Shadowing Practice: ZOOTOPIA Movie Clips Compilation (2016) - Learn English Speaking with Video
Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This B2 speaking lesson is built on the video “ZOOTOPIA Movie Clips Compilation”. This video has 237 sentences and 1627 words to shadow. The speech runs for 12:27. The speaker talks at a steady 131 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. 83% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English; the rest is worth studying before you start. 42 of its 237 sentences are questions, so it is good practice for question intonation and short answers.
Key vocabulary in this video
The 15 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| camel noun | /ˈkæm(ə)l/ | A mammalian beast of burden, much used in desert areas, of the genus Camelus. |
| elephant noun | /ˈɛlɪfənt/ | A large mammal of the family Elephantidae in the order Proboscidea, having a trunk, and native to Africa and Asia. |
| bunny noun | /ˈbʌni/ | A rabbit, especially a juvenile one. |
| doughnut noun | /ˈdəʊnʌt/ | A deep-fried piece of dough or batter, usually mixed with various sweeteners and flavors, often made in a toroidal or ellipsoidal shape flattened sphere shape… |
| predator noun | /ˈpɹɛd.ə.tɚ/ | Any animal or other organism that hunts and kills other nonplant organisms (their prey), primarily for food. |
| polar adjective | /ˈpoʊlɚ/ | Of, relating to, measured from, or referred to a geographic pole (the North Pole or South Pole); within the Arctic or Antarctic circles. |
| trunk noun | /tɹʌŋk/ | The usually single, more or less upright part of a tree, between the roots and the branches. |
| bullpen noun | An enclosed area used to hold bulls. | |
| cracker noun | /ˈkɹækə(ɹ)/ | A dry, thin, crispy baked bread (usually salty or savoury, but sometimes sweet, as in the case of graham crackers and animal crackers). |
| docket noun | /ˈdɒk.ɪt/ | A short entry of the proceedings of a court; the register containing them; the office containing the register. |
| excite verb | /ɪkˈsaɪt/ | To stir the emotions of; to cause to feel excitement. |
| flabby adjective | /ˈflæb.i/ | Yielding to the touch, and easily moved or shaken; hanging loose by its own weight; lacking firmness; flaccid. |
| glorify verb | /ˈɡlɔːɹɪfaɪ/ | To exalt, or give glory or praise to (something or someone). |
| jeggings noun | /ˈd͡ʒɛɡ.ɪŋz/ | Denim leggings, or very skinny jeans. |
| mammal noun | /ˈmæməl/ | A vertebrate animal of the class Mammalia, characterized by being warm-blooded, having fur or hair and producing milk with which to feed their young. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| grow up verb | To mature and become an adult. |
| back up verb | To move backwards, especially for a vehicle to do so. |
| come through verb | To come into a room or other space through a door or passageway. |
| hold up verb | To wait or delay. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- What do you call a three -humped camel?
- You want the red or the blue, pal?
- What are you talking about?
- Can I pay you back?
- What did I do wrong, you guys?
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 48 contractions and reduced forms, such as don't, I'm, you're. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “th” sounds: untrustworthy /ˌʌnˈtɹʌstˌwɜː(ɹ)ði/, trustworthy /ˈtɹʌst.wɜː.ði/, oath /ˈoʊθ/
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: shifty /ˈʃɪfti/, initiation /ɪˌnɪʃ.iˈeɪ.ʃən/, emotionally /ɪˈməʊʃənəli/, violation /ˌvaɪ.əˈleɪ.ʃən/, crush /kɹʌʃ/
- Long words — get the stress right: stereotype /ˈstɛ.ɹi.əˌtaɪp/, untrustworthy /ˌʌnˈtɹʌstˌwɜː(ɹ)ði/, initiation /ɪˌnɪʃ.iˈeɪ.ʃən/, articulate /ɑːɹˈtɪk.jə.leɪt/, emotionally /ɪˈməʊʃənəli/
How to practise with this video
- Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
- Shadow it sentence by sentence at normal speed, repeating each one until your rhythm matches the speaker.
- Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like camel, elephant, bunny.
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.






























