Shadowing Practice: How Can You Change Somebody's Opinion? - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Do you ever get into an argument where you know you're right
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and yet even with your eloquent explanations and all of the facts on your side, you just can't get through?
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Is there a strategic way to successfully convince somebody and change their opinion?
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The first and most disappointing thing that you have to come to terms with is this.
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Facts don't convince people, especially if they already have an opinion.
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We all like to think that information or indisputable studies would convince us in an argument,
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but study after study shows that when certain facts don't conform to our beliefs, our brains are happy to disregard or simply rationalize them away.
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In one study, scientists asked people if they believed in man -made climate change
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and then categorized them as either believers or deniers.
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They then told some that scientists had re -evaluated the data
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and concluded that predictions for the future were much worse than before, while some others were told the situation wasn't nearly as bad as once thought.
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But these facts had an interesting result on their beliefs.
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People who didn't believe in climate change and were told
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that things were going to be much worse completely ignored this fact and their opinions were unchanged.
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But if they were told that things weren't nearly as bad, their beliefs moved much farther in that direction.
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And the same thing happened to those who believed strongly in climate change.
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When told that things are now predicted to be worse, they shifted their opinions more strongly in that direction,
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whereas those told it wouldn't be so bad didn't change their opinions at all.
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The facts only caused people to polarize.
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It turns out that once formed, people's impressions and opinions are extremely perseverant,
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and cognitive scientists say much of this is actually linked to our ability as humans to cooperate,
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a skill that no other animal has to the degree that humans do.
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From hunting and gathering to agriculture and modern computers, our cooperation allows us to rely on one another's expertise instead of knowing everything.
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As a result, we can hardly tell where our own understanding ends and another begins.
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Ultimately, strong beliefs don't actually come from deep understanding.
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This is known as the illusion of explanatory depth.
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If I asked you to rate your understanding of something like a toilet,
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zippers, or computers, chances are you believe you know way more than you actually do.
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Go on and try to explain, step by step, how a toilet or a zipper functions in detail.
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Sometimes this simple act can expose how baseless ours or another's opinion is.
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In one study when participants were asked to rate their opinions of public policies like healthcare, and then later asked to explain,
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in as much detail as possible, the impact of implementing those policies, they would quickly turn down the intensity of their beliefs,
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having been exposed to their own ignorance.
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How else can we overcome these tendencies and convince people in an argument?
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It turns out that we need to focus on the common motive, as put by Tylee Sherat, a cognitive neuroscientist.
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That is, focus on the motives and things you can agree on.
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One study looking at parents afraid to vaccinate their children because of the fear of autism, found that if they simply told them the facts,
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that the science shows there's no link between the two, they wouldn't listen.
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But when they focused on the common goal of protecting the children, and explained what vaccines are meant to prevent things like measles,
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mumps, polio, tetanus, and how those diseases impact children who get them, without even mentioning autism, they were more likely to have their kids vaccinated after.
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Finally, humans are known to have something called an in -group and out -group bias.
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We tend to be skeptical of outsiders, or people who we see as different from us.
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This can come in the form of race, religion, physical traits, gender, but also in the form of ideas.
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So people who don't share your ideas are part of your out -group.
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Studies have been done to show that
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if you can find a way to relate to people and have them see you in a different light,
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to see you as part of their in -group, they're much more likely to listen to you than if they think you are nothing like them.
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Find a group that you're both part of and use that as a point of personal connection.
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Now, if you've ever wanted to challenge your own opinions or become more aware of those opinions contrary to your own,
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then you should definitely check out
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Bubble, a really awesome new company that I love, which uses machine learning to send you stuff you'll like,
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but with a twist of also sending stuff that will nudge you outside of your filter bubble.
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It's a cool tool that first analyzes you and your interests through questions,
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pictures, and videos, and then helps you flex your mental muscles with some stuff that wouldn't normally be in your feed.
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It's a really nice way to expose yourself to a broader view of the world online, And it's completely free.
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You can check out the chatbot on Facebook by clicking the link below
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and then clicking the get started button to launch the chatbot.
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Help mind your feed and feed your mind.
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And subscribe for more weekly science videos every Thursday.
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This speaking lesson is built on the video “How Can You Change Somebody's Opinion?”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: opinion, study, beliefs, scientist, convince. This video has 6 sentences and 913 words to shadow. The speech runs for 4:37. The speaker talks fast, about 198 words per minute, so expect linked and reduced sounds. 85% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| belief noun | /bɪˈliːf/ | Mental acceptance of a claim as true. |
| convince verb | /kənˈvɪns/ | To make someone believe, or feel sure about something, especially by using logic, argument or evidence. |
| scientist noun | /ˈsaɪəntəst/ | One whose activities make use of the scientific method to answer questions regarding the measurable universe. A scientist may be involved in original research… |
| expose verb | /ɪkˈspoʊz/ | To reveal; to uncover; to make visible; to bring to light. |
| strongly adverb | /ˈstɹɔŋli/ | In a strong or powerful manner. |
| toilet verb | /ˈtɔɪ.lət/ | To assist another (a child, etc.) in using a toilet. |
| cognitive adjective | /ˈkɑɡ.nɪ.tɪv/ | Relating to the part of mental functions that deals with logic, as opposed to affective which deals with emotions. |
| vaccine noun | /vækˈsin/ | A substance given to stimulate a body's production of antibodies and provide immunity against a disease without causing the disease itself in the treatment… |
| autism noun | /ˈɔːtɪzəm/ | Autism spectrum disorder, a condition characterized by impairment in social communication and interaction, as well as a need or strong preference for… |
| motive noun | /ˈmoʊtɪv/ | An incentive to act in a particular way; a reason or emotion that makes one want to do something; anything that prompts a choice of action. |
| ignore verb | /ɪɡˈnɔː/ | To deliberately not listen or pay attention to. |
| successfully adverb | /səkˈsɛs.fə.li/ | In a successful manner; with success; without failing. |
| explanation noun | /ˌɛkspləˈneɪʃən/ | The act or process of explaining. |
| muscle noun | /ˈmʌs.əl/ | A contractile form of tissue which animals use to effect movement. |
| strategic adjective | /stɹəˈti.dʒɪk/ | Of or pertaining to strategy. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| check out verb | To record the departure or withdrawal of someone or something (such as guests, employees, books, etc.). | |
| turn out verb | To end up; to result. | |
| get through verb | /ɡɛt ˈθɹu/ | To overcome; to endure. |
| turn down verb | To refuse, decline, or deny. |
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | were told · were unchanged · are now predicted |
| Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thing | People who didn · those who believed · children who get |
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | have been done · you've ever wanted |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 19 contractions and reduced forms, such as don't, wouldn't, you're. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: explanation /ˌɛkspləˈneɪʃən/, impression /ɪmˈpɹɛʃn̩/, cooperation /koʊˌɑ.pəˈɹeɪ.ʃən/, rationalize /ˈɹæʃənəlaɪz/
- Long words — get the stress right: successfully /səkˈsɛs.fə.li/, explanation /ˌɛkspləˈneɪʃən/, agriculture /ˈæɡ.ɹɪˌkʌl.t͡ʃɚ/, cooperation /koʊˌɑ.pəˈɹeɪ.ʃən/, intensity /ɪnˈtɛnsɪti/
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 belief, convince, scientist.
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.