Shadowing Practice: Learn English with Stories ⭐ A Friend in Need | Level 3 English Listening & Speaking Practice - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

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My name is Anna.
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171 sentences
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My name is Anna.
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I am 23 years old.
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I live in a small city called Riverdale with my father and my younger sister.
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I work in a small coffee shop in the city center.
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I like my job because I love meeting people and making coffee.
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But one morning, something very strange happened.
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It was a cold, rainy morning in October.
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I woke up early because I had an early shift at the cafe.
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When I checked my phone,
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I saw a message from my best friend Laura.
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It said, Anna, please come to the train station today.
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I really need you.
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11am platform 4.
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I didn't understand.
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Why did Laura want me to go to the train station?
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She didn't say anything else.
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I called her, but her phone was switched off.
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I looked at the clock.
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It was already 9 a.m.
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I only had two hours to get ready.
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I put on my favorite jeans,
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a warm blue sweater, and my black boots.
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I grabbed my raincoat and my small black umbrella.
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My dad was making breakfast.
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I told him, Dad, I have to go to the train station.
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Laura needs my help.
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He looked worried.
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Be careful, Anna.
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Call me if you need anything, he said.
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Outside, the rain was falling heavily.
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I walked to the bus stop.
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The bus was crowded with people going to work.
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I stood near the door and watched the foggy windows and the city streets passing by.
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After 30 minutes, I reached the train station.
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It was big and full of people.
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Everyone was rushing with bags and suitcases.
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I looked for Platform 4,
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but the signs were not clear.
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It took me 10 minutes to find it.
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When I reached, Laura was not there.
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I waited 10 minutes, then 15, then 20.
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Still no Laura.
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I felt worried and confused.
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Then I saw a young boy sitting alone on a bench.
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He looked sad.
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I walked to him and said, Hey, are you okay?
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He looked up.
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His eyes were red, like he had been crying.
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I lost my ticket, he said softly.
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I don't know how to go home.
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I sat beside him.
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My name is Anna.
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Maybe I can help you.
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What's your name?
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He said his name was Tommy.
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He told me he was visiting his grandmother,
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but he dropped his ticket somewhere.
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He was scared to call his mom.
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I gave him a small chocolate from my bag and said,
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Don't worry, we'll find a way.
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Just then, my phone rang.
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It was Laura.
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I answered quickly.
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Laura, where are you?
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Her voice was shaking.
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Anna, where are you?
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She said.
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I'm at Platform 4 waiting for you.
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I said.
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Laura gasped.
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Oh no. I'm at Platform 2.
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Please come quickly.
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I'm really scared.
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I looked at Tommy.
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Wait here for a moment, okay?
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I'll be right back.
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Then I ran through the station.
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My shoes were wet, and my hair was damp from the rain.
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When I reached Platform 2,
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I saw Laura sitting on the floor near a ticket machine.
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She looked so scared.
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Laura, I called.
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She looked up and ran to me.
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She hugged me tightly.
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Anna, I didn't know who to call.
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I was so scared, she said.
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What happened?
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I asked.
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She whispered, I think someone is following me.
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My heart started to beat fast.
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Who?
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Why would someone follow you?
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I said.
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I don't know, she said.
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I saw a man on my bus.
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He kept looking at me.
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When I got down, he got down too.
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Now he's here somewhere.
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I looked around.
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Many people were walking by.
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Then Laura pointed slowly toward the small cafe.
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That's him, she whispered.
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I saw a man in a dark green jacket and a black cap.
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He was pretending to look at his phone.
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I said, Stay here.
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I'll go talk to him.
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But when I stepped forward,
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the man looked at us and quickly walked away.
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We watched him disappear into the crowd.
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Laura said, Do you believe me now?
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I nodded.
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Yes.
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Let's go tell the station security.
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We went to the help desk and told a kind lady everything.
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She called a security guard.
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The guard listened carefully and said, Don't worry.
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We'll check the cameras.
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Laura looked calmer now.
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She squeezed my hand.
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Thank you, Anna.
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I don't know what I would do without you.
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I smiled.
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Next time, send me the right platform.
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We both laughed a little,
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but I was still worried inside.
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Then I remembered Tommy, the little boy.
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I told Laura, I need to help someone else, too.
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We went back to Platform 4 and found Tommy still sitting there with his small bag.
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Laura sat beside him while I went to the ticket counter.
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I told the lady what happened.
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She said she would call Tommy's mother.
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When his mom arrived, she hugged Tommy tightly.
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She thanked us again and again.
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I felt warm inside.
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It felt good to help.
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When we left the station, it was still raining.
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Laura and I shared my umbrella and walked to a small cafe nearby.
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We sat and drank tea.
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Laura told me she thought the man might be her old boyfriend.
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He was angry when she left him.
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I said, don't worry.
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You're safe now.
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If he tries again, we'll call the police.
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Laura smiled weakly.
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You're my best friend, Anna.
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I said, always.
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After tea, we took a taxi home.
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I felt tired but strong.
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So many things had happened in one day.
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When I reached home, my dad and sister were waiting.
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They hugged me tightly.
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I told them everything.
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Dad said, You are my brave girl.
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My sister said, I want to be like you one day.
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That night, I couldn't sleep well.
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My mind was full of thoughts.
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But I knew one thing.
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I was not alone.
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I had my family.
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I had my best friend.
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And I had a kind heart that liked to help people.
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A week later, I was making coffee at the shop when someone called my name.
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I turned and saw Tommy and his mother.
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They brought me a box of homemade cookies.
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They said, Thank you for helping us.
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I felt so happy.
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That day, I understood something important.
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Sometimes scary things happen, but if we stay brave and kind,
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we can face anything together.
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Have you ever helped someone in need?
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Tell me in the comments.

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About This Lesson

In this lesson, you will practice your English listening and speaking skills through an engaging narrative about a young woman named Anna and her adventure at the train station. This story not only captures the essence of friendship and concern but also provides an opportunity to learn how to express feelings and handle unexpected situations in English. You'll focus on improving your pronunciation, intonation, and overall fluency by listening to the dialogue and repeating key phrases. This lesson is particularly beneficial for those preparing for IELTS speaking practice, as it mimics real-life conversational scenarios.

Key Vocabulary & Phrases

  • train station - a place where trains stop for passengers to board or leave.
  • worried - concerned or anxious about something.
  • confused - unable to think clearly or understand.
  • raincoat - a waterproof coat worn to protect against rain.
  • lost my ticket - to no longer have a ticket, usually for travel.
  • small black umbrella - a compact umbrella, often used for protection against rain.
  • sad - feeling unhappy or sorrowful.
  • help - assistance or support in a difficult situation.

Practice Tips

To maximize your learning from this lesson, consider using the shadowing technique. This technique involves listening to the audio and repeating what you hear in real-time, which can significantly enhance your pronunciation and fluency. Given the pace of this video, you may find it useful to pause frequently and practice individual sentences. Use a good shadowing app that allows you to slow down the audio without changing the pitch, so you can focus on mimicking the speaker's tone and rhythm.

In particular, pay attention to Anna's expressions and the emotions conveyed in her voice. By shadowing her speech, you will improve your ability to express feelings in English. This type of practice is ideal for those looking to prepare for challenging speaking exams like the IELTS, as it mimics the dynamics of a real conversation. Make sure to incorporate the new vocabulary from this lesson into your practice, as doing so will solidify your understanding and usage of these essential phrases in everyday conversations.

Remember, consistency is key. Engage with the material daily, and don't hesitate to revisit sections of the video until you feel confident. Whether you're an advanced learner or just starting out, this story provides an excellent context for developing your English speaking 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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