Pratique du Shadowing: The Egg - A Short Story - Apprendre l'anglais à l'oral avec la vidéo

Création de la leçon...
1
You were on your way home when you died.
2
It was a car accident.
3
Nothing particularly remarkable, but fatal nonetheless.
4
It was a painless death.
5
The medics tried their best to save you, but to no avail.
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Your body was so utterly shattered, you were better off, trust me.
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And that's when you met me.
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What happened?
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Where am I?
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You died, I said, matter-of-factly.
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No point in mincing words.
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There was.. there was a truck, and it was skidding.
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Yes.
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I...
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I died.
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Yes.
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But don't feel bad about it.
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Everyone dies.
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You looked around.
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There was nothingness.
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Just you and me what is this place is this the afterlife more or less are you god yes i'm god
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my kids my wife what about them will they be all right that's what i like to see i said
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You just died and your main concern is for your family.
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That's good stuff right there.
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You looked at me with fascination.
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To you, I didn't look like God.
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I just looked like some man or possibly a woman.
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Some vague authority figure maybe.
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Don't worry, I said.
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They'll be fine.
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Your kids will remember you as perfect in every way.
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They didn't have time to grow contemptuous of you.
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Your wife will cry on the outside, but will be secretly relieved.
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To be fair, your marriage was falling apart.
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If it's any consolation, she'll feel very guilty for feeling relieved.
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Oh, so what happens now?
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Do I go to heaven or hell or something?
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Neither.
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You'll be reincarnated.
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Ah!
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So the Hindus were right.
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All religions are right in their own way.
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Walk with me.
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You followed along as we strode through the void. Where are we going?
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Nowhere in particular.
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It's just nice to walk while we talk.
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So, what's the point then?
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When I get reborn, I'll just be a blank slate, right?
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A baby.
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So, all my experiences and everything, everything I did in this life, won't matter.
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Not so.
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You have within you all the knowledge and experiences of all your past lives.
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You just don't remember them right now.
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I stopped walking and took you by the shoulders.
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Your soul is more magnificent, beautiful and gigantic than you can possibly imagine.
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A human mind can only contain a tiny fraction of what you are.
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It's like sticking your finger in a glass of water to see if it's hot or cold.
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You put a tiny part of yourself into the vessel, and when you bring it back out, you've gained all the experiences it had.
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You've been in a human for the last 48 years, so you haven't stretched out yet and felt the rest of your immense consciousness.
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If we hung out here for long enough, you'd start remembering everything.
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But there's no point to doing that between each life.
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How many times have I been reincarnated then?
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Oh, lots.
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Lots and lots.
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And into lots of different lives.
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This time around you'll be a Chinese peasant girl in 540 AD.
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Wait, what?
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You're sending me back in time?
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Well, I guess technically.
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Time as you know it only exists in your universe.
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Things are different where I come from.
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Where.. where you come from?
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Oh sure, I come from somewhere, somewhere else, and there are others like me.
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I know you'll want to know what it's like there, but honestly, you wouldn't understand.
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Oh, you said, a little let down.
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But wait, if I get reincarnated to other places in time, I could have interacted with myself at some point.
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Sure, happens all the time.
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And with both lives only aware of their own lifespan, you don't even know it's happening.
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So, what's the point of it all?
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I looked you in the eye.
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The meaning of life, the reason I made this whole universe, is for you to mature.
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You mean mankind?
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You want us to mature?
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No, just you.
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I made this whole universe for you.
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With each new life, you grow and mature and become a larger and greater intellect.
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Just me?
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What about everyone else?
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There is no one else.
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In this universe, there's just you and me.
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You stared blankly at me.
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But all the people on Earth?
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All you, different incarnations of you of you.
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Wait, I'm everyone.
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Now you're getting it.
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I'm every human being who ever lived.
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Or who will ever live, yes.
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I'm Abraham Lincoln.
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And you're John Wilkes Booth too.
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I'm Hitler, you said, appalled.
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And you're the millions he killed.
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I'm Jesus.
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And you're everyone who followed him.
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You fell silent.
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Every time you victimized someone, you were victimizing yourself.
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Every act of kindness you've done, you've done to yourself.
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Every happy and sad moment ever experienced by any human was or will be experienced by you.
108
You thought for a long time.
109
Why?
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Why do all this?
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Because someday you will become like me.
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Because that's what you are.
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You're one of my kind.
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You're my child.
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Wow, you said incredulous.
116
You mean, I'm a god?
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No, not yet.
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You're a fetus.
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You're still growing.
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Once you've lived every human life throughout all time, you will have grown enough to be born.
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So the whole universe, it's just...
122
an egg, I answered.
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Now it's time for you to move on to your next life.
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And I sent you on your way.
125
Thank you.
126
Thank you.

Why practice speaking with this video?

Engaging with the short story titled "The Egg" offers English learners a unique opportunity to enhance their speaking skills through a captivating narrative. This video immerses you in a conversation surrounding profound themes such as life, death, and rebirth, all of which enrich vocabulary and foster critical thinking. By practicing shadow speak techniques, you can mimic the natural flow of dialogue, enhancing your fluency and comprehension.

Moreover, the narrative invites learners to adopt different perspectives as they interact with existential questions that resonate on a personal level. Such relatable material not only makes the practice enjoyable but also encourages more authentic expressions when you speak. Emphasizing the contexts in which these dialogues occur helps solidify your learning, allowing you to utilize these expressions in everyday conversations.

Grammar & Expressions in Context

The dialogue in the video contains several key grammatical structures and expressions that are pivotal for English learners:

  • Conditional Sentences: Phrases such as "If it's any consolation" showcase the conditional form, which is vital in everyday conversation. This structure allows you to express hypothetical situations, further diversifying your speaking ability.
  • Direct Questions: The speaker frequently employs questions like "What happened?" and "Where are we going?" This structure enhances the interactive nature of dialogue, helping learners generate inquiries in their conversations.
  • Use of Present Perfect: Sentences like "Your kids will remember you as perfect" indicate the future in the present context. Understanding how to transition between different tenses effectively will greatly benefit your speaking confidence.

Utilizing these structures in practice not only aids in comprehension but also in building a robust vocabulary suited for discussions revolving around personal and philosophical topics.

Common Pronunciation Traps

As you refine your speaking skills, pay attention to some pronunciation challenges present in the video. The inherent complexity of certain phrases can lead to common mistakes:

  • Words like "utmost" and "vague": These can often be mispronounced due to their syllable structures. Practicing them in context can ensure clarity and understanding.
  • The phrase "it's just nice to walk while we talk": The rhythm and connected speech here can be tricky. Focus on blending these words smoothly to achieve a more natural tone when you speak.
  • Intonation on questions: Observing the rise and fall in tone during inquiries will help you master the emotional undertone of your questions, making you sound more engaging.

Active practice of these pronunciation aspects through shadowspeak can significantly improve your spoken English, making you sound both confident and fluent.

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.