Shadowing Practice: Learning 3000 Oxford Words by Real Conversation | Episode 1: Greetings, Family, Numbers & Feelings - Learn English Speaking with Video
Creating lesson...
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Hi, Rose.
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Good morning.
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You look happy today.
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Good morning, Nick.
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Yes, I'm happy because the sun is shining.
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That's nice.
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Did you eat breakfast already?
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Yes, I had bread and tea this morning.
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What about you?
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I only drank water.
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I woke up late today.
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Oh, no. Did you miss your alarm clock?
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Yes.
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I forgot to set my alarm last night.
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That happens to me, too.
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Sometimes I sleep late and feel very tired in the morning.
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Do you usually eat breakfast at home with your family?
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Yes.
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We all sit at the table in the kitchen.
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My mother always makes breakfast.
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That sounds nice.
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My family is often too busy in the morning.
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Really?
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My father reads the newspaper, and my mother cooks eggs.
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My father usually leaves early.
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He works far away in the city.
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Does he drive to work every day?
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Yes, he drives his car, but sometimes he takes the bus.
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Oh, my father takes the train.
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He says it's faster than the bus.
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Do you eat breakfast with your brother and sister?
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Yes, my younger brother drinks milk, and my sister eats cereal.
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That's a healthy breakfast.
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I sometimes eat fruit, but not every day.
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Fruit is good for you.
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My grandma always says, an apple a day keeps the doctor away.
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My grandma says the same thing.
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Do you often see your grandparents?
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Yes.
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I visit my grandma and grandpa every weekend.
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That's wonderful.
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My grandparents live in another town, so I don't see them often.
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Do you talk with them on the phone?
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Yes.
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My grandma calls me on her home phone every Sunday.
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My grandma writes me letters sometimes.
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She likes using paper and pen.
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Letters are special.
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I still keep some old letters from my grandfather.
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Me too.
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I have a box of family letters in my room.
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Do you also send letters or just use your mobile?
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I usually send messages on my mobile phone.
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It's faster.
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Same here.
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I also use email, but only for school.
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I don't like email.
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I prefer short text messages.
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That's true.
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A simple hi or goodnight message feels nice.
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Yes.
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I always say goodnight to my mother and father before bed.
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That's sweet.
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In my house, everyone is busy.
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But we try to eat dinner together.
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Family dinners are important.
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My mother always says, Food tastes better when we eat together.
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She is right.
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Eating together makes us feel close and happy.
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By the way, Rose, can I ask you something?
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Sure.
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What is it?
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How do you spell your first name?
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It's R-O-S-E.
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Simple, right?
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Yes.
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Very simple.
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And what's your last name?
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My last name is Smith.
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So, my full name is Rose Smith.
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That's a nice name.
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Do you like it?
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Yes, I like my name.
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My mother chose it for me.
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Do you have a middle name, too?
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No, I don't. Do you?
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Yes.
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My middle name is James, so my full name is Nick James Miller.
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That sounds strong.
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Do your teachers call you Nick or Nicholas?
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Just Nick.
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Nicholas is too long.
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I agree.
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Short names are easier to say.
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How old are you now, Rose?
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I'm 20 years old. And you?
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I'm 21, so I'm one year older.
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Only one year.
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That's not much.
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Do you feel young or old?
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I still feel young.
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What about you?
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I feel young, too.
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But sometimes I feel old when I'm tired.
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Where do you live, Rose?
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I live in a small apartment in the city center.
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Oh, do you like living in the city?
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Yes, it's busy, but everything is close.
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Shops, school, restaurants.
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That's good.
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I live in a house on a quiet street.
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A house sounds nice.
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Do you have a garden?
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Yes, a small garden with flowers.
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My mother loves plants.
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That's beautiful.
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I don't have a garden, but I have a balcony.
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Balconies are great.
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You can see the street from there.
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Exactly.
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I like to watch people walking on the street.
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What's your address, Rose?
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My address is 25 King Street.
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Easy to remember.
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My address is 12 Green Road.
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Do you live far from school?
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No, only 10 minutes by bus.
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What about you?
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I walk to school.
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It takes me about 15 minutes.
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Walking is healthy.
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I should try that too.
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Yes, but sometimes I'm late, so I run.
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Do you have a mobile phone?
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Of course I do.
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Everyone has one now.
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True.
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What's your phone number?
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It's 0456-123-Cersenade.
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Do you want to write it down?
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Yes.
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I'll put it in my phone.
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What's your email address?
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It's rose.smithjagmail.com.
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Do you use email often?
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Yes.
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For school and sometimes for work.
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I don't use email much.
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I prefer quick text messages.
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Same here.
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But teachers always send homework by email.
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That's true.
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Sometimes I forget to check my inbox.
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Me too.
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Once I missed an important message.
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No, what happened?
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My teacher asked us to bring a book, but I didn't see the email.
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Did you get in trouble?
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A little, but he was kind.
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He just told me to check my email every day.
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That's good advice.
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By the way, what's your nationality, Nick?
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I'm Australian. And you?
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Same here.
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But my grandparents are from another country.
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Really? Which country?
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They are from Italy.
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At home, they still speak Italian.
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That's amazing.
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Do you speak any Italian?
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Only a few words.
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I mostly speak English with my parents.
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I'd love to learn another language, too.
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Me too.
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I want to learn Japanese one day.
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Rose, do you have a big family?
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Yes.
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I have a mother, father, two sisters, and one younger brother.
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Wow.
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That's a big family.
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Are your sisters older or younger than you?
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One sister is older and the other is younger.
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My younger sister is only 10 years old.
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That must be fun.
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Do you help her with homework?
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Yes.
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Sometimes I help her read or write.
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She likes stories.
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Do you get along with your brother too?
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Yes, but sometimes we fight.
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He plays video games all the time.
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My brother also plays games all day.
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We argue, but we always say sorry later.
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That's the same in my family.
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Brothers and sisters fight but also love each other.
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Do you often visit your grandparents?
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Yes, I see my grandma and grandpa every weekend.
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They live in a small house near the park.
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That's wonderful.
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My grandparents live in another town, so I don't see them often.
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Do you talk to them on the phone?
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Yes.
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My grandma calls me every Sunday.
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She still uses her home phone, not a mobile.
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My grandma writes me letters.
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She likes using paper and pen.
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Letters are special.
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I keep some old letters from my grandfather.
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Me too.
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I have a box of family letters in my room.
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They make me feel close to them.
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Do you also have cousins, Rose?
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Yes, I have three cousins.
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They live near my uncle's house.
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Do you play with them often?
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Yes, we play football on weekends.
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And sometimes we ride bikes in the park.
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That sounds fun.
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I play football with my classmates, too.
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Do you have an aunt or an uncle?
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Yes.
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My uncle lives in the same city, and my aunt lives far away in another country.
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Do you visit your aunt sometimes?
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Yes.
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I go there on holidays.
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She always makes good food and tells funny stories.
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Lucky you.
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My aunt lives overseas, so I don't see her much.
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Who is the oldest person in your family?
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My grandfather is the oldest.
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He is 80 years old.
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And the youngest?
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My baby cousin is the youngest.
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He is only one year old.
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That's cute.
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Babies bring so much joy to the family?
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Yes, everyone smiles when the baby laughs.
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Do you have a best friend, Rose?
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Yes, my best friend is Anna.
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She is kind and very funny.
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Do you see her every day?
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Yes, we meet at school and sometimes after class.
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We like to study together.
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That's nice.
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Friends make life more fun.
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I agree.
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Friends are like family, too.
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Do you like your neighbors?
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Yes, they are nice and friendly.
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They always say hello when we meet.
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That's good.
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My neighbors sometimes bring food to our house.
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That's very kind.
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We share fruit with our neighbors, especially in summer.
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Do you know your teacher's name?
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Yes, my teacher's name is Mr. Brown.
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He teaches English.
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Do you like him?
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Yes, he is kind and helpful.
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He always explains things clearly.
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Do you have many classmates?
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Yes, I have 20 classmates in my class.
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We sit together and work in groups.
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Do you help your classmates sometimes?
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Yes, I help them with homework, and they help me too.
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That makes school easier.
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Rose, can you count from 1 to 10? Of course.
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1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.
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Good job.
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Can you also count from 11 to 20?
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Yes.
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11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20.
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Perfect.
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Do you often use numbers at school?
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Yes, in math class every day.
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I also use numbers to check the time.
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Speaking of time, what time is it now?
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It is 2 o'clock in the afternoon.
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Do you usually look at a clock or a watch?
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I usually look at my watch.
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Do you wear a watch too?
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Yes.
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I wear a small watch on my left hand.
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Watches are useful, but sometimes I just use my mobile phone.
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Same here.
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But my father says a watch looks more polite.
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I agree.
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Do you also have a calendar at home?
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Yes.
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We keep a big calendar in the kitchen.
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My family has a calendar on the wall in the living room.
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Do you use the calendar often?
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Yes, I use it to remember birthdays and holidays.
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When is your birthday, Rose?
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My birthday is on the 12th of September.
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That's nice.
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Do you celebrate with your family?
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Yes, we eat cake, sing happy birthday, and open presents.
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Do you invite friends to your birthday party?
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Yes.
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Sometimes my best friend Anna comes to my house.
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My birthday is in March.
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It's usually still hot here then.
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Oh, my birthday is in September, and it feels cooler.
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Do you know all the months of the year?
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Yes.
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January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December.
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Great.
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Which month do you like best?
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I like December because of Christmas and New Year.
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I like July.
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It's summer and we have holidays.
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True.
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July is hot, but it's fun to go swimming.
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Do you know all the days of the week, too?
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Yes.
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Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday.
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Which day do you like most?
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I like Saturday because it's the weekend.
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Me too.
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Saturday is for resting and having fun.
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Which day do you like least?
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I don't like Monday.
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School starts again and I feel tired.
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Yes, Mondays are always busy.
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What day is it today?
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Today is Tuesday.
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What day was yesterday?
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Yesterday was Monday.
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And what day is tomorrow?
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Tomorrow is Wednesday.
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Do you ever come late to school?
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Yes.
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Sometimes.
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I come late in the morning.
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Why do you come late?
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Because I wake up late or miss the bus.
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Do you try to come early?
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Yes, I try to come early every day, but it's not easy.
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I understand.
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I was late last week and my teacher was angry.
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Oh, no. Did you say sorry?
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Yes, I said sorry, and he told me to sleep early.
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That's good advice.
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What time do you usually sleep?
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I usually sleep at 10 o'clock at night.
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I sleep a little later, maybe 11 o'clock.
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And what time do you usually wake up?
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I usually wake up at 7 in the morning.
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I wake up at 6 because I need more time to get ready.
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Do you eat breakfast before school?
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Yes, I eat quickly, but sometimes I just drink water.
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That's not enough.
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Breakfast is important for the day.
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You are right.
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My mother always tells me the same thing.
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Rose, you look happy today.
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What's the reason?
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I'm happy because the weather is sunny and the sky is blue.
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Yes, it's a nice day.
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Do you sometimes feel sad?
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Yes, I feel sad when I miss my friends.
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What about you?
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I feel sad when I lose my books or forget my homework.
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That happens to me, too.
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Once I forgot my homework, and I was afraid the teacher would be angry.
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Oh, did the teacher get angry?
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No, he was kind, but he told me to be careful next time.
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That's good.
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Teachers can be strict sometimes, but they want to help us.
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True.
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Our teacher always says, work hard, but don't worry too much.
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Do you often feel tired after school?
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Yes, I'm always tired in the afternoon.
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I need to rest.
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Same here.
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After lessons, I feel hungry and thirsty, too.
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What do you usually eat when you're hungry?
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I eat bread or fruit.
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Sometimes I drink tea.
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I drink water when I'm thirsty.
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Water is healthy.
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Do you often feel busy?
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Yes, I'm busy on weekdays with school and homework.
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What about weekends?
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Are you free on Saturday and Sunday?
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Yes, I'm free then.
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I usually meet friends or play games.
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That sounds fun.
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Do you like fun activities with friends?
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Yes, I like football, music, and going to the park.
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I like playing basketball with my classmates.
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It makes me happy.
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Do you ever get angry at school?
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Sometimes, when my classmates don't listen during group work.
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I understand.
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I get angry when my brother takes my things.
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Brothers can be annoying, but we always forgive each other.
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Yes, family is important.
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Even when we fight, we still love each other.
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Do you ever feel afraid of the dark?
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Yes, when the lights go out, I feel afraid.
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Me too.
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I always keep a small light in my room.
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That's a good idea.
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I should try that too.
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Do you like hot weather or cold weather more?
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I like hot weather because I can go swimming.
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I like cold weather.
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I can wear warm clothes and drink hot tea.
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Both are nice in different ways.
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Do you think today is too hot?
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No. Today is perfect.
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Not too hot, not too cold.
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Yes.
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It's really a nice day.
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Do you enjoy holidays, Nick?
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Yes.
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Holidays are my favorite time.
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Which holiday do you like best?
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I like Christmas.
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My family eats together and we open presents.
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I like New Year.
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We stay up late and watch fireworks.
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That's fun.
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My neighbors always light fireworks, too.
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Holidays make people happy.
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Everyone smiles and feels good.
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True.
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Holidays, friends, and family make life beautiful.
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I agree.
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Even simple days can feel special when we are together.
Why practice speaking with this video?
This engaging conversation between Rose and Nick provides a practical context that can significantly enhance your speaking skills. By listening to real-life dialogues, you can immerse yourself in authentic English usage. Such exposure helps you grasp the subtleties of conversational English, including intonation, rhythm, and expression. Using a shadowing site, like the video in this episode, allows you to practice shadow speech. This technique involves mimicking the dialogue, which can improve your fluency and confidence when speaking English.
Furthermore, the themes of family and daily routines make this conversation relatable. Engaging with topics like breakfast choices or weekend family visits enables you to incorporate personal experiences into your speaking practice, making it more meaningful and memorable. When you learn English with YouTube, such as through shadowing techniques, you can connect emotionally with the material, enhancing retention and understanding.
Grammar & Expressions in Context
Throughout the conversation, several key grammatical structures and expressions stand out:
- Simple Present Tense: Used for routine actions, as in "My mother always makes breakfast." This structure is essential for discussing habits and routine activities.
- Yes/No Questions: The use of questions like "Did you eat breakfast already?" encourages dialogue and enhances conversational skills.
- Frequency Adverbs: Terms like "often" and "usually" are used to describe the regularity of actions, helping you articulate everyday occurrences more extensively.
- Descriptive Vocabulary: Phrases such as "my family is often too busy" build your vocabulary and help express thoughts in a nuanced way.
By analyzing these structures and using them in conversation, you can become more adept at using English naturally. Regular practice through shadow speech will make it easier to recall and employ these expressions in your own dialogues.
Common Pronunciation Traps
Pronunciation plays a critical role in effective communication. Here are a few potential traps highlighted in this conversation:
- Words with ending consonants: For instance, "breakfast" and "kitchen" might be pronounced too softly or dropped entirely. Focus on articulating these ending sounds clearly.
- Connected Speech: Pay attention to how words blend together in the phrase "Did you miss your alarm clock?" This can often lead to misunderstandings if not pronounced correctly.
- Intonation Patterns: Notice the rising intonation in questions versus the falling intonation in statements. Mastering these patterns is vital for sounding natural in conversations.
Utilizing shadow speech techniques can help you master these pronunciation nuances, allowing you to communicate more effectively and confidently in English conversations.
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.