Shadowing Practice: Chris Hemsworth Takes a Lie Detector Test | Vanity Fair - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Are you a better action hero than this person?
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Oh, hang on.
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Hang on.
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I don't like saying these things.
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Chris, we've brought you here today to take a lie detector test.
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Hmm.
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I feel like I'm in prison.
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Wrap this around your chest. Are you ready?
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Yes.
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I'm gonna ask you a few questions.
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Okay.
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To get a baseline for the machine, please answer honestly.
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Is your name Christopher Hemsworth?
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Yes.
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Are you from Melbourne, Australia?
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Yes.
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Have you been called the sexiest man alive?
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Yes.
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Okay, then.
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Let's start with your life.
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You've said your kids have criticized your movies.
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Are you offended by their harsh critiques?
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No. What did they say?
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That is true.
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True.
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Good.
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What's the most critical thing they've said about your movies?
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The most critical thing they've said?
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I can't remember specifics.
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I've seen them walk out of my movies.
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Yeah, just get bored and walk away.
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Ouch.
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Your daughter made her acting debut in Thor Love and Thunder.
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Mm-hmm.
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Did she have to audition for the role?
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She did.
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I had to, um, it was my idea that she could be in the film,
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and then so I filmed her on my iPhone reading a bunch of the lines, and then I sent it to Taika and the people at Marvel.
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Would you do another movie together?
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Yeah, I sort of, that was, when she did that film, originally she was supposed to have a whole bunch of prosthetics and so on, and I thought, oh, yeah, it's good.
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I don't want to have her face up there on the screen at this age
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and then the character changed and she didn't have all those prosthetics.
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And then I sort of, my wife and I had
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that conversation about do we want her to be on the screen yet
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and so on and got a bit nervous about it all.
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And then she's asked me to do, she wants to be in more films and act more.
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And we just said maybe wait a few years.
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But one day for sure, I'd love to, I love spending time with her.
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So I'd love to do a film with her, yeah.
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So she must be in Furiosa, right?
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She is not, no. Oh.
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I want to know what's going on.
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Is it all working?
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Is it telling you that I don't like my daughter or something? Because I do.
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The machine's wrong.
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Speaking of family, your older brother said growing up you all fought so much it was like the Hemsworth House of Horrors.
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So were you the troublemaker?
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One of.
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One of three.
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Was I the main troublemaker?
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Maybe.
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Is it because you have middle child energy?
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I think so. That is true.
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Damn it. Are you the favorite?
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Yes.
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Also truthful.
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Sorry.
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Am I the favorite?
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Oh, that's hilarious.
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I mean, I think I am, yeah.
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Sorry, Luke.
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Sorry, Liam.
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Machine doesn't lie.
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There's so much truth.
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This thing exploded off my chest.
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That's exactly what happened.
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Is it true that you were really good friends with this person?
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Yes.
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Is he as good at surfing as you?
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No. What about skiing?
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Oh, no, he's a much better skier.
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I snowboard, he skis, but he's much better on the mountain than I am.
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Is your friendship just going on cool trips together?
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No. Who usually picks up the bill?
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I'd say we split it.
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The machine is detecting some deception.
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Well, hang on, let me just clarify.
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He's very good at getting the bill first, but I certainly offer to pay or attempt to pay,
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and he's very good at getting there first. That is true.
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That is true?
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Yeah, there we go.
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Doesn't mean I didn't try.
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You were one of the Met Gala co-chairs this year.
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Would you consider yourself a fashionable person?
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No. Do I think they made a mistake?
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Yes.
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So are you pretty nervous?
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A little bit, yeah.
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Do you think your past red carpets have prepared you for the role?
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Yeah, that's what I'm going to wear.
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What am I wearing?
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I'm wearing flip-flops on a red carpet.
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It's breaking all the rules.
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Fashion icon.
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Let's move on to your career.
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You were on Dancing with the Stars Australia.
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Yes.
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Is this something you were proud of?
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Not really.
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Is it because you didn't win?
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No, I just kind of felt like a fool.
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But I needed the money, and it got me...
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It gave me enough money to come to LA.
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Would you ever appear in the American version of Dancing with the Stars?
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No. No. It's nothing against the show, it's just I'm not a very good dancer.
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Would you ever do another reality show?
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No, no. documentary style shows, sure, but not like a reality show. Or sideways glance.
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Is it true that this person auditioned for your role in Thor?
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Yes, he did.
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Yep.
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Were you worried he'd get it over you?
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No, because I wasn't, I was told I didn't have the part at that point.
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so I was excited for him.
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A little jealous maybe, but I was excited for him.
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Then when I was allowed to re-audition, it was when he was out of the picture.
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So we never were neck and neck.
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It was either I was involved, then wasn't, then he was involved, then wasn't, then I was involved.
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He's being truthful.
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This is terrifying, this guy.
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Is there a role of his that you wish was yours?
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No, no. Not even the last song?
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The last song.
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Nah.
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The world would have been, his life would be very different, wouldn't it?
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It's inconclusive, actually.
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What?
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Do I want to be in the last song?
138
No. What's that?
139
That's inconclusive.
140
Have you ever pretended to be him?
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Yes.
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When someone's come up and said, Liam, can I have a photo?
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He did it too, actually.
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The first premiere I went to for Star Trek, I came out.
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A few people came up and got photos and he just looked at me and went, no worries, sure.
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Because I thought he was me.
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Is it true that your wife stepped in for this person during a Thor kissing scene?
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She did, yeah.
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So Natalie wasn't there and we were doing reshoots.
150
We were in Hong Kong
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and they had brought in a handful of lovely ladies who were potentially going to be the stand-in for Jane.
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And then I said, my wife just landed.
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Why don't we just get her?
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Did you request to kiss your wife instead of Natalie?
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I did.
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Is it because you knew it would be a good story to talk about on talk shows?
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I knew it would make a great vanity fair lie detector test question.
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I don't know if I've told her on a talk show.
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I just knew she was a good kisser. That is true.
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You have worked as the global ambassador of tourism for Australia.
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Did you enjoy that job?
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Yeah.
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I got to go on a bunch of trips around Australia and travel around and see some really cool places.
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So you clearly have a lot of Australian pride.
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Yeah.
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Australian pride, yeah.
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I mean, yeah.
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As in, yeah.
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Yeah.
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Sometimes.
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What did I say?
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Is this movie your favorite film?
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Is this movie my favorite film?
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No. I love Baz Luhrmann.
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It's not my favorite film.
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Nothing against the film.
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I have other films that are my favorite.
178
Do you clap at this person's AMC ads?
179
What?
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I don't even know.
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What's AMC?
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A movie theater chain.
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Oh, I haven't even seen her in an AMC ad.
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I clap at this person now.
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Let's move on to pop culture.
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You've said you don't consider yourself an action hero.
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Is that true?
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No, I mean, I play action heroes.
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I'm not sure what that means.
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I'd like to think I have more to offer than just being an action hero.
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Maybe that's it.
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What makes a good action hero?
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The individuals that I watch kind of in the action hero space have a great amount of charisma.
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There's athleticism and they're solid actors too.
195
Are you a better action hero than this person?
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Oh, fuck.
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Hang on.
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I don't like saying these things.
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Am I better in what way?
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What do you mean?
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What do you mean?
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Oh, hang on, hang on, hang on, hang on, hang on.
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He is a good action hero.
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He's a great action hero.
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Am I a better action hero is the question?
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Oh, I don't know.
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God, come on.
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This is good.
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This is gonna get dissected and pulled apart.
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And he's gonna dissect me.
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I think he's a good action hero.
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We answered that.
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Who was better is what I refuse to answer on the grounds that it may incriminate me.
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Would I wear that suit?
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No. That is true.
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This person?
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What about this guy?
218
I love him.
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Two great action heroes.
220
Would I kick both their asses?
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Yes. That is truthful.
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That was in real life though, fellas.
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So, I love them both.
224
I've been snowboarding with him at Christmas time.
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He's a better snowboarder than me.
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Doesn't wear a helmet either.
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Dangerous.
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The world already knows about your Avengers group chat.
229
So, is it still active?
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Yes.
231
Do you ever put it on mute?
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No. That is a lie.
233
I've never put it on mute.
234
Have I ever put the Avengers chat on mute?
235
No. Inconclusive.
236
Still giving exceptions.
237
This machine's broken. Can I fly?
238
Yes.
239
What did it say?
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Inconclusive.
241
Hang on.
242
Can I fly?
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Yes, I can fly.
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Inconclusive.
245
God damn it.
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And by the end of this interview, I can fly.
247
Break.
248
If the chat is still active, did you want to discuss Madam Web?
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No. He's telling the truth.
250
I haven't seen Madame Webb, so I couldn't discuss it.
251
Is it safe to say you're a huge fan of...
252
I'm getting nervous now.
253
...this person?
254
Oh, yes.
255
How many times have you seen him in concert?
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Um, three.
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Twice in the same weekend.
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Do you think that's a little much?
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I mean, you'll have to ask him.
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No, not at all.
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I'm a supportive friend and fan.
262
How many more concerts before it gets creepy?
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I think I might be at the creepy stage, right?
264
How many more times before it's really creepy?
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Like 50.
266
That's inconclusive.
267
10. He's telling the truth.
268
If you're such a big fan of Ed's, can you tell me how this lyric ends?
269
A club isn't the best place to find a lover, so...
270
I don't know the lyrics, no. I mean, I like him, I like his music, I don't know all the words.
271
See, I'm not a creepy fan, am I?
272
Would you see this person that many times in concert?
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Three?
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Yeah.
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I've never seen her any times in concert.
276
But I would if she invited me. But she didn't.
277
Okay, final question.
278
Did you lie at any point during this lie detector test and we didn't catch you? Did I?
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I can't remember.
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I don't think so.
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I told the truth once and it said I was a liar. But one more question.
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Ask me if I can fly.
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Go, come on.
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Can you fly?
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Yeah.
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He's being deceptive.
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God damn it.
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Hang on one more time, one more time, one more time.
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Go.
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Can you fly?
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Yes.
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Detecting deception.
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God, stop it. Can I fly?
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Yes.
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God damn it.
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Damn it.
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Okay, okay, okay.
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This video has 297 sentences and 1935 words to shadow. The speech runs for 13:13. The speaker talks at a steady 146 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
15 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| creepy adjective | /ˈkɹipi/ | Moving by creeping along. |
| audition noun | /ɑˈdɪʃən/ | A performance, by an aspiring performer, to demonstrate suitability or talent. |
| detector noun | /dɪˈtɛktə(ɹ)/ | A device capable of registering a specific substance or physical phenomenon, and that optionally sounds an alarm or triggers a warning. |
| mute adjective | /mjut/ | Not having the power of speech; dumb. |
| carpet noun | /ˈkɑɹ.pət/ | A fabric used as a complete floor covering. |
| ski noun | /skiː/ | One of a pair of long flat runners designed for gliding over snow or water. |
| detect verb | /dɪˈtɛkt/ | To discover or find by careful search, examination, or probing. |
| deception noun | /dɪˈsɛpʃən/ | An instance of actions and/or schemes fabricated to mislead someone into believing a lie or inaccuracy. |
| clap verb | /klæp/ | To strike the palms of the hands together, creating a sharp sound. |
| sexy adjective | /ˈsɛksi/ | Having sex appeal; attractive. |
| friendship noun | /ˈfɹɛn(d)ʃɪp/ | The condition of being friends. |
| potentially adverb | /pəˈtɛnʃ(ə)li/ | In a manner showing much potential; with the possibility of happening in a given way. |
| refuse verb | /ɹɪˈfjuːz/ | To decline (a request or demand). |
| ambassador noun | /æmˈbæs.ə.dɚ/ | A diplomat of the highest rank sent to a foreign court to represent there their sovereign or country. (Sometimes called ambassador-in-residence) |
| exception noun | /əkˈsɛpʃən/ | The act of excepting or excluding; exclusion; restriction by taking out something which would otherwise be included, as in a class, statement, rule. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| come up verb | To emerge or become known, especially unexpectedly. | |
| come out verb | /ˌkʌm ˈaʊt/ | To be discovered; to be revealed. |
| face up verb | To confront an unpleasant situation | |
| grow up verb | To mature and become an adult. | |
| pick up verb | To lift; to grasp and raise. | |
| pull apart verb | To become separated as a result of pulling. | |
| stand in for verb | To replace; to act as a double or substitute for. | |
| walk away verb | To withdraw from a problematic situation. |
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | we've brought · Have you been called · You've said |
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | been called · was told · was allowed |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 63 contractions and reduced forms, such as don't, I'm, didn't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “th” sounds: theater /ˈθi(ə)tɚ/, truthful /ˈtɹuːθ.f(ə)l/, prosthetic /ˌpɹɑsˈθɛtɪk/, athleticism /æθˈlɛtɪsɪzəm/
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: audition /ɑˈdɪʃən/, deception /dɪˈsɛpʃən/, friendship /ˈfɹɛn(d)ʃɪp/, potentially /pəˈtɛnʃ(ə)li/, exception /əkˈsɛpʃən/
- Long words — get the stress right: potentially /pəˈtɛnʃ(ə)li/, ambassador /æmˈbæs.ə.dɚ/, documentary /ˌdɒk.jʊˈmɛn.tɹi/, hilarious /hɪˈlɛə.ɹi.əs/, inconclusive /ˌɪnkənˈkluːsɪv/
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 creepy, audition, detector.
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.