Shadowing Practice: Blue Whales: The Biggest Animal EVER! | SciShow Kids - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

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[♪ INTRO] Hey there! Squeaks was just showing  me his imaginary sea monster that he drew based on some  sea monsters of the past!
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[♪ INTRO] Hey there! Squeaks was just showing  me his imaginary sea monster that he drew based on some  sea monsters of the past!
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I think it’s great!
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I see that it has sharp teeth, big flippers, and an armored head, like the  animals we learned about before.
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And I see you drew a picture of  you swimming next to your monster!
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Your sea monster is HUGE!
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But even your imaginary sea  monster doesn’t look as big as the biggest biggest animal  that’s ever actually lived!
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Do you know what that animal is, Squeaks?
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It’s a kind of whale called the blue  whale, and they’re still around today!
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Blue whales can get to be over 30 meters long, about as long as 3 school buses in a row.
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And, a blue whale’s tongue can  weigh as much as an elephant.
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And just its heart can be as heavy as a car!
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So, what do you think these  great big blue whales eat?
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Fish! That’s a great guess!
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And some whales, like beluga whales, do eat fish.
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They have sharp teeth that they  use to catch and eat their prey.
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But some whales, like blue  whales, don’t have teeth at all!
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Weird, right?
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These whales have something  called baleen instead of teeth.
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Baleen is a bristly plate that is  stuck to the roof of the whale’s mouth.
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It looks like a big, bristly  broom inside their mouths!
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Oh, that’s a great question!
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How dooes it help them eat?
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Well, if you’ve ever seen someone cook pasta, they might have dumped it out  of the pot and into a strainer when the pasta was done cooking.
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Water pours out of the strainer,  but the food stays inside.
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Baleen works kind of the same way.
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When a whale that has baleen  takes a gulp of water and food, they use their tongues to push all  the water out through the gaps, but keep the tasty food inside.
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But if they aren’t eating  fish, what are they eating?
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Blue whales eat tiny animals called krill!
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Krill are so small that we need  a microscope to see them clearly.
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That’s right, Squeaks!
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Something as big as a blue whale  does need to eat a lot of krill!
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And they do!
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Adult blue whales can eat  16 tons of krill each day.
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That’s as heavy as four elephants!
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Isn’t it amazing that such  a huge animal eats things that are so small that we can’t even see them?!
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Baby whales are called  calves, just like baby cows.
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And also like cows, whale calves  drink the milk that their mothers make inside their bodies until they’re  old enough to start eating krill.
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That’s because all whales,  including blue whales, are mammals.
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Mammals are animals like  horses, cows, dogs, and humans.
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And all mammals feed their newborn babies milk.
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That’s one of the special things  that makes an animal a mammal!
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Yes, they do look more like a  fish than like the other mammals.
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But fish don’t feed their babies with milk, which helps us know that  whales and fish are different.
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And there’s another important  feature that tells us that whales are mammals and definitely not fish.
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Whales don’t have gills to  breathe in water, like fish do.
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They have lungs, just like us!
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So even though some whales can  hold their breath for over an hour, they have to come up to the surface of  the ocean to breathe every now and then.
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When we breathe, air goes through  our nose or mouth and into our lungs.
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Whales breathe using their lungs too,  but they do it in a very special way.
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They breathe in and out through a hole on  the top of their head called a blowhole.
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When a whale is ready to take a breath,  it comes up to the top of the water, opens its blowhole, and breathes out.
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This is called spouting.
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That air shoots up into the sky,  sometimes about 12 meters high!
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That’s about as tall as six grown-ups  if they stood on each other’s shoulders.
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Then, the whale breathes fresh  air in through its blowhole, and goes back underwater.
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When a whale is underwater, they can pinch  their blowhole closed from the inside, and seal it shut so no water gets in.
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But my favorite thing about blue whales  are the amazing sounds they make.
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Blue whales, as well as  lots of other whale species, can talk to each other from really far away!
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Sound travels really well in water,  so one whale can hear another whale making noises even if they’re  thousands of miles apart!
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Whales make lots of sounds,  including squeaks, whistles, and long low booming sounds  that scientists call “songs.” Here’s what a blue whale’s song sounds like.
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I think whale songs sound beautiful, too, Squeaks!
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Oh yeah. Squeaks says he still thinks  his imaginary sea monster is pretty cool, but it’s even cooler that there are giant  blue whales out in the ocean right now, singing to each other, eating microscopic  krill, and taking care of their babies!
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Thanks for joining me here at The Fort!
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I hope you loved learning about  our ocean mammal friends too.
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What was your favorite thing you got to discover?
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If you want to keep learning  and having fun with Squeaks, me, and all our other friends, be  sure to hit the subscribe button, and we'll see you next time on SciShow Kids!
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[♪ OUTRO]

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Context & Background

In this engaging episode of "SciShow Kids," the narrator discusses fascinating facts about blue whales, the largest animals on our planet. Through a relatable dialogue with a character named Squeaks, viewers learn about the physical characteristics, dietary habits, and unique features that define these magnificent marine mammals. The conversational style makes complex topics accessible and encourages young audiences to think critically about the natural world.

Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication

  • “Did you know…?” – A great way to introduce interesting facts in conversation.
  • “That’s amazing!” – An expression of excitement or surprise, useful for discussions about new information.
  • “How does it help?” – This phrase invites further explanation and keeps conversations engaging.
  • “What do you think?” – Encourages others to share their thoughts, fostering a two-way dialogue.
  • “That’s a great guess!” – Affirming someone’s idea promotes confidence in speaking and sharing opinions.

Step-by-step Shadowing Guide

To improve your English pronunciation and conversational skills using this engaging video, follow these steps for a successful shadow speak practice:

  1. Watch the Video: Pay attention to the narrator's tone and rhythm. Notice how they emphasize certain words, which is crucial for effective communication.
  2. Break Down Sentences: Select a few sentences and practice them one at a time. This allows you to focus on difficult phrases without feeling overwhelmed.
  3. Repeat Aloud: Use the shadowing technique by mimicking the speaker immediately after they say something. This helps improve your speaking speed and fluency.
  4. Practice with Context: Try incorporating the top phrases from the video into your daily conversations. For example, when discussing something fascinating, start with “Did you know...?” to engage others.
  5. Check Your Progress: Record yourself speaking the same sentences after practice. Compare your pronunciation with the video to identify areas for improvement.

As you explore this content, you'll not only learn about blue whales but also enhance your English skills through effective shadowing techniques. Integrating video-based learning into your routine can boost your confidence in speaking, making it a valuable practice for IELTS speaking practice as well. Remember, each time you use these methods, you're a step closer to fluency in English!

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.

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