Shadowing Practice: Dead Poets Society - Carpe Diem.m4v - Learn English Speaking with Video

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47 sentences
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1
To the virgins to make much of time?
2
Yes.
3
One.
4
Somewhat appropriate, isn't it?
5
Gather ye rosebuds while ye may.
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Old time is still a -flying.
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And this same flower that smiles today, tomorrow will be dying.
8
Thank you, Mr. Fitz.
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Gather ye rosebuds while ye may.
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The Latin term for that sentiment is carpe diem.
11
Who knows what that means?
12
Carpe diem.
13
That's seize the day.
14
Very good.
15
Mr. Meeks.
16
Meeks.
17
Another unusual name.
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Seize the day.
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Gather ye rosebuds while ye may.
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Why does the writer use these lines?
21
Because he's in a hurry.
22
No!
23
Ding!
24
Thanks for playing anyway.
25
Because we are food for worms, lads.
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Because believe it or not, each and every one of us in this room is one day going to stop breathing, turn cold, and die.
27
I'd like you to step forward over here and peruse some of the faces from the past.
28
You've walked past them many times.
29
I don't think you've really looked at them.
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They're not that different from you, are they?
31
Same haircuts, full of hormones, just like you.
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Invincible, just like you feel.
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The world is their oyster.
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They believe they're destined for great things, just like many of you.
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Their eyes are full of hope, just like you.
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Did they wait until it was too late to make from their lives even one iota of what they were capable?
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Because you see, gentlemen, these boys are now fertilizing daffodils.
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If you listen real close, you can hear them whisper their legacy to you.
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Go on, lean in.
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Listen.
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You hear it?
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Garvey.
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Hear it?
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Carpe diem.
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Seize the day, boys.
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Make your lives extraordinary.
47
Thank you.

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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson

This B2 speaking lesson is built on the video “Dead Poets Society - Carpe Diem.m4v”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: carpe, diem, rosebuds, seize, gather. This video has 47 sentences and 280 words to shadow. The speech runs for 2:51. The speaker talks slowly, about 98 words per minute, so there is time to copy every sound. Only 80% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is demanding. 8 of its 47 sentences are questions, so it is good practice for question intonation and short answers.

Key vocabulary in this video

The 15 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:

WordPronunciationMeaning
rosebud noun/ˈɹoʊz.bʌd/The bud of a rose.
seize verb/ˈsiːz/To deliberately take hold of; to grab or capture.
daffodil noun/ˈdæfəˌdɪl/A bulbous plant of the genus Narcissus, with yellow flowers and a trumpet shaped corona, especially Narcissus pseudonarcissus, the national flower of Wales.
fertilize verb/ˈfɜː(ɹ)tɪlaɪz/To make (the soil) more fertile by adding nutrients to it.
garvey nounA type of boat which was originally flat-bottomed, reminiscent of a sled, and historically sailed around New Jersey.
invincible adjective/ɪnˈvɪn.sə.bəl/Impossible to defeat, destroy, or kill; too powerful to be defeated or overcome.
peruse verb/pəˈɹuːz/To examine or consider with care.
oyster noun/ˈɔɪ.stɚ/Any of certain marine bivalve mollusks, especially those of the family Ostreidae (the true oysters), usually found adhering to rocks or other fixed objects in…
haircut noun/ˈhɛə(ɹ)kʌt/The act of cutting of the hair, often done professionally by a barber, hair stylist, or beautician.
whisper verb/ˈ(h)wɪspɚ/To speak softly or under one's breath, so as to be heard only by one near at hand; to utter words without sonant breath; to talk without that vibration of the…
worm noun/wɝm/A generally tubular invertebrate of the annelid phylum; an earthworm.
destined adjective/ˈdɛstɪnd/Confined to a predetermined fate or destiny; certain.
hormone noun/ˈhoɹmoʊn/Any substance produced by one tissue and conveyed by the bloodstream to another to effect physiological activity.
lads noun/lædz/A group of friends, regardless of gender. Often the lads.
sentiment noun/ˈsɛn.tɪ.mənt/A general thought, feeling, or sense.

Sentences worth repeating

Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:

  • You've walked past them many times.
  • I don't think you've really looked at them.
  • They're not that different from you, are they?

Pronunciation to watch

The speaker uses 7 contractions and reduced forms, such as they're, you've, don't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.

How to practise with this video

  1. Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
  2. Shadow it sentence by sentence at normal speed, repeating each one until your rhythm matches the speaker.
  3. Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like rosebud, seize, daffodil.

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 →