Shadowing Practice: Nanotechnology: technology on a small scale | IELTS LISTENING TEST | SECTION-4 - Learn English Speaking with Video

Creating lesson...
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You will hear a woman talking to a group of first year science undergraduates about the developing science of nanotechnology.
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First, you have some time to look at questions 31 to 40.
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Now listen carefully and answer questions 31 to 40.
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Today we're going to look at an important area of science, namely nanotechnology. So, what is it?
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Nano means tiny, so it's science and engineering on the scale of atoms and molecules.
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The idea is that by controlling and rearranging atoms, you can literally create anything.
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However, as we'll see, the science of the small has some big implications, affecting us in many ways.
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There's no doubt that nanotechnology promises so much for civilization.
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However, all new technologies have their teething problems.
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and with nanotechnology, society often gets the wrong idea about its capabilities.
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Numerous science fiction books and movies have raised people's fears about nanotechnology.
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With scenarios such as inserting little nanorobots into your body that monitor everything you do without you realising it.
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or self -replicating nano robots that eventually take over the world.
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So how do we safeguard such a potentially powerful technology?
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Some scientists recommend that nanoparticles be treated as new chemicals, with separate safety tests and clear labelling.
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They believe that greater care should also be taken with nanoparticles in laboratories and factories.
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Others have called for a withdrawal of new nanoproducts, such as cosmetics, and a temporary halt to many kinds of nanotech research.
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But as far as I'm concerned, there's a need to plough ahead with the discoveries and applications of nanotechnology.
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I really believe that most scientists would welcome a way to guard against unethical uses of such technology.
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We can't go around thinking that all innovation is bad.
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All advancement is bad.
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As with a debate about any new technology, It is how you use it that's important.
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So, let's look at some of its possible uses.
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Thanks to nanotechnology, there could be a major breakthrough in the field of transportation, with the production of more durable metals.
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These could be virtually unbreakable, lighter and much more pliable, leading to planes that are 50 times lighter than at present.
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Those same improved capabilities will dramatically reduce the cost of travelling into space.
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making it more accessible to ordinary people and opening up a totally new holiday destination.
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In terms of technology, the computer industry will be able to shrink computer parts down to minute sizes.
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We need nanotechnology in order to create a new generation of computers
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that will work even faster and will have a million times more memory, but will be about the size of a sugar cube.
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Nanotechnology could also revolutionise the way that we generate power.
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The cost of solar cells will be drastically reduced, so harnessing this energy will be far more economical than at present.
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But nanotechnology has much wider applications than this and could have an enormous impact on our environment.
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For instance, tiny airborne nanorobots could be programmed to actually rebuild the ozone layer,
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which could lessen the impact of global warming on our planet.
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That's a pretty amazing thought, isn't it?
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On a more local scale,
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this new technology could help with the clean -up of environmental disasters as nanotechnology will allow us to remove oil
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and other contaminants from the water far more effectively.
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and if nanotechnology progresses as expected as a sort of building block set of about 90 atoms
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then you could build anything you wanted from the bottom up In terms of production, this means that you only use what you need.
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And so there wouldn't be any waste.
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The notion that you could create anything at all has major implications for our health.
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It means that we'll eventually be able to replicate anything.
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This would have a phenomenal effect on our society.
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In time, it could even lead to the eradication of famine through the introduction of machines
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that produce food to feed the hungry.
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But it's in the area of medicine that nanotechnology may have its biggest impact.
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How we detect disease will change as tiny biosensors are developed to analyze tests in minutes rather than days.
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There's even speculation nanorobots could be used to slow the aging process, lengthening life expectancy.
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As you can see, I'm very excited by the implications that could be available to us in the next few decades.
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Just how long it'll take, I honestly don't know.
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That is the end of Section 4.
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You now have half a minute to check your answers.
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Thank you.
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson

This video has 55 sentences and 749 words to shadow. The speech runs for 6:52. The speaker talks slowly, about 109 words per minute, so there is time to copy every sound. 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 less common words from the video, with pronunciation and meaning:

  • atom /ˈætəm/ (noun) — The smallest possible amount of matter which still retains its identity as a chemical element, now known to consist of a nucleus surrounded by electrons.
  • implication /ˌɪmpləˈkeɪʃən/ (noun) — The act of implicating.
  • hungry /ˈhʌŋ.ɡɹi/ (adjective) — Affected by hunger; having the physical need for food.
  • scientist /ˈsaɪəntəst/ (noun) — One whose activities make use of the scientific method to answer questions regarding the measurable universe. A scientist may be involved in original research…
  • capability /ˌkeɪ.pəˈbɪl.ɪ.ti/ (noun) — The power or ability to generate an outcome.
  • replicate /ˈɹɛplɪkeɪt/ (verb) — To make a copy (replica) of.
  • temporary /ˈtɛmp(əˌɹ)ɛɹi/ (adjective) — Not permanent; existing only for a period or periods of time.
  • carefully /ˈkɛɹf(ə)li/ (adverb) — With care; attentively, circumspectly.
  • discovery /dɪˈskʌv.ɹi/ (noun) — Something discovered.
  • fiction /ˈfɪkʃən/ (noun) — Literary type using invented or imaginative writing, instead of real facts, usually written as prose.
  • label /ˈleɪ.bəl/ (noun) — A small ticket or sign giving information about something to which it is attached or intended to be attached.
  • ordinary /ˈɔɹdɪnɛɹi/ (adjective) — Having regular jurisdiction; now only used in certain phrases.
  • layer /ˈleɪ̯ɚ/ (noun) — A single thickness of some material covering a surface.
  • disaster /dɪˈzɑːs.təː/ (noun) — An unexpected natural or man-made catastrophe of substantial extent causing significant physical damage or destruction, loss of life or sometimes permanent…
  • potentially /pəˈtɛnʃ(ə)li/ (adverb) — In a manner showing much potential; with the possibility of happening in a given way.

Phrasal verbs you will hear

  • look at (verb) — To observe or watch.
  • call for (verb) — To shout out in order to summon (a person).
  • go around (verb) — To move or spread from person to person.
  • open up (verb) — To open.
  • take over (verb) — To assume control of something, such as a business or enterprise, and sometimes by force.
  • take with (verb) — To take something and bring it along

Pronunciation to watch

The speaker uses 10 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'm, we'll, can't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.

  • The “th” sounds: withdrawal /wɪðˈdɹɔ(ə)l/, breakthrough /ˈbɹeɪk.θɹuː/, lengthen /ˈlɛŋθən/, teethe /tiːð/, unethical /ʌnˈɛθɪkəl/
  • The “sh” and “zh” sounds: implication /ˌɪmpləˈkeɪʃən/, fiction /ˈfɪkʃən/, potentially /pəˈtɛnʃ(ə)li/, innovation /ˌɪn.əˈveɪ.ʃən/, destination /dɛstɪˈneɪʃən/
  • Long words — get the stress right: implication /ˌɪmpləˈkeɪʃən/, capability /ˌkeɪ.pəˈbɪl.ɪ.ti/, temporary /ˈtɛmp(əˌɹ)ɛɹi/, ordinary /ˈɔɹdɪnɛɹi/, potentially /pəˈtɛnʃ(ə)li/

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 atom, implication, hungry.

Grammar in this video

The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:

StructureIn the video
Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does itbe treated · be taken · could be programmed
Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters nowhave raised · have called

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 →