Shadowing Practice: Learn English quickly with podcast | English learning Conversation | Episode 1 - Learn English Speaking with Video

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Hello, everyone.

Welcome to another Lesson at English Pod.

My name is Marco.

My name is Catherine.

So, Marco, what are we talking about today?

Today, we're going to be talking about a popular topic all over the world, and that is smoking.

Well, not so popular in the States right now, to be honest.

Well, that's the thing.

In every country in the world, now they are becoming more strict on smoking and where you can smoke.

So, it's becoming very difficult for smokers nowadays.

Well, it's a good reason to want to quit.

And that's what we're going to be talking about today is quitting smoking.

Well, before we get going, we do have a really important phrase that we should preview in today's Vocabulary Preview.

Vocabulary Preview.

Alright, so on Vocabulary Preview, we're going to take a look at this word, pack of smokes.

Pack of smokes.

A pack of smokes.

So smokes is a word for cigarettes.

It's the same thing.

Smokes or cigarettes.

Right.

But a pack is, you know, like 20 cigarettes.

It's a box of cigarettes.

You buy them in a pack.

You don't just buy one at a time.

So, again, the phrase is pack of smokes.

Pack of smokes.

So, why don't we listen to our dialogue for the first time and see what's going on with this smoker.

Ah, it smells like an ashtrain here.

hi honey what's wrong why do you have

that look on your face what's wrong i thought we agreed

you were going to quit smoking no i said i was going to cut down

which is very different you can't just expect me to go

cold turkey overnight look there are other ways to quit you can try the nicotine patch

or nicotine chewing gum we spend a fortune on cigarettes every month

and now laws are cracking down and not allowing smoking in any public place.

It's not like you can just light up like before.

I know, I know.

I really am trying, but I don't have the willpower to just quit.

I can't fight with the urge to reach for my pack of smokes in the morning with coffee or after lunch.

Please understand.

Fine.

I want a divorce.

sorry i just um just smoked a pack of cig you do smoke don't you well we'll talk about

that later all right so it is a little bit extreme though i mean he's divorcing her

because she won't quit well some people really are health conscious

and are afraid of the negative side of smoking which has a lot of health side effects.

Yeah.

Well, as he was complaining about all the negative effects and the negative aspects of smoking, he did mention, both of them mentioned a lot of great words and phrases.

So why don't we take a look at them now in Language Takeaway.

Language Takeaway.

Well, this first word is a word that's very important for any smoker who goes to a bar

or a restaurant and needs to put the ash somewhere, right?

So when you smoke, there's some ash.

There's some messy, dirty stuff.

And you need an ashtray to collect it.

An ashtray.

So an ashtray is something that's usually round or square, and you put it on a table, and it's just very helpful to keep the house clean or restaurant clean.

So if you're in a restaurant, you say, hey, can I have an ashtray, please?

So the residue or the stuff that when you're smoking, it comes out the gray, I don't know, like dust.

It's called ash.

Right.

And this is a tray

but the complaint here is oh it smells like an ashtray in here

that means it smells really really bad in here yeah it smells like cigarettes yeah

so that word again is ashtray ashtray all right well

and the guy was complaining and he said well I thought you were gonna quit smoking

and she said no no I said I was going to

cut down she says it's very different from quitting smoking so So, Marco, maybe we should talk about how cutting down and quitting are different.

All right.

So, if I say I'm going to cut down on smoking, it's just I'm going to smoke less.

Okay.

So, let's take an example.

I smoke 10 cigarettes a day, but I want to cut down.

How many should I smoke later?

Maybe...

Like two or three.

Two or three.

Instead of quitting.

So, if you quit smoking, that would mean zero.

Zero cigarettes.

No smoking anymore.

Right.

All right.

So, you can also cut down on carbs like carbohydrates.

So some people who cut down on carbs eat less bread.

They don't eat any pasta.

So these are really good ways of trying to talk about dieting as well as smoking.

Right.

And I think we have a couple of examples of other ways we can use this phrase cut down

so let's listen to them now Example 1 Our company has decided to cut down our workload,

so from now on, we leave at 3 p .m every Friday.

Example 2 You should really cut down on the amount of salt you eat.

It's not good for you.

Example 3 My doctor told me I need to cut down on fatty foods because of my heart condition.

and when you want to smoke a cigarette you have to do something first with some fire

so we call this lighting up to light up

so lighting up it doesn't mean turning on the light it actually means using a lighter

or some fire to start your cigarette right

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so you want to light up with the lighter matches

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or some sort of fire the man says the husband says

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it's not like you can just light up like before

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that means it's not like you can just smoke like before

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so in some cases light up means to smoke a cigarette we're in a movie theater

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and someone lights a cigarette and I say oh you can't light up in here right

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so you can't smoke in here you can't smoke it's another way of saying smoking very good

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and she was explaining you know how difficult it is

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and she's trying to quit

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but she said I don't have the willpower to just quit ooh willpower so this is an important word.

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Willpower.

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Willpower.

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You think of the main part of this word is will.

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That means the desire to do something.

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You want to do something.

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So if I have willpower, I have strong willpower, what am I saying?

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You're saying that you can make a decision and you can follow your decision.

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So I decide not to eat cake.

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I have very strong willpower so I never eat cake.

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If I don't have strong willpower, maybe I sometimes secretly eat cake in the middle of the night from my refrigerator

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so that happens right sometimes you don't have strong enough willpower

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so you kind of eat a little bit of cake yeah nobody's watching exactly

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and you can have willpower about lots of different things

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so this is a great word again to use

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when you're talking about dieting or smoking

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or drinking any type of maybe temptation exactly all right

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and well she said she had this urge to reach for

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her pack of smokes who urge is another good one it's very similar to willpower, but an urge is kind of like a physical feeling that makes you want to do something.

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So you have like this strong desire.

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So I have the urge to go swimming today.

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I don't know why, but I really want to.

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All right.

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You have an urge.

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Interesting word.

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Pregnant women often have these kinds of things too.

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I have the urge to do something.

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We also call them cravings.

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Cravings or urge to do something.

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All right.

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Interesting.

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So we've taken a look at these five great words, and I think we should listen to our dialogue again.

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We're going to slow it down just a little bit, and then we'll come back and talk some more.

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Ugh, it smells like an ashtray in here.

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Hi, honey.

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What's wrong?

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Why do you have that look on your face?

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What's wrong?

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I thought we agreed that you were going to quit smoking.

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No. I said I was going to cut down, which is very different.

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You can't just expect me to go cold turkey overnight.

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Look, there are other ways to quit.

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You can try the nicotine patch or nicotine chewing gum.

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We spend a fortune on cigarettes every month, and now laws are cracking down and not allowing smoking in any public place.

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It's not like you can just light up like before.

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I know, I know.

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I really am trying, but I don't have the willpower to just quit.

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I can't fight with the urge to reach for my pack of smokes in the morning with coffee or after lunch.

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Please understand.

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Fine.

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I want a divorce. And we are back,

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so we have a great part of our show where we like to talk about some phrases that help you attain fluency.

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That means sounding like a native speaker of English.

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And today's phrases are wonderful.

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All right.

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So let's take a look at them now in Fluency Builder.

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So on Fluency Builder today, let's take a look at two different phrases.

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And let's start with the first one.

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She mentioned something about going cold turkey overnight.

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What is that phrase, cold turkey?

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Now, this is a very strange phrase.

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Okay.

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So first of all, why would a turkey be cold?

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They have lots of feathers.

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And second of all, what does it have to do with cigarettes?

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Right.

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So, if I say, I'm going cold turkey, what is that?

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So, just take this as a phrase.

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Don't think about the actual words, because they won't make sense in this context.

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What we're talking about is quitting smoking entirely.

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You're not going to cut down.

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It means, today, I'm not going to smoke at all, and I'm never going to smoke again.

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That means, never, ever will I smoke another cigarette.

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So, it's cold turkey.

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So, if I go cold turkey, it means I stop doing something immediately and suddenly and forever.

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Entirely.

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All right.

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So, you can use this phrase for different habits, different things that you do, like drinking, for example, or cutting down on sugar.

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But generally, we just say this about cigarettes.

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So, it's mostly related to smoking.

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Yeah.

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Going cold turkey.

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Some people like to smoke less, like one cigarette a day or one cigarette a week.

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But going cold turkey is supposed to be the hardest.

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Right.

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Okay going cold turkey all right

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and well he was explaining the different negative aspects of smoking

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said well you know they spend a fortune on cigarettes every month

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and he said laws are cracking down so

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if the laws are cracking down well what is he trying

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to say there well this is actually a very interesting point

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because in America right now it's very hard to smoke in public places

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so this means that the government is trying to stop people from smoking

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so they say no No more smoking in public places.

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No more smoking in restaurants.

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No more smoking in bars.

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And so this means they're cracking down.

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They're making it harder to do something.

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So they are becoming more strict.

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I think for this phrase, we should listen to a couple of more examples just to make sure we understand it.

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Example one.

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The police are cracking down on drunk driving in our city.

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Example two.

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Our school has really started to crack down on tardiness.

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Example 3 The president has passed a law that will crack down possession of illegal substances.

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Alright, so the government is cracking down.

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Laws are cracking down.

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Yeah, exactly.

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So this is an important one because you read this in the newspapers as well about certain laws and police action.

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Alright, great.

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So I think it's time for us to listen to this dialogue for one last time

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And then we'll come back and talk a little bit more about this vice It smells like an ashtrain here

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Hi, honey, what's wrong?

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Why do you have that look on your face?

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What's wrong?

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I thought we agreed you were gonna quit smoking no I said I was gonna cut down

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which is very different you can't just expect me to go

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cold turkey overnight look there are other ways to quit you can try the nicotine patch

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or nicotine chewing gum we spend a fortune on cigarettes every month

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and now laws are cracking down

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and not allowing smoking in any public place it's not like

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you can just light up like before I know I know I really am trying

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but I don't have the willpower to just quit.

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I can't fight with the urge to reach for my pack of smokes in the morning with coffee or after lunch.

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Please understand.

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Fine.

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I want a divorce.

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So, do you have a problem with this vice, as you call it?

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Are you a smoker?

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I'm really not.

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I'm the type of person that could maybe smoke socially, like if we go out to a bar with drinks.

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A social smoker like they call it, right?

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Yeah, I'm jealous.

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But not really.

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You're a habitual smoker, right?

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Right.

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Well, I was.

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I'm trying to cut down.

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So as a habitual smoker, I often smoked every day.

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Sometimes I smoked a lot and sometimes I smoke less.

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But right now I'm in a period where I'm mostly quit.

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Okay, almost.

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Yeah, well, I haven't smoked in a while.

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And when I do, it's just one cigarette.

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Now, it is interesting because like we mentioned, laws are cracking down on where you can smoke but also taxes

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and cigarettes are becoming much more expensive right absolutely especially where

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I'm from in Chicago it's easy to spend maybe 10 US dollars

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or 12 US dollars on one pack of cigarettes on a pack of cigarettes imagine

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that so and you have people that can't help smoking one

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or two packs a day so how much is

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that a month it's just an amazing amount as well

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and I have to say though a lot of my friends who used to smoke in America have quit

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so this is maybe working.

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The whole thing of making cigarettes more expensive.

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Yeah, making them much more expensive.

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Now, another interesting thing, and what I was reading recently is that, you know, those warnings that come on cigarette packs that say, you know, smoking kills, smoking causes cancer.

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Actually, a study has proven that it's not effective, that people don't mind it or even worry about the cautions on the cigarette packages.

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Well, as a smoker, I could say that, yeah, you generally, if you're going to smoke a cigarette, don't look at the label that much.

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You just, you know, You know, you throw it in your bag and you forget about it.

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But it's actually gotten to the point where people choose the cigarette pack based on the picture.

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So it's like, oh, yeah, give me the one with the black lungs or give me that one.

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Oh, God.

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Yeah, it's interesting.

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So it's not really working.

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I guess we're going to have to find other ways to make people more conscious about this vice.

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We should.

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What is smoking?

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Smoking is a habit that many people have.

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Some people smoke every day, while others smoke only sometimes.

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There are also people who try smoking once and never do it again.

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But what exactly is smoking?

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How does it work?

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What happens when someone smokes?

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In this part, we will discuss smoking in detail.

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Smoking has been around for hundreds of years.

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In the past, people smoked tobacco in pipes and cigars.

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Today, most people smoke cigarettes.

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Some people also use electronic cigarettes, which are called e -cigarettes or vapes.

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These are different from normal cigarettes, but they still contain nicotine.

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What is smoking?

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Smoking means burning a substance and inhaling the smoke into the lungs.

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The most common substance that people smoke is tobacco.

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Tobacco comes from a plant, and it is dried and rolled into cigarettes.

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When a person lights a cigarette, the tobacco burns, and they breathe in the smoke.

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When people smoke, they take in many chemicals.

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Some of these chemicals can be very harmful to the body.

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Smoking does not only affect the person who smokes, it can also affect the people around them.

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The smoke from a cigarette spreads in the air, and other people may breathe it in.

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This is called passive smoking, or secondhand smoking.

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How do people smoke?

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There are different ways that people smoke.

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The most common way is by using cigarettes.

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A cigarette is a small roll of tobacco wrapped in paper.

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A person lights one end and breathes in the smoke.

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Some people also use cigars.

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A cigar is bigger and thicker than a cigarette.

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It has more tobacco and produces more smoke.

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Some people believe cigars are more expensive and special, so they smoke them on special occasions.

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Another way of smoking is using a pipe.

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In the past, many people used pipes to smoke tobacco.

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The tobacco is put inside the bowl of the pipe, and the person inhales the smoke through a long tube.

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Today, pipes are less common, but some people still use them.

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Some people also use hookahs or shishas.

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A hookah is a water pipe that is used for smoking flavored tobacco.

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It is popular in some cultures, and people often smoke it in groups.

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However, smoking a hookah can be just as harmful as smoking cigarettes.

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In recent years, electronic cigarettes, e -cigarettes, or vapes have become more popular.

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These devices do not burn tobacco.

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Instead, they heat a liquid that turns into vapor.

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People inhale the vapor in the same way they inhale cigarette smoke.

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Many people think vaping is safer than smoking, but it still contains nicotine and other chemicals.

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What happens when a person smokes?

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When a person smokes a cigarette, the smoke goes into their lungs.

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From the lungs, the chemicals in the smoke enter the bloodstream.

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This means the chemicals travel through the whole body.

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Nicotine, the addictive substance in tobacco, affects the brain.

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It makes the person feel calm or happy for a short time.

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However, this feeling does not last long.

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After some time, the person wants to smoke again.

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This is why smoking is addictive.

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The more a person smokes, the more their body gets used to nicotine.

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If they try to stop smoking, they may feel uncomfortable or stressed.

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This is called nicotine withdrawal.

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Many people find it very difficult to quit smoking because of this.

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Does smoking only affect the smoker?

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Many people think that smoking only affects the person who smokes.

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But this is not true.

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Smoking can also harm the people around the smoker.

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When a person smokes, the smoke spreads in the air.

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If another person breathes this smoke, it can harm their health too.

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This is called secondhand smoking, or passive smoking.

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Secondhand smoke can be especially dangerous for children, pregnant women, and older people.

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Even if a person does not smoke, breathing in smoke from others can still cause serious health problems.

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Why do people start smoking?

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Smoking is a habit that millions of people around the world develop at some point in their lives.

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Some people start smoking when they are young, while others begin later in life.

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Even though people know that smoking is harmful, many still choose to start.

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It is interesting to understand what leads people to take that first cigarette and why they continue.

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There are many different influences that encourage people to smoke.

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Sometimes, it happens because of the environment they live in, the people they spend time with, or the situations they face.

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The first time a person smokes is often not because they truly want to, but because of a moment,

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a situation, or a feeling that pushes them to try it.

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One of the most common reasons a person smokes for the first time is exposure.

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If someone grows up in a house where family members smoke, they might see it as a normal activity.

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They watch their parents, older siblings, or relatives lighting cigarettes every day.

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And after a while, it does not seem strange or bad.

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It becomes something usual, like drinking tea or having a meal.

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When they get older, they might feel that smoking is just another part of life, and they do not question it.

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Sometimes, friends play a big role in influencing a person to smoke.

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If a person is in a group where most people smoke, they might feel pressure to join in.

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No one wants to feel left out or different, so they pick up a cigarette to fit in.

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They may not even like the taste or feeling of smoking at first, but they continue because it helps them feel included.

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Over time, what started as an occasional activity becomes a habit, and eventually, an addiction.

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Media and advertisements have also played a role in encouraging people to smoke, In the past, movies, TV shows,

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and magazines often showed famous actors, musicians, or models smoking.

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These people looked stylish, confident, and successful.

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Many young people believed that smoking was a sign of maturity and independence.

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When they saw their favorite celebrity smoking, they thought it made them look strong and interesting.

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Even today, although smoking advertisements are banned in many countries, people still see characters in film smoking,

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making it seem exciting or attractive.

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Another reason people start smoking is the belief that it helps with stress.

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Life can be difficult, and everyone faces problems.

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Some people go through hard times at work, at school, or in their personal lives.

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When they see others smoking to relax, they think it might help them too.

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After smoking, they may feel calm for a short time, but this feeling does not last.

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In reality, smoking does not remove stress.

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It only creates a cycle where the person feels they need to smoke more to feel better.

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Curiosity also leads many people to try smoking.

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Sometimes, a person simply wonders what it feels like to smoke.

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They see other people doing it and start to think, what does it taste like?

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How does it make people feel?

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This curiosity can be strong enough to make them take a cigarette and try it, just once.

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However, for many, that one cigarette turns into another.

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And soon, they find themselves smoking regularly.

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Some people start smoking because they believe it will help them lose weight.

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There is a common belief that smoking reduces hunger, making people eat less.

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For some, this seems like an easy way to stay slim.

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They think that instead of eating snacks, they can just smoke a cigarette.

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While it may be true that nicotine affects appetite, this is not a healthy way to control weight.

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Smoking damages the body in many ways and can cause serious health problems.

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In some cultures and societies, smoking is connected to traditions and social events.

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In certain places, people smoke when they meet friends, when they celebrate, or even when they discuss important topics.

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Some communities see smoking as a symbol of respect or hospitality.

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If a person grows up in such an environment, they may feel that smoking is just a natural part of life.

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They might not even think about whether it is good or bad.

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They simply accept it as something normal.

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There are also people who start smoking because they believe it helps them concentrate.

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Some students and professionals think that smoking makes them more focused, especially when they're studying or working on something important.

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They might see older students or colleagues smoking during breaks and assume that it improves their ability to think clearly.

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This belief makes them try smoking, hoping it will give them the same benefits.

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In some cases, people smoke because they want to rebel.

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They want to feel independent, or break the rules set by parents, teachers, or society.

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Teenagers, in particular, often feel the need to prove that they can make their own choices.

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If smoking is seen as something forbidden, it becomes even more tempting.

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They light a cigarette to show that they are in control of their lives.

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What starts as an act of rebellion can quickly become a habit that is hard to break.

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Many people do not think about the long -term effects of smoking when they start.

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They assume that they can stop anytime they want.

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They believe that smoking a few cigarettes will not cause harm.

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However, over time, their body gets used to nicotine and quitting becomes difficult.

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What began as an occasional activity turns into a daily routine.

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Before they realize it, they are addicted.

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One important thing to understand is that smoking does not bring any real benefit.

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The things that make people start fitting in, curiosity, stress relief, or rebellion, are only temporary feelings.

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The risks and dangers of smoking, however, are very real and long -lasting.

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Once a person starts smoking, it can be very difficult to stop.

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The effects of smoking.

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Smoking is not just a simple habit.

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it is something that affects the body, mind, and even the people around the smoker.

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When a person smokes, they might not notice the effects immediately.

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At first, smoking may feel like a small activity that helps them relax or fit in with friends.

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However, over time, smoking starts to change many things in life.

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It affects health, relationships, daily activities, and even the environment.

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The effects of smoking can be divided into different areas.

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The most serious impact is on health.

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Every time a person smokes, harmful chemicals enter their body.

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These chemicals affect different parts of the body in different ways.

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The lungs, heart, and even the skin start to change.

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Breathing becomes more difficult and the body becomes weaker.

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Many smokers experience coughing, shortness of breath, and tiredness.

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These are just the early signs.

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As time goes on, more serious health problems can develop.

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The lungs are one of the first organs to be affected.

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A healthy person breathes easily, and their lungs work smoothly.

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But smoking damages the lungs, making it harder to breathe.

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Smokers often feel like they are out of breath after simple activities like walking or climbing stairs.

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They also cough more because their lungs try to clear out the harmful substances from cigarettes.

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Over time, these problems can turn into serious diseases.

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The heart is another organ that suffers because of smoking.

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A strong heart is necessary for a healthy life.

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But smoking weakens it.

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The chemicals in cigarettes make the heart work harder, increasing the risk of heart disease.

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Smokers are more likely to have high blood pressure, heart attacks, and other heart problems.

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Even young smokers can develop heart -related issues if they continue smoking for a long time.

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Smoking also affects the skin.

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Many people do not realize this, but cigarettes can change how a person looks.

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Smokers often develop wrinkles earlier than non -smokers.

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Their skin becomes dull, dry, and loses its natural glow.

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This is because smoking reduces the amount of oxygen that reaches the skin.

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As a result, smokers may look older than they really are.

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Another serious effect of smoking is on the immune system.

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The immune system is responsible for protecting the body from illness.

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A strong immune system fights infections and helps the body heal quickly.

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However, smoking weakens this defense.

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Smokers get sick more often and take longer to recover from common illnesses like colds and flu.

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Wounds and cuts also heal more slowly because smoking reduces blood flow.

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The negative effects of smoking do not stop with the person who smokes.

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People around smokers are also affected, even if they do not smoke themselves.

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This is called second -hand smoke.

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When a person smokes, the smoke spreads into the air.

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Family members, friends, and even strangers nearby breathe in this smoke, which can harm their health.

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Babies, children, and elderly people are especially at risk.

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Pregnant women who smoke can also harm their unborn babies.

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Smoking during pregnancy increases the chances of health problems for the baby, such as low birth weight or breathing difficulties.

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Even after birth, babies who live in a house with a smoker are more likely to have health problems like asthma or frequent colds.

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The environment also suffers because of smoking.

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Cigarette smoke pollutes the air, and cigarette butts create waste.

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Many smokers throw cigarette butts on the ground, in parks, or on the streets.

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These small pieces of trash take years to break down and often end up in rivers, lakes, and oceans.

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They harm animals and the environment.

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Forest fires are sometimes started by people who throw away burning cigarettes carelessly.

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Smoking does not only affect health and the environment.

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It also has financial effects.

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Cigarettes are expensive.

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Many smokers spend a large amount of money on cigarettes every month.

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If a person smokes for many years, they spend thousands of dollars on cigarettes.

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This money could be used for better things buying healthy food, traveling, education, or saving for the future.

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Many smokers realize too late that smoking has taken a lot from them, not just their health, but also their money.

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Smoking also affects personal and social relationships.

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Many non -smokers do not like being around smokers because of the smell of cigarettes.

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The smell stays on clothes, hair, and even in homes and cars.

480

Some people find it unpleasant, and this can create distance in relationships.

481

Smokers may also find it difficult to be in places where smoking is not allowed, such as restaurants, offices, or public transportation.

482

This can limit their activities and make them feel uncomfortable in social situations.

483

For those who have been smoking for a long time, quitting may seem difficult.

484

However, many people have successfully quit smoking and improved their lives.

485

The body begins to heal as soon as a person stops smoking.

486

Breathing becomes easier, energy levels increase, and the risk of serious diseases decreases.

487

Skin starts to look healthier, and the sense of taste and smell improves.

488

The money saved from not buying cigarettes can be used for better things.

489

Quitting smoking is not easy, but it is possible with determination and support.

490

Many people find it helpful to set a goal, seek support from family and friends, or use tools like nicotine patches or counseling.

491

Some people quit immediately, while others do it gradually.

492

Every small step toward quitting is a step toward a healthier life.

493

Conclusion Smoking affects every part of life, health, relationships, finances, and the environment.

494

While it may seem like a small habit at first, its long -term effects are serious.

495

Many people wish they had never started smoking, but the good news is that quitting is always possible.

496

Every person has the power to make the choice to live a healthier life.

497

Understanding the effects of smoking helps people make better decisions.

498

For English learners, reading and discussing topics like this also helps improve language skills while learning about important issues.

499

Smoking is a challenge, but with knowledge and effort, anyone can overcome it.

500

The EnglishPod Audio Review Listen to the meaning, then say the vocabulary word.

501

but reduce the amount taken or used cut down a solid sticky substance

502

that remains when tobacco is burned it accumulates in the lungs of smokers

503

and is considered carcinogenic tar immediate complete withdrawal from something

504

Cold turkey A mechanical device for lighting a cigarette,

505

cigar, or pipe Lighter A patch that slowly releases nicotine into the body Nicotine patch

506

A thin strip of wood or cardboard tipped with a chemical that ignites when scraped against a rough or specially treated surface.

507

Match Gum that slowly releases nicotine into the body.

508

Nicotine chewing gum Smoking a cigarette once, a puff, share a cigarette with someone.

509

Drag To act more forcefully, to regulate or repress

510

crack down to start smoking a cigarette light up

511

the strength of mind to carry out a decision willpower a strong impulse inner drive

512

or yearning urge a A box of cigarettes.

513

Pack of smokes.

514

Let's try that faster.

515

A receptacle for tobacco ashes and cigarettes and cigars.

516

Ashtray.

517

Informal of saying cigarette.

518

Stogie.

519

To start smoking a cigarette.

520

Light up.

521

a strong impulse inner drive or yearning urge a box of cigarettes

522

pack of smokes a solid sticky substance that remains

523

when tobacco is burned it accumulates in the lungs of smokers and is considered carcinogenic

524

tar the strength of mind to carry out a decision

525

willpower the end of the cigarette which contains the filter and is placed into the mouth to smoke

526

but immediate complete withdrawal from something cold turkey a patch

527

that slowly releases nicotine into the body nicotine patch reduce the amount taken

528

or used cut down smoking a cigarette once a puff share

529

a cigarette with someone drag a thin strip of wood

530

or cardboard tipped with a chemical that ignites when scraped against a rough

531

or specially treated surface match a mechanical device for lighting a cigarette cigar

532

or pipe lighter to act more forcefully to regulate or repress

533

crack down gum that slowly releases nicotine into the body nicotine chewing Now,

534

say the word and hear it in a sentence.

535

Crack down.

536

The police is cracking down on drunk driving in our city.

537

Crack down.

538

The president has passed a law that will crack down on possession of illegal substances.

539

Crack down Our school has really started to crack down on tardiness.

540

Cut down You should really cut down on the amount of salt you eat.

541

It's not good for you.

542

Cut down Our company has decided to cut down our workload,

543

so from now on we leave at 3 p .m every Friday.

544

Cut down.

545

My doctor told me I need to cut down on fatty foods because of my heart condition.

546

Light up.

547

Honey, you can't light up here.

548

We are in a non -smoking area.

549

Light up.

550

John is addicted to smoking.

551

Anytime and anywhere he has a chance, he lights up immediately.

552

Light up.

553

The government is making it more difficult to light up with all these anti -smoking laws.

554

Willpower.

555

I don't have the willpower to stick to my diet.

556

It's so hard.

557

Willpower Kathy is a workaholic,

558

she needs to gather more willpower and refuse to work extra hours.

559

Willpower Willpower and discipline are essential to any person that wants to succeed in life.

560

Urge I was so angry at him that I felt a sudden urge to hit him Urge

561

Last night my wife got an uncontrollable urge to smoke every hour It was weird Urge

562

When Carol was pregnant, she once had an urge to eat a bacon and tuna sandwich.

563

It was disgusting.

564

Thank you for listening.

565

We hope you enjoyed this episode and learned something new.

566

Don't forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode.

567

See you next time.

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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson

This video has 567 sentences and 5907 words to shadow. The speech runs for 41:04. The speaker talks at a steady 144 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. 82% 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
cigarette noun	/ˈsɪɡəɹɛt/	A small cigar consisting of tobacco or another substance, wrapped up in a thin roll with paper, intended for smoking.
nicotine noun	/ˈnɪkətiːn/	An alkaloid (C₁₀H₁₄N₂), commonly occurring in the tobacco plant.
crack noun	/kɹæk/	A thin and usually jagged space opened in a previously solid material.
urge verb	/ɜːd͡ʒ/	To press; to push; to drive; to impel; to force onward.
tobacco noun	/təˈbækoʊ/	Any plant of the genus Nicotiana.
phrase noun	/ˈfɹeɪ̯z/	A short written or spoken expression.
lung noun	/ˈlʌŋ/	A biological organ of vertebrates that controls breathing and oxygenates the blood.
breathe verb	/bɹiːð/	To draw air into (inhale), and expel air from (exhale), the lungs in order to extract oxygen and excrete waste gases.
pipe noun	/ˈpaɪp/	A wind instrument consisting of a tube, often lined with holes to allow for adjustment in pitch, sounded by blowing into the tube.
substance noun	/ˈsʌbstəns/	Physical matter; material.
habit noun	/ˈhæb.ɪt/	An action performed on a regular basis.
patch noun	/pæt͡ʃ/	A piece of cloth, or other suitable material, sewed or otherwise fixed upon a garment to repair or strengthen it, especially upon an old garment to cover a…
harm noun	/hɑːm/	Physical injury; hurt; damage.
harmful adjective	/ˈhɑɹmfl̩/	Causing or likely to cause harm or damage; injurious.
chew verb	/tʃuː/	To crush with the teeth by repeated closing and opening of the jaws; done to food to soften it and break it down by the action of saliva before it is swallowed.

Phrasal verbs you will hear

Word	Pronunciation	Meaning
cut down verb		To cut downward.
light up verb		To illuminate, to bring light to something, to brighten.
crack down verb	/kɹæk ˈdaʊn/	To take harsh action (against), as when enforcing a law or rule more stringently than before.
carry out verb	/ˈkæ.ɹi aʊt/	To hold while moving it out.
come back verb		To return to a place.
break down verb		To stop functioning.
clear out verb		To completely empty.
come out verb	/ˌkʌm ˈaʊt/	To be discovered; to be revealed.

Pronunciation to watch

The speaker uses 69 contractions and reduced forms, such as don't, I'm, can't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.

The “th” sounds: breathe /bɹiːð/, withdrawal /wɪðˈdɹɔ(ə)l/, thin /ˈθɪn/, theater /ˈθi(ə)tɚ/, gather /ˈɡæðɚ/
The “sh” and “zh” sounds: possession /pəˈzɛʃn̩/, conscious /ˈkɑn.ʃəs/, occasional /əˈkeɪʒ(ə)nəl/, specially /ˈspɛʃəli/, exposure /ɪkˈspəʊ.ʒə(ɹ)/
Long words — get the stress right: vocabulary /vəˈkæb.jə.lə.ɹi/, curiosity /ˌkjʊɹ.iˈɑ.sə.ti/, mechanical /məˈkænəkəl/, uncomfortable /ʌnˈkʌm.fɚ.tə.bl̩/, occasional /əˈkeɪʒ(ə)nəl/

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 cigarette, nicotine, crack.

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	has decided · we've taken · has really started
Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it	are called · is dried · is called
Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thing	smoking which has · people who cut · down, which is
Possibility with “might / may” might/may + verb — something that is possible but not certain	may breathe · may feel · might see

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.

Shadowing technique: read the full step-by-step guide →

Shadowing Practice: Learn English quickly with podcast | English learning Conversation | Episode 1 - Learn English Speaking with Video

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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson

Key vocabulary in this video

Phrasal verbs you will hear

Pronunciation to watch

How to practise with this video

Grammar in this video

What is the Shadowing Technique?