Shadowing Practice: Trapped in her best friend's house: The horrific last months of Annie Ee - Learn English Speaking with Video
Creating lesson...
1
Some say that the family you find can be stronger than the family you come from.
2
Just a proverb that shows how relationships can form along the way.
3
However, sometimes even these relationships you find on your life journey can be toxic and even deadly.
4
Today, we will look into a disturbing and angering case from Singapore involving a friendship that turned abusive.
5
This is the sad and horrifying story of the abuse that led to the death of a young woman named Annie E.
6
Yulian.
7
Between 2015 and 2017, a couple severely abused and violently attacked an individual with an intellectual impairment,
8
sparking widespread public outrage.
9
The names of this couple are Tan Hui Jun and Pua Hak Chuan.
10
They severely abused 26-year-old Annie Yi Yulian.
11
They seemed to abuse her for no reason other than to teach Annie a lesson like some abusive parents.
12
What went on inside the couple's apartment during those days?
13
Annie Yulian was born in Singapore in 1988.
14
She was the eldest of five children with two younger brothers, Joel and Aaron, and two younger sisters, Shirley and Sharon.
15
The family lived close but soon became estranged for unspecified reasons.
16
It is known that Annie had an intellectual disability which made her struggle sometimes.
17
Still, Annie tried her best to live independently later in her life.
18
When she was 13, her mother had a clothing shop.
19
There she met 17-year-old Tan Hui Zhen and they became friends as Tan worked as a clerk there.
20
Tan grew up with an unhappy childhood, abused by her father, brother, and ex-boyfriend.
21
She was only educated up to her third year in secondary school
22
and often displayed self-harm symptoms due to the childhood abuse she endured.
23
At some point, Tan was diagnosed with severe depression and mild borderline personality disorder.
24
After their initial meeting, Annie and Tan grew close, staying in touch regularly until 2011, when they parted ways.
25
Annie and Tan rekindled their connection towards the end of 2013.
26
Annie, aspiring to live independently and overcome her condition, became separated from her family during that period.
27
She decided to move in with Tan and Tan's spouse, Pua Hak Chuan, at their Woodlands apartment.
28
Initially, living with her friend was a happy experience for Annie.
29
She considered Tan her older sister and Pua her brother-in-law.
30
Tan and Pua also saw Annie as their little sister, not charging her rent.
31
Annie helped around the apartment with chores and worked as a waitress at a restaurant.
32
Everything seemed to be going well.
33
But then, seemingly out of nowhere, things changed.
34
In August 2014, Tan and Po found evidence of a bed bug infestation.
35
Since it occurred after Annie moved in, they blamed her for it and started physically abusing her daily.
36
Initially, the abuse consisted of slaps and yells,
37
but it soon escalated into severe punishments that became harder and lasted longer.
38
Annie was treated like a child and punished for any perceived misbehavior.
39
She would take the abuse, admit her errors, and promise to behave differently.
40
The treatment was genuinely inhumane.
41
Besides the physical abuse, the couple also took money from Annie.
42
Her 1,200 Singapore dollars monthly salary was taken by the couple, and they gave her a weekly allowance of only $50,
43
which was eventually reduced to $30.
44
They also began charging her rent, starting at $150 per month and gradually increasing it to $550.
45
Despite all this, Annie stayed silent and endured the abuse.
46
She didn't tell anyone, not even her family, although they told her to call them if something bad happened.
47
Annie grew weak, suffering from several blisters, bruises and fractures to her ribs and spine.
48
The beatings made it difficult for her to breathe, walk or stand, and she became incontinent in the final days before her death.
49
Tan and Pua decided to give Annie time to heal after noticing she had become noticeably weaker, even monitoring her blood pressure and pulse rate.
50
But two days later, they resumed the abuse.
51
Even though Annie didn't plan on telling anyone about her suffering, those around her noticed something was wrong.
52
Her co-workers at the restaurant where she worked saw bruises all over her body, arms, face, and neck.
53
Concerned, they asked Annie what had happened, but she never replied, except once when she told her supervisor it was due to family issues.
54
Neighbors also noticed Annie's bruises, but she explained them away, saying she had fallen and struck herself.
55
One neighbor saw Annie hurt, but didn't speak to her, lacking enough proof to believe the couple was at fault.
56
When the case came out, Annie's colleagues were forbidden by the police to share details of the abuse to the media.
57
Nevertheless, court records disclosed that they had seen Annie frequently conceal her wounds by wearing a cap,
58
letting her hair down, and using a heavy layer of concealer of concealer.
59
This made her appearance odd, but sometimes it didn't hide the wounds or bruises on her face.
60
It was truly heartbreaking that people noticed but couldn't do much for the poor girl.
61
This abuse went on for almost nine months and Annie herself couldn't take it anymore.
62
She blamed herself, deeming herself useless, and saw this as the reason for her abuse.
63
On April 12, 2015, as her mental health deteriorated, she took a pair of scissors and slashed her own wrists.
64
However, her attempt was stopped by Tan, who coldly told Annie to go back to her room without offering any help or apology.
65
Annie was a mess.
66
Later that day, Tan and Poa returned home that evening to find the weak Annie lying in her own urine.
67
They began to accuse Annie of peeing on the floor to attract their attention.
68
Deciding to discipline her for her bad attitude, they subjected her to more abuse.
69
Annie begged Tan to stop, but Tan repeatedly beat her with shrink wrap.
70
After telling Annie to stop acting, Poix continued the beating, even smashing a dustbin against her body.
71
This proved to be fatal, as Annie passed away from her injuries that same night, April 13, 2015, while she was asleep.
72
When Tan discovered that Annie had passed away, she lied to her brother on the phone, claiming that Annie had taken her own life,
73
but she eventually called the police.
74
Tan and Poix initially lied to the police, saying that Annie was very clumsy and frequently hurt herself.
75
However, they later admitted to beating her after a forensic investigation revealed the extent of Annie's injuries.
76
The couple was arrested and charged with murder in court two days later.
77
The forensic report provided to the court revealed severe damage to Annie's body.
78
Her buttocks were covered in blisters, the largest of which was 7.5 centimeters in diameter,
79
and sanitary napkins were needed to hold the bleeding from the ruptures.
80
Her stomach was burst, her spine was broken, and 12 upper body ribs were fractured.
81
An acute fat embolism was determined to be the cause of death.
82
The intense beating caused her skin, fat, and muscle layers to separate.
83
And subcutaneous fat tissue broke down and seeped into her blood and lungs, impairing the blood's ability to carry oxygen.
84
Ultimately, Annie died from heart and lung failure.
85
High Court Judge Hu Xiu Peng presided over the couple's trial on November 27, 2017.
86
The investigations show that the pair hadn't planned to kill Annie.
87
As a result, the prosecution dropped the murder charges in favor of causing grievous hurt with a deadly weapon.
88
Tan pleaded guilty to two counts of inflicting serious hurt with a weapon and two counts of causing grievous hurt,
89
while Pua entered a similar plea.
90
Both were found guilty upon presenting their admissions of guilt to the judge.
91
Justice Hu Xiu Peng declared that Tan
92
and Pua had betrayed the trust of a helpless victim who looked upon them as her family.
93
The duo felt more confident about increasing the violence they inflicted on Annie E because she suffered in silence.
94
Tan's depression and borderline personality disorder were real concerns, which the judge considered to be mitigating factors.
95
Additionally, the fact that the couple had been honest about what they've done to the victim lessened the severity of the charges.
96
The judge's ruling infuriated many Singaporeans who believed the couple should have been prosecuted and found guilty of murder.
97
Furthermore, the public launched an online petition in favor of a more severe penalty,
98
which by December 2017 had amassed over 35,000 signatures.
99
This case sparked many protests and public outrage.
100
How could this not be considered murder, but homicide?
101
How could nobody save Annie before it was too late?
102
On December 1, 2017, High Court Judd Hu Xiu Peng sentenced Tan Hui Jun to 16 years and 6 months in prison,
103
and Pua Hak Chuan to 14 years in prison and 14 strokes of the cane.
104
The pair chose not to appeal their sentences.
105
Since 2017, Tan Hui Jun and Pua Hak Hak-chuan have been imprisoned at Chang'e Women's Prison and Chang'e Prison respectively.
106
However, if they behave well while incarcerated, their sentences might be reduced,
107
a fact that has raised concerns about their suitability for reintegration into society.
108
Tan's mother and older brother apologize by text message to Annie's family and express their regret.
109
In addition to pleading for Tan's pardon,
110
they hope that both Tan and Pua will become enlightened as a result of their experience.
111
Despite acknowledging their challenging upbringing, they admit that their sister's actions are inexcusable.
112
While it is simple to apologize, the public finds it difficult to accept as Tan and Pua have been labeled as Singapore's public enemies.
113
After the details of Annie's death came to light, people began discussing a crucial point.
114
Why did none of Annie's family come to her rescue during her prolonged abuse?
115
Annie's family has come under scrutiny, with many questioning if they truly cared about the girl.
116
Their reasoning was that if her family knew Annie was intellectually struggling, they should have taken her to see a doctor, paid more attention to her,
117
understood her, and protected her instead of becoming estranged.
118
The public's frustration was exacerbated when they noticed that the family's social media posts contained few sincere comments or discussions about justice.
119
The petition was the only thing shared on the Facebook accounts of Annie's four siblings,
120
who urged everyone to sign it in solidarity and remember the identities of the two bad guys who killed their sister.
121
There were no additional related posts.
122
Many online believe that Annie's family is just as neglectful as the people who tortured her.
123
Some reports say that her family was rather overprotective of her due to her intellectual struggles.
124
One of Annie's younger sisters told reporters that her sister's freedom was sometimes compromised
125
because of the family's concern that Annie's simple nature could lead to her being bullied or cheated.
126
Her sister explained
127
that Annie believed their family was treating her unfairly by not allowing her the freedom to choose her own friends.
128
Annie felt she was mature enough to take care of herself
129
and that's why she eventually moved out to live with Tan and Poa.
130
The family tried to prevent Annie from staying in contact with Tan, believing that Tan was trying to manipulate her.
131
However, Annie didn't trust their warnings as she felt that Tan was always supportive of her.
132
Regarding the public apologies from Tan and Poise's families,
133
Annie E's sibling said their family will never be able to forgive what they did, especially Tan.
134
Annie's family also begged the media to stop labeling them as uncaring because it would hurt the grieving family.
135
The death of Annie Yi Yu Lian is a tragic story that must be told.
136
Her death remains one of the most controversial cases in Singapore, with many believing the punishment for the perpetrators is too light.
137
However, we want to remember Annie E herself, who did nothing wrong but had her life taken away by horrific people.
138
May she rest in peace.
139
And that is all for today.
140
Thank you for watching.
Context & Background
The video "Trapped in her best friend's house: The horrific last months of Annie Ee" details a tragic and harrowing story of friendship that turned toxic. Annie Yulian, a young woman with an intellectual disability, found herself in an abusive living situation with her friend Tan Hui Jun and her partner Pua Hak Chuan. The content is emotionally charged and sheds light on how relationships can sometimes become dangerous, despite initial appearances of support and care. For English learners, this context offers a rich opportunity to engage with complex narratives and expand vocabulary related to social issues, abuse, and emotional dynamics in relationships.
Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication
- “I just want to help you.” - A common phrase expressing a desire to assist others, ideal for casual conversations.
- “Let's talk about it.” - This phrase encourages open dialogue, useful for resolving conflicts.
- “I’m feeling overwhelmed.” - An important expression for discussing feelings and mental health, promoting emotional awareness.
- “I need some space.” - A clear statement that can help set boundaries in relationships.
- “It’s not your fault.” - A supportive phrase often used in times of distress, important for empathetic communication.
Step-by-step Shadowing Guide
Shadowing is a powerful technique for improving English pronunciation and fluency. To effectively practice with this video, follow these steps:
- Preparation: Watch the video once to understand the context. Pay attention to the emotions conveyed through the speaker's tone.
- Choose a segment: Select a short segment (1-2 minutes) that resonates with you. Focus on clips where dialogue is clearly articulated.
- Listen and repeat: Play the segment, pausing after each sentence. Use the shadowspeak method to imitate the speaker’s intonation and rhythm. This will help you improve your English pronunciation.
- Analyze vocabulary: Identify and write down challenging words or phrases. Refer back to the Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication to integrate more conversational terms.
- Record yourself: After several practice sessions, record your voice. Compare your pronunciation with the original to notice improvements and areas needing work.
- Practice regularly: Incorporate this shadowing technique daily, ideally for 15-30 minutes, to enhance your overall speaking skills and confidence in English.
By utilizing these strategies, learners can make significant strides in their IELTS speaking practice, leading to better fluency and clarity in their spoken English.
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.