Shadowing Practice: How to Shave with a Safety Razor | AoM Instructional - Learn English Speaking with Video
Creating lesson...
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Many men wake up each morning to a daily ritual that they dread, the morning shave.
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Why do I put myself through this every day?
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What Bill doesn't realize is that he does not have to put himself through so much pain and suffering.
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Bill, what do you think you're doing?
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Shaving, of course.
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With those things, you'd be better off raking your face with a rusty butter knife and some kerosene.
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Well, what do you suppose I do?
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What if I told you that shaving didn't have to be such a chore,
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but something to enjoy, and that you could get the best shave of your life while saving your face and your wallet?
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I'd say go back to the nuthouse, you old quack.
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Bill.
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All right, what do I have to do?
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To get the best shave of your life, you're going to need a couple of things a safety razor, some double -edged razor blades,
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a shaving brush, some traditional shaving cream or soap, an aftershave lotion, and a mug.
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I don't know about this.
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It looks scary.
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Bill, don't be such a Nancy boy.
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This is the way men like John F.
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Kennedy and Teddy Roosevelt did it for decades.
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And despite its intimidating appearance, it won't actually hurt one bit.
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Before getting started, make sure your face is nice and wet.
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Shaving after a hot shower is best.
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Now, make sure your brush is also nice and wet.
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If you can let it sit in your mug of hot water while you take your shower to soften the bristles, then do so.
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First, take your cream and squeeze about a nickel -sized amount onto your brush.
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Then, swirl your brush clock and counterclockwise into your mug until you build a rich, creamy lather.
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Feel free to add water to get the consistency you desire.
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Now, apply the lather to your face in circular motions, making sure you cover your whole face, and lift all the whiskers.
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How does that feel, Billy?
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Say, that's swell.
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Time to select your weapon.
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Load your razor with a fresh blade.
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Twist the bottom knob to open the butterfly doors of your safety razor.
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Then, lay the blade down over the bar screw it down nice
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and tight locked
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and loaded first rinse your razor in hot water now hold
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your razor at a 30 degree angle to your face it's very important
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that you don't apply any pressure let the weight of your razor gently slide down your skin
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and cut the hairs with short easy strokes
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and with the grain remember the key is beard reduction not
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beard removal you'll get the remaining stubble in your second or third pass.
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Hey, this works really well.
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Like butter, Billy.
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Like butter.
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Once your face is nice and clean, rinse with cold water.
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Apply a manly aftershave to help soothe any irritation.
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Baby smooth.
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Looking good, Bill.
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Thanks, narrator, ma 'am.
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You're welcome, Bill.
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Now that you have the tools and technique to get the job done, you should never see razor burn again.
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Great.
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Now can you get out of my bathroom?
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I have some business to take care of.
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Just act like I'm not even here.
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To find the items used in this tutorial, click the links in the description.
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Happy shaving, everyone.
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This video has 57 sentences and 554 words to shadow. The speech runs for 3:42. The speaker talks at a natural 150 words per minute, close to everyday conversation. Only 78% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is demanding.
Key vocabulary in this video
15 less common words from the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
- shave /ˈʃeɪ̯v/ (verb) — To make (the head, skin etc.) bald or (the hair) shorter by using a tool such as a razor or electric clippers to cut the hair close to the skin.
- razor /ˈɹeɪzɚ/ (noun) — A keen-edged knife of peculiar shape, used in shaving the hair from the face or other parts of the body.
- brush /bɹʌʃ/ (noun) — An implement consisting of multiple more or less flexible bristles or other filaments attached to a handle, used for any of various purposes including…
- butter /ˈbʌtɚ/ (noun) — A soft, fatty foodstuff made by churning the cream of milk (generally cow's milk).
- blade /bleɪd/ (noun) — The (typically sharp-edged) part of a knife, sword, razor, or other tool with which it cuts.
- beard /bɪɹd/ (noun) — Facial hair on the chin, cheeks, jaw and neck.
- technique /tɛkˈniːk/ (noun) — The practical aspects of a given art, occupation etc.; formal requirements.
- select /sɪˈlɛkt/ (verb) — To choose one or more elements of a set, especially a set of options.
- suffer /ˈsʌfɚ/ (verb) — To undergo hardship.
- clock /klɑk/ (noun) — A chronometer, an instrument that measures time, particularly the time of day.
- knife /ˈnaɪ̯f/ (noun) — A utensil or a tool designed for cutting, consisting of a flat piece of hard material, usually steel or other metal (the blade), usually sharpened on one edge…
- smooth /smuːð/ (adjective) — Having a texture that lacks friction. Not rough.
- reduction /ɹɪˈdʌk.ʃən/ (noun) — The act, process, or result of reducing.
- angle /ˈæŋ.ɡəl/ (noun) — A figure formed by two rays which start from a common point (a plane angle) or by three planes that intersect (a solid angle).
- scary /ˈskɛə.ɹi/ (adjective) — Causing fear or anxiety
Phrasal verbs you will hear
- get out of (verb) — To leave, exit or escape from; to become free of.
- go back to (verb) — To stem from; to originate in.
- sit in (verb) — To attend a class, educational presentation, meeting, etc. for one time, as a visitor.
- wake up /ˌweɪk ˈʌp/ (verb) — To stop sleeping; to awake.
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 13 contractions and reduced forms, such as don't, you're, didn't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “th” sounds: smooth /smuːð/, lather /ˈlæð.ɚ/, soothe /suːð/
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: shave /ˈʃeɪ̯v/, brush /bɹʌʃ/, reduction /ɹɪˈdʌk.ʃən/, irritation /ˌɪɹ.ɪˈteɪ.ʃən/, lotion /ˈloʊʃən/
- Long words — get the stress right: consistency /kənˈsɪs.tən.si/, intimidate /ɪnˈtɪmɪdeɪt/, irritation /ˌɪɹ.ɪˈteɪ.ʃən/
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 shave, razor, brush.
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Superlatives the -est / the most … — the top or bottom of a group | the best |
| Obligation: must / have to / need to saying that something is necessary | have to put · have to be · have to do |
| Future with “will” will + verb — a decision, promise or prediction | won't actually hurt · you'll get |
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.