Shadowing Practice: How Old Can You Get? - Learn English Speaking with Video
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13 sentences
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1
So, how old can you get?
2
When people die of old age, they really die from age-related diseases like heart issues, cancer or respiratory diseases.
3
Sadly, most of them can't be cured today, but let's assume for a minute that they could be in the near future.
4
As soon as an organ fails, we could replace it and live on for as long as we want it, right?
5
Here's the bad news.
6
There's a passionate scientific debate around whether or not there's a limit to the human lifespan.
7
Scientists currently place this limit around 120 years and think it's linked to human biochemistry.
8
When we age, the DNA in our cells loses its ability to multiply, which limits the amount of damage our bodies can repair.
9
So, what's the good news?
10
Science has made huge progress in aging research and found many promising tools that might slow, stop or reverse aging.
11
And, without aging, death might be postponed much longer, pushing our limit to 200 years without any trouble.
12
To live even longer, we'd have to change our entire biochemistry.
13
But then, would we still be human?
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This C1 speaking lesson is built on the video “How Old Can You Get?”. This video has 13 sentences and 186 words to shadow. The speech runs for 0:57. The speaker talks fast, about 197 words per minute, so expect linked and reduced sounds. 87% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English; the rest is worth studying before you start. 4 of its 13 sentences are questions, so it is good practice for question intonation and short answers.
Key vocabulary in this video
The 12 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| repair verb | /ˈɹiːpɛɚ/ | To restore to good working order, fix, or improve damaged condition; to mend; to remedy. |
| reverse noun | /ɹɪˈvɝs/ | The opposite of something. |
| cure verb | /kjɔː/ | To restore to health. |
| 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… |
| sadly adverb | /ˈsædli/ | In a sad manner; sorrowfully. |
| organ noun | /ˈɔːɡən/ | The larger part of an organism, composed of tissues that perform similar functions. |
| passionate adjective | /ˈpæʃənɪt/ | Fired with intense feeling. |
| respiratory adjective | /ɹɪˈspɪ.ɹət.ə.ɹi/ | Relating to respiration or the organs of respiration; breathing. |
| biochemistry noun | /ˌbaɪəʊˈkɛmɪstɹi/ | The chemistry of those compounds that occur in living organisms, and the processes that occur in their metabolism and catabolism; the study of such chemistry. |
| lifespan noun | /ˈlaɪf.spæn/ | The length of time for which an organism lives. |
| multiply verb | /ˈmʌltɪplaɪ/ | To increase the amount, degree or number of (something). |
| postpone verb | /pəʊstˈpəʊn/ | To delay or put off an event, appointment, etc. |
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 | can't be cured · might be postponed |
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | has made |
Pronunciation to watch
- Long words — get the stress right: respiratory /ɹɪˈspɪ.ɹət.ə.ɹi/, biochemistry /ˌbaɪəʊˈkɛmɪstɹi/
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 repair, reverse, cure.
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.