Shadowing Practice: Vol 1 - test 2 - section 2 - Learn English Speaking with Video

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Section 2.
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You will hear an introductory talk to a group of parents about a special centre for young children.
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First, you have some time to look at questions 11 to 14 on page 3.
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now listen carefully and answer questions 11 to 14 good evening everyone
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and welcome to the preschool family center it's really good to see
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so many parents here
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and I hope this talk will help you to find out more about what we do here
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and how the centre works so you can decide if this sounds the right sort of place for your child.
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Okay so first of all what is the preschool family centre?
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Well basically it's a childhood education centre for children from three months up to five years old
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but we're different from a lot of other organisations for preschool children.
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We believe that the first educators of a child are their parents
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and so the preschool family centre is organised as a cooperative by the parents,
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which means it is the parents themselves who are responsible for running the centre and also for running each session.
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So this means that we ask parents to attend the centre with their children on a regular basis.
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In order to make this work, we offer training for parents,
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teaching them the skills they need to work with children and run the sessions.
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The children do all sorts of different activities – art,
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music, singing and games – and these are all done in groups of mixed ages
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because we believe that by learning to play together, children learn how to make choices and how to respect people and things.
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Before you hear the rest of the talk, you have some time to look at questions 15 to 20 on page 3.
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Now, listen and answer questions 15 to 20.
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Now, some factual information.
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Sessions run each morning from 9.30 to 12.30, and we have an extra session on Thursday afternoons, which is solely for older children,
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where we do some activities to help prepare them for reading before they start school.
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We feel this is really important and can make a big difference when they get to school.
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And now, before you enrol your child in the centre, you need to make at least five visits with your child.
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This is so you are fully aware of how the centre works before you enrol.
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The centres are recognised as official pre-schools, and so each centre is entitled to funding from the government.
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The centre is a really wonderful experience, but does require some work.
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so I'd just like to talk about some of the commitments you will need to make
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if you decide to go ahead and enrol your child.
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A couple of points first.
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Once you and your child have settled into the centre and are familiar with how things work, you will be asked to choose a particular job,
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like secretary or gardener or librarian, or something to be responsible for.
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and we have a meeting which we use to plan the program and each parent is expected to attend this.
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Now just before we move on to answer any questions you have, I'd just quickly like to mention some of the ways you
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and your child are able to get the most out of the centre.
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It's important that you attend regularly.
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This way, you'll get to know other parents well and your child will develop confidence while he or she is here.
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Younger children might need to leave early.
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It's better to leave early than to go home with an overtired child.
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We do provide drinks for the children, but we ask you to make sure your child has a snack to eat during the morning.
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No crisps or chocolate, please.
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Right, I think I'll stop there and ask if anyone's got any questions.
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That is the end of section two.
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You now have half a minute to check your answers.
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Now turn to section 3 on page 4.

Who Is This Video For?

This video is perfect for intermediate English learners aiming to improve listening comprehension and conversational skills, especially in real-world contexts like parent-teacher talks. It’s ideal for those practicing shadow speech or the shadowing technique, as the speaker uses clear, conversational English with natural pacing—great for mimicking pronunciation and intonation.

Words & Idioms Worth Stealing

  • Cooperative: A group-owned organization run by its members. Example: "The center is a cooperative, so parents manage it together."
  • Enrol: To register for a program. Example: "You need five visits before you enrol your child."
  • Overtired: Extremely tired. Example: "It’s better to leave early than take an overtired child home."
  • Commitments: Responsibilities. Example: "Parents have commitments like attending meetings and choosing a job."

How to Get the Accent Right

To master the speaker’s clear, friendly tone, focus on improving English pronunciation by practicing stress in multi-syllabic words: "edu-CA-tion" (not "E-du-ca-tion") and "or-ga-ni-SA-tions" (not "or-GA-ni-sa-tions"). Use shadowing technique by pausing the video and repeating phrases like, "We believe that the first educators of a child are their parents"—pay attention to the rising intonation at the end of questions. For natural flow, mimic the speaker’s pace when saying, "Sessions run each morning from 9.30 to 12.30, and we have an extra session on Thursday afternoons"—keep the rhythm steady but relaxed. This video is a great tool to learn English with videos and refine your shadowspeak skills, as it combines everyday vocabulary with practical, real-life dialogue.

¿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.

Técnica de shadowing: lee la guía completa paso a paso →