Shadowing Practice: Academy Stars 3 - Unit 10 Lesson 2 - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

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Favourite celebrations Simone is a photographer.
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38 sentences
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Favourite celebrations Simone is a photographer.
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Last year she visited many countries.
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She asked some children about their favourite celebrations.
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Hu Jingjing lives in China.
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And her favourite celebration is New Year.
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First, she decorates the house with red lanterns,
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cards from friends, and paintings of flowers and birds.
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Then Hu Jingjing has a bath and puts on new clothes.
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After that, she eats a big meal with all her family,
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and her parents give her a present.
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It's always a little red packet with money inside.
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Finally, at twelve o'clock, the bells ring,
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and there are many beautiful and noisy fireworks.
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Hu Jingjing likes New Year because she goes to bed very late.
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João lives in Brazil, and his favourite celebration is Carnival,
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because he plays the drums in the carnival procession.
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Joao goes to a samba school with his sister.
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He learns the drums and she learns dancing.
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They have to practice every day.
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In the carnival procession, there are hundreds of drummers and dancers,
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all dressed up in beautiful clothes.
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Many people watch them and everyone is very happy.
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Joao loves the fireworks at the end of the procession.
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Noha lives in Egypt, and her favourite celebration is Sham el-Nasim.
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She likes it because there is no school on that day,
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her parents don't work, and she She has a lovely day with all her family.
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It's at the start of spring.
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The weather is good and there are beautiful flowers everywhere.
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Noha and her brother get up early and paint eggs.
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Then they go for a walk next to the river and watch people in their boats.
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After that, they have a picnic,
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and in the afternoon they visit the zoo.
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Noha loves seeing all the animals.
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Her favourite animals are the turtles.
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Next year, Simone is going to visit lots more countries.
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She's going to talk to more children,
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and she's going to take more photos.
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Please write to Simone and tell her about your favourite celebration.

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About This Lesson

In this lesson, learners will practice speaking English by exploring cultural celebrations from around the world. Through the experiences shared by children like Hu Jingjing from China, João from Brazil, and Noha from Egypt, you will enhance your vocabulary and understanding of festive occasions. This engaging content not only helps improve your listening skills but also encourages you to express your own favorite celebrations. By practicing your speaking skills in this contextual manner, you will learn English with YouTube effectively.

Key Vocabulary & Phrases

  • Celebration - a special event that people enjoy together.
  • Decorate - to make something look more attractive by adding items.
  • Samba school - a school where students learn samba music and dance.
  • Fireworks - explosive devices used for entertainment and celebrations.
  • Picnic - a meal eaten outdoors, often enjoyed in a park or nature.
  • New Year - the celebration marking the beginning of a new calendar year.
  • Drummer - a person who plays a drum, often in parades or music groups.
  • Tradition - customs and practices passed down through generations.

Practice Tips

To effectively improve your speaking through this lesson, try shadowing the speakers' dialogue. Utilize the shadowing app to help synchronize your speech with the native pronunciation and rhythm you're hearing. Listen closely to the tone and pace of the conversation, which is friendly and lively, reflecting the joyful nature of celebrations. When practicing shadow speech, don't worry about getting it perfect on your first try. Instead, focus on mimicking the intonation and enthusiasm.

Start with smaller sections of the transcript, gradually increasing the length as you become more comfortable. This approach will help you build confidence and fluency. Moreover, you can record yourself practicing and listen back to identify areas for improvement. Use the feedback to refine your pronunciation and speech patterns. Remember, the more you use this shadow speak technique, the more natural your spoken English will become. By integrating these tips into your learning routine, you’ll significantly enhance your speaking abilities while embracing the vibrant world of global celebrations.

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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