Shadowing Practice: Machu Picchu - Learn English Speaking with Video

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The technological marvels of Machu Picchu has amazed people for years,
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so much so that they point at aliens as the cause behind the Incas achievements.
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Machu Picchu has excellent drainage,
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firm foundations on steep rainy hillsides,
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and stone bricks that weigh about 10 to 15 tons,
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all without the Incas using iron, steel, or even wheels.
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How is this possible?
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Excellent planning.
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Evidence of the Incas intricate planning and organization is everywhere on Machu Picchu.
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The main access gate perfectly frames the peak of Mount Wayne Apichu.
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Structures are standardized.
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Windows measure about the length of a forearm and the space between them two forearms.
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The foundations that have kept the ancient city stable for hundreds of years consists of nine feet of layered soil.
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Buried under three feet of topsoil and sandy soil is waste rock from the construction of the city.
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Not only did these stabilize the soil under the buildings and terraces,
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but they also served as part of the city's excellent drainage system,
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without which the city slopes would have eroded long ago.
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The region itself receives about 80 inches of rain annually.
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So, the soil and rock foundation pulls rainwater under the earth,
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while the granite stairways and paths direct it towards the city's main drain,
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which sends it towards the rainforest below.
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A lot of the buildings,
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especially the emperor's residence, also had built-in drains connected to the main cities.
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The detailed structure of the city is marvelous,
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especially in its age and history.
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But what about its masonry?
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If these ancient peoples were capable of such amazing architecture,
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how did they build with heavy blocks of beautiful granite without cranes or wheels?
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Certainly not aliens.
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For the lighter stones, they simply had to roll them to wherever they needed them to go.
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Other stones could be lifted with levers and ramps,
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dragged over cobblestone beds, or pulled up a ladder-like contraption on an incline, using a sled.
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The Inca were masters of masonry,
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using the method called ashlar masonry,
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where instead of using mortar,
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they cut stones together so precisely that you couldn't fit a sheet of paper between them.
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They are also known for their polygonal masonry,
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where stones with more than the usual rectangular sides are fitted together.
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All their windows, doors, and other openings are built in a trapezoidal shape.
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This was to ensure their buildings were more resistant to the earthquakes that plague the area.
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The architectural and engineering achievements of the Incan Empire are truly awe-inspiring.
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Who knows what they could have achieved without the tragedy that so violently ended their reign.
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Vocabulario y notas de pronunciación para esta lección

Esta lección de conversación de nivel B2 se basa en el vídeo “Machu Picchu”. Las palabras que más se repiten: stone, Inca, masonry, soil, Machu. Este vídeo tiene 42 frases y 435 palabras para practicar shadowing. La parte hablada dura 2:28. El hablante habla a un ritmo natural de unas 176 palabras por minuto, cercano a una conversación cotidiana. Solo el 72 % de las palabras está entre las 3.000 más comunes del inglés, por lo que el vocabulario es exigente.

Vocabulario clave de este vídeo

Las 15 palabras más avanzadas del vídeo, con su pronunciación y significado:

PalabraPronunciaciónSignificado
masonry sustantivo/ˈmeɪsənɹi/albañilería
forearm sustantivo/ˈfɔːˌɹɑːm/antebrazo
drainage sustantivo/ˈdɹeɪnəd͡ʒ/drenaje, desagüe
granite sustantivo/ˈɡɹæn.ɪt/granito, berroqueña
drain sustantivo/dɹiːn/desagüe, drenaje
ashlar sustantivo/ˈæʃlɚ/sillar
cobblestone sustantivo/ˈkɑbl̩ˌstoʊn/adoquín
hillside sustantivo/ˈhɪlˌsaɪd/falda
polygonal adjetivo/pəˈlɪɡənəl/poligonal
rainforest sustantivo/ˈɹeɪn.fɔɹ.ɪst/bosque tropical, bosque hidrofítico
rainwater sustantivoagua de lluvia, agua llovediza
stabilize verbo/ˈsteɪ.bəˌlaɪz/estabilizar
stairway sustantivo/ˈstɛɹweɪ/escalera, gradas
topsoil sustantivosuelo superficial
trapezoidal adjetivotrapezoidal

Gramática en este vídeo

Las estructuras que más usa el hablante, con las palabras exactas del vídeo:

EstructuraEn el vídeo
Voz pasiva be + participio pasado — importa lo que ocurre, no quién lo haceare standardized · could be lifted · are also known
Present perfect have/has + participio pasado — una acción pasada que sigue importando ahorahas amazed · have kept

Pronunciación a tener en cuenta

  • Palabras largas — cuida el acento: polygonal /pəˈlɪɡənəl/, violently /ˈvaɪ(ə)ləntli/, rectangular /ɹɛkˈtæŋɡjəlɚ/, architectural /ˌɑɹkɪˈtɛkt͡ʃəɹəl/, technological /ˌtɛk.nəˈlɑ.dʒɪ.kəl/

Sonidos difíciles para hispanohablantes:

  • s + consonante al inicio — sin añadir una “e” delante: stabilize /ˈsteɪ.bəˌlaɪz/, stairway /ˈstɛɹweɪ/, slope /sloʊp/, steep /stiːp/
  • /v/ — no es /b/: los dientes tocan el labio inferior: marvelous /ˈmɑɹvələs/, violently /ˈvaɪ(ə)ləntli/, lever /ˈliː.və/, marvel /ˈmɑɹvəl/
  • /z/ — sonora, no /s/: stabilize /ˈsteɪ.bəˌlaɪz/, resistant /ɹəˈzɪstənt/

Cómo practicar con este vídeo

  1. Escucha el vídeo entero una vez sin hablar y anota las palabras que no conoces.
  2. Empieza a velocidad 0,75×, haz shadowing frase por frase y vuelve a la velocidad normal cuando te resulte fácil.
  3. Grábate y compara con el original, prestando atención a palabras como masonry, forearm, drainage.

¿Qué es la Técnica de Shadowing?

Shadowing es una técnica de aprendizaje de idiomas respaldada por la ciencia, desarrollada originalmente para la formación de intérpretes profesionales y popularizada por el políglota Dr. Alexander Arguelles. El método es simple pero poderoso: escuchas audio en inglés nativo y lo repites en voz alta de inmediato, como una sombra que sigue al hablante con solo 1-2 segundos de retraso. A diferencia de la escucha pasiva o los ejercicios de gramática, el shadowing obliga a tu cerebro y músculos de la boca a procesar y reproducir simultáneamente patrones de habla reales. Las investigaciones muestran que mejora significativamente la precisión de la pronunciación, la entonación, el ritmo, el habla conectada, la comprensión auditiva y la fluidez al hablar, convirtiéndola en una de las metodologías más efectivas para la preparación del IELTS Speaking y la comunicación en inglés en el mundo real.

Técnica de shadowing: lee la guía completa paso a paso →