00:00Hello everyone, welcome to Wordy Tales.
00:03Today we're bringing you a story about how discovering your own strengths and practicing with dedication can lead you to success.
00:11It's a tale that will remind us that we all have unique talents, and with the right mindset we can excel in anything we set our minds to.
00:21Along the way we'll also learn some new words and how to use them in sentences to improve our English in a fun and simple way.
00:28So, stay with us till the end.
00:34Once, in a small peaceful town, there lived a family in a quiet corner of the city.
00:41This family had a 12-year-old boy named David, who was in the 6th grade.
00:47David was an energetic kid who loved playing outdoors, and his favorite activity was playing soccer.
00:53Almost every day, David would head out to the nearby public field, where he honed his soccer skills.
01:01One afternoon, after coming home from school, David slumped onto the couch, looking deep in thought.
01:09He opened a school book, stared at it for a moment, and then leaned back into the soft cushions with a dissatisfied look on his face.
01:18His father, who had just come in from the backyard, noticed this unusual behavior, and walked over to his son.
01:27Sitting beside David, he asked what was bothering him.
01:31David explained that he had received a poor grade in math, but that wasn't what was truly upsetting him.
01:37He shared that his close friend and neighbor, Matt, always seemed to score high in math.
01:43No matter how hard David tried, he just couldn't seem to do as well.
01:48Hearing this, David's father went to get a glass of water to calm his son.
01:53Once David had relaxed a bit, his father took him outside to their small backyard garden,
01:59which was filled with shady trees and a peaceful atmosphere.
02:02David, his father began, I want you to understand three important lessons from what happened today.
02:11These are lessons that will guide you as you grow older.
02:15David, who deeply respected his father, was a bit confused, but intrigued.
02:21Can you explain those lessons, Dad? he asked.
02:25You will learn each lesson one by one, through a challenge I will give you, his father replied with a gentle smile.
02:35After a brief pause, his father continued,
02:38For the first lesson, I want you to invite Matt to play soccer with you tomorrow.
02:44David nodded, eager to find out what lesson his father had in mind.
02:49The next morning, the weather was bright and welcoming, and David went to school with his usual excitement.
02:56That afternoon, after school, he invited Matt to join him for a soccer game at the nearby field.
03:03As usual, David, who played soccer almost every day, dominated the match.
03:08He scored three goals, leading his team to a big victory.
03:13Meanwhile, Matt, who wasn't very familiar with soccer, struggled.
03:16He often lost the ball and made several mistakes.
03:20Despite this, everyone who played that day had a great time.
03:25Afterward, David cleaned up and hurried to meet his father in the backyard.
03:30Dad, I played soccer with Matt today.
03:33What's the first lesson you want to teach me?
03:36His father smiled knowingly and said,
03:39Tell me how the game went.
03:41David described everything, from his three goals to how Matt wasn't very good at soccer.
03:48His father nodded and said,
03:50Look at this, David.
03:53Matt may not be good at soccer, but he's great at math.
03:56Just like how you might struggle with math, but excel at soccer.
04:01We're all different, and that's okay.
04:03We each have our own strengths and passions.
04:06David felt a wave of understanding wash over him.
04:11He realized that people are different and don't have to be the same.
04:15But, curious as always, he immediately asked about the second lesson.
04:21For the second lesson, his father said,
04:24I want you to pay close attention to Matt tomorrow at school.
04:29Keep track of how often you see him counting or working with numbers.
04:33The following day, David eagerly went to school,
04:38excited to complete his father's challenge.
04:41Throughout the day, he quietly observed Matt,
04:44noticing how often he was engaged in math-related tasks.
04:49After school, David passed the time playing soccer again until his father returned home.
04:55That evening, David approached his father and reported his findings.
05:00Dad, Matt was counting a lot today.
05:04He was working on math problems, solving puzzles,
05:08even calculating things like change during recess,
05:11and he even counted the petals on a flower.
05:15His father smiled warmly and said,
05:17That's the second lesson, David.
05:21Matt is good at math because he enjoys it and practices it often.
05:25If you want to get better at something,
05:28you have to keep practicing,
05:30just like you do with soccer.
05:32It doesn't always have to be difficult.
05:35You can start with simple things like counting petals on a flower.
05:40David smiled,
05:42realizing that he could improve in anything
05:44as long as he practiced consistently,
05:47just like he had with soccer.
05:49Without waiting, David eagerly asked about the third and final lesson.
05:53His father thought for a moment and said,
05:56For the last lesson,
05:58I want you to think about how much better Matt is at math compared to you.
06:03David paused for a second,
06:05then hesitantly replied,
06:08I think Matt is about three times better at math than I am.
06:13All right, his father said.
06:15For the last challenge,
06:17I want you to study math three times harder tomorrow.
06:20David swallowed nervously but nodded,
06:24determined to tackle the final challenge.
06:28The next day after school,
06:30David sat down to study math.
06:33After an hour of intense focus,
06:36he decided to push through and study for two more hours,
06:39tripling his usual effort.
06:42But before he could finish,
06:43his head started to throb,
06:45and without realizing it,
06:47he fell asleep.
06:48Later,
06:50he was gently woken up by his father's soft tap.
06:55Wake up for dinner,
06:57and meet me in the garden afterward,
06:59his father said.
07:01Feeling disappointed in himself,
07:03David met his father,
07:05his head hung low.
07:07I'm sorry, Dad,
07:09David said.
07:10I couldn't complete the challenge.
07:12I studied so much that my head hurt,
07:15and I ended up falling asleep.
07:18His father gently patted David's head and said,
07:22David,
07:22this is what happens when you try to master something you don't enjoy.
07:27It's hard to stay disciplined and consistent,
07:30but when you study something you love,
07:33discipline and consistency feel much lighter,
07:36just like how you stay dedicated to playing soccer.
07:39After a brief silence,
07:43his father gave him the final piece of advice.
07:46So,
07:47if you want to be smart,
07:49and become an expert at something,
07:51either study what you love,
07:53or learn to love what you're studying.
07:56David,
07:56filled with admiration for his father's wisdom,
07:59promised to carry these three important lessons with him
08:02for the rest of his life.
08:04Today,
08:06we learned new words and sentences through this story.
08:10Remember,
08:11learning English can be fun when you practice regularly.
08:14So,
08:15keep listening,
08:16learning,
08:16and growing.
08:18Make sure to like,
08:19comment,
08:20and share how this story helped you improve your English.
08:24Thank you for watching,
08:25and I'll see you in the next story,
08:27where we'll continue learning together.
