Shadowing Practice: Why Do Tigers Have Stripes? | 4 Amazing Animal Folktales for Kids | Little Fox - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

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Little Fox!
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Little Fox!
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Tiger ruled the jungle.
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He had sharp fangs, long claws, and smooth golden fur.
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Roar!
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When he roared, everyone trembled with fear.
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Get out of my way!
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Roar!
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Tiger roared.
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Birds, monkeys, and other small animals scattered.
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But Water Buffalo was bigger than Tiger.
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Don't tell me what to do.
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Water Buffalo walked right by and dipped into the lake.
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Tiger slashed a tree.
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How can I make him listen to me?
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A week later, Tiger was roaming through the jungle.
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In one area, all the trees were gone.
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Suddenly, Tiger saw a new animal.
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It walked on two legs and cut down weeds.
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Pull the plow.
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It commanded another animal.
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Tiger gasped.
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That's Water Buffalo.
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Why is he listening to that weak-looking animal?
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The strange animal walked away.
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Tiger hurried over to Water Buffalo.
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What's going on?
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Who is that?
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That's a human, Water Buffalo said.
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He's farming the land.
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Tiger blinked.
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Why do you listen to him?
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He's smaller than you.
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Plus, he doesn't have claws or fangs.
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That's true, but he has something more powerful.
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Water Buffalo said.
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He has wisdom.
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Tiger rubbed his chin.
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I need wisdom.
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Then everyone would listen to me.
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Tiger hurried after the human.
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Hey!
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The human spun around and trembled with fear.
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Tiger snarled.
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Give me some wisdom!
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The human gulped.
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Okay, but I, um...
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A sly grin slowly formed on his face.
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I left it at home.
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Tiger snarled again.
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Go and get it!
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Yes, sir.
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The human started to walk away, but then stopped.
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He bit his lip.
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You might eat my water buffalo while I'm away.
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Perhaps I can tie you to that tree?
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Tiger sighed.
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Ugh, fine.
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Just get me that wisdom. Of course.
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The human grabbed a rope.
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He wrapped it around Tiger and the tree.
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I'll be right back.
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The human walked away, whistling.
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The blazing sun heated up the rope.
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After an hour, Tiger groaned. That man tricked me.
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He tried to break free,
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but the rope was strong. For hours he struggled.
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The hot rope tightly rubbed against Tiger's fur, growing hotter.
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Smoke rose, and the smell of burning fur filled Tiger's nose.
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Finally, Tiger broke free and darted to the lake.
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Then, he saw his reflection.
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His fur was burnt.
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I have stripes!
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Tiger frowned.
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But I did get some wisdom after all.
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Now I know not to trust humans!
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Long ago, Bear had a beautiful tail.
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It was long and fluffy and kept him warm while he slept.
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But one day, everything changed.
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Bear ran into a sneaky fox.
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And this fox liked to play tricks on everyone in the forest.
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One winter day, Fox trotted across the frozen lake looking for food.
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Suddenly, she spotted a fisherman sitting by a hole in the ice.
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Yum!
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Phlox stared at the fisherman's long string of fish.
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Those fish look delicious.
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I wonder if...
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She crept closer.
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When the fisherman looked away, Yike!
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Fox grabbed the string and ran.
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Meanwhile, Bear was looking for food too.
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I'd love to catch some fish, he said.
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But the lake is frozen solid.
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Just then, his eyes went wide.
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Fox was racing by with a long string of fish.
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Bear swished his tail in excitement.
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Fox, you caught
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so many fish I'm really hungry can you share some
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fish with me Fox laughed loudly this is my
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dinner bear catch your own fish bear frowned but the lake is frozen solid.
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How can I catch fish?
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It's easy.
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Fox hit her grin.
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Follow me and I'll show you what to do.
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Fox led Bear to the lake.
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First, make a hole in the ice.
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Then stick your tail in the hole.
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It will hurt when the fish bite, she warned.
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But the longer you wait,
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the more fish you'll catch.
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When you think you've caught enough fish,
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give a strong, hard pull.
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Got it!
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Bear grinned.
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Then he did just what Fox said.
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Soon he felt a sharp pain in his tail.
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Wow!
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Bear said.
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I caught a fish already.
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Great, Fox said.
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Remember, leave your tail in the water for as long as possible.
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Good luck.
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She ran off.
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Bear sat on the ice all afternoon.
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His tail hurt badly.
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But he did his best to ignore the pain.
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After all, I'm catching lots of fish, he thought.
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Finally, Bear was ready to eat.
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He tried to pull his tail out of the ice.
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His tail did not move.
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He gave another hard pull. But again, nothing happened.
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Then, Bear pulled with all his might.
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Ha!
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Oh, no!
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Bear spun around.
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Most of his tail was still stuck in the ice.
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He roared with anger.
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But it was too late.
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Ever since this day, Bear has had a stumpy tail.
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And Fox still laughs about her trick.
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Long ago, Alligator stayed in the river during the daytime.
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While the sun shone, he swam and rested in the cool water.
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Only at night did Alligator climb out,
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letting moonlight wash over him.
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One night, Frog hopped closer and stared.
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Why, Alligator, you glow in the moonlight.
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Turtle lifted his head and nodded.
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The skin on your back is so smooth and golden!
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Alligator puffed up with pride.
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Thank you, friends.
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Their praise warmed him more than moonlight ever had.
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The next day, Alligator remembered their glowing words and admiring eyes.
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I felt so important, he thought.
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Like the king of the river.
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So why should I hide my beauty in darkness?
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Everyone should see me clearly.
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And so, when the sun next rose,
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Alligator crawled onto the riverbank.
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Good morning!
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Come see me, your golden king!
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Alligator!
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Frog hurried over.
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The sun is strong.
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It might burn your back.
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Alligator laughed and flicked his tail.
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I'm much stronger than the sun.
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Along the river, animals gathered, whispering and pointing.
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The skin on his back shines, Turtle said.
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Otter nodded.
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He looks so powerful.
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Like a river king, Fish said.
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Alligator grinned.
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Move aside, Otter.
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You're blocking everyone's view.
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He swung toward Beaver.
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Bring me more food, now!
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High above, Vulture circled the riverbank.
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He watched as animals scurried about, obeying Alligator's orders.
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He listened as Alligator bragged loudly.
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Finally, Vulture flew down.
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Pride grows heavy, Alligator.
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It can weigh down even the strongest creature.
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Alligator scoffed and waved his tail.
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You envy me, vulture.
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Now fly away and lead me to my glory.
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He stretched across the hot riverbank and fell asleep.
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When he woke, his skin stung and felt tight.
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Ouch! he thought.
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Still, he laughed loudly.
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What a fine nap for a fine king.
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Each day, Alligator returned to the sunny riverbank.
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Each day his skin grew tighter and drier.
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Soon the others began to hide from him.
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He's so bossy, Frog said.
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Turtle nodded.
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He bribes too much.
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One morning, Frog stared.
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Something's wrong.
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Alligator's skin is cracking!
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Turtle cried.
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Indeed, it was true.
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Alligator's golden smoothness was gone.
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Now ridges, bumps, and deep lines covered his back.
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Vulture flew down.
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Nothing shines forever, Alligator.
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Especially too much pride.
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Shame filled Alligator's heart.
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Slowly he slid back into the river.
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I ruined everything, he thought.
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To this day, Alligator stays mostly hidden from others.
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Only his eyes and nose appear above the water.
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And forever, his back remains rough.

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About This Lesson

In this lesson, you will practice your English speaking skills by engaging with a captivating story about why tigers have stripes. Inspired by the charming folktales featured in the video "Why Do Tigers Have Stripes?", you will enhance your listening comprehension and oral fluency. The narrative includes entertaining characters like Tiger and Water Buffalo, presenting an excellent opportunity to practice pronunciation, intonation, and rhythm using the shadowing technique. By repeating the dialogues and narrative structure, you will further familiarize yourself with conversational English.

Key Vocabulary & Phrases

  • roar - the loud sound made by a tiger
  • tremble - to shake or shiver, often from fear
  • wisdom - the quality of having knowledge and good judgment
  • command - an authoritative instruction to do something
  • plow - a tool for farming that prepares the land for planting
  • gasp - to make a sudden, deep intake of breath, often in surprise
  • snarl - a fierce or threatening growl, often shown by animals in anger
  • farmer - a person who cultivates land and raises animals for food

Practice Tips

To effectively use the shadow speak method while watching the video, start by listening to a short segment, focusing on the tone and speed of the narrator and characters. The story is engaging and dynamically paced, allowing you to immerse yourself in the emotion behind the words. Rewind to listen to short phrases and then try to repeat them aloud, mimicking the speaker's intonation and rhythm. Utilize a shadowing app or simply your mobile device to record your voice as you speak along with the video.

Make sure to practice each phrase multiple times, striving for clarity and confidence in your pronunciation. Additionally, pay attention to how emotions are conveyed through vocal variations—this will help you not only sound more natural but also become a more effective speaker. You can learn English with YouTube by repeatedly engaging with the material, ensuring that you internalize both vocabulary and pronunciation patterns. Enjoy the story and let it inspire your learning journey!

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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