Shadowing Practice: DICTATION3 UNIT3 - Learn English Speaking with Video

Creating lesson...
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Unit 3.
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Ants, ants everywhere.
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Hello, Mrs. Wilson.
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How are you?
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I'm worried, Brianna.
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Thousands of ants are all over my patio.
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That's quite a problem.
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What's worse is that my daughter's birthday party is in a few days, and I wanted to have it on the patio.
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Why don't you call an exterminator?
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I would, but I don't want all those hazardous chemicals around my children.
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It's harmful and unhealthy.
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I also don't want dangerous substances to seep into the garden.
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I usually don't have problems with ants, and I don't use any chemicals.
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What's your secret?
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Well, ants are difficult to control, so I planted a lot of mint plants near my deck.
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I also use cinnamon and cayenne pepper.
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I just sprinkle them around the places I don't want ants.
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Some people have tried it and said it worked.
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Others said that they needed to try something else.
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I think it's worth a try.
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I would rather use cinnamon and mint around my patio than some hazardous chemicals.
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Besides, I don't mind having the ants in the yard.
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I simply don't want them coming to the birthday party.
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Would you mind helping me?
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It would be a pleasure.
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I have a lot of cinnamon at home, and I can run to the store to get the plants for you.
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Thank you, Brianna.
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You're such a thoughtful person.
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Thank you.

About This Lesson

You're practicing English with "DICTATION3 UNIT3" using the Shadowing technique — a method originally developed for professional interpreter training.

Focus on sounding like the speaker — not just repeating words. With 15–30 minutes of daily practice, you'll build real-world speaking confidence.

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.

Shadowing technique: read the full step-by-step guide →