Shadowing Practice: What is VPS ? (2026) EXPLAINED in 5 minutes! - Learn English Speaking with Video
Creating lesson...
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have you ever seen the phrase vps
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and felt a little bit lost you're a technical person
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but for some reason you miss the day they explain what vps was in school
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and that's okay a virtual private server is a lot more
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than just web hosting nowadays it's one of the most useful
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tools for anyone trying to build something online without having to pay a million different subscription fees for it
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so i'm here to tell you what a vps is all about
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and how to set one up let's get into it So, a VPS, or virtual private server,
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is your own private section of a physical server that you rent from a hosting provider.
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I like to explain it like this.
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Think of a server as an apartment building.
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A VPS is an apartment that you can rent inside that building.
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You've got a lock on the door, so no one can come inside unless you invite them in.
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You pay your own electricity bills so your lights won't flicker when the neighbor has the kettle on, and you can rearrange the furniture as much as you like.
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There are other tenants in that building and you all share a few common spaces, but for the most part, the space that you rent is your own.
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Now, compared to getting a dedicated server, which is more like buying your own house, a VPS gives you a lot more control at a fraction of the cost.
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You're only ever going to pay for the space you actually need.
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A lot of online tools and game hosting sites are just software running on someone else's server.
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You're paying for the convenience of not managing it yourself.
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So for most people, this is enough.
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It's way easier to use shared hosting or online SaaS tools, especially if you're not super tech savvy,
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or you just don't have the time to manage server configurations and figure out terminal commands.
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It's almost like staying at a hotel when you travel.
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The convenience of having someone else manage your stay is perfect
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if you're only visiting from time to time and you don't know the city very well.
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But if you find yourself in that city every week, that hotel will get very expensive very fast.
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Plus, you can't leave your things there, you're stuck sharing walls with strangers, and you have zero say on how your room is set up.
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In that case, renting your own apartment makes way more sense.
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It's a fraction of the cost, and you're the only one who has the keys to the front door.
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Now, you want to consider setting up a VPS when it gets too expensive, limiting, or unsecure to borrow someone else's software.
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That could mean anything from setting up your own personal media server with Plex
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or Jellyfin when you start running out of gigs on iCloud, to creating a virtual sandbox for running development projects or staging environments.
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You can even use it to help set up workflow automations with N8N or FlowWise.
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And we actually have a whole playlist full of those automations if you need a little inspo right here.
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But before Before you go and explore all the options, let me show you how to set up your own VPS.
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The basics of setting up a VPS are the same, no matter what you're using it for.
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Once you purchase your VPS plan, you need to install an operating system, then install your software, then you connect it to a terminal so you can use and manage your VPS.
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What changes between providers is just the friction between these steps.
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Most VPS providers will give you a bare server and leave the rest up to you and the command line.
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Hostinger, on the other hand, smooths out the approach by guiding you through the setup process step by step and configuring everything behind the scenes.
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If you already know the software you want to run, you can even just pick one of our VPS templates and get it set up in one single click.
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To get started, you can select a VPS hosting plan from the link in the description box below
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and make sure to use the coupon code HA10 for 10 % off any of our plans.
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Our onboarding guide will walk you through all of the necessary steps.
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Your only major decision is whether to install an operating system or use one of the pre -built application templates.
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Now, unless you have something specific in mind for your VPS, I recommend installing Ubuntu as your OS since it's a pretty safe default.
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It's stable, well -documented, and popular enough that you'll find plenty of tutorials for it online.
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From there, you can just set your root password or SSH key and wait for your VPS to get set up.
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The Hostinger HPanel has a built -in browser terminal that lives inside of the dashboard, so you don't have to worry about any setup on your own machine.
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After that, the server is yours.
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You can install whatever software you need and build what you want in your own private space.
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Any good VPS plan will have a dashboard so you can monitor and manage what's going on in your environment.
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Oh, right.
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One last thing to mention.
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If you already know you're going to be using a VPS for gaming, I highly recommend checking out the game panel option on Hostinger.
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We did the work of figuring out the OS and control panel for you and even built a template specifically for gaming.
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Now that makes it even easier to get your server up and your game running online.
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In just five minutes, we learned what a VPS is and why you might want to use one.
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If you want to go deeper and actually learn how to manage and get the most out of your VPS,
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well, in thinness, our VPS expert has got plenty of videos to help you do exactly that.
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Now, make sure to check them out right here for more ways you can use a VPS.
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See you guys in the next one.
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This video has 62 sentences and 1033 words to shadow. The speech runs for 5:21. The speaker talks fast, about 193 words per minute, so expect linked and reduced sounds. 83% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English; the rest is worth studying before you start.
Key vocabulary in this video
15 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| server noun | /ˈsɝvɚ/ | A program that provides services to other programs or devices, either in the same computer or over a computer network. |
| install verb | /ɪnˈstɔl/ | To connect, set up or prepare something for use |
| virtual adjective | /ˈvɜɹt͡ʃuəl/ | In effect or essence, rather than in fact or reality; also, imitated, simulated. |
| terminal noun | /ˈtɚmɪnəl/ | A building in an airport where passengers transfer from ground transportation to the facilities that allow them to board airplanes. |
| provider noun | /pɹəˈvaɪ.də(ɹ)/ | One who, or that which, provides a service, commodity, or the means for subsistence. |
| template noun | /ˈtɛm.plɪt/ | A physical object whose shape is used as a guide to make other objects. |
| convenience noun | /kənˈvinjəns/ | The quality of being convenient. |
| fraction noun | /ˈfɹæk.ʃən/ | A part of a whole, especially a comparatively small part. |
| automation noun | /ˌɔ.təˈmeɪ.ʃən/ | The act or process of converting the controlling of a machine or device to a more automatic system, such as computer or electronic controls. |
| stable noun | /ˈsteɪ.bəl/ | A building, wing or dependency set apart and adapted for lodging and feeding (and training) ungulates, especially horses. |
| compare verb | /kəmˈpɛɚ/ | To assess the similarities and differences between two or more things [“to compare X with Y”]. Having made the comparison of X with Y, one might have found it… |
| select verb | /sɪˈlɛkt/ | To choose one or more elements of a set, especially a set of options. |
| electricity noun | /ɪˌlɛkˈtɹɪsɪti/ | Originally, a property of amber and certain other nonconducting substances to attract lightweight material when rubbed, or the cause of this property; now… |
| inspiration noun | /ˌɪn.spɪˈɹeɪ.ʃən/ | The drawing of air into the lungs, accomplished in mammals by elevation of the chest walls and flattening of the diaphragm, as part of the act of breathing. |
| smooth adjective | /smuːð/ | Having a texture that lacks friction. Not rough. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| set up verb | /ˌsɛt ˈʌp/ | To make ready for use. |
| figure out verb | To come to understand; to discover or find a solution; to deduce. | |
| check out verb | To record the departure or withdrawal of someone or something (such as guests, employees, books, etc.). |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 17 contractions and reduced forms, such as you're, don't, can't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: fraction /ˈfɹæk.ʃən/, automation /ˌɔ.təˈmeɪ.ʃən/, inspiration /ˌɪn.spɪˈɹeɪ.ʃən/, subscription /səbˈskɹɪpʃən/, configuration /kənˌfɪɡ.əˈɹeɪ̯.ʃən/
- Long words — get the stress right: automation /ˌɔ.təˈmeɪ.ʃən/, electricity /ɪˌlɛkˈtɹɪsɪti/, inspiration /ˌɪn.spɪˈɹeɪ.ʃən/, configuration /kənˌfɪɡ.əˈɹeɪ̯.ʃən/
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 server, install, virtual.
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.