People tell stories for various reasons. Some stories are told to entertain, while others aim to pass on wisdom, knowledge, and morals to future generations. For young children, stories play a crucial role in their lives. Not only do children learn about the world around them through stories but ＿＿（21）＿＿ , they build up a foundation for future learning as well. Research has shown that there is a strong association between children's success in school and their experiences with storybooks and storytelling in their mother ＿＿（22）＿＿ from an early age. Children who ＿＿（23）＿＿ well on literacy tests tend to have stories read or told to them before starting their formal education. In regard to the significance of stories in children's literacy development, studies suggest that most of the new vocabulary children ＿＿（24）＿＿ in their school years are acquired through stories they read or listen to. The value of stories, nevertheless, should not be limited to language acquisition; stories can also bring gains in personal, emotional and learning development in children ＿＿（25）＿＿ those in language.