Pratique du Shadowing: The Value of Time, Stop Wasting Time! | Slow English Podcast for Shadowing & Speaking | Beginner - Apprendre l'anglais à l'oral avec la vidéo

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Hello, hello, hello!
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Welcome back to Podcast and Chill.
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I'm Leo.
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And I'm Gwen.
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How are you today, Leo?
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Did you get enough sleep?
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Not really.
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I stayed up too late watching cat videos again.
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Time just disappeared.
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Classic Leo.
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You always say you'll sleep early tomorrow.
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Yeah, that's true.
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Tomorrow is my favorite word, but maybe that's a problem.
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Perfect.
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Because today, we're talking about time.
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But not in the usual way.
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Not like, don't waste your time, or be more productive.
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No. Today we want to talk about the value of time.
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What time really means to us.
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And we're not going to teach rules or give advice.
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Instead, we'll learn through a story, something simple but powerful.
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A story about how waiting too long can change everything.
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So relax, grab your drink, and listen carefully.
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Because today we have a special guest, Jake.
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Jake's here to share his story about time, choices, and what happens when we keep saying, I'll do it later.
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Let's welcome Jake.
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Jake, come and tell us your story.
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Hi everyone, I'm Jake.
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Thank you Leo and Gwen for letting me share my story here.
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The story is called The Lazy Boy.
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It's about a lazy boy who learned a very important lesson about time.
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This story is special to me because I think we can all learn something from it.
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So let me begin.
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There was once a boy who had everything.
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He was smart, had great parents, enough money, and many chances.
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But he had one big problem.
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He always said, later, tomorrow, next time.
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When his mom asked for help, he said, later, mom.
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When his teacher gave him homework, he said, I'll do it tomorrow.
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When his friends asked him to try something new, like football or guitar, he said, Next time.
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At first it looked small, just one time late.
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But soon it became a habit.
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Day after day, his friends learned new skills.
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They got better at school.
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They grew and changed.
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But the boy?
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He stayed the same.
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He didn't move forward.
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He stayed in the same place.
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His parents worried about him.
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His teachers worried about him.
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But he still changed nothing.
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Then something happened.
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The boy failed his test at school again.
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He felt very bad.
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He felt heavy inside.
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He walked around town feeling sad and lost.
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He didn't want to go home.
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He didn't want to see anyone.
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In the park he saw a bench under a big tree.
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He sat down.
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Next to him was a man.
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The man was about 50 years old, tall and thin.
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He was reading a book.
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He looked very kind and calm.
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The man saw that the boy looked sad.
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He closed his book and gave a warm smile.
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The man asked the boy, You look worried, young man.
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What's wrong?
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The boy said, I failed my test again.
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Everyone says I'm lazy.
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They say I wasted my time.
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But I think I'm still young.
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I still have many chances in the future.
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The man listened and was quiet for a moment then said, you're smart.
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I can see that.
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But you have one problem, young man.
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You always wait.
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Let me tell you a story.
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Maybe it will help you understand.
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The man began to tell the boy a story.
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When I was younger, I worked with a man in a company.
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He was very smart and very talented.
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But he had one bad habit.
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He always waited until tomorrow to do things.
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One day, our boss gave us an important project.
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He thought he still had time.
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So he waited.
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We finished our parts first.
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But him, he couldn't finish his part of the work in time.
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After that, people stopped trusting him.
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He lost all his chances to move up in the company.
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In the end, he had to leave the company with nothing.
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The man looked into the boy's eyes and spoke slowly.
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Do you see it?
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Chances don't wait for anyone.
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When a day is gone, it never comes back.
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Doing well and doing badly are different because of this.
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One person uses time smartly and the other person throws it away.
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The man spoke slowly and carefully.
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Every day is a special gift.
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Every morning is a chance to learn, to grow.
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If you miss today, that day is gone forever.
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You're still young.
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You still have your gift.
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But remember this, every day that passes is a closed door.
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It will never open again.
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The man looked at the boy with a warm smile so don't let another door close today.
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The boy sat there quiet.
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He thought about all the times he said, I'll do it tomorrow.
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For the first time he saw it clearly.
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He had thrown away so many chances by waiting.
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From that day the boy changed completely.
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When his mother asked him to help, he did it right away.
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When he got homework, he finished it the same day.
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When he had a chance to learn guitar, he started learning.
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He helped his parents at home.
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He helped younger kids with their homework.
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Step by step, he became a new person.
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He was always on time.
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He was hard working, and people could trust him.
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After a few years, he got better and better.
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His teachers were happy with his work.
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His friends wanted to be like him and his parents were proud of him.
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When people asked him his secret, he always said the same thing.
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Time is the special gift that people have.
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Every minute you waste is like throwing away gold.
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Doing well and doing badly don't come only from talent or luck.
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They come from how you use your time.
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Don't wait for tomorrow.
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Tomorrow might not come.
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The boy never forgot the man's words.
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He carried that lesson with him every day.
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And you know what?
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His whole life changed because he learned how to use time.
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So I want to ask you, the listeners, Do you have something you keep waiting to do?
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Is there something you keep saying, I'll do it tomorrow?
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Maybe today is the day to start.
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Maybe this story can help you just like it helped that boy.
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And that's the end of my story.
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Thank you so much for listening.
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Leo Gwynn, back to you.
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Wow, Jake, that was a really good story.
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Thank you so much, Jake.
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I think many people needed to hear that.
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I definitely needed to hear it.
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I saw myself in that story.
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So, let me ask our listeners something.
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What do you think about this story?
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Do you see yourself in it?
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We want to hear from you guys.
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Please leave a comment below and tell us.
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Yeah, we really want to know.
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Because I think this isn't just one person's problem.
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Many people do this.
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You're right.
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It happens a lot.
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I do it too sometimes.
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I think, oh I have time, and then suddenly, I don't have time anymore.
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It's scary if you think about it.
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I remember I wanted to take an online class for a long, long time.
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It was about video editing, and I always said to myself, I will do it next month.
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Now I am too busy.
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Guess what happened?
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You forgot about it?
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Kind of.
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My friend took that online class first and one year later, he started making money with his new skill.
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And I finally joined the class, but I was one year late.
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That was like… a door that I almost missed.
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Whoa!
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You really did almost miss it?
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For For me it was about my family.
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I always thought.
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I will call my grandfather this weekend.
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He is always at home.
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But then I was busy with work and life.
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Then one day my grandfather was in the hospital.
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I was so scared.
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I went to see him, but he was too tired to speak.
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Oh, Gwen, I didn't know.
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I realized I wasted all those weekends I could have heard his stories.
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He is better now, so I try to call him every week.
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That's a really good thing, Gwen.
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It's a simple thing, but it means so much.
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Yes, it does.
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I learned the hard way that later is not a promise.
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Sometimes later becomes never.
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I mean, that must have been so difficult to realize.
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It was.
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Time is the most important thing we have.
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When it's gone, it's gone forever.
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We can't get it back.
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If we lose money, we can make more money.
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If we lose a thing, we can buy a new thing.
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But time, once it's gone, it never comes back.
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And I think the biggest mistake people make is they think they have a lot of time.
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I'm still young.
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I can do it next year.
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I have my whole life.
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You know, that kind of thing.
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The boy in the story thought the same thing.
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He was young.
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He thought he had time.
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And look what happened.
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He almost lost everything.
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He was lucky that he met that old man who opened his eyes.
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Yeah, but not everyone meets a person like him.
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Some people learn this lesson too late.
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So what should we do?
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How can we stop wasting time?
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I think the first step is to understand that time is important.
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It's not just something that goes by.
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Every hour, every day matters.
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Hmm, the old man did say, every day is a special gift.
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And when you think of time as a special gift, you don't want to throw it away, right?
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Obviously, no. Who wants to throw away a special gift?
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Uh-huh.
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And the important message isn't just don't throw away your time.
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It's more than that.
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The key is to understand that time is important.
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I want you to think of it like money.
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If you have $100, you don't just throw it in the trash.
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You spend it carefully.
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Time is the same.
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Okay, I get the money idea.
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But how do we really start to see time as important, not just know it in our heads?
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That's a great question.
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Don't throw away time sounds like a rule, like someone Someone is telling you what to do.
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And you hate being told what to do, am I right? Who doesn't?
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Right.
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But understand that time is important is different.
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It means you see your own importance.
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Ooh, it's like when you really understand something is important, you take care of it without thinking.
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Yes.
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You don't need someone to tell you.
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You do it because you know it matters.
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So how do we use time well then?
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Use it for learning.
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Use it for working on yourself.
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Use it for doing things that help you grow.
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Don't let it go by for nothing.
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And I think the story shows us something else too.
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The boy thought he was just leaving small things for later.
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A little homework here, A little help there, but small things become big things.
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One day turns into one week.
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One week turns into one month.
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Before you know it, a whole year is gone.
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And the doors close.
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The chances go away, like the man's friend at the company.
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He lost people's trust, lost his chances to move up, and finally had to leave.
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That's just so sad.
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And it all started with just, I'll do it tomorrow.
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But hey, it's never too late to change.
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The boy in the story changed.
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He started doing things right away, and his whole life got better.
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And all because he learned one simple lesson, don't wait.
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So let me ask our listeners again, what are you waiting for?
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What do you keep saying, I'll do it later.
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Is it learning something new?
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Starting a project?
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Talking to someone important?
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Helping your family?
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Whatever it is, maybe today is the day to start, not tomorrow, today.
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Because tomorrow isn't here yet, but today is here, right now, in this moment.
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And that's really the heart of our talk today.
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So, let's take a moment and look back at what we learned.
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We learned about waiting too long and what happens when we do it many times.
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We heard a story about a lazy boy who learned to use time well.
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The big message here is that time is like gold.
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Each day is a chance.
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If you lose it, it will not come back.
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So what can our listeners do?
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Think.
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Just think about what you wait to do.
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Think about what you keep for later.
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And then make a decision.
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Start today.
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Start right now.
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I also want to say something else.
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This podcast isn't just stories and information.
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It also helps you practice listening to English, Learn simple ways to talk about yourself and think about what is really important in life.
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That's true.
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You're learning English and getting life lessons at the same time.
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So, do you guys want us to tell more stories like this?
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Stories with real lessons?
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If you do, please leave a comment and let us know.
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We love hearing from you.
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Your comments help us know what you want to hear.
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Before we finish, I want to leave you with one more thought.
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You know what, Gwen?
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Every time we try to end the episode, you or I suddenly have more to say.
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It's like we don't want to stop and leave our listeners.
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Well, it's true.
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That shows we enjoy being here with them.
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Haha, okay, you're right.
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So, what do you want to share now, Gwen?
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What I am trying to say is, the best time to start was yesterday.
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But the second best time is right now.
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The right time to start was in the past.
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But if you missed that, you can still start today.
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Don't wait for the perfect time or perfect day.
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Just do it right now, as soon as you can.
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And of course it doesn't have to be perfect, huh?
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Exactly!
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Your first sentence in English might have a grammar mistake, but that's okay.
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That's still ten times better than a perfect sentence
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that only stays in your head and never comes out into the real world.
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Haha, you guys heard what Gwen said.
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Just do it.
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Well, thank you so much for listening today, everyone.
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We are very happy you spent your time with us.
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And yes, we know time is very special, but thank you for listening to us.
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So take care of yourselves and use your time well.
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We all don't want to lose the days we have.
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This is Podcast and Chill.
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I'm Leo.
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And I'm Gwen.
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Until next time, remember every moment is a special gift.
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Don't waste it.
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We will see you in the next episode.
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Peace out.
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you

Context & Background

In the podcast episode titled "The Value of Time, Stop Wasting Time!", hosts Leo and Gwen engage in a light-hearted yet profound dialogue about the significance of time in our lives. Through a conversational style, they introduce Jake, a guest sharing an insightful story that revolves around the theme of procrastination and its consequences. Leo's humorous struggle with time management resonates with many English learners, making this an engaging lesson. By listening to personal narratives, learners can absorb language in context, which enhances their ability to use English in daily conversations.

Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication

  • “I'll do it later.” - A common phrase indicating procrastination.
  • “Can you help me?” - A polite request for assistance.
  • “Tomorrow is my favorite word.” - A playful way to express the tendency to delay tasks.
  • “Next time.” - Used to express deferral or postponement of participation.
  • “Relax, grab your drink.” - Encouraging someone to take it easy and enjoy the moment.

Step-by-step Shadowing Guide

Shadowing is a method that helps English learners improve their speaking skills and pronunciation through imitation. Follow this step-by-step guide to effectively shadow the podcast episode:

  1. Listen Actively: Begin by listening to the entire podcast episode without interruption. Focus on the overall message and tone. This initial listening will help you grasp the context and flow of the conversation.
  2. Identify Key Phrases: As you listen, jot down the top phrases provided above. These will serve as building blocks for your practice and will enhance your vocabulary.
  3. Pause and Repeat: Play the podcast in small segments. After each sentence or phrase, pause and repeat what you hear. Pay close attention to intonation and rhythm, so you can improve your English pronunciation.
  4. Imitate Emotions: Notice the emotions and expressions of the speakers, especially during Jake's story. Use these cues to make your own imitation more dynamic and engaging, as tone is crucial in effective communication.
  5. Practice Regularly: Incorporate this shadowing exercise into your daily routine. Consistent practice will gradually help you gain confidence in your speaking abilities and broaden your emotional range while communicating.

Utilize this shadowing site for more practice materials to further enhance your English skills. By engaging in these exercises, you'll improve both your spoken English and understanding of different contexts. Remember, the journey to fluency is a marathon, not a sprint, so keep practicing and challenging yourself!

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.