Shadowing Practice: Ep 1: Talking about the news - Learn English Speaking with Video
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50 sentences
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1
Hey Charlotte, how's it going?
2
Hey, yeah, good thanks.
3
How are you?
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Good, thank you.
5
So, how did you find that discussion in our media studies class today?
6
Yeah, it was really interesting.
7
I didn't realise there was so much to think about when we watched the news or consumed any kind of media.
8
Yeah, there's a lot to learn.
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But I did find out way more about fake news
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and why it's actually so important to figure out exactly where your news is coming from.
11
Oh, yeah, absolutely.
12
Ooh, that reminds me of a news report I saw last night, actually.
13
Oh, yeah?
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Well, what was it about?
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So, they were talking about how more and more people are ditching newspapers and they're reading everything online.
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So, soon enough, there aren't going to be any more newspapers around.
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Oh, well, I don't know about that.
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Wait, really?
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What makes you say that?
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Oh, well, believe it or not, my entire family still reads the newspaper every single morning and we still buy the local paper,
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so I'm not sure I really agree with you on that one.
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That's pretty incredible.
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I mean, I don't know a single other person that does that. But how about you?
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I mean, surely you get your news on your phone or, you know, your social media feed?
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Yeah, I do, but I also read the actual newspaper.
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I get more updates online, though.
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Yeah, fair enough.
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I mean, look, I run my life through this thing.
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But you should totally check out that documentary that's on this weekend.
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It's all about the media landscape and how it's shifting and changing, and I think it might be really useful for our assignment.
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Yeah, it sounds really interesting.
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I will.
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Oh, the assignment.
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Yeah, I know.
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There goes our weekend.
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Oh, yeah.
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Oh, speaking of the assignment, that reminds me.
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I can't hang out with you at all this weekend.
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I've got to get started on it.
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Really?
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Yeah.
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Well, maybe next time?
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Yeah, for sure.
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Look, I'll let you know the next time we go catch a movie.
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Yes, please do.
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Anyway, it's good talking to you, but I've got to go now.
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Oh, good.
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Have a good day.
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Bye.
50
Thank you.
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This speaking lesson is built on the video “Ep 1: Talking about the news”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: newspaper, assignment, weekend. This video has 50 sentences and 378 words to shadow. The speech runs for 1:52. The speaker talks fast, about 203 words per minute, so expect linked and reduced sounds. 88% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is easy to follow. 11 of its 50 sentences are questions, so it is good practice for question intonation and short answers.
Key vocabulary in this video
14 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| assignment noun | /əˈsaɪn.mənt/ | The act of assigning; the allocation of a job or a set of tasks. |
| remind verb | /ɹəˈmaɪnd/ | To cause one to experience a memory (of someone or something); to bring to the notice or consideration (of a person). |
| landscape noun | /ˈlan(d)skeɪp/ | A portion of land or territory as defined by its landform, its geographical (and architectural) features. |
| documentary noun | /ˌdɒk.jʊˈmɛn.tɹi/ | A film, TV program, publication etc. which presents a social, political, scientific or historical subject in a factual or informative manner. |
| realise verb | Non-Oxford British standard spelling of realize. | |
| ditch noun | /dɪt͡ʃ/ | A trench; a long, shallow indentation, as for irrigation or drainage. |
| consume verb | /kənˈsum/ | To use up. |
| newspaper noun | /ˈnjuːsˌpeɪpə/ | A publication, usually published daily or weekly, containing news and other articles. Traditionally a print publication typically printed on cheap, low-quality… |
| update noun | /ˈʌp.deɪt/ | An additional piece of information, an addition to existing information. |
| feed verb | /fiːd/ | To give (someone or something) food to eat. |
| fake adjective | /feɪ̯k/ | Not real; false, fraudulent. |
| incredible adjective | /ɪŋˈkɹɛdəbəl/ | Too implausible to be credible; beyond belief. |
| shift noun | /ˈʃɪft/ | A movement to do something, a beginning. |
| surely adverb | /ˈʃʊɹli/ | Without fail. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| check out verb | To record the departure or withdrawal of someone or something (such as guests, employees, books, etc.). |
| figure out verb | To come to understand; to discover or find a solution; to deduce. |
| find out verb | To discover, as by asking or investigating. |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 10 contractions and reduced forms, such as don't, I've, aren't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: shift /ˈʃɪft/, surely /ˈʃʊɹli/
- Long words — get the stress right: documentary /ˌdɒk.jʊˈmɛn.tɹi/, incredible /ɪŋˈkɹɛdəbəl/
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 assignment, remind, landscape.
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.