Shadowing Practice: Your Brain Peaked at Birth - Learn English Speaking with Video

This video has 16 sentences and 210 words to shadow. The speech runs for 1:12. The speaker talks at a natural 175 words per minute, close to everyday conversation. Only 80% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is demanding.

Key vocabulary in this video

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

• wire /ˈwaɪɚ/ (noun) — Metal formed into a thin, even thread, now usually by being drawn through a hole in a steel die.
• compete /kəmˈpiːt/ (verb) — To be in battle or in a rivalry with another for the same thing, position, or reward; to contend.
• pace /peɪs/ (noun) — A step taken with the foot.
• destruction /dɪsˈtɹʌkʃən/ (noun) — The act of destroying.
• roughly /ˈɹʌf.li/ (adverb) — In a rough manner; without kindness, softness, or gentleness.
• trigger /ˈtɹɪɡɚ/ (noun) — A finger-operated lever used to fire a gun.
• gravity /ˈɡɹævɪti/ (noun) — Of an activity such as a ceremony, a person's conduct, etc.: the quality of being deeply serious and solemn, especially in a dignified manner; seriousness…
• monkey /ˈmʌŋki/ (noun) — A member of the clade Simiiformes other than those in the clade Hominoidea containing apes, generally (but not universally) distinguished by small size, tails…
• distinguish /dɪˈstɪŋ.ɡwɪʃ/ (verb) — To recognize someone or something as different from others based on its characteristics.
• surf /sɝf/ (verb) — To ride a wave on a surfboard; to pursue or take part in the sport of surfing.
• ruthless /ˈɹuːθləs/ (adjective) — Without pity or compassion; cruel, pitiless.
• synapse /ˈsɪnæps/ (noun) — The junction between the terminal of a neuron and either another neuron or a muscle or gland cell, over which nerve impulses pass.
• headspace /ˈhɛdspeɪs/ (noun) — The space between the top of the contents of a container (such as a jar) and its seal (such as a lid).
• linguist /ˈlɪŋɡwɪst/ (noun) — One who studies linguistics.
• neuron /ˈn(j)ʊɹɑn/ (noun) — A cell of the nervous system, which conducts nerve impulses; consisting of an axon and several dendrites. Neurons are connected by synapses.

Phrasal verbs you will hear

• pick up (verb) — To lift; to grasp and raise.

Pronunciation to watch

The speaker uses 4 contractions and reduced forms, such as aren't, can't, doesn't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.

• The “sh” and “zh” sounds: destruction /dɪsˈtɹʌkʃən/, distinguish /dɪˈstɪŋ.ɡwɪʃ/, specialization [ˌspɛʃəlaɪ̯ˈzeɪ̯ʃn̩]

How to practise with this video

1. Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
2. Start at 0.75× speed, shadow it sentence by sentence, then go back to normal speed once it feels easy.
3. Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like wire, compete, pace.

Grammar in this video

The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video: