Shadowing Practice: RE3 Unit 4A - Learn English Speaking with Video

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Track 7 Reading 4A Sacred Summits Volcanoes are creators and destroyers.
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They can shape lands and cultures, but can also cause great destruction and loss of life.
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Two of the best known examples are found at opposite ends of the world, on the Pacific ring of fire.
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Symbol of Japan It's almost sunrise near the summit of Japan's Mount Fuji.
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Exhausted climbers, many of whom have hiked the 3,776 meters through the night to reach this point,
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stop to watch as the sun begins spreading its golden rays across the mountain.
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For the climbers, this is an important moment.
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They have witnessed the dawn on Mount Fuji, the highest point in Japan.
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Mount Fuji is a sacred site.
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Japan's native religion, Shintoism, considers Fuji a holy place.
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Other people believe the mountain and its waters have the power to make a sick person well.
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For many, climbing Fuji is also a rite of passage.
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Some do it as part of a religious journey, for others it is a test of strength.
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Whatever their reason, reaching the top in order to stand on Fuji's summit at sunrise is a must for many Japanese.
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Every July and August, hundreds of thousands attempt to do so.
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Fuji is more than a sacred site and tourist destination, however.
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It is also an active volcano around which 4 million people have settled
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and it sits just 112 kilometers from the crowded streets of
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tokyo the last time fuji erupted in 1707 it sent out a cloud of ash
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that covered the capital city
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and darkened the skies for weeks today new information has some Some volcanologists concerned that Fuji may soon erupt again,
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according to Moto Ukawa and his associates at the National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Prevention,
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there has been an increase in activity under Fuji recently.
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This activity may be caused by low-frequency earthquakes.
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what causes these quakes may help scientists predict when Fuji will come back to life.
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In the meantime, locals living near Fuji hold special festivals each year to offer gifts to the goddess of the volcano,
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as they have for generations, so that she will not erupt and destroy the land and its people below.
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Mexico's Threatening Mountain Halfway across the globe from Fuji,
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Popocatapetl, One of the world's tallest and most dangerous active volcanoes stands just 70 kilometers southeast of Mexico City.
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Although the volcano, whose name means Smoking Mountain, has erupted many times over the centuries,
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scientists believe its last great eruption occurred around AD 820.
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In recent years, Popocatapetl is once again threatening the lives of the people near the mountain.
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In December 2000, almost 26,000 people were evacuated when El Popo, as Mexicans call the mountain,
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started to send out ash and smoke.
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As with all active volcanoes, the question is not if it will erupt again.
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An eruption is inevitable.
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The question is when it will happen.
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Every volcano works in a different way,
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explains Carlos Valdez-Gonzalez, a scientist who monitors What we're trying to learn here are the symptoms signaling that El Popo will erupt.
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These include earthquakes or any sign that the mountain surface is changing or expanding.
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The hope is that scientists will be able to warn people in the surrounding areas so they have enough time to evacuate.
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A powerful eruption could displace over 20 million people, people whose lives can be saved if the warning is delivered early enough.
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For many people living near El Popo, especially farmers, abandoning their land is unthinkable.
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As anyone who farms near a volcano knows, the world's richest soils are volcanic.
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They produce bananas and coffee in Central America, fine wines in California, and enormous amounts of rice in Indonesia.
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Today, many people continue to see El Popo as their ancestors did.
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According to ancient beliefs, a volcano can be a god, a mountain, and a human all at the same time.
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To appease El Popo and to ensure rain and a good harvest,
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locals begin a cycle of ceremonies that starts in March and ends in August.
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Carrying food and gifts for the volcano, they hike up the mountain.
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After the summit, they present their offerings, asking the volcano to protect and provide for one more season.
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Volcanoes: Creators, Destroyers, and Cultural Cornerstones

The video explores two iconic volcanoes—Japan’s Mount Fuji and Mexico’s Popocatapetl—revealing how they shape landscapes, cultures, and daily life. These natural giants are both revered and feared: Mount Fuji draws pilgrims and climbers seeking spiritual or physical challenges, while Popocatapetl threatens millions but nourishes fertile farmland. This real-world context makes the content perfect for IELTS speaking practice, as it combines descriptive language, cultural insights, and scientific concepts—key areas for fluency.

Useful Chunks & Collocations

  • Rite of passage: A significant event marking a life transition (e.g., "Climbing Mount Fuji is a rite of passage for many Japanese.")
  • Low-frequency earthquakes: Gentle tremors that signal volcanic activity (e.g., "Scientists monitor low-frequency earthquakes to predict eruptions.")
  • Displace over 20 million people: Force a large group to leave their homes (e.g., "A major eruption could displace over 20 million people.")
  • Appease the volcano: Calm a powerful force through offerings (e.g., "Locals appease Popocatapetl with annual ceremonies.")
  • Sacred site: A place with spiritual importance (e.g., "Mount Fuji is a sacred site in Shintoism.")

Your Shadowing Challenge

To boost english speaking practice and improve english pronunciation, try shadowspeak with the video’s narration. Here’s how: Play a 30-second clip, pause, and repeat it aloud, mimicking the speaker’s tone, rhythm, and stress. Focus on phrases like "golden rays across the mountain" or "symptoms signaling that El Popo will erupt"—these require clear intonation to convey meaning. Repeat until you match the speed and clarity of the original. This shadow speak technique trains your mouth to form English sounds naturally and builds muscle memory for fluent speech. Over time, you’ll notice improved confidence in describing complex topics, a skill critical for IELTS success.

Grammar in this video

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

StructureIn the video
Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters nowhave hiked · have witnessed · have settled
Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does itare found · may be caused · were evacuated

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 →