Shadowing Practice: English Podcast For Learning English | Real Everyday Conversations! - Learn English Speaking with Video
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338 sentences
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1
This is Max and Mia podcast.
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Hey everyone, welcome back to Max and Mia podcast.
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Really glad you're here with us today.
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Hello guys, we are so happy to be back with you today.
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So Mia, how's your week been?
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You look like you're in a good mood today.
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Honestly, it's been a pretty solid week.
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I finally finished that book I was telling you about last month.
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No way.
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The one about habits?
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That's the one.
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Took me forever, but I got there.
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What about you?
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Didn't you have that big presentation at work?
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Oh, man.
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Don't remind me.
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It went fine in the end, but I was a nervous wreck the whole morning.
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I bet.
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Well, glad that's behind you now.
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Yeah, me too.
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All right, so let's talk about today's episode, because we've got a good one lined up.
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We sure do.
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Today it's just the two of us.
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No guests this time, but we're tackling some topics that people love to argue about.
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Exactly.
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We picked three conversations that are packed with natural expressions, slang, and vocabulary you'll actually hear people use.
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And like always, each conversation is between a guy and a girl, so you get a nice mix of perspectives.
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Right, so what are we covering today, Mia?
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Well, first up, we've got a debate about athletes' salaries compared to what doctors, nurses, and teachers make.
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Should they really be earning that much more?
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That's always a spicy one.
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Then we're moving on to something a bit more personal, whether social media is actually making us lonelier.
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Which honestly hits close to home for a lot of people. For sure.
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And to wrap things up, we're settling once and for all whether Android or iPhone is the better choice.
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Oh, that one's going to cause some arguments in the comments.
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I can already tell.
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Probably.
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Alright, let's not waste any more time and jump straight into our first topic.
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So this first conversation is all about whether professional athletes deserve to earn so much more than people like doctors or teachers.
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It's one of those topics where everyone's got an opinion, and honestly, there's no easy answer.
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Right.
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Because on one hand, you've got athletes bringing in millions from endorsements and ticket sales,
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and on the other you've got nurses working insane hours for way less.
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And there's some great vocabulary in this one, too, plus a few expressions you'll want to add to your list.
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Definitely.
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It's the kind of debate you could have with your friends over dinner and never really settle.
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All right, let's listen in on this one.
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Okay, so did you see that article about the soccer player who just signed a new contract?
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Like $500 million.
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Yeah, I saw that.
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It's kind of insane if you think about it.
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Insane is an understatement.
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My sister's a nurse and she's been working double shifts for years and she doesn't even make a fraction of that.
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Right.
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And that's the thing that bugs me too.
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Like, I get that sports are entertainment and people pay to watch, but the gap is just wild.
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Exactly.
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I mean, a doctor spends, what, like 10, 12 years studying and training, and they're out here saving lives, and they're not even close to that kind of money.
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Yeah, but honestly, I think it comes down to how the money flows.
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Athletes generate revenue directly, you know?
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Tickets, sponsorships, TV rights.
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It's a whole business.
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Sure, but shouldn't we be questioning why we value that so much more than someone teaching our kids or keeping us alive?
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No, totally.
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I agree with that part.
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It's more like society's kind of messed up in what it rewards.
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Yeah, exactly.
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Like we'll pay a guy millions to kick a ball, but are teachers out there buying school supplies with their own paycheck?
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Don't even get me started on that.
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It's honestly kind of depressing when you put it that way.
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Right.
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But then again, how many people can actually play at that level?
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It's such a small percentage, so maybe that's part of why they get paid so much.
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That's true.
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The talent pool is tiny.
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But doctors and teachers, there's also a limited number of people willing to go through all that training.
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Good point, actually.
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So maybe it's not really about how hard the job is, it's more about who's generating the profit.
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Exactly.
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And honestly, I don't think athletes should make less, I just wish healthcare and education paid better too.
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Yeah, like it doesn't have to be one or the other, right?
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We could just value both.
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Right, but tell that to the people making the budget decisions.
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Huh, fair.
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Still, I don't know, part of me feels like if I had a kid, I'd rather they grow up to be a doctor than a soccer player,
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just for the stability.
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See, that's interesting, because statistically, most athletes' careers are super short too, so it's not even guaranteed money forever.
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Oh, yeah, that's a good point.
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Injuries, age, all of that plays a factor.
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Exactly.
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So in a weird way, maybe the pay reflects how risky and short-lived the career is.
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Huh.
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I never thought about it like that.
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Still feels unfair, though, when you compare it to someone who'll be a nurse for 30 years straight.
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Honestly, I think what really gets me is how we treat these professions in day-to-day life, too.
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Like, we clap for nurses during a crisis, but the second things go back to normal, we forget all about it.
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That's such a good point, actually.
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It's almost like appreciation only shows up when things get bad, and then it just disappears.
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Exactly.
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Meanwhile, athletes get parades, statues, their faces on billboards, even when they're not doing anything world-changing.
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True.
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Nobody's putting up a billboard for the guy who taught them algebra in ninth grade.
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Right?
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And honestly, that probably shaped more people's lives than half the athletes we idolize.
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That would be wild, actually.
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Imagine a teacher walking into class with a sneaker deal.
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Right?
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As seen on TV, Mrs. Rodriguez's Algebra Class, brought to you by Nike.
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Yeah, now I hear you.
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I guess there's no perfect answer here.
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Nope, guess not.
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It's just one of those things we'll keep arguing about forever.
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Probably.
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Okay, that was a good one.
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I think Harry and Monica both made really solid points.
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Yeah, I liked how Monica brought up the whole talent pool thing.
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That's such a good angle, because it's easy to just say athletes are overpaid without thinking about supply and demand.
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Right.
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And did you catch when Harry said, insane is an understatement?
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That's a great way to agree with someone while making the point even stronger.
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Yeah, that one's super useful.
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And don't even get me started, too.
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People use that all the time when a topic really frustrates them.
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Exactly.
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Also, fraction of that was a nice one.
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It just means a really small part of something, usually compared to a much bigger number. For sure.
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And I loved the phrase talent pool.
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It's such a natural way to talk about how many people are qualified or skilled enough to do something.
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Alright, should we jump into topic number two?
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Let's do it.
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This one's a bit different.
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More personal, I'd say.
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So this next conversation is about social media, and whether all this connection online is actually making us more isolated.
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It's such a relevant topic right now.
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Everyone's glued to their phones, but somehow people feel more alone than ever.
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Right.
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And you'll hear two friends going back and forth on it.
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one who thinks social media is honestly ruining relationships, and another who thinks it's not that black and white.
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There's some good vocabulary in here, too, plus a few expressions about feelings and connection you don't usually get in textbooks.
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Yeah, this one hits pretty close to home for a lot of people, myself included, honestly.
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Same here.
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All right, let's get into it.
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So, I read this study the other day that said people who spend more time on social media actually report feeling lonelier.
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Isn't that kind of ironic?
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Honestly, not surprising at all.
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I feel that way sometimes, too.
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Like, I'll scroll for an hour and somehow feel worse afterward, not better.
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Right?
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It's weird because you're technically connected to hundreds of people, but it doesn't feel like real connection.
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Exactly.
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It's more like you're watching everyone's highlight reel instead of actually talking to them.
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And it messes with your head after a while.
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Yeah, and people just don't call each other anymore either.
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Everything's a text or a like on a post.
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It's kind of shallow if you think about it.
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I don't know, though.
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I feel like it depends on how you use it.
158
I've reconnected with old friends through social media that I probably would have lost touch with otherwise.
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That's fair, I guess.
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It's not all bad.
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But do you feel like those reconnections are actually meaningful or just surface level?
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Honestly, a mix of both.
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Some conversations go deeper, but yeah, a lot of it is just liking a photo and moving on.
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Right.
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And that's what worries me.
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We're mistaking little interactions for actual friendship.
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Like, liking someone's post isn't the same as checking in on them.
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No, definitely not.
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But isn't that kind of on us, though?
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Like, the platform's just a tool.
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It's how we choose to use it.
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Sure, but the platforms are designed to keep us scrolling, not necessarily to build real relationships.
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That's the whole business model.
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Okay, that's true.
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I hadn't thought about it that way.
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So maybe it's not entirely our fault.
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Right.
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It's a mix of both, honestly.
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We've got some responsibility, but so do the apps themselves.
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Still, I think people underestimate how much a text can mean sometimes.
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Like if someone reaches out after a while, even just to check in, that can actually help with loneliness.
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Yeah, that's true.
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I guess it's less about the platform and more about intention, whether you're using it to actually connect or just to kill time.
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Exactly, because scrolling mindlessly for hours is way different from messaging a friend to catch up. For sure.
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I think I need to be more intentional about it, honestly, instead of just scrolling out of boredom.
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Same here.
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Maybe we should try calling people more instead of just texting.
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That sounds so old school, but yeah, probably a good idea.
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Younger kids now have never known anything else, though, and that kind of worries me.
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Yeah, same.
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I read somewhere that teens who spend more time on social apps report way higher rates of anxiety and comparison.
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Makes sense.
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When you're constantly seeing everyone else's best moments, it's hard not to feel like you're falling behind somehow.
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Exactly.
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And it's not even real most of the time.
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People stage half of what they post.
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Oh, for sure.
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I've literally watched people take like 20 photos just to post one.
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And meanwhile, the actual moment gets ruined because everyone's too busy trying to capture it perfectly.
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Sometimes I catch myself doing that, like being at a concert and watching it through my phone instead of just enjoying it.
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Yeah, I've done that too.
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It's like we're documenting life instead of living it sometimes.
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Depressing when you put it that way, but honestly, kind of true.
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I think the key is just setting boundaries.
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Like maybe no phone during dinner or turning off notifications for a while.
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Yeah, small stuff like that probably makes a bigger difference than people think.
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Guess we'll see if we actually follow through. That one hit different.
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I think a lot of people are going to relate to that.
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Totally.
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I loved when Daniel said everyone's just watching each other's highlight reel.
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That's such a good expression for describing how people only post the best parts of their lives.
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Yeah, and surface level, too.
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That's a great phrase for something that's not deep or meaningful, just kind of shallow.
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Also, old school.
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Daniel used it near the end, and it basically means something traditional or from the past, like calling someone instead of texting.
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Right.
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And I liked kill time as well.
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That one's super common in everyday conversation.
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Definitely.
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All right, should we jump into our last topic of the day?
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Let's do it.
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And honestly, I'm excited for this one.
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So this last one is a classic.
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Android versus iPhone, the debate that never really ends.
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And just so everyone knows, we're not picking sides today.
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We'll stay neutral, no matter how tempting it is.
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Yeah, right.
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I already know which one you use, Max.
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Ha ha ha.
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I'm not saying anything.
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This episode is strictly professional.
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Uh-huh, sure.
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Anyway, you'll hear two friends going back and forth about which one's actually better.
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And honestly, they both bring up some really good points.
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There's some fun vocabulary in this one, too.
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Plus, a bunch of expressions people use when they're being a little dramatic about their phone preferences.
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Oh, they get dramatic, alright.
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Let's hear it.
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Okay, I'm just going to say it.
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I don't get why anyone still buys an iPhone when Android gives you so much more freedom.
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Here we go.
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You always do this.
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Every time we're texting and my message shows up green.
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Because it's true.
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You guys pay double for basically the same specs just because there's an Apple logo on the back.
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Okay, first of all, it's not just a logo.
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The whole ecosystem works together seamlessly.
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My phone, my laptop, my watch.
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Everything just syncs without me even thinking about it.
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Sure, but that's exactly the problem.
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You're locked into one company for everything.
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With Android, I can mix and match whatever I want.
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But does that freedom actually matter to the average person?
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Most people just want something that works without a headache.
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And Android does work without a headache once you get past the initial setup.
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Plus, the customization options are endless.
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I can change literally everything about how my phone looks and functions.
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Okay, but who actually wants to spend hours customizing their phone?
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I just want to open it and have it work.
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Fair enough, but you have to admit, The camera options on some Android phones blow iPhones out of the water.
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Depends on the model, honestly.
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Some flagship Androids are incredible, sure.
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But so is the iPhone camera.
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It's consistently one of the best out there.
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I'll give you that.
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iPhones are consistent.
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But that's kind of the issue, too.
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Everything feels the same year after year.
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Barely any real innovation.
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I don't know.
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I think the improvements are just more subtle.
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Not everything needs some crazy new gimmick to be considered progress.
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Okay, but what about pricing, though?
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You're paying premium prices for stuff that's honestly available for way less on Android.
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True, but you're also paying for longevity.
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iPhones tend to hold their value and keep getting updates for way longer than most Android phones.
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Okay, that's actually a fair point.
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My last Android stopped getting updates after, like, two years.
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Exactly.
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And that matters if you're trying to keep your phone running smoothly for a long time.
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Still, I stand by the fact that Android gives you more bang for your buck.
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And I'll stand by the fact that iPhones just work.
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No fuss, no stress.
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What about the whole ecosystem thing, though?
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Doesn't it bother you that Android devices don't always talk to each other as smoothly?
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Honestly, it's gotten a lot better.
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Most of my stuff syncs fine across my laptop and phone now.
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It's not like it used to be.
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Plus, I like being able to tinker with things, change my default apps, customize my home screen however I want.
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You do spend an unusual amount of time customizing your phone, not gonna lie.
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Hey, it's a hobby at this point.
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But seriously, don't you ever feel boxed in with the iPhone?
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Like everything just looks the same as everyone else's.
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Sometimes, yeah.
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But honestly, I don't mind.
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I'd rather things just work than spend hours tweaking settings.
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Different people just want different things, I guess.
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True.
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Although, not gonna lie, the resale value on iPhones is honestly impressive.
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My cousin sold his three-year-old iPhone for way more than I expected.
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See?
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That's another point for team iPhone right there.
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Okay, okay, I'll give you that one.
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Doesn't change my mind about the bigger picture, though.
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Guess we're just never going to agree on this one.
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Nope, never.
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But hey, at least our texts still go through, even if mine's green.
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Barely.
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Okay, that conversation got a little heated.
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It always does with this topic.
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I mean, we're staying out of it today, but I get why people have such strong opinions. For sure.
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And there were some great expressions in there, too.
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Like, bang for your buck.
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That's such a common way to talk about getting good value for your money.
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Yeah, and blow something out of the water as well.
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That basically means something's way better than the competition.
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No contest.
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Also loved, no fuss, no stress.
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Simple phrase, but it's a nice way to describe something that's easy and doesn't require extra effort.
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Definitely useful ones to add to your list.
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Alright, so that wraps up all three conversations for today.
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We covered a lot, athletes vs. healthcare and education salaries, whether social media is making us lonelier,
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and of course, the eternal Android versus iPhone debate.
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Hopefully you picked up some new expressions and vocabulary along the way.
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And remember, the best way to really absorb this kind of natural English is just by listening often,
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even when it feels challenging at first.
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Exactly.
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Keep listening, keep practicing, and it'll start clicking more and more.
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So, what do you guys think?
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Should athletes and healthcare workers earn similar salaries?
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Is social media really making us lonelier?
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And team Android or team iPhone?
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Let us know in the comments.
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Yeah, we love reading what you all think, so don't be shy.
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Alright, that's a wrap for today's episode.
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Thanks so much for hanging out with us.
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Catch you all next time.
338
Bye, everyone.
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This B1 speaking lesson is built on the video “English Podcast For Learning English”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: honestly, Android, iphone, exactly. This video has 338 sentences and 3065 words to shadow. The speech runs for 20:28. The speaker talks at a natural 150 words per minute, close to everyday conversation. 84% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English; the rest is worth studying before you start.
Key vocabulary in this video
The 15 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| athlete noun | /ˈæθ.liːt/ | A participant in any of a group of sporting activities including track and field, road running, cross country running and racewalking. |
| vocabulary noun | /vəˈkæb.jə.lə.ɹi/ | A usually alphabetized and explained collection of words e.g. of a particular field, or prepared for a specific purpose, often for learning. |
| scroll noun | /skɹoʊl/ | A roll of paper or parchment; a writing formed into a roll. |
| lonely adjective | /ˈloʊnli/ | Unhappy due to feeling isolated from contact with other people. |
| customize verb | /ˈkʌs.tə.maɪ̯z/ | To build or alter according to personal preferences or specifications. |
| wrap verb | /ɹæp/ | To enclose (an object) completely in any flexible, thin material such as fabric or paper. |
| phrase noun | /ˈfɹeɪ̯z/ | A short written or spoken expression. |
| understatement noun | /ˌʌndɚˈsteɪtmənt/ | A figure of speech whereby something is made to seem smaller or less important than it actually is, either through phrasing or lack of emphasis, often for… |
| fuss noun | /fʌs/ | Excessive activity, worry, bother, or talk about something. |
| smoothly adverb | /ˈsmuːðli/ | in a smooth manner; smooth |
| reel verb | /ˈɹiːl/ | To wind on a reel. |
| algebra noun | /ˈæl.d͡ʒɪ.bɹə/ | Elementary algebra: A system for representing and manipulating unknown quantities (variables) in equations. |
| ecosystem noun | /ˈikoʊˌsɪstəm/ | A system formed by an ecological community and its environment that functions as a unit. |
| depressing adjective | /dɪˈpɹɛsɪŋ/ | Causing depression or sadness. |
| sync noun | /sɪŋk/ | Harmony. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| bring up verb | To mention. |
| go back verb | To return to a place or state after having been there at a previous time. |
| go through verb | To travel from one end of something to the other. |
| show up verb | To appear, arrive, or attend, especially suddenly or erratically. |
| check in on verb | To pay a visit in order to monitor the health, security or safety of (someone or something). |
| come down to verb | To reach by moving down or reducing. |
| fall behind verb | To be late (for a regular event) |
| follow through verb | To execute or complete a commitment. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- Really glad you're here with us today.
- You look like you're in a good mood today.
- Didn't you have that big presentation at work?
- Alright, should we jump into topic number two?
- Is social media really making us lonelier?
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 | it's been · I've reconnected · have never known |
| Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thing | guy who taught · one who thinks · people who spend |
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | are designed · be considered |
| Advice with “should” should + verb — saying what is a good idea | Should they really be · shouldn't we be · should make |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 80 contractions and reduced forms, such as don't, you're, we're. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “th” sounds: athlete /ˈæθ.liːt/, smoothly /ˈsmuːðli/, ninth /naɪnθ/
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: fraction /ˈfɹæk.ʃən/, shallow /ˈʃæloʊ/, intentional /ɪnˈtɛnʃənəl/, flagship /ˈflæɡʃɪp/, notification /ˌnoʊtɪfɪˈkeɪʃn̩/
- Long words — get the stress right: vocabulary /vəˈkæb.jə.lə.ɹi/, understatement /ˌʌndɚˈsteɪtmənt/, ecosystem /ˈikoʊˌsɪstəm/, longevity /lɒnˈd͡ʒɛv.ɪ.ti/, statistically /stəˈtɪs.tɪ.kə.li/
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 athlete, vocabulary, scroll.
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.