Shadowing Practice: 2 II WELCOME TO SPEECH AND DEBATE - Learn English Speaking with Video
Choose a practice mode
Each mode opens a full-screen practice room.
142 sentences
If sentences are too short or too long, click Edit to adjust them.
1
2. Welcome to Speech and Debate Speech and debate encompass many events and practices.
2
The speech part of speech and debate generally refers to a variety of speaking activities where people share information, arguments, and stories with audiences.
3
At the NSDA, speech events are broken down into public address events, where speakers generally write their own speeches,
4
and interpretation events, where speakers perform excerpts of plays, books, poems, stories, and more.
5
In middle and high school competitions, this includes events such as extemporaneous speaking.
6
Students choose a prompt and have 30 minutes to prepare a 7 -minute speech that responds to the prompt.
7
Informative speaking.
8
Students write and perform speeches that educate the audience on an important topic.
9
Dramatic interpretation.
10
Students perform a dramatic text with their unique delivery style.
11
Debate.
12
Debate generally refers to a variety of activities where people exchange opposing arguments on a common topic.
13
They use arguments to test the suitability of a concept, policy, philosophy, or value.
14
It is more structured than a conversation or discussion,
15
and uses rules and procedures to ensure that each side of the topic gets roughly equal time and consideration.
16
In middle and high school competitions, this includes events such as Congressional debate.
17
Groups of up to 30 students simulate the legislative process and debate resolutions and bills.
18
Lincoln -Douglas debate.
19
Individual debaters go head -to -head on a topic, focusing on ethical and philosophical ideas.
20
Policy debate.
21
Teams of two debaters go head -to -head against each other on a policy proposal, utilizing in -depth research.
22
Schools have competitive speech and debate teams.
23
The team travels to tournaments where they compete against other schools in their event.
24
Speech.
25
Speech involves a presentation by one or two students
26
that is judged against a similar type of presentation by others in a round of competition.
27
There are two general categories of speech events, public address events and interpretation events.
28
Public address events feature a speech written by the student, either in advance or with limited prep, that can answer a question,
29
share a belief, persuade an audience, or educate the listener on a variety of topics.
30
Interpretation events center upon a student selecting and performing published material and appeal to many who enjoy acting in theater.
31
All speech events.
32
Speech offers a wide range of events that allow students to develop their voice, sharpen critical thinking, and connect with audiences in meaningful ways.
33
From the polished delivery of public address events like informative speaking, declamation, and expository, to the quick -thinking demands of extemporaneous speaking and impromptu,
34
competitors learn to organize ideas and communicate with confidence.
35
Public Address Commentary COM, High School Supplemental Event, also known as Extemporaneous Commentary.
36
Extemporaneous Commentary is a five -minute public speaking event with a 30 -second grace period in
37
which students respond to a prompt drawn on a topic of societal, political, historical, or popular interest.
38
Students have 20 minutes to prepare their speech, during which they may consult articles and evidence they have gathered in advance.
39
At the national tournament, internet access is permitted during prep time, though this may vary at other tournaments.
40
The final speech is delivered from memory, without the use of notes, while the student is seated behind a desk or table.
41
DECLAMATION DECLAMATION is a 10 -minute public speaking event, with a 30 -second grace period,
42
in which students perform a previously delivered, publicly available speech.
43
EXPOSITORY Expository speaking is a 5 -minute informative speaking event, with a 30 -second grace period,
44
in which students explain to an audience a topic of their choosing.
45
Extemporaneous Speaking Mixed extemporaneous speaking, EXT, United States extemporaneous speaking, USX, and international extemporaneous speaking,
46
IX, are a 7 -minute speech event with a 30 -second grace period that combines both domestic and international topics,
47
current international issues, and focus on current events.
48
Impromptu Impromptu Speaking, IMP, is a public speaking event in which students are given seven minutes, with a 30 -second grace period,
49
to select a topic, brainstorm ideas, organize a speech, and deliver it without the use of notes.
50
Original Oratory Original Oratory, OO, is a 10 -minute speech event with a 30 -second grace period in
51
which students deliver a self -written speech designed to persuade an audience on a topic of significance.
52
Original Spoken Word Poetry Original spoken word poetry, OSW, is a five -minute event, with a 30 -second grace period,
53
where students perform original poetry from memory.
54
Interpretation Interpretation events center upon a student selecting and performing published material, and appeal to many who enjoy acting in theater.
55
Dramatic Interpretation Dramatic interpretation is a 10 -minute event with a 30 -second grace period
56
that challenges students to bring a published piece of serious literature to life, using only their voice, facial expressions,
57
and physicality, without the use of props, costumes, or sets.
58
Duo interpretation Duo interpretation
59
Duo is a 10 -minute event with a 30 -second grace period that showcases two performers bringing a published script to life.
60
Humorous Interpretation.
61
Humorous Interpretation, HI, is a 10 -minute event with a 30 -second grace period
62
that challenges students to entertain and connect with audiences through comedic storytelling.
63
Poetry.
64
Poetry, POE, is a 5 -minute event with a 30 -second grace period that focuses on the power of language, expression, and emotional connection.
65
Program Oral Interpretation Program Oral Interpretation, POI, is a 10 -minute event with a 30 -second grace period
66
that challenges students to weave together multiple genres of literature into a cohesive, theme -driven performance.
67
Prose Prose is a 5 -minute event with a 30 -second grace period
68
that offers students the opportunity to perform published literature written in everyday language and structure.
69
Storytelling Storytelling, STO, is a five -minute event with a 30 -second grace period in
70
which students perform a published story as if presenting to a group of young children.
71
Debate Debate challenges individuals or teams of students to persuasively argue for and against a topic.
72
A debater's goal is to convince a judge that, as a general principle, their side of the topic is more valid.
73
Through extensive research and preparation, students in debate develop a deep understanding of complex topics,
74
honing their ability to think critically and analyze important issues from multiple perspectives.
75
Big Questions Debate Big Questions is a structured debate event where students have a set time limit to present constructive cases, engage in rebuttal and refutation,
76
and participate in cross -examination.
77
At the national tournament, only one -on -one debates are permitted.
78
Congressional Debate Congressional Debate is a group debate event simulating the U .S legislative process.
79
Students meet in chambers of approximately 10 to 25 participants and debate legislation over a session typically lasting two to three hours.
80
Speeches are up to three minutes in length, followed by a questioning period.
81
Extemporaneous Debate Extemporaneous Debate, XDB, is a one -on -one debate event in
82
which students are presented with a new resolution each round and have 30 minutes to prepare before delivering arguments, refutation, and rebuttals.
83
Lincoln -Douglas Debate Lincoln -Douglas Debate is a one -on -one debate format in
84
which students argue a topic voted on by the membership.
85
Policy Debate Policy Debate is a two -on -two debate where the affirmative team proposes a policy plan
86
and the negative team argues against its adoption.
87
Public Forum Debate Public Forum Debate is a two -on -two debate that focuses on current event topics.
88
Resolutions change frequently throughout the season, exposing students to a wide range of timely issues.
89
World Schools Debate World Schools Debate is a three -on -three debate format combining prepared and impromptu motions.
90
While teams may include up to five members, only three compete in any given round.
91
Educational Benefits Participating in speech and debate is a life -changing experience.
92
These activities offer a deep and engaging education beyond the classroom and profoundly impact students' social experiences.
93
Students can give hundreds of speeches in a single season of competition.
94
The NSDA highlights four main learning outcomes, communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity.
95
These are some of the associated skills and practices that students gain in speech and debate.
96
Communication.
97
Writing, outlining, and revising speeches.
98
Finding and incorporating supporting material.
99
Building confidence and delivery skills, including eye contact, posture, projection, gestures, and movement.
100
Collaboration.
101
Working with others to research and create speech and debate materials.
102
Supporting team members with feedback and support, listening carefully and demonstrating respect for different viewpoints.
103
Critical thinking Analyzing texts, arguments, characters, policies, philosophies, etc. Recognizing, creating, and refuting arguments.
104
Identifying and questioning assumptions.
105
Creativity Understanding multiple perspectives at once.
106
Creating scripts that link multiple ideas together.
107
Bringing characters and relationships to life through performance.
108
This is not an exhaustive list.
109
For example, students gain a vast knowledge about a variety of topics—philosophy,
110
literature, politics, economics, international relations, psychology, and more.
111
They also develop a strong work ethic, time management, anxiety management skills, and empathy for others.
112
Finally, participating in speech and debate also instills several social skills.
113
Speech and debate teams give students a home and a community to belong to.
114
Students have a built -in social group and can make friends in an academic context.
115
They learn how to accept feedback, build resilience, and overcome challenges.
116
All types of learners can find a place in speech and debate.
117
Students do not need to be traditionally academically successful or high -achieving to be excellent in speech and debate.
118
In fact, participation can help them identify things they are passionate about and contribute to their academic success in other areas.
119
For example, the thrill of competition might encourage a student to become a stronger reader so they can win more debates.
120
It won't surprise you to learn that many famous actors, comedians, activists, academics, journalists, Supreme Court justices,
121
business executives, politicians, directors, and musicians competed in speech and debate as NSDA members.
122
Check out some of our notable alumni.
123
Due to the rigor and wide knowledge base required to be successful in speech and debate, it is generally not recommended for students with low GPAs.
124
True or false?
125
And the answer is false.
126
Personal and professional benefits.
127
Coaching speech and debate benefits you too.
128
Intellectual outlet.
129
Many speech and debate coaches appreciate the activity as an intellectual outlet.
130
If you're a teacher, you might teach the same lessons over and over again in your home subject,
131
Speech and debate allows you to explore new topics endlessly.
132
In some speech events, each student speaks on a different topic, or the topic changes each round or for each tournament.
133
Some debate events have topics that change per round, per tournament, per month, or per year.
134
There are always new topics and issues to explore, and new ways of approaching them.
135
Travel opportunities Attending tournaments gives you the opportunity to travel, sometimes across the country.
136
You can schedule your tournament travel to ensure you and your team have time to visit museums, tourist attractions, sporting events, and more.
137
Communication Skills As you learn about speech and debate along with your students, you will improve with them.
138
Students will look to you as their model for communication, which will encourage you to reflect on your own communication practices.
139
And you'll learn about the theories and skills as you teach them.
140
Review you.
141
Speech and debate refers to a wide variety of speaking activities that middle and high school students can compete in.
142
Students and coaches who participate gain a wealth of personal, educational, and professional benefits.
Download App
Everything you need to speak fluently
AI PronunciationScore every sentence
IPA PracticeMaster every sound
VocabularyBuild your word bank
Vocab GameLearn while playing
Same Channel
Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This speaking lesson is built on the video “2 II WELCOME TO SPEECH AND DEBATE”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: debate, student, event, speech, topic. This video has 142 sentences and 1879 words to shadow. The speech runs for 12:11. The speaker talks at a natural 154 words per minute, close to everyday conversation. Only 76% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is demanding.
Key vocabulary in this video
15 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| topic noun | /ˈtɑpɪk/ | A subject; a theme; a category or general area of interest. |
| interpretation noun | /ɪnˌtɜːpɹəˈteɪʃən/ | An act of interpreting or explaining something unclear; a translation; a version. |
| poetry noun | /ˈpoʊ.ə.tɹi/ | Literature composed in verse or language exhibiting conscious attention to patterns and rhythm. |
| participate verb | /pɑːˈtɪs.ɪ.peɪt/ | To join in, to take part, to involve oneself (in something). |
| dramatic adjective | /dɹəˈmætɪk/ | Of or relating to the drama. |
| compete verb | /kəmˈpiːt/ | To be in battle or in a rivalry with another for the same thing, position, or reward; to contend. |
| argue verb | /ˈɑɹ.ɡju/ | To show grounds for concluding (that); to indicate, imply. |
| refer verb | /ɹɪˈfɜː/ | To direct the attention of (someone toward something). |
| select verb | /sɪˈlɛkt/ | To choose one or more elements of a set, especially a set of options. |
| prompt verb | /pɹɑmpt/ | To lead (someone) toward what they should say or do. |
| storytelling noun | The act and skills of presenting stories and tales. | |
| informative adjective | /ɪnˈfɔːmətɪv/ | Providing information; especially, providing useful or interesting information. |
| format noun | /ˈfɔːɹ.mæt/ | The layout of a publication or document. |
| encourage verb | /ɪnˈkʌɹ.ɪd͡ʒ/ | To mentally support; to motivate, give courage, hope or spirit. |
| connect verb | /kəˈnɛkt/ | To join (to another object): to attach, or to be intended to attach or capable of attaching, to another object. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| check out verb | To record the departure or withdrawal of someone or something (such as guests, employees, books, etc.). |
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | are broken · is judged · is permitted |
| Possibility with “might / may” might/may + verb — something that is possible but not certain | may consult · may vary · may include |
| Verb + -ing enjoy, keep, stop… + -ing — verbs that are followed by the -ing form | enjoy acting |
| Future with “will” will + verb — a decision, promise or prediction | won't surprise · will improve · will look |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 3 contractions and reduced forms, such as won't, you'll, you're. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “th” sounds: theater /ˈθi(ə)tɚ/, gather /ˈɡæðɚ/, ethical /ˈɛθɪkəl/, empathy /ˈɛmpəθi/, thrill /θɹɪl/
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: interpretation /ɪnˌtɜːpɹəˈteɪʃən/, presentation /ˌpɹɛzn̩ˈteɪʃn̩/, collaboration /kəˌlæbəˈɹeɪʃən/, participation /pɑːˌtɪs.ɪˈpeɪ.ʃən/, preparation /ˌpɹɛpəˈɹeɪʃ(ə)n/
- Long words — get the stress right: interpretation /ɪnˌtɜːpɹəˈteɪʃən/, participate /pɑːˈtɪs.ɪ.peɪt/, informative /ɪnˈfɔːmətɪv/, legislative /ˈlɛd͡ʒ.ɪ.slə.tɪv/, intellectual /ˌɪntəˈlɛkt͡ʃʊəl/
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 topic, interpretation, poetry.
What is the Shadowing Technique?
Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.