Shadowing Practice: Monster Academy 1 | The First Day | Monsters | Little Fox | Bedtime Stories - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

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Little Fox Monster Academy.
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113 sentences
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Little Fox Monster Academy.
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The mystery of the crashing brooms.
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Chapter 1.
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The First Day.
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It was Ben's first day of school at Monster Academy.
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He floated into the auditorium for the first day assembly.
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Inside, he saw some other ghosts,
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along with a crowd of goblins, zombies, and other monsters.
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Everyone was talking loudly.
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Ben, over here!
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Ben easily spotted the giant who was waving to him.
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Ben shot over to her.
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I'm glad you're here, Gabby,
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said Ben as he sat down next to her.
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You're the only one I know and...
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Crash!
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Ben stopped talking.
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So did all the other monsters around him.
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A two-headed monster looked up at the ceiling.
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What made that sound?
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Asked one of her heads.
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I don't know.
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Answered her other head.
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It sounded like a giant landed on the roof of the school.
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Said a goblin.
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Maybe it's my mom, Gabby whispered to Ben with a giggle.
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Ben grinned.
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Gabby's mom was a giant, just like Gabby.
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But Ben was pretty sure she wasn't on the roof of the school.
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Mr. Freaky, the school principal, rushed onto the stage.
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He was tall and thin,
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and he had three noses.
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Monsters, please be seated.
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Everything is totally under control.
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Mr. Freaky loves to say that everything is under control, Gabby whispered.
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But what he really means is that everything is totally out of control.
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Ben laughed.
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It was lucky that his family had moved next door to Gabby over the summer.
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Gabby had told Ben nearly everything he needed to know about Monster Academy.
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All the students and teachers are monsters,
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just like us, she had explained.
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The principal is pretty nice,
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as long as you don't get in trouble.
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The office ogre is friendly too,
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unless she gets really busy.
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After all, she only has four arms.
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Ben looked around the crowded auditorium again.
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Most of the students were still talking.
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A few ghosts in the last row were batting around a ball of paper.
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Mr. Freaky clapped his hands for silence.
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Please don't worry about the loud crash.
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I'm sure it was just another broom.
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A murmur went through the crowd.
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What is Mr. Freaky talking about?
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Asked a troll.
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We've had a few incidents involving flying brooms this morning.
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Mr. Freaky went on.
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But let's forget about that for now.
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Your 8th grade class president,
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Waldo Wiz, would like to say a few words.
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Monsters whistled and shouted as a young wizard approached the microphone.
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Gabby's eyes lit up.
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Waldo's amazing! she gushed.
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He's so cute!
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Plus he's super smart, and he can do all kinds of magic.
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Waldo waved to the crowd.
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This is going to be a fabulous school year, he began.
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We have two new after-school clubs.
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Marching band and spellcasting.
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And the first dance is coming up soon.
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The Monster Mash dance will be held in a few weeks,
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so don't forget to show your best school spirit and participate in all our great activities.
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The crowd cheered again.
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Waldo handed the microphone to Mr. Freaky.
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Settle down, students, said Mr. Freaky.
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Before you go to class,
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I have some news about People Place.
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There's a new mayor.
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People, places, creepy, murmured a skeleton.
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In the next row, a four-eyed monster leaned toward a three-eyed monster.
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I heard the new mayor is really scary looking.
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He only has two eyes.
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Ew, gross, replied the three-eyed monster.
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Ben knew that Monsterville was next to a town inhabited by people.
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A huge wooden fence separated the two towns.
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His parents had warned him and his brother Sid to stay away from that fence.
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But he didn't know anything about the mayor.
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Mr. Freaky was still talking.
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I've been told that Mayor Hubbeltree doesn't like monsters,
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so we must be extra careful not to upset him.
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Remember, Monster Academy was built on land owned by People Place.
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If we scare the people,
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they could force us to leave our school.
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The two-headed monster raised her hand.
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I was near People Place last week, said one head.
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A human kid saw me and screamed.
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I wasn't even doing anything, said the other head.
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Mr. Freaky nodded.
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Unfortunately, some people get scared just looking at monsters.
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Now please exit quietly, monsters,
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and enjoy your first day of school.
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It's going to be a wonderful school year.
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Ben and Gabby exchanged looks.
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And everything is totally under total control.
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They said at the same time, laughing.
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They headed out of the auditorium.
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Ben thought it was fun to kid around with Gabby,
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and so far, Monster Academy seemed really cool.
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But he had to admit that a few things were worrying him.
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The principal seemed nervous, and empty brooms were crashing around the school.
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Plus, People Place had a new mayor,
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one who didn't like monsters.
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Context & Background

The excerpt from "Monster Academy 1 | The First Day" introduces us to Ben, a young monster, on his exciting first day at Monster Academy. This vibrant setting teems with various fascinating monsters, such as ghosts, goblins, and giants, creating a unique environment for language learners. The interaction among these characters provides learners with a rich context to grasp conversational English while enjoying the charm of animated storytelling. The humorous remarks and lively descriptions allow learners to engage with the language in a fun and relatable way.

Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication

  • “I'm glad you're here,” - A warm greeting that expresses happiness at someone's presence.
  • “What made that sound?” - A common phrase to inquire about unexpected noises or occurrences.
  • “Everything is totally under control,” - A sarcastic expression indicating that things are, in fact, chaotic.
  • “That sounds like my mom,” - A humorous way to tie personal anecdotes into conversations, fostering connection.
  • “Please be seated,” - A polite command often used in formal settings to direct attention.

Step-by-step Shadowing Guide

To effectively learn English with YouTube videos like "Monster Academy," consider using the following steps to enhance your shadow speaking skills and improve English pronunciation:

  1. Listen Actively: Play the video once without interruption to understand the context and tone of the characters. Pay attention to Ben's cheerful demeanor and Gabby's playful commentary, as these convey emotions.
  2. Pause and Repeat: Use a shadowing app to pause the video after each phrase. Repeat what you hear, mimicking the intonation and pronunciation closely. For instance, when Ben says, “I’m glad you’re here,” practice it until it feels natural.
  3. Focus on Key Phrases: Select the top 5 phrases listed above. Repeat them in different sentences to build your vocabulary and contextual understanding. You could try integrating them into your daily conversations, further enhancing your learning.
  4. Record Yourself: After shadowing, record your own voice saying the same lines. Compare it with the original to identify areas for improvement. This step will help you refine your accent and speech clarity.
  5. Engage with the Content: Finally, after mastering the phrases, watch the video again without pausing. This time, try to echo along with the characters. Engage with the plot—what elements make the scenes humorous? Understanding the narrative helps retention and adds context to your vocabulary.

By following these methods, you’ll make significant strides in your shadow speech skills, develop a fun approach to learning, and successfully enhance your conversational English.

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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