Shadowing Practice: Monkey and Elephant and the Babysitting Adventure By Carole Lexa Schaefer - Learn English Speaking with Video

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Monkey and Elephant and the Babysitting Adventure by Carl Lexa Schaefer illustrated by Galia Brunstein
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Contents Chapter 1 A Prize Chapter 2 Some Rules Chapter 3 Home Again Chapter 1 A Prize
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One afternoon, Elephant said, It sure is quiet around here today.
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Monkey wiggled her ears.
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Maybe too quiet, she said.
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Just then, cousin Mimi and her baby stopped by.
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Good news, said Mimi.
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My mashed banana pie won first prize in the Yum Yum Baking Contest.
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Ooh, that is good news, said Monkey, clapping her hands.
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What's the prize? asked Elephant.
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A cart full of coconuts, said Mimi.
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Nice, said Monkey.
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Yes, said Mimi, but I must pick them up at tasty cooking school.
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Too far to take my babies.
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Not too far for me, said Baby 1.
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Not far for me, said Baby 2.
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Not me, Teehee, said Baby 3.
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If only I had a babysitter, said cousin Mimi.
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Monkey looked at Elephant.
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It's really too quiet around here, she said.
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We will babysit for you, Mimi.
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We will? said Elephant.
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Of course we will, said Monkey.
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Right, Elephant?
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She gave him a little poke.
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Hmm, said Elephant. Of course.
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Oh, thank you, monkey and elephant, said cousin Mimi.
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I'll bring the babies over tomorrow after breakfast.
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Mmm, I like breakfast, said baby one.
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Mmm, and lunch, said baby two.
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Mmm, and snacks, teehee, said baby three.
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Mimi and the babies waved bye-bye and headed for home.
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Monkey, said Elephant, have you ever babysat before?
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Monkey shrugged.
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No, not really. Have you?
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No, never, said Elephant.
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Well then, best friend, said Monkey, here we go again.
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Together on another adventure.
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Chapter 2 Some Rules Monkey, said Elephant the next morning, do you think babysitting will be hard?
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Monkey scampered up his trunk and settled behind one big ear.
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For babysitting, she said, we need some rules.
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What rules? asked Elephant.
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Monkey scratched her head and looked down the path.
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I will tell you when I know, she said, scrambling down Elephant's trunk.
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They're here!
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We want to play, shouted Baby One.
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Play with you, shouted Baby Two.
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Play with me.
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Tee-hee, shouted Baby Three.
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Mimi blew kisses and hurried away.
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The babies ran around Elephant.
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They grabbed his tail, squeezed his ears, and jumped rope with his trunk.
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Ouch! cried Elephant.
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Rule number one, said Monkey.
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Play, but not too rough, okay?
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Okay, they all agreed.
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I want to race now, hollered Baby One.
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Race fast, shouted Baby Two.
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Race me!
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Teehee, squealed Baby Three.
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No, me, me, me, they all shouted.
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Quiet, please, said Monkey.
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Rule number two.
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No, me, me, me.
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She drew a line in the dust.
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Everyone starts here at the same time, okay?
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Okay, the babies agreed.
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Now listen for elephant's trumpet, said monkey.
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Wah, wah, wah, elephant blew.
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Go!
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The babies raced back and forth, back and forth, until...
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Too hard, said Baby 1.
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Give me water, said Baby 2.
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I'm hungry, said Baby 3 without a teehee.
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Uh-oh, said Elephant.
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Are they whining?
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I think so, said Monkey.
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Is there a rule for it?
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Monkey held up three fingers.
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Rule number three, snack now, nap later.
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Elephant set down cups of water.
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Monkey gave the baby some banana chips.
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They nibbled and yawned, nibbled and yawned.
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And when you finish eating, said Monkey, it's nap time.
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But by then, they were already snuggled up asleep.
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Ahoo, elephant yawned, babysitting, sure is hard work.
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Monkey closed her eyes.
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Yes, it sure is.
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Chapter 3, Home Again Wrestle, wrestle, wrestle.
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In the tall, dry grass, three riffraff wildcats crouched low and whispered,
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Did you know that monkeys are a very good snack?
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Did you know that baby monkeys are the very best snack?
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Oh?
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Oh, I see three of them right now
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Elephant sniffed I smell ruff ruff Wildcats he said monkey opened her eyes me too she said what all we do?
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Make a rule number four he told her always keep babies safe Look! hissed one riff-raff wildcat.
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Now there are four monkey snacks.
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And one big elephant! yelled another.
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Yikes! they screeched, running away fast.
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And stay away! snorted elephant.
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The babies woke up.
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They rubbed their eyes and looked around.
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I see elephant right by me, said Baby 1.
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I see monkey, said Baby 2.
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I see mommy, tee hee hee, squealed Baby 3.
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Hello, hello, hello, said cousin Mimi.
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What did you do while I was gone?
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Play not too rough, said Baby 1.
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And no Mimi, said Baby 2.
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And snack, then nap.
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Tee hee, said Baby 3.
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Sounds nice and busy, said Mimi.
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Where's your prize? asked Elephant.
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Cousin Mimi pulled a cart full of coconuts out of the tall grass.
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Here, she said.
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She put a big pile of coconuts in the grass.
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For you, good babysitters, she said.
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Thanks, said Monkey and Elephant.
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Ooooooh, yelled Baby One, running toward the cart.
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Room for babies to ride!
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Me first!
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No me, said baby 2.
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Me me, tee hee, said baby 3.
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Ahem, said elephant.
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Uh oh, rule number 2, said baby 1.
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No me, me me, said baby 2.
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Sorry, tee hee, said baby 3.
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They helped one another into the cart.
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Me me, said elephant.
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Even though you have a cart now, sometimes can we still babysit? so things won't get too quiet, said Monkey.
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What do you say, babies? asked Mimi.
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Sometimes, for sure!
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Wait!
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They agreed and waved bye-bye.
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Monkey and Elephant sat in the shade, sipping fresh coconut juice.
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Ah, sighed Monkey.
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A nice way to end this adventure.
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Mmm, adventure, said Elephant.
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What we both like, said Monkey.
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Right, friend?
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Just right, said Elephant.
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For our very own rule, Monkey and Elephant will stay adventure friends.
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And best friends, added Monkey.
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Forever, Monkey and Elephant promised together.
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Bonk.

Why practice speaking with this video?

The video "Monkey and Elephant and the Babysitting Adventure" provides a playful and engaging context for English learners to practice their speaking skills. By using the shadowing technique, learners can mimic the characters’ dialogues, enhancing their pronunciation and intonation. This method promotes active listening and verbal repetition, which are crucial for language acquisition. The narrative showcases interactions that encapsulate everyday conversational styles, making it an excellent resource for real-life speaking scenarios.

Additionally, practicing with this video encourages learners to express emotions and reactions—essential components of effective communication. By playing different characters, learners can develop versatility in their speech and gain confidence in handling various situations. The adorable dynamic between Monkey and Elephant adds a sense of fun, turning learning into an enjoyable experience.

Grammar & Expressions in Context

Analyzing the language used in this video reveals several key grammatical structures and expressions:

  • Questions and Responses: The conversational style often includes very basic questions, such as, “What’s the prize?” This highlights a common way to engage in discussions.
  • Conditional Sentences: Phrases like “If only I had a babysitter” exemplify the use of the subjunctive mood, allowing learners to express desires or hypothetical scenarios.
  • Imperatives: Commands such as “Do you think babysitting will be hard?” demonstrate how imperatives can guide discussions, prompting responses from others.

This video offers contextualized examples that are perfect for learners practicing their English speaking skills, allowing them to build their vocabulary and sentence structure in an enjoyable manner.

Common Pronunciation Traps

While engaging with this video, learners may encounter specific pronunciation challenges that are worth noting:

  • Contractions: Words like “I’ll” and “we’ll” can be tricky as the contractions may be pronounced quickly, leading to potential confusion.
  • Vowel Sounds: The playful use of words such as “banana” and “coconuts” presents a challenge due to their varied vowel combinations. Practicing these through a shadow speech approach can help in mastering their articulation.
  • Ending Sounds: Pay attention to words like “quiet” and “snacks,” as omitting final consonant sounds is a common mistake that can affect clarity in speech.

Utilizing a shadowing app to replay these sections will allow learners to focus on these pronunciation traps and enhance their overall fluency in English. Through repeated practice in a fun context, learners can refine their speaking abilities 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.