📙 Part 2: Describe an interesting traditional story

This episode's vocabulary

Fable (noun) – a short story with a moral lesson, often featuring animals. → Aesop's fables have been teaching valuable life lessons for thousands of years.

Challenge (verb) – to invite someone to compete or prove themselves. → My colleague challenged me to finish the project ahead of schedule.

Way far ahead (adverb phrase) – at a considerable distance in front. → She was way far ahead in the marathon before the final kilometer.

Afford to (phrasal verb) – to have enough resources (time, money) to do something. → I can't afford to waste any more time on this task.

Steadily (adverb) – in a consistent, regular, and continuous manner. → The company has been growing steadily over the past five years.

At one's own pace (phrase) – at a speed that is comfortable for oneself. → Online courses allow students to learn at their own pace.

Embarrassed (adjective) – feeling ashamed, self-conscious, or uncomfortable. → I was embarrassed when I realized I'd made such an obvious mistake.

Overconfident (adjective) – having excessive confidence in one's abilities. → Being overconfident before an exam can lead to poor preparation.

Hubris (noun) – excessive pride or dangerous overconfidence. → His hubris prevented him from listening to advice from more experienced colleagues.

Stand out (phrasal verb) – to be particularly noticeable or memorable. → Her presentation really stood out among all the others.

Perseverance (noun) – continued effort despite difficulties or delays. → Success requires perseverance and dedication, not just talent.

Underestimate (verb) – to judge something as less important or capable than it actually is. → Never underestimate the importance of preparation for interviews.

Complacent (adjective) – self-satisfied and unaware of potential dangers. → Students sometimes become complacent after initial success and stop working hard.

Determination (noun) – firmness of purpose and resolve. → Her determination to succeed helped her overcome many obstacles.

Life lesson (noun phrase) – an experience that teaches valuable wisdom. → Failing that exam taught me an important life lesson about time management.

Questions and Answers

Maria: You should say what the story is about, when, how you knew it, who told you the story, and explain how you felt when you first heard it.

Rory: I'd like to talk about a story called The Tortoise and the Hare. You may have actually heard about it. It's one of, well, I think it's one of Aesop's fables. A fable is just like a story with a moral meaning. And so this particular story is about, as you can imagine, a tortoise and a hare. And the short version is one day a tortoise and a hare are together, and the hare challenges the tortoise to a race, or the other way around. I don't really remember, but the point is there's a race between these two animals.

And obviously, the hare, a creature like a rabbit, is much faster than the tortoise in real life. So the hare goes way far ahead towards the finish line. And just before the finish line, the hare decides, oh, I have so much time I can afford to rest and just wait for the tortoise to come. And the tortoise is just going slowly and steadily along. And then the hare gets bored of waiting and falls asleep. And actually, what happens is the tortoise just keeps going at its own pace and wins the race. And the hare wakes up and sees the tortoise has crossed the finish line. And so is very embarrassed because obviously this is a big contrast to what you would expect to happen.

My parents told me this story, I'm fairly sure, and I think people have it read to them at primary school. So I've probably heard it multiple times from different people. But the whole idea behind it is that people, even with great talent, should not be overconfident and fall into this sort of trap of hubris because you might ultimately end up embarrassing yourself. Whereas someone who's focused and goes at a steady pace is more likely to succeed in the end. And I think that's quite a good moral for everybody to keep in mind as they go. And that's why it stands out so much in my head. And I feel quite pleased that I've heard this story because it's something I apply in my own life.

Maria: And what about your friends? Do they like the story?

Rory: I haven't asked them if they like it. I imagine they've heard it, though.