Shadowing Practice: Go to the Pharmacy in English - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

Come on with me to an American pharmacy.

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Come on with me to an American pharmacy.

I'd like to take you inside of an American pharmacy to show you what it's like

and if you ever visit the U.S and you need to visit a pharmacy or you would like to,

I'd like to help you make that a smoother and easier experience.

And like always, I have created a free PDF worksheet with all of today's important expressions,

ideas, and helpful tips to help you navigate visiting the U.S a little bit easier.

So you can click on the link in the description to download that free PDF worksheet today.

All right, are you ready to join me,

Vanessa, and my baby, Matilda, inside the pharmacy?

Let's go.

So inside a pharmacy in the U.S.,

there are a lot of things that you can purchase.

You might think that a pharmacy is just for medicine,

but that's not true.

There's a lot of different sections, so let's walk around.

Here we are in the cosmetics section.

Cosmetics means makeup.

And you can see down each aisle like this.

You can buy soap, shampoo,

really anything you could imagine.

Little toys and trinkets.

There are endless amounts of things you can get at a pharmacy.

In fact, this is something that the U.S is kind of known for,

for having stores that are a one-stop shop.

That means you can stop one place and get everything you need.

Very convenient and kind of a stereotype.

This is where you would go if you were celebrating a birthday party and you wanted to buy some balloons,

candles, themed birthday plates for your kids,

birthday cards, any cards for really any occasion.

In fact, this is something that pharmacies are known for,

is having lots of cards.

So if you are on the way somewhere and you realize I forgot to bring a card,

well, you can just stop into a pharmacy.

Let's see.

So over here you can see this is the actual pharmacy part.

You can go to the clinic,

you can actually see somebody who is a certified nurse or doctor,

someone who can give you some advice about a medical issue.

Generally it's a good idea to make an appointment,

but you can always drop in and ask if they have any way

that you can talk with someone if you have an issue.

Over here, you can see it says in big letters,

what we came for pharmacy.

So at the pharmacy, this is where you would go if you were going to pick up a prescription.

And in the US, there's a couple different ways to get medicine.

Unfortunately, a lot of medications that are pretty typical,

like an antibiotic, you have to have a prescription,

which means you need to see a doctor first.

You have to pay to see the doctor.

The doctor has to evaluate if you need that medicine,

and then they will send a prescription to your chosen pharmacy.

So when you go to a doctor in the U.S.,

they'll ask, what is your preferred pharmacy?

And you'll choose maybe a place like this,

and you'll say the address and the location,

and then you can come here and you can pick up your prescription whenever it's available.

I see my baby has noticed the microphone.

You want to grab that?

Not a good idea.

It is possible that you could ask the pharmacist or if they have a little clinic like this,

you could ask them for some advice.

So if you have no appointment,

if you just need some medical advice.

Maybe you're on a vacation and you have a cough that won't go away.

You could ask, hey, do you have any recommendations?

What should I do?

You could ask them for advice.

Who knows what they'll say,

but it's always worth it and it's no problem to ask.

Let's take a look at some of the aisles to see

what kind of medication you can get over the counter and I'll explain what that means.

So, for example, this is the children's section,

but let's say you have allergies,

terrible allergies, and you visit the U.S during like a spring season,

you will need to get some allergy medicine.

This is something that you can get over the counter.

These are children's allergy medications in the children's section,

but you can get allergy medicine.

medicine, you can get pain and fever relieving medicine over the counter.

And I've always been a little bit confused by this phrase because where's the counter?

There's no counter.

Instead, that's the counter where you actually have to have a prescription.

So don't be confused.

Over the counter means that you can just walk in and get it.

You don't need a prescription.

You don't need a doctor's approval.

You can just walk in and get anything over the counter,

even though that's the counter.

Don't be confused.

Sometimes English is strange.

All right, let's keep walking and see what else you can get.

Need some Kleenex?

You can get Kleenex.

You can get wrapping paper if it's Christmas time like it is now.

You can get reading glasses if you forgot your reading glasses.

You can even get some kind of minor medical supplies.

There are some hearing aids.

There are some braces for your arm.

There are alarm clocks.

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Eternity testing kits.

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I didn't even know you could get that here.

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There's thermometers.

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Pain medication.

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Sometimes in the U.S we do use, you're right, baby?

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Sometimes we do use the brand name.

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Oh, a little cough.

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Baby, you need some medication.

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We do use the brand name to talk about medications.

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So if you ask a pharmacist,

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I have a cough, what should I do?

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and they recommend a specific brand name to you and you're not familiar with it,

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you can just ask, oh,

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is that a cough medication or is that a fever reducing medication?

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You're welcome to ask for clarification because sometimes I don't know what the medication is either.

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So feel free to ask for clarification if you're not sure.

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All right, let's keep going.

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Lots and lots of medication.

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Lots and lots.

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All right, we're getting to the section of stuff.

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Not medicine anymore.

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Candy, candy, candy.

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So if you need to buy any dry goods,

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maybe last minute Christmas presents,

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you can get toilet paper,

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laundry detergent, all of these types of dry goods.

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And there's even lots of different types of foods.

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So let's go take a look at the food.

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There's candy and candy and candy and candy.

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Lots of candy.

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But if you're not but there might be seasonal items as well.

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Right now it is almost Christmas.

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I know it's after Christmas when you're watching this, but imagine Christmas.

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So lots of candy for stockings and different seasonal things.

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There's many toys down here.

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Let's actually go down the next aisle.

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I wanna show you something.

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These types of things are like grab and go snacks.

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So you could get pistachios.

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Chocolate covered almonds.

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I love that kind of stuff.

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More trail makes dried fruit,

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chips, lots of soda, lots and lots of soda.

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Beef jerky, lots of beef jerky apparently.

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Different types of popcorn and juices.

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And back here, it's a little bit loud.

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There are coolers where you can get cooled drinks.

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And guess what?

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in some pharmacies in the US, you can buy alcohol.

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Did you hear that right?

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Alcohol.

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You can get beer and wine in some pharmacies and that's really normal.

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Here, I guess in this pharmacy, I don't see any.

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It might be state by state too.

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Different states have different rules,

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but don't be surprised if you walk into a pharmacy and there's wine.

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Grab a bottle of of wine and go have a party.

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Let's go down here for the last section.

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This is the baby section.

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So if you have a baby like I do,

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and you need to buy anything like specific baby medicine,

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baby soaps, diapers, wipes, any of these types of things,

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you can get this here.

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So it's pretty incredible.

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Pharmacies are so inclusive, many different things.

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They are really a one-stop shop.

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Now I must say

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that oftentimes pharmacies in the U.S are going to be more expensive than going to somewhere like Walmart

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or purchasing something online if you have that option.

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But you know what?

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Sometimes when you're visiting or you're traveling,

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it's nice to just go to one of these places that's an easy access

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and one-stop shop and you can just get whatever you need to get.

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All right, I'm going to grab a pack of baby wipes.

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You always need baby wipes when you have a baby

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and we're going to go to the checkout and I'll show you how the checkout works.

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If I remember right, this pharmacy has a couple checkout options.

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So let's go see.

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Oh, you can even get stuff for your car.

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Pretty amazing.

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If you need some washer fluid or something for your car or to wash your clothes, it's here.

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Welcome.

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If you have your extra care.

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So I'm going to use the self-checkout because that's the easiest option and there's nobody here right now.

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And I think those are pretty much Pretty much the same all world.

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I did!

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One little note as I do this,

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there is a photo studio.

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So if you want to have any pictures printed and you don't have access to doing that online,

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this is a great place to do that.

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So you can get your pictures printed here.

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All right, I'm going to not scan any coupons.

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And I'm going to continue.

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No. And I will use my card.

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All right.

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Now I know in some countries you have to just put your card in really quickly.

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Sometimes in the U.S it's quick.

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Sometimes you have to leave it in there.

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So please read the pin pad little screen and make sure you're doing it the right way.

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all right I don't want a receipt so I'll click no receipt

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and that's it I'm not going to use a bag I'll

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just carry it out myself let's go you're welcome I just

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want to let you know there also is an ATM at a lot of CVS's you can use the ATM

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or what you can do

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if you go to the checkout counter where there's an actual

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person there I think you can do this at the self-checkout too you can choose cash back

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and you can get cash back.

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So if you need $20 in cash,

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you're welcome to go to the counter and buy something small,

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buy a little candy bar or some gum,

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and then ask for some cash back.

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And you can get cash back or you can use the ATM.

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That's what we call it in the US.

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In fact, it's right here.

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A-T-M.

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You can use that as well to get money back.

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All right, let's leave.

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Come on.

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All right, I want to show you something else down here.

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This is kind of a blast from the past.

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I don't know if in your country people use DVDs still or if they're more likely to use Netflix.

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In the US, DVDs are not very common.

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But this is a machine where you can rent DVDs and they will come out of here.

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I guess this little slot.

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They'll come out and you can actually take the physical DVD home.

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It's called a Redbox.

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It's kind of a blast from the past.

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I don't know how many people actually use these.

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But you know what?

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If you need a DVD, go for it.

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Enjoy the Redbox at the pharmacy.

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Well, thanks so much for joining me at an American pharmacy.

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I want to know in the comments,

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how different is this than a pharmacy where you're from?

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Let me know in the comments, some similarities, some differences.

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I can't wait to see what you have to say.

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And don't forget to download the free PDF worksheet with all of the vocabulary I use today,

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some concepts and some tips so that when you walk in an American pharmacy,

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you know exactly what to do and you feel confident and comfortable.

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I'll also leave some extra tips about various pharmacies around the U.S.

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so that you can easily go into one and get whatever you need.

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A one-stop shop.

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You can click on the link in the description to download that free PDF worksheet today.

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Thanks so much for learning English with me,

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and I'll see you again next Friday for a new lesson here on my YouTube channel.

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Bye.

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But wait, do you want more?

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I recommend watching this video next where you will join me

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and my second son when he was a baby at the grocery store.

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You can visit an American grocery store,

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walk around with me, and see how it's different from a grocery store in your country.

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I'll see you there.

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Shadowing Practice: Go to the Pharmacy in English - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

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Shadowing Practice: Go to the Pharmacy in English - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

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About This Lesson

Key Vocabulary & Phrases

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What is the Shadowing Technique?