Shadowing Practice: Alice's Adventures Ch. 4-5 | Mouse in the Pool of Tears | Alice in Wonderland | Little Fox - Learn English Speaking with YouTube
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Alice's Adventures in Wonderland Chapter 4 Another Swimmer When she fell into the salt water,
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Alice's Adventures in Wonderland Chapter 4 Another Swimmer When she fell into the salt water,
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Alice thought she had fallen into the sea.
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But she soon realized she was in a pool of her own tears.
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I cried all these tears when I was nine feet high, Alice said.
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She swam about trying to find her way to dry land.
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I wish I hadn't cried so much.
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I'll be punished for that by drowning in my own tears.
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That will be strange indeed.
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But everything is strange today.
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Just then, Alice heard something splashing.
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At first she thought it must be a walrus or a hippo.
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But then she remembered how small she was.
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The creature must be small too.
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Alice swam toward the sound and soon spotted a mouse,
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which had also fallen into the pool.
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Is there any point in speaking to this creature?
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Alice thought.
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Can he even understand me?
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Everything is so strange down here that he probably can talk.
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She decided to take a chance and speak to him.
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Oh, mouse!
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Alice called.
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Do you know the way out of this pool?
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I'm very tired of swimming.
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Oh, mouse!
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The mouse looked at Alice with some interest.
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He also seemed to wink at her but said nothing.
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Hmm, perhaps he doesn't understand English, Alice said to herself.
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Maybe he's from France.
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Alice decided to try speaking some French.
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All she could think of was the first sentence in her French grammar book.
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Unfortunately, that sentence was, Where is my cat?
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The mouse gave a sudden leap out of the water and quivered with fright.
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Oh, I'm so sorry, Alice said quickly.
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I forgot that mice dislike cats.
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Dislike cats?
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The mouse cried.
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Would you like cats if you were me?
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Well, perhaps not.
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But don't be angry with me, Alice said calmly.
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She was glad that the mouse spoke English.
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I wish that I could show you my cat, Dinah.
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I think you'd learn to like cats if you met her.
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Dinah is such a dear, quiet thing.
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The mouse said nothing.
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Alice swam lazily around the pool as she described Dinah for the mouse.
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Dinah lies by the fire, purring so nicely.
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She licks her paws and washes her face.
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She's such a nice, soft thing to pet.
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And she's the best at catching mice.
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The mouse was shaking with anger,
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and Alice was sure she had offended him.
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Oh, I beg your pardon.
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Alice said.
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We won't talk about Dinah anymore.
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We?
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The mouse squeaked.
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As if I would talk about such a thing.
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Our family has always hated cats.
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Don't let me hear that word again!
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All right, Alice said as she desperately tried to think of another topic of conversation.
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How about dogs?
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Are you fond of dogs?
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The mouse did not reply.
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So Alice went on eagerly.
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There's such a nice dog on the farm near her house.
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It fetches things when you throw them.
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And it sits up and begs for its dinner.
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The farmer says it's worth a lot of money.
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That's because it's so good at catching rats and...
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The mouse started swimming away from Alice as fast as he could.
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Oh no, I'm afraid I've hurt his feelings again,
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Alice said in a sad voice.
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She decided to try one more time to make friends with a frightened animal.
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Mouse, dear, Alice called softly.
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If you come back, I promise we won't talk about dogs or cats anymore.
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Alice's Adventures in Wonderland Chapter 5 A Race to Get Dry When the mouse heard Alice calling,
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he turned around and swam slowly toward her.
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With a trembling voice, he said, Let's swim to shore.
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After I tell you my story,
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you'll understand why I hate cats and dogs.
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Alice was happy to get out of the salt water.
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The pool was getting crowded with birds.
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Alice led the way, and everyone swam to shore.
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It was an odd-looking group that gathered at the edge of the pool.
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Everyone, including Alice, was dripping wet, grumpy, and uncomfortable.
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The main question was how to get dry again.
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The creatures discussed this among themselves,
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and Alice soon joined in.
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She wasn't surprised anymore that she could talk to birds and animals,
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or that they could talk to her.
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In fact, she had a long argument with the parrot.
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We need towels, Alice finally said.
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Lots and lots of towels.
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That's the fastest way to dry off.
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You are completely wrong, the parrot said.
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Birds never use towels.
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Do you have a better idea?
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Alice was getting tired of arguing about Tows.
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I'm older than you are,
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so I know more than you do, the parrot replied.
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Really, parrot?
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How old are you anyway?
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But the parrot refused to reveal her age,
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so that was the end of the argument.
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Fortunately, the mouse took charge of the group.
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Sit down, everyone, and I'll tell you my story while you dry.
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My family has a long,
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sad history with cats and...
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The duck said with a shiver.
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I beg your pardon, the mouse said.
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Did you say something?
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But before the duck could reply, the dodos spoke up.
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I know how to get dry.
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We'll have a race.
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Alice looked around the hall.
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Where will we race?
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The dodo was already marking off a rough circle.
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The exact shape of the course doesn't matter,
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he said when he finished.
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It was the strangest race that Alice had ever seen.
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There was no starting line because the dodo let everyone start in different spots.
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And he didn't say, On your mark, get set, go!
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Instead, the creatures started whenever they liked.
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When they'd been running for 30 minutes,
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the dodo called out, The race is over!
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Everyone was now dry and happy.
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The birds gathered around the dodo.
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But who is the winner?
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One asked.
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This was a puzzling question,
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which the dodo thought about for a long time.
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At last he said, Everybody has won,
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and all must have prizes.
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But who will give out the prizes?
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A bird asked.
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She will, of course.
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The dodo pointed to Alice.
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Everyone crowded around her, shouting, Prizes!
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Prizes!
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Alice had no idea what to do.
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But reaching into her pocket,
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she found a box of candies.
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Luckily, they'd stay dry, and she had enough to give everyone one piece.
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However, there wasn't one left for herself.
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But you must have a prize, the mouse insisted.
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Of course, the dodo replied.
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He turned to Alice.
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What else do you have in your pocket?
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Only a symbol, Alice said.
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Hand it over, the dodo commanded her.
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They all crowded around Alice once again as the dodo solemnly awarded her the thimble.
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After he had finished a short speech, everyone cheered.
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Alice thought the whole thing was silly,
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but the birds looked so serious that she didn't dare laugh.
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So she simply bowed, thinking about what strange creatures she'd met in the rabbit hole.
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About This Lesson
This lesson focuses on enhancing your English speaking skills through the enchanting world of "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland." In Chapters 4 and 5, Alice finds herself swimming in a pool of her own tears, where she encounters a mouse. This whimsical scenario provides a rich context for practice, especially in conversation and descriptive language. As you shadow the words of the characters, you'll practice not only listening but also articulating your thoughts in English. By the end of this lesson, you'll have improved your fluency and confidence in English speaking practice, specifically in the realms of dialogue and narration.
Key Vocabulary & Phrases
- Pool of tears: A metaphorical expression representing sadness.
- Swam: The past tense of swim, used to describe moving through water.
- Understand: To grasp the meaning of something, an essential skill in communication.
- France: A country; in this context, Alice wonders if the mouse speaks French.
- Dislike: To feel aversion or distaste, which plays a role in the interaction between Alice and the mouse.
- Cat: A common pet; Alice's conversation about her cat adds depth to her character.
- Purring: The sound made by cats when they are content; a comforting notion in Alice's description.
- Soft thing: Referring to a gentle and pleasant quality, important in descriptive language.
Practice Tips
To gain the most from this lesson, engage in shadow speech through the transcript's dialogue. Pay attention to the tone and emotions conveyed by Alice, especially her curiosity and gentleness. Here are some specific tips for effective practice:
- Mirror the Emotion: As you listen, channel Alice's emotions and expressions. Shadowing accurately requires more than just repeating words; it's about embodying the character's spirit.
- Slow it Down: If the words are too fast, slow down the video playback and focus on the pronunciation of unfamiliar sounds. This will help you build clarity in your own speech.
- Practice Shadowspeaks: Repeat phrases after the character speaks. This technique improves your pronunciation and fluency and helps solidify new vocabulary in your memory.
- Record Yourself: Use your phone or a shadowing site to record your practice. Listening to your recordings will highlight areas for improvement and allow you to track your progress.
- Try Different Characters: Switch between Alice and the mouse to explore different tones and speech patterns. This variation increases your adaptive speaking skills in English.
By carefully shadowing the speech patterns and vocabulary in this lesson, you'll enhance your English speaking practice and develop greater fluency in conversations.
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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