Shadowing Practice: Story of Saint Agnes | Stories of Saints - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

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Long, long ago, even before Christianity was accepted as a religion and people were only beginning to understand the love and compassion of Jesus Christ, there lived a young girl named Agnes.
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She was the daughter of a member of the royal family.
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Her parents did not believe in Jesus.
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However, she learned about Jesus from her maid.
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One day in the maid's chambers...
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Hello, Prudgen.
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Oh, oh, hi, Agnes.
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What are you doing here?
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Oh, I was just bored with nothing to do.
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Thought I'd come to see you.
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Very well, Agnes.
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Now, are you hungry?
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Would you like me to get something for you from the kitchen?
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No, thank you, Bridgen.
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What were you doing there?
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Um, I was just praying.
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But I don't see any idols or pictures here.
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I've seen my parents pray to some wooden dolls or a picture of some scary animals hanging on the wall.
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What God were you praying to?
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I prayed to the real living God.
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Jesus Christ.
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Oh, I've never heard of this God.
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Is there a figure or a picture that I can see?
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No, Agnes.
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I don't need a picture or a doll.
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He is a living God.
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He lives in my heart and my thoughts.
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He is Lord Jesus Christ.
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Fascinating, Bridget.
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Will you tell me the story of Jesus after dinner?
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I want to know more.
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Why, of course, Agnes.
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I would be happy to do so.
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Over the next couple of days, Agnes kept asking Bridgen about Jesus and was fascinated by her stories.
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Bridgen explained how Jesus healed the sick, helped the poor, and how he suffered on the cross, and died to save mankind from their sins.
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Agnes had become a strong follower of Jesus and his teachings by this time.
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She vowed to pray to no other god and spend the rest of her life as his devotee.
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Agnes was known for her beauty around the kingdom.
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One day, Agnes had a visitor, Focas, the son of the High Minister of Rome.
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Like most men at the time, he too wished to marry Agnes.
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I wish to marry you, Agnes.
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You must accept these jewels and gifts I have brought for you.
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You would look so beautiful wearing them.
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I do not have any desire for such things.
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I am sorry, but I cannot be your wife since I have already accepted somebody as my lover.
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I belong to him for the rest of my life.
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Fulcus's face had fallen.
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He was both sad and angry at this reply from Agnes.
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And yet he tried to stay calm.
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He wanted to know the full story.
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That's very unfortunate, Agnes.
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I had such high hopes to win your heart, but alas, it has already been won over.
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You do know that any young lady in the whole empire would die to be my wife.
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May I ask who is this man who you think is better, noble and worthier than me?
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I have sworn to save myself for him and him alone.
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I will not marry anyone but him for it is he to whom I truly belong.
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Focus left dejected.
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His pride hurt.
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At the time Focus did not know that she was talking about Jesus Christ.
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Later when he came to know that Agnes was a follower of Jesus He was angry beyond words He couldn't stand the humiliation He immediately approached his father,
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the high minister of Rome And reported what had happened The high minister wasted no time and sent a message through his guards To Agnes' father Demanding that she be sent back with his guards immediately
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My child, it seems that you claim to be a follower of Christ.
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Is this true?
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Yes, I am a devout follower of Christ, the only living God.
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I am a true Christian and I will remain so for the rest of my life.
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As you are so young of age, I would like to believe that you are not aware of what foolishness you speak.
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Do you know that you could be put in prison or killed for saying what you just said?
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I don't feel I've said anything foolish.
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It is the truth.
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I do not care what you do to me.
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But I cannot go on serving these lifeless gods and bow down to rocks and piles of woods and be scared of them.
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I believe only in the true living God, Jesus Christ.
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That is enough!
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You have one more chance to take back what you have said or you will have your clothes stripped away from you and cast into the dungeon of shame where evil men will torture you.
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I don't feel I've said anything foolish.
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It is the truth.
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I do not care what you do to me, but I cannot go on serving these lifeless gods and be scared of them.
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I believe only in the true living God, Jesus Christ.
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Very well then, so be it.
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Guards, strip her clothes and throw her into the dungeon with these evil men.
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The soldiers followed his orders, but as they removed Agnes' clothes, her hair starts to grow rapidly, covering her body.
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The astonished guards dragged her along and then pushed her into the dungeon and closed the mouth of the dungeon with a large stone.
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When Agnes was alone in the dungeon, an angel appeared suddenly, clothed her with a dazzling white robe and disappeared.
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Almost immediately afterwards, the guards pushed the stone away to let Phocas into the dungeon.
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He had come to torture the righteous Agnes.
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However, as soon as he entered the dungeon, he was struck down dead by a bolt of lightning from the heavens.
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Later when the soldiers opened the cave, they were shocked to find Focus lying dead on the floor.
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The high minister rushed to the spot when he heard the news and was overcome by grief.
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What have you done, witch?
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I will have you killed now.
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You deserve no mercy.
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If you knew who my God was, you would never speak to me like this.
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You can only take my clothes, torture me, and even take my life if you want.
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But you cannot take away my faith in Jesus.
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My Lord will protect me from your evil.
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If your God is truly powerful, pray to him to give back my son's life.
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I will try, but you must leave me alone at once.
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The High Minister was beside himself with amazement.
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Although he now wished to free Agnes, he could not.
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A crowd of pagan worshippers had gathered around.
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They wanted to have Agnes killed for insulting their gods.
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So the High Minister left Agnes in the hands of another official who ordered for Agnes to be burnt to death on a stake.
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However, Agnes was unharmed by the flames.
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God did not allow the flames to touch her body.
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The crowd could not believe what they saw.
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My Lord, I am truly grateful for all the miracles you have performed to protect your poor servant.
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But I now wish to leave this body and be with you in heaven.
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When the flames failed to kill Agnes, the crowd grew even angrier, and so one soldier thrust his sword into her, and thus Agnes was killed on the burning stake, because she loved Jesus.
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Over time, more people heard Agnes' story, and she was later honored as one of the first women to be made a saint.
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Context & Background

The story of Saint Agnes provides a rich context for English learners to engage with both historical and religious themes presented through dialogue. The narrative is set during a time when Christianity was emerging, illustrating the struggle between faith and societal norms. Through the character of Agnes, who becomes devoted to the teachings of Jesus Christ despite her family's pagan beliefs, learners can explore language in the context of devotion, courage, and the consequences of one's beliefs. The dialogue also showcases how personal convictions can lead to significant life decisions, making it a compelling subject for discussion and practice.

Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication

  • "I cannot go on serving these lifeless gods." - A powerful way to express strong personal beliefs.
  • "I believe only in the true living God." - A statement of faith that can be practiced for fluency.
  • "I do not care what you do to me." - Useful for expressing defiance or fearlessness.
  • "Will you tell me the story of Jesus after dinner?" - A polite way to ask someone to share their knowledge.
  • "I wish to leave this body and be with you in heaven." - A poetic expression that can be practiced to enhance emotional speech.

Step-by-step Shadowing Guide

Shadowing is a fantastic technique to enhance your english speaking practice and improve your pronunciation. To effectively use the video of Saint Agnes for this purpose, follow these steps:

  1. Watch the Video: First, view the video without attempting to speak along. Focus on understanding the story and context.
  2. Listen and Repeat: Play the video again, pausing after each sentence. Repeat the phrases aloud, mimicking the speaker’s intonation, rhythm, and pronunciation. This technique, known as shadowspeak, allows you to internalize the language patterns more effectively.
  3. Practice Vocabulary: Take note of the key phrases highlighted earlier. Write them down, and practice each one in different contexts to enhance your vocabulary.
  4. Record Yourself: Using a recording device or app, record yourself speaking the phrases. Play them back to identify areas for improvement. This will help you refine your english pronunciation and clarity.
  5. Engage in Dialogue: Find a language partner or tutor to practice these phrases in conversation. Discuss the themes of the story and how they relate to personal beliefs and values.

By following this structured approach, learners can effectively utilize the story of Saint Agnes to enhance their speaking skills, gain confidence, and develop a deeper understanding of the English 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.

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