Shadowing Practice: A Pretty Face | Human Interest | Dominoes Starter - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Chapter 1.
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Zoe is Angry Zoe is 17 years old.
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She works in a bookstore in the little town of Newport.
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Zoe likes books, and she likes her work.
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But after work, she likes to act in plays with the Newport Players.
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The Newport Players do six plays every year, and Zoe is in most of them.
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Some plays are exciting, and some plays are famous.
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This week, the play is Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare.
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A lot of people are coming to see it, Zoe thinks.
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I must act well.
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Mike is 18 years old.
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He is a student at Newport College, and he likes writing.
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One day he wants to write plays for the theater and for television.
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One day I want to be famous, he thinks.
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Newport has a newspaper.
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The Newport Weekly News is its name, and Mike's Aunt Peggy is the editor.
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One morning, she phones Mike.
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Do you want to write a review of Romeo and Juliet for the newspaper, Mike?
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She asks him.
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The Newport players are doing the play tonight at the Little Theater.
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Yes, please, Aunt Peggy.
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Mike says.
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Thanks for asking me.
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That evening, he goes to Newport's Little Theater to see the play.
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Mike goes into the theater and sits at the front.
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He gets out his notebook and pen, ready to write notes for his review.
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There are a lot of people in the audience.
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Five minutes later, the play begins.
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Zoe acts the part of Juliet's mother.
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She knows all her words and speaks them well.
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Mike is watching her.
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She's very pretty, and she's doing her best, he thinks.
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But it's not easy to act the part of an older woman.
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She's only 16 or 17 years old, and we all know it.
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He begins to write in his notebook.
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Two hours later, the play ends and the audience leaves the theater.
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Mike goes home and writes his review for the newspaper.
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He doesn't feel very happy.
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It was a good play, but what can I say about the girl acting the part of Juliet's mother?
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He thinks.
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I want to be kind, but I must be honest, too.
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At the bookstore on Friday, Zoe reads Mike's review of the play in the Newport Weekly News.
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And Zoe Baker acts the part of Juliet's mother.
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She has a pretty face and she speaks her words well.
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But she is a young girl in an older woman's costume, and we all know it.
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She can never make me believe differently.
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Zoe is angry.
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She looks at the name under the review.
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Mike Morrison.
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Who is this Mike Morrison?
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she thinks.
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What does he know about acting?
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Chapter 2.
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Zoe has an idea.
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On Tuesday evening the next week, Zoe and her friend Annie are drinking coffee in the Newport Cafe.
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Annie is a student at Newport College, and sometimes in the evenings, she and Zoe meet at the cafe.
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Suddenly, Zoe sees a boy sitting at a table across the room.
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Who's that boy?
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she asks Annie.
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Annie laughs. Do you like him?
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He has a nice face, she says.
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His name's Mike.
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I often see him at the college.
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Mike, Zoe says.
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Mike who?
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Mike Morrison, Annie says.
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That's Mike Morrison, Zoe says.
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She is furious.
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Yes.
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Why?
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Annie asks.
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He writes reviews for the Newport Weekly News.
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Zoe says.
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That's right, Annie says.
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His aunt is the editor.
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He...
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Oh.
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She stops suddenly and looks at Zoe.
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The review of Romeo and Juliet?
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Right, Zoe says.
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Do you remember it?
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Zoe Baker acts the part of Juliet's mother.
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She has a pretty face and she speaks her words well.
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But she is a young girl in an older woman's costume and we all know it.
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Nice face or no nice face, I hate him.
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Annie laughs.
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Okay, go and tell him, she says.
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Go and say, I hate you, Mike Morrison.
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You write stupid reviews for the newspaper.
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Go on. But Zoe isn't laughing.
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Yes!
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All right, she says furiously, and she begins to get up from her chair.
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Then she stops suddenly.
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What's wrong?
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Annie asks.
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Are you afraid?
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No, Zoe says.
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I have a better idea.
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Does he come into this cafe often?
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Every Tuesday and Thursday evening, I think, Annie says.
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He has a writing class at the college, and he comes here after it finishes.
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Zoe thinks for a minute or two.
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That's very interesting, she says at last. Is it?
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Annie says.
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She looks across at Mike Morrison, then at Zoe.
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Why is it interesting?
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What are you thinking of doing?
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Tell me, am I a good actress?
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Zoe asks.
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Yes, you are.
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Annie says. But...
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Okay, Zoe says.
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I'm a good actress
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and I want to prove it to Mr. Mike Nice Face Morrison How do you want to do that?
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Annie asks Zoe smiles and begins to tell Annie about her idea
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Chapter 3 A Difficult Interview On Thursday,
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Mike comes to the Newport Cafe after his writing class.
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He asks for a cup of coffee, then starts to read one of his books.
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Some minutes later, a woman comes into the cafe.
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She is carrying a magazine under her arm.
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At first, Mike does not see the woman.
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Then she comes across to his table.
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Hello, she says.
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Are you Mike Morrison?
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Mike is surprised.
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Yes, he says.
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That's me.
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The woman smiles.
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Can I sit at this table?
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She asks.
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Yes, of course, Mike says.
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My name is Kate Lawson.
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The woman says.
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I'm the editor of Yes! magazine.
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Do you know it?
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She sits down and puts the magazine on the table in front of Mike.
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Yes, I know it.
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Mike says.
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It's a magazine about famous people.
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That's right.
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Kate says.
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Do you want to write something for it?
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Can you do an interview for me?
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An interview?
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Mike says, surprised.
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Why are you asking me?
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You sometimes write theater reviews for the Newport Weekly newspaper, she says.
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Is that right?
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Yes, I do, he says.
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I want to write plays one day and...
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Well, do this interview for my magazine then, she says.
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It's with a famous playwright.
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He lives in Newport.
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Todd Marin is the only famous playwright in Newport, Mike says.
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He lives quietly and doesn't go out very often.
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And he's famous for not talking to reporters from...
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Gossip magazines.
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He throws them out of his house.
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Kate laughs. Are you afraid?
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She says.
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Good reporters aren't afraid to do difficult interviews.
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You want to write plays, don't you?
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Well, perhaps he can tell you something about playwriting.
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Mike thinks.
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She's right.
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Perhaps I can learn something from Todd Marin.
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Okay, he says.
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When can I do it?
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Tomorrow morning, Kate says.
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You must tell Marin this interview is for Yes Magazine.
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But tell him after you get into the house, okay?
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Okay, Mike says.
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Chapter 4.
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Todd Marin's House Later that evening, Zoe is speaking to Annie on the phone.
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So, I say to him, I'm the editor of Yes!
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Magazine, and can you interview Todd Marin?
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Zoe tells Annie.
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Todd Marin?
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Annie says.
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But he throws gossip magazine reporters out of his house.
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I know, Zoe says, laughing.
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And I want to stand outside his house and watch Todd Maron throw
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Mike Morrison out.
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The next morning, Mike goes to Todd Maron's house.
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It is a big house, and there are lots of bushes and tall trees in front of it.
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I don't like Yes! magazine very much, but this is an important interview.
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Mike thinks.
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And perhaps I can talk to Todd Maron about my play.
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Mike is writing a play for television.
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He walks up to the front door of the house.
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He is carrying his notebook and he has a list of questions to ask the playwright.
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But he is a little afraid of the famous man.
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Zoe follows Mike to Todd Maron's house.
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She is careful and she follows
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Mike very quietly.
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Zoe is acting the part of Kate Lawson again.
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She has a black wig over her hair, and she is wearing glasses.
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She hides behind one of the bushes in front of Todd Marin's house, and watches Mike go to the front door.
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It is a big, dark house.
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This is funny, she thinks, smiling.
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When Todd Marin opens the door of his house, Mike begins to talk quickly.
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Hello, Mr. Marin.
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He says, I'm Mike Morrison.
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I'm a student at Newport College, and I want to write plays. Do you?
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Todd Marin says.
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And I write reviews in the Newport Weekly News.
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Mike tells him, What do you want from me?
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Todd Marin asks, Can I ask you some questions?
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Mike says.
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Why?
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Marin asks.
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Is it for the Newport Weekly News?
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That's a difficult question.
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What do I do now?
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Mike thinks.
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Do I tell him a lie, or do I tell him the truth?
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Then, after a second or two, he says.
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It.. it's for Yes magazine.
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Listen, I know it's a stupid magazine, but...
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Come into the house, Todd Maron says suddenly.
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Chapter 5.
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Zoe waits.
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Zoe is watching
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Mike and Todd Maron from behind a bush.
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She can see them, but she cannot hear them speaking
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She sees Todd Maron open the door
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And she sees
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Mike follow him into the house Zoe smiles
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Right, he's in the house,
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she thinks Now, let's wait for Todd Maron to throw him out Todd Maron takes
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Mike to his study
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There are hundreds of books in the room and a big desk.
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Todd goes and sits behind the desk.
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Thank you for telling me the truth, he says to Mike.
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I can see you're an honest young man.
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You can ask your questions, but not for Yes magazine.
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You're right.
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It is a stupid magazine.
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I hate gossip magazines.
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Why do people write for them?
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Because they pay a lot of money, I believe.
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Mike says.
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Todd Marin laughs.
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Yes, you're right again.
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He says.
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But you can write about me for the Newport Weekly News.
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Is that okay?
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Yes, that's okay, Mike says, and he smiles at Todd Marin happily.
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I like to help young writers with ideas when I can, Todd says kindly.
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Sit down.
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Mike sits down, puts his notebook on Todd's desk, and opens it.
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I read your reviews in the newspaper sometimes, Todd says.
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They're very good.
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Well, I think they're okay, Mike says.
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But I want to write for the theater, for TV, and for movies.
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I'm writing a play now. Are you?
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Tell me about it.
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Todd says. Can I?
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Mike asks.
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Well, it's about a boy and a girl.
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A boy and a girl?
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That's right.
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They...
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Todd Marron sits back in his chair to listen, and Mike tells him the plot of his play.
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Mike is very nervous, but Todd Marin does not speak.
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He smiles at Mike, and he listens to him very carefully.
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When at last
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Mike stops speaking, Todd says, Thank you.
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That's very interesting.
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It's a good story, and it's funny, too.
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But there are one or two things you can do to make it better.
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To begin with...
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Zoe stays behind the bush and waits.
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An hour goes by and nothing happens.
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She is getting impatient.
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What are they doing in there?
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She thinks.
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Todd Marin never gives interviews to gossip magazines.
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So what are they talking about?
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She remembers Mike Morrison's review of Romeo and Juliet in the newspaper.
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She remembers his words about her acting.
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And she wants to see his face when Todd Marin throws him out of the house.
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How long must I wait? she thinks impatiently.
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Chapter 6 Telling the Truth After an hour and a half,
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Mike Morrison leaves Todd Maron's study and comes out of the house.
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He and the playwright are smiling, and Mike is saying, Thank you.
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They talk for two or three minutes, and Zoe watches them from behind the bush.
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She is amazed.
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What's happening?
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she thinks.
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Why are they so friendly?
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After a minute or two more, they shake hands.
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Then Todd Maron goes back into the house, and Mike Morrison walks away.
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Mike sees Kate Lawson waiting for him.
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Oh, hello.
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He says nervously.
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He is surprised to see her so soon.
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Are you waiting for me?
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Yes, she says impatiently.
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I'm waiting for your interview.
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Look, I can't lie to you, he replies.
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There's no interview for Yes magazine.
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Mr. Marin always refuses to talk to reporters from gossip magazines. But what, Kate begins.
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What can two people talk about for an hour and a half?
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Mike says laughing.
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About writing, about characters, and about plot.
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Nothing for Yes magazine, I'm afraid.
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Oh, I have my list of questions and Mr. Marin's answers, but my interview is for the Newport Weekly News.
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And I know a lot more about writing plays now.
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He's very interested in my play.
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Your play?
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Kate says furiously.
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Yes, I'm writing a play for TV, Mike says.
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And Mr. Marin wants to read it.
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He can help me with the characters and the plot.
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Well, that's nice, she says.
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Say hello to Mike Morrison, the famous playwright.
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He writes stupid reviews for the Newport Weekly News, but his plays are okay.
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You're angry, Mike says.
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Listen, I'm sorry about the interview for Yes.
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Kate laughs.
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No, it's okay, she says.
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I'm not angry.
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And then she does something very strange.
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She takes off her hair.
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She's wearing a wig, Mike thinks amazed.
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Next, she takes off her glasses and she smiles at Mike.
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And now he knows her.
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He begins to laugh.
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You're not Kate Lawson, he says.
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You're...
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That's right, Zoe says.
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I'm a 17 -year -old girl in an older woman's costume, Mr. Mike Morrison, review writer for the Newport Weekly News.
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Mike's face is very red now.
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He feels embarrassed.
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What a trick.
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So there is no Kate Lawson, editor of Yes! magazine, he says.
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No, there isn't, Zoe says, laughing.
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What do you think now?
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Does this prove something?
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Am I a good actress?
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Yes, you are a good actress, Mike says, laughing with her.
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And I'm going to put that in the Newport Weekly News. Are you?
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Zoe says.
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Yes, and thanks for making me go and see Todd Merrin.
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Mike tells her.
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He doesn't feel embarrassed anymore.
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Now I can get help with my play, he says.
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Come on, let's get a cup of coffee, and I'm paying.
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Well, I can't refuse a free coffee, Zoe says, and she laughs.
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Amen.
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This speaking lesson is built on the video “A Pretty Face”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: Mike, Zoe, Todd, Newport, magazine. This video has 351 sentences and 2431 words to shadow. The speech runs for 21:58. The speaker talks at a steady 111 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. Only 81% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is demanding. 56 of its 351 sentences are questions, so it is good practice for question intonation and short answers.
Key vocabulary in this video
15 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| theater noun | /ˈθi(ə)tɚ/ | A place or building, consisting of a stage and seating, in which an audience gathers to watch plays, musical performances, public ceremonies, and so on. |
| gossip noun | /ˈɡɑsɪp/ | Someone who likes to talk about other people's private or personal business. |
| actress noun | /ˈæk.tɹɪs/ | A female who performs on the stage or in films. |
| reporter noun | /ɹɪˈpoɹ.tɚ/ | Someone or something that reports. |
| notebook noun | /ˈnoʊtˌbʊk/ | A book (physical or digital) in which notes or memoranda are written. |
| desk noun | /dɛsk/ | A table, frame, or case, in past centuries usually with a sloping top but now usually with a flat top, for the use of writers and readers. It often has a… |
| costume noun | /ˈkɑsˌt(j)um/ | A style of dress, including garments, accessories and hairstyle, especially as characteristic of a particular country, period or people. |
| aunt noun | /ɑːnt/ | The sister or sister-in-law of one’s parent. |
| refuse verb | /ɹɪˈfjuːz/ | To decline (a request or demand). |
| leaf noun | /lif/ | The usually green and flat organ that represents the most prominent feature of most vegetative plants. |
| quietly adverb | /ˈkwaɪ.ɪt.li/ | Producing little or no noise. |
| embarrassed adjective | /ɪmˈbæɹ.əst/ | Having a feeling of shameful discomfort. |
| trick noun | /ˈtɹɪk/ | Something designed to fool, dupe, outsmart, mislead or swindle. |
| carefully adverb | /ˈkɛɹf(ə)li/ | With care; attentively, circumspectly. |
| shake verb | /ˈʃeɪk/ | To cause (something) to move rapidly in opposite directions alternatingly. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| sit down verb | To assume a sitting position from a standing position. |
| take off verb | To remove. |
| come across verb | To change sides; to cross over to work for the opposition. |
| get out verb | To leave or escape. |
| go out verb | To leave, especially a building. |
| hide behind verb | To use someone or something as a shield in order to avoid taking responsibility for something; to avoid attention by using someone or something as a shield. |
| stay behind verb | To remain where one is, whilst others leave. |
| walk away verb | To withdraw from a problematic situation. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- What are you thinking of doing?
- Tell me, am I a good actress?
- Can I sit at this table?
- Do you want to write something for it?
- You want to write plays, don't you?
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Present continuous am/is/are + -ing — something happening right now or around now | are coming · are doing · is watching |
| Obligation: must / have to / need to saying that something is necessary | must act · must tell · must I |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 32 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'm, you're, doesn't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: shake /ˈʃeɪk/, impatient /ɪmˈpeɪʃənt/, impatiently /ɪmˈpeɪʃəntli/
- Long words — get the stress right: differently /ˈdɪf.ə.ɹənt.li/, furiously /ˈfjʊə̯ɹi.ə̯sli/, impatiently /ɪmˈpeɪʃəntli/
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 theater, gossip, actress.
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.