Pratique du Shadowing: STORYFUN 4 - UNIT 7 - THE GREY CLOUD | SHORT ENGLISH STORY FOR KIDS | HARRY TRAN - Apprendre l'anglais à l'oral avec la vidéo

Création de la leçon...
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Students Book, page 52.
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7. The Grey Cloud I was on a long, boring train ride with my aunt.
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I looked out of the window at the rain.
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The countryside looked grey and cold.
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Tell me a story, Aunt Claire, I said.
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One about the rain.
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All right, she said.
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This is the story she told me.
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There was a small cloud in the sky above the apartment where Lily lived.
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Sometimes the cloud got angry because the wind was too strong or because it was alone in the sky.
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When the cloud got really angry, it got slowly bigger and greyer.
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Its grey colour fell onto the roof of Lily's apartment building.
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It also fell into Lily's roof garden, and when Lily went outside to skip, she couldn't see the red and yellow flowers there.
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She could only see grey ones.
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Lily often got angry then too
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Sometimes the cloud wasn't only angry It got really sad
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When the cloud felt really angry and sad It felt worse
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And it cried And its wet rain fell on Lily's windows and balcony
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Lily didn't like being wet She couldn't go outside and dance on the garden table because she didn't like getting her head,
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neck and shoulders wet.
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Lily often got angry and sad then too.
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Sometimes, the cloud wasn't only angry and sad, it often got frightened.
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When the cloud felt frightened, it felt colder.
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Then its snow fell quietly on the ground and rocks, and on the mountains behind Lily's home,
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and water changed to ice.
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Walking in the snow and on the ice was difficult and dangerous.
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Lily often got angry, sad and frightened then too.
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Monday wasn't a good day.
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The cloud was huge and very grey.
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Lily couldn't see any light from the sun.
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She couldn't see her feet on the ground.
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And at night, Lily couldn't see any light from the moon or stars.
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Tuesday and Wednesday were worse.
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Nothing was different.
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On Thursday morning, when Lily got up and saw no light outside again,
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she thought, I've got to do something about this.
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She climbed up the stairs to the roof garden.
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Cloud, Lily called from the top of the roof.
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This is the worst day of my week.
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I love looking at you.
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When you are small and white and when you skip and dance and climb in the wind.
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But why are you huge and so gray now?
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What is the matter?
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The cloud started to cry.
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The wind is strong, and I am weak, and I have no friends, cried the cloud.
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That makes me angry and sad, and I get bigger and grayer.
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I feel worse and worse, and then my rain falls.
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Oh, dear, said Lily.
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And sometimes I get frightened because I have no friends.
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When I feel frightened, I get really cold and my snow falls, added the cloud.
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Well, shall I be your best friend today?
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I know I can make you feel better again,
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stronger too, Lily said to the cloud and started to skip along the roof garden.
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And when you feel happy again, I can be happier too, she said.
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Come on, let's skip.
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Lily took off her coat and started to skip around the grey flowers, and the clouds slowly started to skip around the sun.
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That's better, but more quickly!
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More quickly! laughed Lily.
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Come on, my friend!
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Now let's dance.
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Lily jumped up onto the table, waved her arms around and started to dance.
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And the clouds slowly started to dance in the wind.
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Fantastic, laughed Lily.
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Now come on, are you feeling better or worse?
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Better, said the cloud Great,
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then now let's climb Lily started to climb her favorite rock And the cloud started to climb in the sky Higher,
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higher, Lily called And when the cloud skipped and danced and climbed with Lily,
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its color changed from gray to white and a beautiful rainbow appeared in the sky.
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The cloud was happy again and Lily couldn't stop laughing.
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That's better!
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But it wasn't always like that.
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On some days of the year,
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the clouds rain and snow fell Because it felt angry or sad or frightened again Lily understood that
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We can't always feel happy, Aunt Claire said But skipping,
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dancing and climbing and laughing And playing with really good friends Can always help us feel better again
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Now pick up your bag Here's our station

Context & Background

In "The Grey Cloud," a story shared during a long train ride, we're introduced to Lily and a cloud filled with emotions. The narrative unfolds as Lily's experience with the gloomy weather mirrors her feelings, addressing themes of loneliness, anger, sadness, and the importance of companionship. The dialoguing voice captures not just a child's perspective on nature but also the emotions that come to life through storytelling. This backdrop serves not only to entertain but also to impart valuable lessons on understanding and expressing feelings.

Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication

  • Tell me a story - A simple way to encourage storytelling and engage with others.
  • This is the worst day of my week - An expression that conveys a strong emotional state feeling overwhelmed by circumstances.
  • I love looking at you - A heartfelt compliment, perfect for expressing affection towards something admired.
  • What is the matter? - A common inquiry to show concern, prompting someone to share their feelings or troubles.
  • Sometimes I feel frightened - A phrase that articulates vulnerability and helps in discussing fears.

Step-by-step Shadowing Guide

To effectively utilize the shadows of this story for improving your English pronunciation, follow this step-by-step shadowing technique:

  1. Listen attentively: Start by watching the video several times to familiarize yourself with the story's rhythm and intonation.
  2. Break it down: Focus on short segments of dialogue, such as Lily's exchanges with the cloud. This will make it easier to grasp pronunciation nuances.
  3. Shadow speak: Use a shadowing app or simply repeat after the speaker. Aim to mimic intonation, stress, and emotion as closely as possible. Feel the sadness or joy conveyed through the dialogue.
  4. Record yourself: Audio record your shadow speech while practicing. Playback will help you identify areas to enhance and improve your English pronunciation further.
  5. Engage with the content: Reflect on the meanings behind the phrases and incorporate them into your daily conversations. Practice expressing emotions as Lily does when talking about the cloud.

By diligently applying this shadow speech method, you will find yourself becoming more confident in speaking English. This immersive practice not only supports emotional expression but also enriches your language vocabulary and pronunciation skills, making your learning journey enjoyable and effective.

Qu'est-ce que la technique du Shadowing ?

Le Shadowing est une technique d'apprentissage des langues fondée sur la science, développée à l'origine pour la formation des interprètes professionnels. Le principe est simple mais puissant : vous écoutez de l'anglais natif et le répétez immédiatement à voix haute — comme une ombre suivant le locuteur avec un décalage de 1 à 2 secondes. Les recherches montrent une amélioration significative de la précision de la prononciation, de l'intonation, du rythme, des liaisons, de la compréhension orale et de la fluidité.