Shadowing Practice: RIO 2 Clips - Part Three (2014) - Learn English Speaking with Video
Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This B1 speaking lesson is built on the video “RIO 2 Clips - Part Three”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: Felipe, Roberto, blue, goal, pass. This video has 206 sentences and 712 words to shadow. The speech runs for 9:36. The speaker talks slowly, about 74 words per minute, so there is time to copy every sound. Only 77% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is demanding.
Key vocabulary in this video
The 15 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| gotcha | /ˈɡɑ.tʃə/ | I have got you covered, I've got your back (said by a speaker who has an advantage or responsibility over someone). |
| doom noun | /duːm/ | Destiny, especially terrible. |
| borrow verb | /ˈbɑɹ.oʊ/ | To receive (something) from somebody temporarily, expecting to return it. |
| rainforest noun | /ˈɹeɪn.fɔɹ.ɪst/ | A forest in a climate with high annual rainfall and no dry season. |
| unstoppable adjective | /ʌnˈstɔ.pə.bəl/ | Unable to be stopped. |
| woohoo | /wuːˈhuː/ | Used to express sudden or exuberant joy, happiness, excitement, approval or delight. |
| usher noun | /ˈʌʃəɹ/ | A person, in a church, cinema etc., who escorts people to their seats. |
| pigeon noun | /ˈpɪ.dʒɪn/ | One of several birds of the family Columbidae within the order Columbiformes. |
| feather noun | /ˈfɛðə/ | A branching, hair-like structure that grows on the bodies of birds, used for flight, swimming, protection and display. |
| backward adjective | /ˈbækwɚd/ | Situated toward or at the rear of something. |
| foil noun | /fɔɪl/ | A very thin sheet of metal. |
| toss verb | /tɔs/ | To throw with an initial upward direction. |
| incoming adjective | /ˈɪnˌkʌmɪŋ/ | Coming (or about to come) in; arriving. |
| drone noun | /dɹoʊn/ | A male hymenopteran (ant, bee, hornet, or wasp), whose sole primary function is to mate with the queen. |
| capability noun | /ˌkeɪ.pəˈbɪl.ɪ.ti/ | The power or ability to generate an outcome. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| come back verb | To return to a place. |
| come off verb | To become detached. |
| get back to verb | Return to (an activity) |
| look out verb | To be vigilant and aware often as an imperative to alert a person to danger. |
| stick together verb | To physically combine or join together by adhesion. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- What are we running at?
- What are we doing here, coach?
- What position do I play?
- Hey, where do you think you're going?
- Felipe, you think I'd miss this party?
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Present continuous am/is/are + -ing — something happening right now or around now | are making · is coming · you're going |
| Future with “going to” be going to + verb — a plan or something you can see coming | gonna hurt · gonna kill · gonna have |
| Future with “will” will + verb — a decision, promise or prediction | will take · I'll borrow · will survive |
| Obligation: must / have to / need to saying that something is necessary | have to stop · have to start · Have to stick |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 26 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'm, can't, gonna. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- Long words — get the stress right: unstoppable /ʌnˈstɔ.pə.bəl/, capability /ˌkeɪ.pəˈbɪl.ɪ.ti/, intelligent /ɪnˈtɛlɪd͡ʒənt/
How to practise with this video
- Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
- Shadow it sentence by sentence at normal speed, repeating each one until your rhythm matches the speaker.
- Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like gotcha, doom, borrow.
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.





























