Shadowing Practice: Tactics for Listening_Third Edition Expanding_Unit 1_Small Talk - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

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Listening 1 1 Hi, I don't think we've met, have we?
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253 sentences
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Listening 1 1 Hi, I don't think we've met, have we?
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No, I don't think so.
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My name's Mia.
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Nice to meet you, Mia.
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I'm Tim Clark.
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2 Hey, you're Mike Thompson, right?
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That's right, and you're Jenny.
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Yeah, Jenny Lindsay.
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Yeah, right.
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We met at Jake's wedding.
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It's great to see you again.
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Great to see you too.
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Haven't we met somewhere?
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No, I don't think so.
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Aren't you Kevin Grant?
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No, my name is Greg.
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Greg Brown.
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Oh, I'm sorry.
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I was positive we'd met before.
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Four.
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Jeff.
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Hi.
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Remember me?
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Sue?
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Sue Thomas?
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That's right.
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We were in that computer class together.
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Yeah.
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Boy, was that class boring.
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Sure was.
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So, how have you been?
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Pretty good, thanks.
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Five.
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Oh, hi.
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You're Jonathan, aren't you?
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Yes, and you're Wendy.
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Yeah, we met at the conference in Hawaii last summer.
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Right.
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Nice to see you again.
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Nice to see you too.
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6.
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Hi.
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Don't we work in the same building?
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Yes, I think we do.
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I'm Gary James.
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I'm in accounting.
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Hi.
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I'm Lynn Williams.
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I'm in marketing.
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Listening to 1.
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Hey, Annie, that looks really nice on you.
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Is it new?
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Yeah, I got it on sale at George Brothers Department Store.
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I never miss their sales.
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They've got really good prices.
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Well, you made a good choice.
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That color looks great.
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Thanks.
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Oh, look at the time.
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I didn't realize it was so late.
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I've got to run.
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Good seeing you.
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2.
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What are you taking this year?
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Mostly literature courses.
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Oh, really?
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Are they any good?
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Some of them are, except for Professor Scott's class.
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I mean, the books are interesting and the lectures are great, but his tests are so hard.
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Really?
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Are they essay or short answer tests?
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3.
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What an awful month we are having!
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It's pretty bad, isn't it?
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So hot and humid.
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It's hard to sleep at night, too.
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I wish I had air conditioning.
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Me too.
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Funny, it's not usually this hot in the fall.
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That's true.
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Well, I think I'm gonna get some more chips.
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Enjoy the party.
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Four.
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So, tell me, Kim, what's he like?
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Well, he's really fun to be with.
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He always says funny things and makes me laugh.
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He sounds really nice.
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He is, and he's always giving me little presents.
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But I guess the gifts will stop when he knows me better.
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Yeah, probably.
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So, how long have you known him anyway?
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5.
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So are you still doing the same thing, David?
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Yeah, I am, unfortunately.
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I wish I was doing something more challenging.
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So why don't you look for something else?
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I really should.
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I feel stuck in that office because I'm not moving ahead.
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That's the worst thing about it.
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Well, good luck to you.
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If I hear about any jobs, I'll let you know.
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6.
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So, everybody's fine at home, Sarah?
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Yes, they are, thanks.
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Oh, some exciting news.
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My sister Jenny's getting married.
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Really?
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When?
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Next month.
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She's marrying a guy she met when she was studying in Canada, and we're all going to Toronto for the wedding.
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It'll be fun.
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Sounds great.
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And how about your brother?
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What's he been doing lately?
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Listening to One Hey, Annie, that looks really nice on you.
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Is it new?
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Yeah, I got it on sale at George Brothers Department Store.
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I never miss their sales.
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They've got really good prices.
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Well, you made a good choice.
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That color looks great.
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Thanks.
123
Oh, look at the time.
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I didn't realize it was so late.
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I've got to run.
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Good seeing you.
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Two.
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What are you taking this year?
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Mostly literature courses.
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Oh, really?
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Are they any good?
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Some of them are, except for Professor Scott's class.
133
I mean, the books are interesting and the lectures are great, but his tests are so hard.
134
Really?
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Are they essay or short answer tests?
136
Three.
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What an awful month we're having.
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It's pretty bad, isn't it?
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So hot and humid.
140
It's hard to sleep at night, too.
141
I wish I had air conditioning.
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Me too.
143
Funny.
144
It's not usually this hot in the fall.
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That's true.
146
Well, I think I'm going to get some more chips.
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Enjoy the party.
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4.
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So tell me, Kim, what's he like?
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Well, he's really fun to be with.
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He always says funny things and makes me laugh.
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He sounds really nice.
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He is, and he's always giving me little presents.
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But I guess the gifts will stop when he knows me better.
155
Yeah, probably.
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So how long have you known him anyway?
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Five.
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So are you still doing the same thing, David?
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Yeah, I am, unfortunately.
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I wish I was doing something more challenging.
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So why don't you look for something else?
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I really should.
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I feel stuck in that office because I'm not moving ahead.
164
That's the worst thing about it.
165
Well, good luck to you.
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If I hear about any jobs, I'll let you know.
167
So, everybody's fine at home, Sarah?
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Yes, they are, thanks.
169
Oh, some exciting news.
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My sister Jenny's getting married.
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Really?
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When?
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Next month.
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She's marrying a guy she met when she was studying in Canada, and we're all going to Toronto for the wedding.
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It'll be fun.
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Sounds great.
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And how about your brother?
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What's he been doing lately?
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so it's easy to get to know people.
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2.
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Yes, I do.
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It's a very difficult language to learn, but I guess all languages are difficult.
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I tried to learn Japanese once, and it was really hard.
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These days, though, it's easier to learn a foreign language because you can buy some fantastic courses online and on DVD.
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3.
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I have two children, a girl and a boy.
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They're both going to school, so they keep us very busy.
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My husband comes from a big family and would love to have more children, but I think two is enough.
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Four.
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I have a small design company.
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We design menus, calendars, and things like that.
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There are just three of us in the company.
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Last year was a very quiet year for us, but it looks as if business is really improving this year would you like to visit our office sometime
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five oh yeah I've been having a great time since I arrived everyone's been very helpful and I've made some
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wonderful new friends I still have a few more days here so I'm thinking of renting a car and driving up to the mountains six I'm from a town called Cairns on the northeast coast of Australia
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It's a small town, but I enjoy living there.
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It's not far from the Great Barrier Reef, which is one of the most famous places in Australia.
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You should go there sometime.
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Listening 3 1 Yes, I do.
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I really enjoy living here.
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So far everything has been fine.
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The downtown area is really pretty and I love all the cafes and restaurants there.
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The other thing I like is that the town's small, so it's easy to get to know people.
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2.
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Yes, I do.
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It's a very difficult language to learn, but I guess all languages are difficult.
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I tried to learn Japanese once, and it was really hard.
208
These days, though, it's easier to learn a foreign language, because you can buy some fantastic courses online and on DVD.
209
3.
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I have two children, a girl and a boy.
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They're both going to school, so they keep us very busy.
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My husband comes from a big family and would love to have more children, but I think two is enough.
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4.
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I have a small design company.
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We design menus, calendars, and things like that.
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There are just three of us in the company.
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Last year was a very quiet year for us, but it looks as if business is really improving this year.
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Would you like to visit our office sometime?
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5.
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Oh, yeah.
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I've been having a great time since I arrived.
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Everyone's been very helpful, and I've made some wonderful new friends.
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I still have a few more days here, so I'm thinking of renting a car and driving up to the mountains.
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6.
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I'm from a town called Cairns on the northeast coast of Australia.
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It's a small town, but I enjoy living there.
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It's not far from the Great Barrier Reef, which is one of the most famous places in Australia.
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You should go there sometime.
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Pronunciation 1.
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Where does he go to school?
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2.
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I have to call his teacher.
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3.
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What's her job?
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4.
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Have you known him for a long time?
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Dictation Hi.
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Haven't we met before?
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Yeah.
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I think we met at Kate's wedding.
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That's right.
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Have you seen her lately?
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No, I haven't seen her in months.
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But I talked with her husband last week.
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Oh, really?
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How's he doing?
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He's doing really well.
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He told me that he got a great new job.
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I'm happy to hear that.
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Well, I've got to go, but it was great to see you.
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Yeah, you too.
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If you see John again, tell him I said hello.
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Thank you.
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About This Lesson

In this lesson, learners will practice the essential skill of engaging in small talk, an important aspect of English conversational skills. The video focuses on real-life interactions and dialogues that help develop listening comprehension and speaking fluency. By participating in small talk scenarios, learners will enhance their ability to greet others, introduce themselves, and maintain a casual conversation. This practice is vital for boosting confidence in social situations and improving overall communication skills in English.

Key Vocabulary & Phrases

  • Nice to meet you – A polite expression used when you meet someone for the first time.
  • Great to see you again – A friendly phrase used when meeting someone you have met before.
  • I don't think we've met – A way to indicate that you do not remember having met someone previously.
  • How have you been? – A common inquiry about someone's well-being since you last saw them.
  • Are you (Name)? – A phrase used for confirming someone's identity.
  • We were in (Class/Activity) together – A way to rekindle familiarity based on shared experiences.
  • It's great to see you – Another friendly greeting when meeting someone again.
  • I'm in (Department) – A response revealing your role or affiliation in a professional context.

Practice Tips

To make the most of this small talk practice, utilize the shadowspeak technique by listening to the video multiple times. Pay close attention to the speed and intonation of the speakers. Here are some specific tips to improve your English pronunciation:

  • Shadow Speech: As you listen, try to repeat the dialogue immediately after hearing it. Match both the speed and rhythm of the speakers.
  • Focus on Intonation: Notice how the speakers change their tone when greeting or expressing excitement. Mimicking this will help your speech sound more natural.
  • Record Yourself: After practicing the dialogues, record your voice. Compare your pronunciation with the original and identify areas for improvement.
  • Practice with a Partner: If possible, practice these conversations with a friend or language partner. This re-enforces what you learn and provides valuable feedback.
  • Daily Shadowing: Incorporate shadowing into your daily routine. Regular practice using the shadowing technique will significantly enhance your conversational skills over time.

By fully engaging with these exercises, you'll systematically improve your English pronunciation and gain greater confidence in your speaking abilities.

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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