Shadowing Practice: Dr. Jane Goodall: Maybe I Dreamt It, It's Too Exciting | MasterClass Moments | MasterClass - Learn English Speaking with Video

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I was walking along this trail through the forest and I saw a chimpanzee hunched over a termite mound.
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And so I was looking through the vegetation with my binoculars
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and I recognized this as the one chimpanzee who'd begun to lose his fear before the others.
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And he was very distinctive.
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You know, every chimpanzee looks different once you get used to chimpanzee faces
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and he was easy because he had this beautiful white beard and I had already named him David Greybeard.
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And as I walked through my binoculars, I saw him reach out, pick a piece of grass stem, push it down into the termite mound,
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leave it for a moment, pull it out and pick off the termites that were clinging on with their mandibles.
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And that was unbelievably exciting back then.
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He was using and making tools.
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And at that time, it was thought that humans and only humans used and made tools.
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We were defined as man the toolmaker.
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And so I could hardly believe what I'd seen.
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And I didn't immediately send a telegram to Lewis Leakey because I felt I'd better see it again.
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Maybe I dreamt it.
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It's too exciting.
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so I then saw David Graveyard
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and another about two days later doing the same thing okay it was real
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and that meant sending somebody in the Kigoma on the boat
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which took a long time but I sent off this telegram to Lewis Leakey
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and I'll never forget his reply coming back I don't know
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maybe a week later saying well now we shall have to redefine man redefine tool or accept chimpanzees as humans.

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Dr. Jane Goodall’s Unforgettable Discovery: A Real-Life English Learning Moment

In the video, Dr. Jane Goodall recounts a thrilling encounter with David Greybeard, a chimpanzee who changed scientific history by using tools. This vivid story isn’t just fascinating—it’s a goldmine for learning natural English. The dialogue flows like a conversation, making it perfect for shadowspeak practice, where you mimic pronunciation, rhythm, and tone to boost your speaking skills. Whether you’re prepping for IELTS speaking practice or just want to sound more fluent, this real-life scenario helps you master everyday language in context.

Useful Chunks & Collocations to Memorize

  • "Hunched over a termite mound": Describes a posture—great for setting a scene in stories or descriptions.
  • "Lose his fear before the others": A natural way to talk about someone overcoming anxiety sooner than peers.
  • "Pick off the termites that were clinging on": Combines action verbs with a vivid detail—useful for explaining processes.
  • "I could hardly believe what I'd seen": Expresses shock or excitement, a common phrase in casual and formal speech.
  • "Redefine man, redefine tool": Shows how to use repetition for emphasis, a trick for strong communication.

Your Shadowing Challenge: Speak Like Dr. Goodall

Ready to practice shadow speak? Here’s your task: Watch the video segment where Dr. Goodall says, "Maybe I dreamt it, it's too exciting. So I then saw David Greybeard and another about two days later doing the same thing. OK, it was real." Pause, then repeat the lines immediately after her, matching her speed, stress, and intonation. Do this 5 times. Notice how she pauses after "exciting" and stresses "real"—these small details make your speech sound natural. This exercise trains your brain to think and speak in English, a key skill for learn english with videos and acing exams like IELTS. You’ll be amazed at how quickly you start sounding more confident!

Remember, every time you practice shadowspeaks, you’re building fluency. Keep going—your next "aha!" moment is just around the corner.

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 →