Shadowing Practice: Is technology making life better or worse? - Learn English Speaking with Video
Choose a practice mode
Each mode opens a full-screen practice room.
Download App
Everything you need to speak fluently
Recommend Video
B2TECHNOLOGY 1: What technology do people currently use?
C1Social Media Corrupts Human Interactions | Jack Symonds | Part 1 of 6
C1Are We Eating Better – C1 English Listening Test
C1Anti-matter & nuclear weapons: Why technology is always a double-edge sword | Don Lincoln
C1Technology Made Us Human
B2Advantages and Disadvantages of AI
B2IELTS Speaking Part 3: Technology and Young People
B1Will humans become supermachines? – B1+ English Listening Test
C1Nishad Sanzagiri | Technology Empires Debate | Proposition (1/6)
C1ALBRECHT FUND SHADOWING_Technology Magnifies Who We Are
C1Nanotechnology: technology on a small scale | IELTS LISTENING TEST | SECTION-4
B2How Cell Phones Impact Our Relationships
Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This B2 speaking lesson is built on the video “Is technology making life better or worse?”. This video has 12 sentences and 136 words to shadow. The speech runs for 0:58. The speaker talks at a steady 141 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. 7 of its 12 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 |
|---|---|---|
| defend verb | /dɪˈfɪnd/ | To ward off attacks against (something or someone). |
| connect verb | /kəˈnɛkt/ | To join (to another object): to attach, or to be intended to attach or capable of attaching, to another object. |
| engage verb | /ɪnˈɡeɪd͡ʒ/ | To engross or hold the attention of; to keep busy or occupied. |
| explore verb | /ɪkˈsploɹ/ | To examine or investigate something systematically. |
| interaction noun | /ˌɪn.təˈɹæk.ʃən/ | The situation or occurrence in which two or more things act upon one another to produce an effect; the effect resulting from such a situation or occurrence. |
| con verb | /kɑn/ | To trick, lie or defraud, usually for personal gain. |
| publish verb | /ˈpʌblɪʃ/ | To issue (something, such as printed work) for distribution and/or sale. |
| metric adjective | /ˈmɛt.ɹɪk/ | Of or relating to the metric system of measurement. |
| distract verb | /dɪˈstɹækt/ | To divert the attention of. |
| misinformation noun | /ˌmɪs.ɪn.fɚˈmeɪ.ʃən/ | Information that is incorrect, whether intentionally or unintentionally. |
| sedentary adjective | /ˈsɛd.ən.tɛɹ.i/ | Not moving; relatively still; staying in the vicinity. |
| unimaginable adjective | /ˌʌnɪˈmædʒɪnəbəl/ | Unable to be imagined; inconceivable or mind-boggling; beyond belief. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- Do our devices bring us together or are they separating us?
- Are we more distracted or are we more engaged?
- What are the effects of adding metrics to our social interactions?
Pronunciation to watch
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: interaction /ˌɪn.təˈɹæk.ʃən/, publish /ˈpʌblɪʃ/, misinformation /ˌmɪs.ɪn.fɚˈmeɪ.ʃən/
- Long words — get the stress right: interaction /ˌɪn.təˈɹæk.ʃən/, misinformation /ˌmɪs.ɪn.fɚˈmeɪ.ʃən/, sedentary /ˈsɛd.ən.tɛɹ.i/, unimaginable /ˌʌnɪˈmædʒɪnəbəl/
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 defend, connect, engage.
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.