Shadowing Practice: Morning routine and dog walking in Australia | English Listening Practice - Learn English Speaking with Video

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Hi there!
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Today we're learning English while I do my morning routine and we take our dogs for a walk to the park.
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This week we're house sitting and pet sitting, which means we're looking after someone else's house and their dog while the owner is away.
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If you're new to learning English and want to see more about life in Australia, maybe you're planning to travel here,
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are studying here, or will move here for work,
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this video series will help you understand everyday English while exploring real places around Melbourne and Australia.
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In this series, I've used the 3,000 most common English words to help you learn quickly through comprehensible input.
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I make new videos every week, so please subscribe to see them every Sunday.
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Okay, let's go for a walk.
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Once I've woken up in the morning, I'll make sure that the bed we're staying in is made.
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I'll pull the sheets up and fix the pillows so the bed looks neat and tidy.
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Then I'll head into the bathroom.
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I'm going to wash my face with water.
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I'll turn the tap on and wash my face over the sink.
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After that, I'll dry my face with a towel.
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I'll apply some moisturiser to my face so my skin doesn't feel dry.
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Then I'll put on sunscreen.
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Because I live in Australia, I wear sunscreen every single day.
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The sun here is very strong, even in the morning.
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I'll use this black comb to brush my hair.
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My hair is very long, so it can get knotty.
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Knotty hair is when your hair gets twisted and stuck together.
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I'll brush it slowly to make it smooth again.
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This is a curling wand.
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I use it to make my hair wavy.
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It heats up so you can style your hair.
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I'll plug it into the outlet on the wall and turn the power on.
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Then I'll press this button and wait for it to heat up.
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These are hair clips.
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I'll use them to hold back my hair away from my face.
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This makes it a little easier to style my hair.
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After I'm finished in the bathroom, I'll head to the kitchen for a glass of water.
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I'll fill my glass from the tap and take a few sips.
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I also want to make some tea, so I'll fill the kettle with water too.
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I'll close the lid and flick the switch on.
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The kettle will start to boil, which means the water will bubble and get very hot.
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Behind the kettle is a toaster.
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I might use that later.
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I found a mug and placed a tea strainer inside it.
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This morning I've decided to have chrysanthemum tea.
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is a type of flour.
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While the kettle is boiling I'll scoop some dried flowers into the strainer.
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Now that the kettle has boiled I'll pour the hot water through the strainer and into the mug.
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I'll let the tea sit for a few minutes so that the tea can brew.
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After a few minutes when my tea has brewed, I'll remove the strainer.
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I'm also adding some pear that I've cut up into small pieces.
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I'm not sure if other people make tea like this, but I enjoy it.
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It adds a light, sweet flavour and you can eat the soft pears at the end.
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I'll tip the used flowers and pear scraps into the compost bin.
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Compost is food waste that breaks down and is used to help plants grow.
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This is my dog Martha.
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She's sitting in her bed with her favourite toy.
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She's just woken up and still looks a little sleepy.
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I'm going to do some stretching.
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I'll lay out my yoga mat next to Martha.
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Sometimes she likes to sit on the mat with me.
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I also have a foam roller to help with sore muscles.
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It's useful for muscles that feel tight or painful.
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Now it's time to feed the dogs.
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The bigger dog on the left is Nugget.
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He's Here's the dog we're pet sitting and he lives in this house.
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Nugget and Martha are best friends.
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We'll open this big bag of dog food and scoop some kibble into Martha's bowl.
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Kibble is dry dog food made of small hard pieces.
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Martha has been waiting very eagerly for her breakfast.
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We'll tip it into the bowl so she can eat.
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Wait, Martha, take!
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While Nugget is eating his breakfast in the other room, Martha is crunching her kibble.
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She ate it very quickly.
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Now that the dogs have eaten, we need to take them outside for a walk.
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Martha is using her paws to scratch herself.
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She might be a little itchy.
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Alright, now she's ready for her walk.
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Nugget is a medium-sized dog, and Martha is quite small.
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Nugget is bigger than Martha.
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They both have light-coloured fur, and it's very soft.
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Nugget is sitting calmly.
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Martha is wagging her tail and looks very excited to go outside.
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We'll put the collars on both dogs.
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This is Martha's green collar.
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It goes around her neck and buckles up.
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Her lead is made of green rope.
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Attached to it is a small roll of bags to pick up dog poo.
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We'll clip the lead onto her collar.
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Nugget has a black lead.
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He's happy to start walking down the street.
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They've stopped to sniff the grass.
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Dogs love to smell things because they learn about the world through scent.
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It turns out that they needed to poo, so we've picked it up with a bag.
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We're walking along the footpath.
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The dogs have tangled their leads.
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Martha has stopped to sniff and Nugget has stopped to scratch.
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We'll keep walking together along the footpath until we reach the park.
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At the entrance we'll put the dog poo in the bin.
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Here the dogs can walk without their leaves.
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It's quite windy this morning.
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You can see the leaves moving in the trees.
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We've spotted a magpie on the ground.
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A magpie is a common Australian bird with black and white feathers.
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We want the dogs to get some exercise, so we'll run up this hill.
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Nugget ran straight up.
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Martha walked it first, but with a bit of encouragement she started running too.
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They're sniffing the ground again.
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They're very curious about the scent.
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There are lots of new smells up here.
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Nugget and Martha are best friends but they have different personalities.
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Nugget is obedient which means he listens well and follows commands.
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Martha is more opportunistic.
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She's always hoping food will fall on the ground so she can eat it quickly.
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They're both very cute and loveable.
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Because they followed their command, we'll give them a treat.
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The weather has been very hot lately.
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The grass has turned dry and yellow.
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The clouds in the sky look big and fluffy.
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Over there, a family is playing cricket together.
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Cricket is a popular sport in Australia.
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There's lots of open space in this park to throw and hit the ball.
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Let's run back down the hill.
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Nugget ran off straight away.
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Martha waited because she likes everyone to stay together and she didn't want to leave me on top of the hill.
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She is very sweet.
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The dogs have been very well behaved today.
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They haven't been barking.
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Barking is the loud sound dogs make when they're excited or upset.
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I'll give Martha a little scratch.
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She is very affectionate, which means that she loves attention and touch.
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She loves to be pat.
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They're walking past a playground now.
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We'll put the dogs back on their leads because there are children playing.
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They've stopped again to sniff around this rock.
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There must be something interesting to smell here too.
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Do you have any pets?
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Dogs and cats are probably the most common types of pets in Australia.
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When I was growing up, we had a goldfish in a tank.
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Fish are also very common pets that are easy to take care of.
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Some people also have birds, rabbits or guinea pigs.
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Would you like to own a pet?
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Pets need food, water, exercise and care every day.
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They can be a big responsibility but they can be great company too.
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We're walking around a small pond.
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Dogs aren't allowed to swim in here, but it's a nice place to walk.
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There are ducks swimming in the water.
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These ducks aren't anyone's pets, but they're used to people being around.
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There's a water fountain here on the side of the footpath.
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People can drink from the top, and dogs can drink from the bowl below.
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I'll fill it up so the dogs can have a drink.
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Let's take this path to head home.
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There's a ladder leaning near the house nearby.
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The house is having maintenance done, which means it's being fixed or repaired.
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A tradesperson is working on the roof outside the window.
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That's someone whose job it is to build or repair things.
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There's a young boy standing on the jetty over there.
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It looks like he's fishing.
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Another boy has pulled up on his scooter.
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He's put his scooter next to the other boy's bike.
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It seems like they want to fish together in the pond.
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We're heading back home now.
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Martha is walking close to the wall to stay in the shade.
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Sometimes these dogs can be very slow walkers.
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On the way we'll grab a couple of free poo bags.
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Some neighbourhoods provide these to help keep the streets clean.
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We've made it back to the house.
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We'll unclip the leads and the dogs will come inside when we say the command.
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They're sitting very patiently because they know a treat is coming.
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Come, come!
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Here are their dog treats.
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I'll open the packet and make them shake paws for a treat.
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I think it's funny because it's like we're shaking hands and agreeing that they deserve a treat.
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Now we're back in the kitchen making some coffees.
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I've placed two mugs in front of the coffee machine.
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The mugs have a pink and red triangle pattern.
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I'm using soy milk in our coffees today.
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This is the portafilter.
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I'll place it underneath the grinder and and press the button to grind coffee beans into the basket.
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I'll push the button again to stop grinding the coffee beans.
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I'll make sure that the coffee sits flat and is packed into the portafilter.
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Then I'll twist it into the machine.
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The two mugs go in underneath.
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When I turn the dial to the left, the water heats up and the coffee starts to pour out into each of the mugs.
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You can see little bubbles forming on the top of the coffee.
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Then I'll pour some soy milk into this little metal jug and steam the milk.
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The milk is swirling around.
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I'll pour the milk into the mug with the coffee
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and there we go a homemade latte thanks for joining us
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this morning what do you call dry dog food made of small hard pieces Kibble
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How do you describe hair that's twisted and stuck together?
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Knotty How would you describe a dog that listens well and follows commands?
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Obedient.
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Where would you put your food waste? In the compost bin.
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Thanks for joining me today.
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If you'd like more videos like this, there are more coming.
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I'm creating extra listening and speaking practice videos to help you learn English quickly.
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Where would you like to go next?
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And which everyday English topics would you like to practice more?
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Please let me know in the comments.
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If this video has helped you, please subscribe for more simple Australian English practice.
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See you next time!

Context & Background

In this engaging video, viewers are taken through a typical morning routine while caring for a dog in Australia. The speaker narrates their activities, giving insights into daily life and the culture of pet care in this vibrant country. This immersive approach benefits English learners by providing authentic listening practice alongside relatable scenarios, such as household chores and pet responsibilities. By using uncomplicated language and common phrases, the speaker ensures that learners can also explore daily conversations in English. This series is designed for those who might be traveling, studying, or planning to move to Australia, making it an effective way to learn English with YouTube.

Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication

  • “Make sure that the bed is made” - A common expression denoting the task of tidying up a sleeping area.
  • “Wash my face over the sink” - A practical phrase that describes a daily hygiene routine.
  • “The sun here is very strong” - Useful for discussing weather conditions, especially in sunny climates.
  • “Let the tea sit for a few minutes” - An everyday phrase related to preparing drinks, common in conversational English.
  • “I enjoy it” - A simple expression used to convey personal preferences or likes.

Step-by-step Shadowing Guide

To effectively enhance your English speaking skills with this video, follow these steps using the shadowing technique:

  1. Watch and Listen: Begin by watching the video once without focusing too much on the details. Simply enjoy the narrative and familiarize yourself with the tone.
  2. Listen for Key Phrases: Play the video again, this time concentrating on the five phrases highlighted above. Repeat them aloud after the speaker to practice pronunciation.
  3. Pause and Immitate: Choose short segments of the video. Pause after a sentence, then repeat what you hear. Try to mimic the intonation and rhythm used by the speaker.
  4. Engage in Active Practice: Incorporate elements from the video into your daily routine. For instance, narrate your own morning activities in English just as the speaker did. Use phrases like “I will wash my face” and “I’ll prepare some tea” as a structure for your descriptions.
  5. Reflect and Repeat: After practicing, reflect on any challenging words or phrases, then revisit those parts of the video. Consistent repetition helps solidify new vocabulary in your memory.

By applying this structured shadow speech process, you will boost your confidence and fluency in English while acquiring practical vocabulary relevant to everyday life, successfully making learning an enjoyable and integral part of your routine with shadowspeaks.

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.