Pratique du Shadowing: If You Can Understand This News Article, Your English is Excellent! - Apprendre l'anglais à l'oral avec la vidéo

Today we're going to read a news article together and this is an advanced C1 article.

But don't worry because this lesson is perfect for you if you're a beginner, intermediate or advanced student because I'm going to explain everything in detail.

You're going to improve all areas of your English, your vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, reading, writing and more.

Welcome back to J4s English.

Of course, I'm Jennifer.

Now let's get started.

First, I'll read the headline.

How did ancient Egyptians stack those heavy stones?

Scientists float new theory.

We're talking about the pyramids.

Of course, ancient, notice this pronunciation, ancient, chint.

This last part here is pronounced chint, ancient, ancient Egyptians.

Repeat after me, ancient Egyptians.

Now let's look at stack.

This is a verb.

How did they, ancient Egyptians, stack?

So that's the verb.

Now to stack is when you place one object on top of another, which is exactly what they did with the stone to build the pyramids.

We commonly use this with papers, folders, books, or other flat objects you can find in your home or office.

Can you stack those papers, place them one on top of the other?

Now you can say into a pile.

You could also say into a stack.

A stack of papers is the group of papers with one place on top of the other.

Same with a pile.

A pile, a stack.

So notice this is a noun, a stack.

And then this is the verb to stack.

So you might say, I have a stack of papers to file.

So you have to take all of those papers

that are in a stack and file them alphabetically or by year, for example.

So in this case, stack, place them one on top of the other.

Those heavy stones.

Great question.

Isn't it?

Is that something that you've ever thought about?

I know I certainly have.

Scientists float new theory.

Hmm.

What does it mean to float a new theory?

Now, grammatically, you need an article here, but articles and auxiliary verbs are commonly omitted from headlines.

But grammatically, you need a new theory because theory is a singular countable noun.

So scientists float a new theory.

This verb means to introduce a new theory, suggest, or propose.

Honestly, I would say that all three of these options are more common than the word float.

So sometimes with the English language, you need to learn certain vocabulary in order to understand what something means.

Because if you don't know what float means in this case, you might not understand the meaning of the idea

but other words may be more common or the better choices to use

so i suggest using any one of these three

but now you know

that float an idea simply means to introduce an idea don't worry about taking notes

because i summarize everything in a free lesson pdf you can

find the link in the description let's continue with our lesson four years

egyptologists personally i've never seen this word before but i understand

because we use ologist we add that to a word to mean the study of

so i understand just by the form of this word that an Egyptologist is someone who studies Egypt.

Egyptologist.

Now important to note that the syllable stress is Egyptologist.

So our syllable stress is here.

And this is important because that pattern applies where the syllable stress is on the first O before or ologists,

ologists, ologists, because it applies to all the words.

Dermatologists, psychologists, archaeologists.

So just remember that syllable stress.

Although you probably won't use Egyptologists too much in your vocabulary.

Egyptologists have hotly debated.

So here, hotly

is an adjective to describe how they've debate debated it

and you can think of hotly debated as very enthusiastic

or passionate so to put it as adverbs you could say enthusiastically

passionately because these are adjectives so you can just put it into the adverb form

but in a hot debate so

that would be the ad adjective hot debate hotly debated sometimes

it can get very passionate of the form of being very aggressive

or angry even when you share your opinion so just keep

that in mind sometimes it can be used more in a

negative way to show some anger involved in it have hotly debated how the massive pyramids of ancient Egypt were built.

And I'm sure you know that massive is an alternative to the word very big or very large,

but it sounds more impactful to use one word massive instead of saying very big or very large.

Other alternatives are gigantic or even huge.

Although huge is a simple word, it still has more of an impact than saying very large.

Wow.

Huge.

That sounds more dramatic than saying very large or very big.

So now you have three alternatives that you can use and you can use this in different contexts.

We have a huge problem.

We have a huge project.

We have a massive stack of papers to file.

Now, a team of engineers and geologists, ah, where's that syllable stress?

Well, you know, right?

Geologists, geologists.

So that's where our syllable stress is.

engineers and geologists brings a new theory to the table.

First of all, let's look at this verb, the verb to bring, but notice there is an S on here.

And you might be a little confused because we have engineers and we have geologists, which is they, the subject they,

but the subject in this sentence is actually a team.

A team is the subject.

A team brings a new theory.

And a team in American English is a collective noun.

It's conjugated as the subject it.

So this of tells you who represents the team, but it's not the subject.

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The subject is a team.

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And to bring a new theory to the table.

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In this case, to the table simply means to the discussion,

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whatever discussion you're having, because commonly discussions take place at boardroom tables, but you can use this expression in any case.

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You don't have to be seated at a table in order to use this.

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So, and bring simply means to introduce, suggest, propose, or as we learned previously, float.

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Although, as I said previously, it isn't the most common and I would stick with any of the first three.

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So what is this new theory that they brought to the table that they introduced to the discussion?

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Well, the new theory is a hydraulic lift device that would have floated the heavy stones up using stored water.

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Oh, so now I understand why they use the word float in the headline.

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Because float has another meaning in English, which means, well, it's the opposite of sink.

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So if I take this pen and I put it into this full cup of tea with water,

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will it sink or will it float?

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A classic experiment that little kids have fun doing, or at least I did.

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I had fun doing that experiment.

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So float means to remain on the surface of water.

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So they're being clever by using the word float a new theory because the theory is that the rocks float.

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These heavy stones float on water.

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Because remember I said to float an idea exists in English but it isn't the most common.

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So they're using it simply to make a joke, which is called a pun,

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a play on words when you use one word in different ways.

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In this case, hydraulic, it relates to water.

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So hydro, hydraulic, hydro represents water.

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So hydraulic lift.

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it uses liquid water or oil usually to generate power

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and this is only important to understand this article

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because this article talks about using water a hydraulic lift device

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to float these heavy stones up are you enjoying this lesson

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if you are then i want to tell you about the Finally Fluent Academy.

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This is my premium training program where we study native English speakers from TV,

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the movies, YouTube and the news so you can improve your listening skills of fast English,

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expand your vocabulary with natural expressions and learn advanced grammar easily.

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Plus, you'll have me as your personal coach.

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You can look in the description for the link to learn more

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or you can go to my website

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and click on finally fluent Academy now let's continue with our lesson

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while the theory is an ingenious solution in genius repeat after me ingenious ingenious this is an adjective

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and it's used with both people and things I'm sure you can understand the meaning

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because you see the word genius in the word ingenious

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so very intelligent and skillful

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but you can use it to describe a thing in this

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case the hydraulic lift to lift the heavy stones to float the heavy stones that's ingenious

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so it's skillfully made or planned or simply uses a really intelligent method or idea.

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So you could say this lesson is ingenious.

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This method of studying, using the news and analyzing,

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learning the language, how it's used in a real world situation is ingenious.

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I certainly hope you think so.

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So if you do just put the word ingenious, ingenious it will help you remember it put ingenious in the comments

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while the theory is an ingenious solution some egyptologists remember

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that syllable stress all ages egyptologists aren't convinced as a more widely believed theory is

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that the ancient egyptians remember this pronunciation ancient ancient ancient egyptians

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used ramps to put the heavy blocks in place notice here for the sentence structure

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that it's to be convinced so convinced functions as the adjective

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and then your verb is to be

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which you need to conjugate with your subject in this case they they are convinced

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but it's the negative they aren't convinced they aren't convinced

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so in this case convinced notice

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that pronunciation a very soft T at the end convinced convinced this is the adjective form

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but you can also use the verb convince as an active verb form so in this case something or someone convinces someone.

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So you could say this lesson, the one you're watching right now, this lesson convinced me.

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Now this is in the past simple verb.

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It's not an adjective form.

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It's conjugated in the past simple.

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This lesson convinced me that learning English with the news is ingenious.

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A very effective method.

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Hopefully you think that.

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Again, put ingenious in the comments if you do.

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Now, widely believed.

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I really like this to describe a theory or an idea or a general truth.

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You could also say generally accepted as a more generally accepted theory,

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generally accepted methodology, widely believed theory.

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Now a ramp is, if these are steps, some people find it difficult to walk up steps.

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So there's usually on the side is a ramp.

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So a ramp is a elevated structure that gradually inclines.

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So it's easier to walk for some people up a ramp compared to steps

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so in this case they're saying some people who study egypt

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egyptologists aren't convinced don't believe that the hydraulic lift is how the heavy stones were stacked

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they believe because it's more widely believed generally accepted that a ramp was used

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what about you do you have an opinion on this this theorized water treatment system

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so by saying it's theorized it means it's not proven as fact it's just a theory

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and the water treatment system represents the hydraulic lift

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that we talked about before so just think of an elevator

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but what's pushing the elevator up is water pressure is pushing the elevator up

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and in that elevator are the stones that would be the water treatment system

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but again it's not a fact it's a theory so that's why they're saying theorized let's practice this pronunciation theorize.

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So notice an unvoiced TH, you put your tongue between your teeth, theorized, theorized.

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The theorized water treatment system would not only allow for water control during flood events,

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but also would have ensured adequate water quality

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and quantity for both consumption consumption and irrigation purposes and for transportation or construction

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so they're saying this hydraulic lift the water treatment system had

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many different purposes you could consume it drink it that's consumption to consume that's where the word comes from for both consumption.

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Irrigation is when you use the water for agricultural purposes.

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So to grow plants or to feed animals and for transportation or construction.

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So here they're talking about transporting the heavy stones.

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Let's review an advanced grammatical structure from this section, not only, but also.

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And in this case, you need not only something, which we can say is not only X,

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X represents something, but also something else, but also, and we can verbalize that as, but also Y.

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So listen to this example.

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This lesson not only improves my vocabulary, think of everything you learned already, but also improves my pronunciation.

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Think of the words that we've reviewed for pronunciation.

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So this is a more advanced way of saying this lesson improves my pronunciation and vocabulary or vocabulary and pronunciation.

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It emphasizes both more.

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So it's a more advanced way of saying that.

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And it's when you want to add more emphasis to the points.

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So you don't always want to add that emphasis.

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So use this when you want to add that emphasis and it's a more advanced sentence structure.

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And if you agree with this point that this lesson not only improves your vocabulary, but also improves your pronunciation,

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put yes, yes, yes, put yes, yes, yes.

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So I know you like this lesson and I'll keep making them.

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So put yes, yes, yes in the comments.

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The authors pointed to several prior studies

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that found the Sahara Desert saw more regular rainfall thousands of years ago than it does today.

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So they're saying thousands of years ago there was more water in the desert

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so this was possible to have this hydraulic lift system, this water treatment system.

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Let's review this expression to point to and notice

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that someone points to something and it's used to say to direct your attention towards something

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but that something is evidence or support.

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So this evidence or support is these prior studies with information how there was more rain in the past,

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and this supports the theory of the hydraulic lift.

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The landscape would instead have resembled a savanna, which could support more plant life than arid desert conditions.

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Now, since we focused on pronunciation already, let's keep doing that.

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Notice here, desert.

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So you want that sound, that buzzing like a B.

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Desert, desert.

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And let's compare this against chocolate or sweets at the end of a meal, which is, of course, say it out loud.

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Dessert, dessert, dessert, desert.

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Sand, dessert, sweets.

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Desert, sand, desserts, sweet.

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So remember that pronunciation difference.

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However, there is debate on when exactly the climate conditions were wetter.

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Notice here the sentence structure is there is debate and debate on.

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So we need that preposition on.

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One of the ways that you know if you're fluent or your fluency is high is if you can take

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a sentence and change it and use a different sentence structure.

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For example, the structure something to be debated is commonly used.

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So you can say, however, when exactly the climate conditions were wetter is hotly debated.

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So all of this represents the something that is debated.

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And all of this as a subject is it.

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So that's why we have the verb to be as is because it is debated.

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And if you wanted, you could add an adverb, the one we learned before hotly,

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passionately, enthusiastically, but sometimes even angrily is hotly debated.

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Let's continue.

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On the other hand, this is an excellent phrase to have in your vocabulary when you're having a debate,

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when you're sharing your opinion on something,

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or even when you're doing something simple like talking about a project report,

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or even talking about your vacation or your weekend.

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So let's see how you can use this in a more everyday situation, like talking about a vacation.

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You could say visiting Disney was amazing.

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And then you can provide one to three reasons why it was amazing.

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So these are three positive reasons because amazing is positive.

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But then you can say on the other hand, and you have to list something negative.

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On the other hand, the wait lines were so long that could be a negative.

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So this is how you can use the structure for even something simple like your vacation or your weekend.

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On the other hand, and don't forget the, and make sure it's the right preposition.

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You're not adding an S when you don't need it.

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On the other hand, remember those words exactly.

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Exactly.

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On the other hand, and notice you have a comma before you state your point.

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Experts debate.

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So here debate is being used as a verb.

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Experts debate whether there would have been enough constant rainfall to fill up the structures that would have supported the hydraulic lift.

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Remember, that's the elevator that is powered by water, such as the dry moat.

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So this is an example of one of the structures that needed to be filled up.

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A giant channel.

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Notice the pronunciation here.

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Ch, channel, not sh, channel, channel.

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And before we learned three other adjectives that mean very big, very large.

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Do you remember what those three are?

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It was only a few minutes ago.

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One of the best ways to permanently remember is to repeat information.

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We had, do I remember?

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We had massive, gigantic, and do you remember this small word that has a big meaning?

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Huge, massive, gigantic, huge giant.

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So now you have four you can add to your vocabulary.

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A giant channel, channel, that surrounds the pyramids and nearby structures

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that the authors believe collected water that helped power the elevator when in use.

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The study authors agreed that it's very unlikely

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that the system was filled with water permanently and argue it's more probable

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that flash floods of the time could have supplied enough water to support the hydraulic lift during construction of the pyramid

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let's look at this and argue in this case argue means to state their theory

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or their position But argue is often used with...

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couples or even friends

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or colleagues to talk about to have a discussion in a negative way to talk to each other with anger

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or frustration but in this case they argue it means they state they're stating their theory

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so the word argue is being used in very different ways

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because if i say my parents always argue instantly there's negativity in

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that because to argue

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when parents argue it sounds like there's yelling there's fighting they're screaming it's negative

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but in this case the scientists argue this means to present reasons

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or evidence to support whatever belief they have

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and it's more probable probable talks about probability how likely something is

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so they're saying it's more likely it's more probable that flash floods

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so a flash flood is a flood

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that happens instantly however this is also a great word to have in your vocabulary because without even reading any more,

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just because they use, however,

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I know they're going to introduce a point that contradicts or contrasts what they just said.

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However, there is still more research needed to know exactly how much rainfall and flooding likely occurred during this time,

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the authors noted in the study.

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So in this case, they're saying that flash floods, this is what is likely or probable.

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That's what they're arguing.

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That's what they're saying and using evidence or reasons to support it.

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But they're saying that more research is needed, which is a contrast to their last point

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because they're saying flash floods are very likely more research is needed to determine if flash floods were the cause.

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However, so this is a very important word to have in your vocabulary.

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And here the authors noted in the study.

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This is a more advanced or academic way of saying the authors said in the study, the authors noted in the study.

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And that's the end of our article.

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So what I'll do now is I'll read the article from start to finish

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and this time you can focus on my pronunciation.

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How did ancient Egyptians stack those heavy stones?

310

Scientists float new theory.

311

For years, Egyptologists have hotly debated how the massive pyramids of ancient Egypt were built.

312

Now, a team of engineers and geologists brings a new theory to the table,

313

a hydraulic lift device that would have floated the heavy stones up using stored water.

314

While the theory is an ingenious solution, some Egyptologists aren't convinced, as a more widely believed theory is

315

that the ancient Egyptians used ramps to put the heavy blocks in place.

316

The theorized water treatment system would not only allow for water control during flood events,

317

but also would have ensured adequate water quality and quantity for both consumption

318

and irrigation purposes and for transportation or construction the authors pointed to several prior studies

319

that found the sahara desert saw more regular rainfall thousands of

320

years ago than it does today the landscape would instead have resembled a savannah

321

which could support more plant life than arid desert conditions however there is debate on

322

when exactly the climate conditions were wetter on the other hand

323

experts debate whether there would have been enough constant rainfall to fill up the structures

324

that would have supported the hydraulic lift such as the dry moat a giant channel

325

that surrounds the pyramids and nearby structures that the authors believe collected water

326

that helped power the elevator when in use the study authors agreed

327

that it's very unlikely that the system was filled with water permanently

328

and argue it's more probable

329

that flash floods of the time could have supplied enough water to support the hydraulic lift during construction of the pyramid.

330

However, there is still more research needed to know exactly how much rainfall and flooding likely occurred during this time, the authors noted in the study.

Qu'est-ce que la technique du Shadowing ?

Le Shadowing est une technique d'apprentissage des langues fondée sur la science, développée à l'origine pour la formation des interprètes professionnels. Le principe est simple mais puissant : vous écoutez de l'anglais natif et le répétez immédiatement à voix haute — comme une ombre suivant le locuteur avec un décalage de 1 à 2 secondes. Les recherches montrent une amélioration significative de la précision de la prononciation, de l'intonation, du rythme, des liaisons, de la compréhension orale et de la fluidité.

Pratique du Shadowing: If You Can Understand This News Article, Your English is Excellent! - Apprendre l'anglais à l'oral avec la vidéo

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Qu'est-ce que la technique du Shadowing ?