Shadowing Practice: 03 | Family and relatives (A2) - Learn English Speaking with Video
Creating lesson...
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I'm Emily.
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And I'm Paul.
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Hi, Emily.
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How are you today?
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Hi, Paul.
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I'm doing great.
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Thank you.
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So happy to be here with you.
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How about you?
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How's your day going?
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I'm fantastic, Emily.
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Really good.
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Excited for our chat today.
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Me too.
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Our topic today is super special, I think.
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It's all about family.
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Oh, I love that.
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Family is so important, right?
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Absolutely.
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All right, Emily.
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Should we about our families?
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Let's do it.
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So, Paul, why is family important to you?
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What does family mean to you?
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Hmm, that's a great question, Emily.
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For me, my family is like my safe place.
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It's where I feel loved, where I can be myself, and where I always feel supported.
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They are always there for me, no matter what.
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That feeling of safety and support is so important.
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For me, my family is my foundation.
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They taught me everything important in life.
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Kindness, hard work, how to laugh.
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They are my first teachers, you know?
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Yes, exactly.
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They teach us so much without even trying sometimes.
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Like little lessons every day.
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they celebrate with me when I'm happy and comfort me when I'm sad.
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It's like having a team always on your side.
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A team.
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That's a perfect word for it.
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My family gives me strength.
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When I have a problem, I can talk to them.
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They listen and they help me think.
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Even if they don't have an answer, just talking helps.
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That's so true.
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Just having someone listen makes a big difference.
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And the memories, Paul.
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So many happy memories with family.
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Oh yes, so many.
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From when I was a small child until now.
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Every holiday, every special day.
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These memories are with my family.
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They are very precious.
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Like, I belong somewhere, always.
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It's a very deep feeling.
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It is, and it's not just about the good times.
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Family also helps you through the difficult times.
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They teach you to be strong.
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Yes, they do.
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They show you how to be resilient.
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My parents always told me to try my best, and even if I fail, to try again.
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That's a family lesson.
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My family taught me the value of being together.
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Like, just spending time.
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Even if we are doing nothing special, just being in the same room is nice.
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Oh, I love that.
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Just being together.
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It's so simple, but so important.
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Family means unconditional love to me.
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They love you for who you are.
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Always.
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It's a comfort.
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It makes you feel very secure in the world.
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So, let's talk about the people in our families.
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Paul, can you tell us about your parents and siblings?
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Sure, I'm happy to.
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My mom, her name is Maria.
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She is… she is very kind and very patient.
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She loves to cook.
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Her food is the best.
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And my dad, his name is Robert.
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He is very funny.
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He always tells jokes and makes us laugh.
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He is also very good at fixing things around the house.
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Aww, that sounds lovely.
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A kind cook and a funny fixer.
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What about siblings?
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Do you have brothers or sisters?
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Yes, I have one sister.
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Her name is Lara.
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She is younger than me.
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Lara is very artistic.
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She loves to draw and paint beautiful pictures.
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kids.
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And still do when we visit.
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That's nice.
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A creative sister.
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And what about your extended family?
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Like aunts, uncles, cousins?
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Oh yes, I have a big extended family.
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My mom has two sisters, so I have two aunts.
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And my dad has one brother, so one uncle.
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And many cousins.
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and a lot of noise.
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But it's fun noise.
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Fun noise.
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I know that feeling.
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It sounds like a lovely big family.
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My parents are Jane and Tom.
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My mom, Jane, is very energetic and organized.
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She loves gardening and reading.
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And my dad, Tom, is very calm and thoughtful.
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He loves history and helping and a calm dad.
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Do you have any brothers or sisters, Emily?
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Yes, I have one older brother.
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His name is Ben.
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He is super athletic.
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He loves to play sports, especially soccer.
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He's also very protective in a good way.
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He always looks out for me.
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Ah, a classic older brother.
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That's sweet.
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And your extended family, is it big like mine?
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It's quite big too.
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My mom has one uncle, so I have one uncle and two aunts on her side.
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My dad has three sisters, so three aunts on his side.
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And many cousins too.
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Maybe 15 or more.
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So family parties are always big.
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Lots of talking and eating.
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Wow, 15 cousins.
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That's a lot of people to remember names for.
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hard, but it's always a lot of fun.
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Everyone is very close.
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We grew up together.
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Speaking of family gatherings, Emily, do you have any special family traditions or celebrations?
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Oh yes, we have a few that are very important to us.
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One big one is Christmas Eve dinner.
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Every year on December 24th,
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everyone, comes to my parents' house.
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Wow, the whole family!
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What do you do?
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We have a huge dinner, a special meal.
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My mom and my aunts cook all day.
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Then, after dinner, we sit around the Christmas tree and we exchange gifts.
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But before that, my dad reads a Christmas story from a very old book.
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It's a very old tradition from his family.
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That sounds beautiful, Emily.
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Reading a story from an old book.
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That's so charming.
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Do you sing Christmas songs?
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Yes.
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After the gifts, we usually sing some Christmas carols and my uncle plays the guitar.
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It's very cozy and warm.
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What about your family, Paul?
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Any special traditions?
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We have a big tradition for Thanksgiving.
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It's in November.
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My family travels to my grandparents' house who live on a farm.
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It's a bit of a drive, but it's always worth it.
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A farm?
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That sounds lovely and different.
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What do you do there?
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My grandma cooks a very big turkey dinner with all the special side dishes.
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Everyone helps in the kitchen, and after the meal, we all go outside and play football together in the field behind the house.
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Even my grandpa joins sometimes.
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Oh, that's so active and fun.
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A football game after a big meal sounds like a good way to stay warm.
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Yes, it is.
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And then in the evening, we have a big bonfire and we tell stories and roast marshmallows.
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It's a very old family tradition that started with my grandparents.
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A bonfire.
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Wow, that sounds magical.
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Roasting marshmallows and telling stories?
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I can imagine it now.
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Do you have any other small traditions?
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and we watch a movie together.
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It's a simple tradition but I really love it.
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It's our time to relax and just be together.
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Pizza and a movie on Sunday.
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That's a wonderful cozy tradition.
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My family has something similar.
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Every New Year's Day we always go for a long walk together in a park near our house.
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It's like a fresh start for the new year.
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A walk on New Year's Day?
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I like that.
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It So, Paul, apart from traditions, what do you usually do together as a family?
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What kind of activities do you share?
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Hmm.
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Well, a common activity for us is cooking together, especially on weekends.
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My mom loves to try new recipes, and we all help.
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My dad helps with chopping vegetables, my sister sets the table, and I help mix things.
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It's fun, and we learn new things.
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cooking together is a great way to bond.
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Do you make specific types of food?
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Sometimes we make Italian food, sometimes Mexican, sometimes just classic American dishes.
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It depends on what my mom is in the mood for.
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And after we cook, we always eat together at the big dining table.
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Sometimes it's a short walk, sometimes a longer one.
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We enjoy the fresh air in the trees.
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That's a healthy and refreshing activity.
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Do you talk a lot during your hikes?
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Yes, we do.
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We talk about everything and nothing.
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We point out interesting birds or plants.
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It's a nice way to just be present with each other.
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Another thing we love to do is game nights.
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Oh, game nights.
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I love game nights.
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What kind of games do you play?
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games like Monopoly or Scrabble.
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Card games, sometimes we get very competitive, but it's always with good humor.
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It gets loud sometimes, but it's a happy loud.
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Happy loud, I know that sound.
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My family also likes to watch sports together on TV, especially when my favorite team is playing.
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We all sit on the sofa with snacks and cheer loudly.
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That's a fun way to share excitement.
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- Do you go to live sports games sometimes?
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- Not often, but sometimes.
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It's even more exciting then.
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And another thing we do, which is simple, is just sitting and talking in the evenings.
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After dinner, sometimes we just sit in the living room and talk about our day, or about news, or just tell stories.
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That's beautiful!
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Simple moments of connection are sometimes the best.
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My family also loves to volunteer together sometimes, like helping at a local animal shelter or cleaning up a park.
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It's a nice way to give back and spend time together.
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That's a fantastic idea, Emily.
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Giving back to the community as a family.
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That's very inspiring.
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So, Emily, let's talk about something Vacations.
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Do you have any special stories about trips or holidays with your family?
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Oh, yes.
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I have so many good memories of family vacations.
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One of my favorite trips was when we went to a beach town called Clearwater.
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It's in Florida.
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I was maybe 10 years old.
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Clearwater, Florida.
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That sounds sunny.
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What did you do there?
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We stayed in a small house very close to the beach.
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castles, swam in the ocean, and collected seashells.
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My brother and I would try to catch little crabs in the sand.
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It was so much fun.
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Catching crabs.
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That sounds like a classic beach vacation.
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Was the water warm?
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Yes, very warm and clear.
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And in the evenings, we would walk along the pier and watch the sunset.
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What about you, Paul?
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Any memorable family vacations?
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Definitely.
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My favorite family vacation was when we went to the mountains in Colorado.
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It was winter, and there was a lot of snow.
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Ooh, mountains and snow.
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That's a big contrast to the beach.
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What did you do there?
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We went skiing.
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It was my first time, and I was a little scared, but my dad was very patient and taught me.
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it right away.
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We had so many laughs falling in the snow.
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Falling in the snow is part of the fun, right?
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Did you stay in a cozy cabin?
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Yes, we stayed in a small cabin with a fireplace.
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In the evenings, after skiing, we would sit by the fire, drink hot chocolate, and play card games.
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It was so warm and a real winter wonderland.
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Did you build snowmen?
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Oh yes, a very big one.
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We put a carrot for the nose and stones for the eyes.
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It was a great family effort.
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And another funny memory from a vacation.
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Once we went camping in a national park.
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Camping?
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That can be an adventure.
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What happened?
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Well, we were trying to set up our tent and it was getting dark.
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My dad was trying to read but he put the poles in the wrong places.
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The tent looked very strange, like it was leaning to one side.
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We laughed so much.
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Oh no, a leaning tent.
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That's a classic camping story.
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Did you fix it?
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Eventually, yes.
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My mom figured it out.
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We still talk about the leaning tent of Paul's family.
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It's a funny Let's share some funny or special memories with our families.
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Do you have any other funny family moments that come to mind?
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Oh, I have one that makes me laugh every time I think about it.
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One year, for my dad's birthday, my sister and I decided to bake him a cake.
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We thought we were great bakers.
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Oh, uh oh.
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What happened?
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We followed the recipe… mostly.
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When the cake came out of the oven, it was huge.
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Like, it looked like a giant mushroom.
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It was so tall and uneven.
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Oh, I can picture it.
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Was it edible?
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It was technically edible, but it tasted a little strange.
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Very fluffy.
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My dad laughed so hard.
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He said it was the most unique cake he ever received.
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funny one.
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That's hilarious.
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A unique cake.
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My family has a funny memory from a Christmas morning.
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My younger cousin, he was about five years old, was opening his presents.
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He got a big toy car.
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A toy car?
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Sounds fun.
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Yes, but he was so excited, he tried to drive the car immediately, even though it was still in the box.
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He pushed the box with his feet and tried to steer it.
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thought the box was the car.
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Everyone just stopped and watched him laughing so hard.
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He thought the box was the car.
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That's absolutely priceless.
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Oh, kids are so funny.
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They are.
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It was so pure and innocent.
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He was so determined.
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Another special memory, always makes our favorite meal.
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It's her special way of showing love.
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That's a beautiful tradition, Emily.
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A meal cooked with love.
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My family has a special memory from when my grandma taught me how to plant flowers in her garden.
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I was very small.
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And I put the little plant in upside down.
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Upside down.
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Oh, how cute.
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Did the flower grow?
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No. But my grandma just smiled and gently turned it the right way.
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She was so patient.
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It's a small That's a lovely memory, Paul.
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Well, this has been such a lovely chat about family.
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Thank you for sharing all your wonderful stories.
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Thank you, Emily.
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It was great to talk about such a special topic.
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I learned a lot about your family, too.
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Me, too.
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To all our amazing listeners, we hope you enjoyed this episode about family.
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We'd love to hear about your family, too.
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thing about your family or a funny family memory.
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We love reading your messages.
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And if you enjoyed this episode, please give it a like.
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Your support means the world to us.
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Thank you for listening.
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Bye everyone.
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See you!
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Why practice speaking with this video?
Practicing speaking English with the video "Family and Relatives (A2)" offers a unique opportunity to enhance your communication skills in a relatable context. Family is a universal topic, making the conversation both engaging and relevant. By shadowing the dialogue between Emily and Paul, you can improve your pronunciation, rhythm, and intonation. The shadowing technique allows you to mimic their speech patterns, reinforcing your understanding of conversation flow.
This video also encourages you to explore personal connections, prompting you to discuss your own family experiences. Engaging in this practice helps build confidence in speaking, as you'll learn how to articulate your thoughts and feelings more naturally. Using a shadow speech approach will help solidify vocabulary related to family, such as "support," "love," and "memories." These terms are essential for everyday conversations and can significantly enhance your fluency.
Grammar & Expressions in Context
During the conversation, several key grammatical structures and expressions emerge that learners should pay attention to:
- Questions for engagement: Phrases like "How about you?" are effective for maintaining conversations.
- Expressing emotions: Phrases such as "I feel loved" and "That feeling is so important" illustrate emotional connections and are crucial for deeper conversations.
- Descriptive phrases: The use of metaphors, such as "my family is my foundation," enriches speech and adds depth to discussions about relationships.
- Offering support: The expression "they are always there for me" highlights the importance of family support and is a common way to express appreciation.
By practicing these structures through shadowing, you can achieve a more fluent and natural style of speaking.
Common Pronunciation Traps
While engaging with the video, pay attention to some common pronunciation traps that may arise:
- The word "family": Many learners struggle with the pronunciation of this word. Make sure to emphasize the "fam" and blend it smoothly with "ily."
- The phrase "support": This term can be tricky due to its two-syllable structure. Practice breaking it down into "sup-port" to master it.
- Intonation in questions: Notice how the speakers raise their intonation at the end of questions, which signals engagement. Practicing this with a shadowing app can help you incorporate this into your speech.
Using the shadowspeak method, where you echo phrases from the video, will help reduce these pronunciation pitfalls as you continue to practice speaking.
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Past continuous was/were + -ing — an action in progress at a moment in the past | were trying · was trying · was leaning |
| Superlatives the -est / the most … — the top or bottom of a group | the best · the most unique |
| Verb + -ing enjoy, keep, stop… + -ing — verbs that are followed by the -ing form | loves gardening · love reading |
| Present continuous am/is/are + -ing — something happening right now or around now | I'm doing · are doing · is cooking |
What is the Shadowing Technique?
Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.