Shadowing Practice: Cinderella Story For Adults - Learn English Speaking with Video
Creando lección...
1
In Grimm's version of the fairy tale, apparently my sister and I weren't even worth naming.
2
But at least we were rightly described as beautiful.
3
In Disney's version, our names are mentioned, but can you recall them?
4
No. I bet all you can remember are two pugnose sisters with terrible hair, the nasolabial fold of a 70 -year -old,
5
annoying voices, and very big feet.
6
The thing is, we really weren't ugly.
7
Especially me.
8
Honestly, I was kind of a looker from the right angle.
9
No, no, move to the left.
10
That side is prettier.
11
Like, sure, I could have benefited from a nose job if it was a thing back then.
12
But I've got great hair, a banging body, and deep eyes that look like dark pools you could drown in.
13
Or so I've been told.
14
No, the problem wasn't us.
15
The problem was her because next to her, anyone would look like a gnarly potato.
16
You know how one day you feel you're looking really good, the skin is skinning, the hair is herring,
17
the outfit's outfitting, and then you see some celebrity on Instagram
18
and feel like you two can't even be creatures from the same planet?
19
Yeah, that's what the Cinderella effect was, making everyone around her look like E .T.
20
And you know what the biggest joke is?
21
She was never a victim or forced to be our maid.
22
She was very OCD, so scrubbing everything like a maniac all the time is entirely on her.
23
No one asked her to do that.
24
I guess she didn't love being a nobody, because slowly, very slowly, she started spinning her story.
25
And before we knew it, we were the villains.
26
She was the poor mistreated servant girl, and I was the bitter hag trying to steal her man.
27
But he was my man first.
28
My name is Drizella, and I'm here from the dead to tell you the true
29
story of how Cinderella pulled off one of the greatest cons in history.
30
She got the name, the ball, the prince, the animated pigeons, the march, the eternal adoration.
31
And it's built on lies.
32
All of it.
33
Well, except for the part about me having really big feet.
34
Like, I was told most of my life to shop from the men's section of the shoe store.
35
I bet that's half the reason I've ended up being a villain in every version.
36
Because how dare I imagine myself as a worthy princess with my US size 11 feet?
37
I digress.
38
I must stay on track.
39
And even though my version of events is no charming fairy tale, I must begin the story the right way.
40
Once upon a time, there was a man with a family, a fortune, and a functioning household.
41
So naturally, he had a midlife crisis and ran for the hills.
42
Gone to figure myself out.
43
Don't wait for me.
44
And tell your mother, it's not me, it's her.
45
I hope I figure out you suck big time.
46
Yeah, I wasn't shocked because honestly we'd be idiots if we hadn't seen this coming.
47
I crave adventure.
48
This provincial family life is suffocating my soul.
49
Someday I'll leave to seek my higher purpose.
50
Marriage and fatherhood can't be it.
51
I have to find myself and I really don't think I can do it while married to you specifically.
52
But Mother was still blindsided, shocked, bamboozled.
53
Why had he left?
54
Was it because she wasn't pretty enough or young enough or hadn't plucked her eyebrows properly since 1823?
55
Maybe her elbows were too pointy.
56
Maybe her eyes lacked emotional depth.
57
I tried to explain that it was more about him being a spineless lizard running away from adult responsibility.
58
But she just kept sinking in the depths of her despair.
59
And the couch.
60
And without a husband around, she went into full damsel -in -distress mode.
61
Oh, how I crave pickles.
62
If only I had a man with strong arms to open this jar for me.
63
Never mind that she had servants to open all the jars in the world and two perfectly decent daughters.
64
Okay, fine.
65
She had one decent daughter.
66
Because the other one was Anastasia.
67
Let's just say that we didn't know back then that excessive glue sniffing causes brain damage.
68
And that kid always had her head stuck in a pot of glue.
69
Anastasia, focus!
70
With father gone and mother officially losing her mind, you and I have to run this household.
71
Mother has plenty of money.
72
But we need to start budgeting!
73
Why?
74
Mother is always telling me to stop budgeting when I'm around horses, because it makes them nervous.
75
Like, hello lady, I'm the nervous one here, I'm the one who got kicked by a horse in the head!
76
No, she's telling you to stop fidgeting!
77
Those are two completely unrelated things!
78
Are you sure?
79
They sound a little related.
80
They're not!
81
Look, budgeting just means that we need to keep track of our expenses.
82
For instance, how much do we spend on candles per week?
83
Oh, candles?
84
At least eleven.
85
Eleven what?
86
Candles.
87
I meant money.
88
What about it?
89
How much money do we spend on candles?
90
We spend money on them?
91
No, Anastasia.
92
They just grow on trees and we pluck them like fruit.
93
Yeah, that's what I'm saying.
94
Candles are free.
95
What's the next item on your fidgeting list?
96
Yep, this was my partner in responsibility.
97
Her loyalty was unwavering, as was her misunderstanding of absolutely everything.
98
She had a heart of gold and the usefulness of a fork in a soup bowl.
99
Okay, okay, I'll stop roasting my poor sister now.
100
Despite all her flaws, she was my rock.
101
Heavy, useless, and mostly in the way.
102
Hahaha, bazinga!
103
But we soon had a much bigger problem at hand.
104
Mother was dying for attention from men.
105
And word of her wealth and desperation spread fast, sending every gold -digging bachelor within a hundred miles our way.
106
And I figured out how to get rid of them fast.
107
Of course, my sister slowed me down.
108
Okay, Anastasia, are we ready for afternoon tea?
109
Absolutely!
110
I ordered those fancy pastries Mother loves, fresh lilacs, lemon curd...
111
No, Anastasia, not the actual tea!
112
The plan!
113
Are we ready for the plan?
114
Oh, the plan.
115
Right, right.
116
Let me just quickly cancel the musicians.
117
You ordered musicians?
118
This isn't an actual date, it's an ambush!
119
Do you remember the strategy or not?
120
Not really, but I'll think of something on the spot.
121
You know I'm very quick on my, uh, you know, my...
122
Did you just forget the word feet?
123
Quick on my feet?
124
No, that doesn't make sense.
125
You know I run slower than a duck.
126
I have yet to beat a duck in a race.
127
Oh my god, focus on the tea!
128
Fine!
129
I'll spill tea on his thighs.
130
No, that's not what we...
131
Actually, you know what?
132
You do that.
133
Leave the rest to me.
134
Great.
135
And afterwards, we can eat the pastries.
136
Yes, we can eat the pastries.
137
And the lemon curd?
138
Yes, fine.
139
The lemon curd, too.
140
I had discovered that the fastest method to drive off unwanted suitors was to casually mention Dad,
141
and then watch Mother spiral into all five stages of grief.
142
Well, four.
143
Acceptance was off the table.
144
Mother, you look lovely today.
145
Isn't this the dress you were wearing the day Father left?
146
No, that was the lavender one.
147
Oh, yes.
148
The one Father said made you look washed out.
149
He.. he said what?
150
Madam, you look absolutely radiant today.
151
I cannot understand why any man would leave you.
152
Of course he didn't leave me.
153
He just relocated temporarily.
154
I'm sure at this very moment he's thinking about how much he misses me, and he's making his way back home.
155
Oh, I didn't think this was something temporary.
156
You're right.
157
I'm such a fool.
158
Because honestly, what is there to miss?
159
Just the woman who gave him the best years of her life.
160
I held this family together, I cooked, I cleaned… When you ironed a napkin once, and I'm the one who holds anything together.
161
But if he'd just communicated properly, I could've changed.
162
I could have sent my daughters to finishing school and gone with him to find himself and slept under the stars.
163
I could have been free -spirited and spontaneous.
164
Do you think if he knew this, he'd come back?
165
I really can't say, madam.
166
Oh, there's no point thinking about it.
167
He's gone now.
168
But you're here to mend the pieces of my broken heart, right?
169
You have good, strong shoulders to cry on.
170
I'm going to cry on them so much.
171
Ah, it's getting kind of late for my horse's dinner.
172
This has been lovely.
173
Are you running away from me too?
174
No, I mean, yes.
175
But it's not you, it's me.
176
He was leaving anyway, genius.
177
Tea is expensive.
178
You're all crazy.
179
As he ran off and Mother sobbed into the tablecloth, we high -fived.
180
I thought I was so smart.
181
Chasing off mom's suitors and taking charge of the household. But then...
182
I made the biggest mistake of my life.
183
Yeah, bigger than letting Anastasia give me a haircut once.
184
I hired a gardener.
185
Ma 'am, thank you for the position.
186
If it pleases you, my daughter Ella will also be staying with me in the servants' quarters.
187
I'm sure she can make herself useful to you.
188
A girl my age emerged from behind him and I will never forget the first time I saw her.
189
Her hair was like honey catching sunlight,
190
her skin like porcelain, and her patched -up linen dress looked better than any silk I owned.
191
Her eyes were the kind of blue that would make painters cry into their palettes trying to replicate it.
192
Every feature on her face was in perfect harmony.
193
And then she smiled.
194
We didn't know it yet, but the entire trajectory of our lives was rewritten at that moment.
195
Oh my.
196
Just look at you, child.
197
Like something out of a dream.
198
You're perfect.
199
You're too kind, ma 'am.
200
I'm so grateful to you for letting me stay.
201
She's glowing.
202
Should people glow?
203
Do you use some kind of special shampoo made from unicorn tears and fairy dust?
204
Haha, you're funny.
205
I like you.
206
Did you hear that, Drizella?
207
She likes me!
208
As mother led her father away to show him their living quarters, and...
209
I don't know, Anastasia went after a butterfly, Cinderella stayed back and looked directly at me.
210
Drizella, isn't it?
211
Yes. And you're...
212
Ella?
213
Yes.
214
But my late mother nicknamed me Cinderella, because I'd always sleep by the fireplace and get covered in ashes.
215
You know how nicknames stick.
216
You don't have one?
217
No, but you can call me Miss.
218
You hired my father, Miss.
219
That means you changed my life.
220
And I'll be sure to return the favor.
221
I felt a chill down my spine that had nothing to do with the weather.
222
As she walked away, I just knew I disliked her intensely.
223
Part of me thought it was because I was jealous, and yeah, of course I was.
224
But I just had a feeling that beneath that flawless facade was someone calculating and dangerous.
225
And oh, how I wish I wasn't right for once.
226
At first, she just helped.
227
She polished the silver, dusted the bookshelves, organized the pantry.
228
But then she started having ideas for everything.
229
She rearranged the furniture, suggested new colors for the curtains, and started embroidering tablecloths and crocheting bedspreads.
230
It's like watching angels knit.
231
Even I couldn't deny her taste was impeccable.
232
And soon, Mother wanted her opinion on everything.
233
And then, she was suddenly instructing all the maids, the butlers, and even the cook.
234
The cook!
235
That toad never listened to anything I said.
236
The house sparkled, the cutlery gleamed, the food actually had flavor, and I could see my reflection in the floors now.
237
How could I complain about that?
238
But I couldn't help being bothered by how she had Mother and Anastasia wrapped around her little finger.
239
She would make them face masks and hair oils, play the piano for them like she was Mozart's daughter, and sing like a nightingale.
240
And then there was the dancing.
241
There was a celebration as always at the end of the harvest season.
242
And as the servants gathered to dance, Cinderella joined them.
243
She didn't dance like a girl raised in servant quarters.
244
She danced like the air was conspiring to hold her up.
245
Like the music was written just for her.
246
Like she'd spent her whole life rehearsing her steps to perfection.
247
Everyone was mesmerized.
248
She's so graceful.
249
Not like my girls.
250
That was the first time I heard her say it.
251
Not like my girls.
252
But it wasn't the last.
253
Soon, Mother was drawing comparisons between her and us all the time, telling us how we could try to be more like her.
254
And I swear, I would have given up and accepted her perfection and superiority if it wasn't for the bird incident.
255
Come here, Gisela, look!
256
A robin's nest right outside Ella's window.
257
Isn't it sweet?
258
It's gonna have babies soon.
259
Yes, lovely.
260
But I bet it won't be so sweet when they're all screeching at dawn.
261
The two of them continued to look utterly enchanted, and I lost interest soon and left.
262
But the next morning, I ran outside to Anastasia screaming.
263
I found her standing under the tree, and the nest lay on the ground completely destroyed.
264
The eggs and the robin were gone.
265
Anastasia cried half the day, wondering if it was the work of an evil squirrel, or an evil raccoon, or an evil eagle.
266
Later that evening, Cinderella walked into the living room, holding something behind her back.
267
Mother, I made you a gift.
268
Mother?
269
Since when did she...
270
Then I saw the gift, and my blood ran cold.
271
It was a delicate comb, woven with tiny blue -gray feathers twisted through gold thread.
272
Oh my dear, it's exquisite.
273
Mother kissed her on the cheek.
274
Anastasia clapped, while I just stared, stunned.
275
This couldn't just be my imagination running away with me, right?
276
Still feeling uneasy.
277
I was going up to my room for the night, when I found Cinderella polishing the stairs' banister vigorously.
278
Still cleaning?
279
You really love it, don't you?
280
Oh yes, it really helps me think.
281
And all the work makes me sleep soundly at night.
282
You should be sleeping well tonight anyway.
283
You know, without all that chirping right outside your window.
284
Yes, such a noisy little thing that Robin was.
285
I wonder what happened to it.
286
And we both know it wasn't an evil squirrel.
287
Cinderella straightened and met my gaze, smiling.
288
Please, Drizella, do I look like the kind of girl who murders birds?
289
No, but looks can be very deceiving.
290
People only see what they want to see.
291
Luckily for me, they always want to see an angel.
292
Without a shadow of a doubt then, I knew this girl was a psychopath.
293
I just stayed away from her as much as possible.
294
I was also glad that Mother was spending less time with her since she'd recently found gardening
295
and spent hours outside taking interest in dirt and compost.
296
I was happy she had a healthy hobby.
297
Until I walked into the living room one afternoon to find her and Cinderella's father sipping tea and holding hands.
298
Uh, what's going on here?
299
What does it look like?
300
I'm hoping he's about to flip your palm over and read your future because no other explanation will make much sense.
301
Drizella, I know it's been hard on you since your father left and you miss him.
302
Nope, not even a little, not even at all.
303
Speak for yourself.
304
Honey, a woman needs a man in her life.
305
His companionship, his strong hands, his opinions.
306
What I'm trying to say is, Mr. Rivers and I, we're...
307
No, no, no, no, no, no, no. If your next words are, in love, I'm throwing myself out the window.
308
Will you just let me finish?
309
Fine. In love.
310
Great.
311
Fantastic!
312
Open the window with your strong hands, Mr. Rivers, so I can throw myself out!
313
Why would you be so upset, Drizella?
314
And then, to always make things worse, Cinderella walked in!
315
It's a beautiful thing for two lonely widowers to find love again.
316
My father isn't dead.
317
We don't know that.
318
Oh my god, had she found a way to get rid of him too?
319
No, she was just saying things to irk me.
320
Cinderella put her hand on my arm.
321
We're like family already.
322
This just feels like it was meant to be.
323
I really thought I might gouge Cinderella's blue eyes out with a fork.
324
So I stormed off, grabbed a horse, and rode furiously, not even sure where I was headed.
325
I just had to get away.
326
I remembered an old estate on the hill that had burned down decades ago.
327
It had never been rebuilt, but the library had survived.
328
I'd sneaked in there a few times before, and I definitely needed abandoned ruins to rage in right now.
329
I pushed open the creaky library door, grabbed a book randomly from the shelves, and plopped myself onto the couch next to a pile of dusty blankets.
330
But then the pile moved.
331
I turned around, terrified, to see a boy emerge from under the blankets.
332
Oh, wow, it's just one girl.
333
I thought an army of banshees had descended upon me.
334
H -Are you.. a ghost?
335
No, but that scream should have woken all dead people within a five -mile radius.
336
Ow!
337
What was that for?
338
If it had passed through you, it would have meant you're a ghost.
339
I was just checking.
340
Did you miss the part where I specifically said no to that question?
341
Why would I expect a ghost to tell the truth?
342
Then why even ask?
343
Okay, fair point.
344
What are you doing here, blending into the furniture?
345
Exactly that.
346
I just wanted to disappear for a while.
347
What about yourself?
348
This isn't the most obvious hangout spot for a girl like you.
349
A girl like me?
350
Well, you don't look homeless in your silk gown.
351
You're not exactly some local goat farmer yourself.
352
How dare you!
353
I'll have you know I milked a goat.. once.
354
It ran away crying, but still.
355
My name's Henry.
356
Henry what?
357
Just Henry.
358
First name, Just.
359
Okay then.
360
Just Henry.
361
Countess Dracula.
362
Charmed to make your acquaintance.
363
Now, is there any chance we could both disappear here together for a while?
364
We don't have to talk about what we're running away from.
365
I like the sound of that.
366
And somehow, after that, Henry and I started meeting at the old estate.
367
Not often, maybe once every week.
368
We didn't ask why the other was there.
369
We didn't even ask real names.
370
Of course, a part of me was growing curious, but not knowing also felt weirdly nice.
371
Like we were two fugitives, hiding out here and talking about books, ideas, the world.
372
Anything but ourselves.
373
But one afternoon, as I rode back home after meeting him, I came upon a scene of chaos.
374
Mother was wailing like someone had died, Anastasia was blocking out the sound with pastries, and Cinderella was on the floor at Mother's feet.
375
A picture of despair.
376
It turned out that Mr. Riffers was a greasy rat who had run off with Mother's jewels.
377
And he'd left Cinderella behind.
378
Man, I would have given him the jewels myself if he'd just taken her.
379
He took advantage of me.
380
He played with my heart and threw dirt in my eyes.
381
I will never forgive him.
382
I will tear out every flower he planted with my bare hands.
383
For a moment, I felt hope.
384
Surely, Mother would toss Cinderella out after this.
385
She would be a constant reminder of his betrayal.
386
Please don't send me away.
387
Please don't send me away.
388
This is the only place I've ever felt safe.
389
I will do whatever you ask of me.
390
Please.
391
I love you.
392
I love our home mother.
393
Ugh.
394
Oh, my poor precious child.
395
How could I hate you?
396
You're betrayed and abandoned just like me.
397
Of course you will stay here and we will heal together.
398
Anastasia and I were abandoned too, and Mother never paid attention to OUR healing.
399
As Cinderella sobbed into Mother's lap, she shot me a sideways glance that clearly said, Checkmate!
400
Mr. River's betrayal just cemented Cinderella's place in her home more firmly.
401
Now she wasn't just beautiful, she was tragic too.
402
She needed love and care and everyone from the servants to the house cat wanted to give it to her.
403
Mother now referred to her as my precious girl, while Anastasia and I were quietly downgraded to the other two.
404
And I just found being around Cinderella unbearable.
405
It's not like I was even needed around the house anymore.
406
So I started slipping away more often to Henry.
407
One afternoon, we decided to explore the woods near the estate.
408
And barely 20 minutes in, there was a loud snap,
409
a startled yelp, and I turned around to see Henry dangling upside down from a tree in a hunter's trap.
410
I couldn't help laughing as he flailed around, trying to reach up and unhook himself.
411
Oh, a little help before I pass out, maybe?
412
I was just waiting for you to ask.
413
I started tugging at the trap rope, but Henry kept giving the instructions non -stop.
414
You're doing it wrong!
415
Step to your left, pull tighter, then twist.
416
No, not like that.
417
Oh, you'll break it!
418
Do you think I'm a helpless little girl who can't possibly figure out a rope trap for herself?
419
Have you ever seen a rope trap before in your life?
420
Of course not, because all I do is embroider cushions and sigh dramatically.
421
I bet you don't even know how to embroider.
422
You're right.
423
I hate it.
424
My threads get so tangled up that I want to poke someone in the eye with my needle.
425
Violent and unladylike.
426
You're a real catch.
427
I yanked hard at the rope, and his face swung towards mine.
428
Suddenly, we were too close, and his lashes were longer than any boy's head had a right to be.
429
Your eyes are really pretty.
430
Flattery isn't going to make me help you faster.
431
No, really.
432
They're dark and deep like pools one could drown in.
433
That's just the blood rushing to your head.
434
I quickly move to brace the rope again, when suddenly I noticed his shirt had slipped to reveal his belt, which had a silver crest.
435
The royal crest?
436
Wait, are you from the palace?
437
Define from.
438
Define it before I drop you straight on your head.
439
Technically, yes.
440
Are you the court jester?
441
The guy who polishes the king's shoes?
442
Something like that.
443
Yeah, I'm gonna need better answers before I help you.
444
I pushed him hard and sent him swinging like a pendulum.
445
Oh, come on, Lady Dracula, just let me down.
446
That's when I heard boots thundering through the woods.
447
And before I could react, a pair of soldiers in armor grabbed me roughly by the arms.
448
Another two swooped in, expertly cutting Henry down and catching him before he face -planted into the dirt.
449
Endangering the crown prince is a punishable offense, girl.
450
Endangering the who now?
451
Stand down, men.
452
She's harmless.
453
Unless she has a needle and thread in her hands.
454
I just gaped at him.
455
You're the Crown Prince?
456
Yes, first name, crown, second name, Prince.
457
You told me just Henry!
458
Well, I am just Henry sometimes.
459
You never asked follow -up questions.
460
You will say nothing of this to anyone, men.
461
Same as you.
462
Keep quiet about my visits here.
463
Is that understood?
464
Yes, your highness.
465
Your highness?
466
Your highness?
467
Your highness?
468
You look like you're both spiraling and want to murder me.
469
No, that's just my normal expression.
470
Now, since we're being honest and going for full disclosure...
471
Uh, you're a liar who got forced into telling the truth.
472
How about you tell me your real name, too?
473
Drizella.
474
That's pretty.
475
Dracula suits you better.
476
Lots of names are coming to my mind for you, but I shall refrain from using them since I know who you are now.
477
Good day, your highness.
478
Hey, don't let this change things between us.
479
But I kept walking without turning to reply.
480
How could it not change things between us?
481
The boy I'd been sneaking off to meet, regularly insulted, hit a couple of times, and maybe, possibly, definitely liked,
482
was the freaking Crown Prince.
483
I didn't go back to the estate for days, still finding the truth about him too overwhelming.
484
But eventually, I cracked, so I wrote back to the old estate one afternoon, and my heart skipped a beat to find him already there,
485
throwing pebbles into a broken fountain.
486
Well, well, look what the cat dragged in.
487
I was beginning to think you died, or got married.
488
Sorry to disappoint you, but still alive and unwed.
489
You know, I was this close to going around town
490
and knocking on random doors to inquire after a girl with violent tendencies and great hair.
491
I just rolled my eyes.
492
But inside, I was smiling stupidly.
493
We just sat in silence for a while.
494
I come here sometimes because it's all just too much.
495
The title, the expectations, the spotlight.
496
I don't even get along with my father mostly.
497
I know I'm gonna sound like an ungrateful brat, but sometimes I just don't want to be the prince.
498
I come here for quite the opposite reason, I suppose.
499
I feel invisible in my own house, completely replaced by my stepsister.
500
My pride wouldn't let me say the gardener's daughter.
501
She's perfect.
502
Everyone admires and adores her.
503
It's not hard to see why.
504
Come on, no one's perfect.
505
Oh no, she really is.
506
I'm sure this sounds like some petty sister jealousy, and it doesn't compare to your royal problems.
507
But honestly, they don't sound so bad.
508
No one expects anything from me.
509
Well, except maybe being more ladylike so I can marry some stuffy lord one day.
510
But you could do so much with your life, Henry.
511
And people expect things from you because you're important.
512
Because you matter.
513
Henry reached across the space between us and slipped his fingers through mine.
514
You matter to me.
515
As my heart tripped over itself, he leaned in and kissed me.
516
It was clumsy at first.
517
Our noses bumped, my hair got stuck in his stupid jacket, and we started laughing.
518
But it was so sweet and real.
519
And for a while, I forgot Cinderella.
520
I forgot he was royalty.
521
I forgot about everything.
522
It was just.. me and Henry.
523
I floated through the next few weeks like some lovesick idiot.
524
Of course, like any self -respecting lady, I didn't show it.
525
You're grinning like you've got a clothes hanger stuck in your mouth.
526
What is so funny about my art?
527
Ahem, uh, I wasn't grinning.
528
And what art?
529
The one you're staring at, my masterpiece.
530
I made this cat sculpture from old socks and glue.
531
Ah, that art.
532
The one cleverly disguised as garbage.
533
It's the loveliest duck I've ever seen.
534
Cat.
535
It's a cat.
536
Yes, that's what I said.
537
It was the happiest I'd ever felt in my entire stupid life.
538
Which naturally meant the universe had to kick me in the teeth soon.
539
One afternoon at the estate, Henry sat me down with a serious look.
540
I didn't like one bit.
541
I have to leave for a while.
542
What, running away to join the circus?
543
No. Father is sending me across the sea for an official royal delegation.
544
It could be months, even a year maybe.
545
I forgot how to breathe for a few seconds.
546
Grisilla, you made me realize that I need to take my position and privilege more seriously instead of whining about it.
547
So, yeah, I'm really trying.
548
I'm really proud of you, Henry and I just know you're gonna be brilliant.
549
But a small, selfish part of me wanted to scream, don't go, just stay.
550
We promised to write regularly, no matter what, and for a while, his letters were the only thing keeping me sane.
551
Of course, I always picked them up from the post office.
552
I didn't want to draw anyone's attention to our correspondence.
553
Dearest Countess Dracula, you will be thrilled to know that the local delicacy here is fermented fish eyeballs.
554
Guess who had to eat three?
555
Smiling all the while.
556
I cannot sleep at night because I keep imagining those eyeballs swimming around my gut winking at each other.
557
Send help!
558
Dearest one -time goat milker, I regret to inform you that my life is way more exciting than yours.
559
Just today, Cinderella invented chamomile soap and taught her cat to fetch her ribbons.
560
Anastasia lost an intense staring match to a goat.
561
Mother tried flirting with the milkman, and he fled on the aforementioned goat.
562
I am so close to faking my own death.
563
P .S.
564
I miss your face and your insults.
565
Mostly your insults.
566
Fine, also your face.
567
P .S.
568
I miss insulting you two.
569
I'm forced to practice my skills on vendors at the market, but it's not the same.
570
They cry too easily.
571
Of course, it wasn't ideal, but every letter kept him close, and for now, it was enough.
572
But then, the letter stopped coming.
573
At first, I told myself it was all fine, there could be a million reasons for delays.
574
But when two months passed by with no word, I started to feel a bit crazy.
575
Still nothing for you, same as earlier this afternoon.
576
You want me to save you a trip and scream no at you from across the street every morning?
577
You might consider picking up a hobby.
578
How about embroidery?
579
I wasn't getting any letters, but I didn't stop sending them.
580
Pages filled with jokes, questions, news, bad drawings.
581
But weeks and weeks went by, and still, there was no reply.
582
By now, my heart was filled with dread.
583
What if something had happened to him?
584
But if that was the case, the news would be everywhere.
585
And then finally, finally, a letter arrived one morning.
586
My hands were trembling so much, I almost ripped the letter trying to open the envelope.
587
Dear Drizella
📺 Mismo canal
B11
I Keep Failing School Because Of Math
TeensDaily ConversationHigh School Students
B13
I'm Salish Matter And This Is My Story
TeensDaily Conversation
B11
Video
American AccentTeensDaily ConversationHigh School Students
B11
I'm too Short, But It's Cute
American AccentTeensDaily ConversationHigh School Students
B19
I’ve Been Talented Since I Was a Baby
American AccentTeensDaily ConversationHigh School Students
B237
Got Stuck with My Crush & His Crazy GF
American AccentTeensDaily ConversationHigh School Students
B13
My sister is jealous of my hair
American AccentTeensDaily ConversationHigh School Students
B120
My sister copies everything I do 😱
American AccentTeensDaily ConversationHigh School Students
B13
I'm Face Blind, And I Can't Recognise My Own Family
American AccentTeensDaily ConversationHigh School Students
B12
Video
American AccentTeensDaily ConversationHigh School Students
B14
I Became People Pleaser and Regretted Forever
American AccentBusiness EnglishTeensDaily Conversation
B16
My Wonderful Story of Being Different
American AccentKidsTeensDaily Conversation
B134
I Faked a Girlfriend
American AccentTeensDaily ConversationHigh School Students
B117
A Mysterious Rich Girl Hired ME
American AccentTeensDaily ConversationHigh School Students
B12
My Twin and I Share Our Emotions Too!
American AccentTeensDaily ConversationHigh School Students
B2My Stepdaughter Hates Me
American AccentDaily ConversationHigh School StudentsUniversity Students
B12
My Sister Used AI To Frame Him
American AccentTeensDaily ConversationHigh School Students
B23
Video
American AccentTeensDaily ConversationHigh School Students
B11
My Weird Sister Wants To Dominate Me
American AccentTeensDaily ConversationHigh School Students
B26
My Mom Is SO Cheap
American AccentBusiness EnglishTeensDaily Conversation
✨ Recomendar Video
B25
326 oraciones
Cinderella Story For Adults - PART 2
American AccentDaily ConversationUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B283
440 oraciones
I Robbed a Billionaire & They Still Worship ME!
American AccentBusiness EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B22
389 oraciones
The Hidden Fears in Coraline That Haunt Us Still
American AccentDaily ConversationHigh School StudentsUniversity Students
B21
134 oraciones
The Dangerous Myth Of The #Girlboss
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B2171 oraciones
A Short History of Fairy Tales
High School StudentsUniversity Students
B22
548 oraciones
New interview of Emma Watson with People/EW Network!
Business EnglishInterview EnglishUniversity Students
B12
40 oraciones
Cinderella 2015 (Well that is a mistake)
TeensDaily ConversationHigh School Students
C113
63 oraciones
Tough Love - The Villains Lair (Ep 2) A Disney Villains Musical
TeensDaily ConversationHigh School Students
B11
366 oraciones
Beauty and the Beast Sleepy Story | Part 1 | Fairytale Bedtime Story
KidsTeensDaily Conversation
B27
122 oraciones
Mean Girls - Cady's instincts
Daily Conversation
A21
284 oraciones
The Snow Queen ❄️ 👑 | The Fisherman & His Wife 🐠 👸🏻 - Classic Fairy Tales
KidsTeensDaily Conversation
A21
177 oraciones
Cinderella A Classic 1950 Fairytale | Cinderella Animated Cartoon Story In English
KidsTeensDaily Conversation
Vocabulario y notas de pronunciación para esta lección
Esta lección de conversación de nivel B2 se basa en el vídeo “Cinderella Story For Adults”. Este vídeo tiene 587 frases y 5110 palabras para practicar shadowing. La parte hablada dura 33:07. El hablante habla a un ritmo natural de unas 154 palabras por minuto, cercano a una conversación cotidiana. Solo el 78 % de las palabras está entre las 3.000 más comunes del inglés, por lo que el vocabulario es exigente.
Vocabulario clave de este vídeo
Las 15 palabras más avanzadas del vídeo, con su pronunciación y significado:
| Palabra | Pronunciación | Significado |
|---|---|---|
| servant sustantivo | /ˈsɝvənt/ | sirviente, sirvienta f criado |
| candle sustantivo | /ˈkæn.dəl/ | vela, candela |
| goat sustantivo | /ɡoʊt/ | cabra, chivo |
| rope sustantivo | /ɹoʊp/ | soga, maroma |
| pastry sustantivo | /ˈpeɪstɹi/ | pastelito, pastelillo |
| scream verbo | /skɹiːm/ | gritar, alaridar |
| curd sustantivo | /kɜː(ɹ)d/ | cuajada, cuajo |
| glue sustantivo | /ɡlu/ | cola, goma |
| abandon verbo | /əˈbæn.dən/ | renunciar, suspender |
| lemon sustantivo | /ˈlɛmən/ | limón, citrón |
| crave verbo | /kɹeɪv/ | anhelar, ansiar |
| embroider verbo | /ɪmˈbɹɔɪdɚ/ | bordar |
| endanger verbo | /ɛnˈdeɪnd͡ʒɚ/ | apeligrar |
| eyeball sustantivo | /ˈaɪ.bɔl/ | globo ocular |
| fidget verbo | /ˈfɪd͡ʒ.ɪt/ | revolverse, no quedarse quieto |
Phrasal verbs que vas a escuchar
| Palabra | Significado |
|---|---|
| figure out verbo | averiguar, captar |
| burn down verbo | incendiar, arrasar |
| end up verbo | terminar, ir a parar |
| follow up verbo | dar seguimiento, dar un seguimiento |
| get away verbo | alejarse |
| give up verbo | rendirse, entregar |
| go around verbo | cundir |
| pass out verbo | distribuir |
Frases que vale la pena repetir
Frases cortas y completas del vídeo que puedes reutilizar en la conversación diaria:
- How much money do we spend on candles?
- We spend money on them?
- What's the next item on your fidgeting list?
- Are we ready for the plan?
- You really love it, don't you?
Gramática en este vídeo
Las estructuras que más usa el hablante, con las palabras exactas del vídeo:
| Estructura | En el vídeo |
|---|---|
| Oraciones condicionales if + oración, will/would + verbo — una condición y su resultado | if he knew this, he'd come |
| Voz pasiva be + participio pasado — importa lo que ocurre, no quién lo hace | are mentioned · I've been told · was told |
| Present perfect have/has + participio pasado — una acción pasada que sigue importando ahora | I've been told · I've ended · could've changed |
| Oraciones de relativo who / which + oración — información extra sobre una persona o cosa | one who got · woman who gave · one who holds |
Pronunciación a tener en cuenta
El hablante usa 142 contracciones y formas reducidas, como I'm, you're, don't. Dilas en su forma corta, tal como las oyes.
- Los sonidos de “sh” y “zh”: perfection /pɚˈfɛk.ʃən/, musician /mjuˈzɪʃən/, expectation /ˌɛk.spɛkˈteɪ.ʃən/, instruction /ɪnˈstɹʌkʃən/, reflection /ɹɪˈflɛkʃən/
Sonidos difíciles para hispanohablantes:
- s + consonante al inicio — sin añadir una “e” delante: scream /skɹiːm/, squirrel /ˈskwɪ.ɹ(ə)l/, stare /stɛɚ/, stairs /ˈstɛɹz/
- /v/ — no es /b/: los dientes tocan el labio inferior: servant /ˈsɝvənt/, crave /kɹeɪv/, eleven /əˈlɛv.ən/, invent /ɪnˈvɛnt/, excessive /ɪkˈsɛsɪv/
- /z/ — sonora, no /s/: musician /mjuˈzɪʃən/, stairs /ˈstɛɹz/
Cómo practicar con este vídeo
- Escucha el vídeo entero una vez sin hablar y anota las palabras que no conoces.
- Empieza a velocidad 0,75×, haz shadowing frase por frase y vuelve a la velocidad normal cuando te resulte fácil.
- Grábate y compara con el original, prestando atención a palabras como servant, candle, goat.
¿Qué es la Técnica de Shadowing?
Shadowing es una técnica de aprendizaje de idiomas respaldada por la ciencia, desarrollada originalmente para la formación de intérpretes profesionales y popularizada por el políglota Dr. Alexander Arguelles. El método es simple pero poderoso: escuchas audio en inglés nativo y lo repites en voz alta de inmediato, como una sombra que sigue al hablante con solo 1-2 segundos de retraso. A diferencia de la escucha pasiva o los ejercicios de gramática, el shadowing obliga a tu cerebro y músculos de la boca a procesar y reproducir simultáneamente patrones de habla reales. Las investigaciones muestran que mejora significativamente la precisión de la pronunciación, la entonación, el ritmo, el habla conectada, la comprensión auditiva y la fluidez al hablar, convirtiéndola en una de las metodologías más efectivas para la preparación del IELTS Speaking y la comunicación en inglés en el mundo real.