Shadowing Practice: we just graduated high school - Learn English Speaking with Video

This video has 224 sentences and 1628 words to shadow. The speech runs for 19:35. The speaker talks slowly, about 83 words per minute, so there is time to copy every sound. 85% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English; the rest is worth studying before you start.

Key vocabulary in this video

15 less common words from the video, with pronunciation and meaning:

• barn [ˈbɑɹn] (noun) — A building, often found on a farm, used for storage or keeping animals such as cattle.
• glacier /ˈɡleɪ.ʃɚ/ (noun) — A large body of ice which flows under its own mass, usually downhill.
• delta /ˈdɛltə/ (noun) — The fourth letter of the modern Greek alphabet Δ, δ.
• sword /soɹd/ (noun) — A long bladed weapon with a grip and typically a pommel and crossguard (together forming a hilt), which is designed to cut, stab, slash and/or hack.
• bone /boʊn/ (noun) — A composite material consisting largely of calcium phosphate and collagen and making up the skeleton of most vertebrates.
• angel /ˈeɪ̯n.d͡ʒəl/ (noun) — An incorporeal and holy or semidivine messenger from a deity or other divine entity, traditionally depicted as a youthful, winged figure in flowing robes.
• chill /tʃɪl/ (verb) — To lower the temperature of something; to cool.
• mason /ˈmeɪsən/ (noun) — A bricklayer, one whose occupation is to build with stone or brick.
• selfish /ˈsɛlf.ɪʃ/ (adjective) — Holding one's own self-interest as the standard for decision making.
• shout /ʃaʊt/ (verb) — To utter a sudden and loud cry, as in joy, triumph, exultation or anger, or to attract attention, to animate others, etc.
• insist /ɪnˈsɪst/ (verb) — To hold up a claim emphatically.
• vibe /vaɪb/ (noun) — An atmosphere or aura felt to belong to a person, place or thing.
• fade /feɪd/ (verb) — To hit the ball with the shot called a fade.
• bind /ˈbaɪ̯nd/ (verb) — To tie; to confine by any ligature.
• whisper /ˈ(h)wɪspɚ/ (verb) — To speak softly or under one's breath, so as to be heard only by one near at hand; to utter words without sonant breath; to talk without that vibration of the…

Phrasal verbs you will hear

• look at (verb) — To observe or watch.
• get on (verb) — To board or mount (something), especially a vehicle.
• bear down (verb) — To steer away from the wind; to approach from windward.
• check out (verb) — To record the departure or withdrawal of someone or something (such as guests, employees, books, etc.).
• go down (verb) — To descend; to move from a higher place to a lower one.
• go on /ˈɡoʊˌɒn/ (verb) — To continue in extent.
• jump in /d͡ʒʌmp ˈɪn/ (verb) — To enter something quickly, usually a mode of transport.
• come on /ˌkʌm ˈɒn/ — Come along with me; join me in going.

Pronunciation to watch

The speaker uses 75 contractions and reduced forms, such as we're, I'm, can't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.

• The “sh” and “zh” sounds: glacier /ˈɡleɪ.ʃɚ/, selfish /ˈsɛlf.ɪʃ/, shout /ʃaʊt/, shake /ˈʃeɪk/, shoe /ˈʃu/
• Long words — get the stress right: disappointed /ˌdɪsəˈpɔɪnɪd/, diversity /daɪˈvɜː(ɹ)sɪti/, immaculate /ɪˈmæk.jʊ.lət/, photogenic /ˌfoʊ.toʊˈd͡ʒɛn.ɪk/

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 barn, glacier, delta.