Shadowing Practice: david bowie interview 1973 - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This B2 speaking lesson is built on the video “david bowie interview 1973”. This video has 38 sentences and 276 words to shadow. The speech runs for 1:44. The speaker talks at a natural 160 words per minute, close to everyday conversation. Only 80% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is demanding. 13 of its 38 sentences are questions, so it is good practice for question intonation and short answers.
Key vocabulary in this video
The 12 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| accent noun | /ækˈsɛnt/ | A higher-pitched or stronger (louder or longer) articulation of a particular syllable of a word or phrase in order to distinguish it from the others or to… |
| awfully adverb | /ˈɔ.f(ə.)li/ | Badly, terribly. |
| excite verb | /ɪkˈsaɪt/ | To stir the emotions of; to cause to feel excitement. |
| hodgepodge noun | /ˈhɑd͡ʒˌpɑd͡ʒ/ | A collection containing a variety of miscellaneous things. |
| indifferent adjective | /ɪnˈdɪf.ɹənt/ | Ambivalent; unconcerned; uninterested, apathetic. |
| scabrous adjective | /ˈskæbɹəs/ | Covered with scales or scabs; hence, very coarse or rough. |
| indulge verb | /ɪnˈdʌld͡ʒ/ | To yield to a temptation or desire. |
| violently adverb | /ˈvaɪ(ə)ləntli/ | In a violent manner. |
| collector noun | /kəˈlɛk.tɚ/ | A person who or thing that collects, or which creates or manages a collection. |
| hostile adjective | /ˈhɑstəl/ | Not friendly; appropriate to an enemy; showing the disposition of an enemy; showing ill will and malevolence or a desire to thwart and injure. |
| minimal adjective | /ˈmɪn.ə.məl/ | The smallest possible amount, quantity, or degree. |
| adopt verb | /əˈdɑpt/ | To take voluntarily (a child of other parents) to be in the place of, or as, one's own child. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- I've always found that I collect.
- I wouldn't like to put a name to it.
- Do you indulge in any form of worship?
- You split people down the middle, don't you, a lot?
- I mean, do you get fan mail?
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 | I've always found · I've always just seemed |
| Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thing | person who can · people who are |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 8 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'm, I've, couldn't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
How to practise with this video
- Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
- Start at 0.75× speed, shadow it sentence by sentence, then go back to normal speed once it feels easy.
- Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like accent, awfully, excite.
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.