Shadowing Practice: Gulliver's Travels Bedtime Stories for Kids in English - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Once upon a time, there lived a doctor named Gulliver.
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There came a time when there was no work to be found in the city.
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So Gulliver found a job on a ship.
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This way, his new life had begun on shore.
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The first few days it went pretty good.
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He was getting used to his new life on the ship.
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But one day, a very strong thunder struck.
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After struggling in the huge waves for some hours, hours, in the end the ship tipped over.
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Gulliver and a few of the crew managed to get some rowing boats on the boat before it sank.
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Short while after their ship sank it disappeared.
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They couldn't stay on this rowing boat for too long and soon after a strong wave They've hit them and this boat, like the sheep, also tipped over.
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They scattered all over the place.
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For hours, Golover struggled to stay above the water.
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He was trying to stay alive.
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In the end, the current helped him manage to hit ashore.
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He was very tired now.
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He had no idea as to where he was.
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Besides, he was in no state to think.
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He fainted right there on the shore.
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When he woke up, he noticed he had been tied up from head to toe.
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Surrounding him, he saw little tiny people as small as his palm.
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With amazement, Gulliver was staring at these little people.
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And with the same reaction, the little people were staring at him.
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Right at that moment, Golover felt a tingle all over his body.
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When he put his head up to see what it could be, he noticed his whole body covered in tiny arrows.
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The very frightened little people were throwing arrows at him.
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Please stop, don't.
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I won't hurt you, don't worry.
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For a few days they kept him there with his hands and feet tied up.
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They gave him food and water.
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After some days had passed, they tied him on a car that was pulled by hundreds of tiny little horses, taking him to their hometown.
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This little town was called Lilliput.
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They saved the largest building in the town for him.
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But even so, to get inside the house he had to crawl.
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Seeing that Gulliver meant no harm to them, they decided to introduce him to their king.
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Gulliver approached Lilliput's king.
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The king allowed him to stay.
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But in order to stay,
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he told him that he must work and help around the city as much as he could.
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Gulliver signed a piece of paper that stated the do's and don'ts.
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For example, if he wanted to pick someone up with his hands, he needed to have permission.
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Under these circumstances, Gulliver began living in Lilliput.
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He was helping with the renovations of the buildings and carrying water to the locals.
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After some days had gone by, he found out a big problem amongst the little people.
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The neighbouring country's army wanted to occupy Lilliput.
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In order to do so, they were getting ready for war.
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Gulliver went over to the king and proposed to help.
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If you like, I can help you out, your highness.
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The king was happy.
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He first thanked him, then accepted his offer.
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At that time, the neighbouring country's ships had finished their preparations.
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They were waiting for their order to proceed.
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This news got all the town worried.
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On the other hand, for Gulliver, it was too easy.
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He asked everyone to find as much wire as they could and bring it to him.
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Krolliver joined all the wire they bring to him and made a very long and strong piece of string.
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When it was midnight, he cut the long string of wire and crossed to the other side of shore.
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Without being seen to the enemy, he managed to get to the port on the other side.
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He tied all the ships to one another and with the very few soldiers that were inside, he pulled them to Lilliput's shore.
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The people waiting for him at the port were super happy.
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They had imprisoned the enemy's soldiers.
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They now had no reason to be scared of the enemy.
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The king thanked Gulliver and rewarded him.
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Gulliver was very happy he had gained the king's trust.
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A while later, there was a fire in the castle.
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The moment he heard about the fire, Gulliver took one of the ships in the harbour, filled it with water and poured it on the castle,
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putting off the fire immediately.
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Gulliver and the king were getting along very well.
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While making a decision, the king was always asking Gulliver first.
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Of course, this started to get in the way of the other advisers to the king.
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They were envious of Gulliver.
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Your Highness, we hear rumours.
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Gulliver is planning to get stronger and take your position as the King of Lilliput.
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Really?
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Yes, my king.
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We all know how strong he is.
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We can't defend ourselves if he attacks us.
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Mmmmm...
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We can't live in fear like this.
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Public is also on its toes.
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The King was well affected by his advisers and he decided to punish Gulliver.
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Considering the good he's done before, I won't give him the death penalty.
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His eyes will be blinded, he will be forbidden to go into town and his food will be limited.
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When he heard about the King's decision, one of the workers in the castle who loved Gulliver ran right next to Gulliver to tell him all about it.
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I can talk to the king and change his mind.
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But the decision was made and the king had no intentions to change his mind.
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Gulliver finally understood that his only option was to leave.
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At night, taking the enemy ships in the harbour with him, he began to move towards the island across.
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He walked and swam and finally came to the island of what people called the enemy.
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When Gulliver returned their ships, they understood that he didn't have bad intentions.
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With the guide next to him, they sent Gulliver to meet with the king.
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The king properly welcomed Gulliver, and Gulliver told him all that had happened.
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The king told him that he could stay as long as he wanted.
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Gulliver was really surprised of this kind gesture after he stole their ships
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because he hadn't seen this kind of behavior in Lilliput.
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Gulliver was staying out at night since there was no house big enough for him.
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People of Lilliput think this kingdom is the enemy but actually they're all good people.
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One day when he was walking about he found a rowing boat.
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This was clearly the boat that they were on after his ship had sunk.
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Apparently our boat hit the shore on this island.
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He immediately went to the king.
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The king gave him all the men he needed.
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They all began to repair the boat.
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In a few days the boat was ready for shore.
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Gulliver was very happy because he could leave the kingdom of the little people and go home.
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He thanked the king and his people who welcomed him.
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But a tough journey was waiting for him on this small boat in the big ocean.
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Even this small storm will sink my boat!
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After a couple of days on the ocean, he came across a ship.
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He began yelling for help.
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Hey!
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Here!
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Help me!
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Finally they heard him.
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They came next to the rowing boat and took Gulliver on their ship.
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And so Gulliver was safe.
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He was anxious to tell about all that had happened.
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The little people, the kingdom of Lilliput, and the kings of the two kingdoms.
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He wondered who would believe him about all that had happened.
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Gulliver felt very happy that he was going to go home to see his family.
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But he also felt there were many more adventures waiting for him out there in the big ocean.
Why practice speaking with this video?
Practicing your speaking skills using the video "Gulliver's Travels Bedtime Stories for Kids in English" is not just an enjoyable way to enhance your English but also an effective method for language learning. The engaging narrative immerses you in a story filled with imaginative scenarios and dialogue, providing a rich context that encourages active participation. By listening to the vibrant story of Gulliver's adventures, learners can improve their pronunciation, intonation, and speaking fluency.
The video lends itself to the shadowing technique, where you can repeat after the speaker to mimic their speech pattern. This practice helps you to internalize how English is spoken naturally, assisting you in learning conversational phrases and expressions that you might rarely encounter in a textbook. Furthermore, this storytelling format allows you to practice varied emotional tones and character dialogues, making your speaking practice more dynamic and memorable.
Grammar & Expressions in Context
Throughout the video, several key grammatical structures and expressions can significantly benefit your speaking skills:
- Past Simple Tense: The narrative predominantly employs the past simple tense, such as “Gulliver found a job” and “He woke up.” This structure is essential for recounting events, allowing you to express completed actions in your conversations.
- Conditional Statements: Expressions like “If you like, I can help you out” showcase the use of conditionals. Understanding this structure can enhance your ability to make suggestions or offer assistance in various scenarios.
- Requests and Permission: Phrases such as “I won’t hurt you, don’t worry” illustrate how to reassure others while making requests. This is particularly useful in everyday communication, enabling you to be both polite and clear.
- Descriptive Language: The video uses vivid adjectives, like “tiny little people” and “strong thunder,” which help paint a picture in the listener’s mind. Practicing with such descriptive phrases can enrich your vocabulary and improve your storytelling skills.
Common Pronunciation Traps
As you practice with the video, be mindful of specific pronunciation challenges that may arise:
- “Gulliver”: This name can trip up English learners due to its unique vowel sounds. Focus on breaking it down: Gul-li-ver.
- “Fainted”: The vowel sounds may be difficult; ensure you pronounce it clearly as fain-ted to avoid confusion with similar sounding words.
- “Tied up”: Pay attention to the short ‘a’ sound in “tied” and the blend in “up.” Practice saying it slowly before trying to transition to a quicker pace.
By taking advantage of the engaging stories and focusing on these pronunciation tips, you can enhance your learning experience. Enjoy the journey as you learn English with YouTube and practice your speaking skills effectively!
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.