Shadowing Practice: Antarctica Is Bigger Than You Think - Learn English Speaking with Video

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Most people are totally wrong about this.
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Guess how big Antarctica really is?
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It's bigger than all of Europe.
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Bigger than the United States.
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Twice the size of Australia.
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For reference, from here on the coast, it would take you about three and a half hours to fly to the South Pole.
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And it's mostly ice, which is way thicker than people think.
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On average, it's over two kilometers thick.
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Around 91 % of the world's total fresh water is frozen in the ice I'm hiking across.
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And if it melted, it would raise global sea levels by 60 meters.
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All of this would be underwater.
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Well, there goes my home.
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But there's something hidden deep beneath this ice.
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To see what, subscribe.
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson

This video has 14 sentences and 120 words to shadow. The speech runs for 0:37. The speaker talks fast, about 192 words per minute, so expect linked and reduced sounds.

Key vocabulary in this video

15 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:

WordPronunciationMeaning
thick adjective/θɪk/Relatively great in extent from one surface to the opposite in its smallest solid dimension.
beneath/bɪˈniːθ/Below.
freeze verb/ˈfɹiːz/Especially of a liquid, to become solid due to low temperature.
meter noun/ˈmitəɹ/A device that measures things.
subscribe verb/səbˈskɹaɪb/To write (one’s name) at the bottom of a document; to sign (one's name).
melt verb/mɛlt/To change (or to be changed) from a solid state to a liquid state, usually by a gradual heat.
hike noun/haɪk/A long walk, usually for pleasure or exercise.
underwater adjective/ʌndɚˈwɔtəɹ/Beneath the surface of the water; of or pertaining to the region beneath the water surface.
global adjective/ˈɡloʊ.bəl/Concerning all parts of the world.
coast noun/koʊst/The edge of the land where it meets an ocean, sea, gulf, bay, or large lake.
twice adverb/twaɪs/Two times.
fresh adjective/fɹɛʃ/Newly produced or obtained; recent.
mostly adverb/ˈmoʊstli/Mainly or chiefly; for the most part; usually, generally, on the whole.
totally adverb/ˈtəʊ.tə.li/To the fullest extent or degree.
raise verb/ɹeɪz/To cause to rise; to lift or elevate.

Grammar in this video

The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:

StructureIn the video
Conditional sentences if + clause, will/would + verb — a condition and its resultif it melted, it would raise
Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does itis frozen
Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thingice, which is
Comparatives -er than / more … than — comparing two thingsbigger than · thicker than

Pronunciation to watch

  • The “th” sounds: thick /θɪk/, beneath /bɪˈniːθ/

How to practise with this video

  1. Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
  2. Start at 0.75× speed, shadow it sentence by sentence, then go back to normal speed once it feels easy.
  3. Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like thick, beneath, freeze.

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.

Shadowing technique: read the full step-by-step guide →