Shadowing Practice: Frankenstein by Mary Shelley - Chapter 3 Audiobook - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Frankenstein by Mary Shelley.
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Chapter 3.
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When I had attained the age of 17, my parents resolved that I should become a student at the University of Ingolstadt.
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I had hitherto attended the schools of Geneva, but my father thought it necessary, for the completion of my education,
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that I should be made acquainted with other customs than those of my native country.
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My departure was therefore fixed at an early date, but before the day resolved upon could arrive, the first misfortune of my life occurred,
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an omen as it were of my future misery elizabeth had caught the scarlet fever her illness was severe
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and she was in the greatest danger during her illness many
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arguments had been urged to persuade my mother to refrain from
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attending upon her she had at first yielded to our entreaties
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but when she heard that the life of her favorite was menaced she could no longer control her anxiety
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she attended her sickbed her watchful attentions triumphed over the malignity of the distemper elizabeth was saved
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but the consequences of this imprudence were fatal to her preserver
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on the third day my mother sickened her fever was accompanied by the most alarming symptoms
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and the looks of her medical attendance prognosticated the worst event
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On her deathbed, the fortitude and benignity of this best of women did not desert her.
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She joined the hands of Elizabeth and myself.
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My children, she said.
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My firmest hopes of future happiness were placed on the prospect of your union.
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This expectation will now be the consolation of your father.
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Elizabeth, my love, you must supply my place to my younger children.
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Alas, I regret that I am taken from you, and happy and beloved as I have been.
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Is it not hard to quit you all?
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But these are not thoughts befitting me.
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I will endeavor to resign myself cheerfully to death, and will indulge a hope of meeting you in another world.
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She died calmly, and her countenance expressed affection even in death.
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I need not describe the feelings of those whose dearest ties are rent by that most irreparable evil, the void that presents itself to the soul,
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and the despair that is exhibited on the countenance.
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It is so long before the mind can persuade itself that she, whom we saw every day,
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and whose very existence appeared a part of our own, can have departed forever, that the brightness of a beloved eye can have been extinguished
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and the sound of a voice so familiar
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and dear to the ear can be hushed never more to
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be heard these are the reflections of the first days but
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when the lapse of time proves the reality of the evil
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then the actual bitterness of grief commences yet from whom has not
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that rude hand rent away some dear connection
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and why should I describe a sorrow which all have felt
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and must feel the time at length arrives
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when grief is rather an indulgence than a necessity and the smile
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that plays upon the lips although it may be deemed a sacrilege is not banished my mother was dead
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but we had still duties
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which we ought to perform we must continue our course with the rest
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and learn to think ourselves fortunate whilst one remains whom the spoiler has not seized.
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My departure for Ingolstadt, which would have been deferred by these events, was now again determined upon.
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I obtained from my father a respite of some weeks.
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It appeared to me sacrilege so soon to leave the repose, akin to death, of the house of mourning,
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and to rush into the thick of life.
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I was new to sorrow, but it did not the less alarm me.
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I was unwilling to quit the sight of those that remained to me,
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and above all, I desired to see my sweet Elizabeth in some degree consoled.
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She indeed veiled her grief, and strove to act the comforter to us all.
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She looked steadily on life, and assumed its duties with courage and zeal.
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She devoted herself to those whom she had been taught to call her uncle and cousins.
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Never was she so enchanting as at this time when she recalled the sunshine of her smiles and spent them upon us.
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She forgot even her own regret in her endeavors to make us forget.
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The day of my departure at length arrived.
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Clerval spent the last evening with us he had endeavored to persuade his father to permit him to accompany me
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and to become my fellow student
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but in vain his father was a narrow -minded traitor
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and saw idleness and ruin in the aspirations
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and ambition of his son henry deeply felt this misfortune of being debarred from a liberal education he said little
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but when he spoke i read his kindling eye
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and in his animated glance a restrained
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but firm resolve not to be chained to the miserable details of commerce
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we sat late we could not tear ourselves away from each other nor persuade ourselves to say the word farewell
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it was said and we retired under the pretense of seeking repose each fancying
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that the other was deceived but when at morning's dawn i descended to the carriage
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which was to convey me away they were all
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there my father again to bless me clarival to press my hand once more my elizabeth to renew her entreaties
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that i would write often and to bestow the last feminine attentions on her playmate
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and friend i threw myself into the chase that was to convey me away and indulged in the most melancholy reflections.
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I, who had ever been surrounded by amiable companions, continually engaged in endeavoring to bestow mutual pleasure, I was now alone.
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In the university, whither I was going, I must form my own friends and be my own protector.
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My life had hitherto been remarkably secluded and domestic, and this had given me invincible repugnance to new countenances.
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I loved my brothers, Elizabeth and Clairvill.
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These were old familiar faces, but I believed myself totally unfitted for the company of strangers.
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Such were my reflections as I commenced my journey.
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But as I proceeded, my spirits and hopes rose.
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I ardently desired the acquisition of knowledge.
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I had often, when at home, thought it hard to remain during my youth cooped up in one place,
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and had longed to enter the world and take my station among other human beings.
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Now my desires were compiled with, and it would, indeed, have been folly to repent.
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I had sufficient leisure for these and many other reflections during my journal to Ingolstadt, which was long and fatiguing.
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At length, the high white steeple of the town met my eyes.
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I alighted and was conducted to my solitary apartment to spend the evening as I pleased.
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The next morning, I delivered my letters of introduction and paid a visit to some of the principal professors.
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Chance, or rather the evil influence,
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the angel of destruction, which asserted omnipotent sway over me from the moment I turned my reluctant steps from my father's door,
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led me first to M.
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Krempe, professor of natural philosophy.
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He was an uncouth man, but deeply embued in the secrets of his science.
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He asked me several questions concerning my progress in the different branches of science appertaining to natural philosophy.
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I replied carelessly and, partly in contempt, mentioned the names of my alchemists as the principal authors I had studied.
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The professor stared.
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Have you, he said, really spent your time in studying such nonsense?
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I replied in the affirmative every minute continued m krimp with warmth every instant
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that you have wasted on those books is utterly
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and entirely lost you have burdened your memory with exploded systems
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and useless names good god in what desert land have you lived where no one was kind enough to inform
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you that these our fancies which you have
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so greedily imbibed are a thousand years old and as musty as they are ancient.
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I little expected in this enlightened and scientific age to find a disciple of Albertus Magnus and Paracelsus.
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My dear sir, you must begin your studies entirely anew.
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So saying, he stepped aside and wrote down a list of several books treating of natural philosophy, which he desired me to procure,
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and dismissed me after mentioning that in the beginning of the following week,
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he intended to commence a course of lectures upon natural philosophy and its general relations, and that M.
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Waldman, fellow professor, would lecture upon chemistry the alternative days that he omitted.
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i returned home not disappointed for i have said
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that i had long considered those authors useless whom the professor reprobated
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but i returned not at all the more inclined to recur
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to these studies in any shape m kremp was a squat little man with a gruff voice and repulsive countenance the teacher,
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therefore, did not prepossess me in favor of his pursuits.
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In rather a too philosophical and connected a strain,
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perhaps, I had given an account of the conclusions I had come to concerning them in my early years.
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As a child, I had not been content with the results promised by the modern professors of natural science,
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with a confusion of ideas only to be accounted for by my extreme youth, and my want of a guide on such matters,
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I had retrod the steps of knowledge along the paths of time, and exchanged the discoveries of recent inquirers for the dream of forgotten alchemists.
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Besides, I had a contempt for the uses of modern natural philosophy.
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It was very different from when the masters of the science sought immortality and power.
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Such views, although futile, were grand, but now the scene was changed.
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The ambition of the Enquirer seemed to limit itself to the annihilation of those visions on
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which my interest in science was chiefly founded.
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I was required to exchange chimeras of boundless grandeur for realities of little worth.
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Such were my reflections during the last two or three days of my residence at Ingolstadt,
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which were chiefly spent in becoming acquainted with the localities and the principal residence in my new abode.
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But as the ensuing week commenced, I thought of the information which M.
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Crump had given me concerning the lectures,
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and although I could not consent to go and hear that little conceited fellow deliver sentences out of a pulpit,
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I recollected what he had said of M.
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Waldman, whom I had never seen, as he had hitherto been out of town.
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Partly from curiosity and partly from idleness, I went into the lecturing room, which M.
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Waldman entered shortly after.
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This professor was very unlike his colleague.
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He appeared about fifty years of age, but with an aspect expressive of the greatest benevolence.
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A few gray hairs covered his temples, but those at the back of his head were nearly black his person was short
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but remarkably erect
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and his voice was the sweetest i had ever heard
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he began his lecture by a recapitulation of the history of chemistry
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and the various improvements made by different men of learning pronouncing with fervor the names of the most distinguished discoverers
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he then took a cursory view of the present state of the science and explained many of its elementary terms.
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After having made a few preparatory experiments, he concluded with a panegyric upon modern chemistry,
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the terms of which I shall never forget.
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The ancient teachers of this science, said he, promised impossibilities and performed nothing.
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The modern masters promise very little.
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They know that metals cannot be transmuted and
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that the elixir of life is a chimera
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but these philosophers whose hands seem only made to dabble in dirt
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and their eyes to pour over the microscope
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or crucible have indeed performed miracles they penetrate into the recesses of nature
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and show how she works in her hiding places
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they ascend into the heavens they have discovered how the blood circulates and the nature of the air we breathe.
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They have acquired new and almost unlimited powers.
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They can command the thunders of heaven, mimic the earthquake, and even mock the invisible world with its own shadows.
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Such were the professor's words.
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Rather, let me say such the words of fate announced to destroy me.
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As he went on, I felt as if my soul were grappling with a palpable enemy.
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One by one, the various keys were touched, which formed the mechanism of my being.
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Chord after chord was sounded, and soon my mind was filled with one thought, one conception, one purpose.
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So much has been done.
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exclaimed the soul of Frankenstein.
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More, far more will I achieve.
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Treading in the steps already marked, I will pioneer a new way,
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explore unknown powers, and unfold to the world the deepest mysteries of creation.
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I closed not my eyes that night.
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My internal being was in a state of insurrection and turmoil.
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I felt that order would thence arise, but I had no power to produce it.
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By degrees, after the morning's dawn, sleep came.
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I awoke, and my yesternight's thoughts were as a dream.
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There only remained a resolution to return to my ancient studies
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and to devote myself to a science for which I believed myself to possess a natural talent.
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On the same day, I paid M.
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Waldman a visit.
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His manners in private were even more mild and attractive than in public.
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For there was a certain dignity in his mean during his lecture,
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which in his own house was replaced by the greatest affability and kindness.
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I gave him pretty nearly the same account of my former pursuits as I had given to his fellow professor.
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He heard with attention the little narration concerning my studies, and smiled at the names of Cornelius Agrippa and Paracelsus.
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But without the contempt that M.
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Krimp had exhibited, he said that these were men to whose
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indefatigable zeal modern philosophers were indebted for most of the foundations of their knowledge.
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They had left to us, as an easier task, to give new names and arrange in connected classifications,
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the facts which they, in a great degree, had been the instruments of bringing to light.
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The labors of men of genius,
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however erroneously directed, scarcely ever fail in ultimately turning to the solid advantage of mankind.
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I listened to his statement, which was delivered without any presumption or affection,
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and then added that his lecture had removed my prejudices against modern chemists.
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I expressed myself in measured terms with the modesty and deference due from youth to his instructor,
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without letting escape, inexperience in life would have made me ashamed, any of the enthusiasm which stimulated my intended labors.
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I requested his advice concerning the books I ought to procure.
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I am happy, said M.
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Waldman, to have gained a disciple and
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if your application equals your ability i have no doubt of your success chemistry is
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that branch of natural philosophy in which the greatest improvements have been made
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and may be made it is on that account
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that i have made it my peculiar study
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and at the same time i have not neglected the other branches of science a man would make
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but a very sorry chemist if he to that department of human knowledge alone.
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If your wish is to become really a man of science and not merely a petty experimentalist,
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I should advise you to apply to every branch of natural philosophy, including mathematics.
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He then took me into his laboratory and explained to me the uses of his various machines, instructing me as to what I ought to procure
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and promising me the use of his own when I should advance far enough in the science not to derange their mechanism.
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He also gave me a list of books, which I had requested, and I took my leave.
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Thus ended a day memorable to me.
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It decided my future destiny.
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End of chapter three.
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Please click the link below to continue on to chapter four.
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This has been a TLC recording.
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Thank you for listening and please be sure to subscribe.
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This speaking lesson is built on the video “Frankenstein by Mary Shelley - Chapter 3 Audiobook”. This video has 210 sentences and 2730 words to shadow. The speech runs for 18:59. The speaker talks at a steady 144 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. Only 76% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is demanding.
Key vocabulary in this video
15 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| lecture noun | /ˈlɛk.t͡ʃə/ | A spoken lesson or exposition, usually delivered to a group. |
| reflection noun | /ɹɪˈflɛkʃən/ | The act of reflecting or the state of being reflected. |
| chemistry noun | /ˈkɛm.ɪ.stɹi/ | The branch of natural science that deals with the composition and constitution of substances and the changes that they undergo as a consequence of alterations… |
| persuade verb | /pə(ɹ)ˈsweɪd/ | To successfully convince (someone) to agree to, accept, or do something, usually through reasoning and verbal influence. |
| partly adverb | /ˈpɑɹtli/ | In part, or to some degree, but not completely. |
| departure noun | /dɪˈpɑː(ɹ)tjə(ɹ)/ | The act of departing or something that has departed. |
| resolve verb | /ɹɪˈzɑlv/ | To find a solution to (a problem). |
| grief noun | /ɡɹiːf/ | Suffering, hardship. |
| contempt noun | /kənˈtɛmpt/ | The state or act of contemning; the feeling or attitude of regarding someone or something as inferior, base, or worthless; scorn, disdain. |
| deeply adverb | /ˈdi(ː)pli/ | To a deep extent or degree; very greatly. |
| illness noun | /ˈɪl.nəs/ | An instance (episode) of a disease or poor health. |
| desert noun | /ˈdɛz.ɚt/ | A barren area of land or desolate terrain, especially one with little water or vegetation; a wasteland. |
| arrive verb | /əˈɹaɪv/ | To reach; to get to a certain place. |
| regret verb | /ɹɪˈɡɹɛt/ | To feel sorry about (a thing that has or has not happened), afterthink: to wish that a thing had not happened, that something else had happened instead. |
| residence noun | /ˈɹɛz.ɪ.dəns/ | The place where one lives (resides); one's home. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| step aside verb | To move out of the way of somebody or something. |
| write down verb | To produce or set (something) down in writing; to record something. |
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 | have been · have departed · have felt |
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | should be made · had been urged · was menaced |
| Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thing | Ingolstadt, which was · statement, which was |
Pronunciation to watch
- The “th” sounds: thick /θɪk/, breathe /bɹiːð/, earthquake /ˈɝθkweɪk/, mathematics /mæθ(.ə)ˈmæt.ɪks/, enthusiasm /ɪnˈθuziæzəm/
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: reflection /ɹɪˈflɛkʃən/, affection /əˈfɛk.ʃən/, ambition /æmˈbɪʃ.ən/, rush /ɹʌʃ/, shortly /ˈʃɔɹtli/
- Long words — get the stress right: mechanism /ˈmɛk.ə.nɪ.zəm/, remarkably /ɹɪˈmɑɹkəbli/, philosopher /fəˈlɑsəfɚ/, anxiety /æŋˈzaɪ.əti/, disappointed /ˌdɪsəˈpɔɪnɪd/
How to practise with this video
- Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
- Shadow it sentence by sentence at normal speed, repeating each one until your rhythm matches the speaker.
- Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like lecture, reflection, chemistry.
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.