Shadowing Practice: Episode 1: Meet the Creeps [Audio Only] - Learn English Speaking with YouTube
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The world is full of creepy things.
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The world is full of creepy things.
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But nothing is more creepy than a creepy, creepy story.
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They can scare kids at summer camp.
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Horrify misbehaving boys and girls.
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Since you won't quiet down,
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I have no choice but to tell you the tale of the kids who refuse to listen to the underpaid babysitter.
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And explain the unexplainable.
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I know what I saw!
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He was there, right where you're standing!
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This house has been empty for years!
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It must have been a ghost!
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But you have to be careful with a creepy, creepy story.
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Because sometimes, sometimes they can change you you,
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make you monstrous and unrecognizable.
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I should know, it happened to me.
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I used to be a normal kid,
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but I listened to too many creepy stories.
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And now, I'm a creep.
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I used to be a girl who spent all her time at the library reading up on werewolf history,
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Insect scientists and interdimensional transport. And then...
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Something monstrous happened. And now...
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I'm a creep.
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I'm not as creepy as these other guys, to be totally honest.
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Toro, come on!
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We coached you on this!
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Ugh, here we go again.
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Okay, Axe, okay, okay, uh...
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Ooh...
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I'm a creep.
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I'm also a creep.
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We used to be normal kids.
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We'd hang out in Weta's basement late at night.
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And share stories about all of the creepiest,
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darkest things we could imagine.
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We'd still gather in the basement for one hour once a week.
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But it's different now.
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Because we're different.
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It happened to us, and it can happen to you.
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So here's your warning.
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Turn this off.
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and stay your normal self.
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Or keep listening and become something different.
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Something grotesque and awful and wonderfully creepy.
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Still there?
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Okay then.
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Strap in your ribs, crumple your ears,
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and suck on something sour.
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Because we're the creeps, and this is The Creeping Hour.
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I didn't know it was pig slime.
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I was so thirsty.
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My, what strange feet you have.
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This story is about two boys,
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a dog, and an old man with a horrible secret.
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The dog is named Lucky,
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but in some ways, he's the exact opposite of that.
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But the story doesn't start with Lucky.
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It starts with the strange old man.
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The kids called him Mr. Dirt Spy,
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because those were the only two words he seemed to know.
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Dirt Spy!
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Dirt Spy!
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Dirt Spy!
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Hi!
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Every day, Kevin and Derek passed his rundown,
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cobwebbed covered house when they took Lucky on his afternoon walk.
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Why do we always go this way, Kevin?
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We're literally walking past the creepiest house on the planet.
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Look, if it was up to me,
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I'd go on a different block.
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But Lucky calls the shots here,
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and he loves the street.
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That dog owns you, man.
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I can't believe you don't even keep him on a leash.
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I don't need to.
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He's the perfect dog.
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Aren't you Lucky?
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Come here, baby.
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Who's a good boy?
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Oh.
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Can you please stop that?
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I'm gonna barf.
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You're just jealous because your dog would be number one in the world's ugliest muck competition.
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I wish your mom would let me submit him.
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A. Detective Barnacles is beautiful, just in a different way than Lucky.
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It's more inner beauty. And B.
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He's not even my dog.
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He's my mom's.
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That makes him yours!
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No, it doesn't.
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What is it, boy?
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It's Mr. Thirstby.
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Look, he's on his porch.
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Thirstby!
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Thirstby!
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Thirstby!
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Don't get close to him.
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He'll break your neck.
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It happened to Anna's brother.
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No one has seen him in months.
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That's not even close to what happened.
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Anna's brother moved to California.
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She posted a photo of him at the Hollywood sign last week.
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Hey, where's Mr. Durspy going?
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He's leaving his porch?
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Durspy!
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Durspy!
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Look, he left his front door open.
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Now's your chance to go inside the creepiest house on the planet.
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After you, Kev.
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I wouldn't go in there if you gave me $200 billion.
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If I had $200 billion, I'd quit school and buy my own island.
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Then I'd give Detective Barnford...
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Lucky!
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Get back here!
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Where are you going?
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Don't run there, Lucky.
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Get away from the house!
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No!
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He's going right for the door!
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Lucky, are you crazy?
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Bucky!
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I told you to keep him on a leash.
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What are we gonna do now?
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I know what I would have done.
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I'd have given up on the dog
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and slithered down the street to the nearest dumpster where I'd eat a late lunch of dead cockroaches,
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rat droppings, and garbage juice.
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But Kevin and Derek weren't interested in fine cuisine.
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They stood there on the sidewalk in front of the rundown house covered in so much dust,
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it looked like it had never been cleaned.
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And they knew what they had to do.
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We obviously got to go in there and save my dog.
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Right, obviously.
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Speaking of obvious, I think you should go in by yourself since Lucky is technically your dog,
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and technically you're the one who decided not to put him on a leash.
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Technically you're coming with me or I'm telling everyone in school how technically you're the biggest wimp-noid ever.
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Who are you calling a wimp-noid?
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Who's acting like a wimp-noid.
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Okay, okay.
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Best friends go down together, I guess.
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We just have to do it really fast before Mr. Dirt Spy gets back.
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I do not want to be in that house when he returns.
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Okay, let's go.
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Are we sure about this?
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It's Lucky.
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Lucky.
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Remember when he chased that skunk away from you?
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And got himself sprayed?
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Lucky is the worst name for him, but fine.
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After you.
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Who leaves their front door open?
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I guess someone who's not that worried about people breaking in.
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Why is it so dark in here? Are there any lights? Do you smell that?
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It's like rotten eggs or something.
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Ew!
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It's so strong!
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Waki?
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Waki?
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Where are you, boy?
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Here, just let me turn on my flashlight.
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Oh man, this place is a mess.
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Look at this dust, it's everywhere. Did you hear that?
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That sounded huge.
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Way too big to be lucky.
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Does Mr. Dirt Spy have pets?
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I've never seen any.
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Maybe somebody lives with him.
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Hello?
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Mrs. Dirt Spy?
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What are you doing?
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Keep your voice down.
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I can't believe this dust.
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Eww, it's sticky, like cotton candy or something.
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Don't rub it on my shirt.
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Come on, let's find Lucky and get out of here.
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Lucky, Lucky, come here boy.
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Lucky, come on Lucky, where are you?
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Something's not right.
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Do you think it's strange that there's no staircase or anything?
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Yeah.. good call.
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It's just.. one big room...
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covered in all this.. dust.
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Oh, wait!
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Over there!
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I see him!
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He looks okay!
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See?
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His tail is wagging!
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Lucky, what are you doing in that pile of.. gunk?
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Come on, boy.
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Looks like he's stuck.
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Here, let's grab him and pull.
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Okay, okay.
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You got him?
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Yeah, but I touched the gunk.
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It's disgusting.
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Like a giant hairball.
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We just gotta get him and then we're out of here.
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Okay? On three.
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One, two, three!
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Ew!
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Lucky, what's in your mouth?
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Is that a bone?
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Do you hear that?
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It's him.
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He cannot find us here.
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We have to hide.
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Over there.
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The dust is so thick he won't see us.
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Dear Spine!
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Dear Spine!
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Dear Spine!
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Dear Spine!
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Dear Spine!
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Lucky, I need you to be quiet.
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Keep the bone in his mouth so he won't bark.
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Oh, do you smell that?
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It's awful.
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Like rotten meat.
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What do you think is in his bag?
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I don't know.
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Loki won't stop moving.
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Come on, Loki.
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Cut it out!
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There's mine!
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There's mine!
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There's mine!
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There's mine!
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There's mine!
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What does that even mean?
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Dirt Spy?
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Maybe he's saying...
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Dirt Spy?
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Like he eats dirt or something? Did you hear that?
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What's he doing?
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What's that on the floor? Is that.. a door?
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Dirt Spy!
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Dirt Spy!
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There's mine!
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There's mine!
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There's mine!
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Lucky, seriously, stop moving so much!
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There's mine!
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There's mine!
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There's mine!
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There's mine!
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There's mine!
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There's mine!
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Come on, he's in the cellar.
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We've got your dumb dog.
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Let's get out of here.
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Yeah, let's leave and never come back.
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Lucky, no!
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Why'd you let him escape?
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I did.
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He just ran away.
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Lucky, no!
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What are you doing?
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He ran down into the cellar.
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We gotta go after him.
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No way, man.
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You'll never make it out.
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I'm going to save my dog.
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Kevin.
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Kevin.
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Oh, hi.
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Um, hi.
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I didn't mean to surprise you.
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I just came to get my dog.
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He ran down here.
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Uh, what's going on?
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Kevin, you have to get up here right now.
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Dirt Spy!
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Dirt Spy!
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Dirt Spy!
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Why do you keep saying that?
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Dirt Spy!
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Dirt Spy!
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What is Dirt Spy?
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Dirt Spy!
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Kevin, get up here!
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It's not gunk, it's a web!
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A huge web!
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And there are a ton more bones in it.
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Unfortunately, Kevin didn't hear Derek.
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He just stood there, staring at the old man,
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and watched him reach into his bag.
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The old man poured out piece after piece of animal meat covered in blood,
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with the bones still hanging off them.
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As he arranged them on the floor like a nice rack of ribs,
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Kevin listened, really listened, and finally understood what he'd been saying all these years.
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DIR SPY!
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DIR SPY!
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DIR SPY!
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DIR SPY!
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DIR SPY!
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DIR SPY!
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DIR SPY!
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DIR SPY!
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DIR SPY!
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DIR SPY!
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DIR SPY!
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DIR SPY!
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DIR SPY!
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SPIDER!
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The old man stepped aside and something huge and hairy with far too many legs rushed forward.
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RUN!
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Look at me!
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RUN!
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RUN!
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Well, I warned you that it was a creepy, creepy story.
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But no, you had to prove that you have a spine and stick around for it.
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Did Kevin, Derek, and Lucky make it out of the house alive?
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Or were they eaten by the enormous spider that the old man kept as a pet?
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Or was the spider the owner and the old man the pet?
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Do us a favor and don't check out the next episode of this podcast because like this story,
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the next one will be creepy.
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Too creepy for anyone, except for creeps like us.
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And now maybe you.
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Until next time, we're the Creeps.
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And this has been The Creeping Hour.
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The Creeping Hour is a co-production of WGBH and Ellie Lickshine in coordination with PRX.
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I'm out.
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Why practice speaking with this video?
The audio from The Creeping Hour offers a unique opportunity to improve your English pronunciation while engaging with an entertaining and immersive narrative. The engaging storytelling format allows learners to practice shadow speaking, which is listening closely and mimicking the speaker’s intonation, rhythm, and expression. As the narrator shares creepy tales, listeners are encouraged to recreate the atmosphere and emotional weight conveyed through the narration. By immersing yourself in this content, you not only enhance your speaking skills but also develop the ability to convey emotions and nuances in English. This can significantly aid with IELTS speaking practice, as examiners look for varied expressions and engagement in responses.
Grammar & Expressions in Context
Within this rich narrative, several key grammatical structures and expressions can be analyzed to enhance your speaking skills:
- Conditional Sentences: The phrase "Because sometimes, sometimes they can change you" employs a conditional structure, emphasizing the potential outcomes of listening to creepy stories. Understanding and using conditionals can help English learners express possibilities and hypothetical situations effectively.
- Past Simple and Continuous: The narration states, "I used to be a normal kid," showcasing the difference between using the past simple tense for completed actions and the past continuous for ongoing states. This distinction is vital for learners wanting to articulate their past experiences more clearly.
- Imperative Mood: The speaker uses commands like "Turn this off" and "stay your normal self," which highlight the imperative form. This structure is commonly used in English for giving direct commands or advice, which is useful for everyday conversation.
Common Pronunciation Traps
As you practice with this video, there are certain pronunciation nuances to be aware of:
- Creepy: Pay attention to the pronunciation of the word "creepy." The stressed syllable should clearly emphasize the first syllable /ˈkriː.pi/, which can be a common hurdle for learners. Practicing this word in context will help you gain confidence.
- Monstrous: This word can often be mispronounced. Make sure to pronounce it as /ˈmɒn.strəs/ to maintain clarity in your speaking. Shadowing the speaker will assist in reaching the correct pronunciation.
- Atmosphere & Emotion: Practicing your intonation and emotion while speaking is crucial. The eerie mood of the tales requires a certain pitch and cadence that can be challenging. Engage actively with the audio to better your expressiveness, which is important for the IELTS speaking section.
By focusing on these aspects while listening to The Creeping Hour, you can effectively improve your English pronunciation, enhance your communication skills, and enjoy learning English with YouTube! This makes the learning process not only educational but also entertaining.
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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