Shadowing Practice: American Psycho - Office Interrogation - 1080 HD - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

B2
Lady in red Is dancing with me Chief to chief
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141 sentences
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Lady in red Is dancing with me Chief to chief
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There's nobody here What is it?
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Patrick.
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Yes, Jean?
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There's a Mr. Donald Kimball here to see you. Who?
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Detective Donald Kimball.
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Tell him I'm at lunch.
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Patrick, it's only 10.30.
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I think he knows you're here.
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Send him in, I guess.
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Now, John, you've got to wear clothes in proportion to your physique.
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There are definite do's and don'ts, good buddy, of wearing a bold striped shirt.
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A bold striped shirt calls for solid, colored, or discreetly patterned suits and ties patterned suits and ties.
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Yes, always tip the stylist 15%.
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Listen, John, I've got to go.
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T. Boone Pickens just walked in.
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Just joking.
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No, don't tip the owner of the salon.
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OK, John, right?
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Got it.
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Sorry about that.
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No, I'm sorry.
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I should have made an appointment.
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Was that anything important?
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All that?
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Just mulling over business problems, examining opportunities, exchanging rumors, spreading gossip.
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Hi.
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I'm Donald Kimball.
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Hi.
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Pat Bateman.
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Nice to meet you.
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Sorry to barge in on you like this.
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I know how busy you guys can get.
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So, what's the, uh, topic of discussion?
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I've been hired by Meredith Powell to investigate the disappearance of Paul Allen.
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I see, yeah.
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Paul's disappearance, yeah.
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Sir, it's nothing that official.
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I just have some basic questions about Paul Allen, about yourself.
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Coffee?
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No, I'm okay.
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Paul and ours?
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No, I'm okay.
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Can you bring Mr. Kimball?
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Mr. Kimball, a bottle of a...
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No, really, I'm okay.
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It's no problem.
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So, what's the topic of discussion?
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The disappearance of Paul Allen.
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Right.
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Well, I, um...
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I haven't heard anything about the disappearance or anything.
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Not on page six, at least.
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I think his family wants to skip quiet.
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Understandable.
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Lime?
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No, not really.
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I'm okay.
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You sure?
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I can always get you a lime.
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Just some preliminary questions that I need for my own files, okay?
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Shoot.
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How old are you?
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Twenty-seven.
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Where did you go to school?
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Harvard, then Harvard Business School.
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Your address?
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American Gardens Building, West 81st Street.
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Hmm, nice.
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Very nice.
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Thanks.
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What can you tell me about Paul Allen?
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I'm at a loss.
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He was part of that whole Yale thing.
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Yale thing?
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Yeah, Yale thing.
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What do you mean, Yale thing?
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Well, I think for one, that he was probably a closet homosexual who did a lot of cocaine at Yale thing.
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What kind of man was he?
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Besides the information you've just given.
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I hope I'm not being cross-examined here.
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You feel like that?
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No, not really.
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Where did Paul hang out?
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Hang out?
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Yeah, you know, hang out.
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Let me think.
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The Newport, Harry's, Flutie's, Indochine, Nell's, the Cornell Club, the New York Yacht Club.
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He had a yacht?
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No, he just hung out there.
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And where did he go to school?
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Don't you know this?
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I just wanted to know if you know.
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Before Yale, if I remember correctly, St. Paul's.
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Listen, I just, I just want to help.
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I understand.
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Do you have any witnesses or fingerprints?
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Well, there's a message on his answering machine that says he went to London.
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Maybe he did, huh?
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His girlfriend doesn't think so.
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But has anyone seen him in London?
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Actually, yes.
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Hmm.
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But I've had a hard time getting actual verification.
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A Stephen Hughes said he saw him at a restaurant there.
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But I checked it out.
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And what happened is he mistook a Herbert Ainsworth for Palso.
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Had his apartment been burglarized?
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No, actually, it hadn't.
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Toiletries were missing.
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A suit was gone.
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So was some luggage.
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That's it.
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I mean, no one's dealing with the homicide squad yet or anything, right?
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No, not yet.
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As I said, we're not sure.
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Basically, no one's seen or heard anything.
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So typical, isn't it?
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It's just strange.
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One day someone's walking around, going to work, alive, and then...
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Nothing.
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People just disappear.
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Earth just opens up and swallows them.
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Eerie.
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Really eerie.
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Listen, you'll have to excuse me.
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I have a lunch meeting with Cliff Huxtable Four Seasons in 20 minutes.
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Uh, the Four Seasons?
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Isn't that a little far uptown?
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I mean, aren't you gonna be late?
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No, there's one down here.
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Oh, really?
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I didn't know that.
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It's very good.
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Listen, if anything else occurs to you, any information...
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Absolutely, I'm 100% with you.
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Great.
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And thanks for your time, Mr. Bateman.
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Bye-bye.
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Goodbye.
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Thank you.

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About This Lesson

In this lesson, you will practice your English speaking skills by analyzing a scene from the video American Psycho. This segment features a tense office interrogation that showcases various conversational dynamics and professional interactions. You will focus on how to improve English pronunciation through effective shadowing techniques. By watching and mimicking the speech patterns, intonation, and rhythm, you can enhance your English speaking practice and become more comfortable in similar dialogues.

Key Vocabulary & Phrases

  • interrogation - a formal questioning, often used in a legal context.
  • detective - a police officer who investigates crimes and gathers information.
  • disappearance - the act of someone going missing.
  • appointment - a scheduled meeting at a specific time.
  • proportion - the relationship between different parts of something, especially in terms of size or importance.
  • gossip - informal conversation or rumors about others.
  • questions - inquiries made to gather information.
  • business problems - issues or challenges related to a company's operations.

Practice Tips

To effectively use the shadowing technique with this clip, follow these guidelines:

  • Watch and Listen: First, watch the scene without any distractions. Pay attention to the pacing and pronunciation of the speakers. Notice how they emphasize certain words and the natural flow of their conversation.
  • Slow it Down: Utilize a shadowing app, or adjust the video playback speed to slow down the dialogue. This allows you to grasp the nuances of pronunciation better.
  • Repeat and Imitate: After several listens, begin to repeat phrases after the speakers. Focus on imitating their intonation and rhythm to improve your English pronunciation.
  • Practice in Segments: Break the scene into small sections. Shadow one section at a time before moving on to the next. This helps you concentrate on specific phrases and improves retention.
  • Engage with Context: Understand the context of the conversation. Try to use new vocabulary in your own sentences to boost your English speaking practice.
  • Record Yourself: Use a recording device to capture your shadowing attempts. Compare your pronunciation and tone to the original speakers, identifying areas for improvement.

By consistently applying these tips and utilizing the shadowing technique, you will steadily improve your English speaking skills and pronunciation. Embrace the challenge and enjoy the journey of learning!

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.

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