Shadowing Practice: Talking About Nature in English | Easy English Podcast - Learn English Speaking with YouTube
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Hello everyone and welcome back to Everyday English Academy,
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Hello everyone and welcome back to Everyday English Academy,
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where we make English simple and enjoyable.
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I'm Sarah.
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And I'm Mike.
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Hello to all of our wonderful listeners wherever you are in the world right now.
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So, Mike, how are you doing today?
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I'm doing fantastic, Sarah.
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How about you?
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Well, I have a confession.
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Oh, tell me.
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I watched Netflix for maybe seven hours this weekend.
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Seven hours, Sarah.
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I know.
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I started one show and then the next episode started automatically and I thought,
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just one more, and then suddenly it was dark outside.
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Let me ask you something serious.
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When was the last time you chose to go outside instead of watching a screen?
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Uh, I need to think about that.
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The fact that you need to think about it is the problem.
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Hey, my sofa is very comfortable.
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Nature doesn't have cushions.
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But nature has sunshine and birds and trees and… My sofa has a blanket and snacks and Wi-Fi.
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We need to talk about this.
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Seriously.
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Fine, but you're not taking my Netflix away.
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Okay, but honestly, I'm not much better.
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Wait, really?
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You, Mr. Nature Guy?
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I like nature, in theory.
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But last week, I think I spent maybe 20 minutes outside total.
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In the whole week?
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In the whole week.
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And most of that was just walking to my car.
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Oh, Mike, we are terrible people.
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We're not terrible.
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I think a lot of people are the same.
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We wake up, we look at our phones,
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we go to work, we sit at a desk,
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we come home, we watch a screen.
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And the closest we get to nature is the plant on the kitchen table.
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Exactly.
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And the sad part is,
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that plant is probably dying because I forget to water it.
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Oh no, Mike.
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It's true.
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The leaves are turning yellow and I just think,
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sorry little plant, I'm doing my best.
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You know what's crazy?
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I read somewhere that most people spend like 90% of their time indoors.
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90%.
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That's a lot.
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But honestly, I believe it.
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Between work and home and the car,
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when do we actually go outside?
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Only when we have to.
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Like taking out the garbage.
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That doesn't count as enjoying nature, Sarah.
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Same.
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Okay, but this is what we want to talk about today.
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Nature.
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Being outside.
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why it feels so good,
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and how to talk about it in English.
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Yes, because nature is something everyone can enjoy,
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and it's a really common topic in conversations.
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You talk about it with friends, with colleagues, with strangers.
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And honestly, we probably need this episode more than our listeners do.
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Probably.
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And speaking of our listeners, what about you?
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Do you spend more time on Netflix or in nature?
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Be honest.
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Tell us in the comments.
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No judgment.
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Okay, so let me ask you, Sarah.
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When you think about being outside,
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what do you actually enjoy?
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Like, what's the nice part?
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Hmm, I think it's the feeling.
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You know when you've been inside all day and the air in your room feels heavy?
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Like, warm and thick and not fresh.
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Yes, that's called stuffy, right?
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Stuffy, exactly.
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When a room is stuffy,
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the air feels old and heavy,
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like nobody opened a window in three days.
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My office is so stuffy, I can't think.
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I hate stuffy rooms.
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It makes my head feel cloudy.
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Me too.
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So, when I finally step outside and feel the cool air on my face,
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it's like my brain wakes up.
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Yes, especially when there's a nice breeze.
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Ooh, breeze.
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I love that word.
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A breeze is a soft, gentle wind.
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Not strong, not cold, just a light, soft movement of air.
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Like nature's way of saying, hey, relax.
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Exactly.
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You might say, there's a lovely breeze today.
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Or, I felt a cool breeze on my face.
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It's one of those small things that makes being outside feel so good.
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It really does.
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What about you?
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What do you enjoy about being outside?
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For me, it's the scenery.
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I love looking around and seeing beautiful things.
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Trees, mountains, water.
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Scenery.
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That's a great word.
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Scenery is everything you see around you in nature.
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The view, the landscape, the beauty.
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Right.
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So if you're standing on a hill and you can see a river and green fields and big sky,
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all of that is the scenery.
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The scenery in Switzerland is absolutely stunning.
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Stunning means very, very beautiful, by the way.
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Like, so beautiful you almost can't speak.
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Yes.
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And sometimes you just want to stop and take it all in.
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Ah, I love that expression, take in.
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When you take in the view or take in the scenery,
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it means you stop and really look.
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You enjoy it with your eyes.
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You let it fill you up.
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Exactly.
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Not just a quick look.
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You actually pause and appreciate it.
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We sat on the bench and took in the view for 20 minutes.
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That sounds so nice and so different from watching Netflix on my sofa.
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Very different.
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OK, so we should help our listeners describe nature, right?
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Because when you talk about the outdoors,
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you need the right words.
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Yes, and it's not complicated.
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Let's start simple.
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Imagine you're in a park or a forest.
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So, you might be walking on a trail.
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A trail is like a small path,
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usually through trees or hills or nature.
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It's not a big road.
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It's a narrow way just for walking.
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Like a hiking trail in the mountains,
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or a nature trail through a forest.
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There's a beautiful trail near my house that goes through the woods.
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Woods, by the way, that's another word for a small forest.
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Good one.
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And while you're on this trail,
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you might want to rest in the shade.
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Yes.
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Shade is that cool, dark area under a tree where the sun doesn't reach you.
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When it's hot, you look for shade.
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Let's sit in the shade.
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It's too hot in the sun.
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Or, I found a nice spot under a tree with plenty of shade.
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It's like nature's air conditioning.
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Free air conditioning.
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I like that.
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And if the sun is out and you actually like the heat… Then you might want to soak up the sun.
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Yes, soak up.
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This is a really nice expression.
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When you soak up the sun,
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you sit or lie in the sunshine and enjoy it.
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You let the warmth go into your body.
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Like a sponge soaking up water.
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But you're soaking up sunshine.
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I spent the whole afternoon just soaking up the sun.
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Or let's go to the beach and soak up some sun this weekend.
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It sounds so relaxing.
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It does.
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And you can use soak up for other things too,
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like, I love visiting new countries and soaking up the atmosphere.
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Atmosphere is the feeling or mood of a place.
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Oh, that's a useful one.
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The atmosphere in this cafe is so warm and friendly.
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Now, Sarah, here's something interesting.
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When I spend even just 15 or 20 minutes outside,
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I feel completely different, like my brain is lighter.
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I know what you mean.
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There's this feeling like all the stress just slowly goes away.
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Yes, that's called unwinding.
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When you unwind, you slowly let go of your stress and tension.
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Like, imagine a ball of string that is very tight,
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and it slowly becomes loose.
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Oh, I like that picture.
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So the opposite of being stressed and tense, you're unwinding.
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I like to unwind by sitting in the park after work.
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Or nature is the best way to unwind after a stressful week.
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And I think that connects to something you told me once, Mike, about resetting.
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Yes, resetting.
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When you reset, you stop everything and you start fresh.
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Like when your computer is slow and you restart it,
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suddenly it works better.
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So your brain is the computer?
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Exactly.
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Sometimes your brain needs a reset,
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and nature is like pressing that restart button.
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I spent an hour in the park and I felt completely reset.
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Whenever I feel overwhelmed, I go outside to reset.
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Overwhelmed, by the way, that's when you have too much happening.
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Too much stress, too many things to do,
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too much noise in your head.
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Great word.
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I'm feeling really overwhelmed with work this week.
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Very common feeling.
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And the cure is sometimes just going outside.
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Who knew?
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Your mom knew, Sarah.
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Your mom always knew.
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Okay, okay.
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Moms are always right.
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I admit it.
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Okay, let's talk about something fun.
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What do you actually like to do outside?
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Because not Everyone wants to climb a mountain, right?
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Right.
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It doesn't have to be a big adventure.
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One thing I love is just going for a stroll.
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A stroll.
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I love this word.
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A stroll is a slow, relaxed walk.
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No rush, no destination.
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You're just walking and enjoying the moment.
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Exactly.
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It's different from walking fast to work or running to catch a bus.
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A stroll is calm and easy.
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We went for a stroll along the river after dinner.
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Or, I love a Sunday morning stroll through the park.
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It sounds so elegant.
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It does.
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What about you?
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What do you like to do outside?
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When Netflix isn't calling your name.
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Hey, okay.
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Honestly, I love sitting somewhere with a nice view.
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Just sitting.
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Maybe with a coffee, watching the sky,
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listening to birds… So basically doing nothing.
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Doing nothing but outside.
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That's the important part.
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Fair enough.
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And actually, that's a real thing.
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Some people love to just sit and take in the view.
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Yes.
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And some people love to explore.
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Like, have you ever wandered through a new area without a plan?
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Wandered.
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Ooh, that's nice.
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When you wander, you walk slowly without really knowing where you're going.
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Just exploring.
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Yes!
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Like, we wandered through the old town for hours.
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No map, no plan, just curiosity.
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I love that.
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Sometimes the best moments outside happen when you're not planning anything.
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You just walk and see what you find.
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Exactly!
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And that is where the beach versus forest debate comes in.
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Oh, here we go.
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Because for me, the best place to sit and relax in nature is the beach.
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The sound of the waves,
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the sand, the big open sky… Mmm, I disagree.
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For me, it's the forest.
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Trees everywhere, bird sounds, that cool shade.
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The beach is more relaxing.
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The forest is more peaceful.
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The ocean has the ocean.
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The forest has no sand in your shoes.
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OK, that is a good point.
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Sand gets everywhere.
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But still, beach wins for me.
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Forest for me, always.
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But hey, listeners, what about you?
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Beach or forest?
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Tell us in the comments we want to know
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which team you're on you know what i think the point
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is it doesn't matter where you go the important thing is
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that you actually go outside sometimes i totally agree even something
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small makes a difference like just stepping outside your door for a few minutes
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or eating your lunch outside instead of at your desk yes
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or even just opening a window to let some air in when your room feels stuffy.
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And here's the thing.
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When you do go outside, you notice things.
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Small things, like the color of the sky or how the light looks in the afternoon.
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Or the sound of wind in the trees or the smell of rain.
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Oh, the smell of rain.
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There's actually a word for that.
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Petrichor.
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Petra-what?
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Petrichor.
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P-E-T-R-I-C-H-O-R.
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It's the smell of earth after rain.
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That fresh, clean, amazing smell.
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I love that smell.
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I didn't know it had a name.
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Most people don't, but now you do,
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and now our listeners do too.
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You're welcome, everyone.
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Okay, that's a bonus word for today.
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Now, let's give our listeners some useful phrases for real conversations about nature,
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because this is something people actually talk about a lot.
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Yes.
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So, if you're at work and you want to suggest going outside,
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you can say, It's gorgeous outside.
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We should eat lunch in the park.
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Gorgeous means very, very beautiful.
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Or if you've been inside for too long,
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you can say, I need to get out of the house.
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Let's go somewhere.
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If a friend visits and you want to show them a nice place,
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you could say, There's a really nice trail nearby.
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Want to check it out?
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Check it out means to go and see something.
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And if you want to describe a place,
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you can say, Or if someone asks about your weekend,
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you could say, And here's one I use a lot.
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I feel so much better after being outside for a bit.
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It's simple, it's honest, and people always agree.
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Oh, and one more.
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If you're inviting someone to join you,
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you can say, Do you fancy a stroll?
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Fancy here means want.
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It's a very British way to ask.
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I love that.
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Do you fancy a stroll?
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It sounds so charming.
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These are all very natural sentences that you can use right away.
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All right, Mike.
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Let's do a quick review of some words from today before we finish.
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Yes.
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So, first, stuffy.
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When the air inside feels heavy and not fresh.
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This room is so stuffy.
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Breeze.
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A soft, gentle wind.
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There's a nice breeze today.
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Scenery.
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The beautiful nature you see around you.
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The scenery was stunning.
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Trail.
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A path for walking through nature.
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We found a trail through the woods.
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Shade.
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The cool area under a tree.
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Let's sit in the shade.
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Soak up.
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To enjoy something fully.
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We soaked up the sun all afternoon.
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Unwind.
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To slowly release stress.
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Nature helps me unwind.
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Reset.
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To stop and start fresh.
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I went outside to reset my mind.
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Stroll.
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A slow, relaxed walk.
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We went for a stroll by the river.
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And take in.
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To stop and enjoy what you see.
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We took in the beautiful view.
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Those are really useful words for talking about nature and the outdoors.
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And one last thing.
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We want to hear from you.
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What's your favorite place in nature? a park,
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a mountain, a beach, maybe just your garden.
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Write it in the comments in English.
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Even one sentence is great practice.
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For example, My favorite place is a small park near my house because it's quiet and green.
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Or, I love the mountains because the scenery is amazing.
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See?
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Simple and natural.
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And if you enjoyed this episode,
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please subscribe to Everyday English Academy and give us a like.
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Share this with a friend who needs to get off their sofa and go outside.
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Like me.
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Like both of us.
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Thank you so much for being here today, everyone.
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Keep practicing, keep exploring, and maybe close your phone and go outside for a few minutes today.
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your Netflix shows will still be there when you come back unless it's a live event that is true
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all right everyone take care of yourselves we'll see you in the next episode bye everyone
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goodbye and enjoy the breeze perfect ending bye
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About This Lesson
In this lesson, you will enhance your speaking skills by discussing nature and our daily habits through the lively conversation between Sarah and Mike. The transcript highlights the contrast between enjoying nature and spending excessive time indoors, a relatable theme for many. By engaging with this content, you will practice vocabulary related to nature, improve your English pronunciation, and develop your ability to express thoughts comfortably in everyday situations. This lesson is perfect for those using the shadowing technique to advance their speaking proficiency.
Key Vocabulary & Phrases
- Nature - The physical world collectively, including plants, animals, and landscapes.
- Confession - A statement admitting something one feels guilty about.
- Screen time - The amount of time spent using devices with screens such as TVs, computers, and tablets.
- Cushions - Soft bags of material used for comfort, typically found on sofas.
- Indoors - Inside a building or other enclosed area.
- Shadowing - A technique where learners repeat what they hear to improve their speaking skills and pronunciation.
- Plant care - The act of taking care of houseplants, including watering and providing sunlight.
- Amazing - Something that causes great surprise or wonder.
Practice Tips
To effectively use this lesson for enhancing your English speaking skills, consider applying the shadowing technique. As you listen to the conversation, follow these tips:
- Start Slowly - Listen to the transcript at a slower pace to catch every word. As you gain confidence, gradually increase your speed.
- Repeat Aloud - After each sentence, pause the video and repeat what you've heard. This will help you improve your English pronunciation and fluency.
- Focus on Intonation - Pay attention to the tone and rhythm in Sarah and Mike's conversation. Try to mimic their intonation to make your speech sound more natural.
- Practice with a Shadowing App - Consider using a shadowing app to track your improvements over time and receive feedback on your pronunciation.
- Record Yourself - By recording your shadowing sessions, you can listen back to identify areas where you can improve your pronunciation and speaking style.
Remember, practicing regularly using these techniques will lead to significant improvements in your English speaking abilities. Embrace nature, step outside, and enjoy the beauty of the world while practicing your English skills!
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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