Shadowing Practice: Pluribus | We’ve Been You, But You’ve Never Been Us - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

C1
Hi, Carol.
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74 sentences
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Hi, Carol.
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Here.
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Thank you.
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You want those?
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Do you like your police car?
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Sure.
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Fun fact.
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The police officer who drove that vehicle,
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his son's third grade teacher's husband's sister was a charter member of the white car fan club.
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Wow.
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Chills.
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Listen, about the...
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It wouldn't have happened if I had had the foresight to understand
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that you people are generous enough to give me actual explosives,
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and I regret it.
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Please don't.
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Well, I'm sorry you got hurt.
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Are you up for answering some questions?
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Certainly.
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about a week ago the undersecretary of well i mean you
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i i know you're all one i get the basics anyway
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all of you in the form of the undersecretary of you told me
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that you don't really understand how all this works this joining so my question is Do you understand it now?
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We have quite a bit more insight into it now, yes.
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So, is there a way to reverse it?
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The joining?
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Is there not a way to reverse it?
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Xosia?
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We want so much to please you, Carol, but we...
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We can't answer questions like that.
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Right.
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Except your non-answer is my answer.
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Because I don't think you can lie to me.
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I don't think it's something you can do.
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But you would definitely tell me if the answer was no. We're sorry.
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You're so troubled by this.
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Do I seem troubled?
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This is me happy.
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I mean, congratulations.
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You did it.
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Soon enough, you'll understand everything.
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And you will feel so much better.
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Freedom Falls.
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You know what that means, don't you?
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Of course you do.
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You know everything.
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Tell me about it.
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Tell me about Camp fucking Freedom Falls.
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You were 16, beginning to understand yourself,
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and your mother, she sent...
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Yeah, go on.
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What'd she do?
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She sent you to a conversion therapy camp in Covington,
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Tennessee, Camp Freedom Falls.
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You never forgave her.
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Oh.
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It was a terrible experience for you.
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The counselors there are some...
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Some of the worst people I have ever known.
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And they smiled all the time, just like you.
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We're sorry, Carol.
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As for us, we love and accept all beings equally.
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Oh, okay.
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If you're so accepting, then what about what you're trying to do to me now?
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Make me just like you,
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even though you know I do not want that.
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You want to change us too, don't you?
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Didn't you just ask if it's possible?
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There is something else to consider.
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We know what it feels like to be you.
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To be alone, to suffer.
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We've been you.
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But you've never been us.
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you

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Context & Background

The transcript features a dialogue between two characters, with Carol engaging in a conversation that blends casual banter with more profound reflections on understanding complex relationships and personal growth. The dynamics of their exchanges reveal a mixture of curiosity, tension, and a quest for clarity, often characterized by layered meanings and emotional undertones. For English learners, grappling with the subtext in such dialogues can enhance not only their listening skills but also their ability to express similar emotions and thoughts in real-life conversations.

Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication

  • “Are you up for answering some questions?” - A friendly way to initiate a deeper conversation.
  • “We want so much to please you.” - An expression of desire to accommodate or make someone happy.
  • “I don't think you can lie to me.” - A statement implying trust and openness in communication.
  • “Do I seem troubled?” - A rhetorical question that can help gauge someone's emotional state.
  • “Congratulations. You did it.” - A positive reinforcement that encourages and acknowledges achievement.

Step-by-step Shadowing Guide

To effectively improve your English pronunciation and comprehension, consider employing the shadowing technique with this transcript. This method involves listening to a speaker and repeating their words as closely as possible, which is proven to boost fluency and accent improvement. Here's how to get started:

  1. Select a Shadowing App or Site: Choose a platform that allows you to play the video or audio at a comfortable speed.
  2. Initial Listening: Listen to the entire dialogue without interruption to grasp the overall context.
  3. Segment the Content: Break the dialogue into smaller parts. Start with individual sentences or phrases, focusing on the first two, "Are you up for answering some questions?" and "We want so much to please you."
  4. Repeat and Mimic: Use the shadowspeak method—play a segment, pause, and repeat it aloud. Pay special attention to pronunciation, intonation, and rhythm.
  5. Record Yourself: Use your chosen app to record your repetitions. Compare your pronunciation with the original dialogue to identify areas for improvement.

By consistently practicing with the shadowing technique, you can greatly enhance your English speaking abilities, particularly in expressing nuanced emotions, improving your pronunciation, and becoming more comfortable engaging in everyday conversations.

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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