Shadowing Practice: Monster Academy 2 | Mrs. Hag | Monsters | Little Fox | Bedtime Stories - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

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Little Fox Monster Academy, The Mystery of the Crashing Brooms,
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Little Fox Monster Academy, The Mystery of the Crashing Brooms,
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Chapter 2, Mrs. Hag Ben paused in the hallway to check his class schedule.
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His first class was cooking in room 103.
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103. Cooking class, thought Ben.
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I don't want to learn to cook.
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Around him, lockers slammed and feet thudded as other monsters hurried to their classes.
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How does my eye makeup look?
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heard a purple monster ask a goblin.
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My mom says I put way too much on.
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It looks great, answered the goblin.
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But you missed your fourth eye completely.
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Ben sighed and floated down the hall and into room 103.
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He saw a zombie sitting alone at a table.
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Hi, said Ben.
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Can I sit here?
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The zombie stared silently at Ben.
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Ben felt uncomfortable.
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Maybe he doesn't like me, he thought.
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There hadn't been any zombies at his old school, mostly just other ghosts.
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A witch sat down at the table.
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Ben recognized her from his homeroom.
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She had flowing black hair and was dressed all in black.
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Even her fingernails were painted black.
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The witch smiled at Ben.
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Zombies just like to stare.
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It doesn't mean he doesn't like you.
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What?
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Ben thought, startled.
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How did she know what I was thinking?
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The witch laughed laughed.
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I can't always tell what others are thinking, but sometimes I can.
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Have a seat.
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Uh-oh.
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Ben thought, sitting down.
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He was going to have to watch his thoughts when this witch was around.
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Ben sneaked another look at the witch.
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Her eyes were green and flecked with gold.
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She was the most beautiful witch he'd ever seen.
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Just then, a huge monster with two sharp horns stalked over to the table.
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Move over! he growled at Ben.
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I sit next to Winnie!
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Chill out, Mog, said the witch,
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spreading her fingers to admire her nail polish.
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Mog ignored her.
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He moved his face so close to Ben's that their noses nearly touched.
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Did you hear me? said Mog.
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I said move over!
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The room was suddenly quiet.
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All the other monsters were looking at Ben.
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Ben puffed out his chest,
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trying not to look scared.
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I heard you, he said.
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But I'm not moving.
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He glanced at Winnie, who was watching him with a surprise look.
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Ma glared at Ben for a few moments.
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Finally, the big monster grunted and sat down on the other side of Winnie at the end of the table.
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To Ben's surprise, a ghoul sitting at the next table gave Ben the Claws Up sign.
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A moment later, an old witch hobbled into the room.
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She wore a crooked purple hat and orange sunglasses.
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On her chin was a huge mole.
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She used to be the broom flying teacher, Winnie whispered.
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My sister had her last year.
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She was terrible at flying brooms though.
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So now a new teacher, Miss Bungle, teaches it.
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Good morning, monsters, said the teacher.
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My name is Mrs. Hag,
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and I will be your cooking teacher.
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Ma groaned.
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Excuse me, said Mrs. Hag,
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fixing her eyes on Mog.
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Did you have something to say?
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Yeah, said Mog.
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I hate cooking.
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We actually have something in common, thought Ben.
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Mrs. Hag grinned, revealing a row of brown, rotted teeth.
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Well then, Mog, perhaps you'll prefer cleaning.
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That will be your job at the end of class.
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Mog scowled, and Ben tried not to laugh.
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After Mrs. Hagg took attendance,
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she opened an enormous cookbook.
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For our first cooking lesson,
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we will make slimy toad stew.
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Yum, said the ghoul, smacking his lips.
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First, we need to gather the ingredients.
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Mrs. Hag read from the cookbook.
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Let's see.
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Six rotten eggs, four dried worms,
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one ounce of bat claws.
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Oh, I just bought some bat claws yesterday.
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She felt in her pocket.
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I thought I had them with me.
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Mrs. Hag searched her other pockets,
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but she couldn't find the bat claws anywhere.
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Oh well, I must have dropped them somewhere, she muttered to herself.
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Mrs. Hag opened a cabinet and peeked inside.
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What else can we use?
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Aha!
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These thorns will probably work just as well as bat claws.
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The teacher pulled a small bag from the cabinet.
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It says here that these are very special thorns,
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said Mrs. Hag as she examined the bag.
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They're from a bush that was grown by the light of the full moon.
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I'm not sure she knows what she's doing, Winnie murmured.
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By now some of the monsters in class were starting to doze off.
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Ben thought he heard the zombies snoring,
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but the zombies' eyes were still open.
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Ben looked at Winnie.
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Winnie shrugged.
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I don't know either.
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He might be sleeping or he might be awake.
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It's hard to tell with zombies.
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Ben was about to respond when suddenly his stool flew out from under him and across the room.

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Context & Background

The video "Monster Academy 2 | Mrs. Hag | Monsters | Little Fox | Bedtime Stories" immerses viewers in the whimsical world of a monster school. In this chapter, the protagonist Ben navigates his first day filled with surprises and social challenges. Monsters of various kinds populate this vibrant environment, creating opportunities for humorous interactions and personal growth. Dialogue between characters reveals their personalities and the social dynamics at play, providing learners with rich context for understanding conversational English.

Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication

  • “Can I sit here?” - A polite way to ask for permission to join someone.
  • “It looks great!” - A compliment affirming something or someone positively.
  • “Maybe he doesn't like me.” - Expressing personal feelings and uncertainties about social interactions.
  • “I can’t always tell what others are thinking.” - An acknowledgment of human limitations in understanding emotions.
  • “Did you hear me?” - A phrase used to seek attention and ensure communication was received.

Step-by-step Shadowing Guide

The shadowing technique can significantly enhance your English speaking skills. By listening and mimicking native speakers, you can improve your pronunciation, rhythm, and intonation. Here’s a step-by-step guide to tackle the complexities presented in this video:

  1. Watch and Listen: Begin by watching the video without subtitles. Focus on the characters' emotions and expressions as they speak. This will give you insights into the context of their dialogue.
  2. Identify Key Phrases: Use the list of top phrases provided above. Repeatedly listen to them within the context of the video to grasp how they are used.
  3. Playback with Focus: Play specific sections where dialogues are exchanged, especially Ben's interactions with the witch and Mog. Pause frequently to repeat after the characters, paying attention to their tone and rhythm.
  4. Record Yourself: Use a shadowing app to record your voice while you emulate the dialogues. Listen to your recording and compare your pronunciation and intonation with the original.
  5. Practice Regularly: Consistency is key. Dedicate time daily to practice these phrases and repeat this process with different scenes from the video. Over time, you'll notice improvements in your fluency and confidence.

Utilizing the shadowing technique, or shadowspeak, will empower you to absorb natural speech patterns and enhance your conversational abilities. Make sure to approach your practice with patience and enthusiasm—it will pay off as you refine your English 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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