Shadowing Practice: B1.1 - U8 - We're off to Tokyo - Learn English Speaking with Video
Creating lesson...
1
We're off to Tokyo.
2
Places to visit, things to do, where to stay.
3
I can't wait.
4
We're leaving on Saturday, a taxi is picking us up at 8am, and we're going straight to the airport.
5
We're going to have a great time.
6
On the first day, we're going sightseeing in and around the Rapponji district.
7
We're going to visit a cat cafe and have a go at gaming.
8
Apart from that, I'm not sure.
9
Mum says we're going to look around the shops, but I'm not so sure about that.
10
I found this great guide to the city, but has anyone got other suggestions?
11
1. Fast food heaven The streets are full of restaurants selling noodles and sushi.
12
Noodles look like spaghetti and they're served with fried meat, seafood or vegetables.
13
Sushi is rice served with uncooked fish or vegetables.
14
The flavors are incredible.
15
You can even take a class to learn how to prepare your own sushi.
16
2. Tech Culture If you want to discover the Japanese love of technology, spend some time in a gaming cafe.
17
Try the internet comic cafe Manboo, where you can admire thousands of manga comics for sale as well as play all the latest computer games.
18
They rent rooms with sofas where gamers can lie down after long sessions.
19
They even have showers, you'd probably need one after an 8 hour overnight gaming session.
20
3. Fashionistas Be sure to visit the Harajuku district.
21
It's where all the trendy Japanese teens hang out, so be prepared.
22
You're going to see a lot of people wearing cosplayer clothing.
23
Cosplay is short for costume play, and it's a Japanese pop tradition.
24
Girls and boys dress in incredible costumes inspired by their favorite anime or computer game character.
25
4. Weird and Wonderful Tokyo is full of unusual things to see and do.
26
It's hard to walk a block in Tokyo without seeing loads of vending machines.
27
Most sell cold drinks, but others sell things like dog food, umbrellas, and hamburgers.
28
How about going to one of the famous cat cafes where you can play with a cat
29
or a kitten while you drink your coffee?
30
There are around 60 cat cafes in Tokyo.
31
There's even a hedgehog cafe in Ripponji.
📺 Same Channel
A21
A2.1 - U19 - A different way to learn
KidsTeensDaily Conversation
A21
A2.2 - U15 - My hobby is geocaching
KidsTeensDaily Conversation
A22
A2.2 - U16 - Languages of the world
TeensHigh School Students
B12
B1.1 - U3 - Is teenage life now better than in the past?
TeensDaily ConversationHigh School Students
A21
A2.1 - U20 - A really big family
TeensDaily ConversationHigh School Students
A22
A2.2 - U17 - Teen health
TeensDaily Conversation
A25
A2.1 - U18 - Film reviews
TeensDaily ConversationHigh School Students
B15
Prepare 2 - U17 - Talent shows
TeensDaily ConversationHigh School Students
A26
A2.1 - UNIT 16
KidsTeensDaily Conversation
B17
B1.1 - Unit 4
TeensDaily ConversationHigh School Students
A24
A2.2 - U14 - Pocket money
TeensDaily Conversation
B1B1.1 - U7 - Troublespot
TeensDaily ConversationHigh School Students
B1B1.1 - U6 - Teenagers' solutions to city problems
TeensDaily ConversationHigh School Students
B1B1.1 - U5 - That isn't allowed here
Travel EnglishTeensDaily Conversation
✨ Recommend Video
B11
187 sentences
TOKYO VLOG 🍡🍵exploring Japan, matcha, vintage shopping, good eats & more!!
Travel EnglishTeensDaily Conversation
B12
439 sentences
B1 English Listening Practice – Travel and Adventure | EP36 #luyennghetienganh
Travel EnglishTeensDaily Conversation
B11
213 sentences
【美國姪子7年後重返台灣】一下飛機最想做的事居然是...｜必吃的24H牛肉麵
Travel EnglishTeensDaily Conversation
B13
10 sentences
AI Describe a city you enjoyed visiting
Travel EnglishTeensDaily Conversation
B11
217 sentences
MinHee và 10 ngày ở Nhật 🇯🇵 | TOKYO & MT. FUJI TRIP | Em bé nói tiếng Anh MinHee | growwithminhee
KidsTravel EnglishTeens
B11
314 sentences
First time in TAIPEI, TAIWAN! 🇹🇼You’ll love this City!
Travel EnglishTeensDaily Conversation
B11
553 sentences
MY FIRST TIME in JAPAN 🇯🇵 Tokyo is Even Better than Expected
Travel EnglishTeensDaily Conversation
B12
103 sentences
Turn your travel vlogs into a movie (beginner friendly)
Travel EnglishTeensHigh School Students
B11
34 sentences
When Tourists Are Asian
Travel EnglishTeensDaily Conversation
A21
65 sentences
Easy English in Tokyo | Robots, Ramen, and Real Life
Travel EnglishTeensDaily Conversation
B13
28 sentences
Global Success 12: Unit 2 - At the International Cultural Festival
Travel EnglishTeensDaily Conversation
B11
210 sentences
ガオブルー？マジ！？ Gao Blue? Thật hả?!【TAKERU SHIBAKI🇻🇳channel#3】
Travel EnglishTeensDaily Conversation
Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This video has 31 sentences and 367 words to shadow. The speech runs for 2:44. The speaker talks at a steady 134 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. Only 78% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| sushi noun | /ˈsuːʃi/ | A Japanese dish made of small portions of sticky white rice flavored with vinegar, usually wrapped in seaweed and filled or topped with fish, vegetables or… |
| comic noun | /ˈkɑmɪk/ | A comedian. |
| costume noun | /ˈkɑsˌt(j)um/ | A style of dress, including garments, accessories and hairstyle, especially as characteristic of a particular country, period or people. |
| cafe noun | /ˌkæˈfeɪ/ | A convenience store, originally one that sold coffee and similar basic items. |
| vegetable noun | /ˈvɛd͡ʒ.tə.bəl/ | A plant raised for some edible part of it, such as the leaves, roots, fruit or flowers, but excluding any plant considered to be a fruit, grain, herb, or spice… |
| clothing noun | /ˈkloʊðɪŋ/ | Any of a wide variety of articles, usually made of fabrics, animal hair, animal skin, or some combination thereof, used to cover the human body for warmth, to… |
| unusual adjective | /ʌnˈjuːʒ(u)əl/ | Not usual, out of the ordinary. |
| discover verb | /dɪˈskʌvə/ | To find or learn something for the first time. |
| anime noun | /ˈæn.ɪ.meɪ/ | An animated work that originated in Japan, regardless of the artistic style. |
| suggestion noun | /səˈd͡ʒɛst.ʃən/ | Something suggested (with subsequent adposition being for) |
| overnight adverb | /əʊvə(ɹ)ˈnaɪt/ | During or throughout the night, especially during the evening or night just past. |
| taxi noun | /ˈtæksi/ | A vehicle that may be hired for single journeys by members of the public, particularly one with an automated meter to calculate the fare. |
| flavor noun | /ˈfleɪvə/ | The quality produced by the sensation of taste or, especially, of taste and smell in combined effect. |
| 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… |
| admire verb | /ədˈmaɪɹ/ | To regard with wonder and delight. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| lie down verb | To assume a horizontal position. |
| look around verb | To inspect a building or area. |
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Future with “going to” be going to + verb — a plan or something you can see coming | We're going to have · We're going to visit · we're going to look |
| Present continuous am/is/are + -ing — something happening right now or around now | We're leaving · we're going |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 13 contractions and reduced forms, such as we're, I'm, can't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: sushi /ˈsuːʃi/, unusual /ʌnˈjuːʒ(u)əl/, suggestion /səˈd͡ʒɛst.ʃən/, fashionista /ˌfæ.ʃəˈni.stə/
- Long words — get the stress right: unusual /ʌnˈjuːʒ(u)əl/, fashionista /ˌfæ.ʃəˈni.stə/
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 sushi, comic, costume.
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.