Shadowing Practice: Keanu on Sandra - Speed Interview - Learn English Speaking with Video

This video has 24 sentences and 150 words to shadow. The speech runs for 1:13. The speaker talks at a steady 123 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. 83% 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

11 less common words from the video, with pronunciation and meaning:

• actress /ˈæk.tɹɪs/ (noun) — A female who performs on the stage or in films.
• wherever /(h)wɛɹˈɛvɚ/ — Regardless of the place in, at or to which.
• forgive /fɚˈɡɪv/ (verb) — To pardon (someone); to waive any negative feeling towards or desire for punishment or retribution against.
• distress /dɪˈstɹɛs/ (noun) — Physical or emotional discomfort, suffering, or alarm, particularly of a more acute nature.
• immensely /ɪˈmɛnsli/ (adverb) — Greatly; hugely; extremely; vastly; to a great extent.
• damsel /ˈdæm.zəl/ (noun) — A young woman (of noble birth).
• actor /ˈæk.tɚ/ (noun) — Someone or something that takes part in some action; a doer, an agent.
• lady /ˈleɪ.di/ (noun) — A woman of breeding or higher class, a woman of authority.
• direction /dɪˈɹɛk.ʃən/ (noun) — A theoretical line (physically or mentally) followed from a point of origin or towards a destination. May be relative (e.g. up, left, outbound, dorsal)…
• wonderful /ˈwʌndəfl̩/ (adjective) — Tending to excite wonder; surprising, extraordinary.
• cast /kæst/ (verb) — To throw.

Pronunciation to watch

The speaker uses 4 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'm, don't, I've. Say them the short way, as you hear them.

How to practise with this video

1. Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
2. Shadow it sentence by sentence at normal speed, repeating each one until your rhythm matches the speaker.
3. Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like actress, wherever, forgive.