Shadowing Practice: Learn English with MADAGASCAR — "You Didn't See Anything" - Learn English Speaking with YouTube
B2
You didn't see anything, right?
246 sentences
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You didn't see anything, right?
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Yes, sir!
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Uh, I'm sorry, no, sir!
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Oh yeah, Global Citizen, Sam Xenia, your real-life English fluency coach.
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In today's scene, one of the funniest and most iconic moments from Madagascar,
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Marty is already starting to feel bored with his comfortable life at the zoo when he hears something that changes everything.
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So get ready because you learn advanced everyday expressions
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that natives actually use in real situations
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and help you not only learn these words
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but also never forget them we want to give you access to the smart flashcards for this lesson for free.
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You can practice with them in our app by clicking the link below.
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Thousands of learners, just like you, are becoming more fluent every day and having fun while doing it.
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If that sounds like something you'd like, be sure to try out our method.
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You only need a few minutes a day to see real progress.
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You, quadruped.
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Sprechen's the English?
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I sprechen.
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What continent is this?
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Manhattan.
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Hoover, damn!
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We're still in New York.
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Abort!
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Dive, dive, dive!
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Hey, hey!
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You and the Jocks!
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Wait a minute!
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What are you guys doing?
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We're digging to Antarctica. And Hootica?
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Right away, the penguin leader Skipper comes in intense and a little strange.
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Let's look at what he says.
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You, quadruped, spreken ze English?
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A quadruped is an animal that walks on four legs.
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Quad means four and ped relates to feet, like a pedicure.
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This is a technical word and this line is a great introduction to Skipper.
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He acts like a tough, paranoid military commander, always suspicious and operating like he's on a mission.
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By the way, the word skipper is actually another way to refer to a captain.
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So, he suddenly switches languages and asks Marty in German.
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Sprechen Sie in English?
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Which in English means, do you speak English?
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He thinks they're on a different continent.
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Now, pay attention to the way they pronounce the words continent and Manhattan.
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What continent is this?
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Manhattan.
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This is actually how most Americans pronounce these two words.
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The traditional T sound becomes what we call a glottal T.
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We still get three syllables, but instead of a strong T, continent, it sounds more like continent.
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continent
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if you're struggling to make this sound it's actually pretty easy
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once you know what's happening in your mouth basically you stop the airflow for a moment like
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when kids say oh notice
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that little stop at the middle that's the same sound then
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you go straight into the end oh oh cotton continent and you'll You'll hear this exact same sound in Marty's response.
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Instead of pronouncing the T clearly, manhattan, most Americans say it with the same stop.
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Uh oh, hattan, manhattan.
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Now let's practice repeating after them.
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And by the way, in case you don't know, Manhattan is one of the main parts of New York City, the area most people picture when they think of New York,
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with all the tall buildings and famous landmarks.
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Hoover Dam is a massive dam located in the US,
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on the Colorado River, built in the 1930s and considered historically as one of the great engineering achievements in the US.
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But Skipper is using it as an exclamation, like saying damn without actually cursing.
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It's a way to express frustration by replacing a swear word with something that sounds similar.
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Like, you could also hear oh shoot instead of a curse word, or darn it or fudge instead of the F word.
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Anyway, so like a true commander, we hear skippers shout these words.
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In a military context, abort means to stop or cancel an operation immediately.
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It's a command to stop what you're doing right now because something's gone wrong.
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See this other example.
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You have been compromised.
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Abort mission.
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Destroy phone.
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And dive is a command telling everyone to go down quickly, back into the hole.
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In submarines, dive means submerge underwater fast.
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Now, as they are about to disappear, Marty called out.
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Hey, hey, you and your tux.
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Wait a minute.
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A tux, short for tuxedo, is a formal black suit with a white shirt, usually worn to fancy events like weddings or awards ceremonies.
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Think of how James Bond is often dressed.
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Penguins naturally have black and white coloring that looks like they're wearing tuxedos and people often joke about that.
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Anyway, so one of them lets the secret slip.
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What are you guys doing?
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We're taking Antarctica. And who'da come?
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Marty doesn't recognize the word, so he repeats it, adding the word who in the middle and who ticker.
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Natives say things like this sometimes when they hear a new word.
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It sounds fun and casual.
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For example, quinoa, quinoa what?
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Well, I really want you to become that successful, fluent English speaker you've always dreamed of being.
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However, I bet you feel lost about how to do this.
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or you feel too busy to dedicate enough time to studying, or you've been stuck at the same level forever.
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And I know this because I've been there myself.
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Remember, I'm an English learner just like you.
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So let me share with you a method to go from being a lost,
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insecure English learner to becoming a confident, natural English speaker.
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even if you have only 10-15 minutes per day.
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So first, watch a short lesson like this one with Madagascar.
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Second, practice the new words from that lesson with smart flashcards, which use science to help you remember new words forever.
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And third, speak the new words in a real conversation, so you feel confident using them in any situation.
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And practice pronunciation.
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The great thing is, we make it super easy for you to do this on the real life app
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and in fact you can use the new words you're learning
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today in a guided speaking conversation based on this exact lesson with madagascar right now
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so stop just recognizing and forgetting new words
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and start being able to actually speak them naturally
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so try it for free just click the link in the description below Okay, now let's watch the next part of the scene.
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Can you keep a secret, my monochromatic friend?
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Do you ever see any penguins running free around New York City? Of course not.
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We don't belong here.
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It's just not natural.
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This is all some kind of whacked-out conspiracy.
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We're going to the wide-open spaces of Antarctica.
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To the wild.
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The wild?
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You can actually go there?
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Sounds great.
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Hey, hold up!
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Where is this place?
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Tell me where it is!
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You didn't see anything.
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Right?
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Yes, sir!
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Uh, I'm sorry.
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No, sir!
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Let's look at the vocabulary from Skipper's Secret Revelation.
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Can you keep a secret, my monochromatic friend?
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Monochromatic means having only one color or shades of the same color, which is the case with zebras, since they are black and white.
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Now, there's some interesting word formation going on here, and this is actually a great way to expand your vocabulary.
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Take a look.
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Mono means one, like monopoly, one company controlling everything, or monologue, one person speaking.
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Chroma means color, so chromatic relates to color.
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Thus, monochromatic means one color.
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And did you know that the prefix that is opposite to mono is poly?
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It means many, like polychromatic, multiple colors, and polyglot, someone who speaks many languages.
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Now let's listen to Skipper's secrets and look at the important grammatical structure he uses.
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Do you ever see any penguins running free around New York City?
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Do you ever is a way to ask about things that happen sometimes in your life.
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Not one specific moment, but your general experience.
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For example, do you ever feel lonely?
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Do you ever think about moving to a new house?
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You're asking, is this something that happens to you from time to time?
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See these examples.
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Do you ever worry about the notion that nothing is permanent?
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Uh, no. Do you ever get bored doing the same job every day?
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Do you ever see any penguins running free around New York City?
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Running free means living without restrictions, uncontrolled.
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So when animals run free, they're not in cages.
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They're out in the wild, in a natural location.
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And this is exactly how Skipper describes how they feel and what they are looking for.
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Of course not.
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We don't belong here.
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It's just not natural.
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When you belong somewhere, you fit there, and it feels like that's where you should be.
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Skipper is saying penguins aren't meant to be in a zoo, or in New York City for that matter.
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It's not their natural home or their habitat.
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In fact, that's where they want to go, the wide open spaces of Antarctica.
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Wide open means completely open, with lots of space and no limits.
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We often use it for places like fields or deserts, but it can also be used more generally.
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For example, a wide open schedule means you're completely free, with nothing planned.
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Check this out.
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So, where are we going?
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My calendar is wide open.
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This is all some kind of whacked out conspiracy.
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Now, what do you think he meant by calling this a conspiracy?
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A plan happening secretly?
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Something that happened by accident?
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A decision enforced by the government?
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A conspiracy is a secret plan by a group of people to do something harmful or illegal.
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Skipper thinks the zoo is part of some crazy secret plot to keep penguins captive.
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And a whacked out is slang meaning crazy or absurd.
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It suggests something is so weird or wrong that it's almost unbelievable.
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I hit my head today.
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You're not a talking dog.
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You're just a whacked out hallucination.
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Whacked out?
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I think I've just been insulted.
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Hey, hold up!
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Where is this place?
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Hold up is an informal command meaning wait or stop for a moment.
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It's very common in casual speech.
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Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold up.
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Focus.
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Show him what you got, buddy.
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So listen to this other advanced pronunciation pattern in Marty's speech.
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Americans often don't pronounce the letter T in phrases such as it is as a hard T.
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When it's between two vowels, it becomes soft, almost like a D sound, so it sounds like it is.
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This is called the American T or Flap T.
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Similarly, earlier when Marty said wait a minute, it sounded like, wait a minute.
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You didn't see anything, right?
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Yes, sir.
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I'm sorry.
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No, sir.
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Sir is a formal respectful way to address a man, especially someone in authority.
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It's commonly used in the military, soldiers say yes sir to officers.
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In customer service, can I help you sir or
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when showing respect to someone older or in a position of power um sir
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if we could just review these very important sir
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and the female alternative is ma'am sir ma'am i think these belong to you i'm
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so proud of you judy you did just a super job thank you ma'am now i should mention i feel
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that many english learners overuse these words in everyday casual conversation between friends co-workers even between student
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and teacher people don't say sir or ma'am it can actually sound strange
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or overly formal use it in more formal professional settings with customers or when addressing authority figures like a police officer.
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Alright, now are you ready for the final and most important step of the lesson?
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We're gonna take everything you've just learned, the new vocabulary and pronunciation, and put it all into practice.
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You'll watch the whole scene again, this time without subtitles and answer some quiz questions.
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Let's do it!
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What does the word quadruped mean?
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A quadruped is an animal that walks in four legs.
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Sprechen's the English?
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I sprechen.
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What continent is this?
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Manhattan.
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Hoover, damn!
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We're still in New York.
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Abort!
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Dive, dive, dive!
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What do we call this kind of clothing?
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Tux or tuxedo?
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Hey, hey!
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You and the tux!
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Wait a minute!
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What are you guys doing?
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We're digging to Antarctica.
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Air Houdica?
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Can you keep a secret, my monochromatic friend?
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How do you spell monochromatic?
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Take your time, you can pause the video if you want.
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Do you ever see any penguins running free around New York City? Of course not.
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We don't belong here.
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It's just not natural.
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This is all some kind of Whacked out conspiracy.
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Now what do you think whacked out means here?
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Evil, cruel, organized, well planned, strange or crazy?
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We're going to the wide open spaces of Antarctica.
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To the wild.
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The wild?
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You can actually go there?
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Oh yeah,
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amazing job guys!
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If you are new to this YouTube channel, you should know that every single week we make new lessons just like this one with celebrities movies
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and tv series to help you understand fast speaking natives without getting lost without missing the jokes
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and without subtitles so if
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that sounds like something you want to be able to do hit the subscribe button
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and the bell down below
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so you never miss any of our new lessons remember to go
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and practice what you've learned today on the real life English app.
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You'll find a special link right in the description below that'll take you straight to this lesson over there. That will prove it.
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I have to prove it.
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Please.
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This is our only chance to set things right.
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Context & Background
The interaction in this scene from the animated film Madagascar offers a vivid depiction of character dynamics and humor. Marty, a zebra voiced by Chris Rock, is expressing his growing dissatisfaction with life at the zoo. He encounters Skipper, the lead penguin, who exhibits military-like behavior, creating a comedic yet intense atmosphere. This scene provides learners with a snapshot of how characters can reveal cultural and situational humor through dialogue. The phrases and expressions used reflect everyday communication, making this a excellent opportunity for English learners to enhance their vocabulary and understanding of natural speech patterns.
Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication
- "You didn't see anything, right?" - A casual way to ensure confidentiality or to check if someone is unaware of a situation.
- "I sprechen." - A humorous way to say "I speak" in response to a question about language proficiency, leveraging an exaggerated or playful tone.
- "What continent is this?" - A common inquiry for establishing location, helpful for geography discussions.
- "Abort! Dive, dive, dive!" - An urgent command that can be used in various contexts to indicate immediate action is required.
- "You, quadruped." - A quirky way to refer to someone or something by its physical traits, demonstrating humor in language use.
Step-by-step Shadowing Guide
To maximize your learning experience with this dialogue, using a shadowing technique can be incredibly effective. Here’s a step-by-step guide to improve your speaking skills through shadowing:
- Watch the Video: Begin by viewing the scene to get a feel for the characters' emotions and the context in which the dialogue occurs. Pay close attention to pronunciation and intonation.
- Listen Closely: Play the dialogue again, focusing on how the phrases are pronounced. Notice the glottal T sound that changes the way “continent” is pronounced.
- Repeat Aloud: Utilize a shadowing app or simply repeat the phrases out loud as the characters speak. This practice helps with muscle memory and pronunciation.
- Break it Down: Isolate difficult phrases and practice them repeatedly. For example, focus on the transition from “What continent is this?” to maintain fluency.
- Record Yourself: Use your device to record your renditions of the phrases. Compare your pronunciation and rhythm to the original dialogue. This will help you refine your shadow speech skills.
Incorporating these steps into your English learning routine will enhance your ability to communicate effectively in real-life situations. Remember, practice makes perfect, and learning through fun, relatable scenes like this one increases retention and grasp of advanced expressions!
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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