Shadowing Practice: Mr Rochester's Proposal To Jane Eyre | Jane Eyre (2011) | Screen Bites - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

B2
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Thornfield is a pleasant place in spring, isn't it?
54 sentences
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Thornfield is a pleasant place in spring, isn't it?
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Yes, sir.
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I'd be sorry to part with it.
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There's always a way with events in life.
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No sooner have you got settled than a voice cries, rise and move on.
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I'll find you a new situation, Jane.
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Jane, one I hope that you'll accept.
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I shall be ready when your order to march comes.
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Must I really lose a faithful paid subordinate such as yourself?
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You must.
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We've been good friends, haven't we?
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Yes, sir.
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I have a strange feeling with regard to you, as if I had a string somewhere under my left ribs, tightly knotted to a similar string in you.
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And if you were to leave, I'm afraid that cord of communion would snap.
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Then I have a notion that I'd take to bleeding inwardly.
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As for you, you'd forget me.
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How?
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I have lived a full life here.
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I have not been trampled on.
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I have not been petrified.
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I have not been excluded from every glimpse of what is bright.
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I have known you, Mr. Rochester, and it strikes me with anguish to be torn from you.
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Then why must you leave?
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Because of your wife.
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I have no wife.
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But you are to be married.
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Jane, you must stay.
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I've become nothing to you.
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Am I a machine without feelings?
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Do you think that because I am poor, obscure, plain and little, that I am soulless and heartless?
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I have as much soul as you and full as much heart.
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And if God had blessed me with beauty and wealth, I could make it as hard for you to leave me as it is for I to leave you.
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I am not speaking to you through mortal flesh.
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It is my spirit that addresses your spirit, as if we had passed through the grave and stood at God's feet equal, as we are.
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As we are.
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I am a free human being with an independent will which I now exert to leave you.
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Then let your will decide your destiny.
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I offer you my hand, my heart.
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Jane, I ask you to pass through life at my side.
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You are my equal and my likeness. Will you marry me? Are you mocking me?
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Do you doubt me?
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Entirely.
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Your bride is Miss Ingram.
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Miss Ingram?
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She is the machine without feelings.
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It's you, you rare and earthly thing.
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Poor and obscure as you are.
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Please accept me as your husband.
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I must have you for my own.
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You wish me to be your wife?
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I swear it.
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You love me.
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I do.
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Then I will marry you.

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About This Lesson

Practice your English speaking with a powerful scene from *Jane Eyre*! In this lesson, you’ll dive into Mr. Rochester’s emotional proposal to Jane, perfect for honing conversational skills, understanding nuanced tone, and mastering expressive language. Whether you’re prepping for IELTS speaking practice or just want to sound more natural, this dialogue—filled with passion and raw emotion—will help you learn English with YouTube in a way that feels real and engaging. You’ll work on pacing, intonation, and conveying deep feelings, all while exploring classic literature.

Key Vocabulary & Phrases

  • Trampled on: Treated with disrespect or cruelty (e.g., “I have not been trampled on here”).
  • Petrified: Made motionless by fear or shock (e.g., “I have not been petrified”).
  • Excluded from: Kept out of a group or experience (e.g., “Excluded from every glimpse of what is bright”).
  • Mortal flesh: Physical body (as opposed to spirit; e.g., “I am not speaking to you through mortal flesh”).
  • Independent will: The ability to make choices freely (e.g., “A free human being with an independent will”).

Practice Tips

This video’s dialogue is intense and slightly formal, with pauses that build emotion—perfect for shadowspeak practice. Start by watching the scene once to absorb the tone: Mr. Rochester’s urgency and Jane’s resolve. Then, pause after each line and repeat it, matching the speed and volume. Notice how Jane’s voice rises when she says, “I have as much soul as you!”—copy that emphasis to convey conviction. For IELTS speaking practice, focus on clarity during long sentences like, “It is my spirit that addresses your spirit…” Break them into chunks if needed. Use this as a shadowing site exercise: loop short sections until you can mimic the rhythm naturally. Remember, the goal is to sound authentic, not perfect—let the emotion guide your delivery!

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.