Shadowing Practice: Meyer Lansky Interview 1971 - Learn English Speaking with Video
Creating lesson...
1
Mr. Lansky, why are the American authorities after you?
2
Because a newspaper man started a campaign against me,
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and it snowballed to such an extent that I guess it can't be stopped anymore.
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I was singled out for some reason.
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They needed an image.
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and this has gone to an extent where it just snowballed and I don't know how far it's going to go.
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And when did the snowball start from it?
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Well, actually it started about 1965 when some newspaper man wrote an article that I have $300 million.
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Well, I wish I had a million dollars.
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I said, many more things, remember, have been said about me.
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They accuse me of making a president.
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Now, I don't know Mr. Nixon any more than what I read in the newspapers.
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The closest I ever got to him is seeing him on television.
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They claim I have 50 percent of Lebanon casinos, 50 percent of Monte Carlo.
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The Roosevelt sent me to visit Batista on a mission.
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Now how ridiculous can we really get?
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This is just a global lie.
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Say it long enough and you'll get the people to believe it.
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So you feel that you are a victim of public persecution?
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I sure do.
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Mr. Lansky, what does the name Jewish Mafia mean to you?
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You know, I never heard that until I read it in the Israeli newspapers.
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Why, it's most ridiculous.
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Are there many Jews in the gambling business?
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Well, when you say many, you'd have to judge by percentage.
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I think if you took the percentage of the gambling business in the United States, took the Jews, you would find them maybe in their proportion.
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Why is it said that you are the head of the organized crime in the United States?
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Well, that's the same principle that started the other gossip it.
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That's most ridiculous.
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It's the news media again.
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It's the follow -up of the first thought.
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It was never said about me before years ago.
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All this came about just in the last few years.
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I didn't know as I was growing older it's going to get worse.
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Is there an organized crime is there i have no knowledge
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of it are you a religious jew no i'm not a religious jew
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and what i'm a jew in my heart what are your connections with the joe special just friendly
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mr lansky how do you reconcile the accusations against you in so many publications with your claim of innocence.
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How do I reconcile it?
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Well, it's from the same source.
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They started the publicity they could never stop.
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And I was told by a good authority that they'll never stop.
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They have too big an investment in me now.
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Now, I have been under surveillance for many years now, maybe for the last ten years,
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and I'm sure if these men didn't find anything against me,
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who have every resource at its hand,
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they should know whether I'm in any wrong activities or not.
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They would know much better than the writers.
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Do you want to become an Israeli citizen?
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Yes, I do.
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Mr. Lansky, did you invest money in business in Israel, or do you intend to invest money?
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No, I'm retired.
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And I would like to stay as a retired man in Israel, just like any other retired Jew.
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This video has 53 sentences and 556 words to shadow. The speech runs for 4:52. The speaker talks at a steady 114 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. 82% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English; the rest is worth studying before you start.
Key vocabulary in this video
15 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ridiculous adjective | /ɹɪˈdɪk.jə.ləs/ | Deserving of ridicule; foolish, absurd. |
| retire verb | /ɹəˈtaɪɹ/ | To stop working on a permanent basis, usually because of old age or illness. |
| percentage noun | /pə(ɹ)ˈsɛntɪd͡ʒ/ | The amount, number or rate of something, regarded as part of a total of 100; a part of a whole. |
| extent noun | /ɪkˈstɛnt/ | A range of values or locations. |
| invest verb | /ɪnˈvɛst/ | To spend money, time, or energy on something, especially for some benefit or purpose; used with in. |
| gambling noun | /ˈɡæm.bl̩.ɪŋ/ | An activity characterized by a balance between winning and losing that is governed by skill and/or chance, usually with money wagered on the outcome. |
| organize verb | /ˈɔɹɡənaɪz/ | To arrange in working order. |
| publication noun | /ˌpʌblɪˈkeɪʃ(ə)n/ | The act of publishing printed or other matter. |
| citizen noun | /ˈsɪtɪzən/ | A resident of a city or town, especially one with legally recognized rights or duties. |
| resource noun | /ɹɪˈzɔːs/ | Something that one uses to achieve an objective, e.g. raw materials or personnel. |
| principle noun | /ˈpɹɪn.sɪ.pəl/ | A fundamental assumption, fundamental law or guiding belief. |
| surveillance noun | /sɚˈveɪ.ləns/ | Close observation of an individual or group; person or persons under suspicion. |
| casino noun | /kəˈsiːnəʊ/ | A public building or room for gambling. |
| proportion noun | /pɹəˈpɔɹʃən/ | A quantity of something that is part of the whole amount or number. |
| intend verb | /ɪnˈtɛnd/ | To fix the mind upon (something, or something to be accomplished); be intent upon |
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 | can't be stopped · was singled · have been said |
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | has gone · have been said · have been |
| Future with “going to” be going to + verb — a plan or something you can see coming | it's going to go · it's going to get |
| Future with “will” will + verb — a decision, promise or prediction | you'll get · they'll never stop |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 13 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'm, didn't, don't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: publication /ˌpʌblɪˈkeɪʃ(ə)n/, proportion /pɹəˈpɔɹʃən/, persecution /ˌpɝsəˈkjuʃən/, accusation /ˌæk.jʊˈzeɪ.ʃ(ə)n/
- Long words — get the stress right: ridiculous /ɹɪˈdɪk.jə.ləs/, publication /ˌpʌblɪˈkeɪʃ(ə)n/, publicity /pʌbˈlɪsɪti/, persecution /ˌpɝsəˈkjuʃən/, accusation /ˌæk.jʊˈzeɪ.ʃ(ə)n/
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 ridiculous, retire, percentage.
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.