Shadowing Practice: Jane Eyre Taught Me English—Here's What Happened - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Learn English through stories with shadowing and conversation.
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you Jane Eyre's story begins in sorrow.
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She is a young orphan, a child with no parents.
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After her parents die, she is forced to live with her cruel aunt and cousins.
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They never show her any love.
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Instead, they constantly bully and punish her.
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Jane is locked in a dark room and treated like a servant in her own home.
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Finally, her aunt sends her away to Lowood, a strict boarding school for poor girls.
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Life at Lowood is incredibly hard.
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The rooms are freezing, the food is terrible and many girls get sick.
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However, despite the miserable conditions, Jane learns something valuable.
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She learns how to survive.
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Thank you.
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Thank you.
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She makes her first real friend and she discovers the power of education.
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Time passes.
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Jane spends eight long years at Lowood.
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First, she is a hard -working student and later, she becomes a teacher.
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But Jane wants more from life.
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Thank you.
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Thank you.
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Thank you.
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She is a brave and independent young woman and she wants to see the real world.
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Thank you.
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She decides to put an advertisement in a newspaper.
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looking for a job.
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Thank you.
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Thank you.
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Thank you.
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Soon she receives an offer to become a governess.
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a private teacher at a grand country house called Thornfield Hall.
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Jane packs her small bag and leaves Lowood behind.
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Thank you.
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When she arrives at Thornfield, she is amazed by the beautiful, enormous mansion.
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For the first time in her life, she feels safe and respected.
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She enjoys teaching her young student, Adele, and feels optimistic about her new life.
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Life at Thornfield is quiet until the master of the house, Mr. Edward Rochester, returns.
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Mr Rochester is not a typical hero.
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Thank you.
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Thank you.
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He is older, serious and has a very dark and mysterious personality.
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At first he is moody and strict with Jane.
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But soon they start having long, fascinating conversations by the fireplace.
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Mr Rochester admires Jane's honesty and James slowly falls in love with his brilliant mind.
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However, Thornfield Hall holds dark secrets.
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Thank you.
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At night, Jane hears creepy laughs echoing through the empty halls.
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One night, she wakes up to find Mr Rochester's bed on fire.
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And she has to save his life.
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Rochester blames a servant, but Jane knows something strange is going on.
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Despite the danger, their affection for each other grows, and Mr Rochester asks Jane to marry him.
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Overjoyed, she says yes.
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It is the day of the wedding.
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Jane is wearing her white dress, standing in the church.
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But just as they are about to say, "I do," a man rushes into the church and stops the ceremony.
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This marriage cannot happen.
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Mr. Rochester is already married.
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Jane is heartbroken and shocked.
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Mr Rochester finally confesses the terrible truth.
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He takes Jane back to Thornfield and unlocks a hidden door in the attic.
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Inside is his wife, Bertha.
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She has been violently mentally ill for years and Rochester has kept her hidden away to protect her and himself.
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Rochester begs Jane to stay with him,
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saying she is his only true love.
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- But Jane has strong morals.
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She knows that staying with a married man is wrong.
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Breaking her own heart, she packs her bags in the middle of the night and runs away.
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Thank you.
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Thank you.
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Thank you.
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I'm sorry.
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Jane wanders alone with no money.
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No food and no friends.
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She nearly starves to death in the rain before she is rescued by a kind clergyman named Street John Rivers
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and his two sisters.
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Thank you.
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Thank you.
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They take her in and help her recover.
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Then a miracle happens.
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She receives a letter, discovering that her uncle has died and left her a massive fortune.
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She is now a wealthy, independent woman.
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She also discovers that the Rivers family are actually her cousins.
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for the first time.
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Jane has a real family and financial freedom.
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Thank you.
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Yet, her heart still belongs to Mr. Rochester.
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One night, she thinks she hears his voice calling her name on the wind.
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Jane.
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Okay.
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Thank you.
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Jane.
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Jane immediately travels back to Thornfield Hall.
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But when she arrives, she sees a tragedy.
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The grand mansion is completely destroyed.
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It is just black.
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burned stone.
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She discovers that Bertha, Rochester's sick wife, started the fire and tragically did not survive.
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Mr Rochester bravely tried to save everyone, but he was badly injured.
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He survived, but he lost his home and his eyesight.
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He is now completely blind.
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- Jane finds him living in a small house in the woods.
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When he hears her voice, he cannot believe it.
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He thinks he is dreaming.
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Thank you.
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Jane holds his hand and tells him she will never leave him again.
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They marry, and after a few years, Mr Rochester even gains enough sight back in one eye to see their first born child.
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you Now let's do some shadowing together.
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Listen carefully and repeat each sentence naturally with me.
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Jane never gives up, no matter how difficult life becomes.
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Jane never gives up, no matter how difficult life becomes.
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She leaves Thornfield with a broken heart but strong morals.
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She leaves Thornfield with a broken heart but strong morals.
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Mr Rochester hides a secret that changes everything.
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Mr Rochester hides a secret that changes everything.
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Jane chooses love, but she never abandons her principles.
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Jane chooses love, but she never abandons her principles.
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The fire destroys Thornfield Hall and changes their lives forever.
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The fire destroys Thornfield Hall and changes their lives forever.
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you And now, let's join Olivia and Harry as they talk about today's story,
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emotions, and a few useful English expressions together.
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Wow.
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Every time I hear that ending, I get goosebumps.
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What a powerful story.
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Thank you, Margaret, for that beautiful reading.
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It really is an amazing story, Harry.
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Welcome back everyone to English natively.
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I hope you enjoyed listening to Jane Eyre as much as we did.
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I always feel so happy for Jane at the end.
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But Olivia, tell our listeners, why is this book so famous?
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I mean, it was written in 1847 by Charlotte Bronte.
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That is almost 180 years ago.
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Why do we still read it today?
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That is a great question!
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Well, in the 19th century, women in stories were usually very weak.
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They waited for a strong man to come and save them.
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But Charlotte Bronte created Jane Eyre.
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Jane is poor and she is not traditionally beautiful, But she is so strong.
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She says.
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I have a mind and I have feelings and I am equal to you.
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Exactly!
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She is completely independent.
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Even when she loves Mr Rochester, she leaves him because he is married.
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She follows her own rules She only goes back to him when she is ready and completely free.
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Yes, and people loved that.
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Also, the book has everything.
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Romance, a big fire, a crazy secret in the house It is like a thriller.
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Charlotte Bronte actually had to use a man's name
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"Curra Bell" to publish it first because people didn't take female writers seriously back then.
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It's incredible how much things have changed.
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Now, Jane Eyre is one of the most important books in English literature.
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Absolutely.
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Now, To help our listeners understand this amazing story even better, Let's talk about some of the great vocabulary we heard.
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Are you ready, Harry?
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I am born ready.
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Let's start with the word 'bully'.
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B U L L Y.
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This can be a noun or a verb.
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A bully is a person who is cruel to people who are smaller or weaker.
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In the story, Jane's cousins bully her when she is a child.
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It is terrible.
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You can also use it in everyday life.
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For example, Don't let him talk to you like that.
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He is just a bully.
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or It is important to teach children not to bully their classmates.
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Great examples.
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Our second word is miserable.
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M I S E R A B L E If you are miserable,
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you are very, very unhappy or uncomfortable.
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Life for young Jane at the boarding school was miserable.
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It was cold and the food was bad.
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We use this word a lot when we talk about British weather.
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For example, I forgot my umbrella and waiting for the bus in the rain was completely miserable. That is so true.
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Okay, word number three is despite.
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D E S P I T E This is a very useful word for B1 students.
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We use despite to show that something happens even if there is a problem.
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In our story, despite the miserable conditions at the school, Jane learns to survive.
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Here is a daily example: Despite having a headache, Sarah finished all her homework.
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And I love playing football despite being very bad at it Hey, I've seen you play Olivia.
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You're not that bad.
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Thank you, Harry.
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Let's move on to the fourth word.
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enormous.
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E N O R M O U S.
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This is a great adjective!
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It simply means very, very big.
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huge.
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Jane moves to Thornfield Hall which is an enormous mansion.
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Yes.
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You shouldn't say 'very enormous' because 'enormous' already means 'very big'.
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You can say, I was so hungry, I ate an enormous pizza.
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Now I am hungry.
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Anyway.
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Our next word is optimistic.
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O P T I M I S T I C.
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Someone who is optimistic.
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always looks at the good side of things.
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They think the future will be good.
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When Jane gets her new job, she feels optimistic about her life.
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I am a very optimistic person.
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I am optimistic that I will finally win the lottery this weekend.
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You say that every weekend, Harry.
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Well, that proves I am optimistic.
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Right, the next word is a bit spooky.
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It's 'attic'.
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A -T -T -I -C The attic is the room at the very top of a house, right under the roof.
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At Thornfield Hall, Mr Rochester hides his secret wife in the attic.
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It is such a scary part of the book.
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In modern homes, The attic is usually just where we put old things.
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For example, My grandfather keeps his old books in the attic.
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Our seventh word is 'violently'.
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v -i -o L E N T L Y This is an adverb.
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It means doing something with a lot of sudden and dangerous physical force.
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In the story, Bertha is violently mentally ill.
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She loses control and starts fires.
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You can also use it for nature, for example, The boat shook violently during the storm.
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It shows a lot of power and movement And finally, our last word today brings a happy ending.
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W -E -A -L -T -H -Y It is just another word for rich.
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It means having a lot of money and land.
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At the end of the story, Jane's uncle dies and leaves her a fortune, so she becomes a wealthy woman.
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Which is wonderful because she finally has independence.
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Let's give a quick example.
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Many wealthy people live in that part of London.
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So, let's review those eight words quickly for our English natively listeners.
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Bully?
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miserable Despite.
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enormous Optimistic Attic violently and wealthy.
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Fantastic!
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Now.
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Here is your homework for this episode.
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Choose three of these words and try to write a sentence with them in the comments below.
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We read all of your comments.
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Yes we do.
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Thank you so much for joining us on this emotional journey through Jane Eyre.
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If you liked this episode, please subscribe and share it with your friends.
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keep practicing, keep reading, and we will see you next time on English Natively.
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Have a great day everyone!
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Music by Ben Thede
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This B1 speaking lesson is built on the video “Jane Eyre Taught Me English—Here's What Happened”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: Jane, Rochester, word, Thornfield, optimistic. This video has 237 sentences and 1967 words to shadow. The speech runs for 18:53. The speaker talks slowly, about 104 words per minute, so there is time to copy every sound. Only 77% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is demanding.
Key vocabulary in this video
The 15 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| optimistic adjective | /ˌɒptɪˈmɪstɪk/ | Expecting the best in all possible ways. |
| attic noun | /ˈætɪk/ | The space, often unfinished and with sloped walls, directly below the roof in the uppermost part of a house or other building, generally used for storage or… |
| bully noun | /ˈbʊli/ | A person who is intentionally physically or emotionally cruel to others, especially to those whom they perceive as being vulnerable or of less power or… |
| miserable adjective | /ˈmɪz(ə)ɹəbəl/ | In a state of misery: very sad, ill, or poor. |
| enormous adjective | /ɪˈnɔː.məs/ | Extremely large; greatly exceeding the common size, extent, etc. |
| violently adverb | /ˈvaɪ(ə)ləntli/ | In a violent manner. |
| leaf noun | /lif/ | The usually green and flat organ that represents the most prominent feature of most vegetative plants. |
| wealthy adjective | /ˈwɛl.θi/ | Possessing financial wealth; rich. |
| natively adverb | /ˈneɪtɪvli/ | In the manner of a native, especially a native speaker. |
| listener noun | /ˈlɪs(ə)nɚ/ | Someone who listens, especially to a speech or a broadcast. |
| mansion noun | /ˈmæn.ʃən/ | A large luxurious house or building, usually built for the wealthy. |
| abandon verb | /əˈbæn.dən/ | To give up or relinquish control of, to surrender or to give oneself over, or to yield to one's emotions. |
| servant noun | /ˈsɝvənt/ | One who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation. As opposed to a slave. |
| cruel adjective | /ˈkɹuːəl/ | Intentionally causing or reveling in pain and suffering; merciless, heartless. |
| homework noun | /ˈhoʊmˌwɝk/ | Exercises assigned by a teacher to a student which review concepts studied in class. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| give up verb | To surrender (someone or something); to inform on (someone). |
| go back to verb | To stem from; to originate in. |
| run away verb | To flee by running. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- Why do we still read it today?
- Let's start with the word 'bully'.
- Let's move on to the fourth word.
- Let's give a quick example.
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | is forced · is locked · is amazed |
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | has been · have changed · I've seen |
| Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thing | person who is · Hall which is · Someone who is |
| Verb + -ing enjoy, keep, stop… + -ing — verbs that are followed by the -ing form | enjoys teaching · start having · enjoyed listening |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 6 contractions and reduced forms, such as didn't, don't, I'm. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “th” sounds: wealthy /ˈwɛl.θi/, thriller /ˈθɹɪ.lə/, grandfather /ˈɡɹæn(d)ˌfɑðɚ/, seventh /ˈsɛvənθ/
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: mansion /ˈmæn.ʃən/, affection /əˈfɛk.ʃən/, punish /ˈpʌnɪʃ/, traditionally /tɹəˈdɪʃ.ə.nə.li/, publish /ˈpʌblɪʃ/
- Long words — get the stress right: optimistic /ˌɒptɪˈmɪstɪk/, miserable /ˈmɪz(ə)ɹəbəl/, violently /ˈvaɪ(ə)ləntli/, vocabulary /vəˈkæb.jə.lə.ɹi/, advertisement /ˈædvɚˌtaɪzmənt/
How to practise with this video
- Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
- Shadow it sentence by sentence at normal speed, repeating each one until your rhythm matches the speaker.
- Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like optimistic, attic, bully.
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.