Shadowing Practice: Optimistic Nihilism - Learn English Speaking with Video
Les maken...
1
Human existence is scary and confusing.
2
A few hundred thousand years ago, we became conscious and found ourselves in a strange place.
3
It was filled with other beings. We could eat some; some could eat us.
4
There was liquid stuff we could drink; things we could use to make more things.
5
The daytime sky had a tiny yellow ball that warmed our skin.
6
The night sky was filled with beautiful lights.
7
This place was obviously made for us.
8
Something was watching over us.
9
We were home. This made everything much less scary and confusing.
10
But the older we got, the more we learned about the world and ourselves.
11
We learned that the twinkling lights are not shining beautifully for us, they just are.
12
We learned that we're not at the center of what we now call the universe, and that it is much, much older than we thought.
13
We learned that we're made of many little dead things, which make up bigger things that are not dead, for some reason, and that we're just another temporary stage in a history going back over a billion years.
14
We learned, in awe, that we live on a moist speck of dust moving around a medium-sized star in a quiet region of one arm of an average galaxy, which is part of a galaxy group that we will never leave.
15
And this group is only one of thousands that, together, make up a galaxy supercluster.
16
But even our supercluster is only one in thousands that make up what we call the observable universe.
17
The universe might be a million times bigger, but we will never know.
18
We can throw words around like two hundred million galaxies or trillions of stars or bazillions of planets, but all of these numbers mean nothing. Our brains can't comprehend these concepts.
19
The universe is too big. There is too much of it.
20
But size is not the most troubling concept we have to deal with.
21
It's time, or, more precisely, the time we have.
22
If you're lucky enough to live to one hundred, you have five thousand two hundred weeks at your disposal.
23
If you're twenty-five now, then you have three thousand nine hundred weeks left.
24
If you're going to die at seventy, then there are two thousand three hundred and forty weeks left - a lot of time, but also ... not really.
25
And then what?
26
Your biological processes will break down, and the dynamic pattern that is you will stop beinge dynamic.
27
It will dissolve until there is no you left.
28
Some believe that there is a part of us we can't see or measure, but we have no way to find out, so this life might be it and we might end up dead forever.
29
This is less scary than it sounds, though.
30
If you don't remember the 13.75 billion years that went by before you existed, Then the trillions and trillions and trillions of years that come after will pass in no time once you're gone.
31
Close your eyes. Count to 1.
32
That's how long forever feels.
33
And as far as we know, in the end, the universe itself will die and nothing will ever change again.
34
Our videos induce existential dread in many people, and the last few minutes probably haven't helped.
35
So, for once, we want to offer a different way of looking at these things: an unscientific, subjective point of view, the philosophy of Kurzgesagt, if you want.
36
Please take it with a grain of salt; we don't know any more about human existence than you do.
37
We counter existential dread with optimistic nihilism.
38
What do we mean by that?
39
Well, to summarize, it seems very unlikely that 200 trillion trillion stars have been made for us.
40
In a way, it feels like the cruelest joke in existence has been played on us.
41
We became self-aware only to realize this story is not about us.
42
While it is great to know about electrons and the powerhouse of the cell, Science doesn't do a lot to make this less depressing.
43
Okay, but so what?
44
You only get one shot at life, which is scary, but it also sets you free.
45
If the universe ends in heat death, every humiliation you suffer in your life will be forgotten.
46
Every mistake you made will not matter in the end.
47
Every bad thing you did will be voided.
48
If our life is all we get to experience, then it's the only thing that matters.
49
If the universe has no principles, the only principles relevant are the ones we decide on.
50
If the universe has no purpose, then we get to dictate what its purpose is.
51
Humans will most certainly cease to exist at some point, but before we do, we get to explore ourselves and the world around us.
52
We get to experience feelings. We get to experience food, books, sunrises, and being with each other.
53
The fact that we're even able to think about these things is already kind of incredible.
54
It's easy to think of ourselves as separated from everything, but this is not true.
55
We are as much the universe as a neutron star or a black hole or a nebula.
56
Even better, actually, we are its thinking and feeling part: the centre organs of the universe.
57
We are truly free in a universe-sized playground, so we might as well aim to be happy and to build some kind of utopia in the stars.
58
It's not as if we've found out everything there is to know We don't know why the rules of the universe are as they are, how life came into existence, what life is.
59
We have no idea what consciousness is or if we are alone in the universe.
60
But we can try to find some answers.
61
There are billions of stars to visit, diseases to cure, people to help, happy feelings to be experienced, and video games to finish.
62
There is so much to do.
63
So, wrapping up, you've probably used up a good chunk of the time available to you.
64
If this is our one shot at life, there is no reason not to have fun and live as happy as possible.
65
Bonus points if you made the life of other people better.
66
More bonus points if you help build a galactic human empire.
67
Do the things that make you feel good.
68
You get to decide whatever this means for you.
📺 Zelfde Kanaal
C1119
Can Earth Run Out of Water?
IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepUniversity Students
C1108
Could Humans Evolve Flight?
IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepUniversity Students
C1545
What If You Never Slept?
IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepUniversity Students
C16
Your Skeleton Is Electric
IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepUniversity Students
B27
Would You Upload Your Mind?
IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepUniversity Students
C17
3 Reasons Why Nuclear Energy Is Terrible! 2/3
IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepUniversity Students
C115
Your Brain Peaked at Birth
University StudentsWorking Adults
C11
Your Brain on Magic Mushrooms
IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepUniversity Students
C164
What the Flu Does to Your Body
IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepUniversity Students
C13
What Is Life? Is Death Real?
University StudentsWorking Adults
C12
Is War Over? — A Paradox Explained
IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepUniversity Students
C15
How ADHD Medication Works
Daily ConversationUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
C11
The Most Complex Language in the World
IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepUniversity Students
C1757
How Stress Changes Your Brain
IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepUniversity Students
B25
Let’s Steal a New Moon
IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepUniversity Students
C13
What Happens AFTER Nuclear War?
IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepUniversity Students
C11
3 Reasons Why Nuclear Energy Is Awesome! 3/3
IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepUniversity Students
C14
Why Ebola Keeps Coming Back
University StudentsWorking Adults
B252
Can We Stop the Extinction?
University StudentsWorking Adults
B26
YOU Own the Moon. And Mars. And Venus.
IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepUniversity Students
✨ Aanbevolen Video
C11
306 zinnen
Why Nihilism is Taking Over Modern Society
Daily ConversationUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B25
49 zinnen
27 Facts That Will Make You Question Your Existence
Daily ConversationUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B22
214 zinnen
The 16 Minutes That Will Rewire Your Brain Forever | Joe Dispenza Motivation
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
C17
77 zinnen
The True Meaning Of Life (Animated Cinematic)
Daily ConversationUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
C110
184 zinnen
A.I. ‐ Humanity's Final Invention?
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
C13
234 zinnen
The Philosophy of Rick Sanchez
Daily ConversationUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B25
36 zinnen
What Keeps Me OPTIMISTIC About the Future | Simon Sinek
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B21
57 zinnen
Why We’re Scared of Things That Look Too Human (Uncanny Valley)
Daily ConversationUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
C12
290 zinnen
Why Is Everyone So Unhappy?
Daily ConversationUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
C14
10 zinnen
Kurzgesagt Channel Trailer
University StudentsWorking Adults
B22
303 zinnen
What If you Could See the 4th Dimension?
Daily ConversationUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
C13
130 zinnen
On Suicide
Daily ConversationUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
Woordenschat en spreektips bij deze les
Deze spreekles op niveau C1 is gebaseerd op de video “Optimistic Nihilism”. Deze woorden komen het vaakst terug: universe, trillion, thousand, hundred, star. Deze video bevat 68 zinnen en 1074 woorden om na te spreken. Het gesproken deel duurt 5:51. De spreker praat snel, ongeveer 184 woorden per minuut, dus reken op verbonden en ingeslikte klanken. 89% van de woorden hoort bij de 3.000 meest gebruikte Engelse woorden; de rest kun je beter vooraf bekijken.
Belangrijke woorden in deze video
De 15 moeilijkste woorden uit de video, met uitspraak en betekenis:
| Woord | Uitspraak | Betekenis |
|---|---|---|
| existential bijvoeglijk naamwoord | /ˌɛɡzɪˈstɛnʃl̩/ | existentieel |
| supercluster zelfstandig naamwoord | supercluster | |
| dread zelfstandig naamwoord | /dɹɛd/ | vrees, doodsangst |
| confuse werkwoord | /kənˈfjuːz/ | verwarren, in de war brengen |
| dissolve werkwoord | /dɪˈzɑlv/ | ontbinden, oplossen |
| galactic bijvoeglijk naamwoord | /ɡəˈlæktɪk/ | galactisch |
| nebula zelfstandig naamwoord | /ˈnɛb.jə.lə/ | nevelvlek, nevel |
| neutron zelfstandig naamwoord | /ˈnu.tɹɑn/ | neutron |
| nihilism zelfstandig naamwoord | /ˈnaɪ.əˌlɪz.m̩/ | (ethisch) nihilisme |
| observable bijvoeglijk naamwoord | /əbˈzɜː.və.bəl/ | observeerbaar |
| powerhouse zelfstandig naamwoord | krachtbron | |
| summarize werkwoord | /ˈsʌməˌɹaɪz/ | samenvatten, opsommen |
| unscientific bijvoeglijk naamwoord | onwetenschappelijk | |
| utopia zelfstandig naamwoord | /juˈtoʊ.pi.ə/ | utopie |
| humiliation zelfstandig naamwoord | /hjuːˌmɪliˈeɪʃən/ | vernedering |
Phrasal verbs die je zult horen
| Woord | Betekenis |
|---|---|
| find out werkwoord | ontdekken, onderzoeken |
| break down werkwoord | stukgaan, kapot gaan |
| end up werkwoord | belanden, terechtkomen |
| watch over werkwoord | bewaren, bewaken |
| wrap up werkwoord | inpakken, omhullen |
Zinnen om te herhalen
Korte, volledige zinnen uit de video die je in alledaagse gesprekken kunt gebruiken:
- Our brains can't comprehend these concepts.
- It's time, or, more precisely, the time we have.
- What do we mean by that?
Grammatica in deze video
De structuren die de spreker het meest gebruikt, met de exacte woorden uit de video:
| Structuur | In de video |
|---|---|
| Lijdende vorm be + voltooid deelwoord — het gaat om wat er gebeurt, niet om wie het doet | was filled · have been made · has been played |
| Present perfect have/has + voltooid deelwoord — iets uit het verleden dat nu nog telt | haven't helped · have been made · has been played |
| Betrekkelijke bijzinnen who / which + zin — extra informatie over een persoon of ding | galaxy, which is · life, which is |
Uitspraak om op te letten
De spreker gebruikt 17 samentrekkingen en verkorte vormen, zoals we're, you're, don't. Spreek ze kort uit, zoals je ze hoort.
- De klanken “sh” en “zh”: existential /ˌɛɡzɪˈstɛnʃl̩/, humiliation /hjuːˌmɪliˈeɪʃən/
- Lange woorden — let op de klemtoon: observable /əbˈzɜː.və.bəl/, utopia /juˈtoʊ.pi.ə/, humiliation /hjuːˌmɪliˈeɪʃən/, optimistic /ˌɒptɪˈmɪstɪk/, beautifully /ˈbju.tɪ.fə.li/
Klanken die Nederlandstaligen lastig vinden:
- Stemhebbende eindmedeklinker — /b/, /d/, /g/, /z/, /v/ niet verscherpen: dread /dɹɛd/, confuse /kənˈfjuːz/, dissolve /dɪˈzɑlv/, summarize /ˈsʌməˌɹaɪz/, comprehend /ˌkɑmpɹɪˈhɛnd/
- /g/ — een harde plofklank, geen Nederlandse “g”: existential /ˌɛɡzɪˈstɛnʃl̩/, galactic /ɡəˈlæktɪk/, playground /ˈpleɪɡɹaʊnd/
Zo oefen je met deze video
- Luister de hele video één keer zonder te spreken en noteer de woorden die je niet kent.
- Begin op 0,75× snelheid, spreek zin voor zin na en ga terug naar normale snelheid zodra het makkelijk gaat.
- Neem jezelf op en vergelijk met het origineel; let daarbij op woorden als existential, supercluster, dread.
Wat is de Shadowing-techniek?
Shadowing is een wetenschappelijk onderbouwde taalleermethode die oorspronkelijk is ontwikkeld voor professionele tolkentraining en gepopulariseerd door polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. De methode is eenvoudig maar krachtig: je luistert naar native Engelse audio en herhaalt het onmiddellijk hardop — als een schaduw die de spreker volgt met slechts 1–2 seconden vertraging. In tegenstelling tot passief luisteren of grammaticadrills, dwingt shadowing je hersenen en mondspieren om echte spraakpatronen tegelijkertijd te verwerken en te reproduceren. Onderzoek toont aan dat het de uitspraaknauwkeurigheid, intonatie, ritme, verbonden spraak, luisterbegrip en spreekvaardigheid aanzienlijk verbetert — waardoor het een van de meest effectieve methoden is voor IELTS Speaking-voorbereiding en echte Engelse communicatie.