Shadowing Practice: Steve Jobs passion in work - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This speaking lesson is built on the video “Steve Jobs passion in work”. This video has 20 sentences and 282 words to shadow. The speech runs for 1:29. The speaker talks fast, about 190 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.
Key vocabulary in this video
15 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| passion noun | /ˈpæʃən/ | A true desire sustained or prolonged. |
| hire verb | /ˈhaɪɹ/ | To obtain the services of in return for fixed payment. |
| rational adjective | /ˈɹæʃ(ə)nəl/ | Capable of reasoning. |
| scout noun | /ˈskaʊ̯t/ | A person sent out to gather and bring back information; especially, one employed in war to gain information about the enemy and ground. |
| sustain verb | /səˈsteɪn/ | To maintain, or keep in existence. |
| sane adjective | /seɪn/ | Being in a healthy condition; not deranged; thinking rationally. |
| intuition noun | /ˌɪn.tjuːˈɪʃ.ən/ | Immediate cognition without the use of conscious rational processes. |
| 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. |
| refine verb | /ɹɪˈfaɪn/ | To purify; reduce to a fine, unmixed, or pure state; to free from impurities. |
| unquote | Used in speech to indicate the end of a quotation. | |
| talent noun | /ˈtæl.ənt/ | A marked natural ability or skill. |
| fail verb | /feɪl/ | To be unsuccessful. |
| quit verb | /kwɪt/ | To leave (a place). |
| constantly adverb | /ˈkɑnstənʔli/ | In a constant manner; occurring continuously; persistently. |
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. |
| figure out verb | To come to understand; to discover or find a solution; to deduce. |
| put up with verb | To endure, tolerate, suffer through, or allow, especially something annoying. |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 14 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/, intuition /ˌɪn.tjuːˈɪʃ.ən/
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, hire, rational.
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.