
25
We almost succeeded in exterminating the great whales, but now we know we need whales, we need squid.
26
We need the menhaden, the tuna, the shrimp, the sharks.
27
Ocean wildlife.
28
We need them alive.
29
This is the carbon cycle in action.
30
This is how the living planet works.
31
Elements of the universe are moving from one creature to another, keeping Earth's chemistry within safe operating space.
32
I was told 50 years ago to be afraid of sharks.
33
Now I'm afraid because I don't see sharks when I go diving.
34
We've eliminated more than half of them since I began diving.
35
In 2009, I wished for expeditions, films, the web, new submarines that inspire action.
36
In [that] same week, Google launched the first 10 Hope Spots on Google Earth.
37
In 2010, at a TED at Sea expedition to the Galapagos Islands, we gathered together about 100 big thinkers to figure out what can we do to change this trajectory of decline.
38
On the spot, the commitment was made to protect the high seas starting in the Sargasso Sea.
39
Sargasso Sea Hope Spot: the open ocean home for turtles and whales and sharks and thousands of other sea creatures.
40
Another commitment was made to create a film, "Mission Blue." And another one, "Sea of Hope." “Oceans 5” and “Ocean Elders” were launched.
41
Funds were created and secured to help protect the Galapagos Islands.
42
Five years later, with climate [as] a top priority, TED at Sea 2 sailed to the South Pacific.
43
Champions were enlisted to help with the protection of the top of the world, the high seas in the Arctic, and to stop the trade in wildlife like polar bears, for rugs and for trophies.
44
Others were enlisted to bring about full protection for krill and other wildlife in the waters around the Antarctic continent, along with other great ideas to try to protect the ocean’s blue heart.
45
Sometimes I'm asked, "So what's the best place to go diving?" And I say, "Almost anywhere 50 years ago." So much has changed these images of coral reefs.
46
It's the way I remember the ocean.
47
And there are some places where the ocean is still like this.
48
They have top priority for protection.
49
They can't put them back once they're gone.
50
We can help restore some of the damage that we've inflicted, but there's nothing like a place that is still intact after the long history that preceded humankind.
51
There is hope because around the world, people are doing what they can to restore what has happened to the coral reefs.
52
There are Mission Blue champions in 29 Hope Spots that are growing and planting corals to help restore the damage.
53
This is [a] before and after view.
54
The before: where the corals are healthy, the system is healthy.
55
And after: what’s happening on our watch.
56
But there is reason for hope.
57
In the Nusa Penida Hope Spot you can actually see the progression from a damaged reef after some time of care, and then restoration, to what looks pretty good as compared to where it started.
58
(Applause) I'm working with champions who are helping to inspire protection for wild rivers and pathways in the sea for manatees, turtles, fish and whales.
59
Today, there are 169 Hope Spots in 116 countries.
60
(Applause) Here on this Esri map, you can see where action is taking place.
61
These are not just dots on a map.
62
These are people.
63
They are people who are gathering data, sharing stories, enlisting kids to care.
64
Diving in with partners.
65
Connecting with others.
66
Mangroves are being restored in 15 Hope Spots.
67
Seagrasses in 12, turtles are being monitored in 26 places, 30 for sharks and rays.
68
All of these places are creating awareness and enhanced protection.
69
I wish I could tell you about all of them because the stories are really cause for hope.
70
But let me just share a few.
71
Chile's coast and shoreline offshores were among Mission Blue’s first Hope Spots.
72
They're now a part of Chile's commitment to protect more than half of their ocean area.
73
When I first went there, we found [a] Juan Fernández fur seal -- just one.
74
It was thought that they were really gone.
75
That was a cause for hope: we found one.
76
But today, with protection, there are more than 100,000 of these creatures.
77
(Applause) In the shadow of New York City, the Shinnecock Bay Hope Spot is a place where people and nature thrived for thousands of years.
78
But 20th-century markets for seafood beyond the bay upended the system.
79
More recently, the bay has been known for brown tides and the loss of seagrasses and oysters and clams that once filtered the water and fed people locally.
80
Doctor Ellen Pikitch, a scientist at Stony Brook University, set out with her colleagues to do something about it, and they figured it would take 53 million clams to restore health, to filter the water [and] eliminate those brown tides.
81
They’ve also calculated it would take $53 million, at a dollar per clam.
82
They didn’t have $53 million, but they bought as many mom and dad clams as they could, and they planted them.
83
Let the clams do the rest.
84
Seagrasses began to grow again once the clams were back.
85
The water became clearer.
86
Creatures that live and need the seagrasses began to return.
87
And now we can see that the place is delivering on the promise of hope.
88
In French Polynesia, at the Tetiaroa Hope Spot, Richard and Mary Bailey are pioneering science-based tourism with a conservation twist.
89
They have fiercely protected the sea turtle nests.
90
They've really taken the action to try to restore a place that was losing the wildlife that the ocean needs to have a secure planet -- and it’s working.
91
Just a few years ago, there were only a very few turtles.
92
Now there are hundreds -- with protection.
93
Protection works.
94
With the Tetiaroa Society, the Baileys are engaging tourists and scientists, kids and CEOs in a business plan that couples tourism, revenue that is generated with exploration, research and conservation.
95
It's a blue-green nature positive model that generates income and jobs in a healthy ocean.
96
A new class of submersibles is being built that will take scientists, visitors and curious kids into French Polynesia's twilight zone to explore a part of a vital global system of animals that migrate up and down in the water column every day, every night.
97
Mission Blue is partnering with the Polynesian voyagers, with Nainoa Thompson and those who travel across the Pacific in traditional voyaging canoes like the Hōkūleʻa, following ancient pathways, depicted too, on traditional maps, like an octopus.
98
The head of the octopus is in French Polynesia, but the arms extend to islands across the Pacific to Hope Spots that have been established in recent years.
99
A three-year expedition is currently, right now, underway to connect people across the Pacific with ancient values of ocean care and respect.
100
With the subs for the first time, they can go see who lives under the canoe.
101
This is, after all, the lower sunlight shines where it's cold, it's dark, it's high pressure, but it's where most of life on Earth actually exists.
102
The merger of new technology and ancient wisdom.
103
My wish was inspired by the keen desire to build a safety net of Hope Spots, large enough to really understand and protect the ocean that protects all of us.
104
At the time, 99 percent of the ocean was open for exploitation.
105
Today, 97 percent is still open for exploitation.
106
It's time to seriously scale up.
107
Hope Spots are helping.
108
Townsville AI is visualizing Hope Spots with global data on temperature, chemistry, fishing pressure, wildlife migration routes, land-based information, to better understand the problems in the context of the whole world.
109
Now we know.
110
Planting trees, planting corals and clams -- it helps.
111
We can stop trashing the ocean.
112
We can stop industrial fishing.
113
We must never allow the mining of the deep seas to sweep away the security the living deep ocean provides to all of us.
114
Armed with greater knowledge than has ever existed before, we are the luckiest people ever to have arrived on Earth.
115
We can choose the future we want.
116
We can. Dinosaurs could not.
117
Truly, we have a choice.
118
We can find an enduring place for ourselves within the natural living systems that make possible our existence.
119
Systems that sustain us.
120
Hope Spots are helping.
121
And you can, too.
122
Hope is contagious.
123
Hope is an idea worth spreading.
124
Thank you. (Applause and cheers)
Download App
AI scoring for every sentence you speak
TRENDING
Popular
About This Lesson
In this lesson, you will engage in English practice by exploring the inspiring TED talk by Sylvia A. Earle titled "We’re Keeping the Ocean Wild — and You Can Join Us." By watching this video, you will learn about marine conservation, the importance of protecting ocean life, and the impact of human activities on aquatic ecosystems. This lesson will enhance your comprehension skills as well as your ability to discuss environmental topics in English. You will also practice your speaking skills, focusing specifically on pronunciation and intonation, which are crucial for effective communication. Using the shadowing app will help you mimic the speaker’s pacing and tone.
Key Vocabulary & Phrases
- Hope Spots: Areas in the ocean designated for protection to restore and save marine environments.
- Marine protected areas: Regions of the ocean where human activity is regulated to ensure the preservation of wildlife and ecosystems.
- Dewilding: The process of removing wild species from their natural habitats, often due to industrial activities.
- Carbon cycle: The natural process through which carbon is exchanged between the Earth's atmosphere and its oceans, soil, and living organisms.
- Inspiration: A feeling of enthusiasm that motivates action, as seen through expeditions and films aimed at environmental conservation.
- Industrial fishing: Large-scale fishing practices that often lead to overfishing and ecological disruption.
- Cry of the oceans: The urgent call for action to save ocean life from harm and degradation.
Practice Tips
To effectively practice your English speaking skills while shadowing Sylvia A. Earle's TED talk, follow these tips:
- Watch the Video Multiple Times: Begin by watching the full video once to grasp the overall message. Then, focus on specific sections for detailed understanding.
- Use a Shadowing App: To enhance your practice, consider using a shadowing app to repeat phrases and sentences after the speaker. This will help you improve your pronunciation and fluency.
- Focus on Tone and Speed: Sylvia speaks passionately about critical issues. Pay attention to her tone shifts; this will add emotional depth to your speaking practice.
- Repeat and Record: After shadowing, record yourself speaking to compare your delivery with the original. This will allow you to identify areas for improvement.
- Engage with the Content: Discuss the video's themes with friends or fellow learners, using the new vocabulary. This practice will boost your confidence in English speaking.
By using these techniques, you can effectively improve your English speaking practice while immersing yourself in a vital environmental topic. Join the movement to learn English with YouTube while advocating for the protection of our oceans!
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! 🙏