Pronunciation ChallengeThe Fable Of The Wise King

What is up, VoiceTubers? Remember me? This is Adam! You better start getting used to the sound of my voice, because you’ll be hearing it more frequently. In case you missed my intro, check out my previous Pronunciation Challenge “Does Playing Classical Music Make Your Baby Smarter?”. On another note, did you already watch the video for today about the fable of the wise king? Fables, if you remember, are stories with a moral, or a lesson. Often these stories feature talking animals, like we see in the fable about the race with the turtle and the hare. Well, back to our wise king, I don’t want to give away too much, in case you haven’t seen the video yet, but this story sent chills down my spine. However, the ending does have a pleasant twist, and I think everyone can relate to how the king felt throughout the story. Check it out! Maybe you’ll learn something about yourself you didn’t know. I’ll highlight a few things I really liked about this story at the end of this podcast, so stayed tuned, guys! Let’s look at today’s sentence.

He used his newfound wisdom to help his people, and in doing so, he became the most beloved and respected king in history.


Pronunciation tips:
fable (like table with an ‘f’)
used his
to help his
beloved (bɪˈlʌv.ɪd - three syllables)
in history (= of all time)


Let’s work our way through this sentence, starting with ‘newfound’.

newfound: adj. [ ˈnuː.faʊnd]

As the first half of the word suggests, newfound refers to something new or recent; something that has just started or was just discovered.

Example: With her newfound confidence, Stella was able to convince herself to begin the ascent of Mount Jade.
Ascent [əˈsent] meaning to climb or move upwards. In other words: Stella, who just recently started to feel more confident, was able to tell herself to start climbing Mount Jade. Good for you, Stella! Make sure to stay warm up there!

wisdom: n. [ˈwɪz.dəm]
Someone who has a lot of wisdom is also described as wise. Just like the king from the story. Having wisdom, or being wise, means you are able to make good decisions, based on your knowledge and experience. It doesn’t necessarily mean you are smart and know a lot of information. So, one doesn’t necessarily need a degree to be wise.

Example: Before I moved overseas to study, my grandmother gave me a few words of wisdom.

Words of wisdom from someone, like your grandma, with a lot of experience could be something like “be kind to yourself” or “surround yourself with people who are uplifting”. Aww, thanks, grandma!

respected: adj. [rɪˈspek.tɪd]

To be admired or looked up to by others, especially for something you’ve achieved or simply for the person you are.

Example: After twenty years of service, Dr Wallace has become a respected figure in his community.

Figure is another word for person in this example. People admire him, and take him seriously, because he’s achieved a lot within those twenty years, and has probably changed people’s lives for the better. Thank you, Dr. Wallace, and thank you worldwide to all healthcare personnel and people doing such amazing work during this pandemic.

Alright, I think we’re just about done for now. This fable can be interpreted in many ways, but one thing I especially liked was how the king changed towards the end of the story. He became a better listener, started to pay more attention to what really mattered: his people. The ones we’re surrounded by, i.e. family or friends, are so important. But are we taking the time to listen to them? Anyway, I hope you took something away from the story. Feel free to comment with your thoughts and what you learned, and as always, share your recording. Cheers!

^ ^

thank you so much Adam

Thank you, Adam. Have a good one, everyone.