Shadowing Practice: Rick Wakeman Speech Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 2017 Funniest Speech Ever - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

B1
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Thank you.
21 sentences
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Thank you.
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I would like to thank, apart from all the guys in Yes that I worked with, my father, who played a massive part in my musical career.
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My family were all in the entertainment business.
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He taught me a lot.
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I remember he sat me down once and said, son, he said, don't go to any of those really cheap, dirty, nasty, sleazy strip clubs,
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because if you do, you'll see something you shouldn't.
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So of course I went.
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And I saw my dad.
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I'm glad that we're actually up third, because as you get older, you know, the old things like the prostate start acting up a bit.
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And the distance between comfort breaks gets less and less.
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But I would like to say quite seriously how important it is to have the old examination, which I had indeed on Monday.
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No, no, and for you ladies who don't know, it's really tough.
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You have to get in the old fetal position.
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You hear the old plastic glove go on, the rubber glove.
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And then it's like a gopher going on holiday inside your...
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...wax on the...
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Whilst I was having my examination, the doctor said to me, he said, Mr Wakeman, he said, there's no need to be embarrassed it's not unusual to get an erection at this kind of procedure.
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And, uh, I said I haven't got an erection.
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He said, I know, but I have.
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Thank you very much.
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God bless you.

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About This Lesson

You're practicing English with "Rick Wakeman Speech Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 2017 Funniest Speech Ever" using the Shadowing technique — a method originally developed for professional interpreter training.

Focus on sounding like the speaker — not just repeating words. With 15–30 minutes of daily practice, you'll build real-world speaking confidence.

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.