Shadowing Practice: Learn English with ZOOTOPIA — Judy Meets Nick - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Hey watch where you're going fox.
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Hi, Yagglobal citizens!
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Get ready to learn advanced English vocabulary and a pronunciation with Zootopia, which we can already call a Disney classic.
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There are so many memorable moments there.
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Today we'll be diving into one of these moments, the scene where Nick and Judy meet for the first time.
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Now, you should also note that this lesson comes with its own vocabulary flashcards, which cover all the keywords and expressions that we'll learn today.
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And practicing with these is the best way for you to remember these words forever.
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If that sounds interesting to you, just click the link below using your phone to get our app and start your vocabulary practice right after the lesson.
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Now let's begin by watching the first clip and seeing what Nick is actually planning to do in that ice cream shop.
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Listen, I don't know what you're doing skulking around during daylight hours, but I don't want any trouble in here.
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So hit the road.
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I'm not looking for any trouble either, sir.
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I simply want to buy a jumbo pop for my little boy.
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You want the red or the blue, pal?
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I'm such a...
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Oh, come on, kid.
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Back up.
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Listen, buddy, what?
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There aren't any Fox ice cream joints in your part of town?
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Uh, no, no, there are.
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There are.
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It's just my boy, this goofy little stinker, he loves all things elephant, wants to be one when he grows up.
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Is that adorable?
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Who the heck am I to crush his little dreams, huh?
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Look, you probably can't read, Fox, but the sign says we reserve the right to refuse service to anyone.
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So beat it.
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You're holding up the line.
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Hello?
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Excuse me.
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Hey, you're gonna have to wait your turn like everyone else, meter maid.
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Actually, I'm an officer.
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Just had a quick question.
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Are your customers aware they're getting snot and mucus with their cookies and cream?
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What are you talking about?
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Well, I don't want to cause you any trouble, but I believe scooping ice cream with an ungloved trunk is a Class 3 health code violation.
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Which is kind of a big deal.
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Of course, I could let you off with a warning if you were to glove those chunks and, I don't know, finish selling this nice dad and his son a...
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What was it?
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A jumbo pop.
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Please.
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A jumbo pop.
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Eeeh!
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Alright, now let's break down all the useful, advanced expressions we just saw.
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Listen, I don't know what you're doing skulking around during daylight hours, but I don't want any trouble in here.
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So hit the road.
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HIT THE ROAD If someone is skulking, they're sneaking around in a suspicious or secretive way, as if trying not to be seen and usually with bad intentions.
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Hit the road can either refer to leaving a place or beginning a journey.
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Like you could say, alright everything is in the car, let's hit the road.
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In this case however, it's used as a command to order someone to leave or go away, to get out of here.
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Now, this might sound a bit rude when used this way, so be careful.
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Check out this example.
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Oh, for me?
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Why, I don't know what to say.
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Hit the road, Bucky!
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I'm not looking for any trouble either, sir.
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I simply want to buy a jumbo pop for my little boy.
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You want the red or the blue, pal?
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A Jumbo Pop refers to this giant popsicle.
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Jumbo is an adjective that means huge or extra large.
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Do you remember this other Disney character named Dumbo?
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His story was inspired by a real circus elephant named Jumbo.
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He was absolutely massive and became so famous that his name became a synonym for anything big.
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Check out this example.
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Look at him.
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Those giant ears weigh him down.
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Hi baby Jumbo, welcome to the circus.
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I'm not looking for any trouble either sir, I simply want to buy a Jumbo Pop for my little boy.
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You want the red or the blue pal?
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Pal means friend
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and it's more commonly said in the United States where you also hear people say more often these days buddy.
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The owner of the ice cream shop actually says it in the next line.
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Back up is the same as taking a step back or moving away.
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In this case, it's said as a command.
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You'll hear this a lot from police officers in movies.
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Back up, back up, back up.
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Please keep back.
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Listen, buddy, what?
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There aren't any Fox ice cream joints in your part of town?
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Joint is slang for a place where people eat, usually a small local restaurant, shop, or bar, like a burger joint or a coffee joint.
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You wouldn't use this word in formal settings, though.
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You'll more often hear it in contexts like a casual conversation among friends.
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No, no, there are, there are.
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It's just my boy, this goofy little stinker, he loves all things elephant, wants to be one when he grows up.
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If someone is goofy, they're silly in a fun and harmless way.
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It's like being clumsy, making weird faces, or doing something that makes people laugh.
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Remember this other famous Disney character?
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Well, I don't know if you know, but in English, his name is actually Goofy.
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Makes sense, right?
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Now, the phrase little stinker here is just the affectionate way Nick describes his son.
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It's something a parent could say if their kid is being playful, causing a little trouble.
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This goofy little stinker.
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He loves all things elephant.
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Wants to be one when he grows up.
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To love all things something means to love everything related to that thing.
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So the boy loves all things related to elephants, elephant toys, books about elephants, etc. And you can use this phrase with anything.
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For example, he loves all things Marvel.
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I'm obsessed with all things Japan.
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It's a nice casual way to say someone is a big fan of something.
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Who the heck am I to crush his little dreams, huh?
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Right?
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The word heck is a softer substitute for hell in phrases like, what the heck?
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So people say this to sound more polite or when they're around kids, for example.
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And by the way, this is a very common, casual way to add emotion to a question.
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And it goes with any question word.
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What the hell?
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Why the hell?
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Or what the heck?
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Why the heck?
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Where the heck?
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See these examples.
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Kevin?
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Hey, Lance, where the heck is Kevin?
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Wait a minute.
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Junior, what is going on?
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What the heck is this?
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This is Storkhan!
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Who the heck am I to crush his little dreams, huh?
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Right?
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To crush someone's dreams means to destroy their hopes.
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This kind of phrase is usually used in a dramatic way, especially in talking about something innocent, like a child's dream.
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We're done talking about this.
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You're not going to space!
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My god, do you even hear yourself?
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You're just as bad as Pop Pop.
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He crushed all your dreams and now you're crushing mine.
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I am nothing like him.
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All right, so we already covered some great expressions today, but I gotta be honest with you.
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If you don't review this vocabulary, you'll probably forget it pretty quickly.
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Now, is your goal here to be able to use these words in your own conversations in English?
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You know, to go beyond just understanding what you hear and finally working on your ability to speak?
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If so, then in order for you to level up, then simply knowing the words won't be enough.
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You need to practice them.
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And we can help you with that.
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We've created a set of flashcards for you that is available for free on our app if you've never tried them.
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And this is by far the best way for you to internalize all the key vocabulary from this lesson.
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So the magic is in the technology and the science behind it.
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Because the app knows the exact words you've learned, and just when you're about to forget them, it brings them back to you for review and practice super easy
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and you can use it for 10 to 15 minutes a day wherever you are
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and you'll see how it helps you start speaking English naturally having all these words at the tip of your tongue.
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So click the link below using your phone to get the real life app right now
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and I'm sure you're gonna love it and we'll see you there.
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Look you probably can't read Fox but the sign says we reserve the right to refuse service to anyone so beat it.
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You're holding up the line.
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Beat it is another classic slang expression that can be used as a command to say, go away or leave now.
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It's very direct and also a bit rude.
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You wouldn't use this with friends unless you're joking.
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You're holding up the line.
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To be holding up the line means to be slowing things down in a line, preventing it from moving faster.
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Check it out in this example.
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Buddy, you're holding up the line.
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Hello?
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Excuse me.
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Hey, you're gonna have to wait your turn like everyone else, meter maid.
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Actually, I'm an officer.
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Just had a quick question.
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Are your customers aware they're getting snot and mucus with their cookies and cream?
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Meter maid is an old-fashioned and often insulting slang term for a woman whose job is to give parking tickets.
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These are police officers who check parking meters and write fines if your time runs out in a parking spot.
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When the elephant says this to Judy, he's not respecting her as an officer, belittling her status to just writing fines.
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A more modern or respectful term would be traffic officer.
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Actually, I'm an officer.
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Just had a quick question.
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Are your customers aware they're getting snot and mucus with their cookies and cream?
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What do you think those words mean?
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Germs and bacteria?
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Sticky stuff that comes out of your nose?
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Crush cookies and chocolate syrup.
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That's right, snot is the sticky stuff that comes out of your nose when you're sick.
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And mucus is just a more scientific word for the same thing.
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You'll hear snot using other playful insults too.
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Like, your little's not, may be said to a naughty little kid.
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Like here, in this example.
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I want the pump!
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I don't got no pump.
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Look!
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I got the Jim Duncan Adidas Cool Dees.
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I want the pump!
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Listen, you insolent little snot.
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There are kids right now in Asia who are sewing your stupid shoes together
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so that the family can have a bowl of rice to eat tonight.
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What are you talking about?
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Well, I don't want to cause you any trouble, but I believe scooping ice cream with an ungloved trunk is a Class 3 health code violation.
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To scoop something means to pick it up using a rounded tool like a spoon, ladle, or in this case, an elephant trunk.
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In ice cream shops, they usually use a special metal scoop to dig out ice cream into a cone or cup.
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So here, scooping just means serving ice cream by digging it out.
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I believe scooping ice cream with an ungloved trunk is a class three health code violation.
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An elephant's trunk is this, their long nose, which they use for everything, smelling, grabbing, drinking, and in this case, scooping ice cream.
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In everyday English, you also hear trunk is referred to a tree trunk and a car trunk, the storage space in the back of a car.
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Of course, I could let you off with a warning if you would have gloved those trunks and, I don't know, finished selling this nice dad and his son a.. what was it?
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If you let someone off with a warning, that means they are breaking the rules, but you are not punishing them.
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You are letting them go and just giving them a warning, a notification.
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But my shift's almost up and I want to visit my living family.
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So I'm letting you off with a warning.
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Okay, now let's move on to the second part of the clip and see what happens next.
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$15.
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Thank you so much.
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Thank you.
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Oh no, are you kidding me?
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I don't have my wallet.
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I'd lose my head if it weren't attached to my neck.
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That's the truth.
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Oh, boy.
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I'm sorry, pal.
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Gotta be about the worst birthday ever.
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Please don't be mad at me.
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Thanks anyway.
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Keep the change.
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Officer, I can't thank you enough.
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So kind, really.
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Can I pay you back?
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Oh, no. My treat.
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It just...
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It just, you know, it burns me up to see folks with such backward attitudes towards foxes.
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I just want to say you're a great dad and just a...
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a real, articulate fella.
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Oh, well that is high praise.
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It's rare that I find someone so non-patronizing.
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Officer...
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Hopps.
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Mr...
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Wild.
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Nick Wild.
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Gotta be about the worst birthday ever.
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Please don't be mad at me.
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Thanks anyway.
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Did you notice the way Nick pronounces this phrase?
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Please don't be mad at me.
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There are two interesting things happening here.
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He said the words mad at me as one single sound.
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Mad at me.
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And he didn't pronounce the letter T there as you would expect.
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He didn't say mad at me, but mad at me.
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That's what we call a stop T.
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You could also hear it in please don't be.
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he actually said, please don't be.
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The stop T is
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when you stop the flow of air at the end of the word instead of pronouncing the T sound.
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So got instead of got or cat instead of cat.
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It's not ca, it's cat.
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You need to stop the flow of air.
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Now one way to practice this is by saying, Uh oh.
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Cat.
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Don't. At. At me.
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Mad at me.
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Now you try and repeat after Nick.
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Please don't be mad at me.
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Please don't be mad at me.
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Gotta be about the worst birthday ever.
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Please don't be mad at me.
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Thanks anyway.
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Keep the change.
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If something costs $15 and you give them a $20 bill and say keep the change, you're telling them you don't want the extra money back.
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This is often said when leaving a tip.
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A little extra is a thank you.
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Officer, I can't thank you enough. So kind.
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Really.
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Can I pay you back?
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Oh no. My treat.
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It's just...
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My treat is a common, friendly way to say, I'm paying for this.
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Don't worry about it.
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Check out this example.
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When something burns you up, it means it makes you extremely angry or upset.
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It is similar to another expression, it makes my blood boil.
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Now, do you remember what she said that burns her up?
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you're a great dad
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and just a what do you think a backward attitude means they have old-fashioned
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or unfair opinions their customer service is too slow and unfriendly
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they're open to new ideas and think in a modern way
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A backward attitude refers to beliefs or opinions that are outdated, prejudiced, or resistance to progress,
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like judging someone unfairly because of where they're from or their background.
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Judy uses it here to criticize how foxes are treated in this society.
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attitudes toward foxes.
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I just want to say you're a great dad and just a real articulate fella.
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Articulate means someone who speaks clearly and confidently.
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They can express ideas easily and with the right words.
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And fella is a casual way to say guy or man.
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Ah, well, that is high praise.
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It's rare that I find someone so non-patronizing.
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Officer...
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Hops.
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To be patronizing means you talk down to someone like you think they're less smart or capable than you.
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Think of how for example some adults talk to children, using a slow, overly simple tone because they assume the child can't understand.
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So if someone is non-patronizing it means they're treating you with real respect, not like you're less important.
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Now of course the story doesn't end here, this is just their first encounter, and at this point Judy thinks she's helped a sweet father and his son.
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But as we discover later in the movie, Nick has actually been running a clever skim this whole time.
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Check out our other Zootopia lessons in the description below to see more of Nick and Judy's story unfold.
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Alright, now let's test your comprehension.
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We're gonna watch the whole scene again without subtitles this time.
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And I'm gonna ask you some quiz questions just to see how well we've understood everything.
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Let's go.
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I'm not
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looking for any trouble either, sir.
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I simply want to buy a jumbo pop for my little boy.
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What does it mean if someone is skulking around?
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Walking proudly and confidently, sneaking around in a suspicious way, going shopping aimlessly.
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You want the red or the blue, pal?
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Oh.
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I'm such a...
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Oh, come on, kid.
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Back up.
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Listen, buddy, what?
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There aren't any Fox ice cream joints in your part of town?
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Uh, no, no, there are.
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There are.
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It's just, my boy, this goofy little stinker, he loves all things elephant, wants to be one when he grows up.
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Is that adorable?
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Who the heck am I to crush his little dreams, huh?
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Right?
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What does this phrase mean?
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To inspire someone's goals, to make someone fall asleep, to take away someone's hopes.
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Look, you probably can't read Fox, but the sign says we reserve the right to refuse service to anyone.
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So beat it.
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What's a situation where you might hear someone say, beat it?
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When they want you to leave immediately, are asking if you've got money, want to hurt you physically.
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You're holding up the line.
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Hello?
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Excuse me.
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Hey, you're gonna have to wait your turn like everyone else, meter maid.
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Actually, I'm an officer.
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Just had a quick question.
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Are your customers aware they're getting snot and mucus with their cookies and cream?
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What are you talking about?
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Well, I don't want to cause you any trouble, but I believe scooping ice cream with an ungloved trunk is a Class 3 health code violation.
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What does it mean to scoop something?
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To drop it accidentally?
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To lift it using a spoon?
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to eat some of it while serving.
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A jumbo pop.
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$15.
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Thank you so much.
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Thank you.
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Oh, no. Are you kidding me?
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I don't have my wallet.
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I'd lose my head if it weren't attached to my neck.
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That's the truth.
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Oh, boy.
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I'm sorry, pal.
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Gotta be about the worst birthday ever.
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Please don't be mad at me.
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Thanks anyway.
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If you're leaving the extra money as a tip, what is the phrase to use?
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Keep the change.
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Officer, I can't thank you enough.
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So kind, really.
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Can I pay you back?
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Oh no, my treat.
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It just, you know, it burns me up to see folks with such backward attitudes towards foxes.
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I just want to say you're a great dad and just a real articulate fella.
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Ah, well, that is high praise.
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It's rare that I find someone so non-patronizing.
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Officer...
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Hops.
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Mr...
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Wild.
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Nick Wild.
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Hi, yeah, guys.
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Great job today.
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Now, if you are new to this YouTube channel, you should know that every single week we make lessons just like this one with your favorite movies
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and TV series to help you understand fast speaking natives without getting lost, without missing your jokes, and without subtitles.
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So if this sounds like something that you want to be able to do, just hit the subscribe button and the bell down below so you never miss any of our new lessons.
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And now this would be a great time for you to practice all the expressions
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that you've learned today by clicking the link in the description below and going to our app to start your recovery practice.
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Oh, great.
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For now, how about boots?
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Winter boots and dresses?
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That would be in our winter department.
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Oh.
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Um, I was just wondering, has another young woman, the queen, perhaps, I don't know, passed through here?
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Only one crazy enough to be out in this storm is you, dear.
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You and this fellow?
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Big summer blowout?
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Carrots.
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Huh?
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Behind you.
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Oh, right.
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This B2 speaking lesson is built on the video “Learn English with ZOOTOPIA — Judy Meets Nick”. This video has 374 sentences and 3426 words to shadow. The speech runs for 25:02. The speaker talks at a steady 137 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. 84% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English; the rest is worth studying before you start. 71 of its 374 sentences are questions, so it is good practice for question intonation and short answers.
Key vocabulary in this video
The 15 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| heck | /hɛk/ | Hell. |
| trunk noun | /tɹʌŋk/ | The usually single, more or less upright part of a tree, between the roots and the branches. |
| elephant noun | /ˈɛlɪfənt/ | A large mammal of the family Elephantidae in the order Proboscidea, having a trunk, and native to Africa and Asia. |
| scoop noun | /skup/ | Any cup-shaped or bowl-shaped tool, usually with a handle, used to lift and move loose or soft solid material. |
| crush verb | /kɹʌʃ/ | To press between two hard objects; to squeeze so as to alter the natural shape or integrity, or to force together into a mass. |
| goofy adjective | /ˈɡufi/ | Quirky or silly, often in a humorous manner; daft. |
| mucus noun | /ˈmjuːkəs/ | A slippery secretion from the lining of the mucous membranes. |
| patronize verb | /ˈpætɹəˌnaɪz/ | To act as a patron of; to defend, protect, or support. |
| stinker noun | /ˈstɪŋ.kɚ/ | One who stinks. |
| vocabulary noun | /vəˈkæb.jə.lə.ɹi/ | A usually alphabetized and explained collection of words e.g. of a particular field, or prepared for a specific purpose, often for learning. |
| cookie noun | /ˈkʊki/ | A small, flat, baked good which is either crisp or soft but firm. |
| fella noun | /fɛ.lə/ | Used as a general intensifier; a pfella. |
| skulk verb | /skʌlk/ | To stay where one cannot be seen, conceal oneself (often in a cowardly way or with the intent of doing harm). |
| ungloved adjective | Not wearing a glove; barehanded. | |
| articulate verb | /ɑːɹˈtɪk.jə.leɪt/ | To make clear or effective. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| back up verb | To move backwards, especially for a vehicle to do so. |
| hold up verb | To wait or delay. |
| check out verb | To record the departure or withdrawal of someone or something (such as guests, employees, books, etc.). |
| grow up verb | To mature and become an adult. |
| break down verb | To stop functioning. |
| dig out verb | To remove something by digging. |
| get out of verb | To leave, exit or escape from; to become free of. |
| go away verb | To depart or leave a place. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- You want the red or the blue, pal?
- What are you talking about?
- You want the red or the blue pal?
- My god, do you even hear yourself?
- What do you think those words mean?
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | be seen · was inspired · may be said |
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | We've created · you've learned · we've understood |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 128 contractions and reduced forms, such as don't, you're, I'm. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: crush /kɹʌʃ/, violation /ˌvaɪ.əˈleɪ.ʃən/, flashcard /ˈflæʃˌkɑɹd/, suspicious /səˈspɪʃ.əs/, affectionate /əˈfɛkʃənət/
- Long words — get the stress right: vocabulary /vəˈkæb.jə.lə.ɹi/, articulate /ɑːɹˈtɪk.jə.leɪt/, violation /ˌvaɪ.əˈleɪ.ʃən/, confidently /ˈkɑnfɪdəntli/, adorable /əˈdoɹ.əˌbəl/
How to practise with this video
- Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
- Shadow it sentence by sentence at normal speed, repeating each one until your rhythm matches the speaker.
- Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like heck, trunk, elephant.
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.