Shadowing Practice: Stella and the Surprise Delivery - Learn English Speaking with Video
Choose a practice mode
Each mode opens a full-screen practice room.
193 sentences
If sentences are too short or too long, click Edit to adjust them.
1
Hello, this is Jana, and I'm back with our third story about Stella and her magic mirror.
2
Stella and the Surprise Delivery.
3
Mr Fry's art class had been making pottery in and out building the school grounds, known as the shed.
4
The pupils started clearing away the clay, the tools and the bowls of muddy water.
5
Stella had made a small cat, which was waiting to be fired in the kiln.
6
Suddenly, a loud banging shook the door.
7
It sounded as if somebody was trying to break it down.
8
Mr Fry rushed to open the door before it collapsed.
9
A young man in a peaked hat stood outside, holding two enormous cardboard boxes.
10
Behind him, a battered old car was parked on the grass.
11
31 burger meals for Mr Fry, he announced 31? repeated Mr Fry in surprise
12
The man handed him the boxes
13
Hold on mate, there's more, I'll fetch the milkshakes
14
Take them back, called out Mr Fry I can assure you this is some kind of a mistake
15
I've not ordered any of this
16
Well someone's paid for them, called back the man Mr Fry consulted his phone
17
His mouth gaped
18
It was true
19
He had paid for them
20
Was he dreaming?
21
As the driver hurried back and forth with the milkshakes
22
Voices rose around the room
23
Oh, thanks Mr Fry Can we eat them now?
24
They'll go cold sir
25
And we're starving
26
The bell goes in ten minutes Mr Fry sighed.
27
He had unknowingly paid £325 .50.
28
He hated wasting money and it seemed crazy to throw away so much food.
29
He opened the boxes and started to hand round the meals.
30
As the pupils tucked in, Stella thought.
31
What happened here today is a genuine mystery.
32
No teacher is
33
that generous i'm sure my mirror can solve
34
it by home time the whole school was talking about mr
35
fry's burger feast photographs of the kids stuffing their faces during
36
art class were circulating around the school one photo showed a kid with two chips up her nose
37
and there was ketchup everywhere a rumor was going around that mr fry was being suspended from lessons while the school investigated.
38
The head teacher was furious that he had broken the school's healthy eating policy.
39
That evening, Stella sat in front of her mirror.
40
Why didn't you tell me about the burger delivery?
41
She asked.
42
You know I like to know news before it happens.
43
The mirror did not reply.
44
All it showed was Stella wagging her finger.
45
OK, I forgive you said Stella.
46
You can make up for it by showing me who really ordered the burgers.
47
Was it Dinesh?
48
He's always playing pranks.
49
The mirror shimmered and the reflection began to change, but it didn't show the face of a pupil.
50
Instead, it showed the face of a chemistry teacher, Miss Vale.
51
Oh, said Stella.
52
You're telling me that
53
Miss Vale had something to do with this?
54
Am I right?
55
A ripple passed across the mirror and it returned to show Stella's face.
56
She had a little smile on her lips because this news was very interesting indeed.
57
But the next day at school,
58
the head teacher announced that somebody had used a teacher's phone to order a large amount of fast food.
59
That somebody had been suspended from school while further inquiries continued.
60
As everyone left the assembly, Stella whispered to her best friend Celeste.
61
Something's not right.
62
It wasn't a kid who ordered the food.
63
It was a teacher.
64
How do you know that?
65
whispered back Celeste.
66
Trust me, I just do, replied Stella.
67
By break time, everyone had worked out that a year eight boy called Roddy had been sent home.
68
Roddy was not popular.
69
He had acne and a stammer.
70
And however unfair it was, some of the crueler kids made fun of him.
71
As Stella and Celeste strolled around the school grounds, Stella said, I just don't believe it was Roddy.
72
He's not the sort of person who would do something like this.
73
I know it does feel off, said Celeste.
74
But I heard the administrator talking.
75
They have CCTV footage of Mr Fry.
76
He left his phone under a chair after assembly and Roddy picked it up.
77
and he was seen posting it through the homework slot outside the staff room.
78
Well, do they have footage of him ordering the food?
79
No, but all the evidence points to Roddy.
80
I never thought he had it in him to do a thing like that.
81
Everyone is innocent until proven guilty, said Stella defensively.
82
I still think a teacher did it.
83
I'm going to keep digging.
84
But Honeyboo, how do you know it was a teacher?
85
questioned Celeste, puzzled by her friend's certainty.
86
Stella was stuck.
87
Now she couldn't admit that her magic mirror had pointed her towards Miss Vale.
88
The mirror was her deepest secret.
89
She had to think of something quick.
90
But I just know, I have a strong feeling, and my feelings are never wrong.
91
Han, feelings are not evidence
92
Just you wait, said
93
Stella The truth will come out
94
Meanwhile, the Roddy haters were having a field day Artie and Teresa were saying things like
95
We always said that boy was no good
96
We just didn't know he was a phone hacker
97
And No wonder he has spots with a diet like that
98
Stella fired back I don't think he used Mr Fry's phone
99
How would he have known the pin number?
100
Artie and Teresa immediately turned on her Well, you're only saying that because you miss your boyfriend
101
Now he's been kicked out of school Celeste was furious on her friend's behalf
102
How dare you spread rumours?
103
And Stella added
104
It will turn out to be a teacher that did it
105
Wait and see
106
You're the one causing trouble
107
remarked Teresa you're spreading rumors about a teacher
108
and I'm going to tell the head you'll be kicked out too ha then you'll spend all day with your spotty boyfriend
109
Stella was still fuming
110
when she consulted her mirror after school I need to know the truth she pleaded tell me what really happened
111
The mirror dissolved into another scene
112
It was early evening
113
And Mr Fry and Miss Vale were walking down the high street
114
They were both dressed for a special occasion
115
Miss Vale had bright lipstick on And carried a designer handbag
116
They passed a little French bistro
117
Called La Bon Affair Miss Vale stopped to study the menu Mr Fry carried on walking.
118
Next, they came to an Italian restaurant called La Vecchia Cocina.
119
Candles flickered invitingly at the tables, and a waiter in a bow tie stood by the door.
120
Miss Vale looked hopeful, but Mr Fry walked straight past.
121
Then, he suddenly crossed the road and beckoned to her.
122
Miss Vale followed him reluctantly into McBongo's Burgers where the tables were orange plastic and the meals came wrapped in paper
123
Miss Vale clenched her teeth as he produced a two -for -one voucher
124
If she could have put Mr Fry in detention for a hundred days, she would have done it
125
There you go, exclaimed
126
Stella when she had watched the whole scene
127
Miss Vale has the motive
128
Revenge on Mr Fry for being such a cheapskate on their romantic date
129
She couldn't wait to tell Celeste her hunch the next morning
130
And although Celeste was the only person she told
131
Oddly, the entire school knew the story by the end of lunchtime
132
Inevitably, the story reached the ears of Mrs Righteous, the formidable deputy head
133
Stella was summoned to see her before going home
134
She was so nervous that she forgot to unpin her free Roddy badge
135
I hear you have been spreading rumours about Miss Vale, said Mrs Righteous.
136
I, I, stammered Stella.
137
But before the words could come out of her mouth, Mrs Righteous followed up with, Don't lie to me.
138
I know it was you who started the rumour that
139
Miss Vale used Mr Fry's phone.
140
Yes, Mrs Righteous, said Stella squirming.
141
Because it's true?
142
she added quietly
143
The truth is not a defence
144
Fired back the deputy head, banging her desk
145
But, but, what I mean to say Mrs Righteous corrected herself
146
Do you have any evidence, Stella?
147
Stella shook her head
148
Tell me, where did you hear this story?
149
I just had a feeling,
150
Mrs Righteous, that's all I just knew it was Miss Vale and not Roddy You just had a feeling, you say?
151
Just a feeling?
152
Yes, Mrs Righteous Don't you say anything else about the matter to anyone
153
Is that understood?
154
Yes, Mrs Righteous Now off you go and remember
155
No more rumour -mongering
156
Stella was shaking as she walked home
157
But she was also confused by why she was not in any more trouble
158
She had just received a severe talking to But no detention, let alone a suspension
159
Why didn't you warn me, Mira?
160
She said when she got home
161
The Mira did not give her a good reply
162
It just showed her the school assembly hall.
163
It was empty until Miss Vale walked back in and took something from under a chair.
164
She seemed to know the pin number of the phone she was holding
165
and then spent a few minutes tapping on it before returning the phone to where she found it.
166
I knew it!
167
It was Miss Vale!
168
screeched Stella excitedly.
169
And is it true Roddy found the phone?
170
The mirror replied by showing Roddy coming into the hall.
171
He liked to practice on the grand piano there during lunchtimes.
172
He found the phone and went straight out with it, presumably to post it back to the staff room.
173
He was innocent.
174
In fact, he had done exactly what he should have done.
175
But it's so unfair, said Stella sadly.
176
Is life always so unjust?
177
The mirror glimmered.
178
This time, it showed a golden weighing scale.
179
Stella was unsure what that meant.
180
The following day, Roddy was back in school.
181
He didn't say anything.
182
He just returned as if nothing had happened.
183
Of course, everyone wanted to know every single detail.
184
Was he really the one who ordered the burgers?
185
He shook his head.
186
But that wasn't all.
187
It turned out that
188
Miss Vale didn't show up at school, and she was never seen again.
189
This time, it was Celeste who told the story behind the story.
190
Her dad knew Roddy's dad at the cricket club.
191
Roddy's dad had sent a letter to Mrs Righteous, demanding to see the CCTV footage.
192
And as it happened, the school had lost the footage.
193
Somebody had accidentally deleted it.
Download App
Everything you need to speak fluently
AI PronunciationScore every sentence
IPA PracticeMaster every sound
VocabularyBuild your word bank
Vocab GameLearn while playing
Same Channel
A29
Snow White
British AccentKidsTeensDaily Conversation
B14
Journey to the West: The Monk Rescues the Monkey
British AccentTeensDaily ConversationHigh School Students
B14
The Monkey King (Journey to the West)
British AccentKidsTeensDaily Conversation
A23
Birdy's Treasure Hunt
British AccentKidsTeensDaily Conversation
A23
New Year in the Jungle
British AccentKidsTeensDaily Conversation
A2Birdy's Grudge
British AccentKidsTeensDaily Conversation
FOR YOU
Recommend Video
A21
67 sentences
Bedtime Stories | Tom Hiddleston reads Supertato | CBeebies
KidsDaily Conversation
A21
13 sentences
'Mystery Valentine' animated comedy short especially for Valentine's Day.
KidsDaily Conversation
A23
27 sentences
One Story a day level 2 book 8 for August Story 19 20 Water into Wine
KidsDaily Conversation
A21
32 sentences
Ch.5 A film or lunch? - Reddy's funny stories - reading for kids
KidsDaily Conversation
A21
107 sentences
Mangita and Larina: A Magical Story ✨💚 | 3D 4K | Bedtime Stories for Kids in English | Fairy Tales
KidsDaily Conversation
A21
699 sentences
Lumi Hid in Kavin’s Backpack..Then the Whole Class Started Floating! 😱👽| Easy English Listening (A2)
KidsDaily Conversation
A21
141 sentences
Rumpelstiltskin - Story Time w/ Ms. Booksy at Cool School
KidsDaily Conversation
A255
35 sentences
@Barbie | WHO ATE THE BROWNIES?! | Barbie Dreamhouse Adventures
American AccentKidsDaily Conversation
A21
655 sentences
Food for Energy! ⚡🍌 | Healthy Eating Cartoons for Kids | Shane the Chef
KidsDaily Conversation
A21
194 sentences
THE SOUR GRAPE 🍇 Read Aloud for Kids | A Funny Story About Grudges!
KidsDaily Conversation
A2370 sentences
Roald Dahl | The Magic Finger - Full audiobook with text (AudioEbook)
KidsDaily Conversation
A22
131 sentences
Detective Animals Solve the Circus Mystery 🕵️🐘| English Moral Stories | Bedtime Stories
KidsDaily Conversation
Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This A2 speaking lesson is built on the video “Stella and the Surprise Delivery”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: Stella, miss, Vale, fry, mirror. This video has 193 sentences and 1775 words to shadow. The speech runs for 13:49. The speaker talks at a steady 128 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. 77% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English; the rest is worth studying before you start.
Key vocabulary in this video
15 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| mirror noun | /ˈmiɹɚ/ | A smooth surface, usually made of glass with reflective material painted on the underside, that reflects light so as to give an image of what is in front of it. |
| burger noun | /ˈbɝ.ɡɚ/ | A hamburger. |
| shake verb | /ˈʃeɪk/ | To cause (something) to move rapidly in opposite directions alternatingly. |
| footage noun | /ˈfʊtɪd͡ʒ/ | An amount of film or tape that has been used to record something, or the content of the recording. |
| meal noun | /ˈmiːl/ | Food that is prepared and eaten, usually at a specific time, and usually in a comparatively large quantity. |
| pupil noun | /ˈpjuːpəl/ | A learner at a school under the supervision of a teacher. |
| innocent adjective | /ˈɪnəsənt/ | Free from guilt, sin, or immorality. |
| bang noun | /ˈbæŋ/ | A sudden percussive noise. |
| unfair adjective | /ʌnˈfɛɚ/ | Not just. |
| furious adjective | /ˈfjʊəɹi.əs/ | Feeling great anger; raging; violent. |
| detention noun | /dɪˈtɛnʃn̩/ | The act of detaining or the state of being detained; hindrance. |
| consult verb | /ˈkɑnsʌlt/ | To seek the opinion or advice of another; to take counsel; to deliberate together; to confer; to advise. |
| whisper verb | /ˈ(h)wɪspɚ/ | To speak softly or under one's breath, so as to be heard only by one near at hand; to utter words without sonant breath; to talk without that vibration of the… |
| rumor noun | /ˈɹumɚ/ | A statement or claim of questionable accuracy, from no known reliable source, usually spread by word of mouth. |
| suspend verb | /səsˈpɛnd/ | To halt something temporarily. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| call back verb | To request someone's return; to bring back or restore; to recall. | |
| call out verb | To specify, especially in detail. | |
| chip up verb | To cause something to have chips, cracks or dents. | |
| clear away verb | To tidy up, to remove mess or obstacles from a place to make it neat. | |
| come out verb | /ˌkʌm ˈaʊt/ | To be discovered; to be revealed. |
| go around verb | To move or spread from person to person. | |
| hand round verb | To pass something to everyone in a group. | |
| kick out verb | To eject, dismiss, expel, or forcefully remove (someone or something). |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- Why didn't you tell me about the burger delivery?
- How do you know that?
- I'm going to keep digging.
- How dare you spread rumours?
- Tell me, where did you hear this story?
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | be fired · was parked · being suspended |
| Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thing | cat, which was · kid who ordered · person who would |
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | I've not ordered · have known · he's been kicked |
| Past continuous was/were + -ing — an action in progress at a moment in the past | was waiting · Was he dreaming · was talking |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 28 contractions and reduced forms, such as didn't, don't, I'm. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: shake /ˈʃeɪk/, detention /dɪˈtɛnʃn̩/, rush /ɹʌʃ/, occasion /əˈkeɪ̯ʒən/, suspension /səˈspɛnʃən/
- Long words — get the stress right: investigate /ɪnˈvɛs.tə.ɡeɪt/, inquiry /ɪnˈkwaɪ(ə)ɹi/, accidentally /ˌæk.sɪˈdɛnt(ə)li/, administrator /ədˈmɪn.ɪ.stɹeɪ.tɚ/, presumably /pɹɪˈzuːməbli/
How to practise with this video
- Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
- Shadow it sentence by sentence at normal speed, repeating each one until your rhythm matches the speaker.
- Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like mirror, burger, shake.
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.