Shadowing Practice: Sam's Pet Temper! | Read Aloud Kids Book | Vooks Narrated Storybooks - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Sam's Pet Temper Sam had a new pet.
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A pet of his very own.
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He found it at the playground that afternoon.
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The playground was full of kids, sliding, swinging, teetering, tottering.
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Wherever Sam went, he had to wait his turn.
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Wait to slide, wait to swing,
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wait to teeter, wait to totter.
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Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait!
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Sam was tired of waiting.
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Waiting made him mad.
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He got madder and madder until he was the maddest he had ever been in his whole life!
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Suddenly, something jumped in among the kids.
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The thing ran around in circles, shoving and tripping and pinching and stomping.
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Within seconds, the playground was empty, except for Sam and the thing.
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It was hanging upside down from the monkey bars, grinning at him.
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Sam had never seen anything like it before, but he knew what it was.
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It was a temper!
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The temper had cleared off the playground just for Sam.
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No more waiting!
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Sam played to his heart's content all afternoon long.
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Sometimes, other kids tried to join in, but the temper just bared its teeth and growled fiercely.
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When it was time to leave, Sam called out, Hey, do you want to come home with me?
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The temper bounded into Sam's arms and licked him across the face.
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The walk home was fascinating.
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The temper was so funny.
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Sam knew they were going to be the best of friends.
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Pardon me!
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When they arrived home, Sam ran to the backyard so he and his new pet could play in his treehouse.
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Sorry Sam, said Sam's mother.
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It's almost supper time.
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One time.
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On the way into the house, the temper slammed the door.
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Sammy, warned his mother.
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The temper kicked the wall.
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Sammy, what's gotten into you? asked his mother.
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It's not me, said Sam.
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It's my temper.
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Well, control your temper, said his mother.
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Now get washed up for supper.
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Sam told the temper, You have to be good at home, okay?
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The temper purred.
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During supper, the temper hid under the table.
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Sam splashed up the bathroom, announced Sam's big sister.
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The temper gave her a kick in the shins.
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Ow!
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Sam kicked me!
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She yelled.
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It wasn't me, it was my temper!
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Sam yelled back.
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That's enough, said Sam's mother.
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Sit still and eat your spaghetti or go to your room.
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The temper picked up Sam's plate and dumped it on the floor.
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Sam!
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Said Sam's mother.
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I am nearing my limit.
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But it wasn't me, it was my temper!
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Here, I'll show you my temper!
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Cried Sam.
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Upstairs, young man, said Sam's father.
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The supper table is no place for tempers.
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The temper giggled and followed Sam upstairs.
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Having a temper was more trouble than Sam had imagined.
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Go away, he said.
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The temper smiled sweetly, turned two cartwheels and bounced onto his bed.
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It tossed Sam's toys and pillows into the air and juggled them with his feet.
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Sam was starting to wish he didn't have a temper.
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In the morning, the temper wasn't there.
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Sam checked under the bed.
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No temper.
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He got dressed.
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No temper.
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He ate his breakfast.
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No temper.
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Phew, said Sam.
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He brushed his teeth and skipped out the door.
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Then he saw it, waiting at the curb.
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Sam ignored it and kept walking.
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Good morning!
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The temper followed, whistling a little tune.
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Sam usually liked school, but that morning was a disaster.
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The temper scribbled over Rory's artwork, helped itself to Lucy's cookies,
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and snapped all the green crayons in half.
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You need a time out, said Sam's teacher.
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So Sam sat.
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And while he sat, the temper did something truly terrible.
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The principal called Sam's mother to pick him up from school early.
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You'll spend the rest of the afternoon in your room thinking about what you've done, mister," his mom said.
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But, Mom, it wasn't my fault, it's my terrible temper!
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No more excuses, Samuel," said his mother.
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Tempers cause trouble, that's what they do.
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Now you have to do something about it." -"I can't!" Sam cried.
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Sam, if you don't control your temper, no one can control it for you.
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Sam was finally allowed to go to the playground on Saturday.
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His temper tagged along.
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Why won't you leave me alone?
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Wailed Sam.
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The temper pasted a juicy kiss on Sam's nose and ran off to dig up a flower bed.
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The playground was filling up quickly.
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Sam ran to the slide, but others beat him to it.
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With a yip and a growl, the temper dashed over.
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As Sam watched it pounce, he began to feel a very different kind of mad.
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No!
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Sam shouted.
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The temper blinked at him, then shuffled over to bite at a kid's shoe.
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No, said Sam as he clamped a hand over the temper's mouth.
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The temper reached out to grab another kid's ponytail.
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No!
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Sam grabbed the temper's arm.
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The temper struggled.
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What should Sam do?
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Think, think, think!
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Whenever his father was frazzled, he'd count to ten.
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Sam tried it.
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One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten!
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The temper squirmed!
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The temper kicked!
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Sam thought harder!
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Ah-ha!
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His teacher got the class to settle down by saying their ABCs backward.
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Sam tried it.
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Z. Y.
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X. W.
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V. U.
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T. S.
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R. Q.
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P. P.
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P. The temper hissed.
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It thrashed.
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It lashed out like a giant, angry snake.
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Sam gulped and held on tight.
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The temper growled, it snarled, it roared like a ferocious lion.
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Sam held on even tighter.
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The temper grumbled.
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It rumbled!
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It thundered like a furious storm cloud.
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Sam said, Terrible temper!
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Don't you know that I'm stronger than you?
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He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
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Then he let it out slowly.
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Something felt different.
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Sam opened one eye, then the other.
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The temper had stopped struggling.
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It was sitting at Sam's feet, frowning at him.
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Sam let out a laugh.
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Huh?
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Ha ha ha ha!
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He had done it!
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He had actually controlled his temper!
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Sam had a wonderful afternoon with the other kids.
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He called to the temper to join them, but it preferred to sulk in a corner by itself.
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All too soon it was time to go home.
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Sam whistled to his pet temper.
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It didn't come rushing over.
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It was staring at a screaming toddler in a pink stroller.
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Sam started to walk away.
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When he reached the edge of the park, he looked back.
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The temper tossed the little girl's shoes into the sandbox.
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She shrieked with laughter.
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The temper giggled.
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Sam smiled and skipped home.
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If a temper ever found him again, he'd know what to do.
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like these.
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Seriously, you have to check it out.
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Thank you.
About This Lesson
In this lesson, learners will dive into the engaging story of "Sam's Pet Temper," where they will practice their English speaking skills through the context of a fun and relatable tale. This lesson focuses on improving fluency, pronunciation, and comprehension by utilizing the shadowing technique. As you follow Sam on his playful journey with his new pet temper, you will enhance your vocabulary and speaking abilities while also enjoying the rhythms of the story.
Key Vocabulary & Phrases
- pet temper - A metaphorical expression to describe feelings of anger as if they were a pet.
- waiting - The action of staying in one place until something happens.
- mad - A common expression for feeling angry or upset.
- grinning - Smiling widely, often indicating happiness or mischief.
- control your temper - A phrase advising someone to manage their anger.
- big sister - Refers to an elder female sibling, often seen as a figure of authority.
- supper time - The time when dinner is served, typically in the evening.
- hiding under the table - An image that conveys embarrassment or the desire to avoid confrontation.
Practice Tips
To maximize your learning from this lesson, consider using the shadowing technique effectively with the following tips:
- Listen actively: Play the video at a comfortable pace and pay close attention to the pronunciation of each word and the intonation used in the storytelling.
- Repeat immediately: Implement the shadow speech method by repeating phrases right after you hear them. This will help you mimic the rhythm and flow of native speakers.
- Adjust speed: If the video's speed feels challenging, utilize playback options to slow down sections. This is beneficial for practicing IELTS speaking practice material, as it allows you to focus on difficult words.
- Focus on emotions: Try to convey the emotions present in the story, especially when Sam expresses his anger. Practicing this will enhance your expressiveness in spoken English.
- Take breaks: After a few repetitions, pause to reflect on the phrases you've practiced. This can reinforce your memory and ensure better retention.
By engaging consistently with the content of the video using these shadowing techniques, you'll not only improve your English speaking skills but also develop a deeper understanding of emotional expressions in the language. Happy learning!
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.