Pratique du Shadowing: Test 1 Part 4 CPE - Dec 2002 - Apprendre l'anglais à l'oral avec la vidéo

Création de la leçon...
1
Now turn to part four.
2
You will hear part of a radio arts programme in which two people, Arthur and Carla, are discussing a book called Windworld.
3
For questions 23 to 28, decide whether the opinions are expressed by only one of the speakers or whether the speakers agree.
4
Write A for Arthur, C for Carla, or B for both where they agree.
5
You now have 30 seconds in which to look at part 4.
6
Today on A Good Read we're talking about George Swallow's novel Windworld, published last year and it has just won the Bateman Prize.
7
We have with us Arthur Lachman, writer, and Carla Fletcher, who lectures in engineering at King's College.
8
Arthur, let's start with you.
9
Well, I read the novel when it first came out, and I was very happy to be asked to re-read it for this programme.
10
And I remembered the powerful characterisation, the certainty of touch, particularly the older protagonist, Joe Bean, and his sisters,
11
in the throes of change from one era to another.
12
Rather miserable characters, but assured portraits.
13
What I valued as well was the atmosphere Swallow creates, the sense that everything he created felt right within the time and place.
14
Did you find that?
15
Very interesting question.
16
As a scientist, I always come to books with a critical eye for technical details.
17
As I say, Joe Bean and his family as people rang incredibly true for me.
18
I found myself doubting whether certain incidents, certain assumptions, squared with the period in which the book is set.
19
I have to say that I found the sheer amount of technical detail about inventions, which Swallow included as a labour of love,
20
I have no doubt, gave the layperson a hard time, making it difficult to follow the plot.
21
Hmm.
22
I actually found myself comparing all these descriptions of the windmills and pumps with his earlier works,
23
Learner Games and Thorn, which both dealt with the same period, but neither of which included this kind of complexity.
24
Much more populist, deliberately more accessible to a wide readership.
25
There is much to link the writing of all three books.
26
You can recognise Swallow's individual voice in all of them.
27
He's speaking to one specific audience, in my view.
28
Do you feel Windworld is a great novel?
29
Oh, very much so.
30
The current of the author's own life in the east of England pulses through the whole work so compellingly.
31
So, yes, I would say that it lifts this book into the category of great writing.
32
I wouldn't be quite that positive, though I do agree that the character of Joe Bean draws its strength from the writer's close acquaintance with Joe's environment.
33
To my mind, he's almost certainly Swallow, putting himself in another age,
34
positioning himself with his upbringing and his character and his beliefs in the 18th century.
35
I was intrigued by some of these set episodes, like the incident with the birds.
36
It was genuinely fascinating, I thought.
37
I understand the film rights have been bought.
38
Do you think it'll work as well as the book does?
39
No question.
40
If they keep away from too much social realism and misery.
41
If they don't make Joe's story the central one, it'll die a death.
42
Well, just about all the stories are likely to come through well, in my opinion.
43
We'll have to see how it turns out.
44
Today on A Good Read we're talking about George Swallow's novel Windworld, published last year and it has just won the Bateman Prize.
45
We have with us Arthur Lachman, writer, and Carla Fletcher, who lectures in engineering at King's College.
46
Arthur, let's start with you.
47
Well, I read the novel when it first came out
48
and I was very happy to be asked to re-read it for this programme.
49
And I remembered the powerful characterisation, the certainty of touch, particularly the older protagonist, Joe Bean, and his sisters,
50
in the throes of change from one era to another.
51
Rather miserable characters, but assured portraits.
52
What I valued as well was the atmosphere Swallow creates, the sense that everything he created felt right within the time and place.
53
Did you find that?
54
Very interesting question.
55
As a scientist, I always come to books with a critical eye for technical details.
56
As I say, Joe Bean and his family as people rang incredibly true for me.
57
I found myself doubting whether certain incidents, erm, certain assumptions squared with the period in which the book is set.
58
I have to say that I found the sheer amount of technical detail about inventions, which Swallow included as a labour of love,
59
I have no doubt, gave the layperson a hard time, making it difficult to follow the plot.
60
I actually found myself comparing all these descriptions of the windmills and pumps with his earlier works,
61
Learner Games and Thorn, which both dealt with the same period, but neither of which included this kind of complexity,
62
much more populist, deliberately more accessible to a wide readership.
63
There is much to link the writing of all three books.
64
You can recognise Swallow's individual voice in all of them.
65
He's speaking to one specific audience, in my view.
66
Do you feel Windworld is a great novel?
67
Oh, very much so.
68
The current of the author's own life in the east of England pulses through the whole work so compellingly.
69
So, yes, I would say that it lifts this book into the category of great writing.
70
I wouldn't be quite that positive, though I do agree that the character of Joe Bean draws its strength from the writer's close acquaintance with Joe's environment.
71
To my mind, he's almost certainly Swallow putting himself in another age,
72
positioning himself with his upbringing and his character and his beliefs in the 18th century.
73
I was intrigued by some of these set episodes, like the incident with the birds.
74
It was genuinely fascinating, I thought.
75
I understand the film rights have been bought.
76
Do you think it'll work as well as the book does?
77
No question.
78
If they keep away from too much social realism and misery.
79
If they don't make Joe's story the central one, it'll die a death.
80
Well, just about all the stories are likely to come through well, in my opinion.
81
We'll have to see how it turns out.
82
That's the end of the test.
83
Please stop now.
84
Your supervisor will now collect all the question papers and answer sheets.

Context & Background

The video features a discussion between Arthur Lachman, a writer, and Carla Fletcher, an engineering lecturer, about the novel Windworld by George Swallow. Set within a radio arts program, their dialogue unfolds as they examine themes, characterisation, and the technical details of the book. Arthur appreciates the depth of character and atmosphere, while Carla brings a critical perspective on technical accuracy and accessibility, highlighting their contrasting viewpoints. This rich exchange offers English learners a unique context to engage with varied opinions, enhancing both vocabulary and understanding of nuanced discussion.

Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication

  • “I was very happy to be asked to...” - A polite way to express enthusiasm or gratitude for an invitation.
  • “Did you find that?” - A phrase used to prompt agreement or seek the listener's opinion.
  • “To my mind...” - A useful expression for presenting one's opinion or viewpoint.
  • “I have to say that...” - A declarative phrase to introduce a personal observation or perspective.
  • “It's genuinely fascinating...” - A way to express genuine interest or intrigue about a subject.

Step-by-step Shadowing Guide

To effectively use the shadowing technique with this video, follow these steps designed to improve English pronunciation and overall speaking skills:

  1. Pre-listening Preparation: Familiarize yourself with the context of the discussion by reading a summary of Windworld. Understanding the themes will make it easier to follow the conversation.
  2. First Listen: Play the first part of the video without interruption. Focus on the speakers’ tones and styles, as this is key to learning shadowspeak.
  3. Second Listen: Replay the video, but this time pause after each sentence or key phrase. Try to repeat exactly what you've heard, imitating the speakers' pronunciation and rhythm.
  4. Record Yourself: As you practice, record your speech while shadowing the dialogue. This allows you to self-evaluate and recognize areas to improve.
  5. Reflect and Refine: Listen to your recording alongside the original. Identify discrepancies in pronunciation or intonation. Focus on particular phrases that were challenging and practice them until confident.

By integrating the shadowing technique with content from Windworld, you can progressively enhance your command of the English language while also learning contextual vocabulary that enriches everyday communication.

Qu'est-ce que la technique du Shadowing ?

Le Shadowing est une technique d'apprentissage des langues fondée sur la science, développée à l'origine pour la formation des interprètes professionnels. Le principe est simple mais puissant : vous écoutez de l'anglais natif et le répétez immédiatement à voix haute — comme une ombre suivant le locuteur avec un décalage de 1 à 2 secondes. Les recherches montrent une amélioration significative de la précision de la prononciation, de l'intonation, du rythme, des liaisons, de la compréhension orale et de la fluidité.