Shadowing Practice: The Boy at Mugby by Charles Dickens - Full Audiobook | Short Stories - Learn English Speaking with Video

Choose a practice mode

Each mode opens a full-screen practice room.

257 sentences

If sentences are too short or too long, click Edit to adjust them.

The Boy at Mugby by Charles Dickens I am the boy at Mugby.

That's about what I am.

You don't know what I mean?

What a pity.

But I think you do.

I think you must.

Look here.

I am the boy at what is called the refreshment room at Mugby Junction, and what proudest boast is that it never yet refreshed a mortal being.

Up in a corner of the down refreshment room at Mugby Junction, in the height of 27 cross -drafts,

I've often counted them while they brushed the first -class hair 27 ways.

Behind the bottles, among the glasses, bounded on the north -west by the beer,

stood pretty far to the right of a metallic object that's at times the tea urn and at times the soup tureen,

according to the nature of the last twang imparted to its contents, which are the same groundwork,

fended off from the traveller by a barrier of stale sponge cakes erected atop of the counter,

and lastly exposed sideways to the glare of our missus' eye.

You ask a boy so situated.

Next time you stop in a hurry at Mugby for anything to drink.

You take particular notice that he'll try to seem not to hear you,

that he'll appear in an absent manner to survey the line through a transparent medium composed of your head and body,

and that he won't serve you as long as you can possibly bear it.

That's me.

What a lark it is.

We are the model establishment we are at Mugby.

Other refreshment rooms send their imperfect young ladies up to be finished off by our missus.

For some of the young ladies, when they're new to the business, come into it mild.

Ah, our missus, she soon takes that out of them.

Why, I originally come into the business meek myself.

But our missus, she soon took that out of me.

What a delightful lark it is.

I look upon us refreshmenters as occupying the only proudly independent footing on the line.

There's Papers, for instance.

My honourable friend, if he will allow me to call him so, him as belongs to Smith's Bookstall.

Why, he no more dares to be up to our refreshment

in games than he dares to jump atop of a locomotive with her steam at full pressure

and cut away upon her alone, driving himself at limited mail speed.

Papers?

He'd get his head punched at every compartment, first, second and third, the whole length of a train, if he was to venture to imitate my demeanour.

It's the same with the porters, the same with the guards, the same with the ticket clerks, the same the whole way up to the secretary, traffic manager or very chairman.

There ain't a one among them on the nobly independent footing we are.

Did you ever catch one of them when you wanted anything of him, making a system of surveying the line through a transparent medium composed of your head and body?

I should hope not.

You should see our bandolining room at Mugby Junction.

It's led to by the door behind the counter, which you'll notice usually stands ajar, and it's the room where our missus and our young ladies bandolines their air.

You should see them at it betwixt trains, bandolining away as if they was anointing themselves for the combat.

When you're telegraphed, you should see their noses all a -going up with scorn, as if it was a part of the working of the same Cook and Wheatstone electrical machinery.

You should hear our missus give the word.

Here comes the beast to be fed.

And then you should see him indignantly skipping across the line from the up to the down, or weiser Warsaw,

and begin to pitch the stale pastry into the plate

and chuck the sawdust sandwiches under the glass covers and get out the, ha ha ha, the sherry,

oh, my eye, my eye, for your refreshment.

It's only in the Isle of the Brave and the Land of the Free, by which of course I mean to say Britannia, that refreshmenting is so effective,

so wholesome, so constitutional, a check upon the public.

There was a foreigner which, having politely, with his hat off, beseeched our young ladies and our missus for a little gloss of brandy,

and having had the line surveyed through him by all and no other acknowledgement, was proceeding at last to help himself, as seems to be the custom in his own country,

when our missus, with her hair almost coming unbandolined with rage and her eyes emitting sparks flew at him,

cotched the decanter out of his hand and said, Put it down, I won't allow that.

The foreigner turned pale, stepped back with his arms stretched out in front of him, his hands clasped and his shoulders raised,

and exclaimed, Ah, is it possible this,

that these disdainous females and this ferocious old woman are placed here by the administration,

not only to empoison the voyagers, but to affront them?

Great heaven, how arrives it?

The English people, or is he then a slave, or idiot?

Another time, a merry wide -awake American gent had tried the sawdust and spit it out, and had tried the sherry and spit that out,

and had tried in vain to sustain exhausted nature upon butterscotch, and had been rather extra bandolined and line surveyed through,

when, then, as the bell was ringing and he paid our missus, he says, very loud and good -tempered, I tell you what tis,

ma 'am, I laugh, there, I laugh, I do, I oughta ha' seen most things,

for I hail from the unlimited side of the Atlantic Ocean, and I have travelled right slick over the limited, head on through Jerusalem and the east,

and likewise France and Italy, Europe old world, and am now upon the track to the chief European village,

but such an institution as you and your young ladies

and your fixings solid and liquid afore the glorious tarnal I never did see yet.

And if I ain't found the eighth wonder of monarchical creation in finding you

and your young ladies and your fixings solid and liquid,

all as aforesaid established in a country where the people are not absolute lunatics,

I am extra double -dined with a nip and frizzle to the innermostest grit.

Wherefore, there, I laugh, I do, ma 'am, I laugh.

And so he went, stamping and shaking his sides along the platform all the way to his own compartment.

I think it was her standing up again the foreigner as

give our missus the idea of going over to France and drawing a comparison betwixt refreshmenting as followed among the frog -eaters,

and refreshmenting as triumphant in the Isle of the Brave and the Land of the Free, by which of course I mean to say again Britannia.

Our young ladies, Miss Whiff, Miss Piff and Mrs Sniff, was unanimous opposed to her going, for, as they says to our Misses one and all,

it is well benign to the hens of the earth as no other nation except Britain has a idea of anything, but above all of business.

Why then should you tire yourself to prove what is already proved?

Our Mrs, however, being a teaser at all points, stood out grim obstinate and got a return pass by southeastern title to go right through,

if such should be her dispositions, to Marseille.

Sniff is husband to Mrs Sniff and is a regular insignificant cove.

He looks hard to the sawdust department in the back room, and is sometimes, when we are very hard put to it, let him behind the counter with a corkscrew.

But never when it can be helped, his demeanour towards the public being disgusting servile.

How Mrs. Sniff ever comes so far to lower herself as to marry him, I don't know.

I suppose he does, and I should think he wished he didn't, for he leads a awful life.

Mrs. Sniff couldn't be much harder with him if he was public.

Similarly, Miss Whiff and Miss Piff, taking the tone of Mrs. Sniff, they shoulder sniff about when he is let in with a corkscrew,

and they whisk things out of his hands, when in his civility he is going to let the public have him, and they snap him up,

when in the crawling baseness of his spirit he is going to answer a public question, and they draw more tears into his eyes than ever the mustard does,

which he all day long lays on to the sawdust, but it ain't strong.

Once, when Sniff had the repulsiveness to reach across to get the milk pot to hand over for a baby,

I see our Mrs. in her rage catch him by both his shoulders and spin him out into the bandolining room.

But Mrs. Sniff, how different, she's the one.

She's the one, as you'll notice, to be always looking another way from you when you look at her.

100

She's the one with the small waist buckled in tight in front and with the lace cuffs at her wrists,

101

which she puts on the edge of the counter before her and stands as smoothing while the public foams.

102

This smoothing the cuffs and looking another way

103

while the public foams is the last accomplishment taught to the

104

young ladies as come to Mugby to be finished by our missus, and it's always taught by Mrs Sniff.

105

When our missus went away upon her journey, Mrs. Sniff was left in charge.

106

She did hold the public in check most beautiful.

107

In all my time, I never see half so many cups of tea given without milk to people as wanted it with,

108

nor half so many cups of tea with milk given to people as wanted it without out.

109

When foaming ensued, Mrs. Sniff would say, then you'd better settle it among yourselves and change with one another.

110

It was a most highly delicious lark.

111

I enjoyed the refreshmenting business more than ever, and was so glad I'd took to it when young.

112

Our Mrs. returned.

113

It got circulated among the young ladies,

114

and it, as it might be penetrated to me through the crevices of the bandolining room that she had horrors to reveal,

115

if revelation so contemptible could be dignified with the name.

116

Agitation became awakened, excitement was up in the stirrups, expectation stood a tiptoe.

117

At length, it was put forth that on our slackest evening in the week, and at our slackest time of that evening betwixt trains,

118

our missus would give her views of foreign refreshmenting in the bandolining room.

119

It was arranged tasteful for the purpose.

120

The bandolining table and glass was hid in a corner, an armchair was elevated on a packing case for our missus' occupation,

121

a table and a tumbler of water was placed beside it.

122

Two of the pupils, the season being autumn and hollyhocks and dahlias being in, ornamented the wall with three devices in those flowers.

123

On one might be read, May Albion never learn.

124

On another, Keep the public down.

125

On another, Our refreshmenting charter.

126

The whole had a beautiful appearance with which the beauty of the sentiments corresponded.

127

On our missus's brow was rote severity as she ascended the fatal platform.

128

Not that that was anything new, Miss Whiff and Miss Piff sat at her feet.

129

Three chairs from the waiting room might have been perceived by an average eye in front of her, on which the pupils was accommodated.

130

Behind them, a very close observer might have discerned a boy, myself.

131

Where, said our missus, glancing gloomily around, is Sniff.

132

I thought it better, answered Mrs Sniff, that he should not be let to come in, he is such an ass.

133

No doubt, assented our missus, but for that reason is it not desirable to improve his mind?

134

Oh, nothing will ever improve him, said Mrs. Sniff.

135

However, pursued our missus, call him in, Ezekiel.

136

I called him in.

137

The appearance of the low -minded cove was hailed with disapprobation

138

from all sides on account of his having brought his corkscrew with him.

139

He pleaded the force of habit.

140

The force, said Mrs. Sniff.

141

Don't let us have you talking about force for gracious sake.

142

There, do stand still where you are with your back against the wall.

143

He is a smiling piece of vacancy, and he smiled in the mean way in which he will even smile at the public if he gets a chance.

144

Language can say no meaner of him, and he stood upright near the door with the back of his head against the wall,

145

as if he was awaiting for somebody to come in and measure his height for the army.

146

I should not enter, ladies, says our missus, on the revolting disclosures I am about to make

147

if it was not in the hope

148

that they will cause you to be yet more implacable in the exercise of the power you wield in a constitutional country.

149

and yet more devoted to the constitutional motto which I see before me.

150

It was behind her, but the words sounded better so.

151

May Albion never learn.

152

Here the pupils, as had made the motto, admired it, and cried, Here, here, here.

153

Sniff, showing an inclination to join in chorus, got himself frowned down by every brow.

154

The baseness of the French, pursued our missus, as displayed in the fawning nature of their refreshmenting,

155

equals, if not surpasses, anything as was ever heard of the baseness of the celebrated buonaparte.

156

Miss Whiff, Miss Piff and me, we drawed a heavy breath, equal to saying, we thought as much.

157

Miss Whiff and Miss Piff, seeming to object to my drawing mine along with theirs, I drawed another to aggravate them.

158

Shall I be believed?

159

says our missus with flashing eyes, when I'd tell you that no sooner had I set my foot upon that treacherous shore.

160

Here Sniff, either busting out mad or thinking aloud, says in a low voice, Feet.

161

Plural, you know.

162

The cowering that come upon him when he was spurned by all eyes, added to his being beneath contempt,

163

was sufficient punishment for a cove so grovelling.

164

In the midst of a silence rendered more impressive by the turned -up female noses with which it was pervaded,

165

our missus went on, Shall I be believed when I tell you that no sooner had I landed,

166

this word with a killing look at sniff, on that treacherous shore, than I was ushered into a refreshment room where there were,

167

I do not exaggerate, actually eatable things to eat.

168

A groan burst from the ladies.

169

I not only did myself the honour of joining, but also of lengthening it out.

170

Where there were, our missus added, not only eatable things to eat, but also drinkable things to drink.

171

A murmur, swelling almost into a scream, arised.

172

Miss Piff, trembling with indignation, called out, Name!

173

I will name, said our missus.

174

There was roast fowls hot and cold, there was smoking roast veal surrounded with browned potatoes, there was hot soup with,

175

again, I ask shall I be credited, nothing bitter in it, and no flour to choke off the consumer,

176

There was a variety of cold dishes set off with jelly, there was salad, there was,

177

mark me, fresh pastry, and that of a light construction, there was a luscious show of fruit,

178

there was bottles and decanters of sound small wine of every size

179

and adapted to every pocket the same odious statement will apply to Brandy, and these were set out upon the counter so that all could help themselves.

180

Our Mrs's lips so quivered that Mrs Sniff, though scarcely less convulsed than she were, got up and held the tumbler to them.

181

This, proceeds our Mrs, was my first unconstitutional experience.

182

Well, it would have been if it had been my last and worst, But no, as I proceeded further into that enslaved and ignorant land,

183

its aspect became more hideous.

184

I need not explain to this assembly the ingredients and formation of the British refreshment sandwich.

185

Universal laughter, except from Sniff,

186

who, as sandwich cutter, shook his head in a state of the utmost dejection as he stood with it again the wall.

187

Well, said our missus, with dilated nostrils.

188

Take a fresh, crisp, long, crusty penny loaf made of the whitest and best flour.

189

Cut it longwise through the middle, insert a fair and nicely fitting slice of ham, tie a smart piece of ribbon round the middle of the hole to bind it together.

190

Add at one end a neat wrapper of clean white paper by which to hold it,

191

and the universal French refreshment sandwich busts on your disgusted vision.

192

A cry of shame from all, except Sniff, which rubbed his stomach with a soothing hand.

193

I need not, said our missus, explain to this assembly the usual formation and fitting of the British refreshment room.

194

No, no, and laughter, Sniff again shaking his head, in low spirits again the wall.

195

Well, said our missus, what would you say to a general decoration of everything,

196

to hangings, sometimes elegant, to easy velvet furniture, to abundance of little tables, to abundance of little seats,

197

to brisk, bright waiters, to great convenience, to a pervading cleanliness and tastefulness,

198

positively addressing the public and making the beast thinking itself worth the pains.

199

Contemptuous fury on the part of all the ladies.

200

Mrs. Sniff looking as if she wanted somebody to hold her, and everybody else looking as if they'd rather not.

201

Three times, said our missus, working herself into a truly terremendous state.

202

Three times did I see these shameful things, only between the coast and Paris, and not counting either.

203

At Hasbrook, at Arras, at Amiens.

204

but worse remains.

205

Tell me, what would you call a person who should propose in England that there should be kept, say at our own model Mugby Junction,

206

pretty baskets, each holding an assorted cold lunch and dessert for one, each at a certain fixed price,

207

and each within a passenger's power to take away, to empty in the carriage at perfect leisure,

208

and to return at another station fifty or a hundred miles further on.

209

There was disagreement what such a person should be called, whether revolutionist, atheist, bright.

210

Aye, said him, or un -English.

211

Miss Piff screeched her shrill opinion last in the words, a malignant maniac.

212

I adopt, says our missus, the brand set upon such a person by the righteous indignation of my friend Miss Piff,

213

a malignant maniac.

214

Know then that that malignant maniac has sprung from the congenial soil of France,

215

and that his malignant madness was in unchecked action on this same part of my journey.

216

I noticed that Sniff was a rub in his hands, and that Mrs Sniff had got her eye upon him,

217

but I did not take more particular notice owing to the excited state in which the young ladies was,

218

and to feeling myself called upon to keep it up with a howl.

219

On my experience south of France, said our missus in a deep tone,

220

I will not expatiate, too loathsome were the task,

221

but fancy this, fancy a guard coming round with the train at full speed to inquire how many for dinner,

222

Fancy us telegraphing forward the number of diners.

223

Fancy everyone expected and the table elegantly laid for the complete party.

224

Fancy a charming dinner in a charming room and the head cook,

225

concerned for the honour of every dish superintending in his clean white jacket and cap.

226

Fancy the beast travelling 600 miles on end, very fast and with great punctuality,

227

yet being taught to expect all this to be done for it.

228

A spirited chorus of The Beast.

229

I noticed that Sniff was again a rub in his stomach with a soothing hand, and that he had drawn up one leg.

230

But again, I didn't take particular notice, looking on myself was called upon to stimulate public feeling, it being a lark besides.

231

Putting everything together, said our missus, French refreshmenting comes to this, and oh, it comes to a nice total.

232

First, eatable things to eat and drinkable things to drink.

233

A groan from the young ladies, kept up by me.

234

Second, convenience and even elegance.

235

Another groan from the young ladies, kept up by me.

236

Third, moderate charges.

237

This time a groan from me, kept up by the young ladies.

238

Fourth, and here, says our missus, I claim your angriest sympathy,

239

attention, common civility, nay, even politeness.

240

Me and the young ladies regularly raging mad altogether ever.

241

And I cannot in conclusion, says our missus, with a spitefulest sneer, give you a completer picture of that despicable nation,

242

after what I have related,

243

than assuring you that they wouldn't bear our constitutional ways and noble independence at Mugby Junction for a single month,

244

and that they would turn us to the right about, and put another system in our places as soon as look at us,

245

perhaps sooner, for I do not believe they have the good taste to care to look at us twice.

246

The swelling tumult was arrested in its rise.

247

Sniff, bore away by his servile disposition, had drawn up his leg with a higher and higher relish,

248

and was now discovered to be waving his corkscrew over his head.

249

It was at this moment that Mrs. Sniff, who had kept her eye upon him like the fabled obelisk descended on her victim.

250

Our missus followed them both out, and cries was heard in the sawdust department.

251

You come into the down refreshment room at the junction, making believe you don't know me,

252

and I'll point you out with my right thumb over my shoulder which is our missus, and which is miss whiff, and which is miss piff, and which is missus sniff.

253

But you won't get a chance to see sniff, because he disappeared that night.

254

Whether he perished, tore to pieces, I cannot say, but his corkscrew alone remains,

255

to bear witness to the servility of his disposition.

256

Thank you for listening to The Boy at Mugby by Charles Dickens.

257

If you have enjoyed this audiobook, please consider subscribing and leaving a like to help in the making of future audiobooks works.

Download App

Everything you need to speak fluently

AI PronunciationScore every sentence

IPA PracticeMaster every sound

VocabularyBuild your word bank

Vocab GameLearn while playing

Scan QR

Download on theApp Store Get it onGoogle Play

Same Channel

The Poor Traveller by Charles Dickens - Full Audiobook | Christmas Stories

Cambridge Exam PrepUniversity StudentsWorking Adults

The Masque of the Red Death by Edgar Allan Poe - Full Audiobook | Horror Stories

University StudentsWorking Adults

FOR YOU

Recommend Video

90 sentences

Mr. Bingley's Adorable Proposal | Pride & Prejudice

Cambridge Exam PrepDaily ConversationUniversity Students

754 sentences

710. The Umbrella Man by Roald Dahl (Learn English with a Short Story)

Daily ConversationUniversity StudentsWorking Adults

488 sentences

The Upper Crusts - episode 1 (1973) | Starring Charles Gray, Margaret Leighton and Lalla Ward

Daily ConversationUniversity StudentsWorking Adults

190 sentences

British Accent Shadowing | The Wind in the Willows | Learn RP Pronunciation with Classic Literature

Cambridge Exam PrepBusiness EnglishUniversity Students

112 sentences

Gerald Durrell to Lee McGeorge - Read by Tom Hiddleston

University StudentsWorking Adults

Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson

This B2 speaking lesson is built on the video “The Boy at Mugby by Charles Dickens - Full Audiobook”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: missus, sniff, Mrs, ladies, miss. This video has 257 sentences and 3759 words to shadow. The speech runs for 25:22. The speaker talks at a steady 148 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. Only 77% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is demanding.

Key vocabulary in this video

The 15 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:

Word	Pronunciation	Meaning
missus noun	/ˈmɪs.əz/	Wife or girlfriend.
sniff verb	/snɪf/	To make a short, audible inhalation, through the nose, as when smelling something.
refreshment noun	/ɹɪˈfɹɛʃ.mənt/	The process of refreshing; a means of restoring strength, energy or vigour.
piff		An exclamation of annoyance or contempt; pish; pshaw.
whiff noun	/wɪf/	A brief, gentle breeze; a light gust of air; a waft.
junction noun	/ˈd͡ʒʌŋkʃən/	The act of joining, or the state of being joined.
corkscrew noun	/ˈkɔɹk.skɹu/	An implement for opening bottles that are sealed by a cork. Sometimes specifically such an implement that includes a screw-shaped part, or worm.
groan verb	/ˈɡɹəʊ̯n/	To make a groan.
lark noun	/lɑɹk/	Any of various small, singing passerine birds of the family Alaudidae.
baseness noun	/ˈbeɪsnəs/	The quality or condition of being base.
eatable adjective	/ˈiːtəbəl/	Able to be eaten; edible.
foreigner noun	/ˈfɔɹ.ɪ.nɚ/	A person from a foreign country.
maniac noun	/ˈmeɪ.niˌæk/	An insane person, especially one who suffers from a mania.
cove noun	/koʊv/	A hollow in a rock; a cave or cavern.
pupil noun	/ˈpjuːpəl/	A learner at a school under the supervision of a teacher.

Phrasal verbs you will hear

Word	Meaning
keep up verb	To maintain; to preserve; to prevent from deteriorating or falling.
draw up verb	To compose (a document), especially following a standard form; prepare a plan.
bear away verb	To steer away from the wind
call out verb	To specify, especially in detail.
finish off verb	To finish completely.
get out verb	To leave or escape.
get up verb	To move in an upward direction; to ascend or climb.
stand out verb	To jut out, protrude (from a surface etc.).

Sentences worth repeating

Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:

That's about what I am.
You don't know what I mean?
Why then should you tire yourself to prove what is already proved?
Shall I be believed?

Grammar in this video

The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:

Structure	In the video
Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it	is called · be finished · be fed
Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now	I've often counted · have travelled · has sprung
Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thing	contents, which are · person who should · shoulder which is

Pronunciation to watch

The speaker uses 27 contractions and reduced forms, such as don't, ain't, won't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.

The “th” sounds: soothe /suːð/, theirs /ðɛɚz/, thumb /ˈθʌm/, sympathy /ˈsɪm.pəθ.i/, altogether /ɔl.tuˈɡɛð.ɚ/
The “sh” and “zh” sounds: refreshment /ɹɪˈfɹɛʃ.mənt/, junction /ˈd͡ʒʌŋkʃən/, disposition /ˌdɪs.pəˈzɪʃ.ən/, indignation /ˌɪn.dɪɡˈneɪ.ʃən/, sherry /ˈʃɛɹi/
Long words — get the stress right: civility /sɪˈvɪl.ɪ.ti/, disposition /ˌdɪs.pəˈzɪʃ.ən/, indignation /ˌɪn.dɪɡˈneɪ.ʃən/, ingredient /ɪnˈɡɹiːdi.ənt/, revelation /ˌɹɛv.əˈleɪ.ʃən/

How to practise with this video

Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
Shadow it sentence by sentence at normal speed, repeating each one until your rhythm matches the speaker.
Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like missus, sniff, refreshment.

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.

Shadowing technique: read the full step-by-step guide →