Shadowing Practice: "Under the Bed" – B1 Intermediate English Listening Practice Story - Learn English Speaking with Video
Creating lesson...
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Fabulang!
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Learn English with Stories.
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Under the Bed A story for learners of English at B1 level.
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Sweet dreams, darling, said Dorothy's mum.
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She switched off the light and closed the door.
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Dorothy felt safe.
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Her pillow was soft and her duvet was thick and warm.
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Around her bed were her favourite toys, lots of different kinds of aeroplanes.
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It was her dream to become a pilot.
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She closed her eyes.
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Then she opened them again.
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She had heard a sound under her bed.
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She didn't believe in monsters, so she got out of bed and looked under it.
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There were two large white eyes looking at her.
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Dorothy gasped.
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The monster made a squeaking sound and ran towards the window.
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Dorothy could see it in the moonlight.
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It looked like a big ball of hair with two bright eyes.
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Don't be frightened, said Dorothy.
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I'm a human.
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What are you?
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I don't know what I am, said the monster.
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It had a squeaky voice.
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I live under beds.
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Everyone is scared of me.
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When someone finds me, I have to find a new bed.
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You can live under my bed, said Dorothy. Are you hungry?
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What do you eat?
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Dust, hair, fingernails.
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Eww!
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Dorothy giggled.
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Spiders?
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Flies?
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The monster continued, giggling too.
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Woodbice?
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Ants?
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Stop it!
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Dorothy laughed.
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Who are you talking to? called Dorothy's mother.
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I was dreaming!
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Dorothy shouted.
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She and the monster couldn't stop laughing.
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Twenty years later, Dorothy relaxed in her seat.
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It was a beautiful day.
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There were a lot of clouds, but Dorothy could feel the sun on her skin because she was above the clouds.
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All systems are normal, she said to the co-pilot.
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We are on course and we'll arrive on time.
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No storms have been reported, said the co-pilot.
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This will be an easy, normal flight.
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Oh my God, what is that?
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Dorothy's monster had jumped onto her lap.
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Get back in my bag, Dorothy said quickly.
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But I miss you, the monster squeaked.
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Shoo!
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The monster jumped back in. Was that a cat?
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You can't bring your pet into the cockpit.
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You're imagining things, Dorothy said.
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I didn't see anything.
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This is very serious, said the co-pilot.
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He called the senior air hostess and she came into the cockpit.
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Please look in Dorothy's bag.
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As soon as the air hostess opened the bag, the monster jumped out.
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The air hostess screamed and the co-pilot got out of his seat.
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He tried to catch the monster, but it bounced all over the cockpit it.
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Leave it alone, Dorothy cried.
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The air hostess tried to kick it but she kicked Dorothy's controls by accident.
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The plane sped up.
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Stop!
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Dorothy shouted.
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She grabbed the monster and put it on her head.
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You idiots!
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Dorothy shouted.
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You're attacking my wig!
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Your wig? cried the air hostess.
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But it was jumping.
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It's an elastic wig! said Dorothy, thinking quickly.
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It has a rubber base, so it sticks to my head.
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But you don't need a wig, said the co-pilot.
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You have plenty of hair.
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I want to change my hairstyle.
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Do I need your permission?
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The co-pilot returned to his seat.
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The air hostess put her hat back on.
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Later on, she wondered, did the pilot's wig have eyes?
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Fifty years later, Dorothy got into bed and under her warm duvet.
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She read a book for a little while.
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It was one of her favourites, about travelling the world.
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Eventually, she put the book down.
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The house was very quiet.
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Good night, she said.
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Slowly, the monster came out from under the bed.
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It sat on her lap.
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All of its hair was grey.
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Dorothy stroked it.
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Sweet dreams, Dorothy, croaked the monster.
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It went back under her bed.
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And Dorothy switched off the light.
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Thanks for listening to this story from Fabulang.
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There are even more stories at www.fabulang.com
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Don't forget to subscribe so you get notified when there are new stories to practice with.
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The End you
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This B1 speaking lesson is built on the video “"Under the Bed" – B1 Intermediate English Listening Practice Story”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: Dorothy, monster, bed, pilot, hostess. This video has 101 sentences and 674 words to shadow. The speech runs for 7:30. The speaker talks slowly, about 90 words per minute, so there is time to copy every sound. Only 79% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is demanding.
Key vocabulary in this video
The 15 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| hostess noun | /ˈhoʊstɪs/ | A female host. |
| cockpit noun | /ˈkɑkˌpɪt/ | A well, usually near the stern, where the helm is located. |
| shout verb | /ʃaʊt/ | To utter a sudden and loud cry, as in joy, triumph, exultation or anger, or to attract attention, to animate others, etc. |
| duvet noun | /d(j)uːˈveɪ/ | A quilt or usually flat cloth bag with a filling (traditionally down) and usually an additional washable cover, used instead of blankets; often called a… |
| giggle verb | /ˈɡɪɡl̩/ | To laugh gently in a playful, nervous, or affected manner. |
| squeak verb | /skwiːk/ | To emit a short, high-pitched sound. |
| aeroplane noun | /ˈɛə̯.ɹə.pleɪ̯n/ | Synonym of airplane. A powered heavier-than-air aircraft with fixed wings. |
| fingernail noun | /ˈfɪŋɡɚˌneɪl/ | The hard, flat translucent covering near the tip of a human finger, useful for scratching and fine manipulation. |
| frighten verb | /ˈfɹaɪ.tən/ | To cause to feel fear; to scare; to cause to feel alarm or fright. |
| hairstyle noun | The style in which someone's hair has been cut and arranged. | |
| learner noun | /ˈlɜɹnəɹ/ | One who is learning; one receiving instruction. |
| squeaky adjective | /ˈskwiːki/ | Tending to produce a high-pitched sound or squeak. |
| elastic adjective | /ə-/ | Capable of stretching; particularly, capable of stretching so as to return to an original shape or size when force is released. |
| moonlight noun | /ˈmunˌlaɪt/ | The light reflected from the Moon, which seems to emanate from it. |
| notify verb | /ˈnoʊtɪfaɪ/ | To give (someone) notice (of some event). |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| get out of verb | To leave, exit or escape from; to become free of. |
| switch off verb | To stop or disable a device by turning a switch or a lever. |
| go back verb | To return to a place or state after having been there at a previous time. |
| jump out verb | To emerge suddenly. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- I don't know what I am, said the monster.
- What do you eat?
- Who are you talking to?
- We are on course and we'll arrive on time.
- Do I need your permission?
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Past continuous was/were + -ing — an action in progress at a moment in the past | was dreaming · was jumping |
| Present continuous am/is/are + -ing — something happening right now or around now | are you talking · You're imagining · You're attacking |
| Future with “will” will + verb — a decision, promise or prediction | we'll arrive · will be |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 12 contractions and reduced forms, such as don't, didn't, you're. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
How to practise with this video
- Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
- Shadow it sentence by sentence at normal speed, repeating each one until your rhythm matches the speaker.
- Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like hostess, cockpit, shout.
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.