Shadowing Practice: We Speak NYC: Ep 01 - Shumi's Pantry - Learn English Speaking with Video

I'm The

End Shumi

found a job today.

I didn't get the job yet.

I only filled out an application.

What?

What kind of job?

It's at the supermarket.

It's very close, Ma.

What about school?

It's only a part-time job.

I can work after school.

This is your last year before college, Shumi.

You need good grades.

Don't worry, Ma.

I'll get good grades.

But we need more money.

We have bills to pay.

Rent, electricity, phone, food.

If I work at a supermarket, I can help buy groceries too.

You don't need to do that.

I just want to help.

Besides, I may not get the job anyway.

I have to do an interview first.

I'll help you practice.

Okay, ask me a question.

Do you have any experience working in a supermarket?

Don't worry.

I'll wear my pink hijab for good luck.

So, you have never worked in a supermarket before?

No, but I am a hard worker and a quick learner.

And I'm good with numbers.

You can ask my math teacher.

Why do you think you can do a good job here?

Give me one more reason.

Let me think.

I'll tell you.

I'm very interested in food.

I want to study nutrition in college.

I think eating well is the key to good health, mental health and physical health.

That's interesting and nice, but this is a full market, and the job is to work at a cash register and help the customers.

Tell me why you can do a good job here.

Well, I'm friendly, and I like to help people.

I think customer service is very important in this business. Do you have references?

Can you give me the names and contact information of two people?

Your math teacher and one other person?

Sure.

Your total is $9.25.

Your total is $17.50.

A few minutes ago, a customer paid with a card.

It's in big letters, benefit.

Do you know what that is?

Sure, it's a SNAP.

EBT card.

People use coded food stamps.

It helps people pay for their groceries.

You can use it at a supermarket, a bodega, a farmer's market too. Can I get one?

I'm not sure.

I know there are some requirements.

Lots of people have one.

The End Excuse me.

It's very dusty.

I think it's safer if you wear a mask.

You are right.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

We can apply online for a program to help us pay for food.

I'm not sure.

I think it's a good idea.

Let me think about it.

That is a lot of soda.

Yes, it is.

Are you sure you want all of this?

Yes, I'm sure.

Why do you ask?

Mmm...

I was just thinking.

You know, about all that sugar.

You can keep canned vegetables for a long time.

Yes, and they're cheaper too.

Yeah, that's true.

Did you know we have a sale on broccoli in the fresh vegetable section?

That is a lot of ice cream.

Yeah, we're having a party.

What about fresh fruit too? Is it true?

Were you telling the customers what to buy and not to buy?

I was just trying to help.

I thought it was good customer service.

You are not their doctor, Suomi, are you?

No, I'm not.

And it's not your business to tell customers what to buy? Is it?

No. This is your first week.

I know you are trying to help people.

But please, do not do that again.

I looked up the food program we were talking about.

I found a website, foodhealth.nyc.

You can apply online, in different languages too.

There are so many people who don't have enough food to eat.

It's not fair.

100

Sometimes, even my family...

101

When I was your age, I started thinking about these things too.

102

Now that I have a market, I donate food to a food pantry.

103

I volunteer there too.

104

Wow, I read about food pantries.

105

They're free for everyone.

106

With immigration papers or without.

107

Actually, I'm going later this afternoon.

108

You can go with me after work if you want.

109

I think it will be a good experience for you.

110

I'd like that.

111

You know, Sumi, nobody needs to go hungry in New York City.

112

Who do you think comes here?

113

It could be anyone going through a difficult time.

114

People out of work, people with low income.

115

Anybody can have an emergency situation in their lives, Shumi.

116

Where should we put this?

117

Oh, let's put over there.

118

I used to only bring canned food, but now I also bring fresh food.

119

That's awesome!

120

What?

121

Do you know one of the volunteers?

122

No, it was a mistake.

123

I thought I saw someone I know.

124

Shumi, why are you so late?

125

Oh, hi, Ma.

126

Sorry.

127

I helped my manager to deliver some food to a food pantry.

128

I volunteered there.

129

A food pantry?

130

What is that?

131

It's a place where they give food to people who need it.

132

It's for free.

133

You volunteered?

134

What do you mean you volunteered?

135

I thought you were working.

136

Yes, I am working.

137

But I also volunteered with the manager to distribute food at a food pantry.

138

Shumi, you are doing too much.

139

You are working, you are volunteering.

140

You need to focus on school.

141

Don't worry, Ma.

142

I can handle it.

143

The manager said that volunteering is good to put on my resume too.

144

It's good for my future.

145

I'm worried about your present right now.

146

How was work?

147

It was great.

148

There was only one thing my manager didn't like.

149

What happened?

150

I gave advice to customers.

151

I told them what to buy and not to buy.

152

What?

153

You can't do that.

154

That's not your business.

155

That's exactly what the manager said.

156

She's right.

157

What advice did you give?

158

I encouraged people to buy healthy food.

159

Less sugar, less fat, more fresh fruits and vegetables.

160

You tell us the same thing all the time.

161

It's okay for me to tell you but not customers at a supermarket.

162

You're going to hurt her business.

163

I won't do it again.

164

I hope not.

165

What?

166

Shumi, sweetheart.

167

I know you meant well.

168

Gabriella.

169

Hello, Ume.

170

I brought you these.

171

Oh, you didn't have to do that.

172

I still have this one you gave me last week.

173

Please, take these.

174

Thank you so much.

175

I was a nurse in my country.

176

Are you a nurse here in New York?

177

No. I'm a home health aide.

178

I don't have the license for nursing.

179

Why don't you go back to school to get your nursing license?

180

It takes a long time.

181

I'm sure you can do it.

182

You know, I am a student.

183

Really?

184

What are you studying?

185

I study English at the library.

186

They have classes, free for everyone.

187

And I want to get my high school equivalency diploma.

188

That's wonderful.

189

You can study too.

190

Maybe there's a program for people who were nurses in other countries.

191

I am so busy working and taking care of my kids.

192

Me too.

193

Let's go and talk to my teacher.

194

He may have some ideas.

195

This says ground meat, right?

196

That's right.

197

But it doesn't say what kind of ground meat they ordered.

198

Is it ground beef or.. or ground turkey or something else?

199

It's not checked.

200

Sometimes those forms are missing some information.

201

Su Mi!

202

Hello, Miss Wu.

203

Why did you change the customer's order?

204

What do you mean?

205

He ordered ground beef, but you sent ground turkey.

206

Oh, that.

207

Yeah.

208

The order said ground meat, but it didn't say what kind.

209

I chose turkey, because turkey is healthier.

210

I told you not to do this, but you didn't listen.

211

If you don't understand the order, you need to speak to me.

212

I just wanted to help.

213

I like your spirit, but I can't let you ruin my business.

214

Sumi, I'm sorry.

215

But I don't think you can work here anymore.

216

Your home early?

217

I think I lost my job.

218

Why?

219

I did it again.

220

I couldn't help it.

221

What were you thinking?

222

I don't know.

223

I was just trying to be helpful.

224

You have to go back right now and apologize to your manager.

225

You have to ask for your job back.

226

I don't want to, Ma.

227

And if we need help with food, we can go to a food pantry or apply for food programs.

228

We can't depend on that kind of thing.

229

Why not?

230

We pay taxes, don't we?

231

Someone told me immigrants shouldn't apply.

232

That's not fair and that's not true.

233

Let me help you with those.

234

Oh, thank you.

235

Are you going home?

236

Yes, I live a few blocks away.

237

How cool!

238

So we're neighbors.

239

Yes, we are.

240

Do you only work in our building?

241

No, I clean a few buildings in this area.

242

You were probably going home too.

243

Actually, my mother and I had a little argument.

244

I left the apartment to get some fresh air.

245

It happens.

246

But your mother is a great woman.

247

A very kind woman.

248

I know.

249

She works so hard too.

250

You know, your mother and I are going to go to school together to school together.

251

Really?

252

Yes, at the library.

253

I always wanted my mother to go back to school.

254

Thank you, Shumi.

255

You're welcome.

256

Shumi, I saw you at the food pantry the other day.

257

I thought I saw you, but I wasn't sure.

258

Do you work there?

259

No, I was helping my manager.

260

I volunteered.

261

That's great.

262

A food pantry is a big help to a lot of people.

263

And thanks to people who give food and volunteer.

264

Like you.

265

Me?

266

I just brought some food there with my boss.

267

I never expected to see someone I know there.

268

Is it safe for immigrants to go to a food pantry?

269

Yes, a food pantry is for anybody.

270

I thought so.

271

Anyone can go through difficult times.

272

Right now, my husband is waiting for a job.

273

A food pantry is a lifesaver in an emergency.

274

Ma, you were right.

275

I'm going to apologize to the manager tomorrow.

276

And I'm sorry I got angry.

277

I know you want to do the right thing.

278

How come you never told me you are going back to school?

279

Who told you I'm going back to school?

280

the lady who cleans our building.

281

You mean Gabriella?

282

We're just going to the library to ask what kinds of programs they have.

283

That's fantastic!

284

Miss Wu, I'm really sorry for what I did.

285

I shouldn't advise customers about what to buy.

286

Next, Gabriela is going to say a poem.

287

Thank you, Mr. Quintero.

288

I am going to say a poem by Langston Hughes.

289

He was an African-American poet in the 1900s.

290

Let America be America again.

291

Let it be the dream it used to be.

292

Let it be the pioneer on the plain.

293

Seeking the home where he himself is free.

294

To build a homeland of the free.

295

Maybe I will let you know.

296

And I am the immigrants,

297

clutching the hope I seek. That was beautiful, Gabriela.

298

All right, everybody, let's take a five-minute break.

299

That was incredible, Gabriela.

300

Thank you.

301

Well, let's go speak to Mr. Quintero.

302

Come on.

303

Good night.

304

Mr. Quintero, Ume was a nurse in Bangladesh.

305

Do you know if there is a program to help her to get a license here?

306

That's a really good question.

307

I'm working as a home health aide now.

308

It would be wonderful to work as a nurse again.

309

I think the City University of New York may have a program for you.

310

We'll find something.

311

Thank you so much.

312

You see, you can't do this.

313

Excuse me, it's my daughter.

314

Hey Ma, I spoke to my manager.

315

I don't know if she's going to give my job back, but I think so.

316

I hope so.

317

That's very good.

318

Listen, I'm at the library and I just met Gabriela's teacher.

319

Miss Wu, this is the last box.

320

Thank you, Sumi.

321

Is it OK if I go?

322

I have to help my mother.

323

She's filling out an application for school.

324

That's great, Sumi.

325

Please take some of this gufoo for home.

326

You're very kind, Miss Wu.

327

So are you, Suomi.

328

I will see you at the supermarket this weekend.

329

Thank you.

330

Thank you.

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56 sentences

Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson

This B1 speaking lesson is built on the video “We Speak NYC: Ep 01 - Shumi's Pantry”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: pantry, customer, manager, Shumi. This video has 330 sentences and 2060 words to shadow. The speech runs for 23:47. The speaker talks slowly, about 87 words per minute, so there is time to copy every sound. 83% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English; the rest is worth studying before you start. 58 of its 330 sentences are questions, so it is good practice for question intonation and short answers.

Key vocabulary in this video

The 15 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:

Word	Pronunciation	Meaning
pantry noun	/ˈpæntɹi/	A small room, closet, or cabinet usually located in or near the kitchen, dedicated to shelf-stable food storage or storing kitchenware, like a larder, but…
volunteer noun	/ˌvɑlənˈtɪɹ/	One who enters into, or offers themselves for, any service of their own free will, especially when done without pay.
supermarket noun	/ˌsupɚˈmɑɹkət/	A large self-service store that sells groceries and, usually, medications, household goods, and/or clothing.
vegetable noun	/ˈvɛd͡ʒ.tə.bəl/	A plant raised for some edible part of it, such as the leaves, roots, fruit or flowers, but excluding any plant considered to be a fruit, grain, herb, or spice…
immigrant noun	/ˈɪmɪɡɹənt/	A non-native person who comes to a country from another country to permanently settle there.
groceries noun	/ˈɡɹoʊ.s(ə.)ɹiz/	Retail foodstuffs and other household supplies; the commodities sold by a grocer or in a grocery store.
aide noun	/eɪd/	An assistant.
mathematics noun	/mæθ(.ə)ˈmæt.ɪks/	An abstract representational system studying numbers, shapes, structures, quantitative change and relationships between them.
apologize verb	/əˈpɑləˌd͡ʒaɪz/	To make an apology or excuse; to acknowledge some fault or offense, with expression of regret for it, by way of amends
poem noun	/ˈpoʊ.əm/	A literary piece written in verse.
beef noun	/bif/	The meat from cattle or other bovines; especially, that from adults.
bodega noun	/boʊˈdeɪɡə/	A storehouse for maturing wine, a winery.
equivalency noun		An equivalent thing.
learner noun	/ˈlɜɹnəɹ/	One who is learning; one receiving instruction.
lifesaver noun	/ˈlaɪfˌseɪvəɹ/	A lifeguard or other rescuer.

Phrasal verbs you will hear

Word	Pronunciation	Meaning
go back to verb		To stem from; to originate in.
fill out verb	/fɪl ˈaʊt/	To complete a form or questionnaire with requested information.
go through verb		To travel from one end of something to the other.
go back verb		To return to a place or state after having been there at a previous time.
look up verb	/ˌlʊk ˈʌp/	To have better prospects.
put over verb		To state or explain (a concept) in a clear, understandable manner.

Sentences worth repeating

Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:

Do you have any experience working in a supermarket?
Your math teacher and one other person?
Why did you change the customer's order?
We pay taxes, don't we?
Who told you I'm going back to school?

Grammar in this video

The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:

Structure	In the video
“Used to” used to + verb — a past habit or state that is no longer true	used to only · used to be
Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thing	people who don · people who need · people who were
Past continuous was/were + -ing — an action in progress at a moment in the past	was just thinking · was just trying · were talking
Advice with “should” should + verb — saying what is a good idea	should we put · shouldn't apply · shouldn't advise

Pronunciation to watch

The speaker uses 62 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'm, don't, didn't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.

Long words — get the stress right: supermarket /ˌsupɚˈmɑɹkət/, mathematics /mæθ(.ə)ˈmæt.ɪks/, apologize /əˈpɑləˌd͡ʒaɪz/

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 pantry, volunteer, supermarket.

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.

Shadowing technique: read the full step-by-step guide →

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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson

Key vocabulary in this video

Phrasal verbs you will hear

Sentences worth repeating

Grammar in this video

Pronunciation to watch

How to practise with this video

What is the Shadowing Technique?