Shadowing Practice: Why Gardening Is the Best Way to Relax | Easy English Conversation for Beginners - Learn English Speaking with YouTube
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Everyday English Talk.
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Everyday English Talk.
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Hi everyone.
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Welcome back to Everyday English Talk,
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the podcast where you can practice simple, everyday English.
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I'm Anna.
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And I'm Ben.
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Thanks for joining us today.
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Whether you're at home, on the bus,
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or outside, we're happy you're here.
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In this podcast, we use real English.
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Simple, clear, and easy to follow.
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And today's topic is one of my favorites,
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gardening and why it's a great way to relax.
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We'll also talk about digital stress,
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that tired feeling from too much screen time.
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Yes, and we'll share how simple actions like touching soil,
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planting seeds, and watering plants can help your mind slow down.
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You'll learn useful words about relaxation, nature, and feelings.
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Here's a question.
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Have you ever touched fresh soil and felt calm?
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If yes, you understand.
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If not, maybe you'll want to try it after this episode.
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Don't forget, we have a free episode PDF with vocabulary,
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speaking frames, reflection questions, and a simple gardening routine.
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You can find it in the description below.
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Alright, let's get started started.
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Okay, Anna, I want to ask you something.
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Do you ever feel mentally tired?
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Hmm.
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Yes.
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Actually, I feel that way a lot,
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especially after a long day at work.
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What makes you feel that way?
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Well, it's usually the screen.
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I spend so many hours looking at my computer,
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reading emails, checking documents, going to online meetings.
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By the end of the day,
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my eyes feel heavy, and my head feels full.
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Yes, that's exactly what I mean.
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It's not physical tiredness, it's mental tiredness.
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It comes from too much screen time.
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Right, and it's not just the computer,
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it's also the phone, all the notifications,
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messages coming in all day, emails, social media.
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It never really stops.
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It's like your mind is always on, always working, never resting.
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Exactly.
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And when I get home,
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I know I need to rest.
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But sometimes I just lie on the sofa and look at my phone again.
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Oh, I do that too.
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I think I'm resting, but I'm still looking at a screen.
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That's not a real break.
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It really isn't.
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I mean, watching videos or scrolling through social media can feel relaxing.
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But after 30 or 40 minutes,
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I still feel the same, maybe even more tired.
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Yes, because your brain is still working.
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It's still processing information, pictures, words, videos, comments.
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So it's not real rest at all.
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Exactly.
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That's why I started looking for something different.
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A quiet hobby, something that feels physical and simple and real.
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And that's when you found gardening?
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Yes.
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A few months ago, I started spending time in my small garden in the evening,
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just 20 or 30 minutes.
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And it felt so different from anything else.
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Different how?
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Well, I go outside, I kneel down,
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and I put my hands in the soil.
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And suddenly, my mind stops thinking about work, about emails, about messages.
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I just focus on what's in front of me.
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The soil, the plant, the water.
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Oh wow.
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That sounds really nice.
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And the fresh air helps too.
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I breathe slowly.
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I can smell the earth and the plants.
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Everything feels slower.
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That makes sense.
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You're using your hands instead of your eyes.
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You're in the real world, not a screen world.
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Exactly.
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And that's the key.
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Gardening helps me slow down.
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It helps me clear my mind.
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And when I go back inside, I feel calm.
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Not perfect, but calm.
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I tried it once, touching soil in a small pot on my balcony,
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and I remember thinking, this feels strange but also peaceful,
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like I had permission to stop thinking.
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Yes, that's a great way to describe it.
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Gardening gives you permission to stop.
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You don't need to answer any messages.
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You don't need to check anything.
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You just touch the soil, breathe, and be there.
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And it's not really about plants, is it?
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I mean, yes, you're working with plants.
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But the real benefit is for your mind.
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Exactly right.
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Gardening is not only about growing flowers or vegetables.
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It's also about mental rest.
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It's a natural break from digital stress.
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A moment when your mind can finally be quiet.
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I love that.
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A moment when your mind can finally be quiet.
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So, what about you, listeners?
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What helps you take a real break after a busy day?
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Is it exercise, cooking, music, or maybe gardening?
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Think about it.
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And if you don't have a quiet hobby yet,
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maybe today is a good time to start.
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Okay, Ben.
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Let's talk about what gardening actually looks like.
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Like, a real gardening moment.
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What do you do when you start?
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Oh, I love this.
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Okay, imagine it's evening.
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The day is done.
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I change into comfortable clothes,
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go outside, and I roll up my sleeves.
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You roll up your sleeves,
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ready to get your hands dirty.
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Exactly.
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I have a small corner in my garden,
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or sometimes I just use a small pot on my balcony.
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It doesn't need to be big.
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Oh, that's good to know.
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I live in an apartment,
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so I only have a balcony.
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But you're saying a small pot is enough?
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Yes, one pot is perfectly fine.
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So, first I take my pot and I fill it with fresh soil.
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Cool, dark soil from a bag.
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And when I open the bag,
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I smell that fresh earth.
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That smell alone already starts to calm me down.
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Hmm.
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Yes, I know that smell.
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It's very natural.
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Very earthy.
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Right.
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And then I put my hands in.
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I feel the cool soil between my fingers.
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It's a little rough, a little soft.
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It's a real texture.
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Very different from touching a phone screen.
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I like that.
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A real texture.
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Something your hands can actually feel.
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Yes.
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So then, I make a small hole in the soil.
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I use just one finger,
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like this, and I press gently to make a little space.
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And then you put the seed in?
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Yes.
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I take a small seed,
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it's so tiny, and I place it carefully in the hole.
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Then I press the soil gently around it,
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not too hard, just softly,
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like I'm giving the seed a little hug.
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That's really sweet.
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A little hug for the seed.
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And the whole time.
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I'm only thinking about that one seed.
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That one small hole.
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That one little moment.
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I'm not thinking about emails or work.
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Just this.
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One task at a time.
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Exactly.
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One task at a time.
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That's one of the most relaxing things about gardening.
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There's no multitasking.
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No juggling many things at once.
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Just one simple action done slowly.
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And after planting, you water it?
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Yes.
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I take a small watering can or even just a cup and I water slowly.
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I pour the water gently over the soil.
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I watch the water go in.
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I watch the soil color change from light brown to dark brown.
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I love that.
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You can see the change happen right in front of you.
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Yes.
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And it's a small change,
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very small, but it feels meaningful,
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like, you did something, you gave the plant what it needs.
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I want to try this,
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even just with one pot, just to feel that.
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You should.
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And after watering, I sometimes just sit nearby,
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on a small chair, or even on the floor,
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and I look at the green leaves.
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Just look at them?
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Just look at them.
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Watch if a leaf moves a little in the wind.
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Notice the color, different shades of green.
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Some light, some dark.
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It's so quiet, so peaceful.
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That's like a form of meditation, isn't it?
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Just being present with something natural.
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Yes, exactly.
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And the whole routine, the rolling up your sleeves,
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the filling the pot, the planting,
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the watering, the sitting, it takes maybe 20 to 30 minutes.
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But your body feels relaxed.
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Your mind feels lighter.
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Because you used your hands for something peaceful, something real, something gentle.
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Right.
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Your hands were busy, but your mind was resting.
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That's the magic of gardening.
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Okay, listeners.
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Which gardening action sounds most relaxing to you?
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Is it planting, making a little space for a seed?
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Or watering, watching the water go slowly into the soil?
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Or maybe just sitting quietly near the plants and looking at the green leaves?
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Think about it.
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There's no wrong answer answer.
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Ben, I
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want to ask you something deeper.
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We talked about the actions,
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planting, watering, sitting, but how does gardening make you feel inside?
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Hmm, that's a good question.
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I think the biggest feeling is feeling grounded.
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Grounded.
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What does that mean to you?
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It means I feel connected to the earth,
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to nature, to the present moment.
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When I have my hands in the soil,
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I'm not thinking about the past or the future.
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I'm just here, right now, in this moment.
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That's a beautiful feeling.
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Especially when our minds are so often jumping from one thing to another.
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Exactly.
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And gardening also teaches me something I really needed.
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Patience.
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Patience.
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Yes, because plants grow slowly, right?
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So slowly.
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I plant a seed today and I don't see anything for maybe a week.
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Sometimes more.
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I water it every day.
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I check the soil.
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I wait.
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And that can feel frustrating at first?
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At first, yes.
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But then, one morning, I look at the pot and I see it.
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A tiny sprout, just a tiny green tip coming up through the dark soil.
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So small.
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But it's there.
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Oh, I can imagine that feeling.
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Like a little surprise.
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Yes.
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It fills me with quiet joy.
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Not big excitement, not like winning something or getting good news,
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just a soft, warm feeling inside.
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Like, everything is okay, something is growing, life is continuing.
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Quiet joy.
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I really like that phrase.
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It's not loud or dramatic,
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it's just gentle and good.
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And that gentle feeling, that quiet joy,
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it becomes part of a gentle routine.
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Every morning or evening, I go to check my plant.
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I give it water.
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I look at how it's growing.
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It's small, but it gives me something to look forward to.
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A gentle responsibility.
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Exactly.
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It's not stressful responsibility, like a deadline at work.
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It's soft.
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It's kind.
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The plant needs me, but not urgently.
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It just needs a little attention,
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a little water, a little care.
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And giving that care makes you feel good.
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Yes.
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Taking care of something and watching it grow, it creates emotional balance.
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I feel less anxious, less scattered, more settled.
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I think that's what a lot of people need right now.
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We have so much stress from work,
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from news, from social media,
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and gardening offers something completely different,
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something calm, slow, and natural.
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And the best part?
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You don't need a big garden.
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You don't even need outdoor space.
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One plant on a balcony or a windowsill is enough.
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Really?
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Just one plant?
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Yes.
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One plant can become your personal sanctuary.
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A small place or even just one small pot that is yours,
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that you care for.
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That brings you peace every day.
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And over time, taking care of that one plant supports your daily well-being,
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your mood, your sense of calm, your mental clarity?
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Yes, mental clarity, that feeling when your head feels clear and light,
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not full and heavy.
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Gardening helps me get there.
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Because you stepped away from the noise and did something gentle with your hands.
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And because you felt connected to nature,
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even in a small way,
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even with one tiny plant on a balcony,
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that connection is real, and it matters.
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I love this, Ben.
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Now, listeners, a reflection question for you.
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How do you feel when you take care of something and watch it grow?
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Maybe it's a plant.
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Maybe it's a friendship.
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Maybe it's a skill you're learning.
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That feeling of seeing growth,
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of seeing something small become something more, it's very special.
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Think about that.
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And keep it with you today.
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Let's do a quick review of today's episode.
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Today we talked about gardening as a simple,
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beautiful way to relax after digital stress.
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We learned that touching soil,
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planting seeds, and watering plants slowly can calm the mind,
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because these actions keep us present in the real world.
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We also talked about how gardening teaches patience,
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because plants grow slowly, and waiting for a tiny sprout can bring real, quiet joy.
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And taking care of a plant every day creates a gentle routine that supports your emotional balance and mental clarity.
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Remember, you don't need a big garden.
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Even one plant on your windowsill can become your personal sanctuary.
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And now, your vocabulary recap from today.
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Digital stress.
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Mental energy.
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Quiet escape.
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Get your hands dirty.
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Slow down.
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Feel grounded.
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Gentle routine.
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Mental clarity.
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Personal sanctuary.
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Practice these words this week.
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Use them in a sentence.
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Share them with a friend.
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Make them yours.
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All right.
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That's the end of today's episode.
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We hope you enjoyed it,
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and we hope it gave you a quiet, calm feeling.
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just like gardening does.
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This week, we'd love for you to try one small gardening action.
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Just one.
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Maybe water a plant that's already in your home.
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Or touch a little fresh soil at a market or garden shop.
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Or simply sit quietly near some green leaves,
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a tree, a house plant,
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a small park, and just breathe.
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Notice how you feel.
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Small steps.
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Slow and gentle.
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That's the gardening way.
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And don't forget, the episode PDF is in the description.
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It has vocabulary from today,
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speaking frames, reflection questions, and a simple gardening routine you can try at home.
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Use it to review, practice,
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and grow, just like your plants.
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Keep practicing, keep growing, and keep slowing down.
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See you next time.
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Bye.
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Bye, everyone.
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Context & Background
In the video titled "Why Gardening Is the Best Way to Relax," hosts Anna and Ben engage in a light yet informative conversation about the benefits of gardening as a stress-relieving activity. The discussion highlights the overwhelming pressures of modern life, particularly the mental fatigue caused by extensive screen time. Anna shares her personal experiences dealing with digital stress, which resonates with listeners who may also feel mentally drained by their daily routines. By focusing on the soothing aspects of gardening, the hosts provide insights into how simple activities like touching soil, planting seeds, and caring for plants can foster relaxation and rejuvenation of the mind.
Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication
- “Do you ever feel mentally tired?” – A way to ask about someone's mental health after a busy day.
- “It comes from too much screen time.” – A phrase to explain the cause of mental fatigue.
- “My eyes feel heavy, and my head feels full.” – Describing the physical symptoms of mental exhaustion.
- “I know I need to rest.” – Recognizing the importance of taking breaks.
- “All the notifications never really stop.” – Capturing the incessant demands of modern digital communication.
Step-by-step Shadowing Guide
To effectively utilize the shadowing technique while watching this video, follow these structured steps to enhance your speaking skills:
- Step 1: Listen First – Start by watching the video without any distractions. Pay attention to the natural flow of conversation and intonation.
- Step 2: Focus on Phrases – Note down the top phrases provided above. Understanding these phrases will help you grasp common expressions used in everyday English.
- Step 3: Use Shadowspeak – Replay sections of the video, pause after significant sentences or phrases, and attempt to repeat them exactly as you heard. This practice not only improves pronunciation but also builds confidence in using everyday expressions.
- Step 4: Engage in Reflection – After shadowing, take a moment to reflect on what you've learned. Think about situations where you might use these phrases in your conversations.
- Step 5: Record Yourself – Use a voice recording app to capture your attempts at shadow speak. Listening to your recordings will help you identify areas for improvement and track your progress over time.
By incorporating shadow speech into your English learning routine, you can significantly enhance your conversational skills while enjoying the calming nature of gardening discussed in the video. Happy learning!
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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