Videos with Transcripts
Classes that teach the English language are encouraged to use these videos with accompanying transcripts to practice for year-end exams in which students listen to a minute and a half of English audio and then answer comprehension questions. Closed captions are available on each video as well.
Transcript of Cecilia Cassini talking about her project, “Follow Your Dreams”
Well, I did my project because I wanted to help other people, like kids realize that they didn’t have to wait to be an adult to follow their dreams. And I didn’t want to wait to be an adult to follow my dreams because my dream has always been to become a fashion designer ever since I was little. So, I really wanted to show other kids that they could follow their dreams, too. My project is called Follow Your Dreams and I go to schools and homeless shelters and I talk to the kids about my experience of following my dream when I was younger. I hope to inspire them and encourage them to follow their dreams at a young age. Well, it makes me feel very good because I’ve seen the other kids, like, excited because they feel that they can start following their dreams when, like, they’re younger. And they see what I’ve done when I’m young. So they like it. I would tell other young people about volunteering that its really fun and it’s a great thing to do for your community. And it makes you feel very good after.
Transcript of Cassanddra Lin talking about her FGIF proect (edited to one minute)
Hi, My name is Cassandra Lin. My team and I asked local restaurant owners to donate their grease that was cooking oil to our project. The grease is then converted into biodiesel fuel, which is a clean burning alternative to regular diesel and cuts down greenhouse gases. This biodiesel is used for emergency heating funds to heat people’s homes in the winter. I think the inspiring part of community service and environmental service is that it is not all hard work. Like, my team and I have a lot of fun while we are doing this work. I am an environmentalist because I think that we young people, we youth actually, this is our future. The world is ours in just a few years and we should preserve it to keep it as beautiful as it is now.
Transcript of Anjali Appadurai speech to COP 17 UN Conference on Climate Change
(edited to 1 1/2 minutes)
I speak for more than half the world’s population. We are the silent majority. You’ve given us a seat in this hall, but our interests are not on the table. What does it take to get a stake in this game? Lobbyists? Corporate influence? Money? You’ve been negotiating all my life. In that time, you’ve failed to meet pledges. You’ve missed targets and you’ve broken promises. But you’ve heard this all before. The international energy agency tells us we have five years until the window to avoid irreversible climate change closes. The science tells us we have five years maximum. You’re saying, “Give us ten.” The most stark betrayal of your generation’s responsibility to ours is that you call this ambition. Where is the courage in these rooms? Now is not the time for incremental action. Common but differentiated and historical responsibility are not up for debate. Respect the foundational principles of this convention. Respect the integral values of humanity. Respect the future of your decedents. Mandela said, “It always seems impossible until its done.” So, distinguished delegates and governments around the world… governments of the developed world… deep cuts now! Get it done! [Applause]
