Shadowing Practice: How Is Your Phone Changing You? - Learn English Speaking with Video

Loading...
1
Of the 7 billion people on Earth, roughly 6 billion own a cell phone, which is pretty shocking given that only 4.5 billion have access to a working toilet.
2
So how are these popular gadgets changing your body and brain?
3
If you're looking down at your phone right now, your spine angle is equivalent to that of an 8 year old child sitting on your neck,
4
which is fairly significant considering people spend an average of 4.7 hours a day looking at their phone.
5
This, combined with the length of time spent in front of computers, has led to an increase in the prevalence of myopia or nearsightedness in North America.
6
In the 1970s, about one quarter of the population had myopia, where today nearly half do, and in some parts of Asia,
7
80-90% of the population is now nearsighted.
8
And it can be hard to put your phone down.
9
Take for example the game Candy Crush.
10
As you play the game, you achieve small goals, causing your brain to be rewarded with little bursts of dopamine.
11
and eventually you're rewarded in the game with new content.
12
This novelty also gives little bursts of dopamine and together create what is known as a compulsion loop,
13
which just happens to be the same loop responsible for the behaviors associated with nicotine or cocaine.
14
Our brains are hardwired to make us novelty seeking, and this is why apps on our phones are designed to constantly provide us with new content, making them hard to put down.
15
As a result, 93% of young people aged 18-29 report using their smartphone as a tool to avoid boredom,
16
as opposed to other activities like reading a book or engaging with people around them.
17
This has created a new term, gnomophobia, the fear or anxiety of being without your phone.
18
We also see a change in brain patterns.
19
Alpha rhythms are commonly associated with wakeful relaxation, like when your mind wanders off, whereas gamma waves are associated with conscious attentiveness.
20
And experiments have shown that when a cell phone is transmitting, say during a phone call, the power of these alpha waves is significantly boosted,
21
meaning phone transmissions can literally change the way your brain functions.
22
Your smartphone can also disrupt your sleep.
23
The screen emits a blue light which has been shown to alter our circadian rhythms, diminishing the time spent in deep sleep, which is linked to the development of diabetes, cancer and obesity.
24
Studies have shown that people who read on their smartphone at night have a harder time falling asleep and produce less melatonin, a hormone responsible for the regulation of sleep-wake cycles.
25
Harvard Medical School advises the last 2-3 hours before bed be technology free, so pick up a book before bed instead.
26
Of course, smartphones also completely change our ability to access information, most notably in poor and minority populations.
27
7% of Americans are entirely dependent on smartphones for their access to the internet.
28
A 2014 study found that the majority of smartphone owners use their phone for online banking, to look up medical information, and searching for jobs.
29
So while phones are in no way exclusively bad, and have been part of a positive change in the world, there's no denying that they are changing us.
30
But many successful people have now decided to take smartphone vacations in order to increase productivity.
31
In our new ASAP Thought video, we break down the top 6 reasons you should take a smartphone vacation and how it could benefit your life right now.
32
And subscribe for more weekly science videos.

About This Lesson

In this lesson, you’ll practice understanding and speaking about how smartphones shape our lives—from physical effects like spine strain to brain changes and sleep disruption. You’ll work on following conversational explanations, picking up on key details, and repeating complex ideas aloud. It’s a great chance to improve your listening and speaking skills while learning interesting facts about modern technology!

Key Vocabulary & Phrases

  • Myopia: Nearsightedness (e.g., "Prolonged phone use increases myopia rates").
  • Compulsion loop: A cycle of behavior driven by rewards (e.g., "Candy Crush uses a compulsion loop to keep players engaged").
  • Nomophobia: Fear of being without a phone (e.g., "Many young people experience nomophobia").
  • Circadian rhythms: The body’s 24-hour sleep-wake cycle (e.g., "Blue light disrupts circadian rhythms").
  • Melatonin: A hormone that regulates sleep (e.g., "Phone use at night reduces melatonin production").

Practice Tips

The video’s tone is conversational but informative, with a moderate speed—perfect for shadowing! Here’s how to practice: Start by listening to a 30-second clip, then pause and repeat it immediately, mimicking the speaker’s rhythm and stress. Focus on words like "compulsion loop" or "circadian rhythms"—say them slowly at first, then build speed. Use a shadowing app to record yourself and compare it to the video; this helps with intonation. If you struggle, break sentences into chunks. For example, "If you're looking down at your phone right now, your spine angle is equivalent to that of an 8-year-old child sitting on your neck" can be split into two parts. A good shadowing site can help you loop clips easily. Remember, the goal is to sound natural, not perfect—keep practicing, and you’ll notice progress! Whether you use a shadowing technique or a shadow speak method, consistency is key. You’ve got this!

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.