Shadowing Practice: English Listening Practice | Talk About What Do You Like To Do? | Real English Conversation - Learn English Speaking with YouTube
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Hello everyone and welcome back to Mr English Channel,
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Hello everyone and welcome back to Mr English Channel,
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where learning English is easy and fun.
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I'm Emily.
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Hi Emily.
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It is so wonderful to be here with you today.
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Hello to all our friends listening at home,
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at work, or maybe on the bus.
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Yes, welcome back.
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How are you doing today, Paul?
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Did you have a good morning?
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I did.
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I went for a very long walk in the park.
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The weather is beautiful today.
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Oh, I love the park.
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It is so green and quiet there.
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It really is.
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I saw many people there today.
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Some were running, some were reading,
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and some were just sitting in the sun.
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That sounds perfect.
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Actually, Paul, that is a great way to start our topic today.
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Oh?
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Are we talking about the park?
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Not exactly.
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We are talking about hobbies,
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the things we love to do in our free time.
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Wow, I love that topic.
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Hobbies are so important, aren't they?
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They really are.
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Life is not just about work or studying.
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We need to do things that make us happy.
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Yes, exactly.
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When I am busy with work,
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I feel a little stressed.
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But when I do my hobbies, I feel relaxed.
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Hmm.
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Why do you think hobbies matter so much?
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For me, it is about feeling creative.
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I agree.
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I think hobbies give us a brain break.
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It's like a small vacation for your mind.
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A vacation for your mind.
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That is a very nice way to say it to say it.
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Yes.
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When I'm gardening, I don't think about my emails or my phone.
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I just think about the flowers.
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That is so true.
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It helps people grow, too.
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You learn new things when you have a hobby.
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Good job, Emily.
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That is a very good point.
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If you start a hobby,
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you are a student again.
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Yes.
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And learning something new is exciting.
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It makes life interesting.
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So, Emily, tell me, what do you do for fun?
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What are your favorite things to do?
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Well, I have a few hobbies.
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I really love watching old movies.
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Old movies?
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Like black and white movies?
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Yes.
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I love the stories and the clothes.
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It's very relaxing for me.
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That sounds very cozy.
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Do you watch them alone or with friends?
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Usually alone, with a big bowl of popcorn.
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It is my me time.
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Popcorn makes everything better.
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I also love watching movies,
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but I like action movies.
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Action movies are fun too,
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but I also like cooking.
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That is my other big hobby.
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Ah, cooking.
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Are you a good cook?
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I try.
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I like to try new recipes on the weekend.
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Sometimes it's great, and sometimes, well, it's a surprise.
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A surprise?
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What happened last time?
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Well, last Saturday, I tried to make a chocolate cake.
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Ooh, I love chocolate cake.
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Was it delicious?
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It looked beautiful, but I made a small mistake.
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I used salt instead of sugar.
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Oh no. Salt instead of sugar?
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That is a very big surprise.
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It was terrible.
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I took a big bite and wow, it was so salty.
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I had to throw it away.
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That is a funny story.
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But hey, that's how we learn, right?
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Yes, exactly.
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Mistakes are okay.
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We just try again next time.
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What about you, Paul?
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What do you do for fun?
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I really like playing games.
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Board games with my family or sometimes video games.
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Video games?
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Really?
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I didn't know that.
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Oh yes, I have a small computer for games.
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It is very fun.
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It helps me focus on something different.
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That's great.
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I think it's important to have different kinds of activities.
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Some are inside and some are outside.
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Yes, that is a good point.
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I like indoor activities when it is raining.
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Me too.
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Reading a book or playing a game is perfect for a rainy day.
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But when the sun is shining,
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I need to go outside.
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I love hiking in the mountains.
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Hiking?
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Wow, that is a very active hobby.
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Is it difficult?
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Sometimes.
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It is a little hard,
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but the view from the top is amazing.
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You can see everything.
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I prefer simple outdoor activities.
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I like walking or maybe riding my bicycle in the city.
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Riding a bike is great exercise,
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and it is faster than walking.
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Yes, it is.
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But I like to go slowly and look at the shops.
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Hmm.
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So we have indoor hobbies,
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like movies and games, and outdoor hobbies, like hiking and biking.
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Yes.
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Which one do you like more?
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Hmm.
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That's a hard question.
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I think I need both.
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If I stay inside too much, I feel tired.
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I understand.
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We need fresh air and movement.
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But I also love my cozy time inside.
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It's all about balance.
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Yes, balance is the key.
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Speaking of balance, what are your favorite weekend plans?
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On the weekend, I usually wake up late.
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That is my first hobby on Saturday.
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Sleeping is a very good hobby.
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I like that one too.
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Then I usually go to the market.
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I like looking at the fresh fruit and vegetables.
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Oh, I do that too.
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It feels very relaxed.
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No hurry, no stress.
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Exactly.
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Then in the afternoon, I usually meet a friend for coffee.
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That sounds like a perfect Saturday.
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My weekends are usually a little busy.
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Oh, what do you do?
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Well, I am trying to learn something new right now.
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Really?
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What are you learning?
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I am learning to play the guitar.
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The guitar?
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Wow, Emily, that is so cool.
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Is it hard?
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It is very hard.
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My fingers hurt a little bit.
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Ah, yes.
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The strings are strong.
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How long do you practice?
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I try to practice for 30 minutes every day.
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Sometimes I am good, and sometimes I sound like a cat.
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Like a cat?
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I'm sure you're better than a cat.
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Maybe.
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But I enjoy it.
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It's a new skill, and it feels good to learn.
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That's amazing.
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Learning a new instrument is a great hobby.
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It uses a different part of your brain.
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It really does.
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I have to think about the notes and the rhythm.
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I want to learn something new, too.
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Maybe I can learn to draw.
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Drawing?
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That is a wonderful idea.
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You can draw the mountains when you go hiking.
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Oh, yes, that is a great idea.
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I can take a notebook and a pencil with me.
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See?
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One hobby can help another hobby.
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You are so smart, Emily.
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Thanks, Paul.
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So, we talked about learning new things.
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What about hobbies with friends?
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Oh, I love doing things with friends.
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Last week, I went to a football match with my brother and a friend.
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A football match?
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Was it loud?
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Very loud.
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Everyone was shouting and singing.
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It was so much energy.
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I'm not a big sports fan,
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but I like the energy of a crowd.
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It's fun to share an experience with other people.
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I agree.
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With my friends, I usually like to go out for dinner.
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Ah, yes.
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Eating and chatting.
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That is the best.
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It is.
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We talk about our week,
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our families, and our dreams.
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It is very simple, but very happy.
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Do you go to the same restaurant every time?
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No, we like to try new places.
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Last time, we went to a small Mexican restaurant.
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Ooh, I love tacos.
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Me too.
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They were delicious.
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We had a great time.
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That's the thing about friends.
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Even a simple walk can be a hobby if you do it together.
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Exactly.
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But sometimes I also like to do things alone.
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Me too.
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Being alone is not the same as being lonely.
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That is very true, Paul.
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I love my solo time.
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What do you do when you are alone?
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I like journaling.
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I have a special notebook where I write my thoughts.
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Journaling?
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That is very interesting.
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Do you write every day?
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Almost every day.
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It helps me clear my head.
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I like walking alone.
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Sometimes I don't listen to music.
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I just listen to the birds and the wind.
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That sounds very peaceful.
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It's a great way to relax.
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It is.
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Oh, I have a funny story from my walk yesterday.
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Tell me.
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I love stories.
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Well, I was walking alone,
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and I saw a very beautiful bird.
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It was bright blue.
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Wow, a blue bird?
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Yes.
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I wanted to take a photo,
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so I took out my phone,
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and I walked slowly, slowly.
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And?
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Did you get the photo?
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Well, I was looking at the bird,
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and I didn't look at the ground.
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Oh no, Paul!
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What happened?
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I walked right into a small tree.
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Oh my goodness!
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Did you fall?
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No, but I hit my head.
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The bird flew away, and a lady on a bench laughed at me.
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Poor Paul!
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The bird was safe, but you were not.
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Yes.
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My head was a little red, but I laughed too.
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It was a funny moment.
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You have to be careful when you are bird watching.
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I know.
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I was too excited.
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Well, that is a great memory.
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Before we continue, I want to say something to our listeners.
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Oh, yes.
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Good idea.
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If you are enjoying this conversation about hobbies,
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don't forget to like this video and subscribe to Mr. English Channel.
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Yes, please.
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It really helps us.
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And share this with a friend who is learning English.
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Maybe you can talk about your hobbies together.
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That is a great idea.
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And if you are still listening, comment hobby below.
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We want to see who is here with us.
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Yes, leave a comment.
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We love reading them.
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Okay, Paul, let's talk about the past for a minute.
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The past?
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You mean when we were children?
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Exactly.
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Did you have different hobbies when you were a child?
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Oh, yes.
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Very different.
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When I was 10, I loved collecting toy cars.
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Toy cars.
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How many did you have?
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I had maybe 50.
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I put them all in a line on my bedroom floor.
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Fifty cars.
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That is a lot of traffic in your bedroom.
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Yes.
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My mom was not happy when she stepped on one.
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Ouch.
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Those little cars are very painful for feet.
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They really are.
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I don't collect cars now,
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but I still like cars.
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I used to love drawing when I was little.
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I drew on everything.
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Everything?
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Like the walls?
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Yes, sometimes the walls.
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My parents gave me a lot of paper so I would stop drawing on the house.
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That was a smart choice by your parents.
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It's funny how we change.
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Now I play the guitar and cook.
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I don't draw on walls anymore.
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Well, that's good.
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We grow up and find new interests.
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But some hobbies are good for us, right?
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Like healthy hobbies?
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Yes, like exercise.
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I think exercise is a great hobby because it makes your body feel strong.
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I agree.
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I started doing yoga last month.
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Yoga?
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That's great.
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Is it relaxing?
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It is.
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But it is also difficult.
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Some positions are very strange.
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I feel like a pretzel.
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A pretzel.
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I can imagine that.
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But after the class, I feel very calm.
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It is good for my mind and my body.
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I like running.
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It is my favorite healthy hobby.
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Running sounds hard to me.
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I prefer walking.
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Running is hard at the beginning,
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but after 10 minutes, you feel a lot of energy.
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Hmm.
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Maybe I will try it one day.
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Maybe.
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Just start small.
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Run for one minute, then walk for one minute.
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That sounds possible.
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Thanks, Paul.
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You know, some hobbies are expensive, too.
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That is true.
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Like photography.
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Good cameras cost a lot of money.
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Yes, they do.
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Or traveling.
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Traveling is a wonderful hobby,
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but you need a budget for that.
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We talked about budgets in a different episode.
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Do you remember?
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I do.
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Money in, money out.
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Exactly.
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But many hobbies are free.
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Like walking in the park or going to the library to get a book.
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Yes.
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Or just chatting with a friend.
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That is a free and happy activity.
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I think people think they need to spend money to have fun, but they don't.
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I agree.
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The best things in life are often free.
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That is very true.
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I also think it is good to try new experiences.
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Yes.
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Stepping outside your comfort zone.
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Last year, I tried a cooking class for the first time.
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Oh, was it the how to use sugar and not salt class?
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No, it was a class for making bread.
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Bread?
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That is difficult to make.
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It was, but it was so interesting.
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I met new people and I learned a new skill.
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And did the bread taste good?
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It was amazing.
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There is nothing better than warm bread from the oven.
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You are making me hungry now.
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Sorry, but that is my point.
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Trying something new can be a little scary, but it's very rewarding.
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I agree.
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I was scared to start the guitar,
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but now I'm so happy I did.
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Good job for being brave, Emily.
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Thanks, Paul.
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We should always look for joy in the simple moments of life.
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Yes, like drinking a hot cup of tea when it's cold outside.
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Or watching the rain from your window.
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Or just listening to a podcast, like this one.
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Yes, that is a very good hobby.
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I think we should use our free time wisely.
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It's okay to do nothing sometimes,
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but it's also great to do something we love.
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I agree.
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Hobbies make us us.
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They show our personality.
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Well, Emily, we talked about a lot of things today.
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We did.
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It was a great conversation.
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Let's see.
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We talked about why hobbies are important for our brains.
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Yes.
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And we talked about indoor and outdoor activities.
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And we shared our stories,
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your salty cake and my bird-watching accident.
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Yes.
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We also talked about childhood hobbies and healthy activities.
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And we learned that hobbies can be expensive or totally free.
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It's all about finding what makes you happy.
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That was a perfect recap, Emily.
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You have a great memory.
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Thanks, Paul.
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You too.
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Now, I have a small bonus tip for everyone.
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A bonus tip?
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I love those.
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What is it?
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My tip is if you are learning English, make it a hobby.
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Oh, that is a great tip.
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How do you do that?
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Don't just study.
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Do things you love in English.
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If you love cooking, watch a cooking video in English.
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Yes, or if you love games,
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play a game in English.
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Exactly.
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It makes the learning feel easy and natural.
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That is excellent advice.
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Thank you, Emily.
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You're welcome.
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Well, everyone, that's all the time we have for today.
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We hope you enjoyed our chat about hobbies.
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It was so much fun.
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Before you go, please remember to subscribe and like this video.
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And don't forget to comment.
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Tell us, what is your favorite hobby?
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We love to hear from you.
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It's our favorite part of the week.
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Yes.
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Thank you for listening and we will see you in the next episode.
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Bye for now.
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Bye-bye.
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Context & Background
In this engaging episode from the "Real English Conversation" series, the hosts Emily and Paul share their thoughts on the importance of hobbies in daily life. Through a light-hearted and casual dialogue, they explore how activities we enjoy can provide relief from the stresses of work and study. This conversation not only highlights the benefits of engaging in hobbies but also serves as an excellent resource for improving your English speaking practice.
Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication
- "I love the park." – A simple way to express your admiration for a place.
- "That sounds perfect." – Use this to agree with someone about an idea or suggestion.
- "Hobbies are so important, aren't they?" – A great phrase for discussing interests and preferences.
- "It helps people grow, too." – An insightful way to explain the personal benefits of hobbies.
- "I just think about the flowers." – A vivid example to describe being present and enjoying a moment.
Step-by-step Shadowing Guide
To effectively use the shadowing technique from this video and enhance your improve English pronunciation, follow these steps:
- Watch the video: Pay attention to the entire conversation between Emily and Paul. Focus on their intonation and rhythm.
- Listen and repeat: Play smaller segments of the audio. Pause after each sentence and repeat what you hear, mimicking the speakers' pronunciation and accent. This practice can help you develop a more natural speaking style.
- Practice key phrases: Choose phrases from our "Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication" section. Repeat them multiple times and try to use them in your conversations.
- Record yourself: After practicing, try recording your voice while you shadow. Compare your pronunciation with the original audio. This will help you identify areas for improvement.
- Incorporate hobbies into conversation: Engage in discussions about your hobbies with friends or language partners. Use the vocabulary and phrases you've learned to enhance your IELTS speaking practice and boost confidence in speaking.
By integrating these techniques, you’ll be able to effectively utilize the insights from the video, which can lead to noticeable improvements in your English speaking abilities. Enjoy the process and remember that practice is key to mastering a new 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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