Shadowing Practice: ANNIHILATOR | Jeff Waters | Interview 1990 | Hard'n Heavy VHS | Thrash and Speed Metal Special - Learn English Speaking with Video
B2Jeff Waters from Annihilator's influence
B2best of • FLEABAG
B2Adrian Vandenberg - Whitesnake Interview
B2Scott Ian of Anthrax on playing with Stryper
B2Get Thrashed:Nuclear Assault
B2HEADBANGER'S BALL - JOEY DEMAIO (MANOWAR )
B2Al Jourgensen - The Fastest Record in the World | Soundwave 2015 | Metal Hammer
B2Paul Di'Anno interview 1987 (Spanish TV)
B21987-Much Music - Interview with Billy Milano of M.O.D.
B2PARADISE LOST - Live in France + Interview 1996 / MCM
B2Pantera's Philip Anselmo on Drug Use + 'Hard Lines, Sunken Cheeks'
B2I wanted David Byron to REJOIN Uriah Heep! HE WOULDN'T LISTEN!
Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This video has 19 sentences and 206 words to shadow. The speech runs for 1:21. The speaker talks at a natural 153 words per minute, close to everyday conversation. 84% 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
The 14 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| hilarious adjective | /hɪˈlɛə.ɹi.əs/ | Very funny; causing great merriment and laughter. |
| integrity noun | /ɪnˈtɛɡɹəti/ | Steadfast adherence to a strict moral or ethical code. |
| artistic adjective | /ɑɹˈtɪs.tɪk/ | Having or revealing creative skill. |
| scare verb | /skɛɚ/ | To frighten, terrify, startle, especially in a minor way. |
| bind verb | /ˈbaɪ̯nd/ | To tie; to confine by any ligature. |
| truck noun | /tɹʌk/ | A small wheel or roller, specifically the wheel of a gun carriage. |
| bunch noun | /bʌnt͡ʃ/ | A group of similar things, either growing together, or in a cluster or clump, usually fastened together. |
| tour noun | /tɔː(ɹ)/ | A journey through a particular building, estate, country, etc. |
| unless | /ɪnˈlɛs/ | Except on a specified condition; if not. |
| drink verb | /ˈdɹɪŋk/ | To consume (a liquid) through the mouth. |
| wonderful adjective | /ˈwʌndəfl̩/ | Tending to excite wonder; surprising, extraordinary. |
| realize verb | /ˈɹi(.ə)ˌlaɪz/ | To become aware of, understand, or appreciate (a fact or situation, especially something which has been true for some time). |
| somebody | /ˈsʌmˌbədi/ | Some unspecified person. |
| wild adjective | /ˈwaɪ̯ld/ | Especially, being of the wild type: being of an unbroken ancestral line of undomesticated animals, as opposed to being feral, being an undomesticated animal… |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| come off verb | To become detached. | |
| make up verb | /ˌmeɪk ˈʌp/ | To constitute, to compose. |
| walk around verb | To walk with no planned destination; to meander. |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 10 contractions and reduced forms, such as didn't, I'm, isn't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- Long words — get the stress right: hilarious /hɪˈlɛə.ɹi.əs/, integrity /ɪnˈtɛɡɹəti/
How to practise with this video
- Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
- Start at 0.75× speed, shadow it sentence by sentence, then go back to normal speed once it feels easy.
- Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like hilarious, integrity, artistic.
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.