Shadowing Practice: u2 l9 1 - Learn English Speaking with Video

This video has 28 sentences and 192 words to shadow. The speech runs for 1:34. The speaker talks at a steady 123 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.

Key vocabulary in this video

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

• rarely /ˈɹɛəɹli/ (adverb) — Not occurring at a regular interval; seldom; not often.
• downtown /ˈdaʊ̯nˌtaʊ̯n/ (noun) — The main business part of a city or town, usually located at or near its center.
• underground /ˌʌn.dəɹˈɡɹaʊnd/ (adjective) — Below the ground; below the surface of the Earth.
• mall /mɔːl/ (noun) — A pedestrianised street, especially a shopping precinct.
• reliable /ɹɪˈlaɪəbl̩/ (adjective) — Suitable or fit to be relied on; worthy of dependence, reliance or trust; dependable, trustworthy
• neighbourhood /ˈneɪbə.hʊd/ (noun) — British standard spelling of neighborhood.
• dusty /ˈdʌsti/ (adjective) — Covered with dust.
• noisy /ˈnɔɪzi/ (adjective) — Making a noise, especially a loud unpleasant sound
• congestion /kənˈd͡ʒɛs.t͡ʃən/ (noun) — An accumulation or buildup, the act of gathering into a heap or mass.
• congest /kənˈd͡ʒɛst/ (verb) — To hinder or block the passage of something moving, for example a fluid, mixture, traffic, people, etc. (due to an excess of this or due to a partial or…
• itchy /ˈɪt͡ʃi/ (adjective) — Characterized by itching. (of a condition)
• pollute /pəˈluːt/ (verb) — To make something harmful, especially by the addition of some unwanted product.
• pricey /ˈpɹaɪsi/ (adjective) — Expensive, dear.

Phrasal verbs you will hear

• get around (verb) — To move to the other side of (something, such as an obstruction) by deviating from a direct course or following a curved path.
• go by (verb) — To pass or go past without much interaction.

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 rarely, downtown, underground.