Shadowing Practice: Pride and Prejudice - Chapter 1 [Audiobook] - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 1.
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It is a truth universally acknowledged
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that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.
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However little known the feelings or views of such a man may be on his first entering a neighborhood, this truth is so well fixed in the minds of the surrounding families
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that he is considered the rightful property of some one or other of their daughters.
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"'My dear Mr. Bennet,' said his lady to him one day, "'have you heard that Netherfield Park is let at last?' Mr. Bennet replied that he had not.
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"'But it is,' returned she, "'for Mrs. Long has just been here, "'and she told me all about it.' Mr. Bennet made no answer.
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"'Do you not want to know who has taken it?' cried his wife impatiently.
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"'You want to tell me, "'and I have no objection to hearing it.
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This was invitation enough.
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Why, my dear, you must know, Mrs. Long says that Netherfield is taken by a young man of large fortune from the north of England,
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that he came down on Monday in a chaise and four to see the place, and was so much delighted with it, that he agreed with Mr. Morris immediately,
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that he is to take possession before Michaelmas, and some of his servants are to be in the house by the end of next week.
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What is his name?
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Bingley.
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Is he married or single?
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Oh, single, my dear, to be sure, a single man of large fortune.
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Four or five thousand a year.
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What a fine thing for our girls.
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How so?
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How can it affect them?
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My dear Mr. Bennett, replied his wife, how can you be so tiresome?
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You must know that I am thinking of his marrying one of them.
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Is that his design in settling here?
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Design?
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Nonsense!
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How can you talk so?
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But it is very likely that he may fall in love with one of them, and therefore you must visit him as soon as he comes.
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I see no occasion for that.
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You and the girls may go, or you may send them by themselves, which perhaps will be still better, for as you are as handsome as any of them,
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Mr. Bingley may like you the best of the party.
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My dear, you flatter me.
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I certainly have had my share of beauty, but I do not pretend to be anything extraordinary now.
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When a woman has five grown-up daughters, she ought to give over thinking of her own beauty.
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In such cases, a woman has not often much beauty to think of.
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But, my dear, you must indeed go and see Mr. Bingley when he comes into the neighborhood it.
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It is more than I engage for, I assure you.
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But consider your daughters.
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Only think what an establishment it would be for one of them.
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Sir William and Lady Lucas are determined to go, merely on that account, for, in general, you know, they visit no newcomers.
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Indeed, you must go, for it will be impossible for us to visit him if you do not.
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You are over-scrupulous, surely.
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I dare say Mr. Bingley will be very glad to see you, and I will send a few lines by you,
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to assure him of my hearty consent to his marrying whichever he chooses of the girls, though I must throw in a good word for my little Lizzie.
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I desire you will do no such thing.
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Lizzie is not a bit better than the others, and I am sure she is not half so handsome as Jane, nor half so good-humoured as Lydia, but you are always giving her the preference words.
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They have none of them much to recommend them, replied he.
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They're all silly and ignorant like other girls.
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But Lizzie has something more of quickness than her sisters.
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Mr. Bennett, how can you abuse your own children in such a way?
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You take delight in vexing me.
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You have no compassion for my poor nerves.
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You mistake me, my dear.
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I have a high respect for your nerves.
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They are my old friends.
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I have heard you mention them with consideration these last twenty years at least.
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You do not know what I suffer, but I hope you will get over it
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and live to see many young men of four thousand a year come into the neighborhood.
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It will be no use to us if twenty such should come, since you will not visit them.
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Depend upon it, my dear, that when there are twenty I will visit them all.
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Mr. Bennett was so awed a mixture of quick parts, sarcastic humor, reserve, and caprice,
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that the experience of three and twenty years had been insufficient to make his wife understand his character.
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Her mind was less difficult to develop.
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She was a woman of mean understanding, little information, and uncertain temper.
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When she was discontented, she fancied herself nervous.
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The business of her life was to get her daughters married.
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Its solace was visiting and news.
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This B2 speaking lesson is built on the video “Pride and Prejudice - Chapter 1”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: dear, visit, Bingley, daughters, twenty. This video has 67 sentences and 856 words to shadow. The speech runs for 5:00. The speaker talks at a natural 171 words per minute, close to everyday conversation. 84% 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
The 15 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| humour noun | /ˈhjuːmɚ/ | The quality of being amusing, comical, funny. |
| delight noun | /dəˈlaɪt/ | Joy; pleasure. |
| assure verb | /əˈʃʊɹ/ | To make sure and secure; ensure. |
| nerve noun | /nɝv/ | A bundle of neurons with their connective tissue sheaths, blood vessels and lymphatics. |
| caprice noun | /kəˈpɹiːs/ | An impulsive, seemingly unmotivated action, change of mind, or notion. |
| chaise noun | /ʃeɪz/ | An open, horse-drawn carriage for one or two people, usually with one horse and two wheels. |
| discontent noun | /ˌdɪskənˈtɛnt/ | Dissatisfaction. |
| hearty adjective | /ˈhɑɹti/ | Warm and cordial towards another person. |
| impatiently adverb | /ɪmˈpeɪʃəntli/ | In an impatient manner. |
| newcomer noun | /ˈn(j)uˌkʌmɚ/ | One who has recently come to a community; a recent arrival. |
| quickness noun | /ˈkwɪknəs/ | rapidity of movement or activity; agility or dexterity |
| rightful adjective | /ˈɹaɪtfəl/ | By right; by law. |
| scrupulous adjective | /ˈskɹuː.pjə.ləs/ | Exactly and carefully conducted. |
| solace noun | /ˈsɑ.lɪs/ | Comfort or consolation in a time of loneliness or distress. |
| tiresome adjective | /ˈtaɪɚsəm/ | Causing fatigue or boredom; wearisome. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| come down on verb | To punish or criticize (someone). |
| get over verb | To overcome. |
| give over verb | To entrust (something) to another. |
| grow up verb | To mature and become an adult. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- Bennett, replied his wife, how can you be so tiresome?
- How can you talk so?
- Bennett, how can you abuse your own children in such a way?
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | is considered · is let · is taken |
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | has just been · has taken · have heard |
Pronunciation to watch
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: assure /əˈʃʊɹ/, chaise /ʃeɪz/, impatiently /ɪmˈpeɪʃəntli/, objection /əbˈd͡ʒɛkʃən/, insufficient /ɪnsəˈfɪʃənt/
- Long words — get the stress right: impatiently /ɪmˈpeɪʃəntli/, universally /ˌjunɪˈvɝsəli/, insufficient /ɪnsəˈfɪʃənt/, invitation /ɪnvɪˈteɪʃən/
How to practise with this video
- Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
- Start at 0.75× speed, shadow it sentence by sentence, then go back to normal speed once it feels easy.
- Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like humour, delight, assure.
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.