Shadowing Practice: The President Hired Me - Learn English Speaking with Video
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328 sentences
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1
I was enjoying my ice cream cone when I heard screaming and saw people running from a nearby bank.
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Most girls would go for safety, but I am not like most girls.
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I ran towards the bank and saw a robber in a ski mask holding a hostage.
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I had to think fast.
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I pulled my hood over my head, hid my ice cream cone around my back, and entered the bank.
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Nobody move!
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I'm robbing this bank!
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The robber turned around, totally confused.
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Uh, this is awkward.
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I'm actually robbing this place, so...
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Sorry sister, I work alone.
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As the robber moved his gun to talk to me, I threw my ice cream, splattering him in the face.
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I moved like the flash, grabbed his gun, pointed it at him, and he surrendered immediately.
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Hi, I'm Astrid, and all I've ever wanted to be is a hero.
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Fun fact: I'm actually the youngest girl to ever go through Navy SEAL training.
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Well, thanks to my military family, I'm the youngest girl of five brothers, all in the Marines.
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I know what you're thinking: "Wow, that's military training in itself, right?" And you are so right.
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But before I continue my truly action -packed girl power story, please like and subscribe.
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Everyone was telling me how heroic I was.
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I felt amazing!
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Until I overheard one handsome guy in the crowd respond: "Wow, she's amazing !" Yeah, she's brave, but also stupid to put herself and others in danger.
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She should have let the police handle it.
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What the.. what was his deal?
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I turned towards that jerk to give him a piece of my mind, but a muscular hand grabbed my arm and pulled me away.
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My eyes sparkled with excitement when I realized that hand belonged to Aiden, my oldest brother's best friend from boot camp.
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And I totally had the biggest crush on him ever since I saw him hugging my brother at his graduation.
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Wow, Astrid.
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I was in the area and saw everything.
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Can I take you out for lunch?
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Pinch me, because Aiden just asked me out on a date.
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Are you okay?
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Sir, yes, sir.
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I followed Aiden to a nearby park where he had rented a rowboat for us.
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This was my notebook moment, minus the dying grandparents.
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I prepared myself for Aiden's love confession when he leaned in.
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I readied my lips.
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Now that we're alone, I wanted to offer you a job on behalf of the president.
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Uh, what?
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he'd be perfect for.
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Have you ever considered going undercover?
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Like a spy?
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Not really.
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We've been chasing this exotic animal trader known as Wildcat Carla.
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We think she just stole a bunch of albino tigers from a nature preserve and wants to turn them into coats.
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What a monster!
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But wait, the president cares that much about animals?
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Actually, the president wants her in jail for other things as well, but they're top secret.
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Ah.
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But you also discovered she's looking for a housekeeper, and we need to get you on the inside.
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So, you want me to pretend to be a housekeeper just to collect evidence on this Carla Cat girl?
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Just because I'm a girl doesn't mean I'm good at cleaning.
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No, but you were raised by a military family, and I've been to your house.
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It's spotless.
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He had a point.
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We have a saying at home: cleanliness is close to godliness.
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We need a girl so it's not suspicious, especially one who can defend herself just in case.
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Someone I can trust completely, and it's only you who comes to mind.
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Mind?
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I wish I was closer to his heart than his mind.
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And if you're able to confirm that Carla has the Tigers, we'll pay you three million dollars.
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I'm in.
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That wasn't a bad deal.
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I got the job easily, but when I showed up, I realized this place was a dump.
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No wonder no one else wanted this job.
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I turned a corner cleaning when, crash, I slammed into one Mr. Tall, Dark and Handsome.
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To my shock, it was the same jerk who called me stupid after I had saved all those people at the bank.
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Thankfully, he didn't recognize me.
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Achoo!
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Then this thirst trap started sneezing everywhere.
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Suddenly, wild cat Carla came running in.
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"What have you done, you stupid girl?
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My son, Mason, is highly allergic to dust." "A -choo !" And he sneezed right on Carla's face.
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I'll fix this.
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I grabbed Mason and ran to the bathroom, throwing him into the shower as fast as I could.
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As water poured down on us, Mason stopped sneezing.
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If he wasn't known as a jerk or I was so worried about keeping my job, I would have considered this romantic.
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I turned off the water, but Mason kept blinking at me.
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"Uh, you good?" "Yeah, you saved me." "You can stay.
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For now." And Carla disappeared back into the darkness.
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I'm sorry.
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Don't be.
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I'm just a housekeeper.
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But if I save a few lives, I guess that's a win -win.
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No, I mean about my mom.
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She can be a lot.
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Sure you're up for this?
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Why wouldn't I be?
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You look delicate, and it's a tough job.
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And then I grabbed him with one hand and pulled him to his feet in one swoop.
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Mason was floored.
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Literally.
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How's that for delicate?
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I walked off like the awesome boss I am.
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The look on Mason's face told me he would not make that mistake again.
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The next day when sweeping, I saw Carla enter a suspicious warehouse on the edge of her property.
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I was just done setting up some microphones when… "Well, if it isn't my hot housekeeper." The name is Astrid.
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I'm throwing a party here tonight and I want you to clean it up for me, since you are my employee.
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And then, with a flip of his hair, he walked away before I could answer.
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I showed up to the party that night with a new plus one: my mop.
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Romantic, right?
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But Mason's friends were bigger jerks than he was.
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They started having mess -making contests, and would force me to clean up after them, laugh, then make a mess all over again.
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You better stop, unless you want me to kick all of your butts.
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Before I could even wind up my fist, Mason snapped his fingers and security escorted those losers out.
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She is my housekeeper, not yours!
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Um, hello?
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I don't need you to fight my battles for me.
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I can clean up after myself.
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But as I stepped forward to give it to him, I slept on a spilled drink and clumsily fell into Mason's arms.
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My face instantly flushed.
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Looks like you need to be a better housekeeper.
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Want to dance?
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But before I could reject him, this pretty girl pulled Mason away and started dancing with him.
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Ew!
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Don't dance with the help, dance with me.
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My stomach clenched.
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What a rude and privileged girl.
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But also, oh no!
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Was this jealousy I was feeling?
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Stop it, Astrid.
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Don't get attached.
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Suddenly, this muscular dude came up to the two of them and pulled Mason away.
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That's my girlfriend, jerk!
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He threw a punch at Mason.
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Out of instinct, I jumped in, blocked it, then flipped the bully onto a nearby table, shattering it.
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Mason looked at me like I was Wonder Woman.
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How did you do that?
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Uh, my parents taught me karate straight out of the womb?
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It wasn't a total lie.
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That was incredible!
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I want you to teach me how to fight, just like that, starting tomorrow.
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That night I called Aiden and told him everything.
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Astrid, you can't get involved with Mason.
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His mother's a criminal.
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I'm not getting involved.
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I want you, dummy.
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Actually, that's not a bad idea.
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You should get Mason to fall in love with you.
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Maybe then he'll tell you his mother's secrets.
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I don't want to be his girlfriend.
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He's called me stupid when I saved everyone at the bank.
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You're undercover, Astrid.
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This is your chance to get him back, make him fall in love with you, and then show him who's really stupid.
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I guess he had a point.
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and burst into my room as excited as a schoolgirl.
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Training time, training time, it's Astrid and Mason's training time!
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Gosh, he was annoying.
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But why did he look cute being excited?
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Ugh, focus Astrid!
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Aiden's idea was already paying off, because Mason took me into the warehouse through a keycard he kept in his jacket.
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Noted.
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But inside, no tigers.
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Show me what you got.
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And what he had was pathetic.
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Mason got tired after two tiny punches.
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You're gonna need more focus if you want to defend yourself.
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Yeah, I know.
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Mom tried to teach me how to fight once.
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I got one punch in and she spent three hours telling me everything I did wrong for one punch.
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She was right.
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I should just give up.
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No, Mason, you have what it takes.
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Just, you have to believe in yourself.
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You got this.
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He got back up, more confident than before.
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Sure, he wasn't perfect by the end of the day, but he had thrown some solid hits.
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He even hugged me.
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Thank you for believing in me.
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Uh, anytime?
170
"Hey, uh, my mom wants you to come with me to her zoo tomorrow." I'm in!
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This was the first big lead I had in weeks!
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But when we pulled up, a protesting group of animal lovers blocked the entrance.
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They had signs accusing Mason's mom of animal cruelty.
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Mason instantly turned the car around.
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He didn't speak for the whole drive back.
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He seemed embarrassed.
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We got back into Mason's and he looked really sad, so I grabbed his hand and my heart fluttered a bit.
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Is everything okay?
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I have to be honest with you, Astrid.
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My mom didn't actually order you to come to the zoo with me.
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I like you, and I was worried you'd say no. You're the strongest, most beautiful girl I've ever met.
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Aww, thanks.
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My mom's been accused of some bad stuff.
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None of it is true, but I understand if you don't want to be with me.
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"Mason, I work for your mom, and I don't want her to get the wrong idea." I had to wrap this mission up as soon as possible.
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I knew Aiden said I could hurt him, but that doesn't mean I should.
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Besides, I actually started to like him.
188
That night when Mason was asleep, I snuck into his room and stole his keycard from his jacket.
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I entered the warehouse, but a hand grabbed me and turned me around.
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It was Mason!
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Astrid, how did you get my keycard?
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I, uh, you gave me this.
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What? When?
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I panicked, grabbed his shirt, and kissed him as hard as I could.
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I am madly in love with you.
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I knew it.
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I guess I had distracted him well
198
because he only said I have a surprise for you tomorrow
199
The next day I was shocked to see a helicopter waiting
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for us Mason flew us up to have the most romantic
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dinner of my life on top of a frozen mountain I
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had the chef make you one of everything since I wasn't
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sure what was your favorite He held out a rose like the absolute gentleman.
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I realized he was uh I really have to pee I called Aiden now due to your puppy love routine.
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I'm just doing what you told me to do.
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Well, do it better.
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You're running out of time.
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The next morning I woke up with a horrible cold, probably from the snow, and Mason was sitting on the edge of my bed staring at me like I was an art exhibit.
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I should have brought you a coat too.
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This is all my fault.
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Let me take care of you.
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And before I could say anything, Mason sprung into action!
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Wow, you're really good at this.
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I love nursing things back to health.
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Did you know I always wanted to be a vet?
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No way!
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Way?
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I love animals so much.
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Their cute little faces, they're the best!
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I would never do anything to hurt them.
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You can still be a vet if you want.
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You don't understand.
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After my dad left us, there was only Mom, so I couldn't say no to her.
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And she wanted me to follow her footsteps in her business.
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And what kind of business is that?
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If I show you, will you promise to keep it a secret?
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I nodded.
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This was my chance.
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And Mason pulled me out of bed.
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He took me inside the warehouse and used his keycard to open the secret door behind a punching mat.
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Whoa!
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Shhh!
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Mom can't know I took you here.
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We walked down some secret steps into a huge pen where I was confronted with all the tigers!
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I instantly took a pic and hit send to aid me.
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Gotcha!
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Hey, you can't do that!
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Sorry, just instinct.
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Well, just don't send them to anyone.
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My mom is protecting these endangered animals from being experimented on.
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Are you sure?
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Yes, of course.
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That's what she told me.
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I ran up the stairs and called Aiden.
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Great job Astrid.
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The special agents are on their way because of you.
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Tell the police to stay where they are.
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Carla is protecting the Tigers, not turning them into coats.
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He's lying to you Astrid.
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I don't - Ah!
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Suddenly two strong hands grabbed me.
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It was Carla!
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I knew I never should have hired you!
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Mom!
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Let go of my girlfriend!
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We turned to see Mason standing in the corner distraught.
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Some girlfriend?
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This little double agent just called the cops on mommy's operation.
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Astrid?
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You what?
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I can explain, Mason.
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Your mom wanted to turn the tigers into coats, not save them.
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Mom, is this true?
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And by the sheer look on Carla's face, I could tell it was true.
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Just then, the military burst into the warehouse, arrested her, and rounded up all the tigers safely.
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And then a familiar arm wrapped itself around me.
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Great work, Astrid.
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It takes a lot to pretend to fall in love with someone just to get information out of them.
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You've earned this." And he handed me a suitcase filled with cash.
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I turned around to see Mason, staring at me.
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Aiden got to him first, though.
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"She's come a long way from that stupid girl at the bank, hasn't she?" What?
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That was you?
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I knew you looked familiar!
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Mason, wait, it's not what you think.
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I can't believe I trusted you, Astrid!
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I gave you my heart, and you locked my mom up!
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Mason, I'm sorry.
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I like you!
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Yeah, right.
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You think I believe you after you just lied to my face for months?
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Goodbye, Astrid.
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Forever.
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I couldn't blame him for blowing up on me, but he didn't realize that I had actually fallen in love with him during everything.
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The next week, Aiden asked me out.
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He took me out on a rowboat again, but this time he leaned in and said, "The president wants to hire you as a full -time secret agent." If you want.
287
What?
288
I thought you were gonna tell me you loved me.
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Oh Astrid, I do love you.
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Just not in that way.
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Didn't you know your brother and I are a couple?
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I was definitely happy for them, but I also felt silly for obsessing over Aiden for years.
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Clearly I wasn't his type.
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So, what's it gonna be?
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You want the job?
296
But I politely turned him down.
297
Going undercover wasn't worth it if it meant hurting someone I cared about.
298
I texted Mason a novel of an apology, but he blocked my number.
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I guess I deserved it.
300
A few years later, I was walking in the park when I saw a hurt baby bird.
301
I wrapped it gently in my handkerchief and was pointed to the best animal hospital in town.
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When I arrived there, I was shocked to see Mason tending to a sick hamster.
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My heart raced.
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It had been too long.
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I pushed the door open and Mason looked up.
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For a split second our eyes locked.
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The world seemed to fade.
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Then reality set back in.
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"I found this little one and thought you'd be able to help.
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I heard you're the best in town." Mason smiled softly.
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"Always the hero." Huh, Astrid?
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As we looked at each other, the weight of our past seemed both heavy and distant.
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I...
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I'm sorry, Mason.
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Not just for how things ended, but for everything.
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It hurt, Astrid.
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Not just what happened with my mother, but thinking that everything between us was just an act.
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It wasn't.
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Not all of it.
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Not the moments that truly mattered.
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Mason took a deep breath, releasing the bird which flew away.
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Second chances are rare.
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But I believe everyone deserves one.
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Even someone like me?
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He reached out, wiping away a tear with his thumb.
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Especially for someone like you.
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The room suddenly felt lighter, and we both felt hopeful.
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We knew there were tough times ahead, but together, it felt like we could do anything.
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About This Lesson
In this lesson, you will practice your English speaking skills through an exciting narrative about a brave girl named Astrid, who takes on a bank robber and gets approached by a charming stranger. This engaging transcript provides a great opportunity to enhance your vocabulary, expression, and comprehension in various contexts. By focusing on the action-packed story, you will improve your pronunciation and fluency, which are essential components of effective communication in English. As you listen and shadow the dialogue, aim to capture the emotions and excitement of the scenario, which will help you become a more dynamic speaker.
Key Vocabulary & Phrases
- Hostage - a person held captive to fulfill a condition.
- Robber - someone who steals, especially by force.
- Confused - being unable to think clearly or understand something.
- Surrender - to give up or admit defeat.
- Undercover - working or done in secret to conceal one's identity.
- Exotic animal trader - someone who illegally buys and sells rare or unusual animals.
- Collect evidence - to gather proof that supports a claim or investigation.
- Housekeeper - a person employed to manage a household or perform domestic tasks.
Practice Tips
To get the most out of this english speaking practice session, you can utilize the shadowing technique. The dialogue in this transcript is fast-paced and lively, which makes it crucial to focus on rhythm and intonation. Here are some tips to help you with your shadowing practice:
- Start by listening to the video without attempting to repeat it. Just absorb the sounds and emotions conveyed.
- Listen again, but this time, repeat short phrases immediately after you hear them. This can help you match your pronunciation and pacing to the original.
- Use a shadowing app to slow down the audio if necessary. This allows you to better grasp challenging segments and refine your delivery.
- Pay attention to the emotional cues in the speech. Mimicking the tone not only helps with pronunciation but also makes your speech more captivating.
- Practice in a quiet space where you can focus. By using shadow speech, articulate each line with clarity, mirroring the speaker’s enthusiasm and energy.
Engaging with this riveting narrative will bolster your confidence in speaking situations, allowing you to express yourself more fully in English.
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 | were raised · wasn't known · was floored |
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | I've ever wanted · Have you ever considered · I've been |
| Superlatives the -est / the most … — the top or bottom of a group | the youngest · my oldest · the biggest |
| Verb + -ing enjoy, keep, stop… + -ing — verbs that are followed by the -ing form | started sneezing · stopped sneezing · kept blinking |
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.