Shadowing Practice: The Nine O'Clock Clock | A Sherlock Holmes Mystery - Learn English Speaking with Video
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It was a bright morning in April.
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Sherlock Holmes was cleaning his violin carefully.
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I was reading the newspaper quietly.
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Baker Street was busy outside.
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Mrs. Hudson knocked and opened the door.
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A young lady wishes to see you, she said.
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A tall young woman entered nervously.
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She wore a traveling coat.
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Her eyes looked tired and worried.
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Please forgive me for coming so early, she said.
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My name is Sophie Whitmore.
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I need your help urgently.
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Sit down, Miss Whitmore, said Holmes kindly.
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Tell us what troubles you.
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Sophie sat down and folded her hands.
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It concerns my great aunt, Agatha Whitmore, she explained.
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She lives at Greystone Manor in the countryside.
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Every evening at exactly nine o'clock, she becomes terribly ill.
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Ill in what way? questioned Holmes.
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She grows dizzy, said Sophie.
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Her hands shake badly.
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Sometimes she nearly faints.
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It always happens at the same hour, without fail.
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How long has this continued? asked Holmes.
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Six weeks now, replied Sophie.
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Our family doctor cannot explain it.
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He has examined her thoroughly but finds nothing wrong physically.
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Has she lost weight recently, asked Holmes, or noticed other changes besides the dizziness?
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She has grown weaker generally, admitted Sophie.
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She sleeps poorly and eats very little these days.
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I fear she grows frailer with each passing week.
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Does this illness ever happen elsewhere? questioned Holmes.
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Sophie shook her head slowly.
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Never, she said.
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Last month, she visited friends in Bath.
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She felt perfectly well the entire week.
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The moment she returned home, the illness began again that same evening.
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Holmes leaned forward with interest.
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So the illness belongs to the house itself, he murmured, or to something within it.
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Who lives at Greystone Manor with your aunt?
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My cousin Charles lives there, said Sophie.
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He manages her money and her affairs.
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There is also
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Nurse Ellen Price, who cares for my aunt daily, and of course the regular household servants.
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And who stands to inherit your aunt's fortune? asked Holmes directly.
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Sophie hesitated before answering.
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Charles would receive most of it, she admitted.
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I would receive very little.
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But Mr. Holmes, I do not accuse him of anything.
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I only want my aunt to get well again.
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Naturally, said Holmes gently.
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Tell me about the evenings themselves.
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What happens exactly before the illness begins?
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Nurse Price brings her evening tea at a quarter to nine, explained Sophie.
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My aunt drinks it slowly while reading.
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The clock in her room chimes at nine o'clock precisely.
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Almost immediately afterward, the illness begins.
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Interesting, said Holmes.
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And this clock?
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Has it always been there?
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No, said Sophie.
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Charles gave it to her as a gift.
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It arrived about two months ago, shortly before the illness started.
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Holmes stood and walked toward the window.
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Miss Whitmore, he said finally, Watson and I will travel to Greystone Manor today.
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This case interests me greatly.
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Sophie looked relieved immediately.
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Thank you, Mr. Holmes, she said.
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I was afraid nobody would believe me.
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We arrived at Greystone Manor by early afternoon.
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It was a grand stone house, surrounded by quiet gardens.
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A thin, nervous woman met us at the door.
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I am Nurse Ellen Price, she said.
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Miss Sophie told me you were coming.
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We would like to see Mrs. Whitmore, said Holmes politely, and speak with Dr. Mitchell, if possible.
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The doctor is here now, said Nurse Price.
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He visits every afternoon to check on her condition.
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We found Dr. Mitchell examining Mrs. Whitmore in the sitting room.
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She was a frail, elderly woman with gentle eyes.
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She looked exhausted despite the early hour.
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Mr. Holmes, said Dr. Mitchell, shaking hands firmly.
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I confess this case puzzles me completely.
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I have tested her blood.
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I have examined her heart.
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Everything appears normal, yet every evening she suffers terribly.
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Describe her symptoms precisely," said Holmes.
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Dizziness first, explained Dr. Mitchell.
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Then her hands begin trembling.
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Her heartbeat becomes rapid and irregular.
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The symptoms last roughly one hour, then disappear completely until the following evening.
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Does anything relieve her suffering? asked Holmes.
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Rest helps somewhat, said the doctor, but nothing cures it entirely.
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I am genuinely worried for her health.
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Have you considered poison as a possible cause? asked Holmes directly.
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Dr. Mitchell looked startled by the question.
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I had wondered privately, he admitted, but I found no evidence supporting such a theory.
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Her food seemed perfectly ordinary, and nobody showed any obvious motive.
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Motive is not always obvious at first glance, said Holmes thoughtfully.
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Sometimes it hides behind kindness and careful patience.
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Holmes turned toward Mrs. Whitmore herself.
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Mrs. Whitmore, may I ask you some questions?
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Of course, she said weakly, though I fear I cannot explain this mystery myself.
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Does the illness feel like anything specific? asked Holmes.
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A particular taste, perhaps, or a strange smell?
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Mrs. Whitmore thought carefully.
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There is a bitter taste sometimes, she admitted.
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I assumed it came from my evening tea.
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Holmes glanced quickly at Watson.
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Who prepares your tea each evening?
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He questioned.
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Nurse Price prepares it, said Mrs. Whitmore.
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She has cared for me faithfully for three years now.
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And your clock, said Holmes, the one your nephew gave you.
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May we see it?
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Mrs. Whitmore pointed toward her bedroom.
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It stands beside my bed, she said.
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Charles chose it himself.
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He said the chiming sound would comfort me.
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Holmes examined the bedroom carefully.
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A tall wooden clock stood near the bed.
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Its chimes were elegant, but somehow unusual looking.
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This clock is remarkably heavy, said Holmes, running his hand along its base.
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Watson, notice this small door at the bottom.
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I looked closely and saw a tiny hidden panel.
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Holmes opened it carefully, revealing a small glass container inside.
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What is that?
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I asked, surprised.
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A reservoir, said Holmes thoughtfully, connected somehow to the chiming mechanism.
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I suspect this clock does more than simply tell time.
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We walked downstairs toward the kitchen.
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Nurse Price was preparing the evening tea tray carefully.
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Miss Price, said Holmes, might I examine your teapot?
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She hesitated nervously before handing it over.
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Holmes smelled the inside slowly, then examined the leaves remaining.
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There is a faint bitter odor here, he remarked.
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Watson, would you agree?
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I smelled it carefully.
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Yes, I said, slightly unusual, though not obviously dangerous.
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Nurse Price's face had gone quite pale.
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I only prepare the tea as instructed, she said quickly.
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I had nothing unusual myself.
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Instructed by whom? questioned Holmes sharply.
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She looked away, saying nothing.
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Her hands were shaking visibly now.
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At that moment, Charles Whitmore entered the kitchen.
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He was a well-dressed man with cold, careful eyes.
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Mr. Holmes, he said smoothly, I understand you are investigating my aunt's illness.
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I do hope you find an answer soon.
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Her suffering distresses our entire family.
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I believe I am close to an answer, said Holmes evenly.
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Tell me, Mr. Whitmore, where did you purchase that unusual clock?
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Charles blinked, momentarily surprised.
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A shop in London, he said.
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Why does this matter?
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Clocks rarely contain hidden compartments, said Holmes, unless specially made for a particular purpose.
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Charles' smile faltered slightly.
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I am not sure what you mean, he said carefully.
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Perhaps you understand perfectly well, replied Holmes.
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We shall discuss this further this evening once the household has gathered.
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Before confronting anyone further, Holmes wished to learn more.
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Watson, he said, we must visit London briefly.
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That clock was not built by an ordinary craftsman.
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We took the afternoon train back toward the city.
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Holmes carried a small note, copied from a maker's mark hidden beneath the clock's base.
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The mark led us to a narrow workshop near Clerkenwell.
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An elderly clockmaker greeted us, surrounded by gears and half-finished timepieces.
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I remember that clock well, he said, examining Holmes's description.
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A gentleman ordered it specially, two months ago.
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Can you describe him? asked Holmes.
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Tall, well-dressed, rather impatient, replied the clockmaker.
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He requested an unusual addition, a small hidden reservoir, connected to the chiming mechanism.
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Did he explain the purpose? questioned Holmes.
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He claimed it was for medicine, said the clockmaker.
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He said his aunt forgot her evening dose.
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The clock would release it automatically, so nothing could be missed.
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It seemed a kind idea at the time.
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Did he sign any papers for this order? asked Holmes.
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The clockmaker searched through an old ledger.
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Yes, here, he said, pointing to a signature.
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Charles Whitmore.
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He paid in full and collected it personally.
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Holmes studied the signature carefully, comparing it silently with something in his notebook.
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This confirms my suspicions entirely, he said quietly.
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Is something wrong? asked the clockmaker, suddenly concerned.
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That clock was not used for medicine, I am afraid, said Holmes gravely.
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It was used to poison an innocent woman, slowly and deliberately.
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The old man's face grew pale with shock.
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I built it in good faith, he said.
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I never imagined such a purpose.
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You are not responsible, said Holmes kindly.
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You built exactly what was requested.
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The guilt belongs entirely to the man who ordered it.
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We thanked the clockmaker for his honesty, and returned immediately to Greystone Manor.
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Holmes now possessed everything required—physical evidence,
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a clear motive, and proof of deliberate planning stretching back two full months.
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This was no sudden impulse, Holmes remarked on the train.
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planned this carefully, long before the first symptom appeared.
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A patient kind of cruelty, I said quietly.
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The worst kind, agreed Holmes.
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Now, Watson, we finish what we started.
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That evening, Holmes gathered everyone in the sitting room.
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Mrs. Whitmore's sack wrapped warmly in blankets.
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Dr. Mitchell stood nearby, watching carefully.
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I believe I understand this mystery now," began Holmes.
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Mrs. Whitmore's illness is not natural.
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Someone has been poisoning her slowly.
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Timed precisely to that clock, Mrs. Whitmore gasped softly.
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Poisoned? By whom?
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Holmes turned toward
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Nurse Price gently.
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Miss Price, I believe you know the truth, he said.
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Will you tell us honestly?" Nurse Price began crying quietly.
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I never wanted to harm her, she said.
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She has always been kind to me.
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Then why? asked Sophie, stepping forward anxiously.
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Charles discovered something about my past, admitted Nurse Price.
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My nursing certificate was forged years ago.
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I never completed proper training.
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He threatened to expose me publicly unless I helped him.
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Helped him how? questioned Holmes firmly.
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He gave me a special powder, she continued weeping.
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He told me to add a small amount to her tea each evening.
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He said it would only make her weak, nothing more serious.
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The clock released it automatically when it chimed, so I would not need to measure anything myself.
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Why did he want her weakened? asked Dr. Mitchell, horrified.
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He needed money quickly, explained Nurse Price.
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He hoped her illness would convince her to change her will sooner, giving him full control immediately.
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He feared she might live for many more years otherwise.
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Charles stood suddenly, his face furious.
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This is ridiculous, he said.
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Nobody can prove such accusations.
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Actually, we can, said Holmes calmly.
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The glass container inside your clock still holds traces of the powder.
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Dr. Mitchell contested immediately, and Miss Price has just confessed everything in front of witnesses.
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Charles looked around desperately, searching for an escape.
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Two police constables entered the room, having waited quietly outside.
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Charles Whitmore, said the inspector firmly, you are under arrest for deliberately poisoning your aunt.
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Charles said nothing further.
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The constables led him away without resistance.
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Mrs. Whitmore reached toward
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Nurse Price's hand gently.
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You were frightened, she said softly.
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I understand that fear completely.
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I am deeply sorry, wept Nurse Price.
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I should have come to you immediately instead.
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You will not face prison, said Holmes kindly.
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You acted under terrible pressure, and you confessed honestly today.
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I believe the court will consider this carefully.
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Mitchell examined the clock's hidden container thoroughly.
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This confirms everything, he said.
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A carefully measured dose, released nightly through this small mechanism.
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Quite ingenious, in a horrible way.
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How did you first suspect the clock itself?
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I asked Holmes curiously.
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Several details seemed significant, explained Holmes.
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The illness began exactly when the clock arrived.
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It occurred only within this house, never elsewhere.
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And it started precisely when the clock chimed each evening.
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Objects rarely cause illness through coincidence alone.
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But why did you suspect
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Nurse Price specifically? asked Sophie.
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I did not initially, admitted Holmes, but someone needed access to both the tea and clock daily.
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Few people in this household had that particular opportunity.
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Her nervousness only confirmed my growing suspicion.
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And the clockmaker's evidence settled the matter completely, I added.
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Without that signature, Charles might have denied everything successfully.
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Quite true, Watson, agreed Holmes.
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Confession alone can sometimes be withdrawn later.
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Written proof, however, remains considerably harder to escape.
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Mrs. Whitmore looked towards Sophie with grateful eyes.
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You saved my life, my dear, she said.
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I shall never forget your courage in seeking help.
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Sophie smiled through tears.
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I only wish to protect you, Aunt Agatha, she said.
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I could not bear watching you suffer silently.
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Over the following weeks, Mrs. Whitmore's health steadily improved.
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Without the nightly poison, her strength gradually returned.
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Dr. Mitchell visited less frequently, satisfied with her genuine recovery.
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Holmes and I visited once more before returning to London.
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We found Mrs. Whitmore sitting comfortably in her garden, reading peacefully in the sunshine.
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Mr. Holmes, she said warmly, I owe you my life entirely.
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How can I possibly repay such a debt?
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Your recovery is reward enough,
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said Holmes modestly, though I confess this case taught me something valuable about patience and careful observation.
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What will become of that terrible clock? she asked.
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The police have kept it as evidence, said Holmes, though I suspect you will prefer an ordinary clock from now onward.
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Mrs. Whitmore laughed softly, the first genuine laughter we had heard from her.
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Indeed I shall, she said, a simple clock with no hidden secrets inside.
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And Nurse Price, I asked gently, what has become of her?
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She remains here, caring for me still, said Mrs. Whitmore.
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I could not bring myself to dismiss her.
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She made a terrible mistake, but her fear was genuine, and her regret seems honest.
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A wise decision, said Holmes approvingly.
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Punishment rarely heals anything by itself, understanding sometimes accomplishes considerably more.
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As our carriage departed Greystone Manor, I turned toward Holmes thoughtfully.
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A clever method, I remarked, poisoning someone through their own bedroom clock.
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Clever, yet ultimately careless, said Holmes.
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Charles trusted a frightened woman to keep his terrible secret forever.
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Fear makes people obedient, Watson, but rarely makes them loyal.
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Eventually, frightened people seek help, just as Sophie did.
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I nodded thoughtfully, watching the countryside pass beyond our window.
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Another mystery had been solved, not through searching for stolen treasure, but through understanding the quiet suffering hidden within an ordinary house.
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Vocabulario y notas de pronunciación para esta lección
Esta lección de conversación se basa en el vídeo “The Nine O'Clock Clock”. Las palabras que más se repiten: Holmes, clock, Whitmore, Sophie, Price. Este vídeo tiene 302 frases y 2474 palabras para practicar shadowing. La parte hablada dura 21:04. El hablante mantiene un ritmo constante de unas 117 palabras por minuto, cómodo para el shadowing. Solo el 71 % de las palabras está entre las 3.000 más comunes del inglés, por lo que el vocabulario es exigente.
Vocabulario clave de este vídeo
15 palabras del vídeo que vale la pena aprender, con su pronunciación y significado:
| Palabra | Pronunciación | Significado |
|---|---|---|
| clock sustantivo | /klɑk/ | cuentakilómetros |
| carefully adverbio | /ˈkɛɹf(ə)li/ | cuidadosamente |
| illness sustantivo | /ˈɪl.nəs/ | enfermedad |
| examine verbo | /ɪɡˈzæmɪn/ | examinar, analizar |
| aunt sustantivo | /ɑːnt/ | tía |
| poison sustantivo | /ˈpɔɪ.zən/ | veneno, ponzoña |
| unusual adjetivo | /ʌnˈjuːʒ(u)əl/ | inusual, inusitado |
| quietly adverbio | /ˈkwaɪ.ɪt.li/ | mansamente, despacio |
| ordinary adjetivo | /ˈɔɹdɪnɛɹi/ | ordinario |
| rarely adverbio | /ˈɹɛəɹli/ | rara vez, raramente |
| shake verbo | /ˈʃeɪk/ | agitar, sacudir |
| precisely adverbio | /pɹɪˈsaɪs.li/ | precisamente, a rajatabla |
| gently adverbio | /ˈd͡ʒɛntli/ | mansamente, suavemente |
| confess verbo | /kənˈfɛs/ | confesar |
| household adjetivo | /ˈhaʊshoʊld/ | casero, hogareño |
Phrasal verbs que vas a escuchar
| Palabra | Significado |
|---|---|
| sit down verbo | sentarse |
Frases que vale la pena repetir
Frases cortas y completas del vídeo que puedes reutilizar en la conversación diaria:
- Have you considered poison as a possible cause?
- Whitmore, may I ask you some questions?
- Who prepares your tea each evening?
- Whitmore, where did you purchase that unusual clock?
- How did you first suspect the clock itself?
Gramática en este vídeo
Las estructuras que más usa el hablante, con las palabras exactas del vídeo:
| Estructura | En el vídeo |
|---|---|
| Present perfect have/has + participio pasado — una acción pasada que sigue importando ahora | has examined · Has she lost · has grown |
| Voz pasiva be + participio pasado — importa lo que ocurre, no quién lo hace | was not built · could be missed · was requested |
| Past continuous was/were + -ing — una acción en curso en un momento del pasado | was cleaning · was reading · were coming |
| Posibilidad con “might / may” might/may + verbo — algo posible pero no seguro | might live · might have |
Pronunciación a tener en cuenta
- Los sonidos de “th”: gather /ˈɡæðɚ/, thoroughly /ˈθʌɹ.ə.li/, thin /ˈθɪn/, beneath /bɪˈniːθ/, withdraw /wɪðˈdɹɔ/
- Los sonidos de “sh” y “zh”: unusual /ʌnˈjuːʒ(u)əl/, shake /ˈʃeɪk/, patience /ˈpeɪ̯.ʃəns/, specially /ˈspɛʃəli/, shortly /ˈʃɔɹtli/
- Palabras largas — cuida el acento: unusual /ʌnˈjuːʒ(u)əl/, ordinary /ˈɔɹdɪnɛɹi/, mechanism /ˈmɛk.ə.nɪ.zəm/, deliberately /dɪˈlɪb.(ə.)ɹət.li/, considerably /kənˈsɪdəɹəbli/
Sonidos difíciles para hispanohablantes:
- s + consonante al inicio — sin añadir una “e” delante: specially /ˈspɛʃəli/, steal /stiːl/, stretch /stɹɛt͡ʃ/, steadily /ˈstɛdɪli/
- /v/ — no es /b/: los dientes tocan el labio inferior: motive /ˈmoʊtɪv/, clever /ˈklɛv.ɚ/, reservoir /ˈɹɛz.ə(ɹ).vwɑɹ/, reveal /ɹɪˈviːl/, solve /sɒlv/
- /z/ — sonora, no /s/: examine /ɪɡˈzæmɪn/, poison /ˈpɔɪ.zən/, mechanism /ˈmɛk.ə.nɪ.zəm/, reservoir /ˈɹɛz.ə(ɹ).vwɑɹ/, hesitate /ˈhɛz.ə.teɪt/
Cómo practicar con este vídeo
- Escucha el vídeo entero una vez sin hablar y anota las palabras que no conoces.
- Haz shadowing frase por frase a velocidad normal, repitiendo cada una hasta que tu ritmo coincida con el del hablante.
- Grábate y compara con el original, prestando atención a palabras como clock, carefully, illness.
¿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.