Shadowing Practice: English Conversation Practice - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

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What time do you get up in the morning, Daniel?
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What time do you get up in the morning, Daniel?
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I get up very early, Grandma, at 6.30.
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Oh, poor you.
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It must be so hard for you to wake up so early.
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And what do you have for breakfast?
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I have cereal with milk, eggs, or toast.
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That's nice.
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And how do you get to school?
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Well, I get there on foot.
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I walk slowly every day to school.
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It takes ten minutes to arrive to my school.
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Oh, so your school isn't far.
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It's very near.
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That's good.
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Do you like school?
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Yes.
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My favorite classes are math, science, and history.
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Writing long papers is not my specialty, but I do it if it's required.
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And what professions do you like?
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I don't know.
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I'm still not sure what I want to be.
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Maybe I'll be a lawyer.
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A lawyer?
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Oh, that's a beautiful profession.
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You'll be able to help people in need.
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Yes, Grandma.
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It's nice to defend people who get in trouble.
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What are your hobbies, Daniel?
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I like playing tennis, cycling, watching TV, and reading.
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I see you keep yourself busy.
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That's good.
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What kind of books do you like reading?
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I like reading adventure stories like The Three Musketeers or Treasure Island.
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Those used to be my favorite books, too, when I was younger.
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Do you have many friends, Daniel?
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Yes, I have many friends.
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We are always together in school and we get along well.
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Though sometimes we argue because we don't agree on everything.
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But by the next day, we're back together.
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I'm glad to hear that.
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It's not good to hold grudges.
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Reconciliation is the best option.
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I know, Grandma.
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That's what you've always told me ever since I was little, and I kept that in mind.
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I need a new cell phone.
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Mom, there's a new cell phone out.
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It's amazing.
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I have to get one.
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No way.
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Your cell phone is still working fine.
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We shouldn't waste money like this.
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But Mom, my phone is outdated.
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Besides, half the screen is cracked The battery life is terrible It goes from 100% to 40% in a few hours And some letters on the keyboard are not working And it's basically the slowest phone I've ever seen That's why I need a new phone Well, I will buy a new battery for the phone and it will be fine.
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This won't help the fact that half the keyboard is not working and it's slow.
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You should just try to use it for an hour and see how annoying it is.
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I know you can afford to buy me a new phone because you just got a pay raise.
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Black Friday sales are coming soon.
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Now it would be a good time to get a nice deal on a better phone.
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Jane, I just received your school report yesterday and I noticed your grades are not so good.
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That's why I'm not going to buy you a new cell phone unless your grades improve.
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Do we have a deal?
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Okay, I promise to do my best to improve my grades.
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I'll study harder from now on.
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Great.
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And I promise to buy you a new phone next month if you do that.
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Do you need any help?
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Hey, Paul, we heard you're moving out.
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Is that true?
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You heard right.
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I'm moving out of my apartment into a new home.
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I found another apartment which is closer to my office, and the rent is much cheaper.
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So it's more convenient.
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It won't be as big as the old one, but it's okay.
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Good for you.
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Do you need any help with your stuff?
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That would be great.
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Thanks.
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When do you plan to move?
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I need to empty the apartment this Saturday.
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But the problem is, I haven't found a van or truck to collect my stuff yet.
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I've heard that there are some companies that will rent trucks, but I haven't been able to find any that are close enough to me.
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Do you know where I can find one?
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My cousin works at a moving company.
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I can talk to him to send you a truck.
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I'm sure he'll be able to help you.
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Really?
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That would be wonderful!
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We can come by your place Saturday morning to help you pack your things.
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Sounds perfect.
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I really appreciate it.
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Let me know if you need some boxes because I have plenty at home in my basement.
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Okay, I'll let you know if I need some more.
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Thanks a lot for your help.
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I'll be waiting for you on Saturday morning.
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There's no use crying over spilled milk.
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I'm so annoyed with myself for losing the game because of my stupid mistake.
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Stop blaming yourself, Tom.
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It's not your fault.
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The whole team is responsible for losing the game.
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I almost scored the winning goal, but I missed it.
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I can't forgive myself for that.
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It can happen to anyone.
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Don't be so hard on yourself.
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Scoring the winning goal in the closing seconds of the match is so difficult.
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It's difficult, but not impossible.
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Had I been a little more focused, I would have made it.
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We could have won the match.
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Can you believe it?
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We could have been champions.
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I know you're disappointed to have lost the championship game, but there's no use crying over spilled milk.
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You just have to train harder for next season.
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Well, my teammates aren't going to lose another game because of me.
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I'll do better next time.
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I finally did it.
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Something wonderful happened, Laura.
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Really?
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What?
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You're not gonna believe it.
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Caitlin, calm down and just tell me what happened.
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I finally did it!
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I got into the company I auditioned for!
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Really?
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That's amazing!
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But I thought you auditioned and didn't make it.
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That's right!
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I auditioned five times before getting in!
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I had much confidence in my abilities and I kept trying.
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I started thinking maybe I just needed to work harder.
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So I started dancing again on my own.
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And by practicing every day, I got better and better.
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Then I saw on the social media that auditions were being held again.
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I knew I could do it, so I auditioned one more time and gave it my all.
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I do feel like I earned it and it was a great experience for me.
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I'm so happy for you.
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Your hard work finally paid off.
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I'm so glad you never gave up.
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Congratulations!
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Don't jump to conclusions.
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So, Monica, how are things with your new roommate?
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Jessica, right?
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Yeah, Jessica.
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Well, she's really irritating.
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Irritating?
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What makes you say that?
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I'd rather not talk about it.
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Is it that bad?
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I'm really worried.
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So, we take turns cleaning the apartment.
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It was her turn this week, and she still hasn't done anything.
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Then, today, she left for her parents' house for the entire weekend.
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Maybe it just slipped her mind.
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No, she did it on purpose.
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I asked her about it before she left, and she was not very friendly.
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She said I should stop bothering her and that she'd do things when she had time.
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She acted like a spoiled brat.
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I think I should better start looking for another roommate.
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Well, she might do it when she gets back.
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I doubt that.
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I think she's just lazy.
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Don't jump to conclusions.
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Give her another chance.
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Maybe she was upset because she had some problems of her own.
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You know, you may be right.
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I remember I overheard her talking on the phone with her mom about a divorce.
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Maybe her parents are getting a divorce and that's why she was so upset.
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That makes sense.
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Okay, I'll give her another chance.
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Maybe I was too quick to judge.
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The new math teacher.
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Have you seen the new math teacher?
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The one with short black hair and a beard?
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No, that's Mr.
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Ashley, our new physics teacher.
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So, who's the math teacher?
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Mr.
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Monroe.
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Oh, the tall and slim one with glasses and blue eyes?
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That's right.
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He was wearing a blue shirt and black trousers.
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Exactly.
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And what is he like?
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He is a great teacher.
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He is very patient, and he can make even the most complex problems look simple.
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I love his way of teaching.
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Does he ever lose his temper?
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Never.
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He always talks to the students in a calm manner.
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Well, I can't wait to meet him then.
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He seems like an amazing teacher.
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What is Chicago like?
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Where are you from, Chang?
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I currently live in Chicago, but I was born in Shanghai, China.
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I moved to America when I was about three.
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What do you do for a living?
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I work at a home health agency.
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We help seniors who may need assistance with various things.
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I'm also considering studying to become a licensed practical nurse.
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Have you always lived in Chicago?
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No.
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I lived in Wisconsin, which is right near Chicago.
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I lived at some other places as well, but ultimately settled down here.
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What is Chicago like?
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It's one of the best cities in the world.
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There are many great museums, theaters, sports centers.
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Who could ask for more?
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It's one of the most walkable cities.
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You can get around very easily.
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How many different places have you lived in so far?
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I'd say about seven, maybe eight places.
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And how does Chicago compare with other places?
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Has it been easy living here?
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Yes, it has, overall.
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The cost of living in Chicago is surprisingly affordable.
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People from all over the world come here to live and prosper.
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Are the local people friendly?
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Yes, people here are real, helpful, and down-to-earth, for the most part.
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Although it varies from neighborhood to neighborhood.
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Making an Invitation Hello, Julia.
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How are you?
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Fine, thanks.
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It's been a busy week.
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Tell me about it.
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Listen, what are you doing tonight?
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Nothing that I know of.
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Why?
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Would you care to go out for dinner?
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I know a lovely Mexican restaurant.
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Sounds like a plan.
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Once you try one of their foods, it is very addicting.
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It is that delicious.
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My favorite food is the burrito bowl.
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My mouth gets watery just thinking about it.
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That would be wonderful.
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I'd like that very much Where is it located?
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It's located in Lincoln Park I can pick you up in front of your office Great!
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Let's go right after work Okay, what time?
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I finish at 5 p.m.
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Is that okay for you?
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Sure, I'll see you then.
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Bye for more videos like this.

About This Lesson

In this lesson, learners will practice English conversation skills through engaging dialogues that reflect real-life scenarios. The transcript showcases a friendly conversation between Daniel and his grandmother as they discuss daily routines, school life, hobbies, and family matters. This is a great opportunity to enhance your speaking abilities, especially for those preparing for exams like IELTS. By listening and repeating phrases from the video, you can improve your English pronunciation and fluency using the shadowing technique.

Key Vocabulary & Phrases

  • Get up - To rise from bed in the morning.
  • Outdated - No longer useful or current; old-fashioned.
  • Convenient - Making life easier or more comfortable.
  • Grudges - Persistent feelings of ill will toward someone due to a past insult or injury.
  • Improve - To make or become better.
  • Help out - To assist someone with a task or problem.
  • Move out - To leave one's current residence.
  • Rent - A payment made for the use of property.

Practice Tips

To effectively utilize the dialogues from this lesson, immerse yourself in the shadowspeak approach. Here are some tailored tips based on the content from the transcript:

  • Listen first: Play the video and listen carefully to how the speakers naturally interact. Pay attention to their intonation and rhythm.
  • Shadowing: As you listen, start shadowing. Repeat phrases in real-time, mimicking their speed and tone. This will help you improve English pronunciation and fluency.
  • Slow it down: If the conversation is too fast, use playback controls to slow it down slightly. This makes it easier to catch each word and phrase.
  • Practice regularly: Incorporate these phrases into your daily speech. The more you use them, the more natural they will feel.
  • Record yourself: Try recording your shadowing practice. Listening to yourself can reveal areas where you may need improvement, aligning with the objectives of IELTS speaking practice.

By consistently applying these techniques, you'll find yourself gaining confidence in your conversation skills and becoming more comfortable with the English language.

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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