Shadowing Practice: The Grasshopper and the Ant + More Aesop's Fables | Stories for Kids | Bedtime Stories - Learn English Speaking with YouTube
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Little Fox The Grasshopper and the Ant Once upon a time,
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Little Fox The Grasshopper and the Ant Once upon a time,
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there was a grasshopper who lived in the forest.
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He enjoyed lying in the grass and singing songs.
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La la la la la,
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ah, what a beautiful day!
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One fine day, some ants marched by the grasshopper.
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The ants stopped to rest nearby.
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Hey, you guys!
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What's up?
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We are gathering food.
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Phew!
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What a hot day!
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A hot day indeed!
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You ants are foolish.
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It is too hot to work.
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Come and enjoy the cool grass with me.
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But we have to prepare for winter.
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Winter?
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Winter is months away.
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We have plenty of time to relax and have fun.
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Prepare for the winter another day.
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But we need to prepare now.
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Winter will come sooner than you think.
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Yes, we don't have much time.
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You are so foolish.
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Prepare for winter when it comes.
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Then, the ants left carrying their food.
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The grasshopper was not worried.
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He had picked enough leaves to last him all day.
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Ah, I have enough food for tonight.
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Why should I worry about tomorrow?
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I can pick some more leaves then.
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So every day, the grasshopper sang songs and rested in the cool grass.
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Then fall arrived.
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The ants were busier than before.
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Hey, you guys!
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Why don't you come and play with me?
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We do not have time to play.
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Sure you do.
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No, winter will come soon.
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Silly ant, winter is still far away.
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The grasshopper just sang and sang.
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When he became hungry, he picked some leaves and ate them.
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But one day, the grasshopper came out of his house and found,
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to his surprise, the earth was covered in cold white snow.
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Brrrr!
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It is very cold outside.
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Now it is time to gather some food for the winter.
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The grasshopper looked and looked for food,
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but the snow covered the grass,
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and there were no more leaves on the trees.
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The grasshopper did not find anything to eat,
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and now he was very, very cold.
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He began to shiver, so he went home.
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I will find some food tomorrow.
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Tomorrow I will work hard from then on.
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Tomorrow I can find food for the winter.
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So he went to sleep without any supper that night.
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The next morning, the grasshopper saw an ant pass by his house.
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Ah, an ant.
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Maybe he knows where the grass and the leaves went.
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Hello, dear ant.
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Where are the leaves and the grass?
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I am hungry.
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You are too late, Grasshopper.
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Don't you know it is already winter?
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You should have stored some food.
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You cannot find leaves or grass now.
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Oh, yes, I can.
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I can prepare for the winter.
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Just watch.
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No, I'm afraid it is too late to prepare for winter when winter has already come.
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The Grasshopper knew that the ant was right.
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The grasshopper felt very ashamed of his laziness.
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Lying cold and hungry in his home,
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the grasshopper began to cry.
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I have been so foolish and lazy.
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Now I have no food.
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The next day, the foolish grasshopper looked for food, but he found none.
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Now he was certain that he would find no food.
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There is no food anywhere.
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There are no leaves on the trees.
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There is no grass on the ground.
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Surely I will starve this winter the grasshopper began to cry
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loudly the ants heard the grasshopper the ants were very kind
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and took pity on the grasshopper look at the grasshopper he He will die if we do not help him.
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Yes, we must share our food with him.
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So, the ants shared their food with the grasshopper.
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From that day on, the grasshopper was no longer lazy.
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In fact, he became the hardest working insect in the forest.
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The Tortoise and the Hare Every day the tortoise took a walk around the lake.
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He enjoyed walking very much.
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While walking one day, the tortoise heard a sound like the wind.
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A hare rushed by, and the tortoise fell over on his back.
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Ha ha ha!
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What are you doing here? teased the hare.
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You should be careful of others on the road, scolded the tortoise.
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Slowpokes shouldn't be on the road, said the hare.
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A fox walked by.
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He helped the tortoise turn over.
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What are you two talking about, asked the fox.
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I think that slow walkers shouldn't use the road.
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Don't you agree, fox? asked the hare.
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The road is for everyone, said the fox.
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I'll tell you what, challenged the hare.
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Let's have a race.
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The winner decides who can stay on the road and who can't.
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You're on, agreed the tortoise.
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Let's race.
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They decided to race to the other side of the forest.
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The fox agreed to be the judge.
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The next day, all of the animals gathered in a crowd to watch.
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It's not too late to stop the race,
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whispered the hare to the tortoise.
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It's obvious who is going to win.
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On your mark, get set, go, yelled the fox.
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The hare ran ahead of the tortoise.
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Then he ran back.
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Are you still here? he teased.
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This is going to take forever, ho! he sighed.
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After running for a little while,
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the hare looked back but could not see the tortoise.
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So he stopped and looked around.
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He noticed some carrots beside the road.
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Oh, my favorite, said the hare.
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The tortoise kept his eyes on the path ahead.
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Come on, tortoise, you can do it, encouraged the other animals.
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The hare ate a lot of carrots.
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Oh, I'm so full, he groaned.
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He groaned.
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I'm just going to take a little nap.
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The tortoise is still way behind me.
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Meanwhile, the tortoise kept walking steadily.
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He never gave up.
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He never stopped.
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Sometime later, the hare awoke from his nap.
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He thought he was still far ahead.
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He began to skip, trot, jump, and dance.
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When he got close to the finish line,
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he couldn't believe his eyes.
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The tortoise was far ahead.
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That's impossible, cried the hare.
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He ran as fast as he could,
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but he couldn't catch up.
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The tortoise crossed the finish line.
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He won the race.
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The tortoise looked at the hare.
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Slow but steady wins the race, he said.
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The Boy Who Cried Wolf Once upon a time there was a young boy.
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He lived in a quiet village.
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All the village people had sheep.
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The boy's job was to watch the sheep.
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He had to protect them from wolves.
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Looking after the sheep was easy,
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but it was not fun.
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I am so bored, said the boy.
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I want to have some adventure and excitement.
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Suddenly, the boy had an idea.
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The boy took a deep breath,
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opened his mouth wide, and shouted, Wolf!
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Wolf!
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Help!
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There's a wolf!
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The whole village heard the boys cry.
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They stopped what they were doing.
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Everyone was scared.
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The village people ran to the boy.
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Where is it?
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Where is the wolf?
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said the old man.
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Are the sheep okay? asked the woman.
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But there was no wolf.
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The boy was playing a trick.
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The village people were angry at the boy.
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The next day, the boy was watching the sheep again.
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It was so funny yesterday, he said.
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I will have some more fun.
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The boy took a deep breath and shouted very loudly.
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Wolf!
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There's a big scary wolf!
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Wolf!
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The boy's cry was loud and clear.
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Everyone stopped what they were doing.
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Everyone was scared.
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They ran to the boy.
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Where is the wolf? said the old man.
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But of course, there was no wolf.
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The boy was playing a trick again.
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Don't cry wolf when there is no wolf!
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They shouted.
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Later that afternoon, the boy was getting ready to go home.
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Suddenly, he heard a strange sound.
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It was a real wolf.
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The boy took a deep breath and shouted as loud as he could he could.
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Wolf!
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There's a big wolf!
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Help!
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Wolf!
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Everyone heard the boy crying, Wolf.
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But they thought he was playing another trick.
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So nobody paid any attention to him.
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The wolf chased and ate the sheep.
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The next morning, the village people came to look for the boy.
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Where are the sheep?
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What is going on? asked the woman.
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There was a wolf.
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I called wolf, but nobody came, cried the boy.
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When you called wolf the first two times,
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was there really a wolf? asked the old man.
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No, said the embarrassed boy.
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Then why would we believe you when you really saw a wolf?
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The old man explained.
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Nobody believes a liar, even when he is telling the truth.
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Molly and the Milk One fine day,
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a young farm girl walked to the market.
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Her name was Molly.
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On her head, she carried a pail of milk.
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I am so excited!
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The market has so much to see.
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After I sell my milk, what should I buy?
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She wondered.
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Hmm, let me think.
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But Molly had only one pail of milk.
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She could not sell it for a lot of money.
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I will buy one hen, she decided.
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What would I do with just one hen?
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One hen would lay many eggs.
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Then the eggs would hatch.
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What would I do with all the chicks?
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I would feed the chicks.
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They would grow large and healthy.
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Then they would lay more eggs.
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The eggs would hatch and I would have more chicks.
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Oh yes!
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Then I would sell many eggs and chicks.
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People would come from all around to buy them.
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I would be rich!
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Molly smiled.
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I would buy beautiful clothes,
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golden pins for my hair, and shiny shoes.
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I would be the richest and most famous person in the village.
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One day, I would be invited to the palace.
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Everyone would envy me.
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I would need a handsome prince.
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The prince would bow to me,
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and I would bow to him.
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I would say, Your Majesty, and bow like this.
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When Molly bowed, the pail fell from her head.
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The milk spilled everywhere.
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Molly cried and cried.
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The milk was gone.
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And Molly's dreams were gone too.
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The Miser and His Gold Once upon a time, there lived a man.
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The man was a miser was a miser.
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He loved gold, but he hated to spend it.
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One day, the miser decided to bury all his gold.
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He dug a hole in his garden.
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Then he carefully put his gold into the hole.
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You are all mine, the miser said to his gold.
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No one knows where you are except me.
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The miser laughed and did a funny dance.
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Every day, the miser went into his garden.
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He dug up his hole.
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The miser wanted to see his gold.
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He wanted to touch it.
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Each time the miser said the same thing.
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No one knows where you are except me.
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Then he laughed and did a funny dance.
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One day, a man was passing by the miser's garden.
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He heard the miser laughing loudly.
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Why is that miser so happy?
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The man asked himself.
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The man looked over the fence.
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He saw the miser hide his gold.
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I know where your gold is too.
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The man said.
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He rubbed his hands together greedily.
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Later that night, the man returned.
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He was wearing a mask.
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He came to take the miser's gold.
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Yes, that man was a robber.
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The next day, the miser went to look at his gold again.
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He dug and dug, but found nothing.
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What?
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No!
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This cannot be!
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shouted the miser.
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The hole was empty.
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His gold was gone.
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Some people heard the miser shouting.
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What happened? asked one old woman.
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My gold!
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Someone took my gold! cried the miser.
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Where was your gold? asked the woman.
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The miser explained how he buried his gold in the garden.
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He also told them he used to come and look at his gold every day.
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The village people shook their heads quietly.
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They knew the man was a miser.
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Did you ever take any of it out? asked a man wearing a hat.
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No, I only came to look at it, answered the miser.
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Then you can come and look at this empty hole every day, the man said.
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If you don't spend your riches,
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it is the same as having no riches at all.
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About This Lesson
In this engaging lesson based on “The Grasshopper and the Ant,” learners will practice essential English speaking skills through the themes of preparation and fun. This fable teaches the lesson of hard work versus carefree living, providing a rich context for language practice. As you follow the story of the grasshopper who enjoys singing while the ants diligently gather food, you will enhance your vocabulary, improve your pronunciation, and develop your understanding of dialogue through expressive speaking. This lesson is ideal for anyone looking to prepare for the IELTS speaking test or simply improve their everyday English communication skills.
Key Vocabulary & Phrases
- Ants - Small insects that work together to gather food.
- Grasshopper - An insect known for its singing and carefree nature.
- Gathering food - The act of collecting food supplies.
- Prepare for winter - Making arrangements in advance for the cold season.
- Rest - To relax or take a break from work.
- Hot day - A day with high temperatures, often uncomfortable.
- Cold outside - Referring to chilly weather conditions.
- Covered in snow - When the ground is blanketed with snow, marking a change in seasons.
Practice Tips
To maximize your English speaking skills using the shadowing technique, try the following steps while listening to the video:
- Listen carefully: Pay attention to the speed and tone of the characters in the fable. Their expressions can give you clues about their emotions and intentions.
- Start slow: Initially, pause the video after each line to repeat the dialogue. This will help you get used to the shadow speech style.
- Imitate intonation: Focus on mimicking the intonation and rhythm of the characters. This includes the excitement of the grasshopper and the seriousness of the ants.
- Practice regularly: Consistency is key when using a shadowing site for your practice. Attempt to speak along with the video multiple times a week to build confidence.
- Record yourself: Sometimes it's helpful to record your speech as you shadow the video to monitor your progress. This is particularly beneficial for people preparing for the IELTS speaking practice.
With these strategies, you can enrich your English language skills, enhance your vocabulary, and gain confidence in your speaking abilities.
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.
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