Shadowing Practice: NF - The Search - Learn English Speaking with Video
Creating lesson...
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The Hey
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Nate, how's life?
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I don't know, it's alright I've been dealing with some things like every human being
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And really didn't sleep much last night I'm sorry, that's fine I just think I need a little me time
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I just think I need a little free time Little break from the shows
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and the bus rides Last year I had a breakdown Thoughts telling me I'm lost, getting too loud Had to see a therapist and I found out Something funny's going on up in my house Yeah,
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I started thinking maybe I should move out You know, pack my car, take a new route Clean up my yard, get the noose out Hang up my heart, let it air out I've been searching,
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what does that mean, Nate?
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I've been learning, grabbing my keepsakes, leaving my burdens Well, I brought a few with me I'm not perfect Looking at the view like This concerns me Taking up the cues, right?
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I'm quite nervous Hate it when I lose sight Life gets blurry
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And things might hurt me It's probably gonna be a long journey, but It's worth it, though Cold world out there, kids, grab your coats Spend a minute,
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I know Now I'm back to run Looking for the antidote to crack the coal Pretty vivid, I admit it, I'm in classic mode Don't need pity given to me, but I can't condone Talking down to me,
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I'ma have to crack your nose for cracking jokes I'm looking for the map to hope, you see that?
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They're making a whole lot of changes Wrote a song about that, you should play it I get scared
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when I walk on these stages I look at the crowd and see so many faces, yeah That's when I start to get anxious That's when my thoughts can be dangerous
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That's when I put on my makeup and drown in self-hatred Forget what I'm saying and... Where the beat go?
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Oh, ain't that something?
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Drums came in, you ain't see that coming Hands on my head, can't tell me nothing Got a taste of the fame made
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up on my stomach Throw it back up like I don't want it Wipe my face, clean off my vomit OCD tryna push my buttons, I said don't touch it Now y'all done it I can be critical,
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never typical Intrigued with every syllable, I'm a criminal Intrigued but never political, pretty miserable Even if you hate it, I'll make you feel like you're in it though You call me what you wanna, but never call me forgettable Live you deep and dark,
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I can never swim in the kiddie pool Way
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that I've been thinking the cinematic is beautiful And I don't know if I'm making movies or music videos Videos, videos, videos Yeah the sails can rise,
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doesn't mean much though when your health declines See we've all got something that we trapped inside That we try to suffocate, you know, hoping it dies Try to hold it underwater
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but it always survives And it comes up out of nowhere like an evil surprise
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And it hovers over you to tell you millions of lies You don't relate to that?
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Must not be as crazy as I am The point of making is the mind is a powerful place
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And what you feed it can affect you in a powerful way It's pretty cool right?
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Yeah, but it's not always safe Just hang with me, this'll only take a moment, okay?
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Just think about it for a second, if you look at your face Every day when you get up and think you'll never be great You'll never be great, not because you're not, but the hate We'll always find a way to cut you up
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and murder your faith I'm in development, take a look at the benefits Nothing to matter with, I can never be delicate Am I even relevant?
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That depends on you measure it Take a measurement to back it up and give me the evidence Pretty evident, dependable can never be tentative I'm a gentleman, depending on if I think you're genuine Pretty elegant, but not afraid to tell you to get it Your proper etiquette,
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I keep it to myself when I celebrate Celebrate, huh?
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It's that time again Better grab your balloons and invite your friends Seatbelts back on, yeah, strap them in Look at me,
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everybody, I'm smiling big On a road right now that I can't predict Tell me, tone that down, but I can't resist Y'all know that sound, better raise your fist The search begins,
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I'm back, so enjoy the trip, huh? trip so
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Thank you.
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This B2 speaking lesson is built on the video “NF - The Search”. This video has 36 sentences and 787 words to shadow. The speech runs for 4:36. The speaker talks at a natural 171 words per minute, close to everyday conversation. Only 81% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is demanding. 12 of its 36 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 |
|---|---|---|
| depend verb | /dɪˈpɛnd/ | To be contingent or conditioned; to have something as a necessary condition |
| antidote noun | /ˈæn.tɪ.doʊt/ | A remedy to counteract the effects of poison. |
| blurry adjective | /ˈblɜːɹi/ | Not clear, crisp, or focused; having fuzzy edges. |
| condone verb | /kənˈdoʊn/ | To forgive, excuse or overlook (something that is considered morally wrong, offensive, or generally disliked). |
| dependable adjective | [dɪˈpɛndəbəɫ] | Able, or easily able to be depended on. |
| etiquette noun | /ˈɛt.ɪˌkɛt/ | The manners or decent behaviour to be observed in social or professional life; conventional decorum; the ceremonial code of polite society. |
| forgettable adjective | Possible to be forgotten. | |
| keepsake noun | /ˈkiːp.seɪk/ | An object given by a person and retained in memory of something or someone; something kept for sentimental or nostalgic reasons. |
| kinematic adjective | /kɪn.əˈmæt.ɪk/ | Of or relating to motion or to kinematics. |
| suffocate verb | /ˈsʌfəkeɪt/ | To suffer, or cause someone to suffer, from severely reduced oxygen intake to the body. |
| syllable noun | /ˈsɪl.ə.bəl/ | A unit of human speech which often forms words corresponding to one opening of the mouth; a vowel and its surrounding consonants. |
| tentative adjective | /ˈtɛntətɪv/ | Of or pertaining to a trial or trials; essaying; experimental. |
| vomit verb | /ˈvɑmɪt/ | To regurgitate or eject the contents of the stomach through the mouth; puke. |
| drown verb | /dɹaʊn/ | To die from suffocation while immersed in water or other fluid. |
| vivid adjective | /ˈvɪvɪd/ | Clear, detailed, or powerful. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| back up verb | To move backwards, especially for a vehicle to do so. |
| clean off verb | To remove (something) by cleaning; to thoroughly clean (something) or make (something) bare. |
| clean up verb | To make an area or a thing clean; to pick up a mess; to tidy. |
| find out verb | To discover, as by asking or investigating. |
| get up verb | To move in an upward direction; to ascend or climb. |
| hang up verb | To put up to hang. |
| move out verb | To leave one's present location; to leave somewhere for another place. |
| take up verb | To pick up. |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 44 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'm, don't, can't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: measurement /ˈmɛʒ.ə.mənt/, anxious /ˈæŋkʃəs/
- Long words — get the stress right: dependable [dɪˈpɛndəbəɫ], kinematic /kɪn.əˈmæt.ɪk/, underwater /ʌndɚˈwɔtəɹ/, miserable /ˈmɪz(ə)ɹəbəl/
How to practise with this video
- Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
- Start at 0.75× speed, shadow it sentence by sentence, then go back to normal speed once it feels easy.
- Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like depend, antidote, blurry.
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.