Shadowing Practice: She Was Unfairly Treated But Still Won The Ballet Championship | Slow English (Level A2) - Learn English Speaking with Video

Creating lesson...
1
Look at her!
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The janitor girl thinks she belongs on our state!
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No way...
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You will never dance here!
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The winner is...
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It's beautiful.
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Mop it up, janitor girl.
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You're crossing the line.
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I'm just telling the truth.
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The janitor is performing!
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This stage isn't for you.
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Someday I will truly stand here
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Who taught you how to dance?
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I just lured by secretly watching.
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Let's start again.
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It's okay.
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Let's try again.
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I practice ballet every day, after everyone else has gone home.
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You have a rare talent.
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But I don't have money for classes.
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I will give you a chance.
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Come to my class tomorrow.
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Really?
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Thank you.
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Today we have a new classmate.
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Is that cleaning girl really in our class?
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You don't even have a nice pair of shoes!
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Talent is not dependent on money. Are you in pain?
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I'm fine.
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Let me count the beats for you.
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Thank you.
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You're improving very quickly, Lily.
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Why is Lily progressing so quickly?
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Lily?
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It's your turn, Lily.
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Don't make a fool of yourself in front of everyone.
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You can do it, Lily.
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You did very well.
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Lily could become the Academy's new representative for the city competition.
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Impossible.
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My shoes are gone!
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Those shoes are very expensive!
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What's going on here?
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I lost my ballet shoes and I suspect Lily took them.
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I didn't do it.
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I didn't steal.
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Okay, we'll check everyone's bags.
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These shoes are mine.
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Lily stole them.
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That's impossible.
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I don't believe Lily would do this.
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The Academy does not tolerate theft.
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Please believe me.
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Lily was expelled from school immediately.
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I can't
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give up yet.
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Why are you here?
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You worked all day and you're still practicing?
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I can't give up ballet.
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You have endured too much.
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But no one believes me.
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I believe you are innocent.
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And I will help you get back.
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I knew you wouldn't give up.
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Tomorrow I'll look into the matter again and help you clear your name, Lily.
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Can I really dance again?
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Competition registrations haven't closed yet.
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My friend has been falsely accused.
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I need to see the camera footage from the other day.
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It was her!
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That's outrageous!
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We will choose the most outstanding person.
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I'm sure I'll win the ballet competition.
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Pip is always number one.
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It was Pip who hid the shoes himself and blamed Lily.
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What trick are you trying to pull now?
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You lied to the entire academy!
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Pip is stripped of all competition rights.
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Impossible.
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You're gonna shine.
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She looks like she's flying
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You're amazing, Lily!
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That position should have been mine.
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The winner is...
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Lily!
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That should have been me.

Why Practice Speaking with This Video?

This engaging video tells the inspiring story of a young girl named Lily, who overcomes unfair treatment to pursue her dream of becoming a ballet dancer. Practicing speaking with this video is an excellent way to immerse yourself in real spoken English while learning about themes of determination, talent, and resilience. As you watch and repeat the lines, you can improve your English pronunciation and gain confidence in your speaking abilities.

By shadowing Lily's journey, you can also deepen your understanding of conversational English, which is often much different from written texts. This type of practice can help you in various speaking settings, such as in IELTS speaking practice or everyday conversations, where expressing emotions and stories effectively is essential.

Grammar & Expressions in Context

In this video, several important grammatical structures and expressions are used that can enhance your English communication skills:

  • Use of Present Continuous Tense: Throughout the video, sentences such as "I am practicing ballet" highlight actions that are currently in progress. This tense is crucial for expressing ongoing actions.
  • Conditional Sentences: The phrase "If you practice every day, you will improve" exemplifies how to express potential outcomes based on certain conditions, an essential structure for discussing future possibilities.
  • Direct Speech for Expressing Emotions: Phrases like "You can do it, Lily!" demonstrate how to motivate someone directly, which is a useful way to convey encouragement and positivity in conversations.
  • Question Tags: The expression "You're in pain, aren't you?" reflects how to seek confirmation in a conversation, an important skill for engaging dialogue.

Common Pronunciation Traps

As you practice with this video, pay attention to several tricky pronunciation elements:

  • Ballet: The 'l' in ballet is often mispronounced, especially in fast speech. Practice saying it slowly first, ensuring to articulate both 'l' sounds clearly.
  • Talent: This word can be said with different stress patterns. Focus on emphasizing the first syllable (TAL-ent) to maintain clarity.
  • Rare: This word contains a diphthong that can be confusing. Ensure you glide smoothly from the 'a' to the 're' to fully articulate it.

Utilizing the shadowing technique with this video will not only enhance your understanding of these expressions but also improve your overall English pronunciation. Whether preparing for the IELTS or simply looking to engage in daily conversations, this video offers practical insights to enhance your mastery.

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.