Shadowing Practice: The Most Unlucky Character in MSA History - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

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Hey, introducing the Harmonica bottle.
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218 sentences
1
Hey, introducing the Harmonica bottle.
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Hydrate, play, and surprise your friends.
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Be the star of any party exclusively on Amazon.
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Grab yours now and let the fun begin.
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Link below.
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You know those stories about karma?
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How people will do bad things and then horrible stuff happens to them as a result?
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Baloney.
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I don't believe it for a second.
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Why?
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Because I try my hardest to be a good person.
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And I'm still riddled with bad luck.
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Take one day my freshman year, for example.
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My alarm didn't go off, so I overslept and was late for school.
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As I pedaled frantically on my bike, my backpack unzipped itself and all my books and papers flew out.
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I had to stop and pick them up.
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When I had finally gathered up all my things, I tried to get back on my bike, but my skirt was stuck in the chain.
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I tried to wrench it loose and ended up ripping it.
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Ugh!
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I was closer to school than home at that point, so I decided to just change into my gym shorts when I arrived.
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I got on my bike and pedaled as hard as I could.
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I was so late.
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All of a sudden, I felt a bump and heard a popping noise.
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Then my back tire started to sink.
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No!
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Anything but this!
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I had run over a nail and got a flat tire.
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Dejectedly, I walked my bike all the way to school.
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I was more annoyed than angry at that point.
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When I finally arrived, I grabbed a tardy slip from the office, quickly changed into my shorts in the locker room, and went to my first period class, which I had almost missed entirely.
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Could this day get any worse?
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Evidently, it could.
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I had a big assignment due for a second period.
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It was something I worked all weekend on.
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But when I went to grab it from my backpack, it was missing.
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I must have missed picking it up when my backpack exploded on the ride over.
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What did I do to deserve this?
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I felt like I might cry.
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But since that wouldn't help solve my problem and would only serve to embarrass me, I held back the tears.
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Instead, I went to my teacher and explained the problem.
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I'm afraid I'll have to dock points for tardiness.
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Yes, ma'am.
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I trudged back to my desk.
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The rest of class seemed to pass by in slow motion.
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I sighed in relief when it was finally over.
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As I headed back to my locker, I heard some girls whispering from behind me.
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Wow, what a fashion statement.
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Think those shorts were on sale at Walmart?
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Do you think she'll be trying out for the next top model?
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They tickled and walked by me.
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I felt my face getting red.
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I knew what a disaster my outfit was, but it was out of my control.
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A girl from my class, Becca, stopped by me and put a hand on my shoulder.
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Hey, don't listen to them, Leah.
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Personally, I like the outfit you've got.
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It's pretty bold to pair red athletic shorts with a lime green blouse.
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She winked at me to let me know she was joking.
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Thanks, but it wasn't intentional.
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My skirt got ripped on the bike ride to school.
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Oh, why didn't you say so?
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I always have a sewing kit on hand.
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Give it to me, and I'll have it back to you by lunch.
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Thanks, Becca.
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Don't mention it.
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I have to admit, The good thing about having rotten luck is that you find out who the nicest people are.
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I smiled to myself and managed to make it to lunchtime.
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I didn't see Becca in the cafeteria, so I decided to grab a bite and save a spot for her.
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I passed through the lunch line and got a salad.
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As I was walking to an empty table, I slipped on a banana peel.
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I wasn't aware people could actually do that.
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I thought that was only in cartoons.
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I fell down, my food spilling all over my shirt.
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Great!
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Not only was I publicly humiliated, but even if I got my skirt back, my blouse was still ruined!
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You okay?
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Becca helped me up, and we sat down together.
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Here's your skirt.
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I tried to fix it up as best as I could.
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The stitching on the rip is slightly visible, but I tried to hide it as much as possible.
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I really appreciate it.
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Not a problem.
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I needed something to do in study hall anyway.
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I sighed.
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Becca looked at me in sympathy.
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Tough day, huh?
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I pointed to my ruined blouse.
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Well, at this point, it really couldn't get any worse.
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But this is just par for the course for me.
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What do you mean?
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Oh, I've always just had bad luck.
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You'd better watch out.
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It might be contagious.
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Aw, you don't really believe that, do you?
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I shrugged and put my head on the table.
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It was quiet for a while.
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Then Becca nudged my arm.
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I saw you dropped your lunch.
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Would you like some of my food?
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My stomach growled as a response.
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Becca and I locked eyes and then started to giggle.
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We finished eating just as the bell rang.
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I was feeling a little better about life after that.
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Maybe this day was salvageable after all.
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The rest of the afternoon passed by without anything major happening.
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I did get hit in the face during dodgeball, but that wasn't necessarily bad luck.
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I just lacked any coordination or athleticism.
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When school was over, I gathered up my things and was ready to head out.
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That was when I remembered that I'd have to walk my bike all the way back home.
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Oh well, at least the day was almost over.
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I trudged to the bike rack and fumbled with the lock.
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Suddenly, I heard a car honk behind me.
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Lea, do you need a ride?
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I do!
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You're a lifesaver!
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Put your bike in the trunk and let's go then!
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Man, am I lucky to have a friend like you!
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Becca laughed.
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Well, I guess there's the answer to your question.
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What?
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You were afraid that you were cursed with bad luck, right?
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But you just just said you're lucky to have me as a friend.
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So that proves that what you said isn't true.
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I paused, thinking about my day.
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Hey, I guess you're right.
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Of course I am.
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Now hurry up.
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Maybe we can get some ice cream before I drop you off.
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I happily jumped into the passenger seat and off we drove.
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And that was how my best worst day came to a close.
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And that was just one example of a typical day in my life.
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I found ways to be grateful, even when my days were ridiculous.
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You would think that incident would have been the worst of my misadventures, but no.
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When senior year finally came around, I was all set to graduate.
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But the day of the ceremony, my cap and gown got misplaced.
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I had to be the only one who walked up on stage without them.
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On top of that, one of my heels broke when I was walking down the stairs of the stage.
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Thankfully, I caught myself on the railing.
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Years of bad luck had prepared me for such occasions.
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When I got back to my seat, I looked down at my diploma.
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I bit back a curse as I realized they had spelled my name wrong.
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The whole ceremony had been a bust.
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But I was still looking forward to my graduation party afterwards.
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I had invited all of my friends, and my parents had ordered a bunch of food and set up games and a photo booth.
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I was really looking forward to it.
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It was supposed to be at the park, but then a thunderstorm came out of nowhere.
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We tried to salvage what we could and moved the party inside to the local community hall, but we had to share the space with a group that was having a retirement party.
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That was when my dad got a phone call from the catering service we were using.
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They wouldn't be able to deliver our food due to the bad weather.
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I was so disappointed and couldn't hide my feelings.
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My mom tried to cheer me up.
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She set up a few games and tried to keep the party going.
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But soon, the storm knocked out the power, and we were sitting in the dark.
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I thought the day was ruined.
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But then, one of the guys from the retirement party found a bunch of candles.
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Our two groups joined together and played mafia, told scary stories, and waited out the thunderstorm.
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I have to admit, it was kind of fun.
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Though my graduation day didn't turn out like I expected, I was bound and determined to view it in a positive light.
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I kept that feeling going right up until I left for college.
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No matter what, I was going to make those coming years the best of my life and shake off that nasty bad luck that had plagued my childhood.
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My dorm room was okay, just a little small.
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And I had a nice roommate.
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We didn't really see much of each other because our schedules were so different, but I didn't mind.
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I figured I'd make a bunch of friends in my classes and in the clubs I planned to join.
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I was about halfway through the first semester before my bad luck returned with a vengeance.
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It was a particularly cold day, and I decided to grab some coffee before my next class.
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There was a really long line, so I knew I'd be cutting it close, but I was so tired that I didn't care.
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When I finally got my drink, I rushed to class, but I wasn't paying attention to where I was going and tripped.
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I crashed into another person, spilling my drink all over the Both of us.
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Thankfully, it wasn't piping hot or we both might have gotten burned.
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Oh my gosh, I am so sorry.
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No big deal.
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I wasn't fond of this shirt anyway.
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I can pay for the dry cleaning bill.
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I swear, it's fine.
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Are you okay?
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Yeah, just embarrassed.
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I tried to walk around him so he wouldn't notice how red my face was.
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But when I took a step, my ankle throbbed in pain.
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I fell back and the guy caught me.
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Looks like you hurt your foot.
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Let me take a look.
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I'm studying to be a nurse.
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I sat down on a nearby bench and let him inspect my ankle.
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I grew more and more anxious as I realized that I probably would have to skip my class.
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I hoped I wouldn't miss anything important.
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It seems to be a light sprain.
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If you want, I can drive you to the nearest doctor.
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He was so earnest and concerned that I momentarily forgot about how horribly my day was going.
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And for the first time, I noticed how cute this guy was.
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I think I'm just gonna get some ice for it.
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He unleashed his smile on me, and I felt my heart melt.
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Okay, stay here, and I'll get some for you.
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He did just that, and we ended up sitting next to each other and talking for the next half hour.
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So, what's your name?
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Sammy.
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Thank you for all your help today, Sammy.
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I'm Leah.
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It was my pleasure.
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Honestly, it was nice to be able to use what I've learned to help someone.
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He fidgeted for a bit, then gave me a nervous smile.
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Would it be okay if I got your number?
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Sure.
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If my ankle hadn't hurt so much, I would have jumped for joy.
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After a while, I was feeling better.
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So I decided to head back to my dorm for the rest of the day.
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Sammy instructed me to elevate my leg and promised to text me later and check up on me.
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I spent the evening giddily awaiting his text.
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And then I realized something.
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Becca was right all those years ago.
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I wasn't cursed with bad luck.
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I was blessed by it.
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If all these things didn't happen to me, I never would have had the experiences I did or met the people I know.
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My phone chimed.
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It was a message from Sammy.
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How are you feeling?
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I hesitated, then texted him back.
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Pretty lucky.
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Thank you.
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About This Lesson

In this lesson, you will practice English speaking skills through the engaging and humorous account of a student's unlucky day as described in the video. This content focuses on everyday situations that learners might encounter, enhancing vocabulary and comprehension. You will also get an opportunity to hear how emotions and reactions can be expressed in English. By shadowing the speaker's tone and pace, you can improve your pronunciation, rhythm, and overall fluency, making this a valuable exercise for both IELTS speaking practice and general English speaking practice.

Key Vocabulary & Phrases

  • Hydrate: To drink water or other fluids to maintain good health.
  • Surprise your friends: To do something unexpected that will amuse or astonish others.
  • Pedaled frantically: To ride a bicycle with a lot of effort, often due to urgency or anxiety.
  • Tardy slip: A note issued by a school when a student arrives late to class.
  • Fashion statement: A way of expressing personal style; often used when discussing a unique or striking choice in clothing.
  • Assignment: A task or piece of work allocated to a student as part of their studies.
  • Trudged: To walk steadily and with effort; often used when one is feeling disheartened or tired.
  • Whispering: To speak very softly, often to keep a conversation private.

Practice Tips

To maximize your learning through this video, try the shadowing technique. Start by closely listening to the speaker's tone, speed, and emotional nuances. Note that the pace of the video's speech varies; some parts speed up when describing frantic moments while slowing down when expressing feelings of frustration or sadness. Here's how you can structure your practice:

  • First Listen: Watch the video without trying to speak. Focus on understanding the story and the emotions behind the words.
  • Repeat the Video: Play short segments and pause after each phrase. Try to imitate the speaker’s pronunciation and intonation precisely. This is key for effective shadow speech.
  • Playback Speed: Consider adjusting the video speed if necessary. Slower speeds can help with initial attempts, while normal speed will enhance your natural speaking pace.
  • Reinforce Vocabulary: Pick two to three key phrases from the vocabulary list and practice using them in your own sentences. This will cement your understanding and usage in real-life contexts.

By incorporating these tips into your English speaking practice, you'll improve your fluency and confidence, preparing you for scenarios that demand both quick thinking and articulate speech, especially in an IELTS speaking practice setting.

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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