Shadowing Practice: Learn To Argue Effectively (1951) - Learn English Speaking with Video
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188 sentences
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This is the story of an argument
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Jeff loved to argue about anything and everything.
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After all, the Vikings were here before
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Columbus and so were the Indians.
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And we don't know how many others.
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So how can you say
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Columbus discovered America?
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And you say Jonesville won the tournament last year?
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Oh, they couldn't have.
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Oh, liverwurst.
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You must be crazy to eat that stuff.
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That's the silliest opinion I've ever heard.
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There are ten kinds that'll hold the road better.
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We don't need to enter a new conference.
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That's just the coach's idea.
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He wants a better job next year.
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If you like to argue so much, Jeff Field, why don't you go out for debate and learn something about it?
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Look.
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Look at all this stupid.
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Now, what's a puppet theater have to do with debating?
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Okay, Mr. Evans.
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Thank you, Alice.
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We've an interesting gadget here.
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You'll see why in a moment.
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Now, we're here today to find out how to argue.
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Is that so difficult?
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Well, it isn't easy to become skilled in argumentation.
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Okay, Alice.
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Now, first of all, what subjects are worth arguing about?
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Now, let's see how many of us can recognize suitable subjects for arguments.
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Alice?
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Oh, Judy, Judy, where are you?
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Judy, my love.
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Oh, I'm tying my shoes, silly.
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Well, now you're here.
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Listen, I went out to the farm yesterday.
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You did, and what for?
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Oh, look at the animals, and I saw a purple cow, and I...
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Purple cow?
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Yes, and I went up to her, and I said, how did you talk to her?
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Why, with my mouth, silly.
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Answer my question.
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I know you talked with your But that's not what I mean.
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Well then, say what you mean.
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Well, how could you talk to a cow?
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Now, who said anything about talking to a cow?
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Why don't you listen?
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You interrupt all the time.
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Now, look at her.
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You take that, and that, and that.
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No, talk to a cow!
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I'm not a idiot!
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Well, was that a good subject for argument?
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What was the argument about?
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Yes?
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I guess it was whether Punch talked to a cow.
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But Judy wasn't there, how would she know?
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If there's no evidence available on your subject, why argue?
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What would be a better subject for them to argue?
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Well, Judy might try to convince
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Punch that there is no such thing as a purple cow.
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Or that he might be more observant.
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What is a good subject for argument?
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Jeff thought about that one.
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He remembered some arguments he'd had.
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You say Jonesville won the tournament last year?
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Pointless to argue about a fact.
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That's easily checked, isn't it?
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Oh, liverwurst.
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You must be crazy to eat that stuff.
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Pointless, too, to argue about matters of personal taste.
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They are seldom changed by argument.
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That's the silliest opinion I've ever heard.
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Why, there are ten cars that'll hold the road better.
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Arguments about opinions can be purposeful for argument often does change opinions.
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We don't need to enter a new conference.
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And arguments about proposed actions can be purposeful if they make their points.
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Yes, Jeff thought about these things.
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All right.
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If it's a subject on which we can influence what others believe, argument has purpose. If not, why argue?
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Agree?
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Fine.
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Now, let's go on to another question.
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Assuming that we have a good subject for argument, how should we argue?
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Well, where do you think you're going?
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Well, I'm going to Garden City next year with the team.
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We're going to join the new athletic conference, you know.
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Huh.
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Just because everybody wants to take a trip, we have to join a new athletic conference.
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Well, this is our big chance.
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We'll put our school on the map.
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Garden City!
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Garden City!
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Garden City!
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Do you think we're blind?
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Everybody knows you're just trying to take a nice old trip at the school expense and get beat, beat, beat!
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Well, anyway, you'll agree we should try to put our school on the map if we can.
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Sure, if we can.
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We've done okay.
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Well, let's not have the same kind of argument that they had.
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This is a hot issue.
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We chose it because it is a real issue here in our school right now.
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It's a good subject for argument, agreed?
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The question is, how can we make that argument profitable?
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How can we argue so as to change opinion?
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Now, let's repeat this
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Punch and Judy argument.
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Whenever you see anything that keeps it from being profitable, we'll stop the show.
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All right, Alice.
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Oh, well, where do you think you're going?
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Oh, I'm going to Garden City next year as a team.
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We're going to join the new conference, you know.
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Wait a minute, man.
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We haven't decided whether to join the new conference or not.
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Punch doesn't seem to know what he's talking about.
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And you feel you have to know what you're talking about to argue profitably?
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I'll say.
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All right.
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One. Be informed.
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Know your subject.
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That's the first essential of how to argue profitably.
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All right, Alice.
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Ha!
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Just because everybody wants to take a trip, we have to join a new athletic conference.
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Well, this is our big chance.
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We'll put our school on the map.
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Garden City, Garden City, go to Garden City.
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What do you think we're doing here?
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Punch and Judy aren't listening to each other.
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How can punch convince Judy if he doesn't know what Judy thinks and vice versa good point
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That's step two
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Listen and Understand you can't argue profitably until you know what your opponent believes
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All right Alice Well, anyway, you'll agree.
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We should try to put our school on a mess if we can
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Oh sure if we can well Isn't there something there?
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I mean, well, sometimes when you're arguing, you waste time over points you really agree on.
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At least Punch was trying there.
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Good point.
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I wondered whether anyone would catch that.
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Find common ground.
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Two people in an argument usually agree on something.
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They have to, or else the argument won't convince anyone of anything.
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And if you know where you agree, you can see more clearly where you disagree.
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Isn't that important in arguments?
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Ah.
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Find the issues.
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Once you know exactly where you disagree, then you know exactly where to apply your information and reasoning.
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So, find the issues and work on them.
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Work on them?
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Oh, I'll work on you.
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I'll work on you.
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After that, Jeff thought about subjects for argument, about methods of argument.
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He watched himself, too.
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Oh, that's silly.
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The rehearsal couldn't be at 7 o 'clock.
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Miss Alquist can't...
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Miss Alquist can't get there by 7.
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She likes to eat at Hanson's restaurant jam.
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Punch and Judy argue.
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What'd you say?
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Oh, never mind.
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If Miss Alquist said 7 o 'clock, I suppose we better be there then.
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He tried to save his arguing for topics worth argument, opinions, proposed actions where his argument might make a difference.
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He tried to be informed, getting knowledge that would be useful to make his arguments profitable.
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He tried to listen, to understand his opponents and their positions.
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He tried to find common ground from which better understanding could be reached.
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And he tried to find the issues and attack them directly in his arguments.
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It took time to learn to argue effectively.
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But one day, not long ago...
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Listen, gang, ticket sales are going swell.
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So I guess we'll have to reserve the gym for our party.
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Wait a minute.
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Why the gym?
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We want to use the lodge at Langdon Park.
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That's rather expensive, isn't it?
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No, it isn't.
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Besides, think of all the...
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Do you know how much they charge for the lodge?
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Well, no. Well, we want our party to be informal, don't we?
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That's right.
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We could have a good informal time at the lodge.
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We could decorate there.
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And they have a big fireplace where we could roast weenies and marshmallows.
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That's a wonderful idea.
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So don't you think we should first find out the cost for the lodge and then decide?
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Yes, Jeff is still an arguer.
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But he is learning to make his arguments purposeful and profitable.
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How well do you argue?
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This speaking lesson is built on the video “Learn To Argue Effectively”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: argument, argue, subject, Judy, punch. This video has 188 sentences and 1390 words to shadow. The speech runs for 9:50. The speaker talks at a steady 141 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. 44 of its 188 sentences are questions, so it is good practice for question intonation and short answers.
Key vocabulary in this video
15 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| argue verb | /ˈɑɹ.ɡju/ | To show grounds for concluding (that); to indicate, imply. |
| punch noun | /pʌnt͡ʃ/ | A hit or strike with one's fist. |
| silly adjective | /ˈsɪl.i/ | Laughable or amusing through foolishness or a foolish appearance. |
| lodge verb | /lɑd͡ʒ/ | To be firmly fixed in a specified position. |
| profitable adjective | /ˈpɹɑ.fɪ.tə.bl̩/ | Producing a profit. |
| purple noun | /ˈpɝ.pl̩/ | A colour between red and blue; violet, though often closer to magenta. |
| convince verb | /kənˈvɪns/ | To make someone believe, or feel sure about something, especially by using logic, argument or evidence. |
| athletic adjective | /æθˈlɛt.ɪk/ | Having to do with athletes. |
| clock noun | /klɑk/ | A chronometer, an instrument that measures time, particularly the time of day. |
| opponent noun | /əˈpəʊ.nənt/ | One who opposes another; one who works or takes a position against someone or something; one who attempts to stop the progress of someone or something. |
| inform verb | /ɪnˈfɔɹm/ | To communicate knowledge to. |
| disagree verb | /dɪsəˈɡɹi/ | To fail to agree; to have a different opinion or belief. |
| propose verb | /pɹəˈpəʊz/ | To suggest a plan, course of action, etc. |
| pointless adjective | /ˈpɔɪntləs/ | Having no point or sharp tip; terminating squarely or in a rounded end. |
| informal adjective | /ɪnˈfɔɹ.m(ə)l/ | Not formal or ceremonious. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| find out verb | To discover, as by asking or investigating. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- You did, and what for?
- Why don't you listen?
- If there's no evidence available on your subject, why argue?
- Do you think we're blind?
- What do you think we're doing here?
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | I've ever heard · We've done · haven't decided |
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | Be informed · could be reached |
| Advice with “should” should + verb — saying what is a good idea | should we argue · should try · should first |
| Possibility with “might / may” might/may + verb — something that is possible but not certain | might try · might be · might make |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 57 contractions and reduced forms, such as don't, isn't, you're. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “th” sounds: athletic /æθˈlɛt.ɪk/, theater /ˈθi(ə)tɚ/
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: shoe /ˈʃu/, argumentation /ˌɑɹɡjəmɛnˈteɪʃən/, marshmallow /ˈmɑɹʃˌmɛl.oʊ/
- Long words — get the stress right: profitably /ˈpɹɑ.fɪ.tə.bli/, argumentation /ˌɑɹɡjəmɛnˈteɪʃən/
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 argue, punch, silly.
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.