Shadowing Practice: UNIT 10 CD2 TRACK 7 COMPLETE FIRST - Learn English Speaking with Video

Les maken...
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Unit 10.
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Listening Part 4.
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Exercise 2.
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Hi.
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I'm in a new shopping centre with some guys who've been finding out a bit more about the place.
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Kerry.
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Yeah, first let me tell you where it is.
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You know you'd expect to drive for miles out into the countryside to a place among green fields.
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When they build them in the country, everyone has to get there by car, but at least then the parking's easy.
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This new one's taken over some abandoned industrial land on the outskirts of the city and it's pulling in young people, families, everyone, so there's a really great atmosphere.
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So why do you think they went for this particular site, Salim?
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Well, apparently they were offered a place in the country and the plans were approved, but they chose this place for its convenient access from the station and the motorway.
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The locals did start kicking up a fuss about traffic noise
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and fumes and that sort of thing
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So it took quite a long time to get things started
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But they managed to get permission in the end But why do you think there are such masses of people here now?
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What's behind its popularity?
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Well, you see, people don't just come to shop They come to spend the
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day There are tons of good stores with branches here So even though you end up spending quite a bit In general,
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the stuff's good quality and there's something here for everyone.
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It caters for every taste, including people like myself, who'd rather not shop at all, but would prefer to take in a film or hit the gym instead.
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So, you see lots of families having fun here too, without having to hang around with each other the whole time.
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Dad goes off to look at sports equipment or electronics, while Mum hunts for clothes, you know, that sort of thing.
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From where I'm standing now I can see trees and fountains.
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There are cafes, music for chilling out and even a free fashion show.
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It's a bit of a change from your normal high street
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isn't it yeah it's incredible isn't it you know these places
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are pretty safe i mean i know some rough lads come here
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but with all the security staff around there's never any trouble
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but what i really like is
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that the place feels a bit like a palace you know
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i can spend all day here with my friends surrounded by
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all this expensive stuff without it costing me a penny people treat you pretty well
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and you don't have to spend anything unless you want to.
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We're always hearing about families having arguments when they go shopping.
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Why's that?
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Apparently it's because they're spending the day together and their tastes in how to spend their free time are different.
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So they get irritable with each other and this breaks down into arguments about which shops to go to and so on.
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And this place is organised to cater for different tastes, isn't it?
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Well, yeah, what they've done is organised the shops, cafes and other places, so there's a wide range of quite different shops in each section.
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This means that families can still be fairly close to each other, even though they're up to different things.
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You know, Mum can wander into the clothes shop if that's what she wants to do, while Dad can pop into the computer shop next door, and the kids can go to a game shop or a music shop.
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They're all nearby and they can find each other easily.
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And what else have they done, Salim?
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Well, they've come up with ways of making shopping less tiring.
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You know, a day's shopping wears people out.
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They thought of hiring out small electrically driven cars to shoppers to cut down the amount they walk.
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They came up against problems of space.
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There just wasn't enough room for them all.
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So they also thought about those moving walkways you see at airports, and that would have involved redesigning everything.
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What they actually came up with is a new technology which sends everything you've bought to your exit point
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and you just pick it up there.
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Awesome.
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Thanks Kerry and Salim.
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Cheers.

What You'll Practice in This Lesson

This lesson focuses on improving your English listening and speaking skills through a realistic conversation about a new shopping centre. You'll practice understanding everyday dialogue, picking up on casual phrases, and mimicking natural speech patterns—key for effective english speaking practice. The video's conversational tone and varied topics (from location to family dynamics) make it perfect for honing your ability to follow and replicate real-world interactions.

Key Vocabulary & Phrases

  • Kicking up a fuss: To complain or protest strongly (e.g., "Locals kicked up a fuss about traffic").
  • Pulling in: Attracting a large number of people (e.g., "The shopping centre is pulling in families and young people").
  • Chilling out: Relaxing (e.g., "Cafes with music for chilling out").
  • Wears people out: Makes people tired (e.g., "A day's shopping wears people out").
  • Pop into: To visit briefly (e.g., "Dad can pop into the computer shop").

Practice Tips for Shadowing Success

Shadowing—repeating speech immediately after hearing it—is a proven technique to boost fluency. For this video, start by listening once to grasp the overall topic. Then, use shadowspeak (shadowing) to mimic the speakers' speed and tone. The conversation has a casual, friendly pace, so focus on matching the natural pauses and intonation. Pause the video after short phrases (e.g., "Yeah, first let me tell you where it is") and repeat them aloud, aiming for clarity and rhythm. To make the most of this shadowing site exercise, pay attention to how speakers stress words for emphasis (e.g., "incredible" or "free fashion show"). Practice 5-10 minute segments daily—consistency is key. Over time, you'll notice your ability to replicate shadow speech improves, making your own English sound more natural and confident. Remember: the goal isn't perfection, but to train your mouth and ears to adapt to real-world conversation flow.

Wat is de Shadowing-techniek?

Shadowing is een wetenschappelijk onderbouwde taalleermethode die oorspronkelijk is ontwikkeld voor professionele tolkentraining en gepopulariseerd door polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. De methode is eenvoudig maar krachtig: je luistert naar native Engelse audio en herhaalt het onmiddellijk hardop — als een schaduw die de spreker volgt met slechts 1–2 seconden vertraging. In tegenstelling tot passief luisteren of grammaticadrills, dwingt shadowing je hersenen en mondspieren om echte spraakpatronen tegelijkertijd te verwerken en te reproduceren. Onderzoek toont aan dat het de uitspraaknauwkeurigheid, intonatie, ritme, verbonden spraak, luisterbegrip en spreekvaardigheid aanzienlijk verbetert — waardoor het een van de meest effectieve methoden is voor IELTS Speaking-voorbereiding en echte Engelse communicatie.

Shadowing-techniek: lees de volledige stap-voor-stap-gids →