Shadowing Practice: Growing Up Means Fewer First Times | A2 English Shadowing - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Do you remember your first day at school?
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Do you remember your first friend?
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Do you remember your first bike?
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Most people remember these things very well.
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They remember them because they were first times.
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When we are children, life is full of first times.
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We do many new things.
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We see many new places.
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We learn many new lessons.
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Every year feels big and exciting.
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But when we grow up, something changes.
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We still live, work, learn, and meet people, but there are fewer first times.
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Growing up means fewer first times.
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When we are very young, almost everything is new.
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A child can be excited about a new toy, a new game, or a new place.
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Even a short trip can feel like a big adventure.
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The world looks very large.
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Every day can bring something different.
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Children ask many questions because they want to know more about the world.
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They are seeing many things for the first time.
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Think about your first day at school.
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Maybe you felt happy.
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Maybe you felt afraid.
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Maybe you held your mother's hand very tightly.
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You did not know your teacher.
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You did not know your classmates.
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Everything was new.
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That day became an important memory.
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Even many years later, you may still remember some parts of it.
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Now think about a normal day in your life.
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You wake up.
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You brush your teeth.
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You eat breakfast.
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You go to work or school.
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You come home.
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You eat dinner.
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Then you sleep.
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The next day may look very similar.
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There is nothing wrong with this.
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Many people live this way, but there are not many first times in these days.
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This is one reason why time feels faster when we get older.
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When we are children, one year feels very long.
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There are many new things to remember.
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But when we are adults, many days look the same.
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We do not remember every day.
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We only remember special days.
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Because of this, time can feel faster.
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The first time you ride a bike is special.
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Maybe you fall down.
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Maybe you are scared.
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Maybe someone helps you.
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Then one day, you ride the bike by yourself.
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You feel very happy.
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You feel proud.
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Years later, riding a bike is easy.
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You do not think much about it.
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It is no longer a first time.
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The same thing happens with many things in life.
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The first time you travel alone.
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The first time you earn money.
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The first time you buy something with your own money.
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The first time you move to a new home.
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These moments stay in your mind because they are new.
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Many people miss being young.
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They think life was more exciting then.
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Sometimes they are right.
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But it is not only because they were young.
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It is also because they had many first times.
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New things bring strong feelings.
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We remember those feelings.
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When we grow up, we know more about life.
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We know how many things work.
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We know how to do many daily tasks.
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This makes life easier.
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We can solve problems better.
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We can take care of ourselves.
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These are good things.
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But because we know more, there are fewer surprises.
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A child can be excited by a simple thing.
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A new pencil.
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A new bag.
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A new game.
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An adult may not feel the same excitement.
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Adults often think about work, money, and other responsibilities.
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They are busy.
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Sometimes they forget to enjoy small things.
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Growing up also means doing the same things again and again.
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We often go to the same places.
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We eat the same food.
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We talk to the same people.
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We follow the same schedule.
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A schedule can help us.
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It makes life easier.
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But it can also make life feel the same every day.
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One day can become very similar to another day.
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Monday looks like Tuesday.
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Tuesday looks like Wednesday.
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Then suddenly, it is Friday.
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Then, it is the end of the month.
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Then it is a new year.
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Many people are surprised by how fast time moves.
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But there is something important to remember.
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Growing up means fewer first times.
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But it does not mean no first times.
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There are still many things we can do for the first time.
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A person can learn a new language at 30.
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A person can learn to swim at 40.
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A person can visit a new country at 50.
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New experiences do not stop.
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We just need to look for them.
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Many adults stop trying new things because they are afraid.
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They do not want to make mistakes.
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They do not want to look silly.
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They want to stay comfortable.
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But first times are never perfect.
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Children understand this.
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They try, fail, and try again.
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When a child learns to walk, the child falls many times.
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When a child learns to write, the letters may not look good.
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When a child learns to ride a bike, the child may fall down.
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But children keep going.
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They are not afraid to be beginners.
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Adults can learn from this.
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It is okay to be a beginner.
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It is okay to make mistakes.
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Every new skill starts with the first time.
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Nobody is good at something on the first day.
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Maybe you want to learn music.
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Maybe you want to cook new food.
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Maybe you want to take better photos.
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At first, you may not be very good.
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That is normal.
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Every expert was once a beginner.
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Trying new things can make life feel fresh again.
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A new hobby can change your week.
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A new place can change your weekend.
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A new skill can change your future.
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Small first times can make a big difference.
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You do not need to do something very big.
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Some people think they must travel around the world to find excitement.
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That is not true.
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Small first times are also important.
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You can read a book from a new writer.
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You can try a new sport.
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You can visit a new cafe.
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You can learn a few words in another language.
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You can talk to someone new.
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These are simple things, but they can make life more interesting.
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Many happy memories start with a first time.
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The first time you meet a close friend.
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The first time you see the sea.
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The first time you watch a beautiful sunset.
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At the time, these moments may seem small.
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Later, they become important memories.
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Some people wait for exciting things to happen.
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They think life will become exciting by itself.
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Sometimes it does, but often we need to make a choice.
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We need to try something new.
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A new experience can feel scary.
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You may feel nervous.
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You may worry about making mistakes.
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This is normal.
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Many first times feel this way, but after you do it, you may feel happy that you tried.
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Think about the first time you spoke in front of a group.
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Maybe your voice shook.
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Maybe your hands felt cold.
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But after it was finished, you felt better.
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You learned that you could do it.
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Every first time teaches us something.
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Sometimes we learn a new skill.
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Sometimes we learn something about ourselves.
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Sometimes we learn that we are stronger than we thought.
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Life becomes bigger when we try new things.
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We meet new people.
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We hear new ideas.
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We see new places.
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We learn new lessons.
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All of these things help us grow.
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Growing up is not a bad thing.
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Many people talk about childhood as the best part of life.
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Childhood is wonderful, but adult life has good things too.
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Adults have more freedom.
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Adults can make more choices.
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Adults can decide where to go and what to do.
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The problem is not growing up.
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The problem is stopping.
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Some people stop learning.
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They stop trying.
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They stop exploring.
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Then life starts to feel smaller.
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But other people keep going.
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They keep learning.
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They keep trying new things.
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They keep finding first times.
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These people often feel more excited about life.
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You do not have to be young to feel excited.
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You only need something new.
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A new place.
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A new idea.
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A new skill.
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A new dream.
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New things bring energy into life.
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When you look back at your life, what will you remember?
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You may not remember every normal day, but you will remember many first times.
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You will remember the first day of something important.
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You will remember the beginning of a friendship.
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You will remember the day you tried something new.
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That is why first times matter so much.
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They help create our memories.
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They make life colorful.
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They give us stories to tell.
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They help us learn and grow.
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Yes, growing up means fewer first times.
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That is true.
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We cannot change that.
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We are no longer children.
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We have already done many things.
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But there are still first times waiting for us.
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There is still a place you have never seen.
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There is still a skill you have never learned.
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There is still a person you have never met.
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There is still a dream you have not tried yet.
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So if life feels a little boring, maybe you do not need a completely new life.
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Maybe you only need one new experience.
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One small first time can change a day.
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Many small first times can change a year.
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Try something new this week.
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Visit a new place.
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Learn something new.
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Say yes to a new experience.
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It may feel strange at first.
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It may feel difficult.
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But it may also become a memory you keep for many years.
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Growing up means fewer first times.
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But life is not finished.
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There are still first times ahead of you.
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There are still new roads to walk on.
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There are still new things to learn.
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As long as we keep trying new things, life can still surprise us.
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And maybe that is the secret.
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We cannot stay children forever.
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but we can keep the heart of a child.
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We can stay curious.
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We can stay open to new things.
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We can keep looking for our next first time because no matter how old we are, there is always another first time waiting somewhere.
About This Lesson
In this lesson, you will practice your English speaking skills through shadow speech with a focus on recalling childhood memories. The video "Growing Up Means Fewer First Times" discusses how our experiences and feelings change as we transition from childhood to adulthood. By participating in this shadowing exercise, you will engage with the content and improve your pronunciation, intonation, and overall fluency. Expect to reflect on your own experiences while incorporating useful vocabulary and phrases that enhance your speaking capabilities.
Key Vocabulary & Phrases
- First times - Significant experiences that happen for the first time.
- Excited - A feeling of enthusiasm and eagerness.
- Adventure - An exciting experience often involving new and unusual activities.
- Remember - To bring a memory back to mind.
- Normal day - A regular or typical day in someone's life.
- Special days - Days that are memorable or significant.
- Feel fast - The perception that time is passing quickly.
Practice Tips
To effectively utilize the shadowing technique while watching the video, follow these tips:
- Start by watching the video once without repeating to understand the context and themes.
- As you begin shadowing, pause the video frequently. Listen carefully to the pronunciation and rhythm of each phrase.
- Try to mimic not just the words but also the tone and emotion conveyed in the speaker's voice. This will help you sound more natural.
- Use a shadowing app or any voice recording tool to record your attempts. Listening to your recordings will allow you to identify areas for improvement.
- Focus on challenging words or phrases and practice them repeatedly until they feel comfortable.
- Consider discussing the themes of the video with a language partner or tutor. Sharing personal stories connected to "first times" can enrich your speaking practice.
By applying these tips, you will strengthen your English capabilities while embracing the essence of childhood experiences that make learning both fun and memorable.
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.