Shadowing Practice: shadow - Learn English Speaking with Video

you know in america we have an expression local boy makes good of course i don't remember my hometown saying

that about me

but certainly applies to my next guest who was born right

here in stockholm well on his way to stardom he excited

attention as drago the russian boxer who fought stallone in rocky

four here's all six foot six 240 pounds of him doff lungren right here

I'm not so sure it was a smart idea having you on the show.

You make us look like before and after.

Look at us, Drago and Drago.

Dolph, I hear you had to go through some pretty rugged training for Rocky IV.

Yeah, I certainly did, Bob.

Before the shooting, me and Sly Stallone, we worked out for four months, about twice a day.

We did three hours of weightlifting in the morning and about three hours of boxing, footwork and choreography in the afternoon, and six days a week, sometimes even seven.

But you know one thing?

You know what the toughest thing was to make this film?

What's that?

To keep from smiling, because I was the Russian heavy, and I wasn't allowed to smile, you see?

Sounds like some of my audiences.

Oh, I think I ought to warn you, Doc.

Warn me?

Well, you know, you're the big guy, champion, kick fighter, black belt in karate.

A lot of fellas would like to take you on.

You know, and if they got a lucky punch in and KO you, they'd be famous.

Well, there are a couple of guys around here who are going to challenge you.

Yeah, who?

Emmanuel Lewis and Boy George.

Yeah, those are the ones he needs, Doc, yeah.

Especially watch out for boy George.

He swings a mean purse.

And have you met Emmanuel Lewis?

Met him?

I almost stepped on him back there.

Bob, is there anything you wish you would have achieved?

Well, yes.

Now that you mention it, I wouldn't mind being in a Rocky movie.

Any advice along that line?

Yeah, why don't you hold out for Rocky 19, Bob?

That's going to be a good one, huh?

No, but see, by then, he'll be so tired that even you can beat him.

Dolph, it's nice having you with us, I'll tell you that.

And remember, you can count on me for help if Emmanuel or Boy George give you any trouble.

Dolph Wonderland, ladies and gentlemen, right there.

Appreciate it.

Thank you.

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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson

This video has 44 sentences and 415 words to shadow. The speech runs for 2:40. The speaker talks at a natural 155 words per minute, close to everyday conversation. 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
rocky adjective	/ˈɹɑki/	Abounding in, or full of, rocks; consisting of rocks.
warn verb	/woɹn/	To make (someone) aware of impending danger, evil, etc.
belt noun	/ˈbɛlt/	A band worn around the waist to hold clothing to one's body (usually pants), hold weapons (such as a gun or sword), or serve as a decorative piece of clothing.
swing verb	/ˈswɪŋ/	To rotate about an off-centre fixed point.
fighter noun	/ˈfaɪtɚ/	A person who fights; a combatant.
pound noun	/ˈpaʊ̯nd/	A unit of weight in various measurement systems.
punch noun	/pʌnt͡ʃ/	A hit or strike with one's fist.
gentleman noun	/ˈd͡ʒɛn.təl.mən/	Any well-bred, well-mannered, or charming man.
purse noun	/pɚs/	A small bag for carrying money.
hometown noun	/ˈhoʊmˌtaʊn/	An individual’s place of birth, childhood home, or place of main residence.
boxer noun	/ˈbɑksɚ/	A participant in a boxing match; a fighter who boxes.
rugged adjective	/ˈɹʌɡ.ɪd/	Broken into sharp or irregular points; uneven; not smooth; rough.
karate noun	/kəˈɹɑ.ti/	An Okinawan martial art involving primarily punching and kicking, but additionally, advanced throws, arm bars, grappling and all means of fighting.
choreography noun	/ˌkɔɹiˈɑɡɹəfi/	The art of creating, arranging and recording the dance movements of a work, such as a ballet.
doff verb	/dɔf/	To remove or take off (something worn on the body such as armour or clothing, or something carried).

Phrasal verbs you will hear

Word	Meaning
go through verb	To travel from one end of something to the other.

Pronunciation to watch

The speaker uses 9 contractions and reduced forms, such as don't, he'll, I'll. Say them the short way, as you hear them.

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 rocky, warn, belt.

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.

Shadowing technique: read the full step-by-step guide →

Shadowing Practice: shadow - Learn English Speaking with Video

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