Shadowing Practice: A Little Princess 19 min | Stories for Kids | Classic Stories | Bedtime Stories - Learn English Speaking with YouTube
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Little Fox A Little Princess Chapter 1 Sarah Goes to School
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Little Fox A Little Princess Chapter 1 Sarah Goes to School
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On a dark winter's day,
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a little girl sat in a cab with her father.
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She stared out the window as the cab drove through foggy London.
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Sarah Crew was only seven,
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but she seemed much older.
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She was always dreaming and thinking.
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At that moment, she was thinking about her long trip from India.
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She had just arrived in London with her father.
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It felt strange to travel from a hot,
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sunny place and arrive in a cold, dark one.
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Soon the cab stopped in front of a big brick house.
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A brass sign on the front door said,
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Miss Minchin's boarding school for young ladies.
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Papa, is this the place?
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Sarah whispered.
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Yes, he replied.
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We have reached it at last.
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Sarah's mother had died when Sarah was born.
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Sarah's father was an officer in the British Army.
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He was very rich and handsome and gave Sarah whatever she wanted.
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Sarah had lots of toys and clothes.
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Servants took care of all her needs.
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In India, she'd had only one worry.
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Her father believed that the climate in India wasn't healthy.
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So one day, he would send her to school in England.
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And now that day had come.
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Captain Crew knocked on the door of the school.
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A servant answered and led them inside.
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Sarah looked around at the ugly sitting room with its heavy wooden furniture.
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I don't like it here, Papa, she said.
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But soldiers probably don't like going into battle either.
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Captain Crew laughed.
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Oh, Sarah, you say such wonderful things.
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What will I do without you?
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He swept her into his arms for a hug.
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A moment later, the headmistress,
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Miss Minchin, entered the room.
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The headmistress had large, fishy eyes and a large, fishy smile.
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Sarah thought the woman looked just like her school, tall, dull, ugly.
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Miss Minchin knew that Captain Crew was rich.
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She tried to please him by praising Sarah.
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What a beautiful child, the headmistress exclaimed.
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But I'm not beautiful, Sarah thought.
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Miss Minchin is making that up.
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Sarah stood quietly near her father while he and the headmistress talked.
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Because Sarah's father was very rich,
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Sarah would have many nice things at school.
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There would be a pretty bedroom and sitting room and a pony and carriage.
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A maid would help her.
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Sarah reads too much, Captain Crew told the headmistress.
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Make sure she goes outside.
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She should ride her pony or buy some new dolls.
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Oh, Papa, said Sarah.
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I don't need a lot of new dolls.
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I only need Emily.
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Who's Emily? asked Miss Minchin.
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Tell her, Sarah, Captain Crew said, smiling.
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She's a special doll that Papa is going to buy for me, said Sarah.
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She'll be my friend when Papa is in India.
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I'll talk to her about him.
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Miss Minchin's large fishy smile grew wider.
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What an unusual child! she exclaimed loudly.
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She's such a darling girl.
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Yes, said Captain Crew.
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He pulled Sarah close.
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She is truly a darling girl.
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Please take very good care of her for me, Miss Minchin.
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Oh, I will, the headmistress promised.
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Sarah stayed with her father at his hotel for several days.
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He bought her all kinds of expensive clothes,
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velvet dresses, fur coats, silk stockings.
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They searched many toy shops looking for Emily, but couldn't find her.
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She has to be a doll who can listen to me, Papa, explained Sarah.
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Most dolls don't really seem to hear.
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So they looked at big dolls and little ones,
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at dolls with black eyes and dolls with blue ones.
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They looked at dolls with brown curls and golden braids,
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dolls in all kinds of clothing.
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But none of them was quite right.
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Then one day, Sarah spotted a doll with golden brown hair and an intelligent expression.
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Look, Papa!
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There's Emily!
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She cried.
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They went into the shop and bought the doll.
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Then they went to a dressmaker to order a grand wardrobe for Emily.
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Finally, the day came when Captain Crew had to leave.
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He and Sarah were very sad.
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From her window, Sarah watched him get into a cab.
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Emily was by her side.
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Miss Minchin sent her sister,
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Miss Amelia, to check on Sarah.
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Why is this door locked? asked Miss Amelia.
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I want to be alone, please, said Sarah softly.
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Miss Amelia went downstairs and told Miss Minchin about how Sarah was acting.
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I've never seen such an odd child, said Miss Amelia.
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She has locked herself in her room,
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but she's not making any noise at all.
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She's very spoiled, snapped Miss Minchin.
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I'm surprised she isn't kicking and screaming.
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All those new clothes are absolutely ridiculous.
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Her father treats her like a little princess.
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A Little Princess Chapter 2 First Day of Class The next morning,
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Sarah had a long talk with her doll Emily about her father.
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Papa is traveling on the sea now, said Sarah.
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Emily said nothing, but Sarah was sure the doll was listening.
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I believe that dolls have secrets,
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Sarah told her maid, Mariette.
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Perhaps Emily can read and walk and talk,
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but she only does those things when no one is watching her.
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Mariette smiled at Sarah.
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It's time for school.
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Just a minute, please, Sarah replied.
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She went to Emily and gave her a book.
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You can read this while I'm in class,
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she said to the doll.
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What an odd child, Mariette thought as she and Sarah went downstairs.
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But Mariette knew she would like her new job as Sarah's maid.
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Sarah was very kind and polite and had charming manners.
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She's almost like a little princess, thought the maid.
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By the time Sarah entered the classroom,
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everyone was talking about her.
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She has so many fancy clothes,
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Lavinia Herbert whispered to her best friend Jessie.
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I passed her room last night.
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Her maid was opening a suitcase full of lace petticoats.
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She's wearing one now.
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I saw it when she sat down.
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Lavinia was nearly 13 and thought of herself as almost grown up.
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I heard Miss Minchin say it's absolutely ridiculous for a child to have such fancy clothes, she said.
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I agree with her.
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My mother says that children should always dress simply.
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The two girls pretended to read their geography books,
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but they were really sneaking looks at Sarah.
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She's wearing silk stockings, whispered Jessie.
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What tiny feet she has.
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I don't think she's pretty at all, Lavinia sniffed.
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Her eyes are such a strange color.
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But there's something about her that makes you keep looking at her, said Jessie.
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Her eyelashes are so dark and long,
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and her eyes are almost green.
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Meanwhile, Sarah sat quietly watching the other girls,
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who were still staring at her.
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Young ladies, said Miss Minchin.
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I'd like to introduce you to your new classmate, Miss Sarah Crew.
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All the girls stood up, and Sarah did too.
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I expect you to be nice to Miss Crew.
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She's just come to London from India.
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After lessons are over, you will have time to get acquainted with Sarah.
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The girls bowed to Sarah, who curtsied in reply.
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Come here, Sarah, said Miss Minchin as the other girls sat down.
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Sarah obediently went to Miss Minchin's side.
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Your father hired a French maid for you, said the headmistress.
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He must want you to learn French.
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Sarah felt a little awkward.
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I think he just thought that I'd like Mariette, she replied politely.
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Miss Minchin frowned.
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You sound very spoiled.
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People don't always do things just to make you happy, Sarah.
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Your father clearly wants you to learn French.
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Sarah flushed, unsure of what to say.
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Her mother had been French.
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Her father had loved her mother and had often spoken French to Sarah.
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But Miss Minchin looked so mean.
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Sarah didn't know how to explain things to her.
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I've never actually studied French, Sarah began.
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But...
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Well, then it's time you started to study it, the headmistress said impatiently.
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Miss Minchin herself had never learned to speak French.
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But this was an embarrassing secret that she didn't intend to share with anyone.
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Here's our French teacher now, she added sharply.
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Everyone, take out your French books.
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Monsieur Defarge looked like a nice, intelligent man.
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When he saw Sarah, he smiled.
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Is this a new pupil for me, madame?
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He asked.
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Her father, Captain Crewe, is very eager for her to learn the language.
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but I'm afraid that Sarah seems less eager to learn,
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Miss Minchin replied with a frown.
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Sarah rose in her seat,
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suddenly feeling a bit desperate.
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She felt sure that she could explain her situation to Monsieur Defarge,
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and she did exactly that,
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speaking to him in perfect French.
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Miss Minchin started quite violently,
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and then she glared at Sarah.
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But Monsieur Defarge was already charmed by the girl who spoke his language so beautifully.
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Ah, Miss Minchin, he said.
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There isn't much I can teach Sarah.
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She hasn't studied French.
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She is French.
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Miss Minchin's cheeks flushed.
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You should have told me,
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the headmistress snapped at Sarah.
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I, I tried, said Sarah.
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I guess I should have tried harder.
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Lavinia and Jessie giggled from behind their French books.
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Sarah had made the headmistress look a bit foolish.
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Silence, young ladies!
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Miss Minchin rapped on her desk.
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Silence!
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And from that moment on,
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she began to dislike her new student.
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A Little Princess Chapter 3 A New Friend That first morning at school,
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Sarah noticed a plump blonde girl about the same age as Sarah.
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The girl was chewing on the ribbon of her pigtail and staring at Sarah.
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When Monsieur Defarge spoke to Sarah,
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the plump girl looked a little frightened.
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When Sarah replied in French,
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the girl gave a startled jump and turned red.
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Miss Minchin was still in a bad mood about Sarah's perfect French.
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Miss St. John, stop chewing on your ribbon and sit up at once, she snapped.
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The girl gave another startled jump.
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Lavinia and Jesse giggled, and the girl turned redder than ever.
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Sarah's father often remarked on Sarah's soft heart.
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Sarah always wants to fight when she sees people in trouble,
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he liked to say.
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And that was certainly true now.
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Those girls shouldn't laugh, thought Sarah.
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That's mean.
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But Lavinia and Jessie continued to snicker when the girl spoke in French for Monsieur Defarge.
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Sarah felt sorry for this girl,
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who had such trouble saying the French words correctly.
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The French lessons were obviously quite difficult for her.
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When the morning's lessons were finally finished,
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the plump girl sat on a window seat, looking miserable.
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Sarah went over to her.
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What's your name? asked Sarah.
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The girl seemed amazed that Sarah was talking to her.
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My name is Ermengarde St. John, she replied.
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Mine is Sarah Crew.
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What a pretty name you have! exclaimed Sarah.
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It sounds like a name from a story.
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I like your name, too.
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Where did you learn to speak French?
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Ermengarde asked.
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Oh, I've done it all my life, Sarah answered.
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If you'd always heard French at home,
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you could do it, too.
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No, I don't think so, said Ermengarde sadly.
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I'm not very smart.
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Ermengarde explained that her father spoke seven or eight languages.
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He had a huge library filled with thousands of books and couldn't understand why Ermengarde didn't do well in school.
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He had told Miss Minchin that Ermengarde must be made to learn.
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But at school, Ermengarde was often in trouble or in tears.
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You're smart, aren't you?
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Ermengarde said to Sarah.
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Sarah looked out the window into the dirty square.
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She could see some sparrows hopping along iron railings.
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She thought for a minute.
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Oh, I don't know.
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Then suddenly she changed the subject.
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Would you like to meet Emily?
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Who's Emily? asked Ermengarde.
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Come up to my room and see, replied Sarah.
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Ermengarde followed Sarah upstairs.
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Is it true? she asked.
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That you have a playroom all to yourself?
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Yes, Sarah answered.
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Papa asked Miss Minchin to let me have one.
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It's because I like to tell myself stories,
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and the mood gets spoiled if I know people are listening.
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Sarah stopped outside the door to her room.
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If we're quiet, maybe we'll catch her, she said mysteriously.
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Ermengarde blinked.
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She had no idea what Sarah was talking about.
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But Sarah's eyes were full of fun.
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Ermengarde couldn't wait to see what happened.
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Sarah threw open the door.
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Ermengarde saw a beautiful doll sitting on a chair in front of the fire.
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Oh, Emily is back in her seat.
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Sarah sounded disappointed.
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Can she walk?
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Asked Ermengarde in surprise.
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I like to pretend she can, said Sarah.
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Don't you pretend such things?
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No. Ermengarde was in awe of this strange girl.
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Never.
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May I hold Emily?
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Of course, said Sarah.
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And I'll tell you stories.
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So they sat together, her green eyes shining.
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Sarah told Ermengarde all about the secret life of dolls.
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She also talked about life in India and the voyage to England.
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When Sarah got to the part about finding Emily in the toy shop,
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she suddenly looked upset.
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Ermengarde had the feeling that Sarah was bravely trying not to cry.
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What's wrong? she asked in alarm.
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Do you love your father more than anything in the world?
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Sarah burst out.
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Ermengarde thought this was a strange question.
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I hardly ever see him.
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He's always in his library reading things.
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Oh, I love my father and miss him so.
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Sarah buried her head in her hands.
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Ermengarde's mouth fell open a little.
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Sarah was so wonderful and different from anyone else.
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Sarah lifted her head.
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If I keep telling you stories,
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I won't miss him as much.
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Tears came to Ermengarde's eyes and she felt a lump in her throat.
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Lavinia and Jesse are best friends.
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Do you think we could be best friends?
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You're so smart and I'm not smart at all,
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but I like you very much.
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Of course we can be best friends, said Sarah.
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Her face lit up.
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And do you know what, Ermengarde?
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I can help you with your French lessons.
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About This Lesson
In this lesson, learners will practice their English listening and speaking skills using a captivating excerpt from "A Little Princess." By engaging with this classic story, students will enhance their understanding of English phrases, improve their pronunciation, and expand their vocabulary. This exercise is particularly useful for those preparing for the IELTS speaking test, as it offers a great selection of vocabulary and real conversational context. As you listen to the story, you will learn how to express thoughts and feelings, which is crucial for fluent communication.
Key Vocabulary & Phrases
- boarding school - a school where students live and study.
- headmistress - the woman in charge of a school.
- rich - having a lot of money.
- servants - people employed to do domestic work.
- climate - the usual weather conditions in a particular place.
- ugly - not pleasant to look at.
- please - to make someone happy or satisfied.
- whisper - to speak very softly.
Practice Tips
For effective practice, use a shadowing app to follow along with the video. Start by listening to a short segment of the transcript read aloud at a slow speed. Once you are familiar with the text, repeat it out loud, imitating the speaker's tone and inflection. Focus on the rhythm and pace of the words as you learn English with YouTube. The narrative style of "A Little Princess" is engaging, which makes it easier to adapt to. To maximize your learning, aim to practice shadow speech for at least 15 minutes daily, gradually increasing the length of the segments you practice. This not only helps with pronunciation but also boosts your confidence when speaking English in everyday situations.
Integrating these techniques will aid you in mastering the subtleties of English, making your IELTS speaking practice truly effective. Remember, consistency is key, so keep practicing and enjoy the journey through classic stories!
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.
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