Shadowing Practice: Ben and Holly’s Little Kingdom | King Thistle Loses His Chill | Kids Videos - Learn English Speaking with Video

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Somewhere, hidden amongst thorny brambles, is a little kingdom of elves and fairies.
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Everyone who lives here is very, very small.
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I'm Ben Elk.
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And I'm Princess Holly.
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Come on, let's play.
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Wait for us.
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Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom Today's adventure starts at the meadow.
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Gaston to the rescue!
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Gaston's brilliant at digging.
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He's dug up an old stick.
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Gaston, fetch!
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Gaston loves fetching sticks.
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Oh, it's raining.
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One, two, umbrella.
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Wow!
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Let's play indoors.
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Come on, Gaston.
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De-dee-da, dum-dee-dum-dee-doo.
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Ah, I love a clean kitchen.
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Hello, Nanny Plum.
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No, don't let that lady bird into my kitchen.
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He's making muddy footprints everywhere.
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Get off the floor!
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Not on the table!
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Shoo!
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Shoo!
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This is a food preparation area!
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Where's he going now?
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Maybe he's gone to see Daddy.
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He likes Daddy.
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Who let this smelly ladybird in the house?
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Holly!
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Yes, Daddy?
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Please keep Gaston under control.
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Sorry, Daddy.
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We live in the castle.
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Gaston lives outside.
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Never mind, Gaston.
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Let's all go to the great elf tree instead.
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Mrs Elf, that blueberry pie smells delicious.
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Yes, Mr Elf.
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The secret is to cook it very slowly over three days.
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Hello, Mum.
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Hello.
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Hello, Ben.
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Hello, Holly.
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Can't he shake himself outside?
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That pie is not for you, Gaston.
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Now, Ben, Gaston should live outside.
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We live inside.
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OK, Mum.
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Ah!
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Where's the pie gone?
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Gaston's eaten it!
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We don't know it was Gaston.
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It could have been someone else.
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He's the only one with pie on his face!
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Out, Gaston!
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I never want to see you again.
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Sorry, Gaston.
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You'd better go home.
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Go on, Gaston.
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Off you go.
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Bedtime, Holly.
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Are you all right, darling?
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I'm a bit sad.
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Gaston isn't allowed in our houses anymore.
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Gaston!
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Oh, Gaston is all wet and cold.
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Gaston, go and make that rocket somewhere else.
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Poor Gaston.
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Gaston!
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Gaston!
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Gaston!
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Gaston!
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Gaston!
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Hello, Ben.
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I can't find Gaston anywhere.
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Maybe he's in his cave.
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Gaston?
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It's empty.
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Where is Gaston?
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He must have gone off somewhere to be sad.
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Don't worry, I'll find him.
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Elves are good at finding ladybirds and I'm an elf.
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Gaston!
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Gaston!
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Gaston!
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Gaston!
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Oh, where are we?
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I don't know.
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I've never been here before.
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Oh, it's a door.
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Speak, friend, and enter.
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A talking door.
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Hello.
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Hello.
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I wonder what's behind it.
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That's for me to know and you to find out.
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Oh, let's get the grown-ups.
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A talking door?
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Yes, Daddy.
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It said, speak, friend, and enter.
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Oh, that will be the old dwarf mine.
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Dwarf mine?
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Yes.
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The dwarves used to dig down into the earth, looking for diamonds and gold and stuff like that.
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Dig, dig, dig.
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Dig, dig, dig.
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In our dwarf mine oh so old.
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We dig for diamonds, we dig for gold.
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Dig, dig, dig.
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Dig, dig, dig.
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I like diamonds and gold.
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They're so pretty and sparkly and glittery.
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Let's take a look at this dwarf mine.
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What are dwarves like?
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They're big, bigger than us.
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Yes, dwarves are huge.
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Here's the door.
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Ooh.
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It's locked.
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Speak, friend and enter.
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What does that mean?
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It's a riddle.
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No entry until you solve the riddle.
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That's silly.
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I'll just magic it open.
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My magic doesn't work on the door.
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Yes, fairy magic and dwarf magic don't mix.
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Maybe we should just ask nicely.
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How are you today, Mr. Door?
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Fine, thank you Can we come in, please?
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Speak friend and enter Maybe it means say the word friend Good idea,
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Ben Ahem, friend That was easy, let's go in Ben and Holly,
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you wait outside The dwarf mine could be dangerous Then why are you going in?
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Well, we're grown-ups Can we go with you?
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Uh, why not?
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If you're with us grown-ups, you'll be safe.
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As long as the door doesn't shut behind us.
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Oh.
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Now what do we do?
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Wand, give me light.
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Maybe we can say friend again to make the door open.
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Friend.
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It's a new riddle this time.
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All right.
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What's the new riddle?
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If a car with a two-liter engine travels up a 15-degree hill at 10 miles an hour,
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how much fuel will it use if the hill is 100 meters high?
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Ah.
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What if we go this way?
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Lots and lots of tunnels leading for miles.
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We'd get lost going that way.
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If only Gaston was here, he could smell his way out.
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Good idea.
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Where is Gaston?
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Yes, where is good old Gaston?
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You said you never wanted to see him again.
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And so did you, Dad?
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Oh, yes.
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And now Gaston's off somewhere being sad.
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Gaston!
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Good old Gaston, my best friend.
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Help, Gaston, we're stuck.
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Gaston, run and get Nanny Plum.
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There, all nice and clean again.
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No, Gaston!
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Out!
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Out!
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What's that?
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Ben and Holly and King and Queen Thistle and Mr and Mrs Elf?
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All stuck in the old mine, you say?
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Then there's no time to lose!
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Lead the way, Gaston!
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Hello?
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Nanny Plum!
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Thank goodness you're here!
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We're trapped!
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Hang on!
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I'll just magic the door open!
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Oh, it doesn't work.
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No, because the door is sealed with dwarf magic.
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You have to answer a question.
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What question?
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An aeroplane is flying at 180 miles per hour.
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How strong will the wind have to be to slow its speed by 15%?
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That's just gobbledy joke.
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Nanny, magic up a spade and digger's out.
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This will take ages.
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I know.
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Gaston can dig us out.
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Yes, Gaston's brilliant at digging.
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Gaston, old friend, dig us out.
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Er, he wants you to say please.
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Oh, please, Gaston.
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Hooray!
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Gaston to the rescue!
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Thank you, Gaston.
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Oh, Gaston, you're wonderful.
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Good boy, Gaston.
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So, can Gaston come to the little castle now?
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Yes.
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And to our house too?
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Yes.
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I'll even make him a pie.
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Gaston, thanks for rescuing us.
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Our hero.
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you

About This Lesson

This lesson is centered around the engaging episode from "Ben and Holly’s Little Kingdom," which features the playful adventures of Ben and Princess Holly. By watching and shadowing this delightful content, learners will practice their English listening and speaking skills. The dialogue focuses on everyday activities, emotions, and interactions in a whimsical setting, making it a fun way to enhance vocabulary and improve English pronunciation. Whether you're mimicking character voices or simply repeating phrases, you'll develop your language skills through the dynamic conversations in this episode.

Key Vocabulary & Phrases

  • Little Kingdom: A small, enchanting place where elves and fairies live.
  • Fetch: To go and bring back an object, often a stick or a ball.
  • Indoor Play: Activities that are done inside a building, especially when the weather is unfavorable.
  • Muddy Footprints: Marks left by a dirty or wet object, often referring to the mess created during playtime.
  • Control: To manage or keep something within limits, as Holly is asked to keep Gaston in check.
  • Delicious: A word used to describe something that tastes very good, like the blueberry pie.
  • Preparation Area: A specific place where food is being prepared for cooking or serving.

Practice Tips

To maximally benefit from this lesson, embrace the practice of shadowspeak by listening closely to the dialogue of the characters. Since the speech is lively, it can be a bit fast at times. Start by pausing the video after each sentence; repeat the phrases aloud, mimicking the intonation and rhythm of the characters. This technique, called shadow speech, will help you improve English pronunciation and boost your confidence in speaking.

You may also want to slow down the playback speed if the platform allows, allowing you to catch the nuances of each sentence. Focus particularly on how emotions are expressed through voice modulation and pace. For instance, when Gaston is cheerful or Princess Holly is jovial, notice how their voices elevate. Practicing these nuances can deeply enhance your speaking ability. As you learn English with YouTube, remember to have fun with it—engagement is key to learning effectively!

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.