Shadowing Practice: We met up again... in Los Angeles - Learn English Speaking with Video
Creating lesson...
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A couple months ago, my friends Justin and Kenny flew all the way to New York City to visit me.
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It was Justin's first time in New York City ever, and we had a lot of fun.
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Yeah, good times.
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Apparently, Kenny said in Canadia. In Canadia? In Canadia.
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What?
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We did a lot.
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We explored New York City.
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We played chess.
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We ate a lot of good food.
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And I wish we could hang out like that every single day, but Justin lives all the way in California, and Kenny lives in Toronto.
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So it's really hard to see each other.
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Despite how far we are from each other, nothing can disrupt our love, our friendship for one another.
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So we decided to make a trip to Los Angeles and hang out once again.
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Los Angeles or New York?
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Which one do we like better?
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Let's go find out.
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Alright, today we are in Los Angeles.
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I don't know if you guys can tell by the sound of the cars.
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Literally right there.
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A couple months ago these guys visited me in New York City and now we're in Los Angeles visiting...
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LA!
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LA boy.
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I am not an LA boy.
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I live in LA.
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Actually, I'm from Cupertino.
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I live in the Bay Area right now.
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I don't know why you guys call me LA boy.
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He's basically a LA guy.
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He knows all the spots.
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So Justin, what is LA known for?
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LA is known for getting some fentanyl from homeless people.
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What the?
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Maybe a drive-by, we could do that.
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I mean, or we could go to Erewhon if you want.
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I like Erewhon the most.
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Erewhon?
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Yeah.
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I mean...
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Erewhon sounds good.
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Okay, now we're gonna go to Erewhon.
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Transition in 3, 2, 1.
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You've been there on before?
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Never, I've heard many things.
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It costs many dollars.
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Have you been there on?
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I have not actually, it's my first time.
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So I'm not an LA boy.
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Fake LA boy.
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Cause I'm not an LA boy!
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Now look at these gentle monster glasses.
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I got these, but this shit don't even help bro.
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Yeah, Kenny got sunglasses and they don't even help.
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I regret them.
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Bro, these don't help with the sun, I can't see you.
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It's so bright.
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Don't wear my sunglasses, I got them.
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No, it's okay.
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Oh my god, I feel like I feel like my net worth just like increased 2x that inside
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$13 this is just plain water
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We're at Air One we're not allowed to film so we're still gonna film cuz we're rebels All right,
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we just got out of Air One and they didn't let us film
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and we also just spent like probably $300 in Air One Three bills in Air One is in five minutes Diabolo gone.
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Erewhon was a very stressful experience for us.
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But we'll do a haul.
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That's better.
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Is there anything else that LA is known for?
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You know, low key these days?
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Yeah.
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Pickleball.
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Actually?
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Yeah, everyone would be playing.
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Dude, I heard it like even .
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Oh, really?
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Yeah.
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All right, so far LA, we've got Erewhon, we've got Pickleball.
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Wow, LA kind of sucks.
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Yep.
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So recently I've been using a new desktop browser called Opera Air and it's honestly been pretty helpful.
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I'm someone who tends to overthink and has a lot of racing thoughts.
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So Opera Air has been really helpful because it has a very clean
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and minimal design that helps create this calm digital space and it really helps me stay focused and present.
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There's a really cool feature on it called Boost.
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It's basically ambient soundscapes built into your browser.
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So think lo-fi, white noise, binaural beats.
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There are over 20 soundscapes that are made to help you improve your focus, relax, and help you be more creative.
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Lately, my favorite has been the creativity boost.
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Then there's a take a break feature, which allows me to set reminders every 60 minutes that tell me to stretch.
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Basically, how it works is that there's an icon
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that works as a body battery indicator and once it runs out it'll tell you to get moving.
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It's very subtle and when your days are back to back it helps you reset your head a little bit.
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Oh yeah this is also really cute but you get these little quotes reminders every single morning.
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It's pretty simple but it's a really nice way to start your day.
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Okay the thing that I like about Opera Air is that it isn't trying to trap you with more screen time.
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All it's trying to do is make the time you spend online much more intentional.
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So if your workflow feels messy
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and you're trying to bring more focus to your browsing but you also want to take care of your well-being, I would highly recommend Opera Air.
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You can download it for free using the description the link below.
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Give it a try, it might be your favorite browser.
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Justin, Justin, is something going on?
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Yeah, I'm driving in LA!
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I've never seen Justin crash out this much.
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I just broke up with my girlfriend today.
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Oh, shit.
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That's what's fucking...
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I just learned how to say I need to poo and pee in Chinese.
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This is good.
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How do you say it?
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Huh?
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I have a baby.
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Huh?
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Yeah, yeah.
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There are different tones.
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So, what's the tone?
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Ba-ba is poo.
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Ba-ba is dad.
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Ba-ba.
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Ba-ba.
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Ba-ba.
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What do I got, right?
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I'm gonna
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go up to the end.
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And we're gonna do a taste test for Erewhon.
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It's so cold.
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Okay, anyway, we're gonna do an Erewhon haul.
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This is not us flexing our wealth.
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This is actually us showing how broke we are.
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This is the Wellness Narsmith smoothie.
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This is the Hailey Bieber strawberry.
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I got the Leonardo DiCaprio Wolf of Wall Street V2.
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What?
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Cheers, everyone.
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Okay, cheers.
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All right, we're gonna try smoothies first.
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Oh, wow.
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That's not that good.
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Come on now.
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That's very, like, okay.
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Oh, don't get me wrong.
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It's good. $20 though?
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Yeah, wait, let me try.
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Hell no. Wait, yours is good.
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Wait, yours is good.
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Wait, what?
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What?
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Yo, is that so dumb?
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Yeah, this one's bad, huh?
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You don't like this one.
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Let me try, let me try, let me try.
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See, we're not built for LA.
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You do not belong in that hair.
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Come on, now. $20.
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Oh, they're 22 with tax.
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Oh, if you tipped, $24.
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$24, $25 for this.
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Alright, rate these out of 1 to 10.
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Actually, I like this a lot.
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No, I would eat all of them for sure.
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8 out of 10, 8 out of 10, 8 out of 10, 8 out of 10.
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I give it all 8 out of 10.
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Like a 4 out of 10.
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4 out of 10, I would say this is like a 8.
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Alright, now for the one I'm actually most excited about.
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$14 water.
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Where did you find this, man?
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It's Nano Pure Restructured Hyper Oxygenated drinking water.
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Nano- what the hell does that mean?
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So you drink this, it's like taking a breath of air.
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That's what it should feel like.
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Yeah, right?
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Oh, I better taste fresh.
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Yeah, I know it's me.
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You know what it tastes like?
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It tastes like water.
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I think it tastes like tap water.
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Woah.
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I just been keeping my poise.
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Woah!
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Oh, next we got buffalo cauliflower, which apparently is really good.
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This was 13 six $13 bro $13 Buffalo cauliflower Oh Oh
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You like it It's actually kind of good.
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It's not bad.
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Talking price, I'd give it like a $6.
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I'd give it like a $7.
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6.2.
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Next we have Seamoss gummies.
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I don't even know what Seamoss is.
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This was 30 bucks.
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Are you kidding?
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Yes.
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No. I swear.
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You're lying.
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Tastes the sea.
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Yeah, I was not expecting it.
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It's kind of good.
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Now this I'm excited for $29.
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What?
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Yup.
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Oh, sweet.
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Mmm.
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Mmm.
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Yeah, that's good.
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Ooh.
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This is, uh...
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Alright, fuck this.
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Dude, we're not built for this Irwan life.
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Man, let's just play pickleball.
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Yeah, let's just go play pickleball.
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Kenny and I have played pickleball maybe like once in our lives, and we're not very good.
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Justin has never played, so this is going to be very fun.
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Interesting.
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Very interesting.
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All right.
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Oh, oh.
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How official do we look?
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We look like pros.
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Yeah, do we?
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Pickleball pants.
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Pickleball pants.
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How you feeling about pickleball?
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I feel like you're gonna be good.
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I am gonna be good.
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I'm good at everything.
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No, but I played tennis for five years.
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So I played the same.
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Also, I've done this in PE.
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Pickleball?
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Actually?
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We got first place, so we didn't have to run the mile.
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Why don't you think this gets so important?
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Oh!
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Is Fred kinda good or what?
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Fred's kinda good, he's good.
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Not better than me, but he's good.
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True, true, true.
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Alright, I just finished my second game.
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It was good.
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What do you think about pickleball?
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I think I did, I started okay, but after a while I just got tilted.
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It's like such a frustrating sport.
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When I played with you, I don't know.
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Yeah, we didn't play well.
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No, I trolled you.
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I trolled him.
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No, no, no, I trolled.
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I trolled him.
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No, I trolled.
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Oh!
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Oh!
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Oh!
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Oh!
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Guys, pickleball is a very serious sport.
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Swimming my set.
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Swimming my set.
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Swimming my set.
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That was my bad.
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My bad.
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Oh my.
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Stop stop.
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Yeah, I can't I can't show you guys that for free.
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It's gonna be blurred so far today We've got Erewhon and pickleball for LA What's the last LA thing?
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Oh, I heard LA has good Mexican food.
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Is that true?
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I want that face means Mexican food.
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Yeah Anybody want to go pee with me Alright,
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here we are at Leo's taco truck.
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I'm so marved.
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All day, every day.
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My manager has been starving us.
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Somebody please help.
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It smells so good here.
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I'll show you my order.
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For me, I would just get three cabezo tacos and then like two like assada tacos.
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Are you cold?
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No. Oh.
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You have a nice long jacket on you, huh?
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Yeah, I do. That sucks.
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I'm so cold.
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Let me see what this shit is.
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I'm so cold.
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Yeah.
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That was bad timing, man.
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I'm warm now.
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What the?
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Can I eat a little hangry?
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Do you get hangry?
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I get hella hangry.
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I get hangry too.
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Do you get hangry?
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I get a...
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Hard hard.
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What?
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I'm Marv guys Marv family.
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I'm Marv fam family Oh my you ordered more?
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Oh, this one's really good.
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Oh my goodness, this one is so good.
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There's fries under this.
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Mmm.
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This potato is so good.
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Justin's injured.
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Yeah, Justin has an injured life.
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Justin's injured.
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Yeah, Justin has an injured lower back these days.
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Our Maknae is injured.
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What's that?
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I say that in Chinese.
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Uh...
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Our DD.
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Our DD is injured.
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DD needs to bow bow.
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What?
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You know, in my free time, I study one piece.
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I have a PhD in one piece.
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What's the word of DD then?
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What do you think?
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I can't tell you.
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Oh my god.
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I see.
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World government will have my head.
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What the heck?
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What?
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Just because you're speaking Spanish does not mean you're close.
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That's gotta be racist.
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Oh, okay, okay.
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Oh, you got one?
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Okay.
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Oh, actually?
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Yeah.
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Actually, that guy's- Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey,
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hey, hey Um, okay final thoughts LA versus New York.
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New York Toronto.
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China!
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You know overall LA is fun, but I still like New York better.
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Thanks for watching guys.
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We're all going to Toronto We're all going to Toronto.
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Toronto next.
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Toronto next.
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Toronto next.
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And then we'll see which one is the best.
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And then after that, China!
Why practice speaking with this video?
This engaging video featuring friends reuniting in Los Angeles provides an excellent opportunity for English learners to practice speaking in a relatable context. By listening to casual conversations among friends, learners can gain insights into everyday language use, slang, and cultural references that enhance their understanding of native speech patterns. The dynamic interaction illustrates the warmth of friendship and highlights the importance of maintaining connections despite geographical distances. This makes it a perfect material for shadow speak and honing spoken English skills!
Grammar & Expressions in Context
The transcript contains several grammar structures and expressions that are relevant for learners aiming to enhance their conversational English. Here are a few key examples:
- “We met up again” - This phrase indicates the idea of reconnecting personally. It’s commonly used in informal settings and is an excellent model for discussing past and future interactions.
- “Despite how far we are” - This expression emphasizes contrast, which is crucial for expressing feelings or situations that may not align. It demonstrates how English speakers navigate complex emotions about distance and friendship.
- “I don’t know why you guys call me LA boy” - This rhetorical question enhances conversational fluidity and adds a playful tone, showcasing the importance of humor in English conversations.
- “Okay, now we're gonna go” - The use of "gonna” reflects informal speech and demonstrates how native speakers often contract phrases in casual dialogues.
By practicing these structures through shadowspeaks, learners can improve their ability to engage in similar discussions.
Common Pronunciation Traps
As learners practice their speaking skills, they may encounter specific pronunciation challenges from the video. Here are some tricky words and phrases:
- “Los Angeles” - The full name of the city can often be mispronounced; ensure clear articulation of both syllables.
- “Erewhon” - As a lesser-known term, this may confuse learners. Focus on the unique pronunciation, breaking it down as "air-uh-won."
- “Ontario” - Referring to places, regional accents may affect pronunciation. Pay close attention to the way native speakers say it.
To tackle these challenges effectively, engage in shadow speech exercises. Listen closely, repeat after the speakers, and gradually improve your English pronunciation for a more natural-sounding delivery.
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.