Shadowing Practice: Rowena Akinyemi Love or Money 3 - Learn English Speaking with Video

Les maken...
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Chapter 3 Early next morning, the house was quiet.
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Suddenly, there was a cry from the room next to Roger's, his mother's room.
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Roger opened his eyes and looked at the clock.
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It was nearly seven o'clock.
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He got out of bed and opened the door quietly.
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At the same time, the door of his mother's room opened, and Diane came out.
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Her face was very white.
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Roger!
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It's mother!
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I brought a cup of coffee for her, and I found her dead.
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She's dead.
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Dead in her bed, she cried.
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Roger went quickly to the door of his mother's room and looked in.
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The window was open, but the room was warm.
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Molly was on the bed, one hand under her head.
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Roger went across to the bed and put his hand on her arm.
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It was cold.
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On the little table, next to the bed, was a hot cup of coffee and an empty cup.
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I'm going to call the doctor, Diane said.
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She's dead, Roger said slowly.
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His face, too, was white.
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Mother is dead.
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Diane walked across the room to the door.
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I'm going to phone the doctor, she said again.
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Wait a minute, Roger called.
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Let's tell the family first.
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Family?
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Nobody loved Mother.
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Diane went out and ran downstairs.
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Roger slowly went downstairs after her and stood by the telephone.
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Dr Pratt, this is Diane Clarkson.
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It's my mother.
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She's dead.
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Can you come quickly?
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Diane put the phone down.
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It isn't true, Roger.
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Mother dead.
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Daddy died last winter.
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And now Mother...
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Diane began to cry.
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Don't cry, Diane, Roger said.
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Let's go upstairs and tell Uncle Albert and Jackie.
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No!
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You tell them!
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Nobody loved Mother.
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You aren't sorry.
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Look at you.
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You want her money, That's all.
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Roger suddenly wanted to hit Diane.
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Be quiet, he said.
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What about you?
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You didn't love Mother.
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You wanted her money too.
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Don't forget that.
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It's true, Diane said.
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Oh, I can't stay in this house.
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I'm going out.
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I'm going to the river with the dogs.
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No, Roger said.
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The doctor's coming, and I want you here.
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Diane said nothing.
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She went into the kitchen.
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And at once, the dogs got up and came to her.
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Beautiful dogs.
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Daddy loved you. And Mother loved you.
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Now I'm going to love you.
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She opened the back door and went out with the dogs.
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Roger did not move.
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He stood by the telephone.
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It's true, he thought.
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I am happy about the money.
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I needed money.
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And now I'm rich.
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Things are going to be easier for me now.
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But, Mother, why didn't I love her more?
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And now she's dead." Slowly Roger went back upstairs.
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He wanted to dress before Dr Pratt arrived.
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Dr Pratt was a little fat man without much hair.
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He was the family doctor, and he knew all the Clarkson family very well.
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He went upstairs at once and looked at Molly's body.
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He looked carefully at the cup of coffee, and the empty cup on the table next to her bed.
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"'I'm sorry, Roger,' he said.
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"'Where is Diane?' She phoned me." "'She went out with the dogs,' Roger said.
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He was angry with me.
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Angry with everyone.
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Dr Pratt said nothing for a minute.
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This is going to be very difficult.
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I'm going to phone the police, Roger.
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Police?
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Why?
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What's wrong?
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I don't know.
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Your mother wasn't ill.
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I saw her on Thursday, and she was very well.
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Why did she die?
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I don't understand.
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I want to find out." Roger went across to the window and looked out at the garden.
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It was a beautiful summer morning.
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The sky was blue and the garden was green.
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It was all very quiet.
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His mother loved this garden.
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But Tom Briggs wanted the garden.
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And Roger wanted the garden, too.
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Roger felt worse and worse.
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Your mother took sleeping tablets, Dr Pratt said.
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Did you know?
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On Thursday, she had a new bottle of tablets.
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But I can't find it here in her room.
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I didn't know, Roger said.
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Very well.
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Let's go downstairs.
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And you can phone the police.
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Roger went into the kitchen and made some coffee.
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Just then, Diane came in with the dogs.
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Roger, she said.
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Look, I'm sorry.
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I was angry, and said some angry things." "'It doesn't matter,' Roger said.
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"'Here you are.
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Have some coffee.' Dr. Pratt is phoning the police.
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Did you know Mother took sleeping tablets?
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Well, the bottle is not in her room.
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What?
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I don't understand.
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Diane took the coffee and began to drink.
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Her eyes looked big and dark.
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Just then, Dr Pratt came into the kitchen.
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They're coming at once, he said.
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Diane, I'm sorry about your mother.
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Dr Pratt, I want to tell you about last night.
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Everyone was very angry.
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Be quiet, Roger said quickly.
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Diane never thinks before she opens her mouth, he thought angrily.
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Diane did not look at Roger.
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Last night, Mother went to bed early, because everyone...
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Don't tell me, Dr. Pratt said.
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You can tell the police.
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Roger's face went red.
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Suddenly he felt afraid.
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The police are going to talk to everyone, and ask questions, he thought.
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And they're going to want answers.
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It's going to be very difficult.
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He finished his coffee and stood up.
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"'I'm going upstairs,' he said.
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"'I'm going to tell Uncle Albert and Jackie about Mother.
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"'And about the police.'" Thank you.
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Thank you.

Who Will Benefit from This Video?

This video is perfect for intermediate English learners ready to practice real-life dialogue and build confidence in storytelling. Whether you’re prepping for IELTS speaking practice or simply want to sound more natural in conversations, the emotional, conversational tone of the scene makes it ideal. The slow, clear delivery helps you focus on pacing and expression—key skills for anyone using the shadowing technique to improve fluency.

Words & Idioms to Add to Your Toolkit

The dialogue is full of everyday phrases that feel authentic. Here are a few to master:

  • "Dead in her bed": A direct, emotional way to describe someone passing away in their sleep. Great for storytelling.
  • "Slowly went downstairs": The adverb "slowly" adds weight to the action—use it to show shock or sadness.
  • "Wanted to hit": A strong, relatable expression of frustration (though we don’t recommend the action!).
These phrases aren’t just words—they’re tools to make your speech sound human.

Nailing the Pronunciation: Tips for Shadowing

To get the accent right, focus on the speaker’s intonation during emotional moments. Notice how "She's dead" is spoken slowly, with a drop in pitch, to show shock. When Diane says "Nobody loved Mother," her voice rises slightly, highlighting her anger. Use the shadowspeaks method: pause the video, repeat the line, and match the speed and tone. Pay attention to short, sharp words like "Wait a minute"—they’re spoken quickly, so practice clipping the "t" in "wait" to sound natural. For improve english pronunciation, mimic the pauses between sentences. Roger’s "Mother is dead" has a long pause afterward—this silence speaks louder than words. Shadowing this scene will train your mouth to move like a native, making your speech flow smoothly even when you’re emotional.

Remember, the goal isn’t to copy perfectly—it’s to feel the language. This video is your chance to practice speaking with heart, and that’s what will make you stand out.

Wat is de Shadowing-techniek?

Shadowing is een wetenschappelijk onderbouwde taalleermethode die oorspronkelijk is ontwikkeld voor professionele tolkentraining en gepopulariseerd door polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. De methode is eenvoudig maar krachtig: je luistert naar native Engelse audio en herhaalt het onmiddellijk hardop — als een schaduw die de spreker volgt met slechts 1–2 seconden vertraging. In tegenstelling tot passief luisteren of grammaticadrills, dwingt shadowing je hersenen en mondspieren om echte spraakpatronen tegelijkertijd te verwerken en te reproduceren. Onderzoek toont aan dat het de uitspraaknauwkeurigheid, intonatie, ritme, verbonden spraak, luisterbegrip en spreekvaardigheid aanzienlijk verbetert — waardoor het een van de meest effectieve methoden is voor IELTS Speaking-voorbereiding en echte Engelse communicatie.

Shadowing-techniek: lees de volledige stap-voor-stap-gids →