Shadowing Practice: An Unlucky Day - Luck Animation Clips - Learn English Speaking with Video

This video has 41 sentences and 194 words to shadow. The speech runs for 3:34. The speaker talks slowly, about 54 words per minute, so there is time to copy every sound. 84% 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

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

• circuit /ˈsɝ.kɪt/ (noun) — The act of moving or revolving around, or as in a circle or orbit; a revolution
• skill /skɪl/ (noun) — A capacity to do something well; a technique, an ability, usually acquired or learned, as opposed to abilities that are regarded as innate.
• bother /ˈbɑðɚ/ (verb) — To annoy, to disturb, to irritate; to be troublesome to, to make trouble for.
• patrol /pəˈtɹoʊl/ (noun) — A going of the rounds along the chain of sentinels and between the posts, by a guard, usually consisting of three or four men, to insure greater security from…
• sweat /swɛt/ (verb) — To emit sweat.
• resume /ˈɹɛz.ə.meɪ/ (verb) — To start (something) again that has been stopped or paused from the point at which it was stopped or paused; continue, carry on.
• cart /kɑɹt/ (noun) — A small, open, wheeled vehicle, drawn or pushed by a person or animal, often with two wheels on one axle, more often used for transporting goods than…
• balloon /bəˈlun/ (noun) — An inflatable buoyant object, often (but not necessarily) round and flexible.
• lastly /ˈlæstli/ (adverb) — Used to mark the beginning of the last in a list of items or propositions.
• restart /ˈɹiːˌstɑɹt/ (verb) — To start again.
• unicorn /ˈju.nɪ.kɔɹn/ (noun) — A mythical, horselike creature with a horn on its forehead, supposed to be very rare and to be drawn to virgins and other chaste maidens.
• daffodil /ˈdæfəˌdɪl/ (noun) — A bulbous plant of the genus Narcissus, with yellow flowers and a trumpet shaped corona, especially Narcissus pseudonarcissus, the national flower of Wales.
• unbox (verb) — To remove from a box.

Phrasal verbs you will hear

• get on (verb) — To board or mount (something), especially a vehicle.

Pronunciation to watch

The speaker uses 5 contractions and reduced forms, such as don't, I'm, you'll. 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 circuit, skill, bother.