Shadowing Practice: IELTS Listening Test: Accommodation Form: Rental Properties - Learn English Speaking with Video
Creando lección...
1
Recording 59 You will hear a phone conversation between an estate agent and a woman wishing to rent accommodation.
2
First, you have some time to look at questions 1 to 10.
3
Thank you.
4
Fairfield Rentals, Andrew Williams.
5
How can I help you?
6
Oh, hello.
7
I'm calling from the UK.
8
My family are moving to Canada early next year,
9
and we're hoping to find somewhere to rent in Fairfield for the first six months while we settle in.
10
Right, I see.
11
Well, let's get your details.
12
Yes, my name's Jane Ryder.
13
OK, Jane.
14
And can I have a phone number?
15
The best number to get you on.
16
Well, that'd probably be our home number.
17
So 0044 for the UK, and then it's 2086132978.
18
All right.
19
And an email address, please, so we can send you out all the information and forms.
20
I think it's best if I give you my husband's email.
21
He's sitting in front of a computer all day
22
so he can print stuff off and get it back to you sooner than I could.
23
It's richard at visiontech.co.uk I'll just spell the company name for you.
24
That's V-I-S-I-O-N-T-E-C-H Great.
25
And we have a question here about occupation.
26
Richard's an IT specialist for an advertising company.
27
They're transferring him to their Fairfield branch.
28
Actually, just your job for now, thanks.
29
Me?
30
I'm a doctor at the hospital in our town.
31
OK, I'll put that down.
32
Now, what kind of accommodation are you looking for?
33
House?
34
Apartment?
35
An apartment, probably, as long as it has two bedrooms.
36
There'll be me, my husband, and our ten-year-old son.
37
And so with an apartment, you're less likely to get a garden.
38
That's okay.
39
But what about a garage?
40
Is that something you'll want the apartment to have?
41
Yes, that's definitely important.
42
Okay, just a moment.
43
I'll just make a note of that.
44
But, uh, before we go on, I should probably say now that what we don't need is any furniture,
45
because we'll be shipping all that over, and I don't really want to pay for storage while we're waiting to buy a house.
46
Not a problem.
47
I'll make a note of that.
48
Actually, though, just thinking about the kitchen, what can I expect from a rental property?
49
I mean, what kind of equipment is provided?
50
Well, the normal thing is that you get a stove.
51
I think that's a cooker in British English.
52
OK, good to know.
53
But how about a fridge?
54
We'll be selling ours before we come, so if possible, we'd like the apartment to have one for when we arrive.
55
I can certainly add that to the form.
56
If there's any other whiteware that you need, like a dishwasher for example,
57
there are plenty of stores here that'll arrange delivery on the same day as purchase.
58
Thanks.
59
Hopefully we won't need to buy too many things.
60
Now, how about location?
61
Have you done any research into the Fairfield area?
62
Not that much so far.
63
Well, you mentioned you have a boy.
64
I imagine you'd like to be fairly close to a school.
65
Good idea.
66
That would help.
67
What's public transport like in Fairfield?
68
Is it easy to get around?
69
The bus service is pretty comprehensive.
70
There are plenty of local routes, services into the city and out of town.
71
OK.
72
And for a two-bedroom apartment, what sort of rent should we expect to pay?
73
Well, looking at the properties we have at the moment, prices start from around $730 per month and,
74
depending on the area, can go up to $1,200.
75
That's too much.
76
Something halfway would be better.
77
So, would your limit be, say, $950? dollars?
78
I'd say so, yes.
79
Can I ask if you smoke or if you have any pets?
80
No to both questions, but I do have one more request, please.
81
Yes?
82
Well, I've also been offered a job at Victoria General Hospital, and I suspect I'll be working nights occasionally,
83
so what I really need from any apartment is for it to be quiet, so I can catch up on sleep if necessary during the day.
84
Congratulations on the job offer.
85
I'll add your request to the form.
86
Well, what I'll do is compile a list of suitable properties for you and send them via email.
87
Um, can I just ask, how did you hear about us?
88
Obviously not from our commercials, if you're living in the UK.
89
Actually, it was a friend of ours.
90
He spent a few months in Fairfield a couple of years ago, and he pointed us in the direction of your website.
91
Well, it's good to be recommended.
92
So, what I'll do is...
93
That is the end of Section 1.
94
You now have half a minute to check your answers.
95
Now turn to section 2.
96
Recording 60 You will hear a police officer giving advice on protection against local crime.
97
First, you have some time to look at questions 11 to 15.
98
Well, good afternoon.
99
I'm Constable James MacDonald, and as you may know, I'm the community police officer for the local area.
100
That means that, as part of my job, I try to get out in the community as much as possible, talk to the people that live in this neighbourhood,
101
people like yourselves, and make sure there's an effective level of communication between the public and the police, hence the reason for this meeting.
102
There have been several burglaries in the area in the last few weeks, and I'd like to talk about ways you can keep your home and property safe.
103
So I'd suggest that a good way to start is by talking to your neighbours and exchanging contact details with them.
104
This will allow you to get in touch immediately if there's anything suspicious happening next door.
105
Then make sure you have a good discussion about the best course of action to take in case of emergency.
106
Make sure everyone is clear about what to do and who to call.
107
If you plan ahead, this will prevent uncertainty and even panic should anything happen later.
108
Another thing that I would advise you to do is always leave your radio playing, even when you go out.
109
and if you keep your curtains closed, burglars are less likely to try and break in because they can't be sure whether someone's home or not.
110
Now, none of us want to be in the situation where we can't get into our own home,
111
but do take time to think where the best and safest place is to leave your spare keys.
112
Putting them under the doormat or anywhere near the front door is just asking for trouble.
113
You'd be surprised how many people actually do this, and it makes life really easy for burglars.
114
All these things will help keep your community safe and will cost you nothing.
115
However, if you are going to spend some money,
116
what I'd recommend more than anything else is that you invest in some well-made window locks for your house.
117
This will give you peace of mind.
118
Before you hear the rest of the conversation, you will have some time to look at the questions 16 to 20.
119
Now listen and answer questions 16 to 20.
120
Okay, moving on.
121
Unfortunately, there's been an increase in the number of minor crimes and antisocial behaviour in the general area,
122
and I want to talk about some specific prevention measures that are being proposed.
123
First of all, the skate park.
124
As you probably know, it's well used by younger people in our community,
125
but unfortunately we're getting more and more reports of broken glass, making it especially dangerous for younger children.
126
One possible solution here is to get rid of some of the trees and bushes around the park, making it more visible to passers-by and vehicles.
127
If the vandals know they're being watched, this might act as a deterrent.
128
As you will have heard, a couple of local primary schools have also been vandalised recently, despite the presence of security guards.
129
The schools don't have the funds for video surveillance,
130
so we need people in the neighbourhood to call their nearest police station and report any suspicious activity immediately.
131
Please don't hesitate to do this.
132
I expect most of you are familiar with the problems facing Abbotsford Street.
133
It seems that no amount of warning signs or speed cameras will slow speeding drivers down.
134
I'm happy to say, however, that the council have agreed to begin work over the next few months to put in a new roundabout.
135
What else?
136
Oh yes, the newsagent and the gift shop on Victoria Street were both broken into last week,
137
and although no money was taken, the properties have suffered some serious damage.
138
Access was gained to these shops through the small alleyway at the back of the properties.
139
It's dark, and as you can imagine, no one saw the thief or thieves in action.
140
So we've been advising shop owners along there about what kind of video recording equipment they can have put in.
141
We'll then be able to get evidence of any criminal activity on film.
142
The supermarket car park is also on our list of problem areas.
143
We've talked to the supermarket managers and council authorities,
144
and we've advised them to get graffiti cleaned off immediately and get the smashed lights replaced.
145
If you don't deal with this sort of thing at once, there's a strong possibility that the activity will increase and spread.
146
And then it becomes...
147
That is the end of section 2.
148
You now have half a minute to check your answers.
149
Recording 61.
150
Hi Mike, how's it going?
151
Actually, I was up last night with an assignment, so yeah, I'm tired, but I guess we'd better sort this presentation out.
152
Well, we've done enough background reading,
153
but I think we need to organise exactly what we're going to say about biofuels during the presentation, and the order.
154
I thought we could start by asking our audience what car engines were first designed to run on, fossil fuels or biofuels.
155
Nice idea.
156
Yes, when most people think about cars and fuel, they think about all the carbon dioxide that's produced,
157
but they don't realise that that wasn't always the case.
158
You're probably right.
159
The earliest car engines ran on fuel made from corn and peanut oil, didn't they?
160
Yes.
161
The manufacturers used the corn and peanut oil and turned them into a kind of very pure alcohol.
162
You mean ethanol?
163
Yes.
164
In fact, most biofuels are still based on ethanol.
165
Actually, I've got some notes here about the process of turning plant matter into ethanol,
166
the chemical reactions and the fermentation stages, and...
167
It's interesting.
168
The other students would appreciate it, but different biofuels use different processes,
169
and if we give a general description, There's a risk we'll get it wrong and then the tutor might mark us down.
170
I'd rather we focus on the environmental issues.
171
Fair enough.
172
So, um, the main plants that are used for biofuel production now are sugarcane, corn... And canola.
173
Of all of them, canola is probably the least harmful because machines that use it don't produce as much carbon monoxide.
174
Sugarcane seems to be controversial.
175
It doesn't require as much fertiliser as corn does to grow, but when they burn the sugarcane fields,
176
that releases loads of greenhouse gases.
177
Yes, but some critics have suggested
178
that the production of corn ethanol uses up more fossil fuel energy than the biofuel energy it eventually produces.
179
For that reason, I'd say it was more harmful to the environment.
180
I see what you mean.
181
You're probably right.
182
It's interesting how everyone saw the biofuel industry as the answer to our energy problems,
183
but in some ways biofuels have created new problems.
184
Well, in the USA, I wouldn't say that farmers are having problems.
185
The biofuel industry for them has turned out to be really profitable.
186
I think though that even in the USA, ethanol is still only used as an additive to gasoline or petrol.
187
The problem is that it still has to be transported by trucks
188
or rail because they haven't built any pipelines to move it.
189
they do it'll be cheaper and the industry might move forward.
190
That'll have to happen one day.
191
At least the government are in favour of biofuel development.
192
Yes, but Brazil's probably in the lead as far as biofuels are concerned.
193
They've got to the point where they don't need to import any oil now.
194
Which is great and the industry in Brazil employs a huge number of people but is it sustainable?
195
I mean, as the population grows and there are more vehicles on the roads
196
and there's more machinery surely they can't depend
197
so much on sugar cane at some point there has to
198
be a limit on how much land can be used for sugar cane production certainly
199
if you want to preserve natural habitats and native wildlife I think that whatever problems Brazil's facing now Well,
200
the same will be true for any country.
201
You have to weigh up the pros and cons.
202
Well, we probably won't see an increase in biofuel use.
203
I mean, they won't replace fossil fuels until we can find ways to produce them cheaply
204
and quickly and with less cost to the environment.
205
Making sure they require minimal energy to produce.
206
Exactly.
207
And in a way, that means they have to cost less than fossil fuels, certainly when you're filling up your car.
208
Yes, and whatever other kind of engines use fossil fuels at the moment.
209
Now listen and answer questions 27 to 30.
210
Alright, so in the last section of the presentation, what problems are we focusing on?
211
Well, we've already had a look at different types of pollution in the first section, so we can leave that out.
212
But the biggest issue related to biofuels is
213
that land is now being used to grow biofuel crops and that's contributing to global hunger.
214
Indeed.
215
It doesn't seem right we're using corn to run cars when people can't afford to buy it to eat.
216
Yes, let's talk about that.
217
The other thing is that in some countries the way
218
that biofuel crops are grown and harvested still produces a great deal of pollution, really damaging to the atmosphere.
219
Okay, that's definitely an issue we should look at.
220
Let's not finish on a negative note though.
221
Why don't we talk about the potential new sources of biofuel.
222
So rather than corn and sugarcane, what other plants could be used?
223
Good.
224
Some companies are exploring the possibility of using wood and seeing how that can be used to make ethanol.
225
Yes, and algae is another possibility.
226
You can grow it in any water and it absorbs pollutants too.
227
I read that. And grasses.
228
They're another plant that researchers are investigating as a biofuel.
229
And these kind of plants aren't used as food, which is why...
230
That is the end of section 3.
231
You now have half a minute to check your answers.
232
Now turn to section 4.
233
Recording 62.
234
You will hear a lecture about how technology affects human interaction.
235
First, you have some time to look at questions 31 to 40.
236
Thank you.
237
Good morning.
238
Today, we're thinking about the way that technology is influencing our social structures and the way we interact with one another.
239
Humans, as we know, have always lived in groups.
240
Without this arrangement, our species would have died out long ago.
241
But now, the way we see and define our group is changing.
242
I'd like to start by mentioning the research of American sociologist Mark Granovetter in 1973.
243
It was Granovetter who first coined the term weak ties, which he used to refer to people's loose acquaintances,
244
in other words, friends of friends.
245
his research showed that weak ties had a significant effect on the behavior
246
and choices of populations and this influence was something highly important in the fields of information science
247
and politics and as you can imagine marketing also
248
so these friends of friends people we might spend time with at social or work gatherings might not be like us
249
but they can still have a positive influence because we share the same sort of interests.
250
That's enough to make a connection, and this connection can turn out to be more beneficial than we might suspect.
251
An example of this, an example of how the connection can influence us,
252
is when our weak ties get in touch and pass on details about jobs they think might be suitable for us.
253
Well, since Granovetter first came up with this theory, his work has been cited in over 19,000 papers.
254
Some of these studies have looked at how weak tie networks are useful to us in other ways,
255
and one thing that seems to improve as a result of weak tie influence is our health.
256
Today, our number of weak-tie acquaintances has exploded due to the Internet, to the phenomenon of online social networking.
257
This is still a relatively new way of communication, something that has a huge amount of potential,
258
but also, as with any invention, it brings with it a new set of problems.
259
Let's start with the benefits.
260
Without question, online social networking allows us to pass on the latest news,
261
to be up-to-date with local and global events,
262
and for many, this information comes from sources more trustworthy than local media.
263
So this is one clear point in favor of online social networking.
264
I know
265
that it's also being used by students as a means of increasing their chances of success in the way that
266
Thank you.
267
Thank you.
268
Thank you.
269
Thank you.
270
Thank you.
271
Thank you.
272
Thank you.
✨ Recomendar Video
B26
262 oraciones
IELTS Listening Podcast Tháng 8 Số 1 | ASMR | IELTS Test 2025 | Luyện Nghe tiếng Anh #ib8
IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepUniversity Students
B211
217 oraciones
Transport survey listening audioscript | #ielts #canada #listening #australia #trending #uk
IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepTOEIC Prep
B22
262 oraciones
Cambridge IELTS 16 Listening Test 4 with answer | #ieltslistening
IELTS PrepUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B26
303 oraciones
IELTS LISTENING PRACTICE TEST 2026 WITH ANSWERS | 03.09.2026
IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepUniversity Students
B28
257 oraciones
IELTS Listening Podcast September No 1 Practice Test | Luyện nghe IELTS 2025 ASMR #ib8
IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepUniversity Students
B21
248 oraciones
IELTS LISTENING PRACTICE TEST 2026 WITH ANSWERS | 21.08.2026
IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepUniversity Students
B23
82 oraciones
Vol 3 - test 1 - section 3
IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepUniversity Students
C15
307 oraciones
IELTS 14 LISTENING #Free test # TEST 1 || #IELTS 14 || LISTENING TEST ||
IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepUniversity Students
B27
168 oraciones
Listening to IELTS Bands 5-6.5 #1 | Luyện nghe IELTS
IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepUniversity Students
B29
198 oraciones
Luyện nghe tiếng Anh thụ động-IELTS|I'm Mary
IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepDaily Conversation
B23
290 oraciones
IELTS Listening Practice Test 2026 with Answers | 28.08.2026
IELTS PrepUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B22
259 oraciones
IELTS ASMR Podcast #06 - Luyện nghe thụ động | Phụ đề Anh & Việt
IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepUniversity Students
Vocabulario y notas de pronunciación para esta lección
Esta lección de conversación de nivel B2 se basa en el vídeo “IELTS Listening Test: Accommodation Form: Rental Properties”. Este vídeo tiene 272 frases y 2947 palabras para practicar shadowing. La parte hablada dura 31:00. El hablante habla despacio, unas 95 palabras por minuto, así que hay tiempo para imitar cada sonido. El 87 % de las palabras está entre las 3.000 más comunes del inglés, por lo que el vocabulario es fácil de seguir.
Vocabulario clave de este vídeo
Las 15 palabras más avanzadas del vídeo, con su pronunciación y significado:
| Palabra | Pronunciación | Significado |
|---|---|---|
| biofuel sustantivo | /ˈbaɪ.əʊˌfjʊ(.ə)l/ | biocombustible, biocarburante |
| corn sustantivo | /ˈkɔːn/ | cereal, grano |
| ethanol sustantivo | /ˈɛθ.ə.nɑl/ | etanol, alcohol etílico |
| fossil sustantivo | /ˈfɑsl̩/ | fósil |
| burglar sustantivo | /ˈbɝɡlɚ/ | ladrón |
| canola sustantivo | /kəˈnoʊlə/ | canola |
| acquaintance sustantivo | /ʌˈkweɪn.təns/ | amistad, conocimiento |
| cane sustantivo | /keɪn/ | caña |
| supermarket sustantivo | /ˌsupɚˈmɑɹkət/ | supermercado |
| thief sustantivo | /ˈθiːf/ | ladrón, caco |
| peanut sustantivo | /ˈpiˌnʌt/ | maní, cacahuate |
| harmful adjetivo | /ˈhɑɹmfl̩/ | perjudicial, perjudicador |
| accommodation sustantivo | /əˌkɒm.əˈdeɪ.ʃən/ | alojamiento, hospedaje |
| suspicious adjetivo | /səˈspɪʃ.əs/ | sospechoso, suspecto |
| advise verbo | /ədˈvaɪz/ | aconsejar, asesorar |
Phrasal verbs que vas a escuchar
| Palabra | Significado |
|---|---|
| come up with verbo | ingeniar, ingeniarse |
| die out verbo | extinguirse |
| fill up verbo | llenar, repletar |
| go out verbo | salir |
| move forward verbo | ir adelante, adelantar |
| weigh up verbo | sopesar, sompesar |
Frases que vale la pena repetir
Frases cortas y completas del vídeo que puedes reutilizar en la conversación diaria:
- How can I help you?
- I'm a doctor at the hospital in our town.
- Is that something you'll want the apartment to have?
- I'll just make a note of that.
- I mean, what kind of equipment is provided?
Gramática en este vídeo
Las estructuras que más usa el hablante, con las palabras exactas del vídeo:
| Estructura | En el vídeo |
|---|---|
| Oraciones condicionales if + oración, will/would + verbo — una condición y su resultado | If you plan ahead, this will prevent |
| Present perfect have/has + participio pasado — una acción pasada que sigue importando ahora | Have you done · I've also been offered · have been |
| Voz pasiva be + participio pasado — importa lo que ocurre, no quién lo hace | is provided · been offered · be recommended |
Pronunciación a tener en cuenta
El hablante usa 80 contracciones y formas reducidas, como don't, I'll, I'd. Dilas en su forma corta, tal como las oyes.
- Los sonidos de “th”: ethanol /ˈɛθ.ə.nɑl/, thief /ˈθiːf/, trustworthy /ˈtɹʌst.wɜː.ði/
- Los sonidos de “sh” y “zh”: accommodation /əˌkɒm.əˈdeɪ.ʃən/, suspicious /səˈspɪʃ.əs/, pollution /pəˈluʃən/, antisocial /ˌæntiˈsəʊʃəl/, dishwasher /ˈdɪʃˌwɑʃɚ/
- Palabras largas — cuida el acento: biofuel /ˈbaɪ.əʊˌfjʊ(.ə)l/, supermarket /ˌsupɚˈmɑɹkət/, accommodation /əˌkɒm.əˈdeɪ.ʃən/, antisocial /ˌæntiˈsəʊʃəl/, fermentation /ˌfɜɹmənˈteɪʃən/
Sonidos difíciles para hispanohablantes:
- s + consonante al inicio — sin añadir una “e” delante: stove /stoʊv/, skate /skeɪt/, smash /smæʃ/
- /v/ — no es /b/: los dientes tocan el labio inferior: advise /ədˈvaɪz/, additive /ˈæd.ɪ.tɪv/, vandal /ˈvændəl/, vandalise /ˈvændəlaɪz/, stove /stoʊv/
- /z/ — sonora, no /s/: advise /ədˈvaɪz/, vandalise /ˈvændəlaɪz/, hesitate /ˈhɛz.ə.teɪt/, yourselves /jəˈsɛlvz/, preserve /pɹəˈzɝv/
Cómo practicar con este vídeo
- Escucha el vídeo entero una vez sin hablar y anota las palabras que no conoces.
- Haz shadowing frase por frase a velocidad normal, repitiendo cada una hasta que tu ritmo coincida con el del hablante.
- Grábate y compara con el original, prestando atención a palabras como biofuel, corn, ethanol.
¿Qué es la Técnica de Shadowing?
Shadowing es una técnica de aprendizaje de idiomas respaldada por la ciencia, desarrollada originalmente para la formación de intérpretes profesionales y popularizada por el políglota Dr. Alexander Arguelles. El método es simple pero poderoso: escuchas audio en inglés nativo y lo repites en voz alta de inmediato, como una sombra que sigue al hablante con solo 1-2 segundos de retraso. A diferencia de la escucha pasiva o los ejercicios de gramática, el shadowing obliga a tu cerebro y músculos de la boca a procesar y reproducir simultáneamente patrones de habla reales. Las investigaciones muestran que mejora significativamente la precisión de la pronunciación, la entonación, el ritmo, el habla conectada, la comprensión auditiva y la fluidez al hablar, convirtiéndola en una de las metodologías más efectivas para la preparación del IELTS Speaking y la comunicación en inglés en el mundo real.