Shadowing Practice: The Art of Reading Minds | Oz Pearlman | TED - Learn English Speaking with YouTube
C1
Shadowing Controls
0% completed (0/260 sentences)
I am billed as the world's greatest mind reader.
⏸ Paused
Speed:
Repeat Count:
Wait Mode:
Sub Sync:0ms
All Sentences260 sentences
1
I am billed as the world's greatest mind reader.
2
But guess what?
3
I can't read minds.
4
What I can do is read people.
5
And people ask a question all the time, which is, “Were you born with this?” And the answer is no, of course not.
6
Absolutely not.
7
I do not possess any supernatural powers.
8
I am not a psychic.
9
This is a learnable skill that I feel anyone could do, but I've applied for about roughly three decades at reverse-engineering the human mind.
10
If I know how you think, I know what you think.
11
And I want to ask each and every one of you in this room a question.
12
But before we do, take a deep breath in.
13
Take a deep breath in.
14
Exhale out and close your eyes.
15
A little zen mode, OK.
16
I see the people with trust issues, eyes wide open, holding their wallets and phones.
17
Fellow New Yorkers.
18
(Laughter) Here is my question.
19
If you could have dinner, hypothetical, with someone famous, right?
20
Some of you have heard this question already, I didn't invent it, I love asking people, someone famous, dead or alive, past or present, man, woman, whatever.
21
I like to ask people, who would that person be for you?
22
It’s fascinating, everyone’s different, and if you've already done it, open your eyes.
23
Some of you have done it, some of you are quick, I see nods, I see people that are decisive.
24
If you haven't, you always need a deadline for creativity.
25
Three, two, one, crunch time, open your eyes.
26
Everyone out there, give me a big clap over your head if you can see your person in your mind's eye, give me a big clap.
27
(Claps) One more big clap.
28
Notice the technique.
29
Elbows locked on this man.
30
Michael Phelps would have been jealous of that streamline.
31
Stand up, please.
32
Introduce yourself.
33
Person: I'm Ian.
34
OP: Ian, question for you.
35
Before you walked in this room and sat down, did you have any idea who I was or what I was going to do?
36
Ian: No, actually, sorry.
37
OP: OK, that's cool, nobody reads the agenda.
38
Totally fine.
39
Give me another clap.
40
I like that, right here, you not only clap, but threw in a little belly dance.
41
I reward extra credit.
42
She's hiding her name tag.
43
She's like, "I'm giving the mentalist nothing." What is your name?
44
Person: Oh, hi, I'm Nanjera.
45
OP: Nanjera? Stand up please.
46
Did I say that correctly, Nanjera?
47
Wonderful. Give me another clap.
48
One more clap.
49
This man and I just locked eyes.
50
When we made eye contact, he closed his eyes tightly.
51
(Laughter) As if activating a camouflage shield where if he doesn't see me, would I still see him?
52
I still see you, Jeff Johnson, stand up, please.
53
Give all three helpers a round of applause.
54
(Applause) Notice the question and the way it was phrased.
55
Dead or alive?
56
Fifty-fifty, like flipping a coin.
57
All three of you, please.
58
I don't read minds, I'm telling you the truth.
59
I read people.
60
Try not to react.
61
If the person you thought of is alive, then their heart is beating in their chest, the room is getting warm, like the blood flowing through their veins, they're happy, smiling, alive, warming up.
62
Cold? You feel a shiver down your neck.
63
Clear cut, 100 percent, Jeff Johnson, your person is alive and well, am I right?
64
JJ: You're right.
65
OP: The boisterous smile, the effervescence, 100 percent, versus Ian, dead guy vibes written all over this guy.
66
Is it a dead guy?
67
Ian: Yeah. OP: Classic Ian, classic.
68
(Laughter) Ian, focus on this -- Also, the lingering hands in pockets, always indicator of another guy.
69
Guy-to-guy interaction. Is it a guy?
70
Ian: Yes. OP: Of course it is.
71
If it's a female, hands in front of the crotch, I don't know why.
72
(Laughter) A few of you are going to get home, and you see your husband like this, and you're like, "Who is she?" (Laughter) Ian, think of his first name, think of his last name.
73
First name, last name.
74
Come back to me.
75
The first name, try to count the letters.
76
This doesn't make sense.
77
Listen to me.
78
This doesn't make sense.
79
He was confused when I asked about the last name.
80
He tried to shield it, but I saw it.
81
Why was he confused?
82
Then I asked the first name, count the letters.
83
It was too long.
84
Sit down if it's Alexander the Great.
85
Ian: What? (Laughter and scattered applause) You don't have to hold the applause inside, TED.
86
You can let it out.
87
(Applause and cheers) You've seen a taste of what I do.
88
And this is used primarily for the purpose of entertainment.
89
But what I'd like to show you now is how you could apply the principles of my craft, which is known as mentalism, to your everyday lives.
90
At home, at work, in your relationships.
91
How would guessing a celebrity out of a stranger's mind help you?
92
Well, frankly, it really can't.
93
(Laughter) But I have a situation, a scenario where knowing someone's name would be incredibly valuable.
94
Let me paint a portrait.
95
You're at a party, you're at a work event, you've walked up to somebody new, you've looked them in the eye, shaken their hands, introduced yourselves to each other, and right at that moment, you realize that you have completely forgotten the person's name who just told it to you one second ago.
96
Raise your hand if you can share this experience.
97
You raise your hand, too, you liar.
98
She's like, "Not me, not me." I want to give you a superpower, from this day forward, where you will never, ever forget the name of someone you just met.
99
Ever. And how am I going to do this?
100
Using, can you guess?
101
Shampoo. Didn't see that one coming, did you?
102
The back of every bottle of shampoo is a masterclass in brilliant marketing.
103
Three words in the instructions: lather, rinse, repeat.
104
Lather, makes your hair smell good; rinse makes it clean; repeat -- we've got to sell some product.
105
I want to repurpose that catchphrase that each and every one of you will remember and take with you for the rest of your days.
106
Listen. Repeat. Reply.
107
Say it with me, listen, repeat, reply.
108
Listen sounds like the most obvious thing in the world.
109
Of course, listen to the name.
110
But that's where most of you falter.
111
At the moment the person tells you the name, you are actually not listening.
112
You are thinking about what you're going to say back.
113
Do I know this person or what am I going to say next?
114
Or a million other thoughts that pop into your head.
115
It's not a memory issue.
116
You didn't forget the name, you never knew it.
117
Imagine I give you a twig and I tell you, write my name in the sand at the beach.
118
And you try with the twig.
119
First wave washes it away.
120
But if I give you a thick branch, you carve it in.
121
You repeat those letters.
122
It's going to take a whole lot of waves until there's no trace.
123
So here's what each of you is going to do.
124
When you meet the next person, make your mind a blank for all of two seconds.
125
When they say their name, truly listen.
126
And now repeat.
127
Everybody say it with me, repeat.
128
We are going to say their name twice back to them, right?
129
Ashley, is that right?
130
Great to meet you Ashley.
131
This serves two purposes.
132
One, it kind of repetitively ingrains it in our memory.
133
Second, you know how to pronounce it correctly.
134
Nanjera? Am I saying that right, Nanjera?
135
See, there was a reason I did that.
136
Third, third: reply.
137
Listen, repeat?
138
Reply. Reply is where we fully cement the name in.
139
Here is how we do that, I'll give you three examples.
140
First one, a compliment.
141
Everyone loves a good compliment, right?
142
"Ashley, those earrings, I love those earrings, Ashley." Now she's Ashley with the earrings.
143
A visual indicator.
144
Next up, spelling.
145
"Do you spell that Ashley with an EIGH or with an EY?
146
EY, of course, that's the right spelling, Ashley, I knew." Or, third, a personal connection.
147
"Ashley, that's so funny.
148
My cousin’s married to Ashley.” Is my cousin really married to Ashley?
149
Absolutely not, I'm a total liar.
150
(Laughter) But none of you will forget the name Ashley.
151
And neither will I.
152
And neither will we forget Nanjera, after I said her name multiple times.
153
Nanjera, I think -- again, rouging of the cheeks, little sweat.
154
Your person is alive also.
155
Nanjera: Correct.
156
OP: Now, what I do in my profession is I take things that appear to have limitless possibilities and break them down.
157
People that are famous, there are several, kind of, categories.
158
I'm going to say them quickly, you don't have to nod, but we had a conqueror, let's call it a historical figure.
159
We have singers, movie stars, athletes, comedians, politicians, already registered a hit.
160
Too funny you did this.
161
Alright. Shouldn't have smiled, tighten it up, Nanjera.
162
(Laughter) Three days ago, I did a show in Dallas, Texas.
163
Dallas, Texas.
164
And the last person standing thought of a singer.
165
It's always singers where this happens.
166
I got his singer correct and he didn't sit down.
167
And do you know what he said to me?
168
I go, you know, why isn't he sitting down?
169
He goes, "Oh yeah? What song am I thinking of?" (Laughter) I'm like, buddy, this is not Netflix.
170
(Laughter) Always singers.
171
Tell us all, who, in your mind, is sitting across from you, having dinner?
172
You're on the edge of your seat.
173
What's their name?
174
Nanjera: Bob Dylan.
175
OP: I couldn't hear you.
176
Nanjera: Bob Dylan.
177
OP: Can I ask you a question?
178
I always like this. Everyone, listen to me.
179
I call this the grass is greener approach.
180
I can always see it when someone's eyes shift.
181
She goes, "Mm, I like Bob Dylan, but I actually had someone else in my mind." You thought of someone else.
182
It's in the back of your head, but you just shifted.
183
Can you tell me -- Folks -- (Laughter) This is not my first rodeo.
184
(Laughter) Who was the first person you thought of?
185
(Laughter) Tell us.
186
Nanjera: Trevor Noah.
187
OP: Ooh. It's not a singer.
188
Ooh. Don't ever doubt me again, TED, don't you ever doubt me again.
189
(Applause and cheers) Jeff.
190
Do you know what the most common question I get at the end of a show is?
191
Other than, of course, "How do you do it," is, "Aren't you afraid of getting it wrong?" That's what I get asked, because people understand that there is risk involved in what I do.
192
This is not sleight-of-hand card tricks that work every time.
193
And so the answer is, yeah, of course, of course I am.
194
You know what?
195
Because what's fascinating to me is people can feel the element of risk.
196
And I think the number one factor in success, both on stage and in every facet of my life, is an unshakable belief that it will work.
197
It's self-fulfilling.
198
And in this case, it's not a belief that I'm going to guess your person.
199
Been there, done that.
200
I don't plateau, Jeff, I peak.
201
So I am not going to read your mind.
202
I want to empower someone in this room to do it instead.
203
This Frisbee -- (Laughter) Was purchased on Amazon Prime, free two-day shipping, 87 cents.
204
It has a 1.5-star review.
205
(Laughter) This is literally the worst Frisbee in the world.
206
(Laughter) Please, sir, grab that.
207
Tell me your first name.
208
Person: Dylan.
209
OP: That's correct.
210
(Laughter) Stand up, Dylan.
211
The Frisbee is made out of mesh, everybody.
212
Which means if it hits you in the face, it will not hurt.
213
But it will hurt your pride if this goes viral on TED Talks later.
214
Everyone hands up in defensive posture.
215
Dylan, close your eyes so you can't even try to aim this piece of junk.
216
Throw it. Someone catch.
217
Give it a throw, please go.
218
Oh, my God, is that far?
219
Mike runner, run, run, run.
220
Stand up, stand up!
221
(Applause) Please stand up.
222
What is your name?
223
Did you say Brett?
224
Person: Yeah, Brett.
225
OP: Have you ever met or spoken a word to Jeff Johnson before?
226
Brett: I actually haven't.
227
OP: OK, maybe more networking at the next breakout session.
228
(Laughter) Please, Brett, come on up.
229
Give him a huge round of applause, make your way up, Brett.
230
Two Ts, I like the way you roll, Brett.
231
Not going to forget that name, are you now?
232
Pleasure to meet you, sir.
233
Brett, I’m bringing you front and center.
234
Let's adjust this to the height my wife wishes I had.
235
(Laughter) She is watching this now live and saying "That's true." Brett, here's what you're going to do.
236
I'm going to ask you in a moment -- Have you ever spoken to me a word in your life?
237
Brett: I haven't.
238
OP: He seemed happy about that, that was weird.
239
I'm going to ask him in a moment to close his eyes.
240
You need to believe it in order to achieve it.
241
When you close your eyes, I am going to ask Jeff to uncap a marker.
242
And you're going to write the person.
243
Very important, Jeff, you thought of one person, is that correct?
244
Jeff: That's right.
245
OP: Because, you know, Nanjera is like, having dinner.
246
She's like, load it up, let's get a six top.
247
Brett, close your eyes.
248
His eyes are closed.
249
Brett, keep your eyes closed.
250
Jeff, open up your marker, please.
251
As big as you can, so we can't see it, write down the first and last name of the person you are imagining sitting down to dinner with.
252
Brett, open your eyes.
253
You have to believe it in order to achieve it.
254
Look, not into his eyes, look into his soul.
255
And when I snap my fingers, tell him, who is he having dinner with?
256
Brett: Barack Obama.
257
OP: Turn it around!
258
Show everybody, show everybody.
259
(Cheers and applause) Thank you, Brett.
260
(Cheers and applause) I am Oz Pearlman, thank you very much, everybody.
4.9/5 on App Store & Google Play
Shadowing English
On Mobile
Learn English anytime, anywhere with the Shadowing English app. Improve your communication skills today!
Track your learning progress
AI grading and error correction
Rich video library
Why practice speaking with this video?
Practicing speaking with Oz Pearlman's TED Talk, "The Art of Reading Minds," offers a unique opportunity to enhance your communication skills. This engaging presentation showcases Pearlman’s mastery in reading people and understanding thoughts. By mimicking his delivery and engaging with the material, you can develop your shadow speech skills, a technique that promotes fluency and confidence in speaking. Listening to a skilled speaker allows you to absorb vocabulary, rhythm, and intonation while simultaneously improving your IELTS speaking practice. This level of immersion assists learners in grasping nuanced expressions and conversational techniques, making it a beneficial resource on any shadowing site.
Grammar & Expressions in Context
Throughout the transcript, several key grammatical structures and expressions can enhance your English speaking ability:
- “If you could have dinner… who would that person be for you?” - This hypothetical structure is fantastic for practicing conditional sentences. Use it to formulate your own questions about preferences or dreams.
- “Take a deep breath in. Exhale out and close your eyes.” - These imperative phrases demonstrate direct commands, which are common in spoken language. Practicing commands can help convey assertiveness and clarity in your own speech.
- “I see the people with trust issues…” - Here, Pearlman uses humor and observation to create a connection with his audience. Incorporating observational language can add engagement to your conversations.
- “Can you see your person in your mind's eye?” - This metaphorical language encourages the use of figurative expressions, enhancing creativity in your speaking.
Common Pronunciation Traps
While listening to the video, pay attention to the following pronunciation aspects that may challenge English learners:
- “Hypothetical” - This word can be tricky; ensuring you maintain the correct syllable emphasis (hip-uh-THET-i-cal) will aid in clarity.
- “Clap” - The vowel sound may vary; ensure you practice this short, sharp sound to make your speech more dynamic and vivid.
- “Introduce” - Be mindful of the stress on the second syllable (in-truh-DUCE) to avoid common pronunciation errors.
Engaging with these pronunciation elements will not only improve your accent but also contribute to a more natural flow in your conversations. By implementing the concepts from Pearlman's presentation into your own practice, you can effectively enhance your shadow speak abilities.
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.
☕ Buy us a coffee
ShadowingEnglish remains 100% free thanks to your support. Server and AI costs are high — your coffee keeps us going! 🙏