Shadowing Practice: Lesson 42-1 - I Was Minding My Own Business - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

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Hello, I'm Guy Newsman with news channel XYZ.
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57 sentences
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Hello, I'm Guy Newsman with news channel XYZ.
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I'm here in Washington DC at the scene of a crime.
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We are talking with this woman.
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She saw the crime during her lunch break.
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It looks like she hurt herself while she was trying to stop the crime.
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Tell us your name.
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Hi Guy, I'm Anna.
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Anna, what did you see and what happened to your arm?
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Guy, I was minding my own business.
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See, I work over there.
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I left work to get some lunch.
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Then suddenly, I heard a woman yelling.
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She was yelling like this, Help!
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Help!
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Two robbers were grabbing her bag.
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She was hitting them with her umbrella.
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Is that when you hurt your arm?
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No. At that time, I was not fighting the robbers.
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See, I was too far away, and I didn't have my own umbrella.
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So what happened next?
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They grabbed her bag and ran away.
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So I grabbed her umbrella and ran after the robbers.
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Then that is the time that you hurt your arm?
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No. I was yelling, stop, robbers, stop.
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She was yelling, hey, come back with my umbrella.
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Were you afraid?
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I had no time to be afraid, guy.
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Well, I had time while I was resting on a bench.
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I had a lot of time.
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Then what happened?
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The robbers got on a bus, so I ran after the bus.
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While I was running, I tripped and fell.
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And that is the time that you hurt your arm?
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No. While I was lying on the ground, someone stepped on my arm.
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Ouch.
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That's too bad.
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Yeah, and they didn't apologize.
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Well, then the robbers got themselves kicked off the bus.
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Why?
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They didn't pay.
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You've got to pay when you get on a bus.
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The police came and took them away.
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And that's when you hurt your arm?
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No. Then when did you hurt yourself?
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Well, Guy, by this time, I was feeling very hungry.
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So I went to my office to get a snack.
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Ana, I'm calling for help right now.
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Hello, yes, please come right away.
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My co-worker is stuck in a vending machine.
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You hurt your arm in a vending machine buying a bag of chips?
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I was really hungry and the bag was stuck.
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I had to...
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That's all from news channel XYZ.
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This is Guy Newsman saying goodbye.
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Okay, we have to find ourselves another story, guys.
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Until next time.
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Hi, Mom!

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Context & Background

In this engaging segment from a news report, we are introduced to Anna, a bystander who witnessed a crime while on her lunch break in Washington DC. As she narrates her experience to the reporter, Guy Newsman, we learn about the sequence of events that unfolded, including her brave yet humorous attempts to intervene. This realistic dialogue provides excellent context for English learners, highlighting everyday language used in urgent situations and interactions with law enforcement.

Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication

  • I was minding my own business. - A useful phrase to express that you were simply going about your day without involvement in events around you.
  • Help! Help! - An essential expression for emergencies, conveying distress and the need for assistance.
  • Come back with my umbrella. - A relatable plea that emphasizes the importance of personal belongings in a lighthearted context.
  • Ouch, that’s too bad. - A common reaction to someone's discomfort, useful in expressing sympathy or empathy.
  • I was feeling very hungry. - A phrase that captures a simple, everyday need, making conversations feel more relatable.

Step-by-step Shadowing Guide

To effectively improve your English speaking practice through this video, follow these steps:

  1. Listen Carefully: Start by watching the video without any subtitles. Focus on how phrases are pronounced and the emotion conveyed in Anna’s voice.
  2. Pause and Repeat: Use a shadowing app or similar tool to pause after each sentence or phrase. Repeat what Anna says out loud, mimicking her pronunciation and intonation. This method is incredibly effective for IELTS speaking practice and everyday conversations.
  3. Break it Down: If a sentence feels too complex, break it down further. Understand each part before attempting to say it in full.
  4. Record Yourself: Record your repetitions to hear your progress. Comparing your pronunciation with the original will help identify areas for improvement.
  5. Engage with Context: Finally, think of similar scenarios in your life where you might use the phrases learned. By embedding the new vocabulary into real-life situations, like using “minding my own business” when discussing your daily routine, you can solidify your learning.

Practicing with content like this, especially through a platform like YouTube, makes learning enjoyable and relatable. Coupled with a structured shadowing approach, you can significantly enhance your fluency and confidence 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.

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