Shadowing Practice: RECAP: First Punic War - Learn English Speaking with Video

This video has 24 sentences and 170 words to shadow. The speech runs for 1:44. The speaker talks slowly, about 98 words per minute, so there is time to copy every sound. Only 76% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is demanding.

Key vocabulary in this video

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

• fleet /ˈfliːt/ (noun) — A group of vessels or vehicles.
• scratch /skɹæt͡ʃ/ (verb) — To rub a surface with a sharp object, especially by a living creature to remove itching with nails, claws, etc.
• wage /weɪd͡ʒ/ (noun) — An amount of money paid to a worker for a specified quantity of work, usually calculated on an hourly basis and expressed in an amount of money per hour.
• sake /ˈseɪ̯k/ (noun) — Cause, interest or account.
• 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…
• revenge /ɹəˈvɛnd͡ʒ/ (noun) — Any form of personal, retaliatory action against an individual, institution, or group for some alleged or perceived harm or injustice.
• invasion /ɪnˈveɪʒən/ (noun) — A military action consisting of a large armed force of one geopolitical entity entering territory controlled by another such entity, generally with the…
• determination /dɪˌtɜːmɪˈneɪʃən/ (noun) — The act, process, or result of any accurate measurement, as of length, volume, weight, intensity, etc.
• goodness /ˈɡʊdnəs/ (noun) — The state or characteristic of being good.
• inevitable /ɪˈnɛvɪtəbəl/ (adjective) — Impossible to avoid or prevent.
• unbelievable /ˌʌnbɪˈliːvəbl̩/ (adjective) — Not to be believed.
• surround /səˈɹaʊnd/ (verb) — To encircle something or simultaneously extend in all directions.
• vengeance /ˈvɛnˌd͡ʒəns/ (noun) — Revenge taken for an insult, injury, or other wrong.
• heartland /ˈhɑɹtlənd/ (noun) — Synonym of heart (“the seat of the affections or love”).
• ingenious /ɪnˈd͡ʒiːnjəs/ (adjective) — Of a person, displaying genius or brilliance; inventive.

Phrasal verbs you will hear

• come back (verb) — To return to a place.
• come on /ˌkʌm ˈɒn/ — Come along with me; join me in going.
• go ahead /ˌɡoʊ əˈhɛd/ (verb) — To proceed with; to begin.
• look at (verb) — To observe or watch.

Pronunciation to watch

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

• The “sh” and “zh” sounds: invasion /ɪnˈveɪʒən/, determination /dɪˌtɜːmɪˈneɪʃən/
• Long words — get the stress right: determination /dɪˌtɜːmɪˈneɪʃən/, inevitable /ɪˈnɛvɪtəbəl/, unbelievable /ˌʌnbɪˈliːvəbl̩/

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 fleet, scratch, wage.