Shadowing Practice: Biology: Cell Structure I Nucleus Medical Media - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Cells are the smallest living units of an organism.
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All cells have three things in common, no matter what type of cell they are.
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All cells have a cell membrane, which separates the inside of the cell from its environment,
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cytoplasm, which is a jelly-like fluid, and DNA, which is the cell's genetic material.
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There are two broad categories of cells.
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The first category is eukaryotic cells.
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They have organelles, which include the nucleus and other special parts.
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Eukaryotic cells are more advanced, complex cells, such as those found in plants and animals.
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The second category is prokaryotic cells.
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They don't have a nucleus or membrane-enclosed organelles.
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They do have genetic material, but it's not contained within a nucleus.
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Prokaryotic cells are always one-celled or unicellular organisms, such as bacteria. So, what are organelles?
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Organelle means little organ.
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Organelles are the specialized parts of a cell that have unique jobs to perform.
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Let's start with the nucleus, the control center of the cell.
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The nucleus contains DNA, or genetic material.
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DNA dictates what the cell is going to do and how it's going to do it.
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Chromatin is the tangled, spread out form of DNA found inside the nuclear membrane.
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When a cell is ready to divide, DNA condenses into structures known as chromosomes.
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The nucleus also contains a nucleolus, which is a structure where ribosomes are made.
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After ribosomes leave the nucleus, they will have the important job of synthesizing or making proteins.
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Outside the nucleus, the ribosomes and the rest of the organelles float around in cytoplasm, which is the jelly-like substance.
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may wander freely within the cytoplasm or attach to the endoplasmic reticulum, sometimes abbreviated as ER.
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There are two types of ER.
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Rough ER has ribosomes attached to it, and smooth ER doesn't have ribosomes attached to it.
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The endoplasmic reticulum is a membrane-enclosed passageway for transporting materials, such as the proteins synthesized by ribosomes.
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Proteins and other materials emerge from the endoplasmic reticulum in small vesicles,
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where the Golgi apparatus, sometimes called the Golgi body, receives them.
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As proteins move through the Golgi body, they're customized into forms that the cell can use.
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The Golgi body does this by folding the proteins into usable shapes
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or adding other materials onto them such as lipids or carbohydrates.
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Vacuoles are sac-like structures that store different materials.
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Here in this plant cell, the central vacuole stores water.
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Going back to the animal cell, you will see an organelle called a lysosome.
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Lysosomes are the garbage collectors that take in damaged or worn out cell parts.
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They are filled with enzymes that break down this cellular debris.
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The mitochondrion is an organelle that is the powerhouse for both animal and plant cells.
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During a process called cellular respiration,
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the mitochondria make ATP molecules that provide the energy for all of the cell's activities.
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Cells that need more energy have more mitochondria.
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Meanwhile, the cell maintains its shape through a cytoskeleton.
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The cytoskeleton includes the thread-like microfilaments, which are made of protein,
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and microtubules, which are thin, hollow tubes.
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Some organisms, such as plants that are photoautotrophic, meaning they capture sunlight for energy,
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have cells with an organelle called a chloroplast.
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The chloroplast is where photosynthesis happens.
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It's green because it has a green pigment called chlorophyll.
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Plant cells also have a cell wall outside of their cell membranes that shape, support and protect the plant cell.
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Animal cells never have a cell wall.
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There are many other unique structures that only some cells have.
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Here are just a few.
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In humans, for example, the respiratory tract is lined with cells that have cilia.
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These are microscopic, hair-like projections that can move in waves.
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This feature helps trap inhaled particles in the air and expels them when you cough.
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Another unique feature in some cells is flagella.
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Some bacteria have flagella.
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A flagellum is like a little tail that can help a cell move or propel itself.
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The only human cell that has a flagellum is a sperm cell.
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In summary, remember, eukaryotic cells are plant and animal cells with a nucleus and membrane-enclosed organelles,
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while prokaryotic cells are unicellular organisms without these things.
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All cells have a cell membrane, cytoplasm, and genetic material.
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And even though only plant cells have chloroplasts, both plant and animal cells have mitochondria.
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This C1 speaking lesson is built on the video “Biology: Cell Structure I Nucleus Medical Media”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: cell, organelle, nucleus, plant, material. This video has 62 sentences and 728 words to shadow. The speech runs for 6:54. The speaker talks slowly, about 105 words per minute, so there is time to copy every sound. Only 72% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is demanding.
Key vocabulary in this video
The 15 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| organelle noun | /ˌɔɹ.ɡənˈɛl/ | A specialized structure found inside cells that carries out a specific life process (e.g. ribosomes, vacuoles). |
| nucleus noun | /ˈnuː.kli.əs/ | The core, central part of something, around which other elements are assembled. |
| ribosome noun | /ˈɹaɪbəˌsoʊm/ | A small organelle found in all cells; involved in the production of proteins by translating messenger RNA. |
| membrane noun | /ˈmɛm.bɹeɪn/ | A mechanical, thin, flat flexible part that can deform or vibrate when excited by an external force. |
| cytoplasm noun | /ˈsaɪtəʊˌplæzəm/ | The contents of a cell except for the nucleus. It includes cytosol, organelles, vesicles, and the cytoskeleton. |
| flagellum noun | /fləˈd͡ʒɛləm/ | In protists, a long, whiplike membrane-enclosed organelle used for locomotion or feeding. |
| mitochondrion noun | /ˌmaɪtəˈkɑndɹiən/ | A spherical or ovoid organelle found in the cytoplasm of eukaryotic cells and containing genetic material separate from that of the host; it is responsible for… |
| organism noun | /ˈɔɹ.ɡəˌnɪz.əm/ | A discrete and complete living thing, such as animal, plant, fungus or microorganism. |
| chloroplast noun | /ˈklɔːɹəʊˌplæst/ | An organelle, found in the cells of green plants and in photosynthetic algae, where photosynthesis takes place, characterized by a high concentration of… |
| enclose verb | /ɪnˈkloʊz/ | To surround with a wall, fence, etc. |
| endoplasmic adjective | Of or relating to endoplasm. | |
| eukaryotic adjective | Having complex cells in which the genetic material is organized into membrane-bound nuclei. | |
| prokaryotic adjective | Of or having the characteristics of prokaryotes, especially bacteria. | |
| reticulum noun | A network. For example, the endoplasmic reticulum forms a network of cellular components that functions as a transportation system within the cell. | |
| attach verb | /əˈtæt͡ʃ/ | To fasten, to join to (literally and figuratively). |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| break down verb | To stop functioning. |
| go back to verb | To stem from; to originate in. |
| spread out verb | Become further apart. |
| wear out verb | To cause (something) to become damaged, useless, or ineffective through continued use, especially hard, heavy, or careless use. |
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thing | cytoplasm, which is · nucleolus, which is · microfilaments, which are |
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | are made · are filled · is lined |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 3 contractions and reduced forms, such as doesn't, don't, they're. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “th” sounds: synthesize /ˈsɪnθəsaɪz/, photosynthesis /ˌfoʊ.toʊˈsɪn.θə.sɪs/
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: respiration /ɹɛspɪˈɹeɪʃən/, specialize /ˈspɛʃəˌlaɪz/, projection /pɹəˈd͡ʒɛkʃən/
- Long words — get the stress right: cytoplasm /ˈsaɪtəʊˌplæzəm/, mitochondrion /ˌmaɪtəˈkɑndɹiən/, organism /ˈɔɹ.ɡəˌnɪz.əm/, unicellular /ˌjuːnɪˈsɛljʊlə(ɹ)/, abbreviate /əˈbɹi.vi.eɪt/
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 organelle, nucleus, ribosome.
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.