Shadowing Practice: Curb Your Enthusiasm: Bad Lunch - Learn English Speaking with Video
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124 sentences
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1
Remind me when it's 2 o 'clock, will you?
2
2 o 'clock?
3
Yeah.
4
I got it.
5
Hello, gentlemen.
6
How we doing?
7
Hello.
8
Hi.
9
I'm gonna get the steak frites.
10
Medium rare okay?
11
Medium rare is great.
12
Spinach salad for me, please.
13
I'll get the Caesar.
14
And anchovies gonna be okay on that?
15
Please.
16
With the anchovies?
17
Yeah, I like anchovies. So what?
18
It's just a strong choice.
19
Who does that?
20
You know, it's unbelievable the contempt that people have for you when you order anchovies.
21
It's like I'm a pornographer or something.
22
I can honestly say I've never seen someone say yes to anchovies on the Caesar, have you?
23
You know what it's like? it's like going to church on thursday right
24
it's an odd choice you know what forget the anchovies okay why would you do
25
that i don't want them anymore you ruin my lunch ruin
26
it you ruin my lunch i just thought it was strange by the way there are many things
27
that you guys eat okay a lot of things you eat in particular
28
that i don't comment on that i find offensive ice cream
29
i like ice cream okay an omelet i like an omelet french toast love french toast
30
so what the are you talking about okay you know what no anchovies we're good okay okay thank you you're
31
You're a little defensive in the world of anchovies.
32
I wish you would have gotten the anchovies.
33
Yeah.
34
Oh, jeez.
35
I need a charge.
36
Don't you think someone should be able to comment on food?
37
Always be able to comment.
38
Hi, you have a charger?
39
Oh, it's being used.
40
Is that the only one?
41
Yeah, unfortunately.
42
Who's using it?
43
Um, that gentleman is.
44
The guy in the tie?
45
Yeah, at your table.
46
What's he at?
47
He's at 23%.
48
Oh.
49
Hey, you're at 23%, I'm at two.
50
Can I take over the charger?
51
No. Why?
52
Hey, I was there first. So what?
53
You know, if we were in a gym, you're on a treadmill.
54
You can't go more than half an hour.
55
You got people waiting.
56
Well, the beauty of that is I never go on a treadmill.
57
Uh, would you mind unplugging his phone and plugging mine in?
58
You want me to unplug your friend's phone?
59
Even though he just told you no. Yeah.
60
But he'll know.
61
He'll be able to see. So what?
62
I don't care.
63
I kind of feel like you and your friend have a strange dynamic that I'd rather not get involved with.
64
So you're not gonna do it?
65
No. This stinks.
66
Your own fault.
67
No, it's your fault.
68
It's your fault.
69
You did it to yourself.
70
No, I didn't do it to myself.
71
Yeah, you did.
72
You did it to yourself.
73
You did it to me.
74
No. You stopped me from enjoying it.
75
You ruined my lunch.
76
Hey, what time is it?
77
2 .10.
78
2 .10?
79
You're supposed to remind me it was 2 o 'clock.
80
You're right.
81
I forgot.
82
Oh, my God.
83
My car!
84
I was in the middle of eating.
85
I'm sorry.
86
My car!
87
I'm sorry.
88
My fault, Larry.
89
What's his charge now?
90
28%.
91
He's not having a good day.
92
He says something to me. Are you kidding me?
93
Shit.
94
Toad.
95
Toad.
96
I'm sorry. That sucks.
97
You could have reminded me.
98
You said you would remind me.
99
I'm just saying.
100
So it's my fault?
101
Yeah, you didn't remind me.
102
You could have said my car's going to get told at 2 o 'clock, I would have remembered.
103
But when you said remind me of something at 2, it feels so light.
104
It's so toothless.
105
Look, you're the reminder.
106
I'm the remindee.
107
Once the reminder takes on remindership, you own it.
108
So let me get this clear.
109
Anyone who has to be reminded of something has to assume the person will die if they're not reminded.
110
Is that right?
111
Death is the...
112
Death is the consequence.
113
That's a very different idea of remindership.
114
The remindee has to place his trust in the reminder.
115
It's the sacred pact.
116
If you can't handle it, then don't take it on.
117
By the way, if it's so important, why don't you set your alarm or something?
118
I did set the alarm, but my battery died because Jeff wouldn't let me charge.
119
But the truth is, if you had your phone, we're not in this.
120
Absolutely.
121
It's all his fault.
122
Let's go enjoy the rest of the lunch.
123
I can't stand this lunch.
124
I gotta get something else.
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This speaking lesson is built on the video “Curb Your Enthusiasm: Bad Lunch”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: anchovies, fault, remind, lunch, clock. This video has 121 sentences and 743 words to shadow. The speech runs for 3:29. The speaker talks fast, about 213 words per minute, so expect linked and reduced sounds. 82% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English; the rest is worth studying before you start. 29 of its 121 sentences are questions, so it is good practice for question intonation and short answers.
Key vocabulary in this video
15 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| remind verb | /ɹəˈmaɪnd/ | To cause one to experience a memory (of someone or something); to bring to the notice or consideration (of a person). |
| clock noun | /klɑk/ | A chronometer, an instrument that measures time, particularly the time of day. |
| ruin noun | /ˈɹuː.ɪn/ | The remains of a destroyed or dilapidated construction, such as a house or castle. |
| reminder noun | /ɹɪˈmaɪndə(ɹ)/ | Someone or something that reminds. |
| alarm noun | /əˈlɑɹm/ | A summons to arms, as on the approach of an enemy. |
| gentleman noun | /ˈd͡ʒɛn.təl.mən/ | Any well-bred, well-mannered, or charming man. |
| toast noun | /toʊst/ | Bread that has been toasted (cooked lightly by browning). |
| charger noun | /ˈt͡ʃɑɹd͡ʒɚ/ | A device that charges or recharges. |
| offensive adjective | /ˈɔˌfɛnsɪv/ | Causing offense; arousing a visceral reaction of disgust, anger, hatred, sadness, or indignation. |
| suck verb | /sʌk/ | To use the mouth and lips to pull in (a liquid, especially milk from the breast). |
| defensive adjective | /dɪˈfɛn.sɪv/ | Intended for defence; protective. |
| dynamic adjective | /daɪˈnæm.ɪk/ | Changing; active; in motion. |
| sacred adjective | /ˈseɪkɹɪd/ | Characterized by solemn religious ceremony or religious use, especially, in a positive sense; consecrated, made holy. |
| salad noun | /ˈsæl.əd/ | A food consisting principally of raw vegetables (especially greens, e.g. lettuce), other savoury ingredients (typically cooked), fruit, or confectionary; often… |
| plug noun | /plʌɡ/ | A pronged connecting device which fits into a mating socket, especially an electrical one. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| take over verb | To assume control of something, such as a business or enterprise, and sometimes by force. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- You know what it's like?
- Don't you think someone should be able to comment on food?
- Hi, you have a charger?
- Can I take over the charger?
- You want me to unplug your friend's phone?
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 40 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'm, you're, don't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- Long words — get the stress right: unbelievable /ˌʌnbɪˈliːvəbl̩/, pornographer /pɔː(ɹ)ˈnɒɡɹəfə(ɹ)/
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 remind, clock, ruin.
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.