Shadowing Practice: Rapunzel | Fairy Tales for Kids - Learn English Speaking with Video
Creating lesson...
1
Addis Ababa Fairy Tales and Bedtime Stories for Kids Rapunzel Once upon a time, in a land far away,
2
lived a very sad witch.
3
The reason for her sadness was that she would never have a child.
4
However, if she had a child, she would be able to pass on her deep secrets and powers to her.
5
And so she made up her mind she would take away the first baby girl
6
that was ever to be born and raise her as if it were hers, away from everything.
7
The magic of evil shall forever take over the world!
8
Not so far from where the witch lived, lived a couple who made a living by farming.
9
One day, the man was surprised with the amazing news.
10
The lady gave the good news to her husband.
11
We're having a baby!
12
Unfortunately, their happiness didn't last very long.
13
The young lady got very ill.
14
As the days went on by, she began losing weight.
15
If she didn't get well soon, she was going to lose the baby.
16
Her husband tried every medicine and beneficial herb that there was, but couldn't cure her.
17
The last doctor he went to told him that there was only one way that his wife would get well.
18
There is an evil-hearted witch.
19
She is the only one that has this healing herb.
20
She is your only help.
21
The man gathered all his courage and went over to the witch's castle and knocked on the door.
22
Fearlessly knocking on my door?
23
You must have an important matter.
24
My wife is ill and she's getting worse.
25
I've heard you have the best remedy for such situations as ours.
26
Really?
27
And why should I help you?
28
I beg you, please don't reject me.
29
My wife is pregnant.
30
If I don't heal her, I will lose them both.
31
After hearing his situation, the witch changed her mind and decided to help him.
32
If you say so, I'll help you.
33
The witch gave him the healing herb.
34
Give a piece of this herb's leaves to your wife every day.
35
You will see that she will heal.
36
The young man was very happy now.
37
He ran back home.
38
His wife ate a piece of the leaves every day.
39
She began to heal and gain the weight she had lost.
40
But the herb the witch had given finished a few days later.
41
The young lady's illness began all over again.
42
This time round, it got worse in a shorter period of time.
43
Having no choice, her husband knocked on the witch's door once again.
44
The witch knew that he would be back.
45
She took out a bag of seeds.
46
These are the seeds that healed your wife.
47
You should get these seeds and plant them in your garden, and you will be able to save your wife and child.
48
But I have one condition.
49
If you have a baby girl, you will give her to me.
50
I can never accept such an offer.
51
Suit yourself.
52
The witch shut the door on his face.
53
Sadly, the man returned back home.
54
He wasn't able to tell anything to his wife.
55
As the days went on by, the young lady got worse.
56
The baby was now in danger.
57
The young man had trouble sleeping now.
58
If he didn't accept the witcher's offer, he was going to lose both his wife and his baby.
59
But if he accepted the offer and ended up having a baby boy, both his wife and son would survive.
60
And so he made up his mind and headed to the witch's castle.
61
He accepted her offer and went back home with the bag of seeds.
62
He planted the seeds the witch had given him.
63
The seeds grew in a very short period of time.
64
The young man helped his wife eat the leaves he had grown.
65
As the days went on by, his wife got better.
66
She had fully recovered and gave birth to a healthy baby.
67
But the young man was facing his fear now.
68
It's a beautiful baby girl.
69
The same day they were having a big celebration at the King's palace.
70
The Queen had given birth to a baby boy.
71
The king was very happy, because now after him, he had a prince that could lead to the country.
72
The people loved their good-hearted king and queen very much.
73
No one would ever know that one day in the future, the lives of these two babies would meet.
74
The husband and wife's happiness did not last very long.
75
Just on that same day, the witch came and asked for the baby.
76
The couple handed over their baby in tears and said their farewells.
77
Oh my baby, oh baby.
78
She's mine now, but don't worry, I will take good care of her.
79
And I will name her Rapunzel.
80
The witch took the baby to the tower.
81
This tower was hidden in the deep forest.
82
The witch went up the stairs to the very top of the tower.
83
They arrived at the room on the top floor.
84
The witch placed the baby in her crib.
85
Rapunzel, my beautiful baby.
86
Thinking that the witch was her mother, Rapunzel continued living her life in this tower.
87
During daytime she would go down the tower, play in the front yard, and at night time she would go back up to her little room at the top of the tower.
88
The witch never cut Rapunzel's golden hair.
89
She brushed Rapunzel's hair every single day.
90
The little girl liked this very much.
91
Years had passed, Rapunzel had grown And now she was a teenager One day,
92
the witch approached the tower and called out to Rapunzel Rapunzel,
93
my daughter, let your golden hair down Rapunzel let her golden hair down Her hair could reach the ground now Nice!
94
The witch went up the tower stairs,
95
then stood at the top of the staircase and began to whisper magical words.
96
Suddenly, the stairs began to crumble.
97
No spell in the world will ever, ever be able to bring these stairs back again!
98
Watching all that was happening with wonder, Rapunzel knew that she could never get out of the tower again.
99
The witch was using Rapunzel's hair to go down the tower every day, and in the evening, she would arrive at the bottom of the tower and call out to her.
100
Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let your golden hair down, it's your mother.
101
After hearing her voice, Rapunzel would let her golden hair down.
102
And so the witch would hold onto her hair and climb up.
103
Mother, why won't you allow me to leave the tower?
104
Why do you keep me up here?
105
Oh my darling girl, I love you so much.
106
I'm just trying to protect you from the evil of the world.
107
Rapunzel spent all her days singing and talking to the birds that would visit her.
108
Back at the King's Palace, the Prince that was born on the same day as Rapunzel had grown up and become a young man.
109
Now the old and sick King wished that his son the Prince would carry his father's throne,
110
marry a princess and give him a grandchild.
111
Although many princesses came by the palace, the prince couldn't see any of them as his beloved wife.
112
In the end, the prince went on a long journey, hoping to find his real love.
113
When he arrived at the corner of the forest where the tower was hidden, he asked the men.
114
I had never come to this forest before.
115
Let's go through the forest, maybe we'll find a shortcut.
116
My prince, this forest is magical.
117
It's said that whoever enters never gets out.
118
You said it yourself.
119
This might just be a rumor.
120
Let's go and see for ourselves.
121
The prince and his men entered the forest.
122
The prince was rather sure of himself, but his men not so much.
123
A while later, the tower where Rapunzel lived appeared.
124
Later, they heard the singing voice of Rapunzel.
125
La la la la la, la la la la la la, la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la.
126
What a beautiful voice!
127
After making his way closer to the tower, the prince noticed Rapunzel singing.
128
For a while, he watched her in admiration.
129
Right at that moment, the witch appeared and yelled out to Rapunzel.
130
Rapunzel!
131
Rapunzel, let your golden hair down!
132
Hearing the witch calling, Rapunzel let her beautiful golden hair down.
133
And so the witch held on her hair and climbed up.
134
So, her name is Rapunzel.
135
The prince decided to stick around the tower for some time and watched Rapunzel.
136
The witch climbed down Rapunzel's hair every morning, and at night climbed back up again.
137
Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let your golden hair down.
138
In the end, the prince gathered all his courage and on a day where the witch wasn't present, he approached the tower and called out.
139
Rapunzel!
140
Rapunzel!
141
This was the first time Rapunzel was hearing another voice other than her mother.
142
At first she was a little hesitant, but later she was very curious as to who this might be.
143
And so she looked down from the window.
144
She saw a young man looking at her from below. Who are you?
145
And how do you know my name?
146
I am the prince of this kingdom.
147
I heard your amazing voice and I wanted to meet you.
148
I am not allowed to speak to strangers.
149
Please go away.
150
I mean no harm.
151
I promise.
152
Please calm down so that we can talk.
153
I can't.
154
There is no staircase.
155
Right that instant, Rapunzel saw her mother coming.
156
Hurry!
157
You must get away from here!
158
Mother shouldn't see you!
159
The prince quickly hid behind the trees.
160
Once the witch reached the tower she called out.
161
And once Rapunzel let her golden hair down, she climbed up.
162
The prince began visiting every day.
163
They were now friends with Rapunzel.
164
And she now knew that the prince meant no harm.
165
And so she let her golden hair down.
166
The prince grabbed onto her beautiful blonde hair and climbed up.
167
Rapunzel was extremely excited.
168
It was someone she had never seen before, standing right there in front of her.
169
Why is your mother holding you in prison in this tower?
170
Mother tells me that the world is filled with evil.
171
She's trying to protect me.
172
But this is ridiculous.
173
Why would a mother lock her daughter away in such place?
174
Yes, it's true that there's evil out there, but there's also beauty amongst it all.
175
Rapunzel was curious to see if what the prince was saying was true, and all she ever wanted to do was see and get to know the world outside.
176
At last, they made up their minds and wanted to run away together.
177
That night, when the witch returned to the tower, she saw that Rapunzel had let her golden hair down.
178
Rapunzel saw me coming.
179
She has let her hair down.
180
After climbing up the tower, what does she see?
181
Rapunzel's hair cut and tied up on a piece of metal, but Rapunzel was nowhere to be seen.
182
At that moment, she realised that Rapunzel had ran away.
183
Rapunzel cut her own hair and hung it on a piece of metal.
184
With the help of her hair, she and the prince both climbed down the tower.
185
Rapunzel!
186
Rapunzel!
187
How dare you betray me!
188
Meanwhile, the prince and Rapunzel left the magic forest behind.
189
The story about the forest being magical was something the witch had made up, because she didn't want anyone finding Rapunzel.
190
Rapunzel and the prince finally arrived at the palace.
191
Taking Rapunzel with him, the prince approached the king and queen.
192
And what does he see?
193
The king standing in front of him, healthy as ever.
194
Father, you look very healthy.
195
How did this happen?
196
A healing herb cured your father, my son.
197
Let me see.
198
What was it called?
199
Oh yes, Rapunzel.
200
Rapunzel?
201
The prince began telling all that had happened to him.
202
Then the king told him that an old couple had given him the herb.
203
Then he began telling the story about the evil-hearted witch and the harm she had caused to the old couple
204
by taking their baby on the day she was born.
205
The prince and Rapunzel made their way to the old couple's house.
206
As soon as the lady saw this golden haired girl, she knew it was her baby Rapunzel that was taken from her.
207
My daughter, my daughter, finally I have found you.
208
Listening to the true story from the beginning, Rapunzel now had reunited with her parents.
209
Soon after, the prince and Rapunzel were married and they lived happily ever after.
210
So, what happened to the witch that was stuck in the tower?
211
The king captured the witch and locked her up in the tower, and put guards at the bottom of the tower so that she couldn't escape.
212
Along with the witch, her witchcraft and all her deepest secrets disappeared.
Why practice speaking with this video?
The enchanting tale of Rapunzel offers not just a captivating story for children but also a rich opportunity for English learners to practice speaking. Engaging with fairy tales like this one enhances vocabulary and comprehension while allowing learners to explore themes of bravery, sacrifice, and the struggle between good and evil. Through IELTS speaking practice, learners can effectively discuss and describe characters’ motivations and actions, making it an excellent context for practicing narrative skills.
Additionally, as you watch the video, you can pause to repeat lines, ask questions about the plot, or even summarize each segment. This kind of active engagement can significantly improve your ability to speak fluently and confidently, essential elements for success in English language proficiency tests and everyday conversations.
Grammar & Expressions in Context
The transcript contains several key grammatical structures and expressions that can aid in your learning:
- Conditional Sentences: “If you say so, I'll help you.” This structure is useful in both spoken and written English as it expresses dependency on conditions.
- Direct Speech: “You must have an important matter.” Using this form can help learners grasp how to convey dialogue effectively, which is vital in storytelling.
- Past Tense Narratives: “The young man was very happy now.” Understanding verb forms in narratives enhances storytelling skills, essential for what is often required in the IELTS speaking test.
- Adjectives and Adverbs: The use of descriptive words such as “evil-hearted” and phrases like “very sad” helps in building a richer vocabulary for expressing emotions.
Common Pronunciation Traps
Pronunciation is a critical component of effective speaking, and this video presents specific words and phrases that learners may find challenging:
- “Herb”: In some dialects, this word may be pronounced with or without the 'h' sound (erb vs. herb). Familiarizing yourself with both pronunciations can aid intelligibility.
- “Witch”: It’s important to emphasize the "w" sound at the beginning, as some learners may inadvertently pronounce it without the initial sound.
- “Castle”: This word contains a silent 't' in some accents, which can confuse learners. Practicing its pronunciation can improve your overall English pronunciation.
By repeating phrases from the video and shadowing the speaker, learners can master the appropriate intonation and rhythm of spoken English, making it easier to learn English with YouTube and naturally integrate new vocabulary into their speech.
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.