Shadowing Practice: Don’t Be Lazy! | Four Classic Fables About Hard Work and Responsibility | Little Fox - Learn English Speaking with YouTube
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Little Pops One summer, a young grasshopper moved into a forest.
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Little Pops One summer, a young grasshopper moved into a forest.
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What a beautiful place, he thought.
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I'll live here.
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The happy grasshopper did a little dance.
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Soon, a group of ants marched by,
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carrying green leaves and grass.
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Hello, new neighbors!
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Grasshopper waved.
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Would you like to play with me?
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We're busy today, the ants said.
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We don't have time to play.
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Come on, Grasshopper said.
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It's a beautiful day.
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We'll have so much fun.
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Sorry, the ants said before marching away.
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The next day, Grasshopper woke up late.
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He saw the ants marching by again.
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Hi there, neighbors! he said.
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Why are you out so early?
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It's not early, one ant said.
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We're working, another said.
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Why do you need to work so much?
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Grasshopper asked.
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We're gathering food for winter, a little ant said.
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Winter?
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Grasshopper laughed.
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It's summer!
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It's too early to get ready for winter.
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How foolish!
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You're foolish!
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An ant said.
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Why?
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Grasshopper asked.
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You'll see.
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The ant warned him.
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As summer passed, Grasshopper spent each day having fun.
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He slept late.
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Then he danced and played.
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You work too much, grasshopper said whenever the ants went by.
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You play too much, the ants said.
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Soon fall arrived, and the forest changed colors.
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Leaves fell from trees, and the grass turned brown.
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Grasshopper still played every day,
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and the ants were busier than ever.
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One morning, Grasshopper woke up feeling cold.
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When he opened his eyes,
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he saw it was snowing.
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Snow covered the ground, and all the trees were bare.
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Grasshopper shivered.
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Winter is here.
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I should look for food.
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Grasshopper searched the snowy forest but couldn't find anything to eat.
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The next day, Grasshopper still couldn't find any food.
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He searched long and hard.
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Eventually, he found the ants' home.
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Please, Grasshopper begged.
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Where can I find food?
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I'm so hungry.
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It's too late, one ant said.
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Another nodded.
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You won't find any food until spring.
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What will I do?
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Grasshopper sobbed.
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The little ant looked at the other ants.
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Grasshopper will die without food.
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The others sighed.
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Fine, one said.
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There's only one thing to do.
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That winter, Grasshopper stayed with the ants.
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They shared their food with him.
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Grasshopper was thankful for their kindness,
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and he learned an important lesson.
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As soon as spring arrived, Grasshopper darted outside.
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Where are you going? the little ant asked.
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Grasshopper smiled.
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I have work to do.
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I must gather food for winter.
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In the spring, little red hen was busy.
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She was planning for the winter.
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She decided to plant some wheat.
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Cluck, cluck, who will help me plant this wheat?
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She asked.
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Buh, buh, not I.
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I have to rest, said the goat.
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Oink, oink, not I.
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I must take a nap, said the pig.
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Okay, I will plant the wheat by myself, said Little Red Hen.
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When the summer came, the wheat began to grow.
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The weeds grew too.
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Cluck, cluck!
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Who will help me pluck the weeds? asked Little Red Hen.
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Bah, bah, not I.
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It is too hot outside, said the goat.
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Oink, oink, not I.
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I have to cool off in the mud, said the pig.
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Okay, I will weed the wheat all by myself, said Little Red Hen.
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When the fall came, the wheat was ripe.
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Cluck, cluck, who will help me harvest the wheat? she asked.
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Bah, bah, not I.
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I am going to a party, said the goat.
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Oink!
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Oink!
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Not I.
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I am eating lunch, said the pig.
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OK.
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I will harvest the wheat all by myself, said Little Red Hen.
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She harvested the wheat.
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Then she took it to the mill and ground it into flour.
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In the winter, there was very little to eat.
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But Little Red Hen had flour to make bread.
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Cluck, cluck, who will help me bake the bread? she asked.
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Bah, bah, not I.
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I am too tired, said the goat.
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Oink, oink, not I.
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I want to sleep some more, said the pig.
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Okay, I will bake the bread by myself, she said.
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When the bread was done,
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Little Red Hen opened the oven.
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The bread smelled delicious.
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Cluck, cluck!
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Who wants my bread now? she asked.
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Bah, bah!
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Me, me!
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It smells really good, said the goat.
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Oink, oink!
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Me too!
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It looks delicious! said the pig.
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No, you won't.
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Whenever I needed help.
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You did not help me.
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I will eat it all by myself, answered Little Red Hen.
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So the goat and the pig stayed hungry.
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Little Red Hen ate the whole loaf of bread all by herself.
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One day, a merchant was walking home from the market.
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He had loaded big bags of salt on his donkey's back.
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Oh my, this salt is so heavy, the donkey thought.
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It will be a long, hard trip home.
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Soon they came to a stream.
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As they entered the water, the donkey slipped.
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Splash!
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He fell into the stream.
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When the donkey stood, his load felt much lighter.
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That's odd, he thought.
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Oh no, my salt!
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The merchant cried.
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All my salt is gone!
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He sighed.
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What an unlucky day!
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Meanwhile, the tired donkey was delighted.
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What a lucky day!
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He thought, laughing aloud.
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Hee-haw!
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Hee-haw!
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Soon they went to the market for salt again.
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On the way home, they had to cross the stream again.
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I know what to do, the donkey thought.
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This time, he fell into the water on purpose.
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Splash!
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That's better, the donkey thought as he stood.
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My load is so much lighter now.
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He laughed aloud.
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Hee-haw!
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Hee-haw!
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By now, the merchant was growing suspicious of his donkey.
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The next time they went to market,
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he bought bags of sponges.
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He loaded them onto the donkey, and they headed home.
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This is not a very heavy load, the donkey thought.
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But I know a way to make it even lighter.
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While they crossed the stream,
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the donkey fell into the water.
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Splash!
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I'm so clever, the donkey thought.
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The merchant frowned.
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Stand up, donkey!
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But when the donkey tried to stand, he could barely move.
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What happened? he thought.
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My load grew so heavy.
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Now the sponges are full of water, the merchant said.
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That will teach you a lesson.
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Let's go.
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Finally, the donkey managed to stand.
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I was foolish, he thought as they started walking again.
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Now my load is much heavier.
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I must remember not to play tricks.
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I don't like it when others play tricks on me.
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Once upon a time, there lived a farmer who had a vineyard.
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Though the vineyard was small,
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the farmer worked hard and took good care of it.
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In this way, he provided his three sons with a good, happy life.
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The farmer loved his sons very much.
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They had plenty of food,
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which pleased the oldest son, who loved to eat.
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They had comfortable beds, which pleased the middle son, who loved to sleep.
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They had fine clothing, which pleased the youngest son,
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who loved wearing fancy clothes.
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The sons had everything they needed and wanted.
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This made the farmer proud.
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Many years passed.
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The farmer grew old, but he still went out to the vineyard every day.
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One day, he fell from a ladder while working.
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He decided to speak to his children.
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My sons, the farmer said,
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I am too old and weak to continue working.
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Someone must tend the vineyard or we will have no money.
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It's time for you three to start working.
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The oldest son rolled his eyes.
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I'm too hungry to work.
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The middle son yawned.
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I'd rather take a nap.
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The youngest frowned.
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I don't want to get my clothes dirty.
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The farmer shook his head in disgust.
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How did I raise such lazy, selfish sons?
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He thought.
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Over time, the farmer found himself growing weaker.
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Soon the house fell into disrepair.
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The vineyard became neglected and overgrown with weeds and tangled vines.
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The farmer knew he had little time left,
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and he despaired over his lazy sons.
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One night, the farmer called them to his bedside.
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My sons, I will not live much longer.
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There is something I must tell you before I die.
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There is a very special treasure in the vineyard.
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Find it, and it is yours.
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The old man passed away that night.
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The sons forgot about the treasure for a while.
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But then, the oldest noticed they were running out of food and money.
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Maybe father's treasure is money, he said.
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Yes, the middle son said.
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Father's vineyard was successful before he stopped working.
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If we find that treasure,
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we'll never have to work, the youngest said.
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The sons went out right away.
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The vineyard is overgrown, the youngest son said.
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The middle son nodded.
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We'll never find the treasure here.
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We have to tend the vineyard first, the oldest said.
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They cleared the weeds and trimmed the vines.
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The soil was too hard to dig, so they watered it.
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But they saw no sign of the treasure.
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Every day the sons checked the vineyard,
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but they didn't find the treasure.
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Look! the youngest cried one day.
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His brothers ran to him.
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Did you find the treasure?
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One asked.
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No, the youngest said.
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But grapes are growing again.
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Should we pick them?
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The middle son looked at the grapes.
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Maybe we should pick them.
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We could sell them for money.
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Good idea, the oldest said.
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We can look for the treasure later.
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Several years passed.
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The sons never saw any sign of the treasure,
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but the vineyard kept them busy.
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They watered the soil and pulled the weeds.
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They picked grapes and tended the vines.
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Eventually, they stopped looking for the treasure,
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never realizing they had already found it.
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The vineyard was successful again,
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thanks to the sons' hard work.
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That was the true treasure in the vineyard.
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About This Lesson
In this lesson, you will practice listening comprehension and speaking skills through engaging storytelling. The classic fable about the grasshopper and the ants teaches valuable lessons about hard work, preparation, and responsibility. By following along with the tale, you will not only enhance your vocabulary but also gain insights into moral lessons that are relevant in everyday life. This lesson is perfect for learners who want to improve their English speaking abilities while understanding the cultural significance of fables.
Key Vocabulary & Phrases
- Grasshopper - a type of insect often depicted in fables as carefree and fun-loving.
- Ants - hardworking insects that symbolize diligence and responsibility.
- Winter - the cold season that serves as a metaphor in the story for future challenges.
- Gathering food - the important task completed by the ants in preparation for winter.
- Foolish - lacking good sense or judgment; used by the ants to describe the grasshopper's carefree attitude.
- Busy - actively engaged in work or a task, as demonstrated by the ants.
- Play - engage in activities for enjoyment, a choice made by the grasshopper.
- Responsibilities - obligations that require attention and effort, central to the themes of the fable.
Practice Tips
To effectively use shadowing techniques while watching this video, consider the following tips:
- Use a shadowing app to capture both audio and text from the video. This will help you replay sections where you find speaking challenging.
- Start by listening to a short segment of the story, then pause the video. Repeat exactly what you heard, mimicking the tone and rhythm. This is the essence of the shadow speak method.
- Pay attention to the emotions conveyed through the characters' voices. This fable contains shifts in voice that indicate urgency, happiness, and caution, which are important for nuanced speaking.
- Practice speaking slowly at first, focusing on pronunciation before increasing your speed. As you become more comfortable, gradually bring your speaking speed closer to that of the narrator.
- Revisit sections multiple times. Repetition is key to mastering the shadowing technique and reinforces your learning as you familiarize yourself with the story's themes.
- Incorporate your own examples relating to hard work and responsibility as you practice speaking. Create new sentences or dialogues based on the fable's lessons to stretch your learning further.
By regularly practicing with this shadowing technique, you will enhance your speaking skills and gain confidence in your English abilities, making your learning experience both enjoyable and effective. Remember to "learn English with YouTube" as you explore various engaging stories!
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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