Shadowing Practice: The Lazy Boy Story | Stories for Teenagers | @EnglishFairyTales - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

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The Lazy Boy Meet Joe and Willow, a lovely couple with a lovely home.
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195 sentences
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The Lazy Boy Meet Joe and Willow, a lovely couple with a lovely home.
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Joe and Willow loved each other more than anything else.
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And after seven long years, they had a child to shower more love on.
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A boy they named Jaden.
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Jaden was the apple of their eye.
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Anything he ever wanted was given to him, no questions asked.
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Even as he grew up, he would sit the whole day watching TV and playing video games.
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But his parents loved him so much that although they wanted him to play outside and help around the house like other children, they never said anything.
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They wanted to give him all the love and comfort in the world.
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Jayden and his parents were the happiest family.
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Years later, up in the clouds, there was a meeting of those who largely run our world.
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Habits.
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Where's dishonesty and tardiness?
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Tardiness is always late.
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It's infuriating.
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Is it?
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Isn't tardiness the habit of not being on time?
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I know you are anger and not intelligence, but this is common knowledge.
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Shh.
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Don't you anger me, Inertia.
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Your job is to be lazy and inactive.
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Being arrogant is not your job.
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That's what arrogance is here for.
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Shh.
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Only if being me was so easy, eh?
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So sorry.
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So sorry.
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I mean, I tried to be on time, but then there was this girl down there, and I had to command her to be late for her interview, and you know how it is.
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She has to be late for her first interview.
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That is how her friends will assume that she is always late.
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And it is easy for me to command her since nobody is expecting anything better out of her.
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She is right.
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We are late because of her.
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I was untied.
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Um, that's not true.
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Stop.
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He is dishonesty after all.
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He is never going to speak the truth.
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I've called this meeting about this boy, Jaden.
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Oh, yeah.
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Yes, Jaiden.
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The miracle child.
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Yes, the miracle child.
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Born after seven years.
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The only child to Joe and Willow of the Prime City.
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Let me see.
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He is 14 years of age now, and for three old months, he has been awake till after midnight.
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Been sleeping till afternoon, not eating his breakfast.
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Not working around the house, not finishing his homework, and...
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Aha!
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Here it is.
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Yesterday, he took his friend's lunch at school because he didn't like his own.
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That's a cue for me.
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Yes, but there's more.
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He later lied about it and shows no regret for his actions.
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So I am in.
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Yes.
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He doesn't seem to have any anger issues yet.
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But there is hope.
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For now, inertia, arrogance, and dishonesty, you are up.
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You three have a Jaden at Prime City to command.
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Get to work, you three.
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Down below, as Jayden grew up to be a lonely and lazy boy, he stopped listening to whoever tried to give him any advice.
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He would laze around and lie each time he was asked anything.
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Well, I did go to pay the bill, but the office was closed.
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Jayden, we haven't seen you move from this couch all morning.
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Well, I told you I went.
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If you don't believe it, there's nothing I can do.
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Joe and Willow were increasingly worried about Jaden's changing attitude.
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Jaden, honey, this is no way to behave.
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You are always playing games.
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You need to look for a job now and stand on your own two feet.
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Well, father, why weren't you so persistent when I was a child?
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You gave me everything I ever wanted, now all of a sudden you want me to work?
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If I'm so spoiled, you're the reason why.
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Jaden, you will not speak in that tone with your father.
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And you cannot blame someone else because they cared for you.
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We are your parents, and everything we did was out of love.
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You were a child then, and now you are all grown up.
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You can make your decisions and stop being so lazy.
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You are letting bad habits rule over your life and command your actions.
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No, I can make friends, live an active life, look for a job, clear my debts anytime I want.
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I'm not being ruled over by anyone.
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That was arrogance.
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Jaden knew it very well that he needed help, but arrogance always stopped him talking to his parents.
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Although arrogance was just one problem, and each time Jaden wished to do something, inertia would pull him down.
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And if that wasn't enough, dishonesty had made him lose all his friends.
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Jaden was lonely and tired all the time.
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One fine morning, Jaden woke up before the sun did.
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Surprised as he was, he immediately put on his clothes and decided to go to the garden for some fresh air.
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He went to the park, sat on a bench, and stared at the sun who was still rising.
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It was after a very long time that Jaden was feeling good.
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It's a beautiful garden, eh?
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Ah!
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Where'd you come from?
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Ah, well, I'm the gardener.
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I'm always around.
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Breathe while you can, mate.
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This will all end soon.
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What do you mean?
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Well, you see these particular weeds there?
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They're poisonous to that tree over there.
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Soon, all the goodness of that tree will be gone.
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And so will the view of this park.
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You are the gardener.
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Why don't you do anything about it?
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Well, I'm going to need help, and not many folks would want to help a gardener weed out the garden and get their clothes all dirty.
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Jaden looked at the weeds pointed one by one, and was suddenly worried.
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He didn't want the garden to lose the strongest tree.
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All right, I will help you.
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Now, what do we need?
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Clive brought the toolbox and placed it on the ground.
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He asked Jaden to pull out one weed near the tree.
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Done!
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Well, don't go celebrating yet.
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Some weeds are so deeply rooted that you need more time and sometimes additional tools.
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It took hours to successfully pull out the other two weeds pointed out by Clive, but Jaden didn't give up.
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For some reason, he was the most determined today and didn't feel lazy at all.
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Hold on.
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It seemed difficult, but all I needed is a little patience and persistence.
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Bravo, Jayden.
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You are now ready for my gift.
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Wait.
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I never told you my...
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Who are you?
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I am the Dragon of Boons.
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Jayden, I am here to help you defeat inertia, dishonesty, and arrogance who are commanding your life.
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I don't understand.
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You developed certain harmful habits, Jaden.
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And over time, as you grew up, those habits became bigger than you and command you.
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Inertia, dishonesty, and arrogance are the reason you are always tired and disinterested.
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Wow.
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What do I do about it?
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I am here to help you out, son.
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You pulled out these three magical weeds with persistence and patience.
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you have earned a boon.
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Wow!
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These are the three magical rings.
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The Ring of Honesty will help you uproot dishonesty.
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The Ring of Discipline will help you uproot inertia.
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And finally, the Ring of Love will help you uproot arrogance.
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But remember, son, you will need the tools of patience and empathy to uproot some of them as they are deeply rooted just like the magical weeds were.
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But tell me one thing.
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Why is it that now I don't feel tired?
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I'm able to speak the truth and I don't feel arrogant while seeking help.
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Ah, well, that's because I have slipped a sleeping draft to those three.
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They are still in your room, sleeping most comfortably.
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You did?
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Well, they are a little silly.
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Well, I should leave soon, for they may wake up any time.
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Remember, Jaden.
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Each time you think you are going to lose, remember the way you pulled out the weeds in this garden and keep going.
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Goodbye, son.
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From that day on, Jaden was at war with the three habits.
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He started waking up early.
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No, you are not.
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He began to go running.
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No, no.
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I won't let you go.
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You are mine.
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I command you.
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Come on.
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I can do one more lap.
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He also vowed to tell at least one truth a day.
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Which, well, was not easy.
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Say you don't know.
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You don't know.
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Jaden, you don't need them.
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You have me.
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I am Eregus, your best friend.
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Um...
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Remember, Jaden.
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Each time you think you are going to lose, remember the way you pulled out the weeds in this garden and keep going.
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You're right.
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I'm the one who took the baskets of muffins from outside your house.
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I was really hungry.
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I am sorry.
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Why don't I buy muffins for you guys?
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My treat.
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Come on, let's go.
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Huh?
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What?
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Jayden had learned the importance of love, empathy, and persistence.
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Mother?
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Father?
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I've been so rude to both of you.
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I can only hope that you will forgive me.
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And I promise I will do everything in my power to make myself better.
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No, you cannot say these things.
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Ow!
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Over time, Jaden took off the rings.
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He didn't need them anymore, as he was now honest, disciplined, and humble himself.
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He soon got a job and was respected by his friends.
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Jaden was successful and rich, but he never forgot his friend Clive and the weeds in the garden.
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Thank you.
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About This Lesson

In this lesson, you will immerse yourself in the engaging story of "The Lazy Boy," featuring a young character named Jaden. This narrative provides an excellent opportunity to practice English speaking and comprehension skills. As you follow Jaden’s journey, you will encounter key themes such as parental love, responsibility, and the consequences of laziness. By listening to the dialogue and reflecting on the interactions, you will develop your vocabulary and improve your pronunciation. This lesson is ideal for learners who want to utilize authentic stories to enhance their English proficiency through the shadowing technique.

Key Vocabulary & Phrases

  • apple of their eye - a person cherished above others
  • lovely couple - a couple who are kind and good-hearted
  • tardiness - the quality of being late
  • inertia - a tendency to be inactive or sluggish
  • miracle child - a child born after many challenges or a long wait
  • active lifestyle - a way of living that includes physical activities
  • command - an order given by someone in authority
  • shower love - to give a lot of affection and care

Practice Tips

To effectively use the shadowing technique while watching the video, focus on the following strategies:

  • Start Slowly: Watch the video at a slower speed if available. This allows you to catch the nuances in pronunciation and intonation.
  • Repeat Key Phrases: Pause the video after important sentences and repeat them aloud. This helps in reinforcing learning and improving English pronunciation.
  • Focus on Emotion: Pay attention to the emotions in the characters’ voices. Try to mimic their tone and delivery to enhance your speaking skills.
  • Record Yourself: Utilize a recording device while you practice. Listening to your own voice can help you identify areas that need improvement.
  • Engage with the Story: Discuss the moral of the story with a friend or a study partner. Engaging in conversation helps solidify your understanding and builds confidence in your speaking abilities.

By following these practice tips and using learn English with YouTube content effectively, you will see significant improvement in both your listening and speaking skills, making your English learning journey more enjoyable and productive.

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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