Shadowing Practice: A little princess chapter 4 - Learn English Speaking with Video
Creating lesson...
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A Little Princess.
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Chapter 4.
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Lottie's Mother.
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Miss Minchin disliked Sarah.
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But the headmistress didn't want to make Sarah unhappy.
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If that happened, Sarah's rich father might take Sarah out of the school.
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So the headmistress always praised Sarah for her good manners and kindness to the other girls.
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She always let Sarah do whatever she liked.
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And quiet Sarah never did anything to break the rules.
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Lots of things just happened by accident, Sarah said to Ermengarde one day.
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I'm just lucky that my father is kind and rich.
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I'm also lucky that I learn new things easily.
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Maybe, she went on thoughtfully, I'm really an awful child.
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But I'll never know because I don't have any problems.
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Lavinia doesn't have any problems and she's horrid, said Ermengarde.
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Sarah rubbed her nose as she considered this.
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Then she tried to be kind by repeating something she'd heard Miss Amelia say.
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Maybe Lavinia is horrid because she's growing so fast.
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But Sarah had to admit that Lavinia was indeed horrid.
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Lavinia was also jealous of Sarah.
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Before Sarah came, Lavinia had been the best dressed girl at school and Miss Minchin's favorite.
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She ruled over the older girls and scared the younger ones.
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All the girls followed her because they were afraid not to.
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But then Sarah arrived.
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Although Sarah was rich, she was friendly.
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And as time went on, the other girls began to follow her because they liked her.
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The youngest girls adored her because she was kind to them.
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She hosted tea parties in her room and introduced them to Emily.
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Unlike Sarah, Lavinia was rarely kind to the younger girls.
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One morning, Sarah heard Lottie crying and shouting in the main sitting room.
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Lottie was four years old, the youngest girl at school.
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Lottie's father had spoiled her after her mother died.
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If Lottie wanted something, she cried until she got it.
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If she didn't want to do something, she threw a tantrum.
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Miss Minchin and Miss Amelia were trying to calm Lottie down.
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Why is she upset now?
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Miss Minchin yelled over the noise.
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Sobbed Lottie.
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I don't have a mama!
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Don't cry, darling, said Miss Amelia.
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Haven't got a mama, howled Lottie.
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You only say that when you can't have your way, said Miss Minchin.
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You really should be whipped, you naughty child.
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Lottie wailed louder than ever.
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Miss Amelia began to cry.
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Miss Minchin got so angry, she stormed out of the room and left her sister to deal with the problem.
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Sarah was standing in the hallway.
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Oh, Sarah!
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Miss Minchin forced herself to give Sarah a nice smile.
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I stopped because I heard Lottie, said Sarah.
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Perhaps I could help her?
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Miss Minchin's expression changed slightly.
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You are a clever child, she said in a sharp tone.
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Then she softened her voice.
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Go ahead.
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You can't do any worse than my sister is doing.
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Sarah entered the room and found Lottie kicking and screaming on the floor.
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Miss Amelia was bending over her, looking hot and tired.
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Poor darling, murmured Miss Amelia a few times.
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Then she said in quite a different tone, Stop it, Lottie, you're a wicked child!
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Miss Amelia, Sarah said quietly, Miss Minchin says I may try to make her stop.
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Miss Amelia turned and looked at her.
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Oh, do you think you can?
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She gasped.
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Lottie is such a dreadful child.
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If you'll quietly leave the room, I'll see what I can do, promised Sarah.
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Miss Amelia slipped out, leaving the two girls alone.
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Sarah said nothing, and she did nothing.
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She simply sat quietly on the floor next to Lottie.
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Lottie didn't know what was going on.
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She looked up at Sarah.
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I.. haven't.. got a.. mama!
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She tried to wail.
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Neither do I, said Sarah.
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This was so surprising that Lottie sat up.
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Where is your mama?
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Both our mamas are angels in heaven, Sarah answered.
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Should I tell you about heaven?
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Lottie dried her tears.
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Yes, please.
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Sarah told her a story of a beautiful place filled with happy angels and fields of flowers.
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But I don't have a mama here at this school, said Lottie.
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Sarah reached for Lottie's hand.
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I'll be your mama, she said.
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And Emily will be your sister.
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Lottie smiled happily.
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Let's go tell Emily.
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Yes, and then I'll brush your hair for you, added Sarah.
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Lottie happily agreed and trotted upstairs after Sarah.
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By now, Lottie had completely forgotten what had first upset her.
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Miss Amelia had tried to brush her hair.
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This A2 speaking lesson is built on the video “A little princess chapter 4”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: Sarah, Lottie, Miss, Amelia, Minchin. This video has 92 sentences and 756 words to shadow. The speech runs for 6:13. The speaker talks at a steady 122 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. 74% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English; the rest is worth studying before you start.
Key vocabulary in this video
15 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| mama noun | /ˈmɑmə/ | Synonym of mother (“a female parent”). |
| quietly adverb | /ˈkwaɪ.ɪt.li/ | Producing little or no noise. |
| tone noun | /ˈtəʊn/ | A specific pitch. |
| angel noun | /ˈeɪ̯n.d͡ʒəl/ | An incorporeal and holy or semidivine messenger from a deity or other divine entity, traditionally depicted as a youthful, winged figure in flowing robes. |
| brush noun | /bɹʌʃ/ | An implement consisting of multiple more or less flexible bristles or other filaments attached to a handle, used for any of various purposes including… |
| happily adverb | /ˈhæp.ə.li/ | In a happy or cheerful manner; with happiness. |
| darling noun | /ˈdɑɹlɪŋ/ | Often used as an affectionate term of address: a person who is very dear to one. |
| youngest adjective | /ˈjʌŋ.ɡɪst/ | Most recently begun or formed. |
| sharp adjective | /ʃɑɹp/ | Terminating in a point or edge, especially one that can cut or pierce easily; not dull, obtuse, or rounded. |
| awful adjective | /ˈɔːfʊl/ | Very bad. |
| flower noun | /ˈfloʊɚ/ | A reproductive structure in angiosperms (flowering plants), often conspicuously colourful and typically including sepals, petals, and either or both stamens… |
| rarely adverb | /ˈɹɛəɹli/ | Not occurring at a regular interval; seldom; not often. |
| arrive verb | /əˈɹaɪv/ | To reach; to get to a certain place. |
| introduce verb | /ˌɪntɹəˈdus/ | To cause (someone) to be acquainted (with someone else). |
| tear verb | /tɛɹ/ | To rend (a solid material) by holding or restraining in two places and pulling apart, whether intentionally or not; to destroy or separate. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| go ahead verb | /ˌɡoʊ əˈhɛd/ | To proceed with; to begin. |
| sit up verb | To assume a sitting position from a position lying down. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- I'm also lucky that I learn new things easily.
- I don't have a mama!
- Perhaps I could help her?
- Where is your mama?
- Should I tell you about heaven?
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | was indeed · should be whipped |
| Past continuous was/were + -ing — an action in progress at a moment in the past | were trying · was standing · was bending |
| Superlatives the -est / the most … — the top or bottom of a group | the best · The youngest |
| Advice with “should” should + verb — saying what is a good idea | should be · Should I tell |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 22 contractions and reduced forms, such as don't, I'll, didn't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: brush /bɹʌʃ/, sharp /ʃɑɹp/, shout /ʃaʊt/
How to practise with this video
- Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
- Shadow it sentence by sentence at normal speed, repeating each one until your rhythm matches the speaker.
- Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like mama, quietly, tone.
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.