Shadowing Practice: [Unit 1.9] The Blue Sky - Listening English Through Dictation - Learn English Speaking with Video

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23 sentences
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Unit 9.
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The blue sky.
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Joe asked me something about science just now.
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But I didn't know the answer.
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I'm good at science.
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Ask me.
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Okay.
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Why is the sky blue?
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I'll explain it in a simple way.
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Light comes through the air from the sun in waves.
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The light is in many colors, right?
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Right.
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Blue light waves are smaller than air molecules.
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They sometimes get absorbed by these molecules.
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Okay.
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What happens then?
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Then the blue light waves scatter in many directions.
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Your eyes see this blue light from above you after it leaves the air molecules.
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So that is what makes the sky blue.
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What happens to the other colors?
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They reflect off the things that they hit.
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Your shirt is red because our eyes see the red light reflected from it.
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Now I understand why the sky is blue.

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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson

This video has 23 sentences and 142 words to shadow. The speech runs for 1:07. The speaker talks at a steady 128 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing.

Key vocabulary in this video

11 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:

WordPronunciationMeaning
molecule noun/ˈmɑ.lɪ.kjul/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…
reflect verb/ɹɪˈflɛkt/To bend back (light, etc.) from a surface.
leaf noun/lif/The usually green and flat organ that represents the most prominent feature of most vegetative plants.
absorb verb/æbˈsɔɹb/To include so that it no longer has separate existence; to overwhelm; to cause to disappear as if by swallowing up; to incorporate; to assimilate; to take in…
scatter verb/ˈskætɚ/To (cause to) separate and go in different directions; to disperse.
wave verb/weɪv/To move back and forth repeatedly and somewhat loosely.
shirt noun/ʃɜɹt/An article of clothing that is worn on the upper part of the body, often with sleeves that cover some or all of the arms.
color noun/ˈkʌl.ə/The spectral composition of visible light.
unit noun/ˈjuː.nɪt/Oneness, singularity, seen as a component of a whole number; a magnitude of one.
direction noun/dɪˈɹɛk.ʃən/A theoretical line (physically or mentally) followed from a point of origin or towards a destination. May be relative (e.g. up, left, outbound, dorsal)…
explain verb/ɪkˈspleɪn/To make plain, manifest, or intelligible; to clear of obscurity; to illustrate the meaning of.

Phrasal verbs you will hear

WordMeaning
come through verbTo come into a room or other space through a door or passageway.

Pronunciation to watch

The speaker uses 3 contractions and reduced forms, such as didn't, I'll, I'm. Say them the short way, as you hear them.

  • The “sh” and “zh” sounds: shirt /ʃɜɹt/, direction /dɪˈɹɛk.ʃən/

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 molecule, reflect, leaf.

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 →