Shadowing Practice: Ian Somerhalder Talks Vampires, Bourbon, And Saving the World on Thirst Trap | ELLE - Learn English Speaking with Video
Creating lesson...
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- There are some particulate matter floating in this one.
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I'm not sure what it is.
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(upbeat music) I'm Ian Somerhalder and I am here to pour it up on ELLE Thirst Trap.
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(upbeat music) I've got 10 questions and 10 shots.
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The crazier the question the crazier the drink.
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I can answer each question honestly or throw one back.
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But before we toast be sure to check out my new show, streaming right now on Netflix, called "V Wars".
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Hmm, elephant urine.
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Great, I love that one.
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(suspenseful music) You have to go back in time and say no to one of these shows, "Lost" or "Vampire Diaries", which would it be and why?
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Well that's crazy.
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Why would you ever say no to "Lost" or "Vampire diaries"?
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I would choose "Vampire Diaries" over "Lost" because the "Vampire Diaries", well I was number three on the call sheet and then Nina left and I technically became two and on "Lost" I think I was 10 and they killed me in season one, so I'm gonna go with "Vampire Diaries".
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I got to bite people for eight years.
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On "Lost", well I just got killed.
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(suspenseful music) Now we're breaking the rules of your own game.
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Battery acid.
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(suspenseful music) Phew, I didn't need to take that shot.
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I was just taking it on the off chance that there was vodka in it.
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(suspenseful music) Would you do full frontal if it meant you could eradicate the environmental issue of your choice?
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I would do an entire eight years of a series completely naked in like, the Arctic, which is a little scary for a guy, if we could eradicate ocean plastic.
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Nude, me, forever.
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No plastic.
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(sighing) that was a stressful one I think I'm just gonna taste this.
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Woo! Wait, why am I drinking still?
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(suspenseful music) No booze in that one either.
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(crowd booing) It's, it's very plummy.
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It could have been medicine.
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I'm not sure.
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Let's try this again.
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At some point I'm gonna get one of these wrong and I'm gonna to get a shot.
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(suspenseful music) What is the biggest argument you've had with Nikki in the past three months?
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Never buy an appliance without asking your wife first.
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And I bought a second dishwasher to put in the kitchen, but I didn't ask my wife about it.
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(crowd booing) And you just can't do that guys.
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That was an argument and she won 'cause it was smarter.
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That's pure alcohol.
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Wohoho! (suspenseful music) Peppermint schnapps.
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When the lights go back down, I'm gonna have to revisit that friend.
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I normally don't drink schnapps.
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Typically I'm more of a brown liquor guy, which is why Paul Wesley and I are launching our own bourbon brand, which I'm hoping you ladies are gonna like because it is very yummy.
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Not just for the ladies but also for these guys.
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Check it out.
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(suspenseful music) Would you have turned down "Vampire Diaries" for a role in "Twilight"?
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Oh, "Twilight" is what sort of paved the way for the success of "Vampire Diaries"?
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I would have met my wife a lot earlier, but you know, I think I'm going to stick with Damon.
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Damon was just bad ass.
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But I would do it naked if there was no ocean plastic.
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Just because I'm curious 'cause I love brown liquor or drinks, I'm gonna see what this was.
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(suspenseful music) Wow.
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That is like an electrolyte tar.
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(suspenseful music) If you are in a desert and you're dying for lack of electrolytes and you come across this in a puddle, you would drink it.
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(suspenseful music) Which of these actors played the worst vampire?
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Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, Robert Pattinson, Wesley Snipes?
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I'm just gonna drink 'cause these guys are all really bad ass.
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I'm not even gonna smell it first.
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I'm just gonna do it.
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It looks like my bourbon.
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Did you guys steal a bottle of my stuff?
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Hmm. (suspenseful music) Hot damn!
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That is bourbon at 10 am.
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(suspenseful music) Does it make you uncomfortable to watch Nikki's film, "Thirteen" considering the content and her age at the time of filming?
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That is a whole can of worms that I just, you'd have to open with a jackhammer.
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Okay, here it goes.
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There are some particulate matter floating in this one.
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I'm not sure what it is.
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(suspenseful music) It was pickle juice.
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(coughing) (suspenseful music) If you could rewrite Vampire Diaries without one of its characters excluding yours, who would nix?
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Elena, Steph and Jeremy, Jenna, Bonnie, Caroline, Matt, Vicki, Tyler, Alaric, Klaus or Enzo?
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Well, I am not drinking that (beep).
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So we could exclude Jeremy and only because Elena wouldn't have been so angry with Damon because he killed her brother, not once, twice, and the audience still loved Damon.
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Now imagine you're a lady.
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You have a boyfriend or you have a guy you like and he kills your brother, are you still gonna go out with him?
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That's what happened in "Vampire Diaries".
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(suspenseful music) If you were to take an egg and crack it open and then leave it in like some liquid for a week, in the subway.
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That's what that one is.
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(suspenseful music) One, two, three of these left and a Chia Pet.
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Here we go.
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Name your least favorite Nikki film.
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I'm just gonna drink.
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This looks green.
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Oh man, it looks like split pea soup.
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Hmm. That's good, that's like kale and a good green stuff.
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(suspenseful music) It might be a little old, but I think you guys, I think you hooked me up if it's old it might have some probiotics in it.
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(suspenseful music) Who was your worst onscreen kiss?
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When we were shooting a spoof reel for a Comic Con panel, me and Chris Wood had to kiss in this rain because we were mimicking the Damon-Elena kiss.
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And we had (laughing) we had the scene where you see Damon and Elena and they're looking like longingly into each other's eyes.
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And then they go in and they start to kiss and then we cut and we pulled back out, and it's Chris Wood and Damon, which is Kai and Damon.
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I think kissing Kai is probably the worst part of my career.
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How do you prepare for our kissing scene?
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You wanna wait to have that steamed broccoli and salmon later.
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You know, we had to do these scenes where we were so close, you know.
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"Damon, you have to stop killing people".
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"I don't want to stop killing people".
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"I love you".
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"I hate you".
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And we were literally like this.
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When you're next to someone like this for hours at a day and they're eating salmon and broccoli and onions, garlic mixed with coffee and protein powder, it becomes pretty gnarly.
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What wouldn't this have been?
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Oh, hold on.
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That's Jagermeister y'all.
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(suspenseful music) When we cut, I think I'm gonna finish that one.
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(suspenseful music) Thirst Trap.
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Last question.
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What's the one thing about Nikki that annoys you the most.
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Said every husband ever, she's always right.
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Something tells me that's what a lot of husbands say.
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Let me see what this thing is that had I, Ooh, I'm so happy that I just decided to answer this.
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That is liquid Tabasco.
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(suspenseful music) That's the last one, I answered it truthfully.
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My soul feels clean.
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Now I'm gonna have a shot of Jagermeister.
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Thank you for watching me on ELLE and be sure to check out my new show, "V Wars", streaming only on Netflix.
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Thank you, thank you, thank you.
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(suspenseful music)
Why practice speaking with this video?
Engaging with the shadowspeak technique allows English learners to immerse themselves in natural conversation. In the video featuring Ian Somerhalder, he's not just answering questions; he's sharing personal anecdotes and emotions. This context-rich environment provides invaluable insights into casual speech, making it an excellent choice for English speaking practice. By mimicking his tone and inflections, you can enhance your ability to communicate with authenticity and confidence. Additionally, practicing with informal dialogues like this can prepare learners for casual, everyday interactions, which is often a key focus in IELTS speaking practice.
Grammar & Expressions in Context
- Conditional Structures: Somerhalder often uses conditional phrases such as, "I would do..." This structure is essential for expressing hypothetical situations, which are common in conversing about personal choices.
- Colloquial Language: Phrases like "that was a stressful one" give learners exposure to everyday expressions. Recognizing and using slang increases fluency in informal settings.
- Question Tags: The use of tags, such as "you just can't do that guys," not only emphasizes the statement but also engages the listener, an important skill in interactive conversations.
- Descriptive Language: Descriptors like "very plummy" or "brown liquor guy" can introduce learners to nuances in the language that enrich their vocabulary and help them describe experiences vividly.
Common Pronunciation Traps
Pronunciation can often be a significant hurdle for learners. In this video, pay attention to the following:
- Figures of Speech: Words like "Vampire Diaries" and "Twilight" can be challenging due to their distinct cadences. Practicing these can enhance your overall pronunciation skills.
- Compound Words: The term "ocean plastic" may be tricky, requiring students to practice blending the two words smoothly, which is beneficial for improving English pronunciation.
- Vowel Sounds: Pay close attention to sounds in words like "schnapps" and his casual use of “woo” and “whoa,” which can be pronounced differently depending on accents. Focusing on these sounds through shadow speech can aid in developing a more natural accent.
Incorporating these elements into your practice sessions can significantly enhance your speaking abilities, ensuring that you become a more confident English communicator.
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.