Shadowing Practice: You’re invited to the masquerade. Do you dare attend? - Iseult Gillespie - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

C2
The Red Death had long devastated the country.
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The Red Death had long devastated the country.
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Blood was its Avatar.
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There were sharp pains, sudden dizziness, then profuse bleeding at the pores.
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The scarlet stains upon the body were the pest ban, which shut out aid and sympathy.
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The whole progress and termination of the disease were the incidents of half an hour.
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But Prince Prospero was happy.
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When his dominions were half depopulated, he summoned a thousand hale and light-hearted friends from among the knights and dames of his court, and retired to one of his castellated abbeys.
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A strong and lofty wall girdled it in.
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The external world could take care of itself.
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In the meantime, it was folly to grieve— or to think.
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It was toward the fifth or sixth month of his seclusion that Prince Prospero entertained his thousand friends at a masked ball.
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There were seven rooms.
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In each, a Gothic window of stained glass whose color varied in accordance with the prevailing hue.
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The seventh was closely shrouded in black velvet.
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The panes were scarlet and produced so wild a look upon those who entered that there were few bold enough to set foot within its precincts.
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It was in this apartment also that there stood a gigantic clock of ebony.
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When its minute hand made the circuit of the face, there came forth a sound so peculiar that there was a brief disconcert.
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But when the echo ceased, a light laughter pervaded the assembly.
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The musicians smiled at their own nervousness.
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And then, after the lapse of 60 minutes, the same tremulousness as before.
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But, in spite of these things, it was a magnificent revel.
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The tastes of the Duke were peculiar.
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There are some who would have thought him mad.
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There was much of the beautiful, wanton, bizarre, something of the terrible, and not a little of that which might have excited disgust.
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To and fro in the seven chambers there stalked a multitude of dreams.
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And these, the dreams— writhed in and about, taking hue from the rooms.
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And, anon, there strikes the ebony clock, and momently, all is still.
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And now again the music swells, and the dreams live, and writhe to and fro more merrily than ever.
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But to the chamber which lies most westwardly, none of the maskers venture, for there flows a ruddier light through the blood-colored panes.
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And to him whose foot falls upon the carpet, there comes from the clock a muffled peal more solemnly emphatic than any which reaches their ears who indulge in the more remote gaieties of the other apartments.
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The revel went whirlingly on— until the twelfth hour.
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There was an uneasy cessation of all things.
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More of thought crept.
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And many individuals in the crowd had become aware of a masked figure.
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There arose a murmur, at first of surprise— then, finally, terror and disgust.
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The figure was shrouded from head to foot in the habiliments of the grave.
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The mask was made to resemble the countenance of a stiffened corpse.
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The mummer had gone so far as to assume the type of the Red Death, dabbled in blood.
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When the eyes of the Prince Prospero fell upon this spectral image, his brow reddened with rage.
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“Who dares thus to make mockery of our woes?
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Uncase the varlet that we may know whom we have to hang tomorrow!” None put forth hand to seize him.
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Unimpeded, he made his way through.
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Prince Prospero, maddening with the shame of his own cowardice, bore aloft a drawn dagger, and approached the retreating figure, when the latter, having attained the extremity of the velvet apartment, turned suddenly.
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There was a sharp cry— and the dagger dropped, upon which instantly fell Prince Prospero.
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The revellers gasped, finding the grave cerements and corpse-like mask untenanted by any tangible form.
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And now was acknowledged the presence of the Red Death.
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One by one dropped the revellers in the blood-bedewed halls.
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And the life of the ebony clock went out.
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And the flames expired.
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And Darkness and Decay and the Red Death held illimitable dominion over all.

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About This Lesson

In this lesson, we will delve into a rich narrative inspired by Edgar Allan Poe's work, encapsulated in a mysterious masquerade setting. You will practice understanding dramatic storytelling, enhancing your vocabulary, and improving your speaking skills through the shadowing technique. This technique allows you to imitate the speech patterns and tones of the narrator, which can be particularly beneficial for your IELTS speaking practice. By engaging with the perplexing themes and vivid descriptions presented in the excerpt, you can effectively enhance your language skills in a captivating context.

Key Vocabulary & Phrases

  • Avatar - a representation or embodiment of something, often used in a mystical or metaphorical sense.
  • Depopulated - made unpopulated; often used in contexts involving disease or disaster.
  • Revel - to engage in lively and noisy festivities; often associated with celebration or enjoyment.
  • Masked ball - a party where attendees wear masks, contributing to an atmosphere of mystery.
  • Habiliments - clothing, particularly associated with a specific role or profession.
  • Mummer - a performer, particularly in a theatrical context, often wearing a mask.
  • Tremulous - shaking or quivering, often indicating fear or anxiety.

Practice Tips

When you apply the shadow speech method, focus on not only the words but also the rhythm and emotion conveyed by the narrator. The pace in this excerpt varies, alternating between rapid sequences of vivid imagery and slower, more deliberate phrases. To practice effectively, listen to specific sections multiple times while mimicking the tone and inflection. Start with slow playback to capture the nuances, then gradually increase to the original speed to refine your technique.

Utilize shadowing sites or resources that align with the themes of this video, allowing you to immerse yourself in the text. When you encounter challenging phrases, pause and rehearse them until you achieve a natural rhythm. This practice will not only enhance your pronunciation but will also improve your ability to convey emotion and drama in English, an essential skill for successful communication and IELTS speaking practice.

Remember, perseverance is key. With each session, your confidence in using complex vocabulary and expressing intricate ideas will grow substantially, setting you on the path to mastery in English speaking.

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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