Shadowing Practice: học tiếng anh qua phim phụ đề - Up - Learn English Speaking with Video
Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This A2 speaking lesson is built on the video “học tiếng anh qua phim phụ đề - Up”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: adventure, cross, Mount, hurdles, falls. This video has 85 sentences and 413 words to shadow. The speech runs for 4:23. The speaker talks slowly, about 94 words per minute, so there is time to copy every sound. 79% 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
15 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| adventure noun | /ədˈvɛn.t͡ʃə/ | A feeling of desire for new and exciting things. |
| tail noun | /ˈteɪ̯l/ | An object or part of an object resembling a tail in shape, such as the thongs on a cat-o'-nine-tails; a strand of material hanging from something. |
| bite verb | /baɪt/ | To cut into something by clamping the teeth. |
| rip verb | /ɹɪp/ | To divide or separate the parts of (especially something flimsy, such as paper or fabric), by cutting or tearing; to tear off or out by violence. |
| aboard adverb | /əˈbɔɹd/ | On board; into or within a ship or boat; hence, into or within a railway car. |
| unlimited adjective | /ʌnˈlɪm.ɪ.tɪd/ | Limitless or without bounds; unrestricted. |
| cheer verb | /t͡ʃɪɹ/ | To gladden; to make cheerful; often with up. |
| helmet noun | /ˈhɛlmɪt/ | A hard, protective head covering, typically part of armour. |
| puppy noun | /ˈpʌpi/ | A young rat. |
| balloon noun | /bəˈlun/ | An inflatable buoyant object, often (but not necessarily) round and flexible. |
| explorer noun | /ɛkˈsplɔːɹə(ɹ)/ | One who explores something |
| visibility noun | /ˌvɪz.əˈbɪl.ɪ.ti/ | The condition of being visible. |
| knot noun | /nɑt/ | A looping of a piece of string or of any other long, flexible material that cannot be untangled without passing one or both ends of the material through its… |
| hurdle noun | /ˈhɝd(ə)l/ | An artificial barrier, variously constructed, over which athletes or horses jump in a race. |
| blimp noun | /ˈblɪmp/ | An airship constructed with a nonrigid lifting agent container. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| back out verb | To reverse (a vehicle) from a confined space. | |
| cheer up verb | To become happier or less downcast. | |
| go ahead verb | /ˌɡoʊ əˈhɛd/ | To proceed with; to begin. |
| go around verb | To move or spread from person to person. | |
| live up verb | To fulfil the expectations placed upon one. | |
| look out verb | To be vigilant and aware often as an imperative to alert a person to danger. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- How are my dogs doing?
- What are you doing?
- Don't you know it's an exclusive club?
- Do you think you got what it takes?
- Wonder where I'm gonna live?
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Future with “going to” be going to + verb — a plan or something you can see coming | gonna live · gonna move · gonna have |
| Present continuous am/is/are + -ing — something happening right now or around now | I'm going · I'm saving |
| Future with “will” will + verb — a decision, promise or prediction | will have · will not tell · you'll take |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 22 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'm, gonna, don't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- Long words — get the stress right: unlimited /ʌnˈlɪm.ɪ.tɪd/, visibility /ˌvɪz.əˈbɪl.ɪ.ti/
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 adventure, tail, bite.
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.
















