Shadowing Practice: John Lennox: "The Artificial in AI is real" - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This video has 10 sentences and 113 words to shadow. The speech runs for 0:51. The speaker talks at a steady 132 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing.
Key vocabulary in this video
10 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| artificial adjective | /ˌɑː.tɪˈfɪʃ.əl/ | Man-made; made by humans; of artifice. |
| topic noun | /ˈtɑpɪk/ | A subject; a theme; a category or general area of interest. |
| pioneer noun | /ˌpaɪ.əˈnɪɹ/ | One who goes before, as into the wilderness, preparing the way for others to follow. |
| simulate verb | /ˈsɪm.jə.lət/ | To model, replicate, duplicate the behavior, appearance or properties of. |
| rejoice verb | /ɹɪˈd͡ʒɔɪs/ | To be very happy, be delighted, exult; to feel joy. |
| intelligence noun | /ɪnˈtɛl.ɪ.d͡ʒəns/ | The capacity of mind, especially to understand principles, truths, facts or meanings, acquire knowledge, and apply it to practice; the ability to comprehend… |
| degree noun | /dɪˈɡɹiː/ | A completed curriculum of study in tertiary education. |
| seriously adverb | /ˈsɪɹ.i.əs.li/ | In a serious or literal manner. |
| professor noun | /pɹəˈfɛs.ə/ | The most senior rank for an academic at a university or similar institution. |
| basic adjective | /ˈbeɪsɪk/ | Necessary, essential for life or some process. |
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | We've never been |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 3 contractions and reduced forms, such as you're, we've. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- Long words — get the stress right: artificial /ˌɑː.tɪˈfɪʃ.əl/, intelligence /ɪnˈtɛl.ɪ.d͡ʒəns/, seriously /ˈsɪɹ.i.əs.li/
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 artificial, topic, pioneer.
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.