Shadowing Practice: Powerful Closing Argument - For The People - Learn English Speaking with Video
Creating lesson...
1
Where were you when you can fill in the blank?
2
A big moment in history, a small moment on the playground, in a bar, on the subway,
3
a time when someone needed help,
4
needed your help, needed you to stand up. Did you? Did you stand up?
5
Did you do something?
6
Did you say something?
7
You don't have to.
8
You can look away.
9
Put your head down.
10
Cross the street.
11
You can stay home and lock your doors.
12
There is no law that says you have to do anything to prevent a crime.
13
And if Jared Nash hadn't sat there eating cereal and watching the light die from Christine Campbell's eyes...
14
Then we wouldn't be here today.
15
You don't have to help the victim, but you cannot help the perpetrator.
16
That is what you cannot do, and that is why we're here, because that is what Mr. Nash did do.
17
Missed prison of a felony is a crime as old as this court, and it requires that the government prove four essential elements.
18
One, that the principal committed and completed the felony alleged.
19
Well, we know that.
20
Brad Hargrove has pleaded guilty to murdering Christine Campbell.
21
Two, that the defendant had full knowledge of that fact.
22
That also is not a question.
23
Jared Nash has admitted he knew, and the defense does not contest that he knew Brad Hargrove killed Christine Campbell.
24
Three, that the defendant failed to notify the authorities.
25
This, too, is not in dispute.
26
Jared Nash proudly did not notify authorities.
27
And four, that he took an affirmative step or steps to conceal the crime of the principal.
28
We're here on that question and that question alone.
29
And on that question, the evidence is clear.
30
At the exact time Hargrove was beating Ms. Campbell to death, Jared Nash turned up his music.
31
So loud, you could hear nothing else in that building.
32
He did this to conceal the screams of Christine Campbell.
33
He did this to conceal this crime.
34
Where were you when Christine Campbell was dying?
35
Most of you were at home, asleep.
36
Some of you may have been working or out or out.
37
You didn't know her.
38
You couldn't see her, you couldn't hear her.
39
You couldn't help her. But you can now.
40
You are here now. And she needs you.
📺 Same Channel
B11
#GROSS. 🤢 Don't miss a new #AbbottElementary tonight at 9:30/8:30c on ABC and stream on Hulu.
KidsTeensDaily Conversation
B23
West Talks to Sgt. Grey About His New T.O. - The Rookie
Business EnglishDaily ConversationHigh School Students
B22
'Are You Okay With Me Dying, Judge?' - How to Get Away with Murder
IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepUniversity Students
B15
Mitch and Cam are Lost at the Airport - Modern Family 8x18
Travel EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B2Annalise’s Closing Argument - How To Get Away With Murder
IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepUniversity Students
B2Jo Supports a Patient - Grey's Anatomy Season 15 Episode 19
Daily ConversationHigh School StudentsUniversity Students
✨ Recommend Video
B23
85 sentences
Should the Age of Criminal Responsibility Be Raised? | Loose Women
IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepHigh School Students
B21
113 sentences
How bite marks made one man a murder suspect | Part 1
IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepUniversity Students
B21
236 sentences
13 Year Old Thinks He Got Away With Sister’s Murder | The Case of Ella Bennett
IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepUniversity Students
B21
124 sentences
These Crimes Will Send You To Death Row
IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepUniversity Students
B22
114 sentences
ENGLISH SPEECH | TRUMP: First Speech Since Assassination Attempt (English Subtitles)
IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepUniversity Students
B21
120 sentences
... And Justice For All (1979) - Final speech
IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepCambridge Exam Prep
B24
124 sentences
Innocent on Death Row, Here's What You Actually Get When You're Released
IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepUniversity Students
C1171 sentences
Bài giảng Công Lý ở ĐH Harvard Tập 1 Phần 1 360p
IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepUniversity Students
B26
91 sentences
Snow's Warning of President Coin | The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2
IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepCambridge Exam Prep
B22
95 sentences
James Spader’s Courtroom Masterclass | The Blacklist 4K
IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepUniversity Students
B24
89 sentences
Johnny Depp witness claps back at Amber Heard lawyer: Your 15 mins of fame representing her
IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepUniversity Students
Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This video has 40 sentences and 386 words to shadow. The speech runs for 3:14. The speaker talks at a steady 120 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.
Key vocabulary in this video
15 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| conceal verb | /kənˈsil/ | To hide something from view or from public knowledge, to try to keep something secret. |
| defendant noun | /dɪˈfɛnd.ənt/ | In civil proceedings, the party responding to the complaint; one who is sued and called upon to make satisfaction for a wrong complained of by another. |
| notify verb | /ˈnoʊtɪfaɪ/ | To give (someone) notice (of some event). |
| element noun | /ˈɛləmənt/ | One of the simplest or essential parts or principles of which anything consists, or upon which the constitution or fundamental powers of anything are based. |
| asleep adjective | /əˈsliːp/ | In a state of sleep; also, broadly, resting. |
| commit verb | /kəˈmɪt/ | To give in trust; to put into charge or keeping; to entrust; to consign; used with to or formerly unto. |
| dispute noun | /dɪˈspjuːt/ | An argument or disagreement; a failure to agree. |
| blank noun | /ˈblæŋk/ | The white spot in the centre of a target; hence (figuratively) the object to which anything is directed or aimed, the range of such aim. |
| scream verb | /skɹiːm/ | To cry out with a shrill voice; to utter a sudden, sharp outcry, or shrill, loud cry, as in fright or extreme pain; to screech, to shriek. |
| subway noun | /ˈsʌbˌweɪ/ | An underground railway, especially for mass transit of people in urban areas. |
| playground noun | /ˈpleɪɡɹaʊnd/ | A large open space for children to play in, usually having dedicated play equipment (such as swings and slides). |
| cereal noun | /ˈsɪə.ɹɪ.əl/ | A type of grass (such as wheat, rice or oats) cultivated for its edible grains. |
| proudly adverb | /ˈpɹaʊdli/ | In a proud manner. |
| plead verb | /pliːd/ | To present (an argument or a plea), especially in a legal case. |
| affirmative adjective | /əˈfɝməɾɪv/ | pertaining to truth; asserting that something is; affirming |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| stand up verb | To rise from a lying or sitting position. |
| look away verb | To ignore something; to pretend not to have seen or noticed something; to avoid dealing with something. |
| turn up verb | To show up; to appear suddenly or unexpectedly. |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 10 contractions and reduced forms, such as couldn't, don't, we're. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- Long words — get the stress right: affirmative /əˈfɝməɾɪv/, perpetrator /ˈpɜː(ɹ).pɪˌtɹeɪt.ə(ɹ)/
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 conceal, defendant, notify.
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.