Shadowing Practice: FOLK STORY I - THE SUN, THE MOON and THE BAT (A2 PLUS) - Learn English Speaking with Video

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According to a story from Africa, a long time ago the sun and the bat were good friends.
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They were seen together all the time.
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They shared their dreams as well as their problems.
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One day, the moon and the sun began talking about who was stronger.
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The moon said she was stronger.
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The sun did not agree with her.
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They argued, I am stronger.
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No, I am stronger.
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No, I am.
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And so on.
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Finally, they decided to have a contest.
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After a couple of days, they planned to meet at the lake to see who could throw a rock the farthest across the lake.
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A lot of animals came from all over the world to the lake to watch the contest.
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They came early because they knew that the contest could start at any time.
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The moon arrived at the lake first.
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She wanted to win, so she practiced before the sun arrived.
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She picked up rocks one at a time and threw them.
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Each time the rocks went farther and farther.
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By the time the sun finally arrived at the lake, the moon was sure she could win.
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The moon chose a rock and threw it.
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It landed near the other side of the lake.
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The sun chose a bigger rock and threw it.
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Near the middle of the lake, the sun's rock began to fall toward the water.
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But all of a sudden, it began to go up again.
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The sun's rock went all the way to the other side of the lake.
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It seemed that the sun had won the contest after all.
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However, nobody knew that the bat was carrying the rock.
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When the bat was sure that no one could see him, he stopped to rest between a pair of banana trees.
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His wings were tired.
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It was difficult carrying the heavy rock, but he was happy to help the sun.
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That's what friends are for, thought the bat.
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Many years later, the bat's mother died.
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Above all, the bat wanted his mother to have a nice grave.
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The bat worked all day, but he was not finished by the time the sun began to go down.
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The bat asked for a favor from the sun.
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Can you stay up until I finish my mother's grave?
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The sun refused.
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Again and again the bat begged, but the sun said it was time for him to go down.
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The bat was very angry.
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The sun did not help him, even though he had helped the sun.
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When the moon came up, she saw the bat still working hard on his mother's grave.
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The moon gave the bat enough light to finish his work.
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As a result, the bat and the moon became good friends.
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That's why today you will never see the bat near the sun.
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He is always with his friend, the moon.
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Thank you.

Context & Background

This engaging folk story, "The Sun, The Moon and The Bat," originates from Africa and presents a dialogue between celestial characters. This narrative not only entertains but also imparts valuable lessons about friendship, loyalty, and the consequences of our actions. Through the interactions between the sun, moon, and bat, learners can explore various themes while enhancing their English language skills. As you engage with this story, consider how the characters' relationships reflect common social dynamics in the real world, allowing for rich discussions and vocabulary development during English speaking practice.

Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication

  • "I am stronger." - A phrase demonstrating confidence and asserting one's abilities.
  • "Can you stay up until I finish?" - A polite request that can be used in various contexts.
  • "That's what friends are for." - A saying emphasizing the importance of supporting friends.
  • "I am sure I can win." - Expressing self-belief, useful in competitive scenarios.
  • "I worked hard all day." - A phrase reflecting effort and dedication, applicable in multiple situations.

Step-by-step Shadowing Guide

To effectively utilize the shadowing technique with this folk story, follow these steps to improve your English speaking skills:

  1. Listen Carefully: Play the video and listen to the story attentively. Focus on the pronunciation, intonation, and rhythm of the narration.
  2. Read Along: Find the transcript of the story, if available, and read along with the video. This will help you connect the spoken words with their written forms.
  3. Repeat in Real Time: Use the shadowspeak technique by repeating the narrator’s words as they speak. This will enhance your fluency and help you internalize the phrases.
  4. Practice Shadow Speech: After listening a few times, try to repeat the story without the audio. This encourages you to think in English and improve recall.
  5. Engage in Role Play: Pair up with a partner or practice in front of a mirror. Take on different roles from the story (sun, moon, bat) to deepen your understanding and enhance your communication skills.

By employing these techniques, you can turn this folk story into an engaging learning experience. Not only will you learn English with YouTube in an entertaining way, but you will also strengthen your speaking abilities, making you more confident in your conversations.

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.