Shadowing Practice: Speed Reading | Barack Obama - Learn English Speaking with Video

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17 sentences
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Do you think you can read faster than a native English speaker?
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Keep your eyes in the middle.
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We'll start at 200 words per minute.
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Too easy?
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Turn up YouTube's playback speed.
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Too fast?
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Slow it down.
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Ready?
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3 2 1 Go!
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Thank you.
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Thank you.
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Thank you.
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Thank you.
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Thank you.
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Thank you.
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Prove your English faster.
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About This Lesson

You're practicing English with "Speed Reading | Barack Obama" using the Shadowing technique — a method originally developed for professional interpreter training.

Focus on sounding like the speaker — not just repeating words. With 15–30 minutes of daily practice, you'll build real-world speaking confidence.

Grammar in this video

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

StructureIn the video
Comparatives -er than / more … than — comparing two thingsfaster than
Future with “will” will + verb — a decision, promise or predictionWe'll start

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 →