Shadowing Practice: Science in English #4 | Compounds and chemical formulas - Learn English Speaking with Video

This video has 45 sentences and 341 words to shadow. The speech runs for 2:51. The speaker talks at a steady 120 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. Only 74% 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:

• compound /ˈkɑmpaʊnd/ (noun) — Anything made by combining several things.
• element /ˈɛləmənt/ (noun) — One of the simplest or essential parts or principles of which anything consists, or upon which the constitution or fundamental powers of anything are based.
• atom /ˈætəm/ (noun) — The smallest possible amount of matter which still retains its identity as a chemical element, now known to consist of a nucleus surrounded by electrons.
• formula /ˈfɔː.mjʊ.lə/ (noun) — Any mathematical rule expressed symbolically.
• substance /ˈsʌbstəns/ (noun) — Physical matter; material.
• molecule /ˈmɑ.lɪ.kjul/ (noun) — The smallest particle of a specific element or compound that retains the chemical properties of that element or compound; two or more atoms held together by…
• oxygen /ˈɑksɪd͡ʒən/ (noun) — The chemical element (symbol O) with an atomic number of 8 and relative atomic mass of 15.9994. It is a colorless and odorless gas. Sometimes called elemental…
• connect /kəˈnɛkt/ (verb) — To join (to another object): to attach, or to be intended to attach or capable of attaching, to another object.
• combine /kəmˈbaɪn/ (verb) — To bring (two or more things or activities) together; to unite.
• hydrogen /ˈhaɪdɹəd͡ʒ(ə)n/ (noun) — The lightest chemical element (symbol H), with an atomic number of 1 and atomic weight of 1.008.
• everyday /ˈɛvɹiˌdeɪ/ (adjective) — Appropriate for ordinary use, rather than for special occasions.
• lesson /ˈlɛs.ən/ (noun) — A section of learning or teaching into which a wider learning content is divided.
• compare /kəmˈpɛɚ/ (verb) — To assess the similarities and differences between two or more things [“to compare X with Y”]. Having made the comparison of X with Y, one might have found it…
• discover /dɪˈskʌvə/ (verb) — To find or learn something for the first time.
• ratio /ˈɹeɪ.ʃoʊ/ (noun) — A number representing a comparison between two named things.

Phrasal verbs you will hear

• find out (verb) — To discover, as by asking or investigating.
• look at (verb) — To observe or watch.
• stay together (verb) — To remain loyal in times of stress or difficulty; to avoid separation despite pressure to do so.

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 compound, element, atom.

Grammar in this video

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