Shadowing Practice: INTERMEDIATE ENGLISH STORY 📍A Trip Around England🚘 B1 - B2 | British English Listening Practice - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Hello and welcome to Lovely English Stories.
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Thank you for stopping by.
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This story is written for intermediate English learners.
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You can download the PDF transcript of this and other stories on our Patreon page.
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You can find the link in the description box below.
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Ready?
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Let's get started.
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B1 B2 English Story a trip around England.
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Andy and Abby lived in London.
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They rarely got out of the city to explore, partly because there was so much to do in London,
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but partly because they were always so busy with work.
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They had booked two weeks off work and decided to spend some of that time exploring England rather than jetting off abroad.
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They sat down together and went through a plan of what they wanted to see.
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They had a tight budget but they were going to use their friend's camper van
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to travel around and stay in cheap camping spots.
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They just hoped the weather would be on their side.
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They packed some food, basic clothes,
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card games, torches, water bottles and plenty of layers in case they got cold.
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They filled up the van with petrol and they were off
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Their first stop out of London was the Norfolk Broads It
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took them a couple of hours to drive there from the city
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But it was worth it The Norfolk Broads are man-made waterways in the county of Norfolk
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and cover an area of 117 square miles.
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They had lots to see in only two days.
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They found a cheap campsite and headed to a local farm shop to buy some supplies.
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After they'd eaten, they went for a walk around the nearby village.
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They couldn't believe how peaceful and calm everything was.
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It was like a world away from the noisy streets of London.
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The next day, they went on a barge trip along one of the broads,
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and in the afternoon, they headed into the city of Norwich.
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It was incredibly quaint.
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They enjoyed an afternoon tea and meandered through the streets.
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The city is 100 miles northeast of London and has a stunning cathedral.
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The city is in the top 10 places to shop in the UK.
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They bought a few souvenirs from the shops and made their way back to the campsite.
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They decided to have their dinner at a traditional pub before having an early night.
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The next morning they woke early,
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had a shower and packed away their belongings before driving northwest to the city of Lincoln.
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The drive took two and a half hours.
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They stayed at a campsite just outside of the small medieval city
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and then took a park and ride bus into the city centre.
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Once there, they decided to do the famous walk up the steep hill.
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They spent hours looking in all the little shops, galleries and boutiques.
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By the time they got to the top, they were incredibly hungry and thirsty.
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They found a little cafe and sat outside and ate sandwiches and drank tea.
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Once they felt refreshed, they went for a walk around the cathedral and the gardens.
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They then made their way back down into the city and enjoyed a glass of wine by the river
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before heading back to the campsite where they played cards and then went to sleep.
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The next morning they packed up their van again and headed further north,
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this time to the northeast coast of Yorkshire.
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They had chosen a campsite on the clifftops close to the small seaside town of Filey.
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By the time they got there they felt exhausted as there had been a crash on the motorway
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so their route was diverted for quite some time.
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They decided to set up the van and walk into Filey to have fish and chips on the beach.
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They then popped to a local pub
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and played the pub quiz before walking back to the camper and having an early night.
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The next morning, they decided to walk along the famous Filey Brig,
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which is a long, narrow peninsula about a mile away from Filey.
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They checked the tidal times and set off.
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The walk was stunning, even if it was a little slippery at times.
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At the edge of the brig,
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they sat and drank their flask of coffee as they looked out to sea and watched the anglers catch fish.
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It was incredibly relaxing.
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For the rest of the day, they explored Filey and the surrounding area.
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They then made their own food at the camper and visited the pub on the campsite before going to bed.
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The next day, they drove to the seaside town of Scarborough.
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The first thing that caught their attention was the castle on the clifftop.
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The castle was originally constructed in the 12th century and can be seen for miles around.
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They parked just outside of the town and walked in via the seafront.
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They ate a hot dog each and treated themselves to an ice cream milkshake.
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They then walked the pleasant path around the headland from the
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South Bay to the North Bay where they explored the pretty Pizome Park.
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From there they walked into the town centre
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and explored the shops before driving a little further further north to the tiny village of Robin Hood's Bay.
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This beautiful fishing village has stunning shops and cafes
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and was the perfect place for Andy to take some stunning photographs for his company website.
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The sea air started to make them tired So they headed back to the campsite for a good night's sleep.
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The next day they packed up and headed north to the Gothic town of Whitby.
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They chose to stay in the town for the night.
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After they'd set up the van they walked to the famous Whitby Abbey.
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The abbey was built in the 7th century.
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To get to the abbey on the clifftop,
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Abby and Andy had to walk up the famous 199 steps.
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They didn't turn around so the view from the top would be even more special.
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Once they got to the top and looked down on the town, they couldn't believe how pretty it was.
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They sat on a bench to take in the stunning views of the cliffs,
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the town and the fishing boats bobbing about in the water.
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They certainly didn't see sights like this in London.
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Afterwards, they went on a tour of the abbey before exploring Whitby and its wonderful shops.
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That night, they treated themselves to a posh dinner in a restaurant overlooking the harbour.
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The next morning they woke up and decided to walk along the clifftops and breathe in the fresh salty sea air.
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In the afternoon, they headed back to the campervan and drove down south,
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stopping off for a night in a nice but cheap hotel in the city of Nottingham.
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They were so glad to have a proper bed for the night.
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Nottingham has a population of over 300,000 people and has two large universities.
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It is vibrant and has many individual shops, boutiques, cafes and bars.
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Abby and Andy loved the city.
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It was a good transition for them before heading back into the busy streets of London.
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The next day they had breakfast at an independent coffee shop
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in the city centre before driving back to London after the morning rush hour.
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As they made their way back to their suburban flat in Wimbledon,
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they felt happy that they'd explored parts of eastern and northern England.
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There was certainly more to England than London.
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Let's go through some of the vocabulary from this story.
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Belongings.
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Belongings.
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Belongings are things that a person owns.
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Budget.
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A budget is a plan of how you will save or spend your money.
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Construct. To construct.
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To construct is to build something.
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Layers.
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Layers.
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A level of material that is different from the material above or below it,
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or a thin sheet of something is a layer.
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When it is cold, we wear lots of layers of clothes to keep warm.
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Medieval.
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Medieval.
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If something is medieval, then it is related to the Middle Ages.
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This was AD 600 to AD 1500.
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Rush. To rush.
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To rush is to do something very quickly.
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Stunning.
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Stunning.
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If something is stunning, then it is very beautiful.
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Supplies, supplies.
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Supplies are food, drink or other things needed by people every day.
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Bay Bay A bay is the part of the coast where the land curves in.
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Bays are usually where there is a beach where you can swim and sunbathe.
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Cliff A cliff is a high area of rock with a very steep side.
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Gallery A gallery is a room or building that is used for showing works of art.
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Harbour Harbour Harbours are an area of water next to the coast.
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They are protected from the sea by a big wall.
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Ships and boats shelter in harbours Plenty,
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plenty If you have plenty of something, then you have more than enough Souvenir,
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souvenir That is something that you buy or keep to remember a special event,
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day or trip Steep Steep Steep is on a very sharp angle or a slope like a cliff.
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Surrounding Surrounding If something is surrounding then it is all around a place.
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We hope you enjoyed this lovely English story and the vocabulary explanations.
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Context & Background
In the video titled "A Trip Around England," viewers are introduced to Andy and Abby, two intermediate English learners residing in London. The story chronicles their journey through various picturesque locations in England, showcasing their experiences as they step away from the busy life of the city to explore the tranquil beauty of the countryside. This narrative not only serves as a listening exercise but also provides cultural insights into England's landscapes, towns, and traditional practices, making it a valuable resource for anyone looking to learn English with YouTube.
Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication
- “They went for a walk around the nearby village.” - A useful phrase for discussing activities.
- “They decided to have dinner at a traditional pub.” - Perfect for conversations about dining out.
- “They couldn’t believe how peaceful and calm everything was.” - Ideal for expressing feelings about different environments.
- “They enjoyed an afternoon tea.” - Great for conversations around meals or social gatherings.
- “They spent hours looking in all the little shops.” - Useful for sharing shopping experiences.
Step-by-step Shadowing Guide
To improve English pronunciation and develop your speaking skills, follow these steps while watching the video:
- Watch the video once: Familiarize yourself with the story and context. Pay attention to the tone and pace of the speakers.
- Listen and read: Download the PDF transcript available, and follow along as you watch the video. This dual exposure helps reinforce comprehension.
- Shadow the speakers: Pause the video after short phrases or sentences. Repeat immediately after the speaker, mimicking their intonation and pronunciation. This technique is known as shadowspeak.
- Record yourself: Use your phone or a recording device to capture your voice as you shadow the speakers. Listening back allows you to assess your pronunciation and rhythm.
- Practice regularly: Consistency is key in developing fluency. Repeat this exercise with multiple videos to become comfortable with varied accents and styles.
By following this structured approach, learners can effectively enhance their speaking abilities while immersing themselves in English culture. With each session, you will not only shadow speak but also gain confidence in handling everyday conversations in English.
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.