Shadowing Practice: Talking About Nature in English | Easy English Conversation for Beginners | Daily English - Learn English Speaking with Video

Creating lesson...
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Hello and welcome back to Everyday English Talk, the podcast that helps you practice real English for daily life.
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I'm Anna.
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And I'm Ben.
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Thanks for joining us again.
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Whether you're walking outside, relaxing at home, or listening on the bus, we're happy you're here.
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Today's topic is back to nature.
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We're going to talk about spending time outdoors, in the park, the forest, at the beach, or even in your own garden.
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Yes, nature is very important for our health and happiness.
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When we go outside, we can enjoy fresh air, green trees, and quiet places.
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That's right.
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In this episode, we'll learn simple English words and phrases to describe nature, talk about why it's good for us, and share some activities you can do outside.
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And as always, we'll give you useful examples, practice sentences, and questions to help you think and speak in English.
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Don't forget, you can also download the free PDF transcript for this episode.
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It has today's script, vocabulary, and extra exercises to help you practice.
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You'll find the link in the description.
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So are you ready to go back to nature?
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Let's start.
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So Ben, let's start with a simple question.
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What is nature?
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Hmm, good question.
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Nature means the world outside, the trees, mountains, rivers, flowers, animals, the sky, and the fresh air.
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Yes, nature is everything that is not made by people.
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A forest is nature.
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A beach is nature.
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Even the stars at night are part of nature.
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That's true.
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And nature feels very different from the city.
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Oh yes.
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In the city, you see cars, buildings, and lots of noise.
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But in nature, you can hear the birds, feel the wind, and see green trees.
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The city is often busy and crowded, but nature is usually quiet, green, and peaceful.
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For example, yesterday, I walked in the park.
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I saw tall trees and colorful flowers.
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I sat on a bench and listened to the birds.
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It made me feel calm.
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That sounds wonderful.
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I remember last summer, I went to the mountains.
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The air was so fresh, the river was clear, and everything was calm.
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I even saw some wild animals.
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Wow, that's amazing.
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Nature really gives us special experiences.
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Even a small park in the city can help us feel relaxed.
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Yes, nature can be many places.
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The park, the beach, the forest, the mountains, or even your own garden at home.
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And you don't always need a big trip.
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Sometimes, just looking at the sky or touching a plant can connect you with nature.
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That's true.
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Even one small plant in your room can give you a little piece of nature.
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Nature is everywhere if you look for it.
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Now you know.
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Nature is the world outside.
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Full of green trees, fresh air, and peaceful sounds.
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So listeners, what part of nature do you like most?
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The mountains, the rivers, or the beach?
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Think about it, and share your answer with us.
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Fresh air.
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It means clean air outside, not in the city or inside a room.
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For example, I open the window for some fresh air.
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Green space.
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It means a park or natural area in a city.
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For example, we need more green spaces in big cities.
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Peace and quiet.
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It means calm and silence.
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For example, I like the forest because it gives me peace and quiet.
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Wild animals.
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It means animals that live naturally outside, not pets.
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For example, we saw wild animals in the mountains.
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Is the great outdoors.
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It means nature outside, away from the city.
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For example, at the weekend, I enjoy spending time in the great outdoors.
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So, Ben, we just talked about what nature is.
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But here's another big question.
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Why should we go back to nature?
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Ah, good question.
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I think the first reason is very simple.
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Nature is good for our health.
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Yes.
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When we go outside, we walk, we move our body, and we breathe fresh air.
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That makes us stronger and healthier.
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Exactly.
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For example, if you take a short walk in the park every day, it's like small exercise.
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Your heart gets stronger and your body feels better.
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And breathing fresh air is so different from the city.
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In the city, the air is sometimes dirty because of cars and traffic.
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But in nature, the air is clean.
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Yes.
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When I go to the forest or the mountains, I feel my lungs are happy.
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It feels easier to breathe.
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That's a nice way to say it.
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My lungs are happy.
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The second reason is for our mind.
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Nature makes us feel calm and peaceful.
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That's right.
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If you feel stress from school, work, or the city, just go to the park, sit under a tree, and listen to the birds.
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Your stress will get smaller.
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Yes.
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Sometimes I take only 10 minutes in the park and already I feel more relaxed.
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And even science shows that people sleep better after spending time outside in nature.
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Oh really?
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That makes sense.
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When we are calm, we can sleep more easily.
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So nature helps the body and the mind.
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The third reason is relationships.
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Going to nature with family or friends is a great way to spend time together.
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I agree.
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For example, a picnic in the park with your family.
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You can eat, laugh, play games, and talk.
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It's simple, but very special.
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Or hiking with friends.
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You walk together, talk together, and share a nice day.
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Yes, and even children love being outside.
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They can run, play with a ball, or look at flowers.
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That's true.
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Children need nature too, not only phones or TV.
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So, nature is good for health, good for the mind, and good for relationships.
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Three very big reasons.
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Yes.
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That's why people say, go back to nature.
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It's not only fun, it's also good for our whole life.
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So listeners, what about you?
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Why do you think people feel better in nature?
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Is it because of health, less stress, or time with family and friends?
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We'd love to hear your ideas.
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Breathe fresh air.
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It means to take clean air into the lungs.
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For example, it feels good to breathe fresh air in the park.
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Reduce stress.
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It means to make stress smaller.
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For example, walking in nature helps me reduce stress clear your mind it means to feel calm
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and stop thinking too much for example a short walk can
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clear your mind after work spend quality time it means to enjoy good moments with family
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or friends for example we had a picnic to spend quality
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time together sleep like a baby it means to sleep very well and peacefully.
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For example, after hiking, I was so tired that I slept like a baby.
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So Ben, we already know why people should go back to nature.
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But here's another question.
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What can we actually do in nature?
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Oh, there are so many activities.
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The first one is very simple, just walking.
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Yes, walking in the park, by the river, or in the forest.
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You don't need special clothes or tools, just comfortable shoes.
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Exactly.
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And walking is good exercise.
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You can walk alone to think or walk with a friend to talk.
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Another popular activity is hiking.
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Hiking means walking, but usually in the mountains or in the forest.
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Right.
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Hiking is a little more active.
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You may need water, good shoes, maybe even a backpack.
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But it's very fun.
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I remember going hiking last year with my cousins.
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We walked for two hours in the forest.
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At the top of the hill, we saw a beautiful view.
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It was amazing.
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That sounds wonderful.
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Some people also enjoy camping.
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You bring a tent, sleep outside, and cook food under the stars.
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Yes, camping is special.
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It can be simple, just one night in a small tent, or bigger, with many people together.
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Another activity is swimming, if you go to a beach, a lake, or even a river.
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Oh yes, swimming in nature feels different from swimming in a pool.
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You feel closer to the earth and the water.
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And of course, there's the classic, having a picnic.
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A picnic is one of my favorites.
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You bring food, a blanket, and sit outside.
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You can eat, laugh, play games, and relax.
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Yes.
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A picnic can be in the park, by a lake, or even in your backyard.
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It's easy and fun.
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Some people also like creative activities in nature, like taking photos, drawing, or painting.
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True.
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Nature gives us beautiful colors.
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Green trees, blue sky, yellow sundae.
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It's perfect for pictures.
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And sometimes, you don't need to do much.
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You can just sit quietly, listen to the birds, watch the clouds, or read a book.
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Yes, doing nothing in nature is also an activity, relaxing.
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So, listeners, remember, in nature you can walk, hike, camp, swim, picnic, take photos, or just rest.
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There are many ways to enjoy it.
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That's right.
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Nature is free and the activities are simple, but they make you happy.
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Go for a walk.
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It means to walk for exercise or fun.
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For example, every morning, I go for a walk in the park.
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Hike up a mountain.
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It means to walk to the top of a mountain.
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For example, we hiked up a mountain to see the view.
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Sleep under the stars.
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It means to camp outside at night.
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For example, on our trip, we slept under the stars.
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Have a picnic.
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It means to eat food outside in nature.
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For example, let's have a picnic by the lake.
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Take photos.
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It means to use a camera or phone to capture pictures.
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For example, I love to take photos of flowers in spring.
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Wow, Ben, we've talked about so many things today.
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Yes, we really did.
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Let's do a quick review for our listeners.
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First, we asked, what is nature?
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We said that nature is the world outside.
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Trees, rivers, mountains, flowers, animals, the sky, and fresh air.
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And we compared it with the city.
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The city is noisy and busy, but nature is quiet, green, and peaceful.
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Then we asked, why go back to nature?
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We found three big reasons.
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Reason number one, health.
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Walking, moving, and breathing fresh air make us strong.
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Reason number two, the mind.
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Nature helps us feel calm and reduce stress.
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And reason number three, relationships.
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Going to nature with family or friends is a great way to spend time together.
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Finally, we talked about activities in nature.
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We can walk, hike, camp, swim, have a picnic, take photos, or just sit quietly.
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Yes, nature is free, simple, and makes us happy.
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So, listeners, today we talked about going back to nature.
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Yes, we learned what nature is, why it's good for our health and mind, and some simple activities we can do outside.
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Nature is free, simple, and powerful.
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It helps us relax, stay healthy, and spend time with people we love.
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That's right.
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Even a short walk in the park or sitting under a tree can make a big difference.
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Thank you for joining us today.
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Don't forget, you can download our free PDF transcript.
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It has today's script, vocabulary, and practice exercises.
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You can read along while you listen or use it to study later.
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And we'd love to hear from you.
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Share your answers to our listener questions in the comments.
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Yes, what is your favorite activity in nature?
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Or what place in nature makes you feel happy?
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Your ideas may inspire other learners too.
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And next time, we'll continue with this topic, how to enjoy nature every day.
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We'll share easy tips to enjoy nature in daily life, even if you live in a busy city.
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So stay tuned, and remember, keep learning, keep practicing, and take a moment to enjoy nature today.
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We'll see you next time on Everyday English Talk.
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Bye for now.

Context & Background

In the latest episode of Everyday English Talk, Anna and Ben engage listeners with an enlightening discussion about the beauty and significance of nature. They delve into various outdoor settings, from parks to beaches, emphasizing how spending time in natural environments can enhance our mental well-being. This conversation is not just about expressing opinions; it offers learners practical examples and vocabulary to articulate their own experiences with nature, making it an excellent resource for those seeking to improve their English speaking practice.

Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication

  • What is nature? - A great starting point to engage in conversations about the outdoors.
  • Fresh air - Use this phrase to describe the pleasant experience of being outside.
  • Feel calm - An expression to convey how nature impacts your emotions positively.
  • Colorful flowers - Descriptive language that can be used when discussing a park or garden.
  • Small plant - A simple term that highlights the accessibility of nature, even at home.

Step-by-step Shadowing Guide

To effectively use the shadowing technique and enhance your English pronunciation, follow these steps as you practice with this episode:

  1. Listen Closely: Start by listening to the episode in its entirety without interruption. Pay attention to how Anna and Ben articulate their thoughts about nature.
  2. Break it Down: Rewind to specific parts of the audio, focusing on a few sentences at a time. Slowly repeat what you hear, mimicking their intonation and pacing.
  3. Use the Transcript: Refer to the provided PDF transcript, read along, and identify any new vocabulary. This will strengthen your understanding of context and proper usage.
  4. Practice Shadow Speech: As you listen, try to vocalize the words simultaneously with the speakers. This adds a layer of real-time practice to your English speaking practice.
  5. Reflection: After several rounds of shadowing, take a moment to reflect on the phrases and vocabulary. Think about how you can use these in your everyday conversations.

By engaging with the content actively, you can significantly enhance your ability to communicate in English while enjoying the beauty of nature as a backdrop for your learning journey.

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.