Shadowing Practice: "The Fox's Trap" – A2 Basic English Listening Practice Story - Learn English Speaking with Video
Choose a practice mode
Each mode opens a full-screen practice room.
78 sentences
If sentences are too short or too long, click Edit to adjust them.
1
Fabulang!
2
Learn English with Stories.
3
The Fox's Trap A story for learners of English at A2 level.
4
Miss Mouse was in her bedroom, in her house, in the forest.
5
Her house was inside a small log on the ground.
6
It had four windows, a front door and a back door, and a little chimney.
7
Mouse was looking in her mirror.
8
My ears are so big, she said sadly.
9
The other animals laugh at me.
10
She sighed.
11
Outside the log, Mr Fox was passing by.
12
He heard what Mouse said.
13
He walked closer, quietly.
14
I wish I was like
15
Butterfly, Mouse continued.
16
Everyone loves butterfly.
17
She's so pretty.
18
Her wings are so attractive and colourful and such small ears.
19
Life is easy for her." Excuse me, said Fox.
20
Mouse jumped.
21
She turned around.
22
She could see one of Fox's eyes in each window.
23
Fox's voice was calm and friendly.
24
I feel sorry for you.
25
I am very ugly too.
26
The fox sighed very loudly.
27
Life is cruel.
28
Mice can use the magic lake to become beautiful, but foxes can't.
29
Magic lake? asked Mouse.
30
What are you talking about?
31
There is a magic lake in the forest.
32
When mice swim in the lake, they turn into butterflies.
33
Didn't you know?
34
No, said Mouse with wide eyes.
35
Well, come out of your log and I'll take you there," said Fox.
36
Mouse thought carefully.
37
She looked in the mirror again.
38
She saw her big ears.
39
But I have to stay at home, Mouse said.
40
I almost forgot.
41
My nieces and nephews are visiting me after school.
42
I have to wait for them.
43
Now Fox's eyes were wide.
44
That isn't a problem at all, he said.
45
I'll carry you.
46
We'll go to the mouse school first.
47
Then we'll all go to the magic lake together.
48
Mouse's little heart beat quickly while she put on her shoes.
49
She opened the door.
50
Fox was waiting patiently.
51
Slowly, Mouse walked towards him.
52
When Mouse was in front of Fox's mouth, he said, How many nieces and nephews?
53
How young?
54
I have twelve nieces and eight nephews, said Mouse.
55
They're all taking their final exams.
56
They're very cute.
57
I can't wait to meet them.
58
Mouse climbed onto Fox's head.
59
Go between those bushes, follow the river, then the school is in the field, said Mouse.
60
Fox began to run.
61
Mouse could see
62
Fox's tongue licking his lips.
63
I just need some water, said Fox.
64
Running is hard work.
65
I'm sorry, said Mouse.
66
It's just over there.
67
They could see the field between two large trees.
68
Fox ran quickly.
69
There was a loud bang.
70
Fox screamed.
71
His foot was stuck in a trap.
72
Mouse jumped off
73
Fox's head and began to walk home.
74
Do you think I'm stupid? she said.
75
Thanks for listening to this story from Fabulang.
76
There are even more stories at www.fabulang.com.
77
Don't forget to subscribe so you get notified when there are new stories to practice with.
78
The End
Download App
Everything you need to speak fluently
AI PronunciationScore every sentence
IPA PracticeMaster every sound
VocabularyBuild your word bank
Vocab GameLearn while playing
Same Channel
B1"Under the Bed" – B1 Intermediate English Listening Practice Story
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
B2"A Table for Three" – B2 Intermediate English Listening Practice Story
Daily ConversationHigh School StudentsUniversity Students
B12
"The Dancers' Statue" – B1 Intermediate English Listening Practice Story
Travel EnglishTeensDaily Conversation
B12
"The Brothers' Choice" – B1 Intermediate English Listening Practice Story
TeensDaily ConversationHigh School Students
FOR YOU
Recommend Video
A11,220
9 sentences
Little Fox - Level 1 - 19. At school - Single stories
KidsDaily Conversation
A25
123 sentences
The Fox and the Mysterious Sack 🦊 | English Moral Stories | Bedtime Stories
KidsDaily Conversation
A22
27 sentences
Learn English Through Story | 4000 Essential English Words | Book 1 | Unit 1
KidsDaily Conversation
A22
177 sentences
We Won 20 Million... Then Lost It ! Easy English Listening Practice (A2)
KidsDaily Conversation
A21
39 sentences
The Brave Little Firefly - English Story - English language (TheFableForest)
KidsDaily Conversation
A29
18 sentences
To the woods
KidsDaily Conversation
A21
31 sentences
Owls: Awake All Night
British AccentKidsDaily Conversation
A2770
9 sentences
English Listening Practice – A Trip To The Zoo | Short English Story with Subtitles
KidsDaily Conversation
A22
69 sentences
105 G1 The Lion And The Mouse
KidsDaily Conversation
B11
175 sentences
The Goose Girl | A Story of Tragedy, Betrayal and Triumph
KidsDaily Conversation
A22
54 sentences
The Four Friends: Learn English (UK) with subtitles - Story for Children "BookBox.com"
KidsDaily Conversation
A22
194 sentences
Animated Story - The Hedgehog Leaves Home - Family Storytime
KidsDaily Conversation
Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This speaking lesson is built on the video “"The Fox's Trap" – A2 Basic English Listening Practice Story”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: mouse, fox, lake, magic, fabulang. This video has 78 sentences and 495 words to shadow. The speech runs for 6:18. The speaker talks slowly, about 79 words per minute, so there is time to copy every sound. Only 80% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is demanding.
Key vocabulary in this video
15 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| mouse noun | /maʊs/ | Any mammal of the many rodent families (especially Muridae) that have a small body and a long tail. |
| ear noun | /ˈɪə̯/ | The organ of hearing, consisting of the pinna or auricle, auditory canal, eardrum, malleus, incus, stapes and cochlea. |
| nephew noun | /ˈnɛf.ju/ | A son of one's sibling, brother-in-law, or sister-in-law; either a son of one's brother (fraternal nephew) or a son of one's sister (sororal nephew). |
| butterfly noun | /ˈbʌ.tə(ɹ).flaɪ/ | A flying insect of the order Lepidoptera, distinguished from moths by their diurnal activity and generally brighter colouring. |
| niece noun | /nis/ | A daughter of one’s sibling, brother-in-law, or sister-in-law; either the daughter of one's brother ("fraternal niece"), or of one's sister ("sororal niece"). |
| mirror noun | /ˈmiɹɚ/ | A smooth surface, usually made of glass with reflective material painted on the underside, that reflects light so as to give an image of what is in front of it. |
| trap noun | /tɹæp/ | A machine or other device designed to catch (and sometimes kill) animals, either by holding them in a container, or by catching hold of part of the body. |
| sigh verb | /saɪ/ | To inhale a larger quantity of air than usual, and immediately expel it; to make a deep single audible respiration, especially as the result or involuntary… |
| bedroom noun | /ˈbɛdˌɹum/ | A room in a house, apartment, hotel, or other dwelling where a bed is kept for sleeping. |
| carefully adverb | /ˈkɛɹf(ə)li/ | With care; attentively, circumspectly. |
| ugly adjective | /ˈʌɡli/ | Displeasing to the eye; aesthetically unpleasing. |
| twelve noun | /twɛlv/ | A group of twelve items. |
| bang noun | /ˈbæŋ/ | A sudden percussive noise. |
| exam verb | /ɪɡˈzæm/ | Shortened form of examine |
| shoe noun | /ˈʃu/ | A protective covering for the foot, with a bottom part composed of thick leather or plastic sole and often a thicker heel, and a softer upper part made of… |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| jump off verb | To move from an elevated place by one jump. |
| turn around verb | To physically rotate (usually around a vertical axis) for a half turn (180 degrees), a whole turn (360 degrees), or an indefinite amount. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- What are you talking about?
- We'll go to the mouse school first.
- Then we'll all go to the magic lake together.
- I can't wait to meet them.
- Do you think I'm stupid?
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Past continuous was/were + -ing — an action in progress at a moment in the past | was looking · was passing · was waiting |
| Future with “will” will + verb — a decision, promise or prediction | I'll take · I'll carry · We'll go |
| Present continuous am/is/are + -ing — something happening right now or around now | are you talking · are visiting |
| Obligation: must / have to / need to saying that something is necessary | have to stay · have to wait |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 13 contractions and reduced forms, such as can't, I'll, I'm. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: shoe /ˈʃu/, patiently /ˈpeɪʃəntli/
How to practise with this video
- Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
- Shadow it sentence by sentence at normal speed, repeating each one until your rhythm matches the speaker.
- Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like mouse, ear, nephew.
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.