Shadowing Practice: Learn English the Easy Way | The Garden Contest - Learn English Speaking with YouTube
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Tom, come look at this.
461 sentences
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Tom, come look at this.
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On the bulletin board.
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What is it?
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A garden contest.
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For the whole neighborhood.
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A garden contest?
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Our garden is just dirt and weeds.
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That's why we should enter.
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We can change it.
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Change dirt into a winning garden?
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In how long?
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Six weeks.
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The deadline is six weeks from now.
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Six weeks?
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That's not a lot of time.
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It's enough.
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We just need to work hard.
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What's the prize?
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A $500 gift card to the garden center.
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$500?
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That's actually pretty good.
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And the winner gets featured in a gardening magazine.
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A magazine?
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Are weeds in a magazine?
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Are flowers in a magazine, after we plant them.
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But we don't have any flowers.
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We will have flowers.
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That's the whole point.
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I don't know, Sarah.
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It sounds like a lot of work.
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It'll be fun.
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Trust me.
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Your idea of fun and my idea of fun are very different.
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Come on.
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It'll be worth it.
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Fine, but I know nothing about gardening.
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That's okay.
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I'll teach you.
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Let's go to the garden center.
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Right now?
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It's Saturday morning.
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Garden centers open at 7.
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I already checked.
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You already checked?
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You just saw the flyer.
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I plan fast.
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Come on.
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Can I at least have coffee first?
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We'll get coffee on the way.
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Let's go.
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Six weeks.
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Dirt to garden.
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This should be interesting.
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Hi.
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We need help.
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We're entering a garden contest.
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Fun!
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What does your garden look like now?
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Mostly weeds.
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We're starting from scratch.
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No problem.
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How much time do you have?
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Six weeks.
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What can grow that fast?
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Sunflowers and zinnias.
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They grow really fast.
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How fast, exactly?
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Zinnias bloom in four weeks, sunflowers in about six.
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Perfect.
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What about herbs?
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Basil and mint.
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They grow fast and smell great.
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I'll take all of those.
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What about soil?
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You'll need compost.
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Two bags should be enough.
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Any tips for a garden contest?
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Mix different colors and heights.
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Judges love variety.
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Colors and heights.
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Got it.
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And add something personal.
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Make it yours.
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Something personal?
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Like what?
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Decorations, art, something only your garden has.
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I have a great idea for that.
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Good.
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Now let me add everything up.
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How much is everything?
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$45 total.
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We'll take everything.
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Do you need gardening gloves too?
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Yes, please.
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Two pairs.
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Good luck with the contest.
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Come back if you need help.
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Thank you.
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First, we pull all the weeds.
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Grab them by the roots.
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There are so many.
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This will take forever.
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Stop complaining.
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Start pulling.
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My back already hurts.
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We just started.
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It's been five minutes, Tom.
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The longest five minutes of my life.
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Now mix the compost into the soil.
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This stuff smells terrible.
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What is it?
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Compost.
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The worse the smell, the better it works.
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That can't be true.
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It is.
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Trust me on this one.
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Okay, what's next?
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Sunflowers go in the back.
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They'll be the tallest.
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How tall will they get?
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About five feet.
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Maybe taller.
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Five feet?
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That's taller than you.
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Very funny.
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Now dig here.
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Smart, so they don't block the short ones.
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Zinnias in the middle, herbs along the path.
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Why put herbs along the path?
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You can smell them when you walk by.
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That's a nice touch.
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What about these rocks?
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I painted them last night.
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They say grow and dream.
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You painted rocks? When?
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while you were watching TV.
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They're really pretty.
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The judges will like those.
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I hope so.
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It's our personal touch.
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What else can we do to stand out?
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I was thinking about a small bench.
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A bench?
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Great idea.
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We can sit and enjoy the garden.
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A bench?
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That's a great idea.
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My dad has one in his garage.
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I'll ask him.
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Perfect.
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A bench, some flowers, and painted rocks.
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Our garden is coming together.
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Hi, Tom.
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How's your garden coming along?
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Pretty good.
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We planted sunflowers and herbs.
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Sunflowers.
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Nice choice.
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They grow so fast.
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What about your garden?
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Are you in the contest too?
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Yes.
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We've been working on it for weeks.
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What did you plant?
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We have roses, all different colors.
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Roses?
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Those are hard to grow.
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We've had them for three years.
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They love our soil.
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Three years?
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That gives you a big advantage.
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Maybe, but we also added a stone fountain.
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A fountain?
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Wow, that sounds fancy.
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My husband built it himself.
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Took two weekends.
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Two weekends?
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That's dedication.
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And we put little lights along the pathway.
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Your garden sounds amazing.
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I'm impressed.
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Thank you.
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But your sunflowers are really beautiful.
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Really?
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They're only a foot tall right now.
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They'll be huge by the contest.
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Trust me.
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I hope so.
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Your roses are hard to beat.
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It's not about beating anyone.
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It's about enjoying it.
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That's a nice way to think about it.
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I just hope they bloom in time.
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They will.
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Sunflowers never let you down.
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I hope you're right.
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Good luck to both of us.
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I talked to Mrs. Johnson today.
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She's in the contest, too.
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I know.
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I've seen her roses.
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They're gorgeous.
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She also has a fountain and pathway lights.
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A fountain?
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We can't compete with that.
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Well, our sunflowers are growing fast.
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Tom, be honest.
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Do we have any chance?
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Of course we do.
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Our garden is different.
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Different means we can't afford a fountain.
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Different means it's special.
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I don't know.
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Maybe I was too impulsive.
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Impulsive?
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What do you mean?
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Thinking we could change our garden in six weeks.
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But we did change it.
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Look outside.
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It's still nothing compared to the Johnsons.
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Sarah, stop comparing.
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Our garden is ours.
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But I wanted to win so badly.
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Why?
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What would winning change?
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The $500 would be nice.
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We can buy plants without winning.
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But the magazine.
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I wanted to be in it.
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Our garden is already special.
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It doesn't need a magazine.
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I guess you're right.
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I know I'm right.
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Come look outside.
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It is pretty.
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The colors are so bright.
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See?
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That's worth more than $500.
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Maybe you're right.
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Have you looked at our garden lately?
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Every day.
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I water it every morning.
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And what do you see?
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Sunflowers getting taller.
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Zinnia's blooming.
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Does that make you happy?
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It makes me really happy.
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Then that's all that matters.
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Sarah, let me ask you something.
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What?
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Six weeks ago, what was our backyard?
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Dirt, weeds, nothing.
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And now, go look at it.
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Sunflowers, zinnias, basil.
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It's actually beautiful.
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You did that in six weeks.
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That's amazing.
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But it's not enough to win.
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Forget about winning for a second.
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How can I forget about winning?
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Close your eyes.
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Imagine tomorrow morning.
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What about tomorrow morning?
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You'll have coffee in our garden with sunflowers around you.
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That does sound nice.
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You can read your book there, feel the sun.
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Okay, I get your point.
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We built a garden for us, not for the judges.
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You're right.
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Even without the contest, it's perfect.
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No trophy can beat morning coffee with sunflowers.
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When did you become so wise?
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Since I started digging compost.
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It clears the mind.
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Okay, you're being silly now.
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Maybe, but I'm right.
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You are right.
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This garden is ours.
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Win or lose.
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Win or lose, we drink coffee here every morning.
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That does sound perfect.
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Coffee, sunflowers, and zero pressure.
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No pressure at all.
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Let's just enjoy it.
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Tom, the sunflowers are almost four feet tall.
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Four feet?
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They were tiny two weeks ago.
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And look at the zinnias.
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Pink, orange, yellow.
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They're really blooming.
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It's so colorful.
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Smell the basil.
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It smells like summer.
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I love it.
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This is actually our best corner now.
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Remember when this was just mud?
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Mud and my sore back.
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Yes, I remember.
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It was worth it, wasn't it?
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Every single weed I pulled was worth it.
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I sit here every morning now with my coffee.
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I know.
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You look so happy out here.
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I don't even care about the contest anymore.
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Really?
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That's good.
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The garden is enough.
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It makes me happy.
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Last week you wanted to quit.
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Look at you now.
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I was silly.
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This garden is the best thing we've done.
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What changed your mind?
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Sitting here.
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Just sitting and looking.
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Sometimes the simple things are the best things.
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The zinnias are so pretty.
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Like a painting.
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You know what's funny?
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What?
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I actually like gardening now.
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You?
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The man who complained after five minutes?
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People change.
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Gardens change people.
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That might be the smartest thing you've ever said.
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Thank the compost.
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It cleared my mind.
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Good morning.
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I'm David, one of the judges.
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Welcome.
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Please come in.
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What a lovely garden.
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So many colors.
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Thank you.
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We planted everything six weeks ago.
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Six weeks?
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That's impressive growth.
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Sunflowers in the back, zinnias in the middle.
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Smart layout.
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What are these along the path?
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Herbs.
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Basil and mint.
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You can fix them if you want. May I?
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Thank you.
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Mmm, the basil smells wonderful.
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We use them for cooking every week.
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A garden you can eat from.
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I like that.
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And these are hand-painted rocks.
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Grow and dream.
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You painted these yourself?
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Yes, I painted them one night.
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Very creative.
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I like the personal touch.
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Thank you.
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That means a lot.
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How long have you been gardening?
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This is our first real garden.
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Your first garden?
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I'm very impressed.
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My husband and I did everything ourselves.
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No professional help at all?
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None.
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Just seeds, compost, and hard work.
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That's the best kind of garden.
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Full of love.
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Thank you so much.
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Results are this Saturday.
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Good luck.
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They're about to announce the winner.
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Are you nervous?
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Not really.
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I'm okay either way.
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Really?
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You wanted to win so much before.
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That was before I fell in love with our garden.
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Listen, they're starting.
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They're listing all the gardens.
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12 entries total.
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12?
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That's a lot of gardens.
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Shh, they're announcing the winner now.
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I'm actually a little nervous.
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The winner is the Johnsons for their rose garden.
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The Johnsons with the fountain?
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Yes, their roses are really beautiful.
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They've been gardening for years, though.
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True.
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We only had six weeks.
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Are you okay?
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I'm fine.
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Actually, I'm really fine.
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You're not disappointed?
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A little.
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But then I think about our garden.
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What about it?
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Six weeks ago, it was dirt.
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Now it's full of flowers.
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That's true.
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We built something from nothing.
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Every morning I sit there with my coffee.
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The best part of your day.
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Exactly.
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No prize can give me that.
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And tomorrow morning you'll do it again.
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With sunflowers all around me.
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And the smell of basil.
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And a book and sunshine.
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That's already better than any prize.
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The Johnsons want a prize,
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but we want a garden.
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That's the best thing you've ever said.
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Let's go home.
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I want to sit in our garden.
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Right now, it's getting dark.
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Even better.
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The garden is beautiful at sunset.
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You know what?
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You're absolutely right.
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Let's make some tea and enjoy it.
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Tea in our garden at sunset.
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That's living.
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Good morning.
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I made coffee.
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Extra strong.
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Thank you.
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Bring it outside.
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Let's sit in the garden.
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It's beautiful out here this morning.
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Look at the sunflowers.
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They're almost five feet now.
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They're taller than you.
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And the basil needs picking.
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I'll make pasta tonight.
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Fresh basil pasta.
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That's the real prize.
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You know what I realized?
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What?
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The best part wasn't the contest.
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Then what was it?
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Watching it grow.
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From nothing to this.
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Dirt to sunflowers, weeds to basil.
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We did that together.
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That's better than any prize.
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Even $500?
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Even $500.
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I agree.
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This garden changed us.
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It taught me something important.
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What's that?
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The beauty is in the process, not the result.
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From dirt to flowers.
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That's the real story.
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And we get to enjoy it every morning.
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With coffee and sunflowers and Sorbax.
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Especially the Sorbax.
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That's the price of beauty, Sarah.
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The garden is making me a better person.
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Now that is the real prize.
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Why practice speaking with this video?
The video titled "Learn English the Easy Way | The Garden Contest" provides an engaging scenario centered around a garden competition. This context is not only relatable but also serves as an excellent backdrop for practicing conversational English. By immersing yourself in a narrative that involves planning, teamwork, and lighthearted banter, you can enhance your speaking skills while enjoying the learning process.
Practicing speaking with this video can help you:
- Enhance fluency: The flowing conversation encourages you to practice speaking without hesitation, improving your overall fluency.
- Learn context-specific vocabulary: Words related to gardening and contests can broaden your vocabulary in this specific context.
- Build confidence: Engaging with the dialogue can help you feel more confident when speaking with others about leisure activities and hobbies.
By utilizing the techniques of shadow speech or shadowspeak found in videos like this one, you can effectively improve your English pronunciation and learn English with YouTube.
Grammar & Expressions in Context
This video incorporates several grammatical structures and expressions that are crucial for effective communication:
- Questions for clarification: For example, the phrase “What is it?” demonstrates an informal way of asking for more information. Understanding how to form and use such questions is vital in daily conversations.
- Future intention: “We will have flowers” expresses future intention. This structure can be used to talk about plans and predictions, making it handy for discussions around upcoming tasks.
- Expressions of doubt: The phrase, “I don’t know,” is a common way to express uncertainty. Learning to use expressions like these will help you articulate your feelings and opinions more clearly.
By focusing on these expressions, you can improve your conversational skills and practice speaking effectively within familiar contexts. Utilize shadowing techniques while watching to mimic pronunciation and intonation.
Common Pronunciation Traps
Connecting sounds in English can sometimes lead to pronunciation challenges. This video presents a few potential pronunciation traps:
- “Weeds” vs. “We will”: The similar sounds in these words can confuse beginners. Pay attention to the vowel sounds to distinguish between them effectively.
- “Contest”: The stress falls on the first syllable, which can be tricky. Practicing this word repeatedly will help solidify your pronunciation.
- “Flowers”: The blending of sounds in “flow-ers” can be mispronounced. Break it down and practice each syllable to ensure clarity.
Make use of techniques such as shadow speech to practice these tricky pronunciations in context. Listening closely and repeating phrases will greatly enhance your spoken English skills.
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.
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