Shadowing Practice: Ceuta migrant surge reopens Europe's immigration divide - Learn English Speaking with Video
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19 sentences
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1
New videos of migrants overrunning a Spanish enclave that have sparked reaction across the world.
2
Dozens now killed as part of the chaos.
3
NBC's Rolf Sanchez has the latest.
4
Tonight, a deadly border crisis in North Africa becoming a global political flashpoint.
5
Stunning images show thousands of Moroccans surging through checkpoints into the Spanish territory of Sueta a tiny peninsula
6
and Europe's only land border with an African nation.
7
These cars torched on the Moroccan side of the border.
8
Authorities in Sueta say at least 60,000 migrants have crossed since yesterday, many hoping for better opportunities in Europe.
9
It's been a very tough experience to go from the ocean.
10
Most coming by land, but others attempting a dangerous journey by sea.
11
This man appears to emerge from the water with a bicycle.
12
At least 57 people have died so far, authorities say, and most of the migrants have already returned home.
13
But the images of chaos have rattled Europe and been seized on by President Trump.
14
And that same thing's going to happen to us if the Republicans don't get elected.
15
Spain has now sent in the military to restore order, and the country's progressive prime minister has appealed for calm.
16
But the crisis exposing deep divides among European Union member states.
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Italy's conservative leader suggesting the suspension of the EU's open border policy, which allows for passport-free travel between 29 countries.
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A migrant crisis once again shaking politics worldwide.
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Raf Sanchez, NBC News.
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This B2 speaking lesson is built on the video “Ceuta migrant surge reopens Europe's immigration divide”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: migrant, border, crisis. This video has 19 sentences and 242 words to shadow. The speech runs for 1:45. The speaker talks at a steady 138 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. Only 79% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| migrant noun | /ˈmaɪɡɹənt/ | A migratory animal, in particular a migratory bird. |
| checkpoint noun | /ˈt͡ʃɛkˌpɔɪnt/ | A point or place where a check is performed, especially a point along a road or on a frontier where travellers are stopped for inspection. |
| enclave noun | /ˈɑnkleɪv/ | A political, cultural or social entity or part thereof that is completely surrounded by another. |
| overrun verb | /ˌoʊ.vɚˈɹʌn/ | To defeat an enemy and invade in great numbers, seizing the enemy positions conclusively. |
| rattle noun | /ˈɹæ.təl/ | Any of various plants of the genera Rhinanthus and Pedicularis, whose seeds produce a rattling noise in the wind. |
| torch noun | /ˈtɔːtʃ/ | A stick of wood or plant fibres twisted together, with one end soaked in a flammable substance such as resin or tallow and set on fire, which is held in the… |
| seize verb | /ˈsiːz/ | To deliberately take hold of; to grab or capture. |
| surge noun | /sɝd͡ʒ/ | A sudden transient rush, flood or increase. |
| emerge verb | /ɪˈmɝd͡ʒ/ | To come into view. |
| expose verb | /ɪkˈspoʊz/ | To reveal; to uncover; to make visible; to bring to light. |
| bicycle noun | /ˈbaɪsɪk(ə)l/ | A vehicle that has two primary wheels, one behind the other, a steering handle, and a saddle seat or seats and is usually propelled by the action of a rider’s… |
| spark noun | /ˈspɑɹk/ | A small particle of glowing matter, either molten or on fire, resulting from an electrical surge or excessive heat created by friction. |
| peninsula noun | /pəˈnɪn.sə.lə/ | A piece of land projecting into water from a larger land mass. |
| elect verb | /ɪˈlɛkt/ | To choose or make a decision (to do something). |
| passport noun | /ˈpæspɔɹt/ | An official document normally used for international journeys, which proves the identity and nationality of the person for whom it was issued. |
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | have sparked · have crossed · It's been |
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | been seized |
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 migrant, checkpoint, enclave.
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.