Shadowing Practice: I Gave the MIT Commencement Speech - Learn English Speaking with Video
בחר מצב תרגול
כל מצב פותח חדר תרגול במסך מלא.
הורד אפליקציה
כל מה שאתה צריך כדי לדבר בשטף
אותו ערוץ
המלץ על סרטון
Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This B2 speaking lesson is built on the video “I Gave the MIT Commencement Speech”. This video has 175 sentences and 3286 words to shadow. The speech runs for 19:04. The speaker talks at a natural 172 words per minute, close to everyday conversation. 82% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English; the rest is worth studying before you start.
Key vocabulary in this video
The 15 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| naive adjective | /naɪˈiv/ | Lacking worldly experience, wisdom, or judgement; unsophisticated. |
| optimism noun | /ˈɑptɪmɪzəm/ | a tendency to expect the best, or at least, a favourable outcome |
| cheers | /t͡ʃɪəz/ | A common toast used when drinking in company. |
| applaud verb | /əˈplɔd/ | To express approval (of something) by clapping the hands. |
| commencement noun | /kəˈmɛnsmənt/ | The first existence of anything; act or fact of commencing; the beginning. |
| puzzle noun | /ˈpʌzəl/ | The state of feeling confused or mystified because one cannot understand a complicated matter, a problem, etc.; bewilderment, confusion; (countable) often in… |
| confirmation noun | /ˌkɑn.fəɹˈmeɪ.ʃən/ | An official indicator that things will happen as planned. |
| bias noun | /ˈbaɪ.əs/ | Inclination towards something. |
| cooperate verb | /kəʊˈɒp.ə.ɹeɪt/ | To work or act together, especially for a common purpose or benefit. |
| positively adverb | /ˈpɑ.zɪ.tɪv.li/ | In a positive manner. |
| graduation noun | /ˌɡɹæd͡ʒuˈeɪʃən/ | The action or process of graduating and receiving a diploma for completing a course of study (such as from an educational institution). |
| intentions noun | /ɪnˈtɛnʃənz/ | Desire to court, marry, date, woo or sleep with someone. |
| embrace verb | /ɛmˈbɹes/ | To clasp (someone or each other) in the arms with affection; to take in the arms; to hug. |
| collab noun | /kəˈlæb/ | A collaboration, especially a work produced by several musicians who do not usually work together. |
| objectively adverb | /əbˈd͡ʒɛktɪvli/ | In an impartial, objective manner. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| point out verb | To identify among a group of similar subjects, or in a scene where the subject might not be readily seen or noticed, with a gesture of the body. | |
| back off verb | To move backwards away from something. | |
| blow up verb | To explode or be destroyed by explosion. | |
| close out verb | To terminate; to call the end of. | |
| come out verb | /ˌkʌm ˈaʊt/ | To be discovered; to be revealed. |
| fall under verb | To belong to for purposes of categorization. | |
| give up verb | To surrender (someone or something); to inform on (someone). | |
| go out verb | To leave, especially a building. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- What do I mean by naive optimism?
- When you don't know what you don't know.
- I'm never doing this again.
- You know, what should we try differently from next time?
- I'm playing music in a commencement speech, because why not?
דקדוק בסרטון הזה
המבנים שהדובר משתמש בהם הכי הרבה, עם המילים המדויקות מהסרטון:
| מבנה | בסרטון |
|---|---|
| משפטי תנאי (Conditional sentences) if + clause, will/would + verb — תנאי ותוצאה שלו | If you truly understood what would be · if my top five challenges disappear," would it |
| הווה מושלם (Present perfect) have/has + past participle — פעולה שקרתה בעבר ועדיין יש לה חשיבות או השפעה עכשיו | I've already decided · has accomplished · you've ever wanted |
| משפטי זיקה (Relative clauses) who / which + clause — מידע נוסף על אדם או דבר | Anyone who tells · cut, which is · those who didn |
| סביל (Passive voice) be + past participle — הדגש הוא על מה שקורה, לא על מי שעושה את הפעולה | be featured · would be required · were prompted |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 81 contractions and reduced forms, such as you're, gonna, I'm. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “th” sounds: thief /ˈθiːf/, threaten /ˈθɹɛt.n̩/, enthusiasm /ɪnˈθuziæzəm/
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: confirmation /ˌkɑn.fəɹˈmeɪ.ʃən/, graduation /ˌɡɹæd͡ʒuˈeɪʃən/, intentions /ɪnˈtɛnʃənz/, accomplish /əˈkɑm.plɪʃ/, evolutionary /ˌiː.vəˈluː.ʃən.ɛɹ.i/
- Long words — get the stress right: optimism /ˈɑptɪmɪzəm/, confirmation /ˌkɑn.fəɹˈmeɪ.ʃən/, cooperate /kəʊˈɒp.ə.ɹeɪt/, positively /ˈpɑ.zɪ.tɪv.li/, graduation /ˌɡɹæd͡ʒuˈeɪʃən/
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 naive, optimism, cheers.
מהי טכניקת השאדואינג?
שאדואינג היא טכניקת למידת שפה מבוססת מדע שפותחה במקור להכשרת מתורגמנים מקצועיים ופופולרית על ידי הפוליגלוט ד"ר אלכסנדר ארגואלס. השיטה פשוטה אך עוצמתית: אתה מקשיב לאודיו באנגלית ילידית וחוזר עליו בקול רם מיד — כמו צל העוקב אחרי הדובר עם עיכוב של 1–2 שניות בלבד. בניגוד להאזנה פסיבית או תרגילי דקדוק, שאדואינג מכריח את המוח והשרירים בפה לעבד ולשחזר דפוסי דיבור אמיתיים בו זמנית. מחקרים מראים שזה משפר משמעותית את דיוק ההגייה, האינטונציה, הקצב, הדיבור המחובר, הבנת השמיעה ושטף הדיבור — מה שהופך אותו לאחת השיטות היעילות ביותר להכנה לIELTS Speaking ולתקשורת באנגלית בעולם האמיתי.
































