Shadowing Practice: This 1970s tank simulator drives through a tiny world - Learn English Speaking with Video
Creating lesson...
1
This feels like an obvious thing to say, but tanks are expensive, both to buy and to fuel.
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If you want to train someone to drive one, it'd be great if they could learn the basics on a simulator first.
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So in the 1970s, the Swiss Army had the idea to design and build tank simulators.
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But this was well before computer-generated images, they couldn't create a virtual world.
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So instead, they built a wonderful example of 70s analog technology.
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The view screen in that box is connected to a real camera and a real miniature landscape through there.
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In the past, thousands and thousands of tank drivers trained on machines like that.
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There's now only one simulator left in the world, and it's in the Swiss Military Museum about an hour north of Zurich.
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And tourists can try it.
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There existed in the past 12 simulators for different type of tanks.
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It's very accurate for teaching the basics and teaching where to go with the hand and with the feet.
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Put that over your head, and then, because in a normal tank it's too loud with the motor noises, we have a special microphone that goes around exactly the throat mic.
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So this goes on like...
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Yes.
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Oh, that is...
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Okay, that's interesting.
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Yep, okay.
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That's it.
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Okay.
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Looks good.
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Let's let's drive a tank.
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Yeah, I wish you a good drive.
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Thank you.
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Wow, okay.
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All right, so...
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So I'm gonna start the hydraulics.
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Yep.
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Oh boy, okay.
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Okay.
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Haha.
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Sounds good.
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Now you can start the main motor.
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Starting the main motor.
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Very well, sounds good.
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Fucking brake is off.
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Okay.
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Should probably be on the right hand side of the road I guess.
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Umm, you can drive in the middle.
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I'm in a tank.
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It's a tank.
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What am I gonna do?
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Alright.
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Yeah, sure.
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You can go into fourth gear.
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Fourth gear.
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Oh!
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Okay, I'm gonna sit a little bit more forward so I don't hit the back of my head when that happens.
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That's the only one of the Type 68 tank that's remaining and we managed to get it running here.
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It took roughly about one and a half, two years.
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We had to really go into it from ground up.
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It was very difficult, not for everything, but mostly for the electrical and electronic parts,
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because it's all tech, it's not like you can go to any supermarket and buy it.
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Fifth gear?
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Fifth gear.
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I need to sit forward.
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This feels very fast now, all of a sudden.
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There is something about the analog miniature model.
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Like not only close up to make sure, but when the trees are in the distance, this is really convincing.
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There is a memory function on the computer module which on base of this X and Y axis says you're here,
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you're on gravel, you're on snow, you're on normal earth, you're on road and something like that.
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If you're driving 2, 3, the feet where the camera sits on just moves up
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and it's like you're having a panoramic ride right above our model with a helicopter.
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Okay, we can go ahead.
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Oh, I am good.
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Yeah, I've definitely...
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No worries, left gear.
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Right, right, right, right.
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Fifth gear, fifth gear.
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Fifth gear, fifth gear.
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Was that being right from the camera?
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The foot where you're driving on, like it's kind of a metal slide.
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If that moves a tiny bit, for instance, if there's some contact with it and it moves, for instance, I need to go up to go over that.
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It will notice that and signalize the cabin that you're moving over something.
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The camera is original, the foot is original, the whole model is original, everything except for the computer part is original.
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But it was too old and you don't find parts easily for that, so we have to rebuild it on Raspberry Pi.
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You can go into fourth gear again if you're comfortable.
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Yeah.
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Every time!
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We should say, of course, this is a bit of fun for tourists now, but this was a serious training game.
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Like, if you actually have to drive around a tank in wartime, it's a very, very different experience to this.
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It is really dangerous what you do.
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Here is a game.
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It's like a game.
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This job is not a game.
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Thank you very much.
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You're welcome.
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How do I get out of here?
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Learning to Communicate About a 1970s Tank Simulator: A Real-World Scenario
The video takes us into a Swiss Military Museum, where a guide and a visitor discuss restoring and operating a vintage tank simulator. The dialogue blends technical details (like repairing old electronics) with hands-on instructions (shifting gears, using a throat mic). This real-life exchange is perfect for practicing learn English with videos because it uses natural, conversational language—from casual exclamations ("Oh boy!") to specialized terms ("hydraulics," "x and y axis"). It mirrors how people talk when explaining complex tasks, making it ideal for building practical speaking skills.
Useful Chunks & Collocations to Memorize
- "from ground-up": Refers to rebuilding something completely. Example: "We had to restore the simulator from ground-up."
- "signalize the cabin": To send a message to a control area. Example: "The sensor will signalize the cabin if you hit a tree."
- "memory function on the computer module": A feature that stores data. Example: "The simulator uses a memory function on the computer module to track terrain."
- "throat mic": A microphone that picks up sound from the throat. Example: "Tank drivers use a throat mic to communicate over loud engines."
- "metal slide": A moving metal part. Example: "The camera moves on a metal slide to simulate driving."
These chunks are valuable because they appear in technical and everyday contexts. Mastering them helps you speak more fluently, as you won’t need to pause to construct phrases from scratch.
Your Shadowing Challenge: Practice Pronunciation & Rhythm
Shadowing is a powerful technique to improve English pronunciation and fluency. Here’s how to use it with this video:
- Watch a 30-second clip of the dialogue (e.g., the part where the guide explains the throat mic).
- Play the clip again, pausing after each sentence, and repeat it immediately, mimicking the speaker’s tone, speed, and stress. Focus on words like "hydraulics" (hye-DRAW-liks) and "panoramic" (pan-uh-RAM-ik).
- Record yourself and compare it to the original. Notice if you’re stressing the right syllables (e.g., "re-MAIN-ing" vs. "RE-main-ing").
This shadowing technique trains your mouth to form English sounds naturally and helps you internalize the rhythm of conversational speech. For extra practice, use a shadowing app to slow down the audio or loop tricky sections. Over time, you’ll find your pronunciation and confidence improving—just like learning to drive that tank simulator, it takes practice, but the results are worth it!
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Advice with “should” should + verb — saying what is a good idea | Should probably be · should say |
| Obligation: must / have to / need to saying that something is necessary | had to really · need to sit · need to go |
| Present continuous am/is/are + -ing — something happening right now or around now | you're driving · you're having · you're moving |
| Future with “going to” be going to + verb — a plan or something you can see coming | gonna start · gonna do · gonna sit |
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.