Shadowing Practice: Steve Jobs explains what's most important to succeed 🔥 - 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 “Steve Jobs explains what's most important to succeed 🔥”. This video has 11 sentences and 181 words to shadow. The speech runs for 0:54. The speaker talks fast, about 201 words per minute, so expect linked and reduced sounds. 92% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is easy to follow. 2 of its 11 sentences are questions, so it is good practice for question intonation and short answers.
Key vocabulary in this video
The 14 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| passion noun | /ˈpæʃən/ | A true desire sustained or prolonged. |
| rational adjective | /ˈɹæʃ(ə)nəl/ | Capable of reasoning. |
| sustain verb | /səˈsteɪn/ | To maintain, or keep in existence. |
| sane adjective | /seɪn/ | Being in a healthy condition; not deranged; thinking rationally. |
| oftentimes adverb | /ˈɔf.ənˌtaɪmz/ | Frequently; often. |
| persevere verb | /ˌpɝ.səˈviɹ/ | To persist steadfastly in pursuit of an undertaking, task, journey, or goal, even if hindered by distraction, difficulty, obstacles, or discouragement. |
| unquote | Used in speech to indicate the end of a quotation. | |
| fail verb | /feɪl/ | To be unsuccessful. |
| quit verb | /kwɪt/ | To leave (a place). |
| constantly adverb | /ˈkɑnstənʔli/ | In a constant manner; occurring continuously; persistently. |
| successful adjective | /səkˈsɛs.fəl/ | Resulting in success; assuring or promoting success; accomplishing what was proposed; having the desired effect. |
| worry verb | /ˈwʌ.ɹi/ | To be troubled; to give way to mental anxiety or doubt. |
| totally adverb | /ˈtəʊ.tə.li/ | To the fullest extent or degree. |
| tough adjective | /tʌf/ | Of a material, strong and resilient; sturdy. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| give up verb | To surrender (someone or something); to inform on (someone). |
| end up verb | To bring to a conclusion. |
| put up with verb | To endure, tolerate, suffer through, or allow, especially something annoying. |
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Conditional sentences if + clause, will/would + verb — a condition and its result | if you don't, any rational person would give |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 12 contractions and reduced forms, such as don't, you're, didn't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: passion /ˈpæʃən/, rational /ˈɹæʃ(ə)nəl/
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 passion, rational, sustain.
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.