Shadowing Practice: If you can understand podcast your English is B1 ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ๐ŸŽง#englishlearning #englishlistening #english - Learn English Speaking with Video

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If you can understand this podcast without subtitles, your English is probably around the B1 level.
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At the B1 level, you can talk about your daily life, your goals, your experiences, and even your opinions.
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You may not know every word, but you can understand the main idea of most conversations.
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So today, I'm going to tell you about a normal day in my life.
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carefully and see how much you can understand.
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I usually wake up at 6.30 in the morning.
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I know some people love waking up early and others absolutely hate it.
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Honestly, I used to hate it too.
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When my alarm goes off, the first thing I want to do is stay in bed for another 10 minutes, but I've learned that if I do that,
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I become even more tired.
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So I get up, open the window, and drink a large glass of water.
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After that, I make my bed.
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It's a small habit, but it makes me feel productive before the day even starts.
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Then I spend a few minutes thinking about what I need to do that day.
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I don't immediately check Instagram, TikTok, or other social media apps.
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A few years ago, social media was the first thing I looked at every morning.
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I would waste 30 or 40 minutes scrolling through videos.
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The problem wasn't the videos themselves.
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The problem was that I was giving my attention away before focusing on my own life.
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Now, I prefer to start my day differently.
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At around 7 o'clock, I prepare breakfast.
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Most mornings, I eat eggs, toast, fruit, and drink a cup of coffee.
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While I'm eating, I usually listen to an English podcast or an audiobook.
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I love learning new things while doing simple tasks.
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By 7.45, I'm ready to leave for work.
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Fortunately, my office isn't very far from my apartment.
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I usually walk there.
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The walk takes about 15 minutes.
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Some people think walking is boring.
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I completely disagree.
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Walking helps me organize my thoughts.
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Sometimes I think about work.
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Sometimes I think about my future.
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And sometimes I just enjoy the fresh air.
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When I arrive at the office, I check my emails and plan my priorities.
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Every day is different.
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Some days are calm and easy.
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Other days are stressful and full of unexpected problems.
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But I've learned something important.
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Problems never completely disappear.
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No matter where you work or what you do, there will always be challenges.
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The real skill is learning how to stay calm when things don't go as planned.
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Around noon, it's time for lunch.
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Some of my co-workers eat together, and sometimes I join them.
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We talk about movies, travel, funny stories, and occasionally about work,
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although we try not to talk about work too much during lunch.
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Other days, I prefer eating alone.
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A lot of people think being alone means being lonely, but those two things are not the same.
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Sometimes being alone is peaceful.
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It gives you time to relax and think.
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In the afternoon, my energy usually starts to drop.
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That's when I make another cup of coffee.
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Not because I need it.
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Okay, maybe I need it a little.
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After work, I have two choices.
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I can go home and watch videos for three hours, or I can do something that improves my life.
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Most days, I choose the second option.
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Three times a week, I go to the gym.
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When I first started exercising, I expected fast results.
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I wanted to look stronger after just a few weeks.
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Of course, that's not how life works.
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Real progress takes time.
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Whether you're building muscle, learning English, saving money, or developing a new skill, improvement happens slowly.
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That's one of the biggest lessons I've learned as an adult.
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Small actions repeated every day can completely change your future.
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After the gym, I head back home.
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I make dinner and spend some time relaxing.
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Sometimes I watch a documentary.
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Sometimes I read a book.
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And sometimes I call my family and talk to them.
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No matter how busy life becomes, I think it's important to stay connected with the people you care about.
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Later in the evening, I usually spend some time improving myself.
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I might read about psychology.
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I might learn something related to my career.
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Or I might simply practice a skill I want to get better at.
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I strongly believe that learning should never stop.
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School ends, university ends, but learning should continue for the rest of your life.
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At around 10 p.m., I start preparing for bed.
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Before sleeping, I often ask myself a few simple questions.
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What went well today?
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What could I have done better?
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And what do I want to improve tomorrow?
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I don't ask these questions because I want to be perfect.
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Nobody is perfect.
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I ask them because I want to keep growing.
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And that's pretty much what a normal day looks like in my life.
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Now let me ask you something.
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How much of this podcast did you understand?
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Did you understand 70%?
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80%?
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Maybe even 90%?
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If you understood most of it, congratulations!
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Your English is probably around the B1 level.
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And if some parts were difficult, that's completely normal.
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Every advanced English speaker was once a beginner.
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The secret is simple.
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Keep listening, keep reading, keep practicing, and most importantly, don't quit.
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Thank you for listening to Speak Smooth English.
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See you in the next episode.

About This Lesson

In this lesson, you will practice listening and speaking skills focused on the B1 level of English. By understanding the daily routine shared in the podcast, you will develop your ability to discuss everyday topics, express your opinions, and convey personal experiences effectively. This lesson provides an opportunity to enhance your english speaking practice while listening to authentic English speech.

Key Vocabulary & Phrases

  • wake up - to stop sleeping and become awake
  • productive - achieving a significant amount or result
  • priorities - the tasks or goals that are considered most important
  • calm - a state of peace and quietness
  • alone - being by oneself, without others, which can be peaceful
  • social media - online platforms where people interact and share content
  • unexpected - something that happens suddenly and is not planned

Practice Tips

To maximize your learning from this podcast, consider applying the shadowing technique. This is a powerful method where you repeat after the speaker, mimicking their tone, pace, and pronunciation. Since the podcast is at a B1 level, you will find the speed manageable while still challenging enough to push your limits. Here are some specific tips:

  • Listen Carefully: Focus on the speaker's intonation and stress patterns. This will help you sound more natural when you practice.
  • Pause and Repeat: After each sentence or phrase, pause the audio and try to repeat it aloud. This enhances your ability to recall vocabulary and structure.
  • Record Yourself: Use your smartphone or computer to record your voice while shadow speaking. Listening to your playback will help you identify areas for improvement.
  • Vary Your Practice: Sometimes, listen to the podcast without repeating, allowing yourself to absorb the content fully. Other times, specifically focus on shadow speak to strengthen your pronunciation.

Integrating these techniques into your routine will not only enhance your learn English with YouTube experience but also provide effective english speaking practice, moving you toward fluency in conversation.

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 โ€” like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1โ€“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 โ€” making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.