Shadowing Practice: Business Partner B1 Unit 4.3.3 - Learn English Speaking with Video

Creating lesson...
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On a vacation last year, great memories.
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What about your family?
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Are your parents in the same field as you?
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The healthcare business?
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My parents?
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Yes, are they in the healthcare business?
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No, not at all.
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Mum had various jobs but she's basically retired now and Dad's a professor.
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Oh yes? Where about?
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Warsaw, the Chopin University of Music.
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He's a bit of a musical mastermind.
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Ah, the Chopin University.
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That's not too far from the National Museum.
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You sound like you know Warsaw well.
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I adore Warsaw.
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It's one of the world's greatest cities.
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I've been there twice.
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Remind me, what's the name of the really tall building in the middle of the city?
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I went to a trade fair there once, many years ago.
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Hello?
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Okay, you can go.
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Ciao, ciao!
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The World War II The World War II The World War II The World War II
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The World War II The World War II Now, where were we?
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I think you were talking about the Palace of Culture and Science.
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The Palace, that's it.
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That reminds me, I met Jessica Scott there for the first time.
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What was the event again?
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I think I still have a program somewhere around here.
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Want to see it? Of course.
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Great.
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And don't worry, we'll get to the Diab Sensor in a moment.
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He liked to talk a lot.
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But, as Alex said, it really was best to go with the flow.
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I didn't want to seem rude or uninterested, even though I really wanted to discuss the Diab Sensor.
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Matteo has a very different way of handling meetings to me and I had to respect that.

Context & Background: A Casual Business Dialogue with Cultural Flair

The video captures a relaxed conversation between colleagues, blending personal anecdotes—like family careers and travel memories of Warsaw—with a pending business topic (the Diab Sensor). This mix of small talk and professional context makes it ideal for english speaking practice, as it mirrors real-world interactions where topics shift organically. The dialogue’s natural pace and casual tone help learners adapt to everyday speech patterns, crucial for sounding fluent in both social and work settings.

Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication

  • "Not at all": A polite way to disagree, useful for clarifying misunderstandings (e.g., "Are you busy? Not at all!").
  • "Where about?": A conversational shorthand for "Where specifically?"—perfect for digging deeper in discussions.
  • "Remind me": Gently prompts others to repeat details, avoiding awkward silences (e.g., "Remind me of the meeting time?").
  • "Go with the flow": Describes adapting to unplanned situations, a common idiom in casual and professional settings.
  • "Get to [topic]": Signals a shift back to a key point (e.g., "We’ll get to the budget after lunch").

Step-by-Step Shadowing Guide for This Video

Shadowing—repeating speech immediately after the speaker—is a proven shadowing technique to boost pronunciation and fluency. Here’s how to use it with this video:

  1. Break it into 10-second clips: The dialogue’s mix of personal and professional topics can feel fast. Short clips help you focus on intonation, like the rising tone in "Oh yes?"
  2. Imitate rhythm, not just words: Notice pauses (e.g., after "Now, where were we?") and stress on words like "musical mastermind." This improves natural flow, key for improve english pronunciation.
  3. Record and compare: After shadowing, record yourself. Listen for gaps in pace or stress—this self-feedback sharpens your ear.
  4. Practice "shadowspeak" daily: Repeat the process with 3 clips a day. Consistency helps your mouth and brain adapt to English sounds, making fluency feel effortless.

This video’s casual tone and varied topics make it a dynamic tool for english speaking practice. By focusing on shadowing, you’ll not only mimic sounds but also internalize the rhythm of real conversation—turning "practice" into "natural speech."

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 →