Shadowing Practice: Why so serious? | The Dark Knight [4k, HDR] - Learn English Speaking with Video

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43 sentences
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1
- Yo Gambol, somebody here for you.
2
They say they've just killed the Joker.
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- They've brought the body.
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- So, dead? That's 500.
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- How about alive? Hm?
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You wanna know how I got these scars?
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My father was...
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a drinker and a fiend.
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And one night he goes off crazier than usual.
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Mommy gets the kitchen knife to defend herself.
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He doesn't like that.
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Not... one... bit.
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So, me watching he takes the knife to her.
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Laughing while he does it.
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He turns to me, heh, and he says "Why so serious?" He comes at me with the knife.
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"Why so serious?" He sticks the blade in my mouth.
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"Let's put a smile on that face." And...
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Why so serious?
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Now, our operation is small but, there's a lot of potential for aggressive expansion.
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So which of you fine gentlemen would like to join our team?
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Oh, there's only one spot open right now so we're going to have...
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tryouts. Make it fast.
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- Welcome to Hong Kong, Mr. Fox.
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Mr. Lau regrets he isn't able to greet you in person today.
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FOX Oh, I understand.
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- For security purposes, I'm going to have to ask you to check in your mobile.
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- Of course.
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- I must apoligize for leaving Gotham in the middle of our negotiations.
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This, ah, misundestanding with the Gotham Police force...
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I couldn't let such a thing threaten my company.
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Of course, a businessman of your stature will understand and with you here, now, we can continue.
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- Well, I do appreciate you bringing me out here on such style, Mr. Lau but, I really— - We do not allow cellphones in here.
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- Sorry, forgot I had it.
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Now, I really came to tell you that our business deal has to be put on hold.
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You see, we can't afford to be seen doing business with...
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whatever it is you're accused of being.
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I'm sure a businessman of your stature will understand.
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- I think, Mr. Fox a simple phone call might have sufficed.
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- Mr. Wayne didn't want you to think he was deliberately wasting your time.
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- Just accidentally wasting it.
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- Very good, Mr. Lau.
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Accidentally. Very good.
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GUARD Hey, sir.

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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson

This video has 43 sentences and 356 words to shadow. The speech runs for 3:37. The speaker talks slowly, about 98 words per minute, so there is time to copy every sound. Only 81% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is demanding.

Key vocabulary in this video

15 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:

WordPronunciationMeaning
knife noun/ˈnaɪ̯f/A utensil or a tool designed for cutting, consisting of a flat piece of hard material, usually steel or other metal (the blade), usually sharpened on one edge…
accidentally adverb/ˌæk.sɪˈdɛnt(ə)li/In an accidental manner; by chance, unexpectedly.
businessman noun/ˈbɪznəsmæn/A man in business, one who works at a commercial institution.
defend verb/dɪˈfɪnd/To ward off attacks against (something or someone).
regret verb/ɹɪˈɡɹɛt/To feel sorry about (a thing that has or has not happened), afterthink: to wish that a thing had not happened, that something else had happened instead.
aggressive adjective/əˈɡɹɛs.ɪv/Characterized by aggression; highly combative; prone to behave in a way that involves attacking (especially if unjustly) or arguing.
blade noun/bleɪd/The (typically sharp-edged) part of a knife, sword, razor, or other tool with which it cuts.
gentleman noun/ˈd͡ʒɛn.təl.mən/Any well-bred, well-mannered, or charming man.
deliberately adverb/dɪˈlɪb.(ə.)ɹət.li/Intentionally, or after deliberation; not accidentally.
threaten verb/ˈθɹɛt.n̩/To make a threat against someone; to use threats.
negotiation noun/nɪˌɡəʊ.ʃiˈeɪ.ʃən/The process of achieving agreement through discussion.
scar noun/skɑɹ/A permanent mark on the skin, sometimes caused by the healing of a wound.
greet verb/ɡɹiːt/To welcome in a friendly manner, either in person or through another means such as writing.
accuse verb/əˈkjuz/To find fault with, blame, censure.
cellphone verb/ˈsɛlfoʊn/To make a call to (someone) on a cellphone.

Phrasal verbs you will hear

WordMeaning
go off verbTo explode.

Grammar in this video

The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:

StructureIn the video
Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters nowthey've just killed · They've brought
Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does itbe put · be seen

Pronunciation to watch

The speaker uses 12 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'm, they've, can't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.

  • Long words — get the stress right: accidentally /ˌæk.sɪˈdɛnt(ə)li/, deliberately /dɪˈlɪb.(ə.)ɹət.li/, negotiation /nɪˌɡəʊ.ʃiˈeɪ.ʃən/

How to practise with this video

  1. Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
  2. Shadow it sentence by sentence at normal speed, repeating each one until your rhythm matches the speaker.
  3. Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like knife, accidentally, businessman.

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.

Shadowing technique: read the full step-by-step guide →