Shadowing Practice: Learn English Through Sherlock Holmes Mystery | The Last Train - Learn English Speaking with Video
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335 sentences
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1
It was a gray morning in late November.
2
Holmes was reading the newspaper.
3
I was writing letters at the desk.
4
Baker Street was quiet and damp.
5
Mrs. Hudson knocked softly.
6
A visitor to see you, Mr. Holmes, she said.
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She has traveled from Surrey this morning.
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A stout woman in a brown coat entered the room.
9
She held her bag tightly with both hands.
10
Her face was kind, but she looked deeply troubled.
11
My name is Hannah Dunn, she said.
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I am housekeeper to Professor Alan Vance.
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I was housekeeper, I should say.
14
The professor died last Thursday.
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I am sorry to hear it, said Holmes gently.
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Please sit down.
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Tell us what happened.
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Mrs. Dunn sat down and sighed.
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The professor was an astronomer, she explained.
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He built a small observatory in the garden.
21
It stands on a tall stone tower with a ladder inside.
22
On Thursday night, he fell from that ladder.
23
I found him at the bottom at eleven o 'clock.
24
The police believe it was an accident?
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asked Holmes.
26
They do, said Mrs. Dunn.
27
But I do not, Mr. Holmes.
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I cannot explain why.
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Something about that night feels wrong.
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Describe the night to me, said Holmes.
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Describe it slowly and leave nothing out.
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Mrs. Dunn closed her eyes for a moment.
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It rained all evening, she said.
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The sky was thick with clouds.
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The professor never climbed to his telescope on a cloudy night, never in twenty years.
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Yet he was found beside the ladder, with his star notebook open beside him.
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Interesting, murmured Holmes.
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Who inherits the house?
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His nephew, Mr. Edmund Vance, said Mrs. Dunn.
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He is the only family.
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He lives in London.
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He was heartbroken when I sent him the news.
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I looked up from my letters in surprise.
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Edmund Vance, I said.
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Holmes, I met that man last Thursday.
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We spoke at the Marlowe Theatre during the interval.
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Holmes turned toward me slowly.
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Did you indeed, he said.
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At what time?
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Around half past eight, I answered.
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He asked me the time and we chatted about the play.
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Then I saw him again after the performance, near eleven.
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Holmes stood and took his hat.
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Then he could not have been in Surrey, he said.
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Yet Mrs. Dunn feels uneasy.
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Very well, Watson.
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Let us look at this impossible situation together.
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Starfield House stood on a hill above a quiet village.
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The garden was wet and silent.
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At its end rose a round stone tower with a small dome on top.
61
Inspector Bradstreet met us at the gate.
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He was a tall, patient man.
63
Mr. Holmes, he said.
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I confess I did not expect you.
65
The case is plain.
66
An old man climbed a ladder in the dark and slipped.
67
Perhaps, said Holmes.
68
May I see the tower?
69
We entered a narrow room at the base.
70
A wooden ladder rose through a hole in the ceiling.
71
Holmes examined the floor with great care.
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Here is where he was found, said the inspector.
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The notebook lay open on the stones.
74
Holmes picked up the notebook and read the last page.
75
A star chart for Thursday night, he said, written in ink, neatly.
76
Mrs. Dunn, did the professor write his notes before climbing, or after?
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After Mr. Holmes, said the housekeeper.
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He always wrote after he finished observing.
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Then And he wrote nothing that night, said Holmes, because this page was prepared in advance, and the ink is rather fresh.
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Bradstreet frowned.
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What do you mean?
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I mean the page was written by someone else, replied Holmes.
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Someone who wished to prove the professor was observing the stars.
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Look at the handwriting.
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The numbers are too careful.
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A real observer writes quickly in the dark.
87
He knelt beside the ladder.
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Watson, bring the lantern closer.
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I held the light near the bottom rung.
90
There were faint prints on the stone floor.
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They were not the professor's soft slippers.
92
They were larger, made by hard leather boots.
93
Muddy boots, said Holmes.
94
A man came here from outside, in the rain.
95
Yet Mrs. Dunn says nobody visited that evening.
96
I was at my sister's, said Mrs. Dunn.
97
I returned at eleven and found him.
98
So between eight and eleven the house was empty, said Holmes.
99
Perfect, for anyone who knew your habits.
100
Bradstreet rubbed his chin.
101
That still proves nothing against a person, Mr. Holmes.
102
No, said Holmes, but it proves this was not an accident.
103
We walked to the house to search the professor's study.
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It was a cluttered room filled with books, charts, and old instruments.
105
Holmes searched the desk quickly.
106
Here is something, he said.
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He lifted a half -finished letter from the blotter.
108
Listen, Watson.
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It is addressed to the Secretary of the Astronomical Society.
110
He read aloud.
111
I must speak at Friday's meeting.
112
A discovery published last month under another name is truly mine.
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I have proof in my notebooks.
114
I wish to correct this dishonesty before the Society. Whose name?
115
I asked.
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The letter does not say, said Holmes.
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But Mrs. Dunn, who published a new discovery last month in the Society's journal?
118
Mrs. Dunn hesitated.
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Mr. Edmund Vance, she said quietly.
120
Everyone praised him.
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He became quite famous.
122
And the professor discovered the truth, I asked.
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It appears so, said Holmes.
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A young man steals his uncle's work and wins fame.
125
Then the uncle plans to expose him on Friday.
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The professor dies on Thursday night.
127
At that moment, the front door opened.
128
A pale young man entered in a black coat.
129
He carried himself politely, but his eyes were watchful.
130
Mrs. Dunn, he said.
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Who are these gentlemen?
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This is Mr. Holmes, sir, said Mrs. Dunn, and Dr. Watson.
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Dr. Watson, said Edmund Vance with a smile.
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We met at the theater last Thursday.
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What a strange coincidence that we should meet again in such sad circumstances.
136
Indeed, said Holmes.
137
Mr. Vance, you were at the theater all evening?
138
From seven until eleven, said Edmund quickly.
139
Ask the attendants.
140
Ask Dr. Watson.
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I was in my box throughout, except for the interval.
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You seem very eager to prove it, remarked Holmes.
143
Edmund's smile tightened.
144
A man should defend himself against foolish rumors, he said.
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Good day, gentlemen.
146
He walked out of the room.
147
Holmes watched him go.
148
A man with a clear conscience does not prepare his alibi so thoroughly, Holmes said softly.
149
Watson, we must return to London.
150
I need your memory more than anything in this house.
151
That night at Baker Street, Holmes questioned me for two hours.
152
He wanted every detail of the evening.
153
He made me repeat everything.
154
Begin with the interval, he said.
155
Where did you meet Vance?
156
In the foyer, beside the bar, I said.
157
He walked toward me.
158
He asked the time very loudly.
159
I told him it was half past eight.
160
Loudly, repeated Holmes.
161
Did he often speak like that?
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No, I admitted.
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He seemed to want people to hear.
164
Several guests turned their heads.
165
And after the interval, did you see him in his box?
166
I looked up once or twice, I said.
167
A man sat there in the dark.
168
He held a program before his face.
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I thought he was reading.
170
You never saw his face during the second act?
171
No, I said slowly.
172
Only his dark coat and his hat.
173
And at the end of the play?
174
I saw him near the exit, just before eleven, I said.
175
He shook my hand.
176
His hand felt cold.
177
His trousers were damp, and he smelled faintly of smoke.
178
I assumed he had stepped outside for air.
179
Holmes sat up suddenly.
180
Damp trousers, he said, on a night when London was dry, and the smell of smoke, as from a railway engine.
181
Great heavens, I said.
182
You mean he traveled to Surrey during the play?
183
I do, said Holmes.
184
But someone sat in his box while he was away.
185
We must find that person.
186
The next morning we visited the Marlowe Theater.
187
The box attendant was a cheerful old man named Pike.
188
He remembered the night clearly.
189
A gentleman in box four, he said.
190
He never spoke to me once.
191
Most gentlemen order tea.
192
He ordered nothing and kept his face hidden.
193
Was it the same gentleman who arrived at seven?
194
asked Holmes.
195
I cannot say, sir, said Pike slowly.
196
The first gentleman left during the interval.
197
The man in the second act arrived a little later.
198
I assumed it was the same person returning.
199
Did you see where the first man went?
200
Out through the side door, said Pike.
201
A young man in a dark coat met him there.
202
They exchanged hats and then separated.
203
Describe the young man, said Holmes eagerly.
204
Pike scratched his head.
205
A small fellow with a smile, he said.
206
I think I have seen him on the stage.
207
Harry Lorne, the actor.
208
Harry Lorne lived in a cheap boarding house near the theater.
209
He opened the door in his shirt sleeves.
210
His face turned pale when he saw us.
211
I have done nothing wrong, he said quickly.
212
We believe you, said Holmes kindly.
213
We only wished to ask about last Thursday.
214
Lauren sat down heavily.
215
Mr. Vance paid me five pounds, he confessed.
216
He said it was a joke on a friend.
217
He wanted me to sit in his box for two hours and wear his coat.
218
Did he say why?
219
I asked.
220
A silly bet, he said, said Lorne.
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A wager that nobody would notice the difference.
222
I did not ask questions.
223
Five pounds is a great deal to an actor between plays.
224
Where did you leave the theater?
225
I did not leave, said Lorne.
226
I stayed until the end.
227
Then Mr. Vance returned.
228
We changed hats again by the side door.
229
He thanked me and gave me the money.
230
What time was that?
231
Ten minutes before eleven, said Lorne.
232
He looked tired and rather wet.
233
Holmes stood.
234
Thank you, Mr. Lorne.
235
You will need to repeat this to the police.
236
But you have broken no law, and I will say so.
237
Lorne nodded miserably.
238
I never imagined it was anything serious, he said.
239
I swear it.
240
That afternoon, Holmes and I traveled to the village station with Inspector Bradstreet.
241
The ticket collector there was a thin man with a gray mustache.
242
Thursday night, he said.
243
The last train to London left at five minutes past ten.
244
I remember one passenger, a young man with no luggage.
245
His coat was wet and muddy.
246
Could you identify him? asked Holmes.
247
I could, said the collector.
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I saw him clearly under the lamp.
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He was in a great hurry.
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Holmes turned to Bradstreet.
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Here is the full chain, inspector.
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Edmund Vance left the theater during the interval.
253
He took a train to Saran, walked to the house in the rain.
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He climbed to the observatory with his uncle and killed him there.
255
Then he arranged the scene and caught the last train back to London.
256
But how did he reach the theater in time?
257
asked Bradstreet.
258
The train arrives at Waterloo before 10 minutes to 11, said Holmes.
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A fast cab takes 10 minutes to the theater.
260
He changed hats with Lorne and slipped back into the crowd before the final applause.
261
Did anyone see him in the village? asked Bradstreet.
262
Let us ask, said Holmes.
263
We walked to the small inn beside the station.
264
A farmer sat near the fire, drinking tea.
265
He listened carefully to our questions and nodded slowly.
266
Thursday night, he said.
267
I remember it well.
268
I was driving my cart home at half past nine.
269
A young man hurried past me on the lane to Starfield House.
270
He had no umbrella and he walked very fast.
271
Did you see his face? asked Holmes.
272
Only for a moment under my lamp, said the farmer.
273
He was pale and he looked angry.
274
Later, I saw the same man running back toward the station.
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He did not even look at me would you know him again
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i would said the farmer firmly then we have three witnesses said holmes a farmer a ticket collector
277
and an actor edmund vance cannot answer all three and the notebook
278
He prepared it in advance, said Holmes.
279
He wanted the professor's death to look like a stargazer's accident.
280
But he forgot one thing.
281
On a cloudy night, no astronomer climbs a ladder.
282
Bradstreet shook his head slowly.
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Clever, he said.
284
But he made one mistake too many.
285
He made two, said Holmes.
286
He was too eager to be seen.
287
And he forgot that Watson notices small details, even when he does not realize it.
288
We returned to London that evening.
289
Edmund Vance was arrested at his lodgings.
290
At first, he protested loudly, but the evidence was too strong.
291
Lorne confirmed his story.
292
The ticket collector identified him.
293
The notebooks proved the discovery had belonged to the professor.
294
At last, Edmund confessed.
295
I could not lose everything, he said bitterly.
296
My name, my position, my future, everything was built on that discovery.
297
Did your uncle beg you to confess?
298
asked Holmes quietly.
299
He asked me to speak the truth myself myself," said Edmund.
300
He offered me one more day.
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He said he would forgive me if I told the society first.
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But I could not bear the shame.
303
So you chose a worse crime," said Holmes, and you made it much worse by lying so carefully.
304
Edmund said nothing more.
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The constables took him away, and the room became very quiet.
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Two weeks later, Mrs. Dunn came to Baker Street again.
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She looked calmer and more peaceful.
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Mr. Holmes, she said, the Astronomical Society has announced the truth.
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The professor's name is now honored, as it should be.
310
I am glad, said Holmes warmly.
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He deserved that recognition.
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The society asked me to thank you, she continued.
313
And I thank you, too.
314
You believed me when no one else did.
315
You noticed what the police ignored, said Holmes.
316
A clear sky and a cloudy sky are very different.
317
Most people would never think of it.
318
After she left, I turned to my friend.
319
I confess, I was the one fooled, I said.
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I shook that man's hand and believed everything he said.
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Do not feel ashamed, said Holmes.
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Everyone saw what he wished them to see.
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You also saw what he failed to hide.
324
Damp trousers and the smell of smoke.
325
Those details solved the case.
326
A strange kind of alibi, I said, so perfect that it proved his guilt.
327
That is the nature of such plans, replied Holmes.
328
An innocent man has no need to arrange so many witnesses.
329
When someone works so hard to be seen, I begin to wonder what he is hiding.
330
I smiled and returned to my letters.
331
Outside, the London fog had begun to lift.
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One more thing, Watson, said Holmes, reaching for his pipe.
333
Next time you attend the theater, please look at the faces in the boxes.
334
You may notice something that nobody else sees.
335
I shall try, I laughed, but I may prefer to watch the play.
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This speaking lesson is built on the video “Learn English Through Sherlock Holmes Mystery”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: holmes, Dunn, vance, edmund. This video has 335 sentences and 2516 words to shadow. The speech runs for 18:45. The speaker talks at a steady 134 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. Only 77% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is demanding.
Key vocabulary in this video
15 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| theater noun | /ˈθi(ə)tɚ/ | A place or building, consisting of a stage and seating, in which an audience gathers to watch plays, musical performances, public ceremonies, and so on. |
| eleven noun | /əˈlɛv.ən/ | A cricket team of eleven players. Hence first eleven - the team of best cricket players (at a school), second eleven - the "B" team, etc. |
| ladder noun | /ˈlæd.ɚ/ | A frame, usually portable, of wood, metal, or rope, used for ascent and descent, consisting of two side pieces to which are fastened rungs (cross strips or… |
| coat noun | /ˈkoʊ̯t/ | An outer garment covering the upper torso and arms. |
| gentleman noun | /ˈd͡ʒɛn.təl.mən/ | Any well-bred, well-mannered, or charming man. |
| interval noun | /ˈɪntɚvəl/ | A distance in space. |
| notebook noun | /ˈnoʊtˌbʊk/ | A book (physical or digital) in which notes or memoranda are written. |
| climb verb | /ˈklaɪ̯m/ | To traverse a slope or contour, either upwards (ascending) or downwards (descending). |
| beside | /bɪˈsaɪd/ | Next to; at the side of. |
| confess verb | /kənˈfɛs/ | To admit to the truth, particularly in the context of sins or crimes committed. |
| discovery noun | /dɪˈskʌv.ɹi/ | Something discovered. |
| inspector noun | /ɪnˈspɛk.tɚ/ | A person employed to inspect something. |
| farmer noun | /ˈfɑɹ.mɚ/ | A person who works the land and/or who keeps livestock; anyone engaged in agriculture on a farm. |
| collector noun | /kəˈlɛk.tɚ/ | A person who or thing that collects, or which creates or manages a collection. |
| damp adjective | /ˈdæmp/ | In a state between dry and wet; moderately wet; moist. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| sit down verb | To assume a sitting position from a standing position. | |
| look up verb | /ˌlʊk ˈʌp/ | To have better prospects. |
| pick up verb | To lift; to grasp and raise. | |
| running back noun | An offensive back whose primary role is to be the ballcarrier. | |
| sit up verb | To assume a sitting position from a position lying down. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- May I see the tower?
- Vance, you were at the theater all evening?
- You never saw his face during the second act?
- Did you see where the first man went?
- Where did you leave the theater?
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 | was found · was written · is addressed |
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | has traveled · have seen · have done |
| Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thing | Someone who wished · anyone who knew |
Pronunciation to watch
- The “th” sounds: theater /ˈθi(ə)tɚ/, thin /ˈθɪn/, thick /θɪk/, leather /ˈlɛðɚ/, thoroughly /ˈθʌɹ.ə.li/
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: shake /ˈʃeɪk/, recognition /ˌɹɛkəɡˈnɪʃ(ə)n/, ashamed /əˈʃeɪmd/, conscience /ˈkɑn.ʃəns/, foolish /ˈfuː.lɪʃ/
- Long words — get the stress right: observatory /əbˈzɜːvət(ə)ɹi/, recognition /ˌɹɛkəɡˈnɪʃ(ə)n/, coincidence /kəʊˈɪnsɪdəns/, astronomer /əˈstɹɒn.ə.mə/, dishonesty /dɪsˈɒnɪ.sti/
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 theater, eleven, ladder.
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.