Shadowing Practice: What’s Going on with Ariana Grande? | The Social - Learn English Speaking with Video

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Ariana Grande kicked off her 41 day tour yesterday and there's a lot of concern on social media over her frail appearance.
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However, some fans say if she was struggling with her health,
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she wouldn't do a three hour live show and no one should be commenting on her body. So, right?
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So the question is, do you think fans have a right to express their concerns?
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And Miguel, I'm gonna start with you.
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You know, I think it's generally a faux pas to sort of comment on anyone's body
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and I think we understand that in like a social context or like a day-to-day context with who you interact with.
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But when you're a fan of somebody, especially these dedicated fan bases, like Beyonce's fans or Taylor Swift's fans or Ariana Grande's fans,
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they feel a sort of ownership over that person.
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And they perform it as protectivism against other people online who insult them.
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They rush to protect them.
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But I feel like those groups are also the first to over-scrutinize what's going on with their appearance.
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And they don't feel like it's gonna get back to them or they're gonna find out.
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But Ariana Grande has talked a lot about how she hears every single comment.
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Like it gets right in her head.
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Every single criticism that comes her way.
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I don't know what her situation is.
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I frankly don't feel like I should comment on her body at all, so.
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Yeah, yeah.
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Especially as a man, like.
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No, that's a very good point.
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You made a lot of really good valid points, but here's the deal.
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I think the idea of like telling people they can't comment, that train has left the station.
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That's the comment section, the group chats.
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Everybody, as long as you do something publicly, there's gonna be somewhere someone's gonna comment about it, so I don't think we can walk that back.
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But this actually reminds me, I don't comment on people's bodies, especially weight loss, and I know there's a lot of conversation, a lot of conversation because GLP won
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and we're seeing a lot of people in Hollywood who seem to be much smaller than they used to be
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and there's a lot of comments about it.
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But I will never comment because I remember back in 2020
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when actor Chadwick Boseman started to show signs of a lot of weight loss.
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Now I'm a fan of his and I thought, oh he's probably just preparing for a role much like Matthew McConaughey lost a lot of weight for Dallas Buyers Club.
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And so I didn't think about it.
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But the comment section was riddled with people accusing of being on crack
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and being on cocaine and step away from the pipe.
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And then he died from stage four colon cancer
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and a lot of people had to go back on their social media and apologize for their comments.
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And for me, I think it was a lesson for all of us.
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We don't know what we don't know.
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You don't know what a person is going through.
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So before you get in the comments section, remember that's a person who has feelings, who might read those comments, and would you say that to their face if you're in the same room?
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Probably not.
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And also, you don't know what people are going through.
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Yeah, you just don't know.
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Yeah.
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But I guess that's very interesting, but I guess they feel like they're so close to these celebrities.
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In some cases, they feel like they have grown up with said celebrities.
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Said celebrities have let them into their homes, have let them into their families.
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She was a child actor, like right with her.
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Exactly, I'm thinking about so many other people as well,
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because I think it stretches that boundary where fans forget that there is sort of a boundary and they are showing concern.
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I agree with you guys, I would never say something to a celebrity, but I think that line gets blurred when you think you're doing it out of concern, much like you would a family member.
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You know, you wouldn't try to ignore the thing that it seems like they're asking you to ignore, because you can see it, and so you would come out and want to say something, are you okay?
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I think it gets real shady though,
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when it turns from concern about someone's genuine well-being to like making a discussion or a diagnosis on a Reddit thread.
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Do you know what yeah, yeah.
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Yeah, but look, at the same time, it's weird.
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Like there's so many celebrities who look like they're on day 47 of Naked and Afraid.
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Like, I'm sorry.
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Yeah.
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It's true, like it is alarming to see people like that.
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And I mean, I wouldn't, you know, I wouldn't want people commenting on me in that way.
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But the other thing I can't say as a musician, I will say, I just played across the street for four nights at the Rex Hotel.
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Woo hoo!
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Thank you.
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Thank you.
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I wear my fitness tracker, and I can tell you that I burn more calories singing and performing and playing music than I do on a treadmill.
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Oh, that's very interesting.
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So I do think what's probably true is even if she looks different than people would like or think is healthy, I'm sure she couldn't do a two or three hour show.
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Every night.
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If she was having 400 calories a day.
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I don't think she could.
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Let's leave Ariana alone.
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Yeah, yeah.
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Yeah, Miguel.
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Yeah, Miguel.
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Come on, Miguel, right?
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I agree.
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I agree.
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Hold on.

Why practice speaking with this video?

Practicing speaking through videos like this one about Ariana Grande provides an excellent opportunity for English speaking practice. This particular video highlights real-life discussions that capture contemporary social issues, making it relatable and engaging for learners. By immersing yourself in authentic conversations, you can not only improve your speaking skills but also enhance your understanding of cultural contexts.

Furthermore, the dynamic exchanges between speakers offer various perspectives and emotional tones, which are critical for developing a nuanced speaking style. Engaging with this content through methods like shadowspeak allows you to mimic the natural flow and rhythm of conversational English. By repeating phrases and intonation patterns, you can refine your own pronunciation and fluency.

Grammar & Expressions in Context

As you watch the video, pay attention to several key structures and expressions that stand out:

  • “I think it’s generally a faux pas to sort of comment on anyone’s body” - This phrase highlights the use of conditional phrases, showing how opinions can reflect social norms.
  • “I frankly don’t feel like I should comment on her body at all” - The use of adverbs like “frankly” adds emphasis, making your speech more engaging.
  • “You don’t know what a person is going through” - This expression illustrates the verb phrases that convey empathy, an essential skill in conversational English.

Common Pronunciation Traps

Practicing with this video can also help you navigate tricky words and phrases that may challenge your pronunciation. Notice the way the speakers articulate:

  • “Faux pas” - This French term can be difficult; focus on smoothing out the pronunciation to sound more fluent.
  • “Comment” - Here, the pronunciation can vary significantly; make sure to practice both the noun (comment) and the verb (to comment) forms.
  • “Protectivism” - A complex word, it's important to break it down into syllables to pronounce it correctly.

Overall, utilizing video content like this not only enhances your IELTS speaking practice but also equips you with the skills to navigate conversations involving current events and social discussions. Learn English with YouTube by adopting a shadow speak approach to improve your proficiency today!

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.