Shadowing Practice: Slow English Listening for Beginners (A1-A2) – My Hobby 6/20 - Learn English Speaking with Video

Creating lesson...
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Hello and welcome to this slow English listening for beginners.
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Today's topic is my favorite hobby.
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After the story, I will ask you some questions to check on your understanding.
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Don't worry if you don't understand everything.
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Just focus on the key information.
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Are you ready?
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Let's begin.
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Hello, my name is Anna.
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I am 40 years old and I live in a small town with my family.
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I have a husband and two children.
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We live in a cozy house with a beautiful garden.
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Today I want to talk to you about my favorite hobby.
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I love gardening.
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Every day I spend time in my garden.
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It is my special place.
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It is not very big, but it is full of life.
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I have many flowers, trees, and plants.
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I like roses, tulips, and sunflowers.
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They have bright colors and they smell very nice.
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I also have lavender, daisies and jasmine.
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In the morning, when I walk in the garden, I can smell the fresh flowers.
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It makes me feel happy and calm.
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In my garden, I also grow vegetables i have tomatoes carrots and lettuce i also grow cucumbers
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peppers, and zucchini.
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In the summer, I pick fresh vegetables and cook healthy meals for my family.
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It is wonderful to eat food from my own garden.
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It tastes better than the vegetables from the supermarket.
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Gardening is my favorite hobby because it makes me feel good.
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It helps me relax and forget about stress.
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When I touch the soil, plant seeds, and water the flowers, I feel peaceful.
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I like to see my plants grow.
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It is a slow process, but it is very beautiful.
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Every day, the plants change a little.
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Some days, I see new leaves.
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Other days, I see small flowers.
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It is like magic.
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Every morning I wake up early and go to my garden.
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I water the plants and remove dry leaves and check the flowers.
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On the weekend, I do more work.
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I clean the garden.
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I plant new flowers and sometimes I move the plants to a better place.
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My children like to help me.
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They enjoy playing with the soil and learning about plants.
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Gardening is a great activity for families.
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In the spring and summer, my garden is full of colors and life.
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The birds sing and the butterflies fly around.
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The bees visit the flowers and I can hear the sound of nature.
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I like to sit outside and drink a cup of tea.
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It is very relaxing.
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In the autumn, the leaves change color.
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The garden looks different, but still beautiful.
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In the winter, the garden is quiet.
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Gardening is good for my body and helps my mind.
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It helps me stay active because I move a lot when I work in the garden.
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I bend, I stretch, and I carry things.
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It is like exercise.
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It also helps me feel happy and calm.
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When I have a busy day, I go to my garden and take a deep breath.
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It helps me feel better.
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I think everyone should try gardening.
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You don't need a big garden.
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You can start with a small spot and one plant.
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Taking care of a plant is a wonderful experience.
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It teaches patience and love. Do you like gardening?
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What is your favorite hobby?
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Now let's check on your understanding.
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What is Anna's favorite hobby?
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Anna's favorite hobby is gardening.
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What kind of flowers does Anna have in her garden?
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She has roses, tulips, sunflowers, lavender, daisies and jasmine.
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Why does Anna like gardening?
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She likes gardening because it makes her feel happy and relaxed.
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It also helps her stay active.
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What vegetables does Anna grow in her garden?
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She grows tomatoes, carrots, lettuce, cucumbers, peppers, and zucchini.
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What does Anna do in her garden in the morning?
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in the morning Anna waters the plants removes dry leaves
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and checks the flowers if you have answered correctly to all the questions you have done a very good job
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keep working and see you next time

About This Lesson

In this lesson, you will focus on slow English listening practice suitable for beginners (A1-A2 level). The main topic is "my favorite hobby," which offers you an engaging way to improve your English listening skills while learning about gardening. Through this lesson, you will practice understanding spoken English in a relaxed manner, allowing you to pick up key vocabulary and phrases. By the end of the lesson, you will not only enhance your comprehension but also improve your English pronunciation as you shadow the speech patterns presented.

Key Vocabulary & Phrases

  • Favorite hobby - something you enjoy doing in your free time.
  • Cozy house - a comfortable and warm home.
  • Beautiful garden - an attractive area where plants and flowers grow.
  • Fresh vegetables - vegetables that are newly harvested and still crisp.
  • Relax - to become less active or tense, often promoting peace of mind.
  • Flower colors - the vibrant hues found in flowers like roses, tulips, and sunflowers.
  • Nature sounds - the pleasant auditory experiences found in outdoor environments.
  • Spring and summer - seasons known for growth and blooming plants.

Practice Tips

To fully benefit from this lesson, consider using a shadowing app that allows you to listen along while mimicking the speaker's pace. Start by playing a short segment of the video, then repeat it aloud to improve your English pronunciation. Focus on the cadence and intonation of Anna's voice, paying particular attention to how she emphasizes certain words and phrases.

Since the video is designed for beginners, take advantage of the slow pace to absorb the sounds and rhythms of English speech. Try to repeat phrases after hearing them, which is a key technique in shadowing. This dynamic practice can help you understand the connections between words and develop your speaking fluency.

Additionally, listen for the emotional context in her story about gardening. This will help you not only to enhance your vocabulary but also to grasp the feelings behind the words. You can further benefit from learning English with YouTube by engaging with similar videos and following along with their content. Remember, shadowing is not just about mimicking sounds; it's about connecting with the language!

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.