Shadowing Practice: INTERMEDIATE ENGLISH STORY ✈️Time to Travel✈️ B1 - B2 | Level 3 - 4 | BRITISH ENGLISH WITH SUBTITLES - Learn English Speaking with Video

Creating lesson...
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Hello and welcome to Lovely English Stories.
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This story is written for intermediate English learners.
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You can download the PDF transcript of this story as an all -access Patreon on our new Patreon page.
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B1, B2 English Story.
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Time. to travel.
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It's one of those days today.
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Mark wants to be somewhere else.
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He's at work, but he's not at work mentally.
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He has checked out.
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He's off to somewhere much nicer in his imagination.
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He's on a boat.
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sailing around the Caribbean one minute, And the next!
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He's hiking in the German countryside.
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Mark lives for travel.
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And the last year or so has put a stop to that So he's starting to feel quite caged in.
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Mark is the type of person who works to live.
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He doesn't live to work.
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He does his day job so he can save up as much money as possible.
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To see the world.
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He works as an IT technician at a local college but he also has a side hustle.
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In his spare time, he writes blogs about coding, SEO, and other online related content.
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His blog is quite successful.
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and he also runs a little YouTube channel that is starting to get attention.
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He's quite pleased that he can earn money from doing something he loves.
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Mark tries to save as much of his side hustle money as possible This is the money he uses for fun stuff.
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If he wants a new phone...
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He'll use his side hustle money.
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If he wants a weekend away somewhere, He'll dip into his side hustle money.
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If he wants to order a takeaway, He'll use his side hustle money.
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He gets immense pleasure from knowing that all his extra hard work is generating an income for him.
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At the moment, Mark's main income is his day job, but he hopes for his side income to take over in the next year.
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then he might leave his day job and concentrate on monetising his hobbies.
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Then he would be free to work where he pleased.
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Then he could travel the world and live the nomadic lifestyle he craves so much.
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Mark isn't the sort of person who wants to sell everything
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and live out of a camper van he's more likely to stay in holiday rentals or bed and breakfasts
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He doesn't really like camping.
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This always shocks people when they meet him because he loves to travel so much.
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But he doesn't like to camp or sleep outdoors.
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People assume he must be an outdoorsy type, which to an extent he is.
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He loves to walk and kayak and climb, but then he likes to go back to a comfortable bed in the evening,
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and have a good night's sleep.
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Mark has had a lot of time over the last year to plan his next holiday.
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He's worked out when he'll take his annual leave from work.
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Now all he needs to do is get booking.
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The only problem is, with the uncertainty at the moment, he's scared to book anything in case it gets cancelled.
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So instead, He makes meticulous plans for his next few breaks.
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First, he plans to have a mini -break to Scotland in December.
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He knows the weather might not be so great but he'd love to see Edinburgh at Christmas.
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It would be a fantastic opportunity for him to stock up on Christmas presents for his nieces and nephews,
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and there are some great walks in and around the city,
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Plus, he has a friend who lives there so he might be able to stay a night or two at their place,
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which would mean it wouldn't cost as much.
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For his second trip, he plans to visit southern Italy in March,
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He has researched and has found a beautiful historic place called Matera, in the region of Basilicata,
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He has always wanted to visit a UNESCO heritage site.
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It is one of the oldest inhabited cities in the world and has so much to offer.
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He could go on various historical tours, eat delicious food and enjoy many walks in the local area.
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He can't think of a better way to spend an extended weekend.
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He's also incredibly lucky that his local airport has direct flights to Barry which is close to Matera.
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Then all he needs to do is work out how to get from the airport to his hotel.
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But he can figure that out closer to the time.
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For now, he has picked his hotel, picked the museums and tours he wants to do,
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and he has worked out his budget for the weekend.
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Now, Mark's third trip is a big one.
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It will mean he has to take three weeks off work.
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He really hopes that his boss will approve it.
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He wants to visit New Zealand next November.
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Just as spring is ending in the country and summer is starting to blossom.
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Going to New Zealand has always been on Mark's bucket list.
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He has decided that he'll land in Auckland and take a hop -on, hop -off bus around both islands.
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That way he can meet people and explore.
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He knows he will need to save a substantial amount of money for the trip.
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But it'll be a once -in -a -lifetime experience.
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For the holiday, he'll mainly stay in hostels.
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To save cash.
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He is keeping an eye on the exchange rate
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and will make sure he exchanges his pounds for New Zealand dollars at the right time.
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So he gets a good deal.
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Mark is very good with his money.
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especially when it comes to travelling.
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Mark cannot wait for the world to return to some sort of normality
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so he can book his trips and have something to look forward to.
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Nothing makes him feel more alive than exploring new places and cultures, with new friends.
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In the meantime, he will continue to expand his side hustle
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and he will work towards his goal of being a full -time digital nomad.
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Which three countries would you like to visit?
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Tell us in the comments below.
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We hope you enjoyed this lovely English story.
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Thank you for stopping by.
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And don't forget to like, subscribe and share.
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And remember, you can have access to the PDF transcript of this and other stories
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as an all -access Patreon on our new Patreon page.
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See you soon!

Why practice speaking with this video?

This video titled "INTERMEDIATE ENGLISH STORY ✈️Time to Travel✈️" offers a fantastic opportunity for English learners to engage in english speaking practice within a relatable context. By immersing yourself in Mark's travel dreams and aspirations, you not only gain insight into everyday conversations but also enhance your ability to express similar feelings and experiences. Mark's story touches on themes of aspiration, planning, and the balance between work and leisure, providing a rich backdrop for language practice.

Practicing speaking with this video enables learners to harness the technique of shadow speaking. By repeating Mark's sentences and dialogues, you can build fluency and confidence in your spoken English. This method is particularly effective for those who aim to improve their English pronunciation, as it allows you to mimic intonation and rhythm while reinforcing vocabulary in context.

Grammar & Expressions in Context

The video features several useful grammatical structures and expressions that can enhance your English vocabulary:

  • “He works to live, not lives to work.” - This expression contrasts the motives behind work and showcases the use of infinitives in purpose.
  • “It’s one of those days.” - A common idiom implying a day filled with certain expected feelings; great for describing experiences.
  • “He hopes for his side income to take over.” - This construction uses the infinitive "to take over" to discuss future aspirations.
  • “He's scared to book anything in case it gets cancelled.” - This phrase highlights the use of fears and uncertainties in daily decision-making.

Understanding these expressions helps learners recognize and use essential patterns in English conversations, providing a clearer, more authentic way to communicate. Practicing these structures in your own sentences can significantly enhance your English speaking skills.

Common Pronunciation Traps

Throughout the video, some words and phrases may pose challenges for learners looking to improve English pronunciation. Here are a few tips:

  • “meticulous” - This word can be tricky due to its vowel sounds; practice breaking it down into syllables: me-ti-cu-lous.
  • “nomadic” - A commonly mispronounced term; focus on the "o" sound followed by "madic," ensuring clarity.
  • “hiking” and “kayaking” - These verbs may require attention to the vowel sounds in the middle; practice to ensure you’re emphasizing the correct syllables.

Focusing on these pronunciation aspects can greatly enhance your confidence when engaging in conversations, allowing you to express your thoughts more clearly. Utilizing a shadow speaking site or a similar tool can also help reinforce these practices.

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.