Shadowing Practice: Coolidge Gives a Campaign Speech for Hoover's Reelection (1932) - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This B1 speaking lesson is built on the video “Coolidge Gives a Campaign Speech for Hoover's Reelection”. This video has 8 sentences and 58 words to shadow. The speech runs for 0:50.
Key vocabulary in this video
The 12 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| gratitude noun | /ˈɡɹæ.tɪ.tud/ | The state of being grateful. |
| proposal noun | /pɹəˈpoʊzəl/ | A scheme or design. |
| welfare noun | /ˈwɛlˌfɛɚ/ | Health, safety, happiness and prosperity; well-being in any respect. |
| disaster noun | /dɪˈzɑːs.təː/ | An unexpected natural or man-made catastrophe of substantial extent causing significant physical damage or destruction, loss of life or sometimes permanent… |
| convince verb | /kənˈvɪns/ | To make someone believe, or feel sure about something, especially by using logic, argument or evidence. |
| adoption noun | /əˈdɑp.ʃən/ | The act of adopting. |
| elect verb | /ɪˈlɛkt/ | To choose or make a decision (to do something). |
| initiate verb | /ɪˈnɪʃ.i.eɪt/ | To begin; to start. |
| impending adjective | /ɪmˈpɛndɪŋ/ | Approaching; drawing near; about to happen or expected to happen. |
| defuse verb | /diːˈfjuːz/ | To remove the fuse from (e.g. a bomb). |
| secure adjective | /səˈkjʊɹ/ | Free from attack or danger; protected. |
| entitled adjective | /ɪnˈtaɪtl̩d/ | Having a title. |
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 | has progressed |
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | is entitled |
Pronunciation to watch
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: adoption /əˈdɑp.ʃən/, initiate /ɪˈnɪʃ.i.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 gratitude, proposal, welfare.
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.