Shadowing Practice: Red Magic | Why Is the Magic Master So Worried? Zann Breaks the Rules! (Ch. 3–4) - Learn English Speaking with YouTube
A2
Little Fox Zing!
249 sentences
If sentences are too short or too long, click Edit to adjust them.
1
Little Fox Zing!
2
Zan exclaimed.
3
You oversized swamp rat!
4
I'll get you for that!
5
Picking up a rock, he tossed it at the dragon.
6
Zing ducked the rock, chattering in annoyance.
7
Zan grinned.
8
What do you expect?
9
He said.
10
You just tried to roast me!
11
The dragon hopped down from the roof,
12
not bothering to unfurl its leathery wings.
13
It landed beside Xan with a thump.
14
He bent to scratch its pointy little head.
15
Did you eat yet?
16
He asked.
17
Let's go inside.
18
I'll conjure up some food for you as soon as I tell Boz about the warning.
19
The dragon chirped, agreeably.
20
Many people kept dragons as pets,
21
but fire whistlers like Zing weren't very popular.
22
The breed was too active,
23
too independent, and a little too unpredictable.
24
Besides, most people didn't like dealing with a pet that could set you on fire.
25
But Zing was perfect for Zan.
26
They spent hours together.
27
Their favorite game was to lie in wait and attack each other.
28
Zan reached for his school bag,
29
which he dropped during Zing's surprise attack.
30
You'd better sleep with one eye open,
31
he told the dragon jokingly.
32
Dragons couldn't talk, but the smarter ones could understand some human speech.
33
Because when you least expect it,
34
I'm going to grab you and feed you to the water blobs." Zing hissed playfully,
35
sending out a spurt of flame that Xan dodged easily.
36
He laughed, glancing around for another rock.
37
Before he could find one, the door flew open.
38
-"Get in here!" Boz ordered,
39
the tip of his long,
40
pointy nose quivering as it always did when he was worked up about something.
41
Xan's grandfather was clutching the tattered diary in which he recorded everything important that happened to him.
42
I need to talk to you.
43
Xan guessed that Boz had already heard about the message.
44
I'm coming, he said.
45
Like the outside, the inside of their house rarely changed.
46
Half the furniture was boring and utilitarian,
47
transported there by Boz from his old home in First City.
48
The rest was cool stuff that Zan's parents had conjured,
49
mostly based on interesting things they had seen in their travels.
50
A statue of a frightening beast from the slopes of Mount Mystery,
51
replicas of the low-slung chairs used by nomadic settlers way out on the far frontier,
52
and an exotic-looking lamp from some other faraway world.
53
That lamp was Zan's favorite.
54
He paused beside it, resting a hand on its lumpy surface
55
and glancing at the framed blink images of his family hanging on the walls.
56
Could his parents be trapped in some mysterious other world even now?
57
Could they still be alive despite what most people thought?
58
Zing scampered over to grab a scorched chew toy.
59
Boz stared at Zan.
60
His large brown eyes were troubled.
61
I'm glad you're home, he said,
62
setting his diary on the table.
63
I thought about going down to your school to get you.
64
Have you heard about the warning from the palace?
65
Zan nodded.
66
An echo crow came to school.
67
The message sounded pretty weird.
68
Why would reds suddenly start disappearing?
69
I don't know.
70
Boz rubbed his nose to stop it from quivering.
71
I've sent messages to a few friends to see if any of them know anything,
72
but they haven't responded.
73
That worries me, especially since they're all reds.
74
He tapped one finger against another,
75
and several message moths appeared.
76
Boz focused his gaze on one,
77
muttering a message under his breath.
78
As he spoke, tiny words etched themselves onto the moth's powdery wings.
79
Zan couldn't help being impressed.
80
Most people had to inscribe message moths by hand.
81
Only a few people had the focus to do it by eye.
82
Sometimes it was easy to forget that his grandfather had been one of the most powerful magic masters in the kingdom.
83
Zan wondered if he himself would ever develop that kind of control over his own powers.
84
He realized Boz had finished inscribing the message moths and was talking again.
85
He just said something about wanting Zan to stay at home.
86
What?
87
Zan blurted out.
88
But I told Darb I'd meet him at the swamp after dinner.
89
Sorry, Zan.
90
We need to be careful until I find out what we're dealing with.
91
Buzz waved a hand to send the moths fluttering out the window.
92
I can't risk you wandering off.
93
What's the difference?
94
It's not like anything ever happens way out here in Swamp Bottom.
95
I still don't know why you decided to move to this place after Mom and Dad disappeared.
96
We'll never find out what happened to them while we're stuck out here in this boring old backwater.
97
I'll make dinner in an hour, was all Boz said.
98
You'd better get started on your homework.
99
Typical, thought Xan.
100
Boz never wanted to talk about what had happened to Xan's parents.
101
Xan didn't get it.
102
Didn't Boz want to find them if they were still out there somewhere?
103
Come here, Zing, he called.
104
Dinner time.
105
He rubbed his fingers together and pointed at the dragon's food dish.
106
A big helping of green, slimy dragon mush appeared.
107
Zing flapped his wings in thanks.
108
Then he shot out a flicker of flame and instantly cooked the mush.
109
It smelled disgusting, but the dragon slurped it up eagerly.
110
Xan turned around and realized Boz was watching him.
111
I'm not trying to ruin your fun, Xan, Boz said.
112
I just want to protect you.
113
I know.
114
Zan felt guilty for his earlier thoughts.
115
It's OK.
116
But after dinner, Zan felt much too restless to sit in his room and study.
117
He checked to make sure Baz wasn't nearby.
118
Then he rubbed his hands together and zapped himself out of the house.
119
Zan landed in a puddle of swampy water.
120
Drat! he muttered.
121
His conveyance teacher was always scolding him for this sort of thing.
122
Being a red, Zan could zap himself far and fast.
123
But his focus still needed some work.
124
That didn't matter now, though.
125
He was out of the house.
126
It was time to find Darb.
127
Pursing his lips, he whistled,
128
trying to imitate the call of a lesser swamp swift.
129
Not bad, a voice said from the grassy hillock behind him.
130
I always knew you had talents other than magic.
131
Zan spun around and grinned.
132
Hey, Darb, he said, stepping out of the water.
133
Sorry I'm late.
134
Boz didn't want me to go out.
135
Because of the warning about Red's disappearing?
136
Darb asked thoughtfully.
137
I've been hearing about that.
138
Darb was a void, one of a small group of people in Magicka born without any magical abilities.
139
That was the reason he and Zan had met in the first place.
140
On Zan's first day at the Swamp Bottom School,
141
he'd encountered Jev and his friends teasing Darb.
142
Zan had told them to stop.
143
Who's going to make me?
144
Jev had sneered.
145
That red hair of yours doesn't mean you get to tell me what to do.
146
Then he turned and shoved Darb into the wall hard.
147
Looking back, Xan knew he probably should have called a teacher.
148
Instead, he acted on impulse,
149
rubbing his fingers together until sparks began to jump from his hand.
150
Jev didn't even know what had happened until his friends started snickering and pointing at him.
151
Xan had given him a pair of oversized donkey ears.
152
It took Jev several tries to undo the spell.
153
Ever since then, Jev had been Xan's enemy and Darb had been Xan's friend.
154
Darb didn't attend school anymore.
155
Voids were only required to study the basics of theory and history.
156
Once classes started doing practical magic lessons,
157
voids usually dropped out and studied on their own.
158
Most ended up finding careers as companions,
159
greeters, animal caretakers and mediators,
160
or other jobs that required no magic.
161
Most people in Magicka would never purposely discriminate against a void.
162
But Xan had noticed that people said things in front of Darb that they wouldn't say in front of others.
163
It was as if they thought voids were deaf and dumb as well as lacking magic.
164
That didn't seem fair to Xan,
165
but it did allow Darb to hear a lot of interesting gossip.
166
What have you heard about the warning?
167
Xan asked his friend now.
168
Not much, Darb said.
169
Everyone's talking about the message from the palace, though.
170
The mayor is so nervous that she put a shield spell over the entire town hall.
171
Boz is trying to find out more.
172
In the meantime, he wants me to stay inside.
173
Zan rolled his eyes.
174
You can't blame him for being worried after what happened to your parents.
175
I guess.
176
Xan jumped onto a larger hillock.
177
So what have you been doing?
178
Studying insects.
179
Insects, huh?
180
Xan said.
181
Why not study something more exciting?
182
Dragons, maybe?
183
Speaking of dragons, where's Zing?
184
Darb asked.
185
He was outside when I left.
186
I couldn't get him without Baz seeing me.
187
Darb looked disappointed.
188
Everyone assumed he'd end up being an animal caretaker someday.
189
He loved animals of all kinds and they loved him.
190
Zing broke into a happy whistling song whenever he saw him.
191
Darb stepped toward a slow-moving stream.
192
Look, panic bugs.
193
He leaned closer for a better look.
194
Can you get a picture of them for me?
195
Sure.
196
Zan rubbed his hands together and stared at the shiny red bugs.
197
Blink!
198
A piece of paper appeared and fluttered to the swampy ground.
199
Zan picked it up.
200
The image of the panic bugs was there in full color.
201
Thanks.
202
Darb took the blink image,
203
folded it, and put it into his pocket.
204
Then he gently scooped up the bugs and put them in his other pocket,
205
being careful not to startle them into releasing their stink.
206
Want to help me look for leeches?
207
He asked.
208
I've seen them around here before.
209
Leeches?
210
Zan echoed.
211
Why?
212
I've been reading about them.
213
It's fascinating how they can suck the magic out of people.
214
Yeah, Zan grinned.
215
Back in First City, my friends and I used to stick them on each other as a joke.
216
It would take about a million of them to drain enough magic to make a difference,
217
but it was still funny.
218
Darb peered into the water's murky depths.
219
Leeches are very shy, he said.
220
They live at the bottom of streams like this.
221
We'll have to be quiet and feel around in the water.
222
Why go to all that trouble?
223
Zan rubbed his fingers together.
224
I'll displace the water.
225
Then you can grab as many leeches as you want.
226
Xan, wait!
227
Darth began.
228
That won't...
229
Shloop!
230
The water in the nearest section of the stream levitated,
231
hanging as droplets in the air.
232
Several fish and other creatures were left lying on the bottom of the stream bed looking confused.
233
Leeches!
234
Xan cried, pointing.
235
Almost before he spotted them,
236
the slimy little creatures had burrowed into the soft sand.
237
Oh, they're gone.
238
I tried to tell you that,
239
Darb said with a sigh.
240
They dive away from air unless they're latched onto someone.
241
Sorry, Zan said.
242
Hey, did you hear that?
243
Hear what?
244
Zan tilted his head, listening.
245
That buzzing noise, he said.
246
Sounds like an irritated spy fly.
247
Or maybe...
248
A loud, angry buzzing drowned out his words.
249
and suddenly a whole swarm of tiny glittering dragons came zipping out of a hole in the bank and started stinging him.
Download App
AI scoring for every sentence you speak
TRENDING
Popular
Context & Background
The video "Red Magic | Why Is the Magic Master So Worried? Zann Breaks the Rules! (Ch. 3–4)" introduces us to the characters of Zan and his fire-whistler dragon, Zing, in a whimsical world filled with magic and adventure. As the dialogue unfolds, we notice that Zan has a playful nature, often teasing Zing while preparing for duties and interactions with other characters, like his grandfather, Boz. This contextual backdrop not only enriches the narrative but also provides listeners with a vivid setting to enhance their English learning experience. The playful interactions demonstrate how relationships can shape communication styles, making it an excellent choice for those interested in learning English with YouTube.
Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication
- "You oversized swamp rat!" - A humorous insult that shows playful banter.
- "Did you eat yet?" - A common question showing care or concern for someone.
- "You just tried to roast me!" - A figurative expression implying danger or threat.
- "You'd better sleep with one eye open." - A playful warning that suggests being cautious or aware.
- "Get in here!" - A directive that conveys urgency in communication.
Step-by-step Shadowing Guide
To truly grasp the English nuances used in this video, employing the shadowing technique can be beneficial for learners. Here’s how to tackle the specific challenges presented in this video:
- Watch the video once: Take note of the emotions and moods expressed through the characters' dialogues.
- Listen closely: Rewind segments where key phrases are spoken. Pay attention to the pronunciation, intonation, and rhythm.
- Repeat phrases: Mimic the characters as closely as possible, aiming to match their tone and style. This is your shadow speech.
- Break it down: If certain phrases are challenging, practice them slowly, gradually increasing to normal speed as you feel more comfortable.
- Record yourself: Use your phone to capture your shadowing attempts. Listen to your recordings to identify pronunciation areas to improve.
By following this step-by-step process, you’ll not only enhance your vocabulary but also improve your overall speaking abilities in English. Using shadowspeaks methods, you can effortlessly integrate engaging English dialogues into your daily practice. Dive into the world of shadowing and watch your language skills flourish!
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.
☕ Buy us a coffee
ShadowingEnglish remains 100% free thanks to your support. Server and AI costs are high — your coffee keeps us going! 🙏