Shadowing Practice: UNIT 7 25 COMPLETE FIRST - Learn English Speaking with Video

Unit 7.

Listening Part 4.

Exercise 3.

So, Hannah, what made you want to go on a paragliding course?

It sounds like an extremely risky thing to want to do, even for a journalist like yourself.

Well, I thought it was a bit risky too.

I mean, as a sports journalist, I spend my life watching people do different sports, and I've done a fair number of them myself.

It's one of the qualifications for the job, I suppose.

Anyway, a couple of years ago, I was actually in Switzerland playing golf with friends.

I was researching for an article on golf courses, and, you know, golf isn't the most exciting of sports.

Anyway, I was looking down the course, planning my next shot or something, when I saw these paragliders floating down from the heights.

I thought to myself, that looks like fun.

Perhaps I should have a go at it myself.

So you went on a course in France, I believe.

That's right.

I'd actually tried to go on a paragliding course in England a few years ago.

I'd even paid the course fee, about £500.

But every time I went down to do the course, it was either too windy or it was raining.

So in the end, I got fed up and asked for my money back.

Anyway, looking on the internet, I found this rather wonderful place called Dune de Pila on the coast in southwest France.

It's actually the highest sand dune in Europe, and they run courses there.

The price was a bit higher with the travel, but it was a really nice place, and since sunshine was almost guaranteed, I went for it.

Great.

And can you tell me, are there any advantages to jumping off a sand dune?

I imagine it's rather less dangerous than jumping off a mountain, isn't it?

Well, it isn't so high.

Only about 150 metres, in fact.

But wherever you fall, it's going to hurt, so from that point of view, it doesn't necessarily make a lot of difference.

But the good thing is that the beach guarantees you a relatively soft landing too soft

if you go off the beach and into the water, because then you'll need rescuing, although there's usually a steady breeze to keep you from going into the sea.

And what's the main difficulty for a beginner?

I imagine it's taking off and landing.

The major problem for a complete beginner like myself is actually learning how to hold your paraglider up in the air, you know, so that both sides open properly.

They only allow you to run off the edge and fly when you've mastered that technique.

So I didn't get to fly till after lunch on my first day.

Getting your paraglider open is quite tricky to start with.

It makes you feel a bit silly when you see other people happily flying around below you or above you all morning.

And when you actually start flying, how does your teacher tell you what to do?

Does he fly along beside you?

No. It sounds a nice idea and I'd have felt a lot safer if I'd had someone beside me.

In fact, I listened to my instructor Chantal through an earphone.

She stayed down below and spoke into a small microphone device to tell me what to do.

It was generally very quiet, calm and civilised, except when she raised her voice to shout at other flies to keep away from me.

And then you really heard her.

And is landing a problem?

Surprisingly not.

I was expecting something rather violent.

You know, I've come off a horse in my time, and that's a lot rougher, I can tell you.

This was a relatively soft landing.

The sand cushions you a bit, so hardly more of a bump than hopping off a park bench.

And you're wearing a helmet, of course, rather like a biker's, so the danger's minimal.

But is it really as safe as you make out?

They say it is.

I mean, there are a couple of serious accidents every year, but the people I know who do it are very safety conscious.

Most sports, including slow earthbound ones like golf, have some element of risk.

I've known a few people get hit by golf balls, some of my own even.

Most of all, though, I was taken by the silence.

I mean, you're not disturbing anybody in your rather strange eccentric quest for thrills and new sensations.

That, for me, is the best thing and something I've rarely come across before.

Hannah, thank you.

A pleasure.

📺 Zelfde Kanaal

✨ Aanbevolen Video

112 zinnen

Pronunciation in Use Advanced, Unit 51, How embarrassing

High School StudentsUniversity Students+2

42 zinnen

RE2 Unit 12A

High School StudentsUniversity Students+1

54 zinnen

Cambridge 19 Listening Test 4 Part 2

University StudentsWorking Adults+2

76 zinnen

PET 4 Test 1 part 2 questions 8-13

High School StudentsUniversity Students+3

75 zinnen

CAE9 O TEST1 PART2

High School StudentsUniversity Students+3

410 zinnen

I Stayed in Earth’s Deadliest Hotel

University StudentsWorking Adults+2

17 zinnen

English in a Minute: Throw Caution to the WInd

en-USUniversity Students+2

33 zinnen

Cambridge Complete First for Schools 2nd edition: Unit 2| Track 6 @alicenglish92

High School StudentsUniversity Students+2

287 zinnen

Cambridge IELTS 17 Listening Test 3 with answer | #ieltslistening

IELTS PrepUniversity Students+2

16 zinnen

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 →

Shadowing Practice: UNIT 7 25 COMPLETE FIRST - Learn English Speaking with Video

FCE WRITING PART 2 A REVIEW

EASY - Movers - Speaking Test 13

UNIT 9 CD2 TRACK 2 COMPLETE FIRST

UNIT 11 CD2 TRACK 14 COMPLETE FIRST

UNIT 10 CD2 TRACK 7 COMPLETE FIRST

UNIT 7 26 COMPLETE FIRST

UNIT 8 28 COMPLETE FIRST

UNIT 9 CD2 TRACK 3 COMPLETE FIRST