0:00 You didn't see anything.
0:03 Right?
0:03 >> Yes, sir.
0:05 Uh uh uh sorry no, sir.
0:12 >> Aw, yeah, global citizens.
0:15 I'm Xenia, your real-life English fluency coach.
0:18 In today's scene, one of the funniest and most iconic moments from Madagascar,
0:24 Marty's already starting to feel bored with his comfortable life at the zoo.
0:32 When he hears something that changes everything.
0:37 So, get ready because you learn advanced everyday expressions
0:42 that natives actually use in real situations.
0:45 >> >> And help you not only learn these words, but also never forget them,
0:50 we wouldn't give you access to the smart flashcards for this lesson for free.
0:56 You can practice with them in our app by clicking the link below.
1:00 Thousands of learners, just like you,
1:02 are becoming more fluent every day and having fun while doing it.
1:08 If that sounds like something you'd like, be sure to try out our method.
1:13 You only need a few minutes a day to see real progress.
1:25 >> You, quadruped, spreken sie English?
1:29 >> I spreken?
1:30 >> >> What continent is this?
1:33 >> Manhattan.
1:33 >> Hoover Dam.
1:35 Still in New York.
1:36 Abort.
1:37 Dive.
1:38 Dive.
1:38 Dive.
1:39 >> Hey, hey, YOU IN THE TUX.
1:40 WAIT A MINUTE.
1:42 What are you guys doing?
1:44 >> We're digging to Antarctica.
1:51 >> Antarctica?
1:51 >> Right away, the penguin leader, Skipper, comes in intense and a little strange.
1:59 >> >> Let's look at what he says.
2:01 >> You quadruped, sprechen sie English?
2:04 >> A quadruped is an animal that walks on four legs.
2:08 Quad means four and ped relates to feet, like a pedicure.
2:13 This is a technical word and this line is a great introduction to Skipper.
2:18 He acts like a tough, paranoid military commander,
2:22 always suspicious and operating like he's on a mission.
2:27 >> >> By the way, the word Skipper is actually another way to refer
2:30 to a captain.
2:32 So, he suddenly switches languages and asks Marty in German.
2:36 >> Sprechen sie English?
2:38 >> Which in English means do you speak English?
2:41 He thinks they're on a different continent.
2:44 Now, pay attention to the way they pronounce the words continent and Manhattan.
2:50 >> What continent is this?
2:54 >> Manhattan.
2:54 >> This is actually how most Americans pronounce these two words.
2:57 The traditional T sound becomes what we call a glotal T.
3:02 We still got three syllables, but instead of a strong T, continent,
3:07 it sounds more like continent. continent If you're struggling to make this sound,
3:13 it's actually pretty easy once you know what's happening in your mouth.
3:18 Basically, you stop the air flow for a moment,
3:21 like when kids say uh-oh.
3:24 Notice that little stop at the middle?
3:26 That's the same sound.
3:27 Then you go straight into the end. uh-oh cot-n continent
3:35 And you'll hear this exact same sound in Marty's response.
3:38 >> What continent is this?
3:42 Manhattan.
3:42 >> Instead of pronouncing the T clearly, Manhattan,
3:45 most Americans say it with the same stop. uh-oh hat-n Manhattan Now,
3:53 let's practice repeating after them.
3:55 >> What continent is this?
3:59 >> Manhattan.
3:59 >> What continent is this?
4:10 >> Manhattan.
4:10 >> And by the way, in case you don't know,
4:12 Manhattan is one of the main parts of New York City,
4:15 the area most people picture when they think of New York,
4:19 with all the tall buildings and famous landmarks.
4:23 >> Hoover Dam.
4:24 Still in New York?
4:26 Abort.
4:26 Dive, dive, dive.
4:28 >> Hoover Dam is a massive dam located in the US, on the Colorado River,
4:33 built in the 1930s,
4:34 and considered historically as one of the great engineering achievements in the US.
4:40 But Skipper is using it as an exclamation, like saying "Damn!"
4:44 without actually cursing.
4:46 It's a way to express frustration by replacing a swear word with something
4:51 that sounds similar.
4:52 Like, you could also hear "Oh, shoot!"
4:54 instead of a curse word, or "Darn it!"
4:57 or "Fudge!"
4:58 instead of the F-word.
5:00 Anyway, so like a true commander, we hear Skipper shout these words.
5:05 >> Abort.
5:06 Dive, dive, dive.
5:07 >> In a military context, abort means to stop or cancel an operation immediately.
5:13 It's a command to stop what you're doing right now because something's gone wrong.
5:18 See this other example.
5:21 >> Mason, abort the mission.
5:23 They've got Finn.
5:23 Get out of there.
5:24 Get out of there right now.
5:30 >> You have been compromised.
5:31 Abort mission.
5:32 Destroy phone.
5:34 >> And dive is a command telling everyone to go down quickly,
5:38 back into the hole.
5:39 In submarines, dive means submerge underwater fast.
5:43 Now, as they're about to disappear, Marty calls out.
5:47 >> Hey, hey, YOU IN THE TUX.
5:49 WAIT A MINUTE.
5:50 >> A tux, short for tuxedo, is a formal black suit with a white shirt,
5:55 usually worn to fancy events like weddings or award ceremonies.
6:00 Think of how James Bond is often dressed.
6:02 Penguins naturally have black and white coloring that looks like they're wearing tuxedos,
6:08 and people often joke about that.
6:10 Anyway, that one of them lets the secret slip.
6:13 >> What are you guys doing?
6:16 >> We're digging to Antarctica.
6:20 >> Antarctica?
6:20 >> Marty doesn't recognize the word, so he repeats it,
6:23 adding the word who in the middle.
6:25 And who-tica?
6:26 >> >> Natives say things like this sometimes when they hear a new word.
6:31 It sounds fun and casual.
6:32 For example, quinoa?
6:34 Quinoa what?
6:36 Well, I really want you to become that successful,
6:39 fluent English speaker you've always dreamed of being.
6:43 However, I bet you feel lost about how to do this.
6:48 >> >> Or you feel too busy to dedicate enough time to studying.
6:52 Or you've been stuck at the same level forever.
6:57 And I know this because I've been there myself.
7:01 Remember, I'm an English learner just like you.
7:04 So, let me share with you a method to go from being a lost,
7:08 insecure English learner to becoming a confident, natural English speaker.
7:16 Even if you have only 10-15 minutes per day.
7:19 So, first, watch a short lesson like this one with Madagascar.
7:23 >> >> Second, practice the new words from that lesson with smart flashcards,
7:28 which use science to help you remember new words forever.
7:32 And third, speak the new words in a real conversation,
7:35 so you feel confident using them in any situation.
7:39 >> >> And practice pronunciation.
7:41 The great thing is,
7:42 we make it super easy for you to do this on the RealLife app.
7:46 And in fact, you can use the new words you're learning today in a
7:49 guided speaking conversation based on this exact lesson with Madagascar right now.
7:55 So, stop just recognizing >> >>
7:58 and forgetting new words
7:59 and start being able to actually speak them naturally.
8:03 So, try it for free.
8:05 Just click the link in the description below.
8:07 Okay, now let's watch the next part of this.
8:14 >> Can you keep a secret, my monochromatic friend?
8:20 Do you ever see any penguins running free around New York City?
8:25 Of course not.
8:26 We don't belong here.
8:27 It's just not natural.
8:29 This is all some kind of whacked-out conspiracy.
8:33 We're going to the wide-open spaces of Antarctica.
8:37 To the wild.
8:40 >> To the wild?
8:41 You can actually go there?
8:44 That sounds great.
8:47 >> Hey, hold up.
8:48 Where is this place?
8:49 Tell me where it is.
8:52 >> You didn't see anything.
8:56 Right?
8:56 >> Yes, sir.
8:57 >> Uh uh I'm sorry.
8:58 No, sir.
9:04 >> >> Let's look at the vocabulary from Skipper's secret revelation.
9:08 >> Can you keep a secret, my monochromatic friend?
9:12 >> Monochromatic means having only one color or shades of the same color,
9:17 which is the case with zebras since they're black and white.
9:21 Now, there's some interesting word formation going on here
9:24 and this is actually a great way to expand your vocabulary.
9:27 Take a look.
9:29 Mono means one, like monopoly, one company controlling everything, or monologue, one person speaking.
9:37 Chroma means color.
9:38 So, chromatic relates to color.
9:41 Thus, monochromatic means one color.
9:45 And did you know that the prefix that is opposite to mono is poly?
9:49 It means many, like polychromatic, multiple colors, and polyglot, someone who speaks many languages.
9:57 Now, let's listen to Skipper's secret
9:59 and uh look at the important grammatical structure he uses.
10:04 >> Do you ever see any penguins running free around New York City?
10:08 >> Do you ever is a way to ask about things
10:11 that happen sometimes in your life?
10:14 Not one specific moment, but your general experience.
10:17 So, for example, do you ever feel lonely?
10:20 Do you ever think about moving to a new house?
10:23 You're asking, is this something that happens to you from time to time?
10:28 See these examples.
10:29 >> Do you ever worry about the notion that nothing is permanent?
10:33 >> Uh no.
10:35 >> Dan, do you ever get bored doing the same job every day?
10:39 Do you ever see any penguins running free around New York City?
10:43 >> Running free means living without restrictions, uncontrolled.
10:48 So, when animals run free, they're not in cages.
10:51 They're out in the wild, in a natural location.
10:55 And this is exactly how Skipper describes how they feel
10:58 and what they're looking for.
11:00 >> Of course not.
11:01 We don't belong here.
11:03 It's just not natural.
11:05 >> When you belong somewhere,
11:07 >> >> you fit there and it feels like that's where you should be.
11:11 Skipper is saying penguins aren't meant to be in a zoo
11:14 or in New York City for
11:16 that matter.
11:17 It's not their natural home or their habitat.
11:21 In fact, that's where they want to go, the wide open spaces of Antarctica.
11:26 >> We're going to the wide open spaces of Antarctica.
11:31 >> Wide open means completely open with lots of space and no limit.
11:36 We often use it for places like fields or deserts,
11:40 but it can also be used more generally.
11:42 For example, a wide open schedule means you're completely free with nothing planned.
11:48 Check this out.
11:50 >> Where are we going?
11:51 My calendar is wide open.
11:54 >> This is all some kind of whacked out conspiracy.
11:57 >> Now, what do you think he meant by calling this a conspiracy?
12:02 A plan happening secretly.
12:04 Something that happened by accident.
12:06 A decision enforced by the government.
12:16 A conspiracy is a secret plan by a group of people to do something
12:20 harmful or illegal.
12:22 Skipper thinks the zoo is part of some crazy secret plot to keep penguins
12:27 captive.
12:28 And a whacked out is slang meaning crazy or absurd.
12:32 It suggests something is so weird or wrong that it's almost unbelievable.
12:37 >> I hit my head today.
12:40 You're not a talking dog.
12:42 You're just a whacked out hallucination.
12:45 >> Whacked out?
12:46 I think I've just been insulted.
12:48 >> Hey, hold up.
12:49 Where is this place?
12:50 >> Hold up is an informal command meaning wait or stop for a moment.
12:54 It's very common in casual speech.
12:59 >> Woah, woah, woah, woah, woah, woah, woah, woah, woah, woah, woah, woah, hold up.
13:00 Focus.
13:02 Show what you got, buddy.
13:04 >> Now, listen to this other advanced pronunciation pattern in Marty's speech.
13:08 >> Tell me where it is.
13:10 >> Americans often don't pronounce the letter T in phrases such
13:14 as it is as a hard T.
13:17 >> >> When it's between two vowels, it becomes soft, almost like a D sound.
13:21 So, it sounds like it is.
13:24 This is called the American T or flap T.
13:27 Similarly, earlier when Marty said, "Wait a minute." it sounded like, "Wait a minute."
13:33 >> You didn't see anything.
13:37 Right?
13:37 >> Yes, sir.
13:38 >> Uh uh uh I'm sorry.
13:40 No, sir.
13:41 >> Sir is a formal respectful way to address a man, especially someone in authority.
13:47 It's commonly used in the military.
13:49 Soldiers say, "Yes, sir." to officers.
13:52 In customer service, "Can I help you, sir?"
13:54 Or when showing respect to someone older or in a position of power.
13:59 >> I'm sorry.
14:00 If we could just review these very important notes, sir.
14:03 >> And the female alternative is ma'am.
14:10 >> Sir.
14:10 Ma'am.
14:10 I think these belong to you.
14:13 >> I'm so proud of you, Judy.
14:14 You did just a super job.
14:16 >> Thank you, ma'am.
14:18 >> Now, I should mention I feel that many English learners overuse these words.
14:24 >> >> In everyday casual conversation between friends, coworkers, even between student and teacher,
14:30 people don't say "sir" or "ma'am".
14:33 It can actually sound strange or overly formal.
14:37 Use it in more formal professional settings, with customers,
14:40 or when addressing authority figures like a police officer.
14:44 All right.
14:45 Now, are you ready for the final and most important step of the lesson?
14:49 We're going to take everything you've just learned, the new vocabulary >> >> and pronunciation,
14:54 and put it all into practice.
14:57 You'll watch the whole scene again, this time without subtitles,
15:00 and answer some quiz questions.
15:02 Let's do it.
15:10 >> You, quadruped.
15:12 >> What does the word quadruped mean?
15:21 A quadruped is an animal that walks on four legs.
15:25 >> Sprechen Sie English?
15:27 >> I sprechen.
15:28 >> What continent is this?
15:31 >> Manhattan.
15:31 >> Hoover Dam.
15:33 >> Still in New York.
15:34 >> Abort.
15:35 Dive.
15:36 Dive.
15:36 Dive.
15:37 >> What do we call this kind of clothing?
15:46 Tux or tuxedo.
15:48 >> Hey.
15:48 Hey.
15:49 YOU IN THE TUX.
15:50 >> WAIT A MINUTE.
15:51 What are you guys doing?
15:53 >> We're digging to Antarctica.
15:58 >> Antarctica?
15:58 >> Can you keep a secret, my monochromatic friend?
16:01 >> How do you spell monochromatic?
16:03 Take your time.
16:04 You can pause the video if you want.
16:17 >> Do you ever see any penguins running free around New York City?
16:22 Of course not.
16:23 We don't belong here.
16:25 It's just not natural.
16:27 This is all some kind of whacked-out conspiracy.
16:30 >> Now, what do you think whacked-out means here?
16:33 Evil, cruel, organized, well-planned, strange or crazy.
16:46 >> We're going to the wide open spaces of Antarctica.
16:50 To the wild.
16:53 >> The wild?
16:55 You can actually go there?
16:57 That sounds great.
17:00 Hey.
17:01 Hold up.
17:01 Where is this place?
17:03 Tell me where it is.
17:05 >> You didn't see anything.
17:09 Right?
17:09 >> Yes, sir.
17:11 >> Uh uh uh I'm sorry.
17:12 No, sir.
17:17 >> Aw, >> yeah.
17:17 Amazing job, guys.
17:18 Now, if you are new to this YouTube channel,
17:21 you should know that every single week we make new lessons just like this
17:25 one with celebrities,
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17:33 without missing the jokes, and without subtitles.
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17:55 to this lesson over there.
18:01 >> Stop.
18:01 >> >> Please, you don't have to hurt him.
18:05 >> Hurt him?
18:08 Snakes never hurt anyone.
18:11 We aren't the bad guys.
18:13 They are.
18:16 And this journal holds the secret that will prove it.
18:21 I have to prove it.
18:27 Please.
18:27 This is our only chance to set things right.
