Shadowing Practice: Trump’s Bizarre Phone Call Exposes Iran War Lies - Learn English Speaking with Video
Choose a practice mode
Each mode opens a full-screen practice room.
117 sentences
If sentences are too short or too long, click Edit to adjust them.
1
Last night President Donald Trump decided to call into C -SPAN.
2
Honestly, I listened to this interview as I was trying to fall asleep last night and I thought it was a joke.
3
I thought there was a prankster who called pretending to be Trump.
4
No, it was actually Trump.
5
So let's watch the clip and ask yourselves if he really sounds like someone who's still genuinely interested in bombing Pickaxe Mountain.
6
We won Venezuela and we won Iran.
7
Well, we wiped out their navy, we wiped out their air force.
8
We wiped out everything, their anti -aircraft, we wiped out their leaders.
9
We wiped out everything and they want to make a deal.
10
They don't say that publicly, they're very good with public relations, they spin a message.
11
But they've got 301 % inflation, they have no money, they haven't paid their military, they don't pay their guard, their wanted guard.
12
And Mr. President, how much longer do you expect that war in Iran to go?
13
Well, it depends.
14
Maybe we could knock it out fast or we could knock it out over a short, not a long period of time.
15
I said I was gonna knock out their nuclear quickly and I did.
16
I knocked it out with the B2 bombers over a year ago.
17
And I could have quit then, but we were concerned that they just build it back,
18
they'd figure it out and they'd build it back over a couple of years.
19
Right now, there's hundreds of thousands of tons of rock sitting on top of the so -called nuclear dust of three sites.
20
We may have to hit Pickaxe Mountain if they're gonna do something there.
21
We don't see that.
22
We have the eye in the sky on it very strongly, we don't see it.
23
Yeah, I mean, honestly, clearly his heart's not into it.
24
But also what he said there is the truth, right?
25
What are you talking about Pickaxe Mountain for?
26
Like you talk about obliterating their nuclear sites, and then you get dragged back in by Netanyahu,
27
giving you new talking points about how dangerous Pickaxe Mountain is.
28
Please spare me.
29
But I want to just go to his statements because he also spoke, actually no, this is a post on X,
30
where it really does seem like he's trying to withdraw from this war.
31
So he says, should there be any change with respect to developments in the Middle East,
32
The United States of America is locked and loaded and ready to go.
33
Sure, buddy.
34
But then he says, at this point, however, that seems to be quite unlikely.
35
Israel and the entire
36
Middle East are protected from Iranian danger and threats.
37
We are seeing positive momentum toward an end to this conflict.
38
Now, Trump might not be so eager to restart combat with Iran, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, of course, is very much interested and,
39
in fact, desperate to escalate the war.
40
Netanyahu calls Trump every day to urge him to resume the war.
41
Those who don't want a war within the White House and outside have been trying to combat that.
42
The regional leaders are telling him not to escalate and prioritize negotiations.
43
And honestly, Cenk, Trump has every incentive not to escalate the war, including his unending desire, his yearning to lower interest rates.
44
The Fed is not going to lower interest rates if we keep seeing inflation,
45
which of course is tied to the conflicts and the wars that we've engaged in in the Middle East.
46
You want lower interest rates, then you need to get along, homie.
47
And you need to ditch our frenemies, the Israelis, who have only used and abused us and got us to do their dirty work for them.
48
We should not be in a war with Iran.
49
We need to pull out entirely.
50
Yeah, look, again, it's super clear.
51
He even said it himself there about Pickaxe Mountain.
52
He said, we have eye in the sky and we don't see anything there.
53
So the Israelis are telling him, yeah, yeah, they're secretly building a nuke.
54
So far beneath the surface of the mountain, you can't see it.
55
That's why apparently, according to some sources, they're saying maybe a nuke, a limited tactical nuke, right?
56
Meanwhile, Trump blurts out the truth, we don't see anything there.
57
And he said we already destroyed their nuclear program, then why are we there?
58
That's the only reason you've ever given for American interest in Iran.
59
And you just admitted that you wiped out their nuclear program,
60
the only thing left is pickaxe mountain and you don't see anything there, so let's go.
61
And he said if they do a new bombing
62
that it'll be about five times worse than the original bombing they did in this round of the war, which was devastating and horrific.
63
So he has verbal diarrhea, so I believe that it is going to be catastrophic if they do another strike.
64
So again, to review, Trump doesn't want this war, the American people don't want it, the Republican Party is absolutely destroyed because of it,
65
the Democratic voters don't want it.
66
There is no interest at all for America to stay in this war.
67
But every day, Trump and Netanyahu do this tug of war where
68
Trump's like, can I please pretty please get out of this war that has destroyed my presidency,
69
my reputation entirely of my party and the economy and my country?
70
Can I pretty please, with a cherry on top, get out of this war?
71
And Netanyahu says shut up and get back into the war, you stupid servant, right?
72
And Trump's like, okay, okay, but I don't want to.
73
And so it feels like a parent and a child negotiating.
74
The child won't do what the parent wants, which is the parent wants him in this terrible analogy to go back into a war
75
and start murdering people for him and the child doesn't want to do it.
76
But he also can't get out of it.
77
So he can't end it.
78
He can't do what Israel wants cuz it'll cause a total economic collapse
79
and Trump and the Republicans will be despised for the rest of time.
80
So that's why we just sit in this holding pattern forever and ever and ever.
81
Maybe we'll sit in it for two long years and let
82
Trump play the markets and bet on oil going up and down, etc.
83
Make another couple of billion dollars and then just run for the hills and dump it on the lap of someone else.
84
Well, remember a lot of this treachery, maybe not a war against Iran, but in terms of enabling the Israelis,
85
a lot of that happened under Biden as well.
86
So it seems like the Israelis have whoever is serving as the President of the United States by the balls.
87
And the question is, why and how?
88
Because it's gotta be something deeper than just money in politics, to be honest with you.
89
I mean, when you're willing to literally destroy your entire legacy by doing Israel's bidding, really, it was just because of the money?
90
Or is there something else at play?
91
So - Yeah, I mean, look, just real quick, last thing, There's three layers to it, there's the Moskowitz's of the world and Schumer's,
92
etc. They just love Israel way more than they love America, and it's not even close, right?
93
So their job is to burrow inside the US government to take as much of our money
94
and our military and to redirect it to their beloved Israel.
95
So those guys, you're never gonna change their mind, right?
96
Then there's the people who are bought off, and that's actually the majority.
97
And the reason I'm saying this, Anna, is because those ones that are in the middle that just got it for the cash,
98
which is about 94 % of our Congress, they actually can be swayed.
99
If they think that they're going to lose their power rather than gain power by taking that money,
100
you've seen some of them start to reject AIPAC and sometimes not in a real way, sometimes actually in a real way,
101
etc. But that could be moved.
102
And then you've got the people like
103
Trump that are compromised, it looks like for another reason, and they are equally immovable.
104
So the two like Israel first contingents, whether it's compulsory or they just love Israel so much, are immovable.
105
But the middle is movable, and we just started moving them in this election.
106
We just need to move them all the way and get them to a point where they're representing America instead of Israel.
107
And that's our main objective here.
108
And obviously, our number one enemy in doing
109
that is mainstream media who works for Israel and will call anyone doing this anti -Semites and try to destroy all
110
Americans opposed to Israel.
111
So once we get past mainstream media, then they'll have nothing to back them up at all.
112
So I'm hopeful in the long run, but in the short run, I just don't see how we're gonna get out of this at all.
113
Look, we just gotta keep fighting, not just fighting on behalf of innocent people who are being slaughtered in the Middle East,
114
but fighting on behalf of the sovereignty of our country.
115
And I intend to continue doing that here at TYT.
116
Every time you ring the bell below, an angel gets his wings.
117
Totally not true, but it does keep you updated on our live shows.
Download App
Everything you need to speak fluently
AI PronunciationScore every sentence
IPA PracticeMaster every sound
VocabularyBuild your word bank
Vocab GameLearn while playing
Same Channel
FOR YOU
Recommend Video
C1320 sentences
Trump IS GUILTY AS HELL! He Can’t Stop This From Happening
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
C1940 sentences
‘Licking Putin’s Boot!’ Witkoff’s Russia Deal & Netanyahu’s Iran War Plan
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
C14
30 sentences
Donald Trump calls out Hasan Piker by name and Abdul El-Sayed
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
B21
105 sentences
'How Long Were We In Vietnam?!': Trump Snaps At Reporter Over Length, Death Toll Of Iran War
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
C12
196 sentences
tagesschau 20:00 Uhr, 19.06.2026
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
C178 sentences
BREAKING NEWS: President Trump Holds Surprise Press Briefing And Says Iran War Likely Ending Soon
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
C11
498 sentences
Professor Jiang Xueqin: America Will Invade Iran Next!
Daily ConversationUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
C11
171 sentences
Mr. Maher Goes to Washington | Real Time with Bill Maher (HBO)
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
C15
157 sentences
Ben Shapiro Goes Into Blind Rage Over Trump’s Peace Deal. Tucker Reacts.
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
C11
115 sentences
We’ll Never Beat the Houthis
American AccentDaily ConversationWorking Adults
Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This speaking lesson is built on the video “Trump’s Bizarre Phone Call Exposes Iran War Lies”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: Trump, Israel, mountain, pickaxe, wiped. This video has 117 sentences and 1601 words to shadow. The speech runs for 8:52. The speaker talks fast, about 181 words per minute, so expect linked and reduced sounds. 88% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is easy to follow.
Key vocabulary in this video
15 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| wipe verb | /waɪp/ | To move an object over, maintaining contact, with the intention of removing some substance from the surface. (Compare rub.) |
| knock verb | /nɑk/ | To rap one's knuckles against something, especially wood. |
| behalf noun | /bɪˈhæf/ | The interest, benefit, or wellbeing of someone or something. |
| mainstream adjective | /ˈmeɪn.stɹiːm/ | Used or accepted broadly rather than by small portions of population, market, scientific community, etc. |
| inflation noun | /ɪnˈfleɪ.ʃən/ | An act, instance of, or state of expansion or increase in size, especially by injection of a gas or liquid. |
| meanwhile adverb | /ˈmiːnwaɪl/ | During the time that something is happening, often specifically in a different place. |
| reputation noun | /ˌɹɛpjʊˈteɪʃən/ | What somebody or something is known for. |
| strongly adverb | /ˈstɹɔŋli/ | In a strong or powerful manner. |
| angel noun | /ˈeɪ̯n.d͡ʒəl/ | An incorporeal and holy or semidivine messenger from a deity or other divine entity, traditionally depicted as a youthful, winged figure in flowing robes. |
| innocent adjective | /ˈɪnəsənt/ | Free from guilt, sin, or immorality. |
| whoever | /huˈɛvɚ/ | Who ever: an emphatic form of who. |
| dust noun | /dʌst/ | Fine, dry particles of matter found in the air and covering the surface of objects, typically consisting of soil lifted up by the wind, pollen, hair, fiber… |
| bid verb | /bɪd/ | To make an offer to pay or accept a certain price. |
| buddy | /ˈbʌdi/ | A person far removed from the conversation. |
| layer noun | /ˈleɪ̯ɚ/ | A single thickness of some material covering a surface. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| wipe out verb | To destroy (especially, a large number or complete set of people or things); to obliterate. |
| get out of verb | To leave, exit or escape from; to become free of. |
| buy off verb | To pay off, convince to refrain etc. by corrupt payment or other service. |
| get along verb | To interact or coexist well, without argument or trouble. |
| get past verb | To continue around a blockage; to get around (something); to surpass something that is in the way. |
| go up verb | To move upwards. |
| knock out verb | To strike or bump (someone or something) out. |
| pull out verb | To withdraw; especially of military forces; to retreat. |
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | is locked · are protected · is tied |
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | haven't paid · we've engaged · have only used |
| Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thing | Those who don · war, which was · wants, which is |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 48 contractions and reduced forms, such as don't, they're, can't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “th” sounds: beneath /bɪˈniːθ/, withdraw /wɪðˈdɹɔ/
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: inflation /ɪnˈfleɪ.ʃən/, reputation /ˌɹɛpjʊˈteɪʃən/, relation /ɹɪˈleɪʃ(ə)n/, negotiate /nəˈɡəʊ.ʃi.eɪt/, negotiation /nɪˌɡəʊ.ʃiˈeɪ.ʃən/
- Long words — get the stress right: reputation /ˌɹɛpjʊˈteɪʃən/, presidency /ˈpɹɛzɪdənsi/, genuinely /ˈd͡ʒɛn.ju.ɪn.li/, momentum /ˌmə(ʊ)ˈmɛntəm/, negotiate /nəˈɡəʊ.ʃi.eɪt/
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 wipe, knock, behalf.
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.