Shadowing Practice: How does acupuncture work? | RMIT University - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This C1 speaking lesson is built on the video “How does acupuncture work?”. This video has 15 sentences and 190 words to shadow. The speech runs for 1:37. The speaker talks at a steady 117 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. 83% 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
The 15 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| muscle noun | /ˈmʌs.əl/ | A contractile form of tissue which animals use to effect movement. |
| restore verb | /ɹɪˈstoɹ/ | To reestablish, or bring back into existence. |
| needle noun | /ˈniː.dəl/ | A long, thin, sharp implement usually for piercing as in sewing, embroidery, acupuncture, tattooing, body piercing, medical injections, sutures, etc; or a… |
| involve verb | /ɪnˈvɑlv/ | To have (something) as a component or a related part; to comprise, to include. |
| chronic adjective | /ˈkɹɑ.nɪk/ | Of a problem, that continues over an extended period of time. |
| jam noun | /ˈd͡ʒæm/ | A sweet mixture of fruit boiled with sugar and allowed to congeal. Often spread on bread or toast or used in jam tarts |
| nicely adverb | /ˈnaɪs.li/ | Precisely; with fine discernment or judgement. |
| acute adjective | /əˈkjut/ | Brief, quick, short. |
| therapeutic adjective | /ˌθɛɹ.əˈpjuː.tɪk/ | Of, or relating to therapy. |
| respiratory adjective | /ɹɪˈspɪ.ɹət.ə.ɹi/ | Relating to respiration or the organs of respiration; breathing. |
| stimulate verb | /ˈstɪm.jəˌleɪt/ | To encourage into action. |
| meridian noun | /məˈɹɪ.di.ən/ | In full celestial meridian: a great circle passing through the poles of the celestial sphere and the zenith for a particular point on the Earth's surface. |
| acupuncture noun | /ˈæ.kjuˌpʌŋk.t͡ʃɝ/ | The insertion of needles into the (living) tissue of the body affecting the Qi or energy along energetic pathways of the body called meridians. This modality… |
| divert verb | /daɪˈvɝt/ | To turn aside from a course. |
| gastric adjective | /ˈɡæstɹɪk/ | Of or relating to the stomach. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| break down verb | To stop functioning. |
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 | being fixed |
Pronunciation to watch
- Long words — get the stress right: therapeutic /ˌθɛɹ.əˈpjuː.tɪk/, respiratory /ɹɪˈspɪ.ɹət.ə.ɹi/, meridian /məˈɹɪ.di.ən/, acupuncture /ˈæ.kjuˌpʌŋk.t͡ʃɝ/
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 muscle, restore, needle.
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.