Shadowing Practice: STORY OF THE ''UNSINKABLE" TITANIC - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

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The 14th of April 2012 was the centenary,
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The 14th of April 2012 was the centenary,
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that is the 100th anniversary,
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of the sinking of the passenger ship Titanic in the North Atlantic.
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This podcast is about Titanic.
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I hope it will help you to learn some new words and expressions about ships and the sea,
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and also that you will learn about unsinkable words.
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Don't know what unsinkable words are?
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Then listen carefully to the rest of the podcast.
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Titanic has appeared in one of these podcasts before.
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Just over a year ago we visited Belfast in Northern Ireland and the shipyard where Titanic was built.
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When she was launched, Titanic was the biggest ship in the world and one of the most comfortable and luxurious.
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One hundred years ago last week,
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she set sail from Southampton,
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on the south coast of England,
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on her maiden voyage to New York.
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On board there were over 1,300 passengers.
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About 300 of these were first-class passengers,
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who enjoyed facilities such as restaurants,
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cafes, a library, a gym,
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a swimming pool and a telegraph office,
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which could send radio messages back to families and business colleagues on shore.
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The first-class passengers included some of the wealthiest and most influential people in the world.
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Most of the passengers, however,
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travelled second or third class,
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in much more humble conditions.
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Then there were 885 crew members,
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including 300 men to look after Titanic's huge steam engines and feed them with coal.
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There were also large numbers of cooks,
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waiters, cleaners, and other people to look after the passengers.
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There was a cat, too, with her kittens.
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Titanic called first at Cherbourg in France,
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and then at Cove in Ireland,
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before setting out across the Atlantic.
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Then, shortly before midnight, on the 14th of April,
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1912, when she was 600 kilometres south of Newfoundland in Canada.
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She struck an iceberg.
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Slowly the ship filled with water.
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The crew launched the ship's lifeboats,
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but there were not sufficient places in them for everyone.
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Over 1,500 of the passengers and crew died in the freezing waters of the Atlantic.
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Only 710 were saved.
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The sinking of the Titanic shocked and horrified people in both Britain and America.
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They were shocked that there were not enough lifeboats.
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They were shocked that so many people had died and that the families of many of them were left in poverty.
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Nowhere was the shock greater than in Southampton,
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where many of the crew had lived.
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It is said that every street in the city had at least one family who had lost someone in the disaster.
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Also, people in Europe and the United States 100 years ago believed in technology and progress.
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They thought that modern technology and engineering could do almost anything.
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They were shocked to learn that nature could so easily destroy the biggest and most advanced ship in the world.
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The story of Titanic still fascinates people today.
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The wreck of Titanic was rediscovered on the bed of the Atlantic in 1985,
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and many items, such as crockery and bits of luggage,
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were brought to the surface and exhibited for people to see.
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There have been countless books and films about Titanic's first and last voyage.
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and theories about what really happened and who was to blame for the sinking.
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In Britain in the last few weeks,
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we have had several special television and radio programmes to mark the centenary of the disaster,
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and the film Titanic, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet,
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a film which you either love or hate,
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has been re-released in 3D,
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so that the iceberg looks even more scary.
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Some people have even dressed up in Edwardian dress and gone on a special cruise to the place where Titanic went down.
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On board the cruise ship,
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they have enjoyed some of the food that was on the menu in Titanic's restaurant.
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I am sure that they had a great time,
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but I do not think I would have enjoyed the trip.
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Now for some grammar.
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Look at the verb to sink.
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It is one of a group of English irregular verbs where the vowel changes twice in different tenses.
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Titanic sinks, present tense, Titanic sank,
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the simple past tense and Titanic has sunk the imperfect or has tense
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Other verbs with the same pattern are sing I sing I sang I have sung
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and ring the bells ring the bells rang the bells have rung If you can think of any more,
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put a comment on the website to tell us.
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And finally, many people 100 years ago said that Titanic was unsinkable.
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Unsinkable means cannot sink or cannot be sunk.
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How wrong they were!
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There are lots of words in English with the same pattern as unsinkable,
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that is, un plus something plus able.
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For example, if you say that something is unforgettable,
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you mean that you will never be able to forget it.
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If something or someone is unlovable,
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it means that you cannot love it.
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You can call words like this unsinkable words,
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if that helps you to remember what they mean.

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About This Lesson

In this lesson, you will dive into the gripping story of the Titanic, often described as the "unsinkable" ship. You'll learn important vocabulary related to maritime themes and historical contexts. This lesson not only provides insights into the tragic events surrounding the Titanic's sinking but also offers a chance to improve English pronunciation through listening exercises. By engaging with the material, you will enhance your English speaking practice, making it particularly useful for those preparing for the IELTS speaking exam.

Key Vocabulary & Phrases

  • Centenary - the 100th anniversary of an event.
  • Maiden voyage - the first journey undertaken by a ship.
  • First-class passengers - the wealthiest travelers who enjoyed luxurious facilities.
  • Shipyard - a place where ships are built and repaired.
  • Icedberg - a large floating mass of ice that can pose dangers to ships.
  • Lifeboats - small boats used for emergency evacuations from larger vessels.
  • Progress - the development of technology and engineering capabilities.

Practice Tips

To maximize your learning experience and effectively practice speaking, consider using the technique of shadow speech. Start by listening to the transcript of the Titanic story at a slower pace. Focus on each word's pronunciation, especially the key vocabulary. As you listen, repeat the sentences aloud, mimicking the speaker's tone and rhythm. This method helps you improve English pronunciation significantly.

Since the video captures a historical narrative, pay attention to how emotions are conveyed through speech. Practicing in this manner not only enhances comprehension but also prepares you for lively discussions about history, which can be beneficial for both IELTS speaking practice and everyday conversations. Remember to adjust your pace according to your comfort level; the goal is to sound as natural as possible. With consistent practice using shadowspeaks, you'll find your fluency and confidence growing over time.

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.

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