Shadowing Practice: The uncomfortable question you should ask on every first date | Alain de Botton - 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 speaking lesson is built on the video “The uncomfortable question you should ask on every first date”. This video has 371 sentences and 4309 words to shadow. The speech runs for 23:33. The speaker talks fast, about 183 words per minute, so expect linked and reduced sounds. 87% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is easy to follow.
Key vocabulary in this video
15 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| therapeutic adjective | /ˌθɛɹ.əˈpjuː.tɪk/ | Of, or relating to therapy. |
| insight noun | /ˈɪnsaɪ̯t/ | A sight or view of the interior of anything; a deep inspection or view; introspection; frequently used with into. |
| attachment noun | /əˈtæt͡ʃmənt/ | The act or process of (physically or figuratively) attaching. |
| compatibility noun | /kəmˌpætəˈbɪlɪti/ | The state of being compatible; in which two or more things are able to exist or work together in combination without problems or conflict. |
| marry verb | /ˈmæɹi/ | To enter into the conjugal or connubial state; to take a husband or a wife. |
| mechanism noun | /ˈmɛk.ə.nɪ.zəm/ | Any mechanical means for the conversion or control of motion, or the transmission or control of power. |
| forgiveness noun | /fɚˈɡɪvnəs/ | The action of forgiving. |
| tone noun | /ˈtəʊn/ | A specific pitch. |
| repair verb | /ˈɹiːpɛɚ/ | To restore to good working order, fix, or improve damaged condition; to mend; to remedy. |
| essay noun | /ˈɛs.eɪ/ | A written composition of moderate length, exploring a particular issue or subject. |
| communicate verb | /kəˈmjuːnɪkeɪt/ | To impart or transmit (information or knowledge) to someone; to make known, to tell. |
| anxious adjective | /ˈæŋkʃəs/ | Nervous and worried. |
| viral adjective | /ˈvaɪɹəl/ | Of or relating to a biological virus. |
| therapist noun | /ˈθɛɹəpɪst/ | Someone who provides therapy, usually professionally. |
| humour noun | /ˈhjuːmɚ/ | The quality of being amusing, comical, funny. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| get out verb | To leave or escape. |
| go back on verb | To be treacherous or faithless to; to betray. |
| push away verb | To apply a force to (an entity) such that it moves to a more distant position. |
| bring up verb | To mention. |
| build up verb | To erect; to construct. |
| come along verb | To accompany. |
| come through verb | To come into a room or other space through a door or passageway. |
| get away with verb | To get away, or escape, taking (something) with one. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- What does that mean, how are you crazy?
- If the person goes, how do you mean?
- How do I work on myself?
- Why do we need to run away from it?
- Where are you trying to get to next year?
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 we think that we will have · if confronted with their behavior, will go |
| הווה מושלם (Present perfect) have/has + past participle — פעולה שקרתה בעבר ועדיין יש לה חשיבות או השפעה עכשיו | have you prepared · haven't found · you've found |
| משפטי זיקה (Relative clauses) who / which + clause — מידע נוסף על אדם או דבר | person who halfway · people who know · person who doesn |
| סביל (Passive voice) be + past participle — הדגש הוא על מה שקורה, לא על מי שעושה את הפעולה | cannot be done · are not guided · was called |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 118 contractions and reduced forms, such as don't, can't, we're. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “th” sounds: therapeutic /ˌθɛɹ.əˈpjuː.tɪk/, therapist /ˈθɛɹəpɪst/, beneath /bɪˈniːθ/, psychotherapy /ˌsaɪkoʊˈθɛɹəpi/, therapeutically /ˌθɛɹ.əˈpju.tɪk.li/
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: anxious /ˈæŋkʃəs/, patience /ˈpeɪ̯.ʃəns/, emotion /ɪˈməʊ.ʃən/, recognition /ˌɹɛkəɡˈnɪʃ(ə)n/, institution /ˌɪn.stɪˈtʃuː.ʃən/
- Long words — get the stress right: therapeutic /ˌθɛɹ.əˈpjuː.tɪk/, compatibility /kəmˌpætəˈbɪlɪti/, mechanism /ˈmɛk.ə.nɪ.zəm/, communicate /kəˈmjuːnɪkeɪt/, difficulty /ˈdɪfɪkəlti/
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 therapeutic, insight, attachment.
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.

























