Shadowing Practice: Trump says U.S. won't go forward with scheduled attack on Iran - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

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President Trump posted on social media this afternoon
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President Trump posted on social media this afternoon
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that the U.S will not go through with attacks on Iran that were scheduled for tomorrow.
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He went on to say allies in the Middle East asked him not to.
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Joining us now to break this down is CBS News political reporter Zach Hudak.
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And Zach,
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I guess just give us a little bit more of the
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backstory of why the president's now standing down on this so-called scheduled attack.
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Nicole, in a lot of ways,
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this is a story that we've heard before over the past few months with the Iran war.
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We have repeatedly seen the president use kind of a carrot and stick maneuver where he threatens that major attacks,
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potentially total annihilation, are coming if there is not progress made.
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And then he announces last minute,
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right before said attacks, that there are serious talks happening.
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And then a week or so goes by
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and we get statements from the Iranians that progress is not being made
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and the president issues yet another ultimatum or another threat.
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So this seems in a lot of ways like a loop that the administration is stuck in.
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And I want to emphasize that they're in a particularly tough position here being in a midterm year.
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They really need to find a way to show that they're getting some sort of victory out of Iran.
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So far, the result has been that the strait has been largely closed or much more difficult to navigate.
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That's brought up prices.
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And at a minimum,
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they need to show Iran as a result of this is not going to be pursuing a nuclear weapon.
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And frankly, they're not there yet.
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Yeah, well, to your point,
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how do they get out of this?
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I mean, what is the administration saying with respect to the overall state of the war and negotiations?
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They continue to try various efforts.
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We've had several summits happen in Pakistan.
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The Pakistanis have been particularly helpful for the administration in building trust throughout these negotiations.
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That being said, it's not clear how they get out of it.
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With this current system, it seems like we're very much stuck in this cycle.
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I don't know at what point the president's threats stop meaning as much to the Iranians
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because he has so many times issued them and then taken them away.
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I want to turn to another topic just to switch gears for a second.
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The president has settled a lawsuit against the IRS.
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What more can you tell us about the terms?
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Nicole, this was a lawsuit that involved in 2020,
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a independent contract for the IRS leaking the president's and his son's tax returns.
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So a major violation of law to do that.
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He sued the federal government as a result of that.
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And this is resulted in a settlement.
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He had requested $10 billion.
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But what the settlement does is it creates a $1.7 billion fund
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that they're calling an anti-weaponization fund that would include money
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that would go to folks who the administration feels the Biden administration weaponized the government against.
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Those could be people as broad as folks who were prosecuted for January 6th incidents.
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It also will allow that fund to issue formal apologies.
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So this is an avenue for the administration to,
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in some ways, rewrite what is kind of the official history for a lot of these folks who've been convicted of crimes.
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And now if they get an official apology from the federal government,
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that will really change the way they're perceived,
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I would think, in the history books.
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Well, Zach Hudak, keeping track of it all,
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thank you so much for being with us.

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About This Lesson

In this lesson, you will engage with a recent political discussion involving U.S. President Donald Trump and his decisions regarding Iran. This content allows you to practice important English speaking skills by following along with a dynamic conversation and improving your pronunciation. Through this exercise, you will learn to articulate complex ideas and gain a deeper understanding of geopolitical topics, which are vital for fluent communication in English.

Key Vocabulary & Phrases

  • Scheduled attack - A planned military action that is set to occur at a specific time.
  • Carrot and stick maneuver - A tactic combining rewards and punishments to motivate behavior.
  • Ultimatum - A final demand or statement of terms, the rejection of which could lead to severe consequences.
  • Geopolitical negotiations - Discussions and agreements made between countries relating to political power and relations.
  • Weaponization of government - The use of government power to target and suppress opposition or dissent.
  • Settled a lawsuit - Reached an agreement regarding a legal dispute.
  • Victorious outcome - Achieving a favorable result or success in an endeavor.

Practice Tips

To maximize your learning experience, take advantage of the shadowing site approach with this video. As you watch, try to mimic the speakers' intonation and pacing. The conversation is delivered at a moderate speed, making it ideal for practice. Here are some specific tips:

  • Pause frequently: Listen to a sentence and then pause the video. Repeat what you just heard, ensuring you match the speaker's tone and rhythm.
  • Focus on key phrases: Pay particular attention to the vocabulary you noted in the previous section. Use these terms in your own sentences to build familiarity.
  • Record yourself: Use voice recording tools to capture your attempts at shadowing. Listening back will help you identify areas to improve your English pronunciation.
  • Rewatch the video: Don't hesitate to view the video multiple times. Each viewing will solidify your understanding and enhance your speaking practice.

By incorporating these practice tips, you will significantly improve your English pronunciation and gain confidence in discussing complex topics in English. Remember to learn English with YouTube content like this to enrich your vocabulary and speaking skills effectively.

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.

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