How would you like to practice your pronunciation, boost your vocabulary and educate yourself while practicing English?
If you said yes, then today's your lucky day, because you and I are going to practice English through reading an excerpt from a book, so that we can practice pronunciation, connected speech, vocabulary and storytelling using our voice to tell stories all in one sitting.
So we're just going to practice all of that today as we read a small part from this book.
So today we're going to read The Housemaid.
So it's a psychological thriller by Freda McFadden.
The book is about a young maid working for a wealthy family with dark secrets.
By the way, this novel was recently made into a film, and if you enjoy it, then you can definitely go read the full book or watch the movie.
If you like this format of reading out loud and practicing vocabulary and pronunciation, I have created a playlist with additional episodes that I have made reading out loud from Harry Potter Atomic Habits, The Let Them Theory and The Alchemist.
All of it is ready for you to dive in.
The way it's going to work is that I'm going to read a small part.
You can shadow me as I'm reading.
And then I'm going to explain keywords and talk about interesting pronunciations or nuances in speech or the way I choose to read something in terms of intonation.
And I invite you to just shadow me.
This is really, really important.
Don't just listen to it, even though It's kind of like a guided audio book, which is really cool.
But if you shadow me, you're also going to start changing your own patterns and it's going to be a lot easier for you to remember those things and then to use those things later on.
If you're new to my channel, then hi, my name is Hadar.
I'm a non-native speaker of English and I am here to help you speak English with effortlessness clarity, joy and
Just a strong sense of confidence.
Check out my website at hadarshemesh.com or follow me on social media for daily lessons.
All right, so let's get started with reading out loud.
Tell me about yourself, Millie.
Nina Winchester leans forward on her caramel-colored leather sofa.
Her legs crossed to reveal just the slightest hint of of her knees peeking out under her silky white skirt.
Caramel colored is light brown, like caramel.
Caramel colored.
Caramel colored.
And then slightest hint is a very small amount.
Slightest, slightest, slightest.
A very small hint, right?
Very little.
The slightest hint. of her knees peeking out, appearing a little bit, okay?
It's partially visible, so you can visualize it, right?
So you can slightly see her knees underneath the white skirt.
Silky, very smooth.
Silky white skirt.
Silky white skirt.
I don't know much about labels, but it's obvious everything Nina Winchester is wearing is painfully expensive.
Labels.
Labels.
Labels is designer brand.
Labels.
I don't know much about labels.
Okay?
I don't know much about labels.
But it's obvious.
Everything Nina Winchester is wearing is painfully expensive.
Painfully.
Painfully.
Extremely.
In almost an uncomfortable way.
Her cream blouse makes me long to reach out to feel the material.
Even though a move like that would mean I'd have no chance of getting hired.
I'd have.
I would have.
I'd have.
I'd have.
I'd have.
Long to.
Her cream blouse makes me long to reach out.
So long to is to want something strongly.
Long to.
Long too.
And then a move like that, a move like that is an action like that.
A move like that.
A move like that would mean I'd have no chance of getting hired.
To be fair, I have no chance of getting hired anyway.
This is a thought that she's thinking, right?
And then we're going into the scene where she speaks.
Well, I begin choosing my words carefully. even after all the rejections, I still try, right?
Now she's talking about the way she responds.
So in the book we're seeing both her thoughts, or reading her thoughts, and her interpretation of the situation.
And we're also seeing the situation and the dialogue starting with.
Well, I grew up in Brooklyn Brooklyn, Brooklyn.
I've had a lot of jobs doing housework for people, as you can see from my resume.
So that's the scene.
She is saying that.
My carefully doctored resume.
Doctored is changed to seem better or hide the truth.
So notice my intonation here and try to follow me.
So this is her speaking.
So we're going to you know, use a tone that is natural, that feels like I'm trying to be friendly.
I grew up in Brooklyn.
I've had a lot of jobs doing housework for people, as you can see from my resume.
And then the thought, I can use a lower tone, my carefully doctored resume.
And I love children.
And also, I glance around the room looking for a doggy chew toy or A cat litter box.
I love pets as well.
The online ad for the housekeeper job didn't mention pets, but better to be safe.
Who doesn't appreciate an animal lover?
Brooklyn.
Mrs. Winchester beams at me.
So beams means smiles very brightly.
Mrs. Winchester beams at me.
So again, let's do this again.
Follow me, follow my intonation and notice the shift between just speaking and then going into our thoughts.
And I love children and also break.
I glanced around the room looking for a doggy chew toy or a cat litter box.
Going back to speaking.
I love pets as well.
Back to speaking.
The online ad for the housekeeper job didn't mention pets, but better to be safe.
Who doesn't appreciate an animal lover?
These are the thoughts that go through her mind.
Back to the scene.
Brooklyn!
Mrs. Winchester beams at me.
So there are like three voices.
The voice of Mrs Winchester, the voice of the woman speaking and her thoughts.
I grew up in brooklyn too.
We're practically neighbors.
We are end of dialogue.
Going back to the thoughts, i confirm, even though nothing could be further from the truth, further further from the truth.
Say it fast, because it's a little tricky further from the truth.
Further further further, not farther further, further.
It's a common mistake, by the way, farther from the truth, even though it kind of like makes sense.
But you say further, further from the truth.
That means completely untrue.
There are plenty of coveted neighborhoods in Brooklyn where you'll fork over an arm and a leg for a tiny townhouse.
That's not where I grew up.
So coveted is highly wanted.
So let me explain that again.
There are plenty of coveted neighborhoods, neighborhoods that everyone wants to live in in Brooklyn, where you'll fork over an arm and a leg usually pay unwillingly.
And an arm and a leg is a lot of money.
Okay, so you'll pay unwillingly a lot of money, fork over an arm and a leg for a tiny townhouse.
A townhouse is a tall, narrow house connected to other houses in a row.
Very common for New York.
Back to her voice.
Nina Winchester and I couldn't be more different.
But if she'd like to believe we're neighbors, then I'm only happy to go along with it.
Along with it, say it with me to go along with it, agree and pretend it's true.
Sure, i'll go along with it.
She's trying to get the job right.
She'll say whatever the woman who's about to hire her wants her to say.
Mrs winchester tucks a strand of shiny gold blonde hair behind her ear.
Tucks a strand put away to hide a piece of hair right behind her ear.
So let's do it again, follow me.
Mrs winchester tucks a strand of shiny golden blonde hair behind her ear.
Her hair is chin length, cut into a fashionable bob.
That's a type of a haircut that de-emphasizes her double chin, De-emphasizes.
To de-emphasize is to make less noticeable.
So follow me again, shadow me.
Her hair is chin length cut into a fashionable bob that de-emphasizes her double chin.
She's in her late 30s, 30s, 30s.
She's in her, in her, in her.
She's in her late 30s and with a different hairstyle.
Hairstyle. and different clothing, clothing, she would be very ordinary looking.
So again, follow me.
She's in her late 30s and with a different hairstyle and different clothing, she would be very ordinary looking.
She would look very ordinary, like a normal person.
But she has used her considerable wealth to make the most out of what she's got.
Considerable wealth.
Considerable wealth is a lot of money.
Considerable wealth.
To make the most out of what she's got, what she's got, what she's got, can reduce it.
I can't say I don't respect that.
Okay, we're starting to understand the character by listening to her thoughts.
So let's do it again.
But she has used her considerable wealth to make the most out of what she's got.
I can't say I don't respect that.
I have gone the exact opposite direction with my appearance.
I may be over 10 years younger than the woman sitting across from me, but I don't want her to feel at all threatened by me.
Let's do it again.
And the word threatened, threatened.
First of all, make sure you transition nicely between the TH and the R. Threat, threat, threatened.
You can start and then you can release the T through the nose.
Threatened, threatened by me.
And threatened is feeling insecure as if you might be replaced or challenged.
Okay?
Threatened.
Oh, don't threaten me.
I feel threatened by her.
Threatened by me.
So for my interview, I selected a long, chunky wool skirt.
Wool.
Wool.
Wool.
That I bought at the thrift store in a polyester white blouse with puffy sleeves.
So chunky is thick.
Chunky wool skirt.
Chunky wool wool skirt.
So you can visualize her appearance right.
So for my interview i selected a long chunky wool skirt that i bought at the thrift store and a polyester white blouse polyester polyester white blouse with puffy sleeves.
My dirty blonde hair is pulled back into a severe bun behind my head.
Severe, very strict looking and plain.
Severe, severe bun.
She didn't want to look extraordinary.
She wanted to look very, very pale and not threatening.
I even purchased a pair of oversized and unnecessary tortoise shell glasses.
Tortoise tortoise shell.
It's a tough one, let's do it together.
Tortoise shell.
Tortoise shell glasses are a brown and gold pattern tortoise shell that sit perched on my nose perched, sitting lightly in place.
Okay.
So it's not stuck.
It's like sitting lightly perched on my nose.
I look professional and utterly unattractive.
Utterly is completely.
I look professional and utterly.
Utterly.
That's a somewhat common word.
So, if you don't know it or you don't use it, you can.
Utter, utter, utter, utter.
Flopty.
Utterly.
But of course, you can use the word completely whenever you want to use that meaning.
I look professional and utterly unattractive.
So, the job.
She says, it will be mostly cleaning and some light cooking if you're up for it.
Up for it.
Up for it is willing to do it or ready to do it if you're up for it.
Are you up for it?
Are you up for a drive?
Are you up for dinner?
Are you up for cleaning?
Are you a good cook, Millie?
Millie.
Yes, I am.
My ease in the kitchen is the only thing on my resume that isn't a lie.
I'm an excellent cook.
Her pale blue eyes light up.
Ease in the kitchen.
Ease in the kitchen is being comfortable and confident when cooking.
Ease in the kitchen.
Yes, I am.
My ease in the kitchen, it's very easy for me is the only thing on my resume resume.
That isn't a lie.
I'm an excellent cook.
Her pale blue eyes light up.
That's wonderful.
Honestly, we almost never have a good home-cooked meal.
She titters.
So titters is laughs in a small, silly way.
She titters.
Let's all titter together.
Who has the time?
I bite back.
Any kind of judgmental response.
Bite back.
Bite back.
To bite back is to stop yourself from saying something.
Who has the time?
I bite back any kind of judgmental response.
Nina Winchester doesn't work.
So notice that we can drop the T here.
Doesn't work.
Doesn't work.
She only has one child.
Only has one child. who's in school all day.
Notice that we speak in phrases, right?
So it's not one long sentence and it's not separate words.
It's not she only has one child who is in school all day.
No, it's like you want to think of it as chunks when you tell the story or when you speak in general.
She only has one child who's in school all day and she's hiring somebody to do all her cleaning for her.
To do all her cleaning.
For her, for her, for her.
I even saw a man in her enormous front yard.
Huge.
I even saw a man in her enormous front yard.
Really try to connect the words together here.
Let's do it again.
I even saw a man in her enormous front yard.
So we have a lot of words here.
That we want to put together.
Doing her gardening for her.
Doing her gardening for her.
How is it possible?
How is it?
How is it?
How is it?
How is it possible?
She doesn't have time to cook a meal for her family.
To cook, cook, cook.
She doesn't have time to cook a meal.
To cook a meal for her small family.
I shouldn't judge her.
I shouldn't.
I shouldn't.
Shouldn't.
I shouldn't judge her.
I don't know anything about what her life is like.
Just because she's rich, it doesn't mean she's spoiled.
Just because she's rich, it doesn't mean she's spoiled.
One.
Two.
When you kind of like, Highlight two things, rich, spoiled.
You want to use your voice and your intonation for it.
Just because she's rich, longer and higher in pitch, it doesn't mean she's spoiled.
But if I had to bet a hundred bucks either way, I'd bet Nina Winchester is spoiled rotten.
Spoiled rotten is extremely spoiled.
But if I, I don't want to judge, I don't want to, you know, assume things.
But if I had to bet a hundred bucks either way, I'd bet Nina Winchester is a spoiled rotten.
Back to the conversation, and we'll need occasional help with Cecilia as well.
Mrs Winchester says perhaps taking her to her afternoon lessons or play dates.
So you can assume that Cecilia is her child.
And we'll need occasional, occasional.
So occasional is every now and then.
And we'll need occasional help with Cecilia as well, Mrs. Winchester says.
Perhaps maybe perhaps, taking her to her afternoon lessons or play dates.
You have a car, don't you?
Don't you?
Don't you?
I almost laugh at her question.
Back to her brain.
Yes, I do have a car.
It's all I have right now.
My 10-year-old Nissan type of a car, my 10-year-old Nissan is stinking up the street.
Stinking up is making a place smell bad, making it stinky smelly, stinking up the street in front of her house, in front of her, in front of her, in front of her house.
And it's where I'm currently living.
Discovering new information about the character.
Okay, she lives in her car.
Interesting.
Everything I own is in the trunk of that car.
I have spent the last month sleeping in the back seat back seat, back seat.
After a month of living in your car, you realize the importance of some of the little things in life.
Little things, little things.
Let's do it again.
Shadow me.
After a month of living in your car, you realize the importance of some of the little things in life.
A toilet, a sink, being able to straighten your legs out while you're sleeping.
To straighten your legs out.
I miss that last one the most.
Yes, I have a car, I confirm.
I love how this book shifts between her thoughts and her thoughts that allow you to discover a little bit more about her life.
And back to the conversation and how she's being perceived by Nina Winchester.
Excellent, Mrs. Winchester.
Claps her hands together.
I'll provide you with a car seat for Cecilia, of course.
She just needs a booster seat.
A booster seat is a child seat that raises the kid to fit the seatbelt safety.
If you are a parent, you know what a booster seat is.
She's not quite at the weight and height level to be without the booster yet.
The Academy of Pediatrics recommends.
While Nina Winchester drones on about the exact height and weight requirements for car seats, I take a moment to glance around the living room.
So Nina is talking and Millie is looking.
Drones on, drones on.
You might have noticed this phrase.
Drones on is talks for a long time in a boring way. right, like kind of like buzzing on, drones on.
The furnishing is all ultra modern, with the largest flat screen television I've ever seen, which I am sure is high definition and has surround sound speakers built into every nook and cranny of the room for optimal listening experience.
Let's break it down and let's talk about some of the words here.
Ultra modern, ultra, ultra modern is extremely modern in style.
Very, very modern.
Okay, ultra modern.
And then we have surround sound. surround sounds like a mini tongue twister, surround sound.
It's audio that comes from speakers all around you, surround sound, not just from one place.
And every nook and cranny, nook and cranny is every small corner in space, right?
Nook and cranny.
And optimal, the best possible experience.
Okay, so now that we talked about all of these words, Let's read it again.
The furnishing is all ultra modern, with the largest flat screen television I've ever seen, which I'm sure is high definition and has surround sound speakers built into every nook and cranny of the room for optimal listening experience.
In the corner of the room is what appears to be a working fireplace.
The mantle littered with photographs of the Winchesters on trips to every corner of the world.
Mantle is the shelf above the fireplace, the mantle.
And then littered is covered with many scattered items.
Littered, littered.
So let me read that part again.
In the corner of the room is what appears to be a working fireplace.
The mantle littered with photographs of the Winchesters on trips to every corner of the world.
Let's say that phrase, every corner of the world.
When I glance up, to glance up is to look up.
When I glance up, the insanely high ceiling glows under the light of a sparkling candle.
A chandelier is a large decorative ceiling light.
I bet you know what it looks like.
Chandelier.
When I glance up, the insanely high ceiling glows under the light of a sparkling chandelier.
Don't you think so, Millie?
Mrs. Winchester is saying.
So she was wrapped up in all her thoughts and how you know, she looked at the room and she was thinking about it.
And then in the meantime, Nina Winchester was talking, talking, talking.
And then she asked her a question.
Don't you think so?
Don't you?
Don't you?
Don't you?
Don't you think so, Millie?
Mrs. Winchester is saying.
I blink at her.
Blink is like. close and open your eyes quickly.
But it also means, you know, I got confused.
I'm like, my mind went blank.
I attempt to rewind my memory and figure out what she had just asked me.
But it's gone.
Rewind my memory is to go back in your mind to remember, right?
Like, what did she say?
Wait, like trying to kind of like replay the scene.
Yes.
Yes.
I say, whatever I agreed to has made me very happy.
I'm so pleased you think so, too.
Absolutely, I say more firmly this time.
She uncrosses and recrosses her somewhat stocky legs.
Stocky is short and strongly built.
We're thick.
Uncrosses and recrosses her somewhat stocky legs.
And of course, she adds, there is the matter of reimbursement for you.
Reimbursement is typically referred to money paid back to cover costs you spend.
So, for example, if she were to use her car and would pay for gas when she takes Cecilia to school and to her playdates, she should get reimbursed for that.
The gas money.
But in this case, in this context, it is used to refer to salary.
As we can see later in the text, reimbursement for you.
You saw the offer in my advertisement, right?
Is that acceptable to you?
I swallow.
The number in the advertisement is more than acceptable.
Say it with me.
The number in the advertisement is more than acceptable.
If we go back to the previous line, is that acceptable to you?
So we would say it in normal voice, is that acceptable to you?
And then she wants to highlight the word acceptable.
So listen to how we should use it here.
I swallow.
The number in the advertisement is more than acceptable, right?
We emphasize more than acceptable.
If I were a cartoon character, dollar signs would have appeared in each of my eyeballs when I read that advertisement.
Let's say it again.
If I were a cartoon character, dollar signs would have appeared in each of my eyeballs when I read that advertisement.
But the money almost stopped me from applying for the job.
But the money almost stopped me from applying for the job.
Nobody offering that much money living in a house like this one would ever consider hiring me.
So that's her thought.
Nobody offering that much money living in a house like this one would ever consider hiring me.
Can you hear the not good enough?
Not ready enough, not fit for the job.
But she said, yes, I choke out.
It's fine.
Choke out is to say with difficulty because you feel nervous or emotional.
Yes, it's fine.
She arches an eyebrow.
And you know it's a live-in position, right?
Arches an eyebrow, such a beautiful phrase, is raises one eyebrow to show doubt or surprise.
And live-in position is a position for a housemaid, for example, or a job where you live in the employer's home a live-in position.
Is she asking me if I'm okay with leaving the splendor of the backseat of my Nissan?
Say it again with me.
It's a long question.
Is she asking me if I'm okay with leaving the leaving, not living leaving the splendor of the backseat of my Nissan?
She's sarcastic.
Can you tell?
Splendor is great beauty and luxury.
Clearly it's not.
Right.
I know.
Fabulous.
Fabulous.
She tugs at the hem of her skirt and rises to her feet.
So, tugs is pulls quickly and a little hard.
And hem, hem of the skirt is the bottom edge of clothing.
Okay?
Tugs at the hem of her skirt and rises to her feet.
Would you like the grand tour then?
Would you?
Would you?
Would you?
Would you like the grand tour then?
See what you're getting yourself into.
So grand tour is a full tour of the place, the grand tour.
And then see what you're getting yourself into.
Getting yourself into is becoming involved in something.
And often without knowing the details, getting yourself into.
What am I getting myself into?
Usually it has like a negative connotation, to me at least.
Right.
I need to know what I'm getting myself into because I have no idea and I need all the details.
So let's do that part again.
Would you like the grand tour then?
See what you're getting yourself into?
OK, that is it for today.
I think you did a great job.
I think both of us did a great job and i think it's time to rest a little bit.
So today you've learned a whole bunch of new words.
If you want to remember those words and see the excerpt and get a link to the book and the audio book, everything is linked in the description and you have a pdf with this excerpt and highlighted words and a few more notes for me, and I also created a playlist for you with additional read-along episodes, if you like this type of practice.
So all of it is in the description below and you can download this freebie that I have for you absolutely free.
I hope you enjoyed this practice.
I hope you enjoyed exposing yourself to this book.
I definitely enjoyed reading it with you and practicing it with you.
Have a beautiful, beautiful rest of the day remember, it doesn't need to be perfect, it doesn't need to be flawless, it just needs to be.
You just need to practice, to show up, to do the work, to learn to be curious, which is why you're here, i bet.
Have a beautiful, beautiful rest of the day and I'll see you next week in the next video.
Bye.
