Shadowing Practice: West Wing Week 09/02/11 or "Dispatches: Asia" - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Narrator: Welcome to the West Wing Week!
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This week we are broadcasting "Dispatches" from travel with Vice President Joe Biden through China, Mongolia and Japan.
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In between meeting with world leaders and speaking with locals, the Vice President took in the sights, sounds and culture of the Far East.
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Join the Vice President as he opens new channels of communication with China; gets to know Mongolian leaders and culture at a traditional Naadam Festival; and visits Japanese communities recovering from the March earthquake and tsunami; before speaking to U.S.
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troops in Tokoyo and Hawaii.
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That's August 18th through the 25th or "West Wing Week Dispatches: Asia!" We begin our journey in the bustling Chinese capital of Beijing where the Vice President started and ended his first full day of the trip at the Great Hall of the People.
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Upon arrival, Vice President Biden's host and Chinese counterpart, Vice President Xi, greeted him with an elaborate welcome ceremony in the North Hall.
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The Vice Presidents and their delegations then gathered for formal meetings where Vice President Biden reiterated the economic importance of a strong U.S.-China relationship.
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But it was the Vice President's visit to a local lunch spot that had China talking!
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The Vice President shared pork buns, noodles, and cucumbers with American Ambassador to China, Gary Locke, and his wife Mona, as well as daughter-in-law Kathleen and granddaughter Naomi who traveled with them through Asia and who he introduced to the other diners.
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Vice President Biden: This is my granddaughter. Sunnuer, in Chinese.
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Narrator: That evening it was back to the Great Hall of the People for a banquet dinner in the Vice President's honor that showcased the deep musical traditions of China.
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Friday, August 19th began in a familiar setting for the Vice President, the Beijing Hotel which was the sight of meetings he held during his first trip to China as a Senator in 1979.
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Now as Vice President, he was back cohosting a meeting of American and Chinese business leaders with Vice President Xi.
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Interpreter: The U.S. economy is highly resilient and has a strong capacity for self repairment.
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We believe that the U.S. economy will achieve even better development as it rises to challenges.
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Vice President Biden: We welcome, President Obama and I, we welcome, encourage and see nothing but positive benefits flowing from direct investment in the United States from Chinese businesses and Chinese entities.
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It means jobs.
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It means American jobs.
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Narrator: Next was a meeting with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao at the Purple Light Pavilion in the Chinese Leadership Compound.
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Vice President Biden: Premier, thank you, very much, for your hospitality.
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What a magnificent place.
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Narrator: After their meeting, Premier Wen offered the Vice President an impromptu tour of the pavilion built long ago by emperors and now part of the central headquarters for China's political leadership.
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Never wanting to make a President wait too long, the Vice President then traveled back to the Great Hall of the People to meet with Chinese President Hu Jintao in the ornate Fujian Room.
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On Saturday, August 20th, it was time to leave Beijing.
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But first the Vice President made a stop at the American Embassy to thank the staff and their families for serving the United States mission abroad.
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Then at the invitation of Vice President Xi, the Vice President boarded Air Force 2 to fly to the rapidly-developing City of Chengdu in Southwestern China, our second stop on the trip.
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On Sunday, the Vice President kicked off his day in Chengdu with an address on U.S.-China relations at Sichuan University speaking on a range of issues facing the two largest economies in the world.
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Vice President Biden: A more prosperous China will mean more demand for American-made goods and services and more jobs back home in the United States of America.
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To state it bluntly, we have a stake in one another's success.
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Narrator: The Vice President then met with the Governor of Sichuan Province before taking a road trip to the nearby City of Dujiangyan to tour the reconstruction efforts since a devastating earthquake struck the region in 2008.
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There the two Vice Presidents tour a local high school that had been rebuilt since the quake which featured a basketball court that had been built with a donation from the NBA.
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Vice President Biden: Mr. Vice President, this is going to take all day!
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Narrator: The two Vice Presidents then dropped in on an English language class to talk with students.
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Vice President Biden: What I see is great, great, great progress.
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And that's the reason why the Vice President and I are spending so much time talking to one another.
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We both believe that our progress has to continue.
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We have a mutual interest.
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Narrator: Next was a Chinese tea ceremony with Vice President Xi at a traditional tea house.
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From a nearby bridge, the Vice President checked out the Dujiangyan irrigation system, a marvel of engineering built over 2000 years ago to prevent flooding in the region.
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Vice President Biden then thanked his counterpart for such wonderful hospitality and bid farewell to China.
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On Monday, August 22nd, Air Force 2 touched down at Chinggis Khaan International Airport in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, where a full welcome ceremony was underway and the Prime Minister was waiting to greet Vice President Biden.
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This visit was an important stop for the Vice President.
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It had been more than six decades since a sitting American Vice President visited Mongolia and 22 years since the Mongolian people embraced democracy.
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Prime Minister Batbold: Mr. Vice President, there is proverb saying that an old friend is the best friend.
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Therefore, the visit of the U.S. Vice President to Mongolia after 67 years is certainly an old friend visit for us.
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I welcome again and wish you a pleasant stay in Mongolia.
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Narrator: The Vice President later met the President of Mongolia in a ceremonial Ger, an ancient and traditional Mongolian dwelling still used today throughout the country.
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Vice President Biden: And do you play the instrument?
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President Elbegdorj: Yes, I play. Yeah, all handmade.
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Vice President Biden: It really is. It's truly magnificent!
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President Elbegdorj: The design is very ancient, you know.
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Narrator: After the morning of official business came the ultimate Mongolian cultural experience, a traditional Naadam Festival on the outskirts of Ulaanbaatar where the Vice President met back up with Prime Minister Batbold.
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There was horseracing, throat singing, nonthroat singing, food, traditional Mongolian wrestling, dancing and archery, which the Vice President tried his hand at.
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Vice President Biden: Wow!
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Narrator: The Vice President awarded medals to the winners of the day's sporting competitions.
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And was invited to name a horse before he left; a Mongolian honor of the highest order.
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Vice President Biden: I'd like to name. Can we name him Celtic?
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Bystander: Celtic?
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Vice President Biden: Celtic in honor of my Irish heritage.
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Bystander: Oh. Good. Very good.
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Narrator: Bidding goodbye to Mongolia, the Vice President then took off for Japan.
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Tuesday, August 23rd, the Vice President started in Tokyo traveling first to Kantei, the residence of the Japanese Prime Minister, where the two leaders met and had a working lunch.
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The Vice President then flew north to the City of Sendai, one of the areas hardest hit by the tsunami last March.
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Shortly after landing, the Vice President spoke on the second floor of the Sendai Airport where hundreds of residents from nearby neighborhoods fled to escape the tsunami's path.
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He expressed sympathy, admiration, and continued support from the U.S. as Japan continues to recover and rebuild.
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Vice President Biden: The American people are also proud and honored by the way they have been able to assist.
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They're proud to continue doing whatever you would like us to do as you rebuild.
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And that's because of a simple proposition: It's not because of government-to-government or military-to-military relations; it's because of the genuine affection the American people have for the Japanese people.
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Narrator: After paying his respects at a memorial site where the town of Natori once stood, the Vice President took a short ride to a temporary housing facility that hundreds of Natori residents now call home.
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He met many of the displaced families currently living there.
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And a Pomeranian named Melon, who survived the disaster for a week in a parked car before being rescued and returned to her owner.
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Vice President Biden: We will stay as long as necessary to help you.
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Narrator: On Wednesday, August 24th, the Vice President visited U.S. service members and their families at Yakota Airbase to thank them for their quick and decisive efforts to help the Japanese people in the wake of the disaster.
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Vice President Biden: Whatever we need done we turn to you.
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We turn to you like they did here in Japan.
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Thank you for what you have done for the people of Japan in their time of need and I'm honored to be here today.
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And I look forward to meeting as many of you that are willing to stick around.
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Narrator: That evening, the Vice President left for Hawaii where he arrived on the morning of the same day he left having crossed the International Date Line making this the longest Wednesday in West Wing Week history!
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That evening, the Vice President visited the USS ARIZONA Memorial at Pearl Harbor near Honolulu.
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This year marks the 70th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor.
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Administrator Robert Willard: It was early in the morning on a Sunday morning, many of the crew were asleep; some of the crew were on watch; but 1177 men were killed in the few -- Vice President Biden: On their way out it sunk?
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Administrator Robert Willard: -- no, many of them because there was no way out.
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The ship went down so quickly.
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We had other ships, the OKLAHOMA that I mentioned earlier, capsized and took 500 or so men with her.
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But ARIZONA had an unusually large crew complement that as a consequence of the ship's destruction so quickly, were all lost.
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Narrator: On Thursday, August 25th, the Vice President made the last stop of his trip addressing U.S. troops at Kaneohe Bay Marine Corps Air Facility on the east side of Oahu.
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Vice President Biden: Hello, seamen!
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So I mean this from the bottom of my heart, on behalf of a grateful nation, let me once again say thank you.
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Thank you and your spouses for everything you have done and what you continue to do to keep this country safe.
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I'm honored as Vice President of the United States to be able to stand before you, whether it's a thousand of you in a hangar or six of you in a FOB, I'm honored.
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Narrator: To find out more information on any of these topics or to see complete videos of these events, go to WhiteHouse.gov.
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And thanks again for checking out your West Wing Week!
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Vice President Biden: I know! I got it! I got it!
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He's talking to me!
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Vice President Xi: Okay, you can keep this.
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Vice President Biden: I got my own camel here.
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Okay, ready to go!
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This video has 98 sentences and 1866 words to shadow. The speech runs for 10:58. The speaker talks at a natural 170 words per minute, close to everyday conversation. Only 80% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is demanding.
Key vocabulary in this video
15 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| narrator noun | /ˈnæˌɹeɪ.təɹ/ | One who narrates or tells stories. |
| ceremony noun | /ˈsɛɹ.əˌmoʊ.ni/ | A ritual, with religious or cultural significance. |
| rebuild verb | /ɹiːˈbɪld/ | To build again or anew. |
| memorial noun | /məˈmɔːɹi.əl/ | Something, such as a monument, by which someone or something is remembered. |
| disaster noun | /dɪˈzɑːs.təː/ | An unexpected natural or man-made catastrophe of substantial extent causing significant physical damage or destruction, loss of life or sometimes permanent… |
| resident noun | /ˈɹɛzɪdənt/ | A person, animal or plant living at a certain location or in a certain area. |
| relation noun | /ɹɪˈleɪʃ(ə)n/ | The manner in which two things may be associated. |
| recover verb | /ɹɪˈkʌvɚ/ | To get back, to regain (a physical thing; in astronomy and navigation, sight of a thing or a signal). |
| earthquake noun | /ˈɝθkweɪk/ | A shaking of the ground, caused by volcanic activity or movement around geologic faults. |
| administrator noun | /ədˈmɪn.ɪ.stɹeɪ.tɚ/ | One who administers affairs; one who directs, manages, executes, or dispenses, whether in civil, judicial, political, or ecclesiastical affairs; a manager. |
| magnificent adjective | /mæɡˈnɪfəsənt/ | Grand, elegant or splendid in appearance. |
| hospitality noun | /ˌhɑ.spɪˈtæl.ə.ti/ | The act or service of welcoming, receiving, hosting, or entertaining guests; an appropriate attitude of openness, respect, and generosity toward guests. |
| greet verb | /ɡɹiːt/ | To welcome in a friendly manner, either in person or through another means such as writing. |
| counterpart noun | /ˈkaʊntɚˌpɑɹt/ | Either of two parts that fit together or otherwise complement one another. |
| troop noun | /tɹup/ | A collection of people; a number; a multitude (in general). |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| check out verb | To record the departure or withdrawal of someone or something (such as guests, employees, books, etc.). |
| find out verb | To discover, as by asking or investigating. |
| go down verb | To descend; to move from a higher place to a lower one. |
| kick off verb | To make the first kick in a game or part of a game. |
| look forward to verb | To anticipate, expect, or wait for, especially with a feeling of approval or pleasure; to be excited or eager to. |
| stick around verb | To stay; to linger; to remain. |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 5 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'm, I'd, they're. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “th” sounds: earthquake /ˈɝθkweɪk/, throat /ˈθɹoʊt/, gather /ˈɡæðɚ/, sympathy /ˈsɪm.pəθ.i/
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: relation /ɹɪˈleɪʃ(ə)n/, shortly /ˈʃɔɹtli/, destruction /dɪsˈtɹʌkʃən/, invitation /ɪnvɪˈteɪʃən/, donation /doʊˈneɪʃən/
- Long words — get the stress right: ceremony /ˈsɛɹ.əˌmoʊ.ni/, memorial /məˈmɔːɹi.əl/, administrator /ədˈmɪn.ɪ.stɹeɪ.tɚ/, magnificent /mæɡˈnɪfəsənt/, hospitality /ˌhɑ.spɪˈtæl.ə.ti/
How to practise with this video
- Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
- Start at 0.75× speed, shadow it sentence by sentence, then go back to normal speed once it feels easy.
- Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like narrator, ceremony, rebuild.
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | had been built · was invited · being rescued |
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | have been · have done |
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.