Shadowing Practice: Mean Girls - Jingle Bell Rock - Learn English Speaking with Video

This video has 30 sentences and 228 words to shadow. The speech runs for 2:24. The speaker talks slowly, about 95 words per minute, so there is time to copy every sound. Only 75% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is demanding.

Key vocabulary in this video

13 less common words from the video, with pronunciation and meaning:

• nerve /nɝv/ (noun) — A bundle of neurons with their connective tissue sheaths, blood vessels and lymphatics.
• crush /kɹʌʃ/ (verb) — To press between two hard objects; to squeeze so as to alter the natural shape or integrity, or to force together into a mass.
• mathematics /mæθ(.ə)ˈmæt.ɪks/ (noun) — An abstract representational system studying numbers, shapes, structures, quantitative change and relationships between them.
• applause /əˈplɔːz/ (noun) — The act of applauding; approbation and praise publicly expressed by the clapping of hands, stamping or tapping of the feet, acclamation, huzzas, or other…
• backward /ˈbækwɚd/ (adjective) — Situated toward or at the rear of something.
• swell /swɛl/ (verb) — To become larger, fuller, or rounder, or expand in size or shape, usually as a result of pressure from within.
• blush /ˈblʌʃ/ (noun) — An act of blushing; a pink or red glow on the face caused by embarrassment, shame, shyness, love, etc.
• jingle /ˈd͡ʒɪŋɡ(ə)l/ (noun) — The sound of metal or glass clattering against itself.
• mathlete /ˈmæθliːt/ (noun) — A member of the math team of a primary school or secondary school.
• bushel /ˈbuʃəl/ (noun) — A dry measure, containing four pecks, eight gallons, or thirty-two quarts; equivalent in volume to approximately 0.0364 cubic meters (imperial bushel) or…
• gloss /ɡlɔs/ (noun) — A brief explanatory note or translation of a foreign, archaic, technical, difficult, complex, or uncommon expression, inserted after the original, in the…
• prance /ˈpɹɑːns/ (verb) — To spring forward on the hind legs.
• sleigh /sleɪ/ (noun) — A vehicle, generally pulled by an animal, which moves over snow or ice on runners, used for transporting persons or goods. (contrast "sled", which is smaller)

Phrasal verbs you will hear

• blow up (verb) — To explode or be destroyed by explosion.
• get on (verb) — To board or mount (something), especially a vehicle.
• go in (verb) — To become obscured by clouds.
• pick up (verb) — To lift; to grasp and raise.

Pronunciation to watch

The speaker uses 4 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'm, don't, you're. Say them the short way, as you hear them.

• The “th” sounds: mathematics /mæθ(.ə)ˈmæt.ɪks/, mathlete /ˈmæθliːt/
• The “sh” and “zh” sounds: crush /kɹʌʃ/, blush /ˈblʌʃ/, bushel /ˈbuʃəl/

How to practise with this video

1. Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
2. Shadow it sentence by sentence at normal speed, repeating each one until your rhythm matches the speaker.
3. Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like nerve, crush, mathematics.