Shadowing Practice: Crying Wolf and Other Tales | Story Collections | Dominoes Quick Starter - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

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Crying Wolf Part 1
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Crying Wolf Part 1
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Cosmos is a shepherd boy in Greece.
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One evening, he is bored.
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What can I do? he thinks.
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He goes to the nearest village and cries, Help!
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A wolf is eating my sheep!
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The villagers run up the hill angrily.
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But the sheep are standing there quietly with no wolf.
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Where's the wolf? they ask.
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It isn't here now, Cosmos says.
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Later, Cosmos tells his dog Sirius.
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What a good trick!
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I lie and they believe me!
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The next week, Cosmos cries.
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Wolf!
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Again.
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And all the villagers run up the hill.
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But this time, some villagers listen when Cosmos speaks to Sirius.
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So they learn about his trick.
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Never tell lies again, they say.
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All right, I promise.
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Cosmos answers.
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Crying Wolf Part 2 The next day,
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Cosmos is watching the sheep.
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Suddenly, Sirius hears a noise.
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A big wolf comes out from behind a tree.
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It takes a lamb in its mouth.
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Cosmos runs down the path to the village.
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Help! he cries.
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There's a wolf on the hill and it's killing my sheep.
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Remember your promise.
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Don't tell lies.
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The villagers say and they quickly close all their doors and windows.
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But this time it's true.
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Please help me.
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Cosmos cries.
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Cosmos climbs back up the hill alone.
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He finds some of his lambs, but they are dead.
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Where's Sirius?
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He thinks.
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Sirius, where are you?
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Come here, boy!
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He calls again and again.
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Just then, he sees his dog on the ground.
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Oh no!
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Sirius is dead too!
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He cries.
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Cosmos sits down slowly.
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I understand now, he thinks.
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When you tell lies, people stop listening to you.
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From this day, I must always tell the truth.
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The Goose with the Golden Eggs Part 1
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Yanis and Daphne live in a little house in the country.
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One day a young goose walks up the path to their front door.
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They look after the goose carefully,
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and every day it becomes bigger and fatter.
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One morning the goose lays an egg,
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but it isn't an ordinary egg.
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Look at this, Daphne, Yanis says.
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It's a golden egg!
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Can you believe it?
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Later Yanis goes to a shop in town.
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He sells the golden egg there for lots of money.
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The next morning, the goose lays a golden egg again.
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Yanis and his wife look after the goose well.
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Day after day, they find a golden egg under it.
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Yanis sells all the eggs,
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and soon they have lots of money.
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One evening, Yanis is counting the money when he thinks.
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This goose is very slow.
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It lays only one golden egg every day.
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No more.
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I want to become rich more quickly.
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What can I do?
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The Goose with the Golden Eggs,
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Part 2 The next day,
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Yanis takes out a big knife.
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What do you want that for?
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His wife asks.
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I want to kill the golden goose, he answers.
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Then we can have all of its eggs now.
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Is that a good idea?
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Daphne asks.
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Yes, of course, Yanis says.
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With all those golden eggs,
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we can become the richest people in any of the towns and villages near here.
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Yanis goes into the garden alone.
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He quickly kills the goose,
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and he opens it with his big knife.
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Oh no, I can't believe it,
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he cries There aren't any golden eggs inside it You fool,
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Daphne cries Our golden goose has an ordinary goose's body Now it's dead and we can't have any more golden eggs.
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Later that day, Yanis says,
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We can never find a golden goose again.
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You're right, Daphne.
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I am a fool.
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A greedy fool.
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And when people become greedy,
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Daphne says, they often lose everything.
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Yes, Yanis answers quietly.
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I know that now.
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The Bear and the Two Travelers Part 1
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One day two friends, Marios and Nikos,
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are travelling through some woods.
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Marios has a big bag on his back.
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Inside the bag there are lots of things.
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He wants to sell these in the nearest town.
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Suddenly the two men hear a loud noise.
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Nikos stops walking.
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What's that noise, Marios? he asks.
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Just then, a big brown bear arrives on the path.
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It stands up on its back legs in front of the two travellers.
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Ah!
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It's a bear!
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Nikos cries loudly.
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He quickly climbs up a big tree and he leaves Marios alone on the path.
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Marios can't climb the tree because his bag is big and heavy.
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What can I do?
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He thinks.
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Marios suddenly has an idea.
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Bears never touch a dead body, he thinks.
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So he lies down on the ground and doesn't move.
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The big, heavy bear walks slowly over to Marios.
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Marios closes his eyes and stays very still.
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Nikos looks down from the tall tree.
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He watches the bear.
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It moves nearer to Marios.
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Nikos is afraid.
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He doesn't help his friend.
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The Bear and the Two Travelers Part 2
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The bear begins to sniff Marios with its big black nose.
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First, it slowly sniffs his body, but Marios doesn't move.
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Then it sniffs his hair, nose and face.
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But Marios doesn't open his eyes.
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Next, it sniffs his ears for a long time.
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But Marios lies very still on the ground.
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Nikos watches carefully from the tree.
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That bear is whispering something in Marios's ear, he thinks.
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What's it saying?
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I want to know.
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In the end, the bear becomes bored with Marios.
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It walks down the path and goes away into the woods.
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After some minutes, Marios stands up.
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Nikos quickly climbs down the tree and runs to his friend. Are you okay?
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Tell me about the bear's words in your ear.
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Nikos says excitedly to Marios.
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I must know the truth.
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All right, I can tell you his advice to me, Marios says.
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When times are bad, you know you're true friends.
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And after all this, I know you better.
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And you're not a true friend to me, Nikos.
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you

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Context & Background

The story of "Crying Wolf" is a classic fable that originates from ancient Greece, featuring a young shepherd boy named Cosmos. The tale unfolds as Cosmos grows bored and decides to entertain himself by tricking the villagers into thinking that a wolf is threatening his sheep. This playful deceit backfires when, during a real wolf attack, the villagers dismiss his cries for help due to his earlier lies. This moral lesson emphasizes the importance of honesty and the consequences of losing trust. For English learners, understanding this context can help build a foundation for vocabulary and phrasing, making the language more relatable and engaging.

Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication

  • What can I do? - Use this phrase when you're unsure or need suggestions.
  • Help! A wolf is eating my sheep! - A dramatic expression that can be adapted for situations needing urgent attention.
  • Where's the wolf? - A simple question structure that can be utilized in various contexts.
  • Please help me. - An essential phrase for requesting assistance, useful in everyday scenarios.
  • I promise. - A powerful expression of commitment and honesty, vital for building trust in relationships.

Step-by-step Shadowing Guide

To effectively utilize the "shadowing technique" while practicing English with this video, follow these steps:

  1. Watch the Video Carefully: Listen to the story while reading along with the transcript. Pay attention to the pronunciation and intonation used by the narrator.
  2. Repeat After Each Sentence: As you listen, pause and repeat each line. This will help you improve your speaking skills and pronunciation. Utilize a shadowing app if necessary to facilitate this practice.
  3. Breaking Down Sentences: Analyze difficult phrases. For instance, focus on "What can I do?" and practice it in different contexts to expand your usage.
  4. Role Play: Engage in dialogue with a partner or even practice solo. Pretend to be Cosmos and narrate your own situation using similar phrasings. This boosts your confidence in speaking.
  5. Record Yourself: Use your smartphone or a recording device to capture your voice as you practice. Compare your pronunciation with the video, and take note of areas for improvement. This is an excellent form of IELTS speaking practice.

Practicing with stories like "Crying Wolf" not only enhances your English speaking practice but also makes learning enjoyable and informative. By embedding these techniques into your routine, you'll solidify your grasp of the language while uncovering important moral lessons that enrich your learning experience.

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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