Shadowing Practice: Improve Your English Listening || Learn English Through Story || A Very Emotional English Story - Learn English Speaking with Video

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1. My name is Charlie.
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I am a woman.
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I am 37 years old.
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I have blonde hair and blue eyes.
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Some people say I am pretty.
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I work as a professor.
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I teach economics at a big college.
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I like my job very much.
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My students are young.
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They have a lot of energy.
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My life is usually very quiet.
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I go to work every day.
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After work, I come home.
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I read books.
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I have some friends.
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But I am not dating anyone.
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I am single.
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Sometimes I feel a little lonely in my quiet life.
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This semester, a new student came into my economics class.
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His name is Mike.
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He is very young.
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He is only 19 years old.
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He has dark hair and a nice smile.
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He always sits in a chair near the front of the room.
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Mike is a clever student.
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He understands economics well.
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He asks good questions about the lessons.
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But sometimes, I see him looking at me.
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He looks at me when I am teaching.
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He looks at me when I am writing on the board.
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It is a different way of looking.
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It is not like how the other students look at me.
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It is a look I notice.
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After class, Mike often stayed.
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Other students left quickly, but Mike waited.
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He always had something to say to me.
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It was usually about the lesson, but sometimes it was more.
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She would look at me and smile.
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Professor Charlie, he said one afternoon, your lecture today was really interesting.
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You explain things very well.
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His eyes looked friendly when he said this.
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Another time he said, you look very nice today, Professor.
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I like that color on you.
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He said it quietly, and I felt my face get warm.
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I was surprised by his words.
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He was my student, he was only 19 years old.
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My mind started to think.
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Charlie, be careful, I told myself.
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This is not right.
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He was too young for me.
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And I was his professor.
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There was a rule about this.
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It was wrong to have these kinds of talks.
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When he tried to talk about things that were not economics, I tried to stop him.
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Mike, I would say, making my voice sound strong, do you have a question about the lesson?
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We should talk about economics.
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I wanted to be professional.
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I needed to set a clear line, I told him.
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My personal life is my own, Mike, and yours is yours.
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I tried to show him that our talks must only be about college and lessons.
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I tried to push away the strange feeling his words gave me.
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But it was difficult.
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A small part of me felt a little bit happy when he said nice things.
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It had been a long time since someone paid me this kind of attention.
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It felt nice to be noticed.
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But I knew it was a bad idea.
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I knew I had to be strong.
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I had to be careful.
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He was my student, and that was the most important thing.
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I tried hard to remember this every time he stayed after class.
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3. A holiday away.
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I tried very hard to be a good professor.
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When Mike talked to me, I only talked about economics.
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I said things like, Do you have a question about the lesson, Mike?
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I did not want to talk about other things.
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He was my student, and I was his teacher.
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This was very important.
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I knew it was wrong to think about him in a different way.
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I told myself this many times.
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Charlie, be careful.
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I thought, He is much too young for you.
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This is not right.
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I tried to keep a professional distance between us.
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I did not want any problems at work.
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My job as a professor was very important to me.
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It was my life.
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But Mike continued to look at me in a special way.
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He continued to smile at me after class.
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He sometimes said nice things.
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But I tried not to listen to them.
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It was difficult to ignore him completely.
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A small part of me, deep inside, felt a little happy when he paid attention to me like that.
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It had been a very long time since someone looked at me with such interest.
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It felt nice to feel noticed again, but I knew it was not right for a teacher and a student.
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I pushed the feeling away.
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I focused on my teaching and my research.
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The weeks went by quickly.
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The end of the semester was coming soon.
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I felt very, very tired.
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Teaching is hard work, and this semester felt harder than usual.
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I needed a break from everything.
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I needed to get away.
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From college, from the city, from the difficult feelings I had sometimes.
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I wanted to forget about work for a while.
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I wanted to rest and relax.
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I looked online for a holiday.
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I found a beautiful island.
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It was very far away from my home.
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It looked like a place with lots of sun and quiet beaches.
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It seemed perfect for a tired person like me.
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I decided to book a trip there.
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I thought, I will go to this island.
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I will sit on the beach under the sun.
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I will read books and listen to the sea.
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I will swim in the warm water.
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I will not think about work.
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I will not think about college.
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I will not think about students.
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I will not think about money.
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I packed my bag slowly.
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I felt ready for the holiday.
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I needed the sun and the peace very much.
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I hoped the trip would help me forget about everything difficult and just feel calm.
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I just needed a simple holiday away from my normal life.
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I looked forward to leaving the city and flying to the warm sunny island.
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It felt like a good plan.
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A plan.
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To rest, to forget, and to find some peace.
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Before we meet again, I was on a beautiful island for my holiday.
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I needed to rest.
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I was sitting at a bar on the beach.
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The evening was warm and nice.
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I had a cool drink in my hand.
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The sound of the sea was quiet.
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There was soft music.
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I felt very relaxed and far away from my normal life at college.
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Suddenly, I heard a voice.
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It called my name.
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Charlie?
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Professor Charlie?
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I turned around quickly.
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My eyes went wide with surprise.
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Standing there was Mike, my student from college.
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He was with some friends.
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I could not believe it.
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Mike was here, on this small island, at the same time as me.
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It seemed impossible.
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Mike walked towards me.
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He had that smile he used in class.
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Hello, Professor Charlie, he said.
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This is amazing.
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What are you doing here?
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I said, Hello, Mike.
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I am on holiday.
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He stopped near my table his friends were watching.
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Wow, he said again.
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Meeting you here.
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It's a crazy surprise.
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Yes, I agreed.
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A very big surprise, Brian said.
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Then he asked, Professor, I mean Charlie, please, can I buy you a drink?
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I thought about it for a moment.
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We were not at college now.
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We were on holiday far away.
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Okay, Mike, I said.
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Thank you.
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Just one drink.
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Mike went to the bar.
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He came back with a drink and sat with me.
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His friends went to sit somewhere else.
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We started talking.
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We had one drink.
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Then we had a second drink.
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Then a third.
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We did not talk about economics, my job, or college rules.
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We talked about our lives.
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We talked about our dreams and our favorite things.
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Mike told me funny stories and made me laugh a lot.
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I felt like a different person.
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I felt young and light.
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I was not Professor Charlie.
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I was just Charlie.
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Mike looked at me a lot.
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His eyes were warm.
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I felt happy.
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Later, the bar closed for the night.
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We decided to walk on the sand next to the water.
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The sky was dark blue.
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The moon was large and silver.
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Mike took my hand as we walked.
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His hand felt warm and strong.
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My heart started beating very, very fast in my chest.
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We stopped walking.
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He turned to face me.
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Charlie, he said softly, you are so different here,
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away from college, more relaxed, and you are very beautiful.
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I felt shy, but also very happy to hear his words.
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He leaned closer to me slowly.
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Then he kissed me.
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My mind told me, no, this is wrong.
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He is your student.
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But my body did not listen.
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I kissed him back.
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The kiss was long and exciting.
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It felt like everything else in the world stopped.
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After that, we walked from the beach to the hotel where Mike was staying.
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We went to his room.
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We spent the night together.
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There we talked more.
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We kissed more.
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5. One night on the island.
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It was a night I will not forget.
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It felt very new.
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It felt very exciting.
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But deep inside, I knew it also felt a little bit wrong.
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He was 19.
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I was 37.
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He was my student.
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But on that island, for one night, we were just Charlie and Mike.
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One drink became two drinks.
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Then it was three.
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We sat at the beach bar.
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The music played softly.
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We did not talk about economics or college work.
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We talked about many other things.
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We talked about our lives.
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Mike told me about his family and his dreams.
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I told him a little about my quiet life.
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We talked about films we liked and music we listened to.
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Mike's friends were with us sometimes.
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They were loud and young.
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But mostly, it was just Mike and me.
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Talking.
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He was easy to talk to.
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He made me laugh many times.
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I felt happy and light.
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I felt like I was young again.
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Like I was 20 years old, not 37.
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I forgot I was Professor Charlie.
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I was just Charlie, a woman on holiday.
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Mike was not my student here.
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He was just Mike, a charming young man.
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It felt good to be just Charlie, with just Mike.
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The bar started to close.
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People began to leave.
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Mike and I walked from the bar onto the beach.
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The sand was soft under our feet.
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The sky was dark, but the moon was big and bright.
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Its light made the sea silver.
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We walked slowly near the water.
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The air was warm and soft.
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It was a beautiful night.
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Mike stopped walking.
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He turned to look at me.
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He smiled his nice smile.
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You are very different here, Charlie, he said.
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Not like in class.
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More relaxed.
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I like this, Charlie.
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He took my hand.
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His hand felt warm and strong around mine.
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My heart started to beat very fast, like a little bird inside my chest.
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I did not take my hand away.
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He looked into my eyes for a long moment.
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Then he said, his voice quiet, You are very beautiful, Charlie.
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I felt my face grow warm.
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I felt confused.
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I felt happy.
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I felt a little scared, too.
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This was happening.
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this was real Mike leaned closer to me he kissed me
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it was a soft kiss at first on my lips then
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it became a longer kiss my mind told me no Charlie stop this is wrong.
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He is your student.
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But my body felt warm.
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My heart felt full.
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It said, yes, my body and my heart wanted this.
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We kissed more on the beach, under the moon.
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It felt exciting and a little bit wild.
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After After some time Mike asked if I wanted to come back to his hotel room.
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I said yes.
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We walked from the beach to his hotel.
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His room was small.
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It looked like a young man's room.
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A little bit messy.
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We went inside.
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We talked more.
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We kissed more.
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We spent the night together in his room.
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It was a night I will not forget.
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It felt very new and very exciting.
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It felt like I was doing something I should not do.
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It felt a little bit wrong.
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But in that moment, it felt right.
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6. Back home and the cold truth.
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The next morning, the sun was bright.
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I woke up in Mike's room.
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My head felt heavy.
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nursed I felt a strong wave of guilt what did I do he was my student this was wrong
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but then I also felt a strange happiness the night before
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felt good I liked being with him I felt alive Mike
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woke up he smiled at me good morning Charlie he said
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he seemed happy too we had breakfast it was a little
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quiet at first I knew I had to say something Mike
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I said carefully last night back at college it can't happen
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again felt nervous he looked at me I know he said
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but I like you Charlie a lot can we maybe see each other sometimes Quietly? In secret?
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He looked serious.
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Part of me wanted to say yes.
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My heart felt warm when he said he liked me.
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Maybe we could be very careful.
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Maybe it could work.
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Maybe, I whispered.
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We would have to be very, very careful.
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The holiday ended too quickly.
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We were back in the city.
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Back at college.
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Everything felt different.
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In class, Mike did not look at me.
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He looked down at his book the whole time.
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He did not smile.
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He did not try to catch my eye.
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After class, he did not wait for me.
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He quickly left the room with his friends.
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He seemed like a different person.
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He was the student again.
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And I was the professor.
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But he was cold.
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I felt confused and hurt.
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Why was he acting like this?
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I sent him a text message.
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Hi Mike, are you okay?
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Can we talk?
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He did not write back.
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Days passed.
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He continued to ignore me.
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I felt a knot in my stomach.
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What was happening?
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One afternoon, I was walking near the student cafe.
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Heard loud voices and laughter.
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I heard Mike's voice.
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He was with his friends.
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I stopped for a moment.
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I heard one of his friends say, So Mike, did you really do it with Professor Pretty Eyes on the island?
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Mike laughed.
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It was a loud, proud laugh.
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Yeah, man, easy.
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Won the bet.
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One hundred dollars.
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Zero cents.
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She was all over me after a few drinks on the island.
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Told you I could get her.
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Pay up.
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My body went cold.
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My blood felt like ice.
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A bet?
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A dare.
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One hundred dollars.
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Zero cents.
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All of it.
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The looks, the words, the night on the island.
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It was all a game to him.
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A cruel game, to win money, to look good to his friends.
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My heart felt like it broke into many pieces.
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I felt sick, stupid, so, so stupid. And used?
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He used me.

Context & Background

In this emotional story, we meet Charlie, a 37-year-old economics professor who leads a quiet life. Her routine primarily consists of teaching young, energetic students at a college. Despite enjoying her job, Charlie experiences feelings of loneliness and is single. As she navigates her professional life, a new student named Mike enters her class, adding an unexpected dynamic to her usual routine. The story explores themes of connection, age difference, and the challenges of navigating personal feelings in a professional setting. This context provides a rich backdrop for English listening and comprehension practice, making it beneficial for learners seeking to enhance their skills.

Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication

  • “You explain things very well.” – A valuable compliment that can be used in both professional and casual contexts.
  • “I like that color on you.” – A friendly comment that offers an opportunity to engage in personal conversation.
  • “Your lecture today was really interesting.” – Useful for providing positive feedback in an academic or learning environment.
  • “I feel a little lonely.” – A phrase that expresses personal feelings, helping to build emotional connections.
  • “Be careful.” – An essential phrase that signifies caution, and can be adapted to various situations in everyday conversation.

Step-by-step Shadowing Guide

To effectively tackle the listening challenges presented in this video, follow this shadowing guide:

  1. Listen Actively: Start by listening to the entire transcript without interruption. Focus on understanding the overall theme and context.
  2. Break it Down: Divide the transcript into smaller segments. Listen to a few sentences at a time and try to comprehend the meaning behind them.
  3. Shadow Speech Technique: As you listen, repeat each segment aloud immediately after hearing it. This is known as shadow speech and is excellent for improving pronunciation and intonation.
  4. Pause and Replay: Don’t hesitate to pause and replay sections that are difficult to understand. Repetition is key for achieving fluency.
  5. Practice with Variation: Use phrases from the transcript in different contexts. For instance, try using "You explain things very well" in your own conversations during IELTS speaking practice or while interacting with classmates.

By utilizing this shadowspeaks approach, learners can enhance their speaking abilities and become more confident in using English in daily life. Incorporating this shadowing site method can significantly aid in grasping the nuances of English communication.

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.