Shadowing Practice: 🔧 Calling a Repair Man at Home - Slow and Easy English For Beginners - Learn English Speaking with Video
Creating lesson...
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Welcome to English Listening Channel.
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Hello, everyone.
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Today, we're going to look at a conversation at home.
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In this video, you will follow a simple and practical story between a woman and a repairman.
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Don't worry, I will speak slowly and clearly, so please relax and enjoy the story.
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Before we start, I have a small question for you.
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Please listen carefully to find the answer.
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This will help you understand English more deeply.
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So here is today's question.
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How often should you clean an air conditioner filter?
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The answer is mentioned in the conversation.
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If you find the answer, please write it in the comments section.
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By writing your answer in English, you can improve your English skills even more effectively.
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Alright, let's start the video.
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Are you ready?
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OK, let's begin.
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Good morning, Sam.
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Wow, it is so hot in here.
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Good morning.
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Yes, it is.
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I think the air conditioner is not working.
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Let me check it.
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I turned it on, but the air is not cold.
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That is strange.
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It worked fine last week.
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I can hear it running, but the room is still hot.
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Maybe something is wrong inside it.
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We can look at it later.
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It is hard to sleep when it is this hot.
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I know.
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Summer is really here now.
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Wait, what is that sound?
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Drip, drip, drip.
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It is coming from the kitchen.
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Look, there is water under the sink.
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Oh no, the floor is wet.
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Is the pipe broken?
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Maybe.
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Let me put a towel here for now.
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The water is slowly spreading.
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We need to stop it soon.
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I know, but I'm not sure how.
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Let me think.
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And look at the light.
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It keeps going on and off.
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You are right.
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It is flashing.
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Three problems in one morning.
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This is too much.
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What should we do?
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Do not worry.
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Our building has a repairman.
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His name is Mike.
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Oh, the man from the first floor?
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Yes, that is him.
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He fixes many things in our building.
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We can call him.
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Good idea.
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Can he fix all three things in one visit?
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I think so.
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He is very good at his job.
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Okay.
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Let me write the problems on paper.
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The air conditioner, the water, and the light.
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Good.
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A list will help.
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Then you can show him everything.
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Done.
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Three problems on one list.
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That looks clear.
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Write the air conditioner at the top.
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It is the hottest problem.
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Good idea.
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The air conditioner first.
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Perfect.
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Let us call him right now.
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Ali, I am sorry, but I have to go to work now.
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What?
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You were leaving?
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But the repairman is coming.
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I know.
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I am sorry.
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You can do it.
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It is easy.
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But I have never talked to a repairman alone.
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Do not worry.
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Just show him the list.
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He will understand.
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Okay.
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What else should I do?
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First, take some photos of the problems with your phone.
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Photos?
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Why?
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If you have photos, you can show the problem clearly.
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They also help you later.
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That is smart.
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I will take photos of the sink and the light now.
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Good.
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There is one more important thing.
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What is it?
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Ask him the price first.
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Before he starts, ask how much it will cost.
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Ask the price first.
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Got it.
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I do not want a big surprise.
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Exactly.
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A good repairman will always tell you the price before he starts.
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Okay.
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Should I pay him with cash?
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Cash or card is fine.
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We have some cash in the kitchen drawer.
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Good.
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Anything else I should remember?
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Just be polite and ask questions.
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If you don't understand, ask him to explain again.
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Ask him to explain again.
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Okay.
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I think I can do this.
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One more thing.
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Watch what he does.
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Then you can learn for next time.
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That is a good idea.
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I will watch and ask questions.
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You can.
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Mike is kind.
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Call me if you need me.
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Good luck.
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Thanks, Sam.
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See you tonight.
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See you.
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Have a good day.
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Oh, someone is at the door.
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Who is it?
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Hello.
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I am Mike, the repairman.
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Did you call about some problems?
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Yes.
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Thank you for coming so fast.
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Please come in.
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Thank you.
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Wait one moment.
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Let me put on my shoe covers.
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Shoe covers?
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Yes, they go over my shoes.
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They keep your floor clean.
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Oh, that is very kind.
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Thank you.
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No problem.
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I always wear them in people's homes.
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So, what can I do for you today?
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I have a list.
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There are three problems.
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Three?
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Okay.
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Let me see your list.
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First, the air conditioner is not cold.
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Second, there is water under the kitchen sink.
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OK.
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And the third one?
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The light keeps flashing.
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A list is very helpful.
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Thank you.
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Most people forget one problem, but you wrote them all down.
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My friend told me to make a list.
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That was good advice.
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It saves time for both of us.
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I also took photos of the problems.
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Would you like to see them?
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Yes, please.
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Photos help me a lot before I start.
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Here.
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This is the sink, and this is the light.
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Very clear.
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Thank you.
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I can fix all three today.
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Really?
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That is great news.
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I was worried it would take many days.
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No. These are common problems.
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Let us start with the water.
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Water problems are the most important.
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Why is the water most important?
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Because water can hurt your floor and your things.
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We should stop it first.
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That makes sense.
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Okay, the kitchen is this way.
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Okay, let us go.
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Okay, let me look under the sink.
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Can you open this door for me?
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Sure, here. Be careful.
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The floor is wet.
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Thank you.
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I see.
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There is a small pipe here, and it is dripping.
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Is it bad?
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Is the pipe broken?
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No, the pipe is fine.
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The problem is this small rubber part.
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It is old.
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A rubber part?
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Yes.
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It is called a washer.
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It stops the water.
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When it gets old, water drips out.
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I see.
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Why does it get old?
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Water runs through it every day for years, so slowly it gets soft and weak.
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That makes sense.
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Is it hard to fix?
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No, it is easy and cheap.
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But first I need to turn off the water.
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How do you turn off the water?
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See this little handle under the sink?
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This is the water valve.
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I turn it like this.
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Oh, the dripping stopped.
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Yes, every sink has a valve like this.
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If you have a leak, you turn it off first.
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That valve is good to know.
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I can turn it off myself next time.
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Exactly.
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Now I can change the washer.
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It will take only a few minutes.
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Okay, I will watch you so I can learn.
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Good.
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Here is the old washer.
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See how thin it is?
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And here is the new one.
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The new one is much thicker.
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Right.
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A new washer is soft, so it stops the water well.
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How long will this new one last?
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Many years.
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You do not need to worry about it for a long time.
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That is good to hear.
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Okay, the new washer is on.
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Let me turn the water back on.
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No more dripping.
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Amazing.
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One problem fixed.
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Two more to go.
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Now, let us look at the air conditioner.
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You said the air is not cold?
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Right.
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I turn it on, but the room stays hot.
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Let me check it.
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Hmm.
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The air conditioner is on, but the air is weak.
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Why is that?
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Let me open the front.
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Ah, here is the problem.
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Look at this filter.
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Oh, it is very dirty.
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It is gray with dust.
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Yes, a dirty filter is the number one reason an air conditioner stops cooling.
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Really?
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Just dust?
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Yes.
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The dust blocks the air, so the cold air cannot come out well.
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I did not know that.
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I have never cleaned it.
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Many people forget, but a clean filter is very important.
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Can you clean this one?
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I can clean it with water, but yours is very old, so I will put in a new one.
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Okay.
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How often should I clean the filter?
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Once a month is good.
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It is easy.
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You just take it out and wash it.
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Once a month.
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How do I take it out?
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You open this front part and the filter slides out.
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Then you wash it and let it dry.
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That looks simple.
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Does a clean filter also save money?
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Yes, good question.
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A clean filter uses less electricity, so your bill is lower too.
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That is great.
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A clean filter saves money and keeps the room cool.
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Exactly.
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There, the new filter is in.
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Listen, the air is strong now.
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Oh yes, I can feel the cold air.
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The room feels better already.
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Good.
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Two problems fixed.
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One more to go.
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Last one.
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The light that flashes.
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Can you turn it on for me?
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Sure.
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See, it goes on and off by itself.
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I see it.
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Okay, let me check the bulb first.
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I will use my ladder.
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Be careful up there.
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Thank you.
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Do not worry.
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I do this every day.
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Ah, I see.
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The bulb is loose.
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The bulb is loose?
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That is all?
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Often, yes.
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When a bulb is a little loose, the light flashes.
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Let me turn it until it is tight.
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Oh, it stopped flashing.
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The light is steady now.
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Good.
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A loose bulb is a very common problem.
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So I can check the bulb myself next time?
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Yes, but first turn off the light.
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Never touch a bulb when the light is on.
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Oh, right, because of the electricity.
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Yes, always be safe with electricity.
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Turn it off and let the bulb cool down first.
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I will remember that.
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Turn it off and wait.
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Good, but this bulb is also old.
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Let me put in a new one to be safe.
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Should I buy the same kind of bulb next time?
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Yes.
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Just take the old bulb to the store and show it.
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Then you get the right one.
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That is easy.
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Take the old one and show it.
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Right.
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Here is the new bulb.
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Let me turn it until it is tight.
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Thank you.
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The new bulb looks bright and nice.
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Yes.
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And new bulbs use less electricity, so they are better.
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Another way to save money.
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That's right.
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All done.
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Three problems, all fixed.
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You are fast!
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Thank you so much.
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You're welcome.
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Let me clean up my tools.
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So, how much is it?
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Let me count the total.
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There is a small visit fee of $20.
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Okay, a visit fee.
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Then the parts.
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A new washer, a new filter, and a new bulb.
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That is $30.
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And your work?
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My work for three jobs is $40.
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So the total is $90.
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$90 for everything.
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That is fair.
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Thank you for telling me first. Of course.
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Here is your receipt.
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Keep it.
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You might need it later.
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Thank you.
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Can I pay with cash?
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Cash is fine.
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Thank you.
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Here is $90.
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Thank you.
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Have a nice day.
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Call me if you need anything.
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I will.
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Thanks again, Mike.
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Bye.
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I am home.
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Oh, the room is so cool now.
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It feels great.
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Welcome home.
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Yes, Mike fixed the air conditioner.
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And the water?
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And the light?
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All fixed.
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No more dripping, and the light is steady now.
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That is wonderful.
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So how was it?
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Was it hard?
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No, it was fine.
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I showed him the list, and I asked the price first.
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Good job.
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How much was it?
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$90 for all three.
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And look, I have the receipt.
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That is a good price.
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I am proud of you.
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Thanks, and I learned a lot today.
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Really?
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Like what?
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Now I know where the water valve is, and I will clean the air conditioner filter every month.
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Wow, you learned more than me.
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Next time I can fix small things myself.
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See?
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You did not need me at all.
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Well, a little.
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Now let us enjoy our cool room.
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How was it?
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I hope this video helped you improve your English.
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Now let me ask the question from the beginning one more time.
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How often should you clean an air conditioner filter?
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The answer was mentioned in the video.
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Did you find it?
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If you did, please write your answer in the comments section.
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By practicing English output like this, you can improve your English skills more efficiently.
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On this channel, I share stories in slow and easy English with small but useful tips to help you learn.
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I will keep uploading videos like this, so if you enjoyed it, please subscribe to the channel.
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And please don't forget to like the video and leave a comment.
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I also offer channel memberships.
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If you enjoyed this video, please consider joining as a member.
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Alright that's all for today.
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I hope to see you in the next video.
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See you next time.
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Bye!
About This Lesson
In this lesson, you will practice English through a practical conversation set in a home environment. The dialogue focuses on a woman discussing issues with her air conditioner and plumbing problems with a repairman. By listening to their interaction, you'll enhance your understanding of everyday English phrases and improve your listening and speaking skills. This simple story is specifically designed for beginners, allowing you to follow along easily and learn important vocabulary related to home repairs and maintenance.
Key Vocabulary & Phrases
- Air conditioner: A device used to cool the air inside a building.
- Check: To examine something to see if it is working correctly.
- Pipe: A tube through which water or other substances can flow.
- Drip: A small amount of liquid falling drop by drop.
- Flash: To turn on and off quickly, like a light.
- Towel: A piece of cloth used for drying things, such as spills.
- Broken: No longer working or in a good condition.
- Spread: To move out from a central point, often referring to liquid.
Practice Tips
To make the most of this English speaking practice, try the shadowing method. This technique involves repeating what you hear in the video in real-time, which can significantly improve your pronunciation and fluency. As the speakers in this video talk slowly and clearly, it is ideal for beginners to practice their shadow speak. Focus on mimicking not just the words, but also the intonation and rhythm of the conversation. Pause the video after each phrase or sentence to repeat it aloud, ensuring you capture the natural flow of spoken English.
Listening to this dialogue on a shadowing site or while engaged in daily activities can help reinforce your learning. Make sure to identify and use the key vocabulary in your sentences. Try to create your own scenarios using these words, perhaps imagining a conversation about a home repair situation you might encounter. This engaging process will help you learn English with YouTube more effectively, turning language learning into a dynamic and enjoyable experience.
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.