Shadowing Practice: Daddy Longlegs 4 A Foreign Country Little Fox TEST 2 - Learn English Speaking with Video
Choose a practice mode
Each mode opens a full-screen practice room.
89 sentences
If sentences are too short or too long, click Edit to adjust them.
1
Daddy Long Legs.
2
Chapter 4.
3
A Foreign Country.
4
October 10th.
5
Dear Daddy Long Legs.
6
Have you ever heard of Michelangelo?
7
I thought I had, but I was wrong.
8
The other day in English class, the professor said, Who can tell me something about Michelangelo?
9
Just about every girl in the class raised her hand, so I was happy that she called on me.
10
I spoke up loudly, and everyone could hear me.
11
He was an angel.
12
What a mistake.
13
The whole class burst out laughing.
14
Even the professor was trying to hide a smile.
15
Anyone else want to try?
16
She said.
17
Michael Angelo is a famous artist who lived in Italy a long time ago, Julia Pendleton said.
18
Everybody knows that.
19
But he has Angel right in the middle of his name, I thought blushing furiously.
20
The trouble with college is that everyone thinks you already know a lot of things.
21
But I never learned those things in the orphanage.
22
It's very embarrassing at times.
23
Now, I keep quiet when the girls talk about something I've never heard of.
24
Then afterward, I look it up in the encyclopedia.
25
You know, Daddy Longlegs, it isn't the work that's hard at college.
26
It's the play.
27
Half the time, I don't know what the girls are talking about.
28
I'm a stranger in a foreign country, and I don't understand the language.
29
It's a miserable feeling, but I've had it all my life.
30
In high school, the girls would stand in groups and stare at me.
31
I was odd and different.
32
I felt like John Greer Home for Orphans was stamped across my forehead.
33
There was one nice girl.
34
Sometimes she came over and said something polite.
35
How are you today, Jerusha?
36
Or, What did you think of the history test, Jerusha?
37
Or, I really liked your story when the English teacher read it aloud.
38
But I hated every one of those high school girls.
39
And I especially hated the nice one.
40
I knew she only talked to me because she pitied me.
41
Nobody here knows that I grew up in an orphanage.
42
Not even Sally McBride.
43
One day when we were walking, Sally said, You never talk about your family.
44
Do you have any brothers or sisters?
45
No, I'm an only child, I quickly replied.
46
And I've never heard you mention your parents.
47
That's because they're dead.
48
Oh, I'm so sorry, Sally said.
49
I hope I didn't make you feel bad by asking about them.
50
I shook my head.
51
No, they've been dead a long time.
52
I'm only able to go to college because a kind old gentleman is sending me.
53
That's mostly true, right?
54
I just want to be like the other girls.
55
I just want to forget the John Greer home and get on with my life.
56
At least Sally likes me and is my friend.
57
I've just been reading over this letter.
58
It sounds pretty unhappy.
59
But that's probably because I have an essay due tomorrow and a geometry test.
60
And I have a very sneezy cold.
61
Oh, I almost forgot.
62
Mrs. Lippitt said that you wanted to know everything I'm learning.
63
Besides English and geometry, I'm taking Latin, French, and biology.
64
Yesterday, the English professor had something nice to say about my latest paper.
65
This shows a lot of originality, she said to the whole class.
66
Which made me feel better about the Michelangelo episode.
67
The John Greer home aims to turn out 97 orphans who are all alike.
68
So it's amazing that I have any originality.
69
I hope I don't hurt your feelings when I say bad things about the orphanage.
70
But if I do hurt your feelings, you can stop my allowance I guess that's not a polite thing to say
71
but you can't expect me to have any manners after all
72
I grew up in an orphanage here's some more news I'm trying out for the freshman basketball team
73
I'm short but I'm quick and tough while the other girls are jumping I dodge under their feet and grab the ball.
74
Practicing is fun.
75
We're outside in the fall air and the trees are all red and yellow.
76
Everybody is laughing and shouting.
77
These are the happiest girls I've ever seen, and I'm the happiest of all.
78
So there, I've thought of some cheerful things to tell you.
79
Don't be discouraged when my letters seem sad.
80
I really love college, and I love you for sending me.
81
The 10 o'clock bell is going to ring in two minutes.
82
Our day is divided into sections by bells.
83
We eat and sleep and study by bells.
84
There goes the bell.
85
Lights out.
86
Observe how seriously I take the rules here.
87
The John Greer home has trained me well.
88
So, I've said nice things about the orphanage, too.
89
Sincerely, Jerusha Abbott.
Download App
Everything you need to speak fluently
AI PronunciationScore every sentence
IPA PracticeMaster every sound
VocabularyBuild your word bank
Vocab GameLearn while playing
FOR YOU
Recommend Video
B15
166 sentences
Learn English with Stories ⭐ The Angry Landlord | Level 3 English Listening & Speaking Practice
TeensDaily ConversationHigh School Students
A22
207 sentences
Nobody Listens | Chapter 3 | Bookworm Stage 1 Level A2
TeensDaily Conversation
B111
263 sentences
Mom Looks like a 10 year old
American AccentTeensDaily ConversationHigh School Students
B12
909 sentences
In a coastal town, little Annie joins the Turners. Love and kindness reshape their fate.
KidsTeensDaily Conversation
A23
127 sentences
McGraw Hill.Wonders 3.Gary The Dreamer
KidsTeensDaily Conversation
B1116 sentences
키다리아저씨 3화에 나오는 37개 영어단어 | 영어동화로 영단어학습 | Daddy Longlegs
KidsDaily Conversation
B15
290 sentences
I Graduated High School at 13
American AccentTeensDaily ConversationHigh School Students
B17
120 sentences
Nobody Believed Me!
TeensDaily Conversation
B1216 sentences
English ExtrA Mạnh Toàn Uploader Episode number 11 p2)
TeensDaily ConversationHigh School Students
A249
100 sentences
Flyers 1,TEST 1, part 3- Minh Ngoc English
KidsTeensDaily Conversation
B13
172 sentences
My Villain Demon Dad Sacrificed His Life To Save Me | Easy English Listening Practice
TeensDaily ConversationHigh School Students
B12
239 sentences
Stay in School
TeensDaily ConversationHigh School Students
Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This video has 89 sentences and 799 words to shadow. The speech runs for 6:05. The speaker talks at a steady 131 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. Only 80% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is demanding.
Key vocabulary in this video
15 less common words from the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
- angel /ˈeɪ̯n.d͡ʒəl/ (noun) — An incorporeal and holy or semidivine messenger from a deity or other divine entity, traditionally depicted as a youthful, winged figure in flowing robes.
- polite /pəˈlaɪt/ (adjective) — Well-mannered, civilized.
- geometry /d͡ʒiˈɑ.mə.tɹi/ (noun) — The branch of mathematics dealing with spatial relationships.
- orphan /ˈɔɹfən/ (noun) — A person, especially a minor, both or (rarely) one of whose parents have died.
- afterwards /ˈæf.tɚ.wɚdz/ (adverb) — At a later or succeeding time; after that;
- shake /ˈʃeɪk/ (verb) — To cause (something) to move rapidly in opposite directions alternatingly.
- essay /ˈɛs.eɪ/ (noun) — A written composition of moderate length, exploring a particular issue or subject.
- biology /baɪˈɑ.lə.d͡ʒi/ (noun) — The study of all life or living matter.
- gentleman /ˈd͡ʒɛn.təl.mən/ (noun) — Any well-bred, well-mannered, or charming man.
- burst /bɜːst/ (verb) — To break from internal pressure.
- alike /əˈlaɪk/ (adjective) — Having resemblance or similitude; similar; without difference.
- divide /dɪˈvaɪd/ (verb) — To split or separate (something) into two or more parts.
- stamp /stæmp/ (noun) — An act of stamping the foot, paw or hoof.
- miserable /ˈmɪz(ə)ɹəbəl/ (adjective) — In a state of misery: very sad, ill, or poor.
- observe /əbˈzɜːv/ (verb) — To notice or view, especially carefully or with attention to detail.
Phrasal verbs you will hear
- talk about (verb) — Used to draw attention to the speaker's characterization of someone or something.
- burst out (verb) — To appear suddenly from within something else.
- call on (verb) — To visit (a person); to pay a call to.
- come over (verb) — To affect in a sudden, unprecedented or surprising manner; to overwhelm a person's ordinarily contrary impulse.
- get on with (verb) — To proceed with; to begin or continue, especially after an interruption.
- live in (verb) — To reside on the premises of one's employer (used especially of domestic staff such as nannies, cooks, maids, etc.)
- read over (verb) — To read (a document, book, etc.) through, though not necessarily thoroughly.
- ring in (verb) — To make a phone call to (this place).
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 27 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'm, I've, don't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: shake /ˈʃeɪk/, shout /ʃaʊt/, freshman /ˈfɹɛʃ.mən/, blush /ˈblʌʃ/
- Long words — get the stress right: geometry /d͡ʒiˈɑ.mə.tɹi/, biology /baɪˈɑ.lə.d͡ʒi/, miserable /ˈmɪz(ə)ɹəbəl/, encyclopedia /ɪnˌsaɪkləˈpidi.ə/, originality /əˌɹɪd͡ʒɪˈnælɪti/
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 angel, polite, geometry.
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | Have you ever heard · I've never heard · I've had |
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | was stamped · be discouraged · is divided |
| Past continuous was/were + -ing — an action in progress at a moment in the past | was trying · were walking |
| Superlatives the -est / the most … — the top or bottom of a group | my latest · the happiest |
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.