Shadowing Practice: Roger Glover - talking about Ronnie James Dio, Elf and Rainbow (2021) - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This B1 speaking lesson is built on the video “Roger Glover - talking about Ronnie James Dio, Elf and Rainbow”. This video has 26 sentences and 223 words to shadow. The speech runs for 1:18. 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 13 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| knock verb | /nɑk/ | To rap one's knuckles against something, especially wood. |
| blast noun | /blæst/ | A violent gust of wind (in windy weather) or apparent wind (around a moving vehicle). |
| circus noun | /ˈsɜːkəs/ | A traveling company of performers that may include acrobats, clowns, trained animals, and other novelty acts, that gives shows usually in a circular tent. |
| fist noun | /fɪst/ | A hand with the fingers clenched or curled inward. |
| masterpiece noun | /ˈmæstɚˌpis/ | A piece of work that has been given much critical praise, especially one that is considered the greatest work of a person's career. |
| stargazer noun | /ˈstɑɹˌɡeɪzɚ/ | Someone who gazes at the stars; an astronomer or astrologer (now especially an amateur one). |
| studio noun | /ˈstudi.oʊ/ | An artist’s or photographer’s workshop or the room in which an artist works. |
| blow verb | /bloʊ/ | To produce an air current. |
| absolutely adverb | /ˌæb.səˈlut.li/ | In an absolute or unconditional manner; utterly, positively, wholly. |
| soul noun | /soʊl/ | The spirit or essence of a person usually thought to consist of one's thoughts and personality, often believed to live on after the person's death. |
| fly noun | /ˈflaɪ̯/ | Any insect of the order Diptera; characterized by having two wings (except for some wingless species), also called true flies. |
| wine noun | /ˈwaɪ̯n/ | An alcoholic beverage made by fermenting grape juice, with an ABV ranging from 5.5–16%. |
| suit noun | /sut/ | A set of clothes to be worn together, now especially a man's matching jacket and trousers (also business suit or lounge suit), or a similar outfit for a woman. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| knock out verb | To strike or bump (someone or something) out. |
| blow away verb | To cause to go away by blowing, or by wind. |
| get out of verb | To leave, exit or escape from; to become free of. |
| walk out verb | To stage a walkout or strike. |
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | you've been |
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | were knocked · was blown |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 9 contractions and reduced forms, such as you've, we'll, can't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
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 knock, blast, circus.
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.