Shadowing Practice: i found out why i am pretty - Learn English Speaking with Video

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333 sentences

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Looking into the sun is really painful to the eyes.

But you know what's even more painful?

Seeing cheerleaders posing and pouting in front of jocks.

I just wanted to study in the gym, but I forgot there was an audition for the muse of this year's football game.

Suddenly, I sneezed and everyone turned to me.

Dude, there she is.

Even the way she sneezed is so pretty.

I think we found our muse.

She's gonna be perfect for the team.

The biggest brat in the universe, Candace, had a violent reaction.

Excuse me, are you guys blind?

This peasant is not even a cheerleader.

And look at her messy hair and cheap clothes.

But the point is, she's still the prettiest.

Candace looked at me with murder in her eyes.

And it was my signal to run.

But she ran after me and pulled me by my shirt.

You're just our stupid maid's daughter.

Always remember that.

I reached for her arm and twisted it away.

At least I'm prettier than you.

Always remember that.

And I flipped my hair and ran again.

I knew I was gonna pay for saying that, but it was worth it.

Hi, my name is Stellar, and I just wanted to have a peaceful life with my mom.

But it's impossible if you live with billionaire brats from hell.

Before I continue, please like and subscribe.

Mom had been working for a super rich lady, Mrs. Branson, since I was a kid.

In return, she gave us a cottage next to the mansion and paid for my tuition at a private school.

She might sound like a generous lady, but she actually did all of this because no maid could put up with her besides mom.

She was mean and rude, and I hated her to the core.

She had twins my age, Candace and Julian, and they were as bad as their mom.

Thankfully, Julian had left for boarding school seven years ago, but I still had Candace to deal with.

Candace had always been jealous of me because I was prettier and smarter than her, And because of what happened in the gym yesterday, she forced me to do all her homework.

One night while I was studying, I heard loud voices outside.

I wanted to check what it was and saw Mrs. Branson yelling at mom in front of her guests.

How dare you serve us with silver utensils?

Where are the gold ones?

Did you steal them?

She made us feel poor for a second, mom.

It was traumatizing.

As mom was apologizing non-stop, Mrs. Branson just kept on humiliating her in front of everyone.

I so wanted to punch her fake lips, but mom gave me a look to behave.

I didn't do anything then, but the next day I sneaked into the kitchen and sprinkled the hottest chili powder in the world onto their soup.

A few minutes later, I was grinning from the balcony as both witches ran around the mansion with burning tongues.

I felt so pleased with myself.

But Mom was furious.

Mrs. Branson fired the cook because of what you did.

I have no idea what you're talking about, Mom.

I know it was you.

How many times do I have to tell you to stay out of trouble?

But those two are just horrible.

We have to put up with them at least until you graduate high school.

There are just a few months left.

Please.

Ugh, fine.

But a few days later, Mom fell down the stairs and broke her ankle.

She couldn't walk for some months, so I had to take her place.

Which only made Candace happier, because she could boss me around even more.

She made me do the stupidest tasks, like painting hearts on her nails and braiding her boyfriend's long hair.

And when Mrs. Branson informed me that Julian was coming back, I just knew that things were about to get worse.

After cleaning up his room, I felt so exhausted that I sat down on his couch to rest for five minutes.

And I dozed off.

When I woke up, I saw a guy with the most beautiful green eyes staring right at me.

Was I dreaming?

He looked so majestic.

Hello, butt face.

Did you miss me?

Butt face?

That's what Julian used to call me.

Oh, you're here.

Sorry, I got so tired that I fell asleep.

Seems like you were having a very interesting dream.

Was it about me?

Yeah, I dreamed that I was punching your liver.

Still feisty as ever.

Why are you in a maid's uniform?

Where's your mom?

She had a small accident, so I'm replacing her temporarily.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I still have a lot to do.

Later that night, as I was serving their dinner, I noticed Julian's eyes following me everywhere.

He even purposefully brushed his hand against mine.

What was up with this jerk?

And why had he turned out so fine?

One night, I saw Mrs. Branson throwing out one of her branded bags in the trash just

because it had a small stain.

After making sure that Everyone was asleep.

I sneaked out and took it.

But when I told mom, she got so scared.

What if she finds out that you stole it?

You know that woman.

She'll make our lives hell.

Technically, I didn't steal it because she'd already thrown it out.

If the bag was alive, I'm sure it would prefer to be in the hands of a cute owner instead of rotting in the garbage, right?

I will never win against you.

Exactly.

The next day at school, we were in the middle of an exam when suddenly, the girls started squealing.

We all turned to the door to see Julian peeking with a smile.

What was he doing here?

100

Suddenly, he waved at me and blew me a kiss.

101

My tummy did a weird flip.

102

As soon as he left, Candace elbowed me in the ribs.

103

My brother's just fooling around, so stop dreaming.

104

You're not his type.

105

Oh, trust me, he's not my type either.

106

It didn't matter even if he was.

107

I had to stay away from him because being involved with Julian meant trouble.

108

One day, while he was working out in the living room, he suddenly called for me.

109

Do you think my muscles look hard enough, or should I work out more?

110

To be honest, they were a work of art, but there was no way I'd tell him that.

111

I think you should get a life, sir.

112

He just grinned at me and laid down on his back.

113

He then asked me to hold down his feet and started doing crunches.

114

I held my breath when I realized how close our lips were when he sat up.

115

He was definitely doing this on purpose.

116

Excuse me, but are you flirting with me?

117

Am I that obvious?

118

If you think you can add me to your list of girlfriends, you're mistaken.

119

You're really amusing.

120

Too bad you lost those chubby cheeks.

121

I can't call you Butt Face anymore.

122

Should I call you Sweet Face now?

123

Wow, that is so cringy.

124

What school did you go to?

125

Wattpad High?

126

He just chuckled and reached for my cheeks to pinch them.

127

You're so cute, especially when you blush.

128

It's a blush of hatred.

129

Anyway, I still have a mountain of laundry to do, so bye.

130

I left before things could get weirder.

131

I did my best to avoid him at school, but he was always doing silly things to grab my attention.

132

And one of my friends suddenly started pestering me.

133

Hey, girl, I saw that hottie from the other class flirting with you yesterday.

134

Are you guys, like, a thing?

135

Ew.

136

Yuck.

137

No. I don't date players.

138

Okay, that's amazing.

139

Maybe I'll ask him out then.

140

I suddenly found myself grabbing her by her hair.

141

Don't even think about it.

142

My friend was totally surprised by my behavior, and so was I.

143

I realized that I was actually having a crush on Julian, but I would never admit it.

144

Ever.

145

A week later, Mrs. Branson hosted a grand New Year's Eve party at the mansion, and I helped the kitchen staff serve the food.

146

I couldn't help noticing Julian staring at me the whole evening.

147

It made me feel excited for some reason.

148

While I was washing the dishes, someone suddenly breathed down my neck.

149

Wanna get out of here?

150

Your mom's gonna kill me.

151

So you're scared?

152

Where's that fearless little girl who used to kick my butt?

153

And I was sold.

154

We sneaked out and slipped into his sports car.

155

Where are we going?

156

Wherever fate is taking us.

157

I was so confused when he brought me to a grass field.

158

Why are we here, exactly?

159

You'll have to wait for it.

160

As we sat on the car's hood and waited for whatever it was, we started talking.

161

Why do you like racing so much?

162

It's too dangerous.

163

Racing makes me feel like I'm flying.

164

Like I'm alive and free.

165

How about you?

166

Do you still want to become a nurse? Of course!

167

Remember when you stole my stethoscope when we were kids?

168

It was just so cute how you ran around and listened to random people's heartbeats and tummies.

169

Oh, look, there it is.

170

Suddenly, the night sky was filled with the most spectacular fireworks.

171

I remember you wanted to see those New Year's fireworks so badly once when we were kids, but you missed it because Candace and I locked you up in a bathroom.

172

Yep, you both are horrible creatures.

173

I'm sorry about that.

174

I was a dumb kid.

175

I felt butterflies as we watched the fireworks in silence.

176

I closed my eyes and just enjoyed the colors behind my eyes.

177

When I opened them again, I saw him staring at me.

178

He was leaning in closer when suddenly, My phone started to ring.

179

It was Mrs. Branson.

180

Your mom is calling.

181

We need to go back.

182

Can we make it in ten?

183

Try me.

184

He winked at me before stepping on the pedal, and the next thing I knew, I was screaming as he drove like a maniac.

185

The party wasn't over yet when we got back home.

186

As we sneaked in from the back, we suddenly saw Mrs. Branson walking towards us.

187

Just then, Julian pushed me down to my knees.

188

Why can't you find it?

189

Are you blind?

190

I immediately got what he meant, so I started crawling around pretending to find something.

191

Stellar, I've been looking for you.

192

What are you doing here?

193

I dropped my ring, Mom, and I'm asking her to look for it.

194

Mrs. Branson seemed to believe us.

195

I was so relieved.

196

But later that night, as I was clearing the mess, I almost fell back in fright to see her standing behind me.

197

Do you really think that I have no idea what you're up to?

198

I don't know what you're talking about, ma'am.

199

Stop with your acting, stellar.

200

And don't forget your place in this house.

201

You're a maid.

202

Just like your mom, and that's all you'll ever be.

203

Stay away from my son.

204

I'd already expected this to happen, and I started avoiding Julian as much as possible.

205

I couldn't afford to get us thrown out while mom was unwell.

206

But it was hard, especially when I found out Julian had fallen really sick.

207

After making sure that mom was asleep, I sneaked into the mansion and into his room one night.

208

He seemed to be having a really high fever, and he looked so vulnerable as he slept.

209

I stayed by his side for hours, but just as I was about to leave, he suddenly pulled me down towards him and kissed me.

210

I got lost for a few seconds, but then I quickly pulled away.

211

That was a mistake.

212

I shouldn't even be here.

213

It's not a mistake.

214

I really like you, stellar, and I hope you feel the same.

215

Stop liking me, Julian.

216

We won't work out.

217

I'm not the girl for you.

218

I won't fit into your world, and your family will never approve of us.

219

Please stop thinking about other people.

220

Just tell me how you feel.

221

I chose not to answer him and walked out, but I couldn't stop thinking about him.

222

A few days later, Candace and her friends were having a pool party, and I went out to serve them drinks.

223

I saw Julian was with them, and one of the girls was literally all over him.

224

The sight made my blood boil.

225

I slammed down the tray and turned to Julian.

226

Excuse me, sir, but can you please come to the kitchen for a moment?

227

I need to show you something.

228

He looked confused and followed me.

229

What is it?

230

I grabbed a tray and tapped it on his head.

231

Stars, can you see them?

232

I can only see a jealous girl, but you're the one who told me we won't work, Stellar.

233

So that's it.

234

Now you suddenly don't have feelings for me?

235

You're just a player, Julian.

236

One day you're kissing me, the next day you're flirting with some- Just then, he gently pushed me against the wall and kissed me.

237

And this time, I kissed him back.

238

I couldn't stay away from him anymore, and we began dating in secret.

239

We started sneaking out at night and driving around, and we had the best nights of our lives.

240

But then one day, he looked at me seriously and said, I'm tired of seeing you secretly, Stellar.

241

I just want to let the world know that I'm dating an amazing girl like you.

242

But I'm just a maid, and I'm sure it will be a huge problem with your family.

243

I know it's not gonna be easy, but I'll find a way.

244

I just need you to trust me.

245

I do trust you.

246

A week later, Julian's dad came back from abroad, and Mrs. Branson held a huge party for him.

247

During the event, I looked around for Julian, but he seemed way too busy with his guests and didn't look my way once.

248

I didn't think too much of it, until Mrs. Branson stepped on the grand staircase in the hall and asked for everyone's attention.

249

Since we're all gathered here tonight, I can't wait to share some amazing news.

250

My son Julian and our business partner's daughter Casey are engaged.

251

Cheers to the lovely couple.

252

I stared at Julian in complete shock as he joined his

253

mom with the girl who'd been flirting with him by the pool.

254

And he looked so happy.

255

How could he do this to me?

256

Feeling dazed, I was leaving the room in tears when suddenly Candace stepped in front of me with a smirk.

257

Oh, I warned you, you're not his type.

258

Not every Cinderella gets her prince charming.

259

Just then, I turned red with rage.

260

I was still holding a tray of appetizers, and I slammed it in Candace's face.

261

Everyone gasped and stared at me, and I left as fast as I could.

262

I ran back to our cottage and started packing our things.

263

We have to leave, Mom. But why?

264

What's happening, sweetie?

265

I can't stay here.

266

Not another minute.

267

We'll be thrown out anyway, so we might as well go ourselves.

268

I cried as I told her everything, and she started helping me pack as the cab drove us away from that mansion.

269

Mom took my hand.

270

We should have left years ago, but I was too weak.

271

I just let us suffer without doing anything.

272

What will happen to us now?

273

No, Mom.

274

You're so strong for putting up with everything for me.

275

Don't worry.

276

We're gonna get through this together.

277

We had enough savings to rent a cheap apartment, and I also sold the branded bag I'd taken from the trash.

278

It was actually worth a small fortune.

279

With some money to go by, we both started looking for jobs.

280

Mom fully recovered soon and started working as a hotel maid, while I worked as a waitress.

281

I also applied for a scholarship to a nursing school, and luckily, I got in.

282

I studied and worked hard for five years and was finally an intern at a huge hospital.

283

One day, I found a bouquet of roses in my hospital locker, and I hated myself for wishing it was from Julian, but it wasn't.

284

It was a patient I'd taken care of some time ago, Enrique.

285

He admitted he liked me and asked me out.

286

Enrique was charming and sweet, but I told him I was too busy for love.

287

But boy was he persistent.

288

He kept showing up and asking me out in the funniest ways.

289

And after months, I finally decided to give him a chance.

290

One evening, as I was stepping out of my apartment to meet Enrique, I bumped straight into someone and apologized.

291

When I looked up, I saw that it was Julian.

292

What?

293

What are you doing here?

294

Are you going out on a date?

295

You look lovelier than ever.

296

Are you freaking kidding me?

297

You're not even ashamed to face me after what you did?

298

And now you're flirting with me?

299

Just wow.

300

I wonder what your wife would have to say about that.

301

I didn't marry her.

302

I didn't want to spend my life being miserable.

303

I also cut ties with my family.

304

Do I look like I care?

305

It's been five years, Julian.

306

Please, just get lost.

307

Before he could say another word, I walked away, shaking with rage.

308

I wondered if he was telling the truth.

309

But even so, he broke my heart in front of everyone.

310

And I could never forgive him for that.

311

Julian had somehow gotten a hold of my number, and he kept texting me to meet him once.

312

But I kept ignoring him.

313

One day at the hospital, we received a patient who'd been in a bad car accident.

314

And when I looked at the patient chart, my heart leapt into my throat.

315

It was Julian!

316

I rushed to his room and took his hand as tears streamed down my cheeks.

317

He suddenly opened his eyes and started talking.

318

I tried to calm him down, but he wouldn't stop.

319

You have to listen to me, Stellar.

320

Mom threatened to put your mom away in jail for stealing if I didn't break up with you.

321

I knew she really meant it.

322

So I agreed to do something that would make you hate me and drive you far away.

323

I was young and weak, and I thought I was doing the right thing.

324

But now I've cut off my family and made something of myself.

325

And there's no point to anything if I don't have you in my life.

326

Gosh, you wanted my attention?

327

You have it.

328

Just shut up and be strong for me right now, okay?

329

Only if you say you love me, because I do.

330

I'll see how I feel after a few dates.

331

So you better get well soon, you moron.

332

I bent down and kissed him on the lips, and his blood pressure shot up from excitement.

333

Thank you.

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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson

This B1 speaking lesson is built on the video “i found out why i am pretty”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: mom, Julian, suddenly. This video has 333 sentences and 3239 words to shadow. The speech runs for 17:01. The speaker talks fast, about 190 words per minute, so expect linked and reduced sounds. Only 80% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is demanding. 55 of its 333 sentences are questions, so it is good practice for question intonation and short answers.

Key vocabulary in this video

The 15 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:

Word	Pronunciation	Meaning
stellar adjective	/ˈstɛl.əɹ/	Of, pertaining to, or characteristic of stars.
flirt verb	/flɚt/	To throw (something) with a jerk or sudden movement; to fling.
stare verb	/stɛɚ/	To look fixedly (at something).
sneak verb	/sniːk/	To creep or go stealthily; to come or go while trying to avoid detection, as a person who does not wish to be seen.
mansion noun	/ˈmæn.ʃən/	A large luxurious house or building, usually built for the wealthy.
maid noun	/meɪd/	An adult or adolescent female servant or cleaner (short for maidservant). (In feudal times this could be anyone from a high-ranking assistant to a low-ranking…
butt noun	/bʌt/	Body; self.
firework noun	/ˈfaɪɚˌwɚk/	A device using gunpowder and other chemicals which, when lit, emits a combination of coloured flames, sparks, whistles or bangs, and sometimes made to rocket…
tray noun	/tɹeɪ/	A small, typically rectangular or round, flat, and rigid object upon which things are carried.
cheek noun	/t͡ʃiːk/	The soft skin on each side of the face, below the eyes; the outer surface of the sides of the oral cavity.
lip noun	/lɪp/	Either of the two fleshy protrusions around the opening of the mouth.
sneeze verb	/sniːz/	To expel air as a reflex induced by an irritation in the nose.
blush noun	/ˈblʌʃ/	An act of blushing; a pink or red glow on the face caused by embarrassment, shame, shyness, love, etc.
muse verb	/mjuːz/	To become lost in thought, to ponder.
cottage noun	/ˈkɒt.ɪd͡ʒ/	A small house.

Phrasal verbs you will hear

Word	Pronunciation	Meaning
put up with verb		To endure, tolerate, suffer through, or allow, especially something annoying.
throw out verb	/ˈθɹəʊ ˌaʊt/	To discard; to dispense with something; to throw away.
find out verb		To discover, as by asking or investigating.
run around verb		To be very busy doing many different things.
work out verb	/ˌwɝk ˈaʊt/	To calculate.
clean up verb		To make an area or a thing clean; to pick up a mess; to tidy.
come back verb		To return to a place.
come back from verb		To become successful, confident or effective again after an injury, setback, failure, embarrassment, etc.

Sentences worth repeating

Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:

Excuse me, are you guys blind?
How dare you serve us with silver utensils?
Why are you in a maid's uniform?
What if she finds out that you stole it?
Why can't you find it?

Grammar in this video

The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:

Structure	In the video
“Used to” used to + verb — a past habit or state that is no longer true	used to call · used to kick
Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it	being involved · was sold · was filled
Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now	It's been · I've cut
Past continuous was/were + -ing — an action in progress at a moment in the past	was studying · was traumatizing · was apologizing

Pronunciation to watch

The speaker uses 87 contractions and reduced forms, such as you're, I'm, didn't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.

The “th” sounds: threaten /ˈθɹɛt.n̩/, gather /ˈɡæðɚ/, throat /ˈθɹoʊt/
The “sh” and “zh” sounds: mansion /ˈmæn.ʃən/, blush /ˈblʌʃ/, audition /ɑˈdɪʃən/, gosh /ɡɑːʃ/, tuition /tjuːˈɪʃən/
Long words — get the stress right: temporarily /ˌtɛmpəˈɹɛɹəli/, spectacular /spɛkˈtæk.jə.lɚ/, miserable /ˈmɪz(ə)ɹəbəl/, technically /ˈtɛk.nɪˌkəl.i/, apologize /əˈpɑləˌd͡ʒaɪz/

How to practise with this video

Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
Start at 0.75× speed, shadow it sentence by sentence, then go back to normal speed once it feels easy.
Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like stellar, flirt, stare.

What is the Shadowing Technique?

Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.

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

Shadowing Practice: i found out why i am pretty - Learn English Speaking with Video

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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson

Key vocabulary in this video

Phrasal verbs you will hear

Sentences worth repeating

Grammar in this video

Pronunciation to watch

How to practise with this video

What is the Shadowing Technique?