Shadowing Practice: Grade 9- unit 4- Getting started - Learn English Speaking with Video

This video has 23 sentences and 167 words to shadow. The speech runs for 1:26. The speaker talks at a steady 116 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. Only 81% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is demanding.

Key vocabulary in this video

15 less common words from the video, with pronunciation and meaning:

• castle /ˈkɑːsəl/ (noun) — A large residential building or compound that is fortified and contains many defences; in previous ages often inhabited by a nobleman or king. Also, a house or…
• heritage /ˈhɛɹ.ɪ.tɪd͡ʒ/ (noun) — An inheritance; property that may be inherited.
• temple /ˈtɛm.pl̩/ (noun) — A house of worship dedicated to a polytheistic faith.
• preserve /pɹəˈzɝv/ (verb) — To protect; to keep from harm or injury.
• magnificent /mæɡˈnɪfəsənt/ (adjective) — Grand, elegant or splendid in appearance.
• preservation /ˌpɹɛz.əˈveɪ.ʃən/ (noun) — The act of preserving; care to preserve; act of keeping from destruction, decay or any ill.
• visitor /ˈvɪzɪtɚ/ (noun) — Someone who visits someone else; someone staying as a guest.
• occupy /ˈɑkjəpaɪ/ (verb) — To fill.
• monument /ˈmɑnjʊmənt/ (noun) — A structure built for commemorative or symbolic reasons, or as a memorial; a commemoration.
• historic /hɪˈstoɹɪk/ (adjective) — Very important; noteworthy: having importance or significance in history.
• effort /ˈɛf.ɚt/ (noun) — The work involved in performing an activity; exertion.
• complex /kɑmˈplɛks/ (adjective) — Made up of multiple parts; composite; not simple.
• queen /kwiːn/ (noun) — The wife, consort, or widow of a king.
• religious /ɹɪˈlɪd͡ʒəs/ (adjective) — Concerning religion.
• generation /ˌd͡ʒɛnəˈɹeɪʃən/ (noun) — The act of creating something or bringing something into being; production, creation.

Phrasal verbs you will hear

• look at (verb) — To observe or watch.

Pronunciation to watch

• The “sh” and “zh” sounds: preservation /ˌpɹɛz.əˈveɪ.ʃən/, generation /ˌd͡ʒɛnəˈɹeɪʃən/
• Long words — get the stress right: magnificent /mæɡˈnɪfəsənt/, preservation /ˌpɹɛz.əˈveɪ.ʃən/, generation /ˌd͡ʒɛnəˈɹeɪʃən/

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 castle, heritage, temple.