Shadowing Practice: Al Pacino's speech about God (The Devil's Advocate) - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This video has 35 sentences and 210 words to shadow. The speech runs for 1:52. The speaker talks at a steady 113 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. Only 80% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| extraordinary adjective | /ɪksˈtɹɔːrdɪn(ə)ɹi/ | Out of the ordinary; exceptional; unusual. |
| deny verb | /dəˈnaɪ/ | To disallow or reject. |
| worship noun | /ˈwɝ.ʃɪp/ | The devotion accorded to a deity or to a sacred object. |
| reign noun | /ɹeɪ̯n/ | The exercise of sovereign power. |
| spite noun | /spaɪt/ | Ill will or hatred toward another, accompanied with the desire to unjustifiably irritate, annoy, or thwart; a want to disturb or put out another; mild malice. |
| inspire verb | /ɪnˈspaɪə(ɹ)/ | To infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit; to convey, as by a divine or supernatural influence; to disclose preternaturally; to produce in, as by… |
| sensation noun | /sɛnˈseɪʃən/ | A physical feeling or perception from something that comes into contact with the body; something sensed. |
| landlord noun | /ˈlæn(d).lɔɹd/ | A person that leases real property; a lessor. |
| swallow verb | /ˈswɑ.loʊ/ | To cause (food, drink etc.) to pass from the mouth into the stomach; to take into the stomach through the throat. |
| instinct noun | /ˈɪn.stɪŋkt/ | A natural or inherent impulse or behaviour. |
| cosmic adjective | /ˈkɑz.mɪk/ | Of or from or pertaining to the cosmos or universe. |
| amusement noun | /əˈmjuzmənt/ | Entertainment. |
| peek verb | /piːk/ | To look slyly, or with the eyes half closed, or through a crevice; to peep. |
| reel verb | /ˈɹiːl/ | To wind on a reel. |
| humanist noun | /ˈhjuːmənɪst/ | A scholar of one of the subjects in the humanities. |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 9 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'm, don't, I've. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: worship /ˈwɝ.ʃɪp/, sensation /sɛnˈseɪʃən/, imperfection /ɪmpɚˈfɛkʃən/
- Long words — get the stress right: extraordinary /ɪksˈtɹɔːrdɪn(ə)ɹi/, imperfection /ɪmpɚˈfɛkʃən/
How to practise with this video
- Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
- Shadow it sentence by sentence at normal speed, repeating each one until your rhythm matches the speaker.
- Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like extraordinary, deny, worship.
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.