Shadowing Practice: 280826 BBC London, Evening News - Learn English Speaking with Video

Tonight on BBC London, a special programme live from Notting Hill as the capital counts down to Europe's largest street party.

And it's more significant this year as Carnival celebrates its 60th anniversary.

I'm with the band, warming up ahead of a weekend of music, costumes, food and family.

Three, two, one.

We'll hear stories through the generations of what Carnival means to Londoners.

Plus...

Come and see what we've been making for Carnival.

We're behind the scenes seeing how the spectacular costumes are created.

And we hear about plans to keep Carnival safe

and all you need to know about getting around West London this busy bank holiday weekend.

Hello and welcome.

You join us at the Tabernacle, an historic community hub that in a run-up to Carnival transforms into a massive workshop

and where much of the organisation takes place.

You'll probably see people coming in and out while we're on air.

It is the beating heart, if you like,

and over the weekend it is going to get seriously busy as this world-famous Notting Hill Carnival marks its 60th anniversary.

We'll talk more about the history and the significance in a moment.

But first, talking about crowds, the number of people coming has grown over the years.

Almost two million people are expected to descend on this corner

of the capital over the next few days to soak up the atmosphere.

And how to keep the event safe has become a key concern in recent years.

Our Home Affairs correspondent, Sonia Jessup, reports on plans to keep carnival goers safe, including some new measures.

Once again, the streets of Notting Hill are set to fill with the sights and sounds of carnival.

But this year has some big changes when it comes to keeping everyone safe, including doubling the number of stewards to around three and a half thousand.

We've always known that we needed more stewards, we just didn't have the resource.

You know, some people say that too much money's been spent on carnival, but I would say it's an investment not just in the economic impact

that Carnival has on London but also on the social impact and what it does for people's hearts, minds and their wellbeing.

That extra £4.6 million grant from City Hall comes following concerns in previous years over crowd safety

and the potential of a dangerous crush.

There will also be more CCTV and signage.

More than 7,000 police will be on duty over the weekend.

Earlier this week, the Met, along with the Greater Manchester force,

arrested seven people suspected of being part of a gang which may be linked to violent robberies at the 2025 carnival.

The Met says they'll be using more live facial recognition here this year too, despite concerns last year from civil liberty and anti-racism groups.

So it's going to be used at carnival

and that's going to be basically to identify those people coming to Carnival who want to commit crime.

Last year at Carnival

when we used it we arrested over 61 people who were coming to Carnival

and we spoke to over 30 registered sex offenders.

So even if the technology gets it wrong, it might be stopped and questioned, that's an inconvenience but I think that's something that should be tolerated in the interest of safety.

My understanding is it was successful last year and I can't speak for everyone but I think it's a good thing.

On social media, the message to those coming is to be patient, listen to those stewards.

All right, calm down, calm down.

There's plenty more whining, but for now, just filter yourself through.

Don't step on my trainers, please, and thank you.

And help keep Carnival safe for everyone.

Sonia Jessop, BBC London.

Some important advice there.

Well, now, let's get closer to the action and the sights and sounds of Carnival, one of which is of course Steel Pan.

We can join Alice who is just around the corner as the anticipation builds Alice for a special weekend.

It certainly is a special weekend here in Notting Hill.

I'm on All Saints Road which this evening is a hive of activity.

You will no doubt see

and hear behind me the sweet sounds of the Mangrove Steel Orchestra who are rehearsing ahead of their big day,

which is tomorrow in the Steel Pan competition called Panorama, and then of course ahead of Carnival.

So I'm going to go and grab one of the members of Mangrove, Marvin, sorry to interrupt you.

So you are rehearsing ahead of tomorrow, what are you getting up to, what's it going to be like and how are you feeling ahead of the big competition?

We're quite confident this year, we've been doing really well.

Everyone's getting ready to rehearse now so we're just all excited running on and joining them at the moment.

And I believe that you are the reigning champions and you have been for many years.

Yeah we've been for many years, been for the last three years.

And what's it like being in a steel pan band Marvin?

How long have you been rehearsing for this competition?

How much of a part of your life is it?

What does it bring you?

We've been rehearsing for two to three months technically.

It's part of our family, like These are like some of them, like I've got pan kids, my daughter gets really mad at me when I say that because there's kids here that are as young as 10,

there's adults here as old as 60.

We've got a range of people here.

We sit down, we eat together, we're family, you know?

And so tomorrow when you face Panorama, you go out there united.

Is there a lot of competition with the other bands?

Yeah, there's a big strong rivalry, but at the same time a lot of them are friends, like, you know, at the same time.

It's just healthy rivalry.

Healthy rivalry, indeed.

Well, I will let you get on with your rehearsal.

OK, thank you very much.

We will be hearing from Mangrove Band a little bit later on in the programme.

But for now, from a very noisy All Saints road, it's back to you, Riz.

Thanks very much, Alice.

More from you later.

Now, the theme of this year's carnival is respect, honoring the ancestors.

And earlier today, there was a special moment recognizing the generation of Caribbean Londoners who helped shape Notting Hill Carnival.

Five, four, three, two, one.

This plaque is one of many that recognise and celebrate the contributions

and achievements of our people and the people who've built this community.

That is about history.

It is about recognition of all the pioneers who've contributed to this thing we call Carnival in Notting Hill.

60 years.

Give it a round of applause.

Well, one of the people who made that happen is Dr Jack Bueller from the Nubian Jack Community Trust.

Really good to have you here.

What does it mean to see the names of those 70 pioneers who've helped shape this famous event?

I think it's very important because Carnival is so important, it's contributed so much to diverse Britain, particularly from the post-war years.

And we've developed it into a phenomenon and it's only right that these people who've made this phenomenon be recognised.

And I'm so honoured that we are doing that with the largest blue plaque in the world.

And it coincides with 70 years since London Transport began recruiting workers from the Caribbean to help build our city's network.

So there are Londoners whose parents or grandparents were a key part of all of this.

Absolutely and not only are London transport people on the plaque

100

but you also have people from the NHS and it's also important that we recognise there are so many disciplines,

101

so many occupations that people have had that has contributed so much to this wonderful, wonderful, glorious event that we call Carnival.

102

Yeah, we see lots of movement going on here behind us.

103

I said this is really the heart of Carnival isn't it? of it at Tabernacle

104

so basically Claudia Jones once came here we have a plaque inside to Claudia Jones

105

and the whole route is panned out of different plaques of different people who have contributed to this phenomenon as I say.

106

And given that it is such a significant moment 60 years on this significant anniversary what does carnival mean to you?

107

Well carnival means many things to me it means food it means cuisine it means music it means culture

108

but most of all it means costumes and particularly those who wear the costumes.

109

I won't elaborate too much but I love the way the costumes are exhibited every year, particularly by the women of course.

110

And it has changed.

111

Carnival has changed over the years.

112

Do you think, given that this year's theme is Respect the Ancestors, do you think enough people know about the history of Carnival?

113

Well, clearly they don't, which is why we've decided to put this plaque up.

114

So the evolution of Carnival has become, if you like, a food fest, a jump-up fest, a great time for people to have a great I love the smell of jerk chicken.

115

But more importantly, it's important that these pioneers that brought this wonderful spiritual festival is recognised and are recognised.

116

And that's why we're doing this wonderful, phenomenal plaque, which is, of course, I have to keep coming back, the largest in the universe.

117

Was it hard to pick 70 people who were pioneers?

118

It's extremely controversial and I'll tell you now there are 69 names on the plaque

119

because the 70th name is to all those who have not been named and that was my get out clause.

120

So it was extremely difficult and I'm still getting controversy about it even now.

121

But at least, you know, it's the first of many and to build upon that we're going to have to do an even bigger, larger plaque in the world.

122

It doesn't stop.

123

Jack Bueller, thank you for joining us here on BBC London.

124

Really good to speak to you and have a wonderful carnival.

125

Thank you, you too.

126

Thank you very much.

127

Dr Jack Bueller.

128

Well, Carnival wouldn't be Carnival, would it, without the costumes.

129

And a little later, we're going to talk about the context and the role that they play with a fashion historian.

130

We're also going to have all the important information you need if you're coming this weekend.

131

But don't worry, you can also experience it from home, from your mobile or your smart speaker on BBC Radio London.

132

That's on Bank Holiday Monday.

133

I'll be back a little later, but right now, let's get some of the day's other news with Victoria in the studio.

134

Hello there.

135

Thanks, Riz.

136

A large fire close to Wembley Stadium has caused significant disruption to tube and rail services today.

137

125 firefighters have been tackling the blaze at a waste facility since this morning.

138

Jim Weeble has more.

139

Well fire service was called at around 11.25 this morning to an industrial estate on Hannah Close in Kneesden.

140

Some 25 fire engines were tackling it at its height and thick smoke was seen for miles around west London.

141

Black smoke billowing hundreds of feet into the air.

142

In fact, local residents close by were told to keep their windows closed because of these toxic fumes.

143

Now, where this fire happened was next to a busy set of rail and tube lines, and it's had a serious impact today.

144

The Metropolitan Line has been suspended for most of the day.

145

The Jubilee Line has been seriously affected as well.

146

And here at Marlebone Station, there have been severe delays and cancellations.

147

Now, there's been a handful of these types of fires over the summer, notably, in fact, in Deptford in south-east London,

148

where, at a waste and recycling plant there, there were two significant fires on separate occasions.

149

Now, this particular fire is now under control.

150

There's no reports of any injuries.

151

But if you are travelling out towards west London, the advice is check before you travel.

152

and we will their passengers at gatwick airport have once again

153

been left without water after a mains pipe burst in a nearby field water supplies at both terminals are affected

154

and ses water are carrying out repairs many of the bathroom facilities are closed

155

and some restaurants bars and cafes are not operating in july both terminals lost running water for several hours

156

detectives investigating a rape in covent garden last weekend have released

157

cctv images of a man they want to speak to a

158

woman in her 20s was approached by a stranger in the early hours of saturday morning

159

and dragged into a doorway police are urging anyone with information to come forward

160

now as the death toll continues to rise following the flash

161

flooding in the himalayan border region people living in London are still trying to make contact with relatives in the affected areas.

162

Officials in Nepal say more than 540 people are known to have died, but hundreds more are unaccounted for.

163

Thomas McGill has been at one restaurant in South London where staff have a personal connection to the tragedy.

164

A candlelit vigil in Edgeware last night for all those caught up in Wednesday's flash floods in Nepal and Tibet.

165

Today another part of London's close Nepalese community came together to do their bit.

166

Staff at Panas restaurant in Blackheath have been offering traditional food

167

to locals to raise money after one of the waiter's family member died in the tragedy.

168

My staff, they are stressed.

169

One of my bartenders, his first cousin, the young guy who was in hydro, he's an engineer.

170

He's not there.

171

I mean, it took him, I took them to find out two days.

172

It's hoped this small gesture can have a big impact for those struggling with what's happened back home.

173

We start raising the money, so we are distributing the food and then helping the rest, how much we can, as much we can.

174

As concerned, Londoners continue to see heartbreaking images of whole communities destroyed.

175

Many here are only too happy to do what they can to help.

176

It's really challenging to watch everything that's going on in the news.

177

Everything I've seen on BBC and the floods, and I've even seen some of our own people, some British citizens have also been caught up in that.

178

I really think it gives us an opportunity to do whatever we can to help.

179

With the death toll continuing to grow and many unaccounted for,

180

Sujan and his team say they will continue to support each other and those back home in the best way they can.

181

Thomas McGill, BBC London.

182

Well, you can, of course, get more on the day's news on our website.

183

But for now, let's go back to Riz in Notting Hill with more on Carnival.

184

Riz.

185

Thank you very much, Victoria.

186

Welcome back to the Community Arts Centre, the tabernacle, the hub of where organising carnival happens,

187

as this weekend marks 60 years of this deeply significant celebration of Caribbean culture.

188

Now, carnival wouldn't be carnival without costumes, and later on we're going to talk about the role that they play with a fashion historian.

189

But first, let's arm you with everything you need to know about carnival and cross over to Alice, not far away, who can tell us.

190

Hello.

191

Hi Riz, I've found some street food, so I'm already set for the evening.

192

But whether you're a first time carnival goer or you're a pro, planning ahead can help you make the most of your weekend.

193

So this is what you need to know before you head out.

194

Everything starts tomorrow, Saturday, and that acts as the curtain raiser.

195

It is, as I mentioned earlier, panorama at the beginning of carnival weekend.

196

and the focus is on the steel pan music and the biggest steel panned competition in the UK.

197

Then on Sunday, that's traditionally the more family-friendly carnival day.

198

There is a children's day parade, and for early risers, you can catch Jouvet, which is a vibrant pre-dawn celebration.

199

Of course, Monday is carnival at its biggest and loudest, and that's the adult parade.

200

It's usually the biggest day, attracting the biggest crowds, Now, you do need tickets for Saturday's Panorama event,

201

but Carnival itself is free on Sunday and Monday.

202

No ticket needed.

203

Now, crucially, getting around.

204

TFL recommends travelling to Carnival via Paddington Station, which is a short walk from the Carnival route.

205

You can follow signs to the walking routes between Paddington and Carnival.

206

There are extensive road closures in place, already actually from this evening, but certainly this bank holiday weekend.

207

And you can see the full list of closures on the Westminster Council and Kensington and Chelsea Council websites.

208

But be warned, public transport is also expected to be very busy, especially at the end of each day.

209

So allow extra time for your journey.

210

Now, organisers want everyone at Carnival to be safe.

211

There will be police officers and stewards along the route, as well as four welfare hubs.

212

Plus a reminder that the mobile signal can be poor.

213

So try and make plans with friends and family before you head out.

214

Finally, our coverage.

215

You can follow Carnival and all the action.

216

Just tune in to BBC Radio London across the whole of Bank Holiday Weekend for live programming.

217

And from a very busy north bit of Notting Hill, back to you, Riz.

218

Yeah, it certainly sounds it, Alice.

219

Thank you very much indeed and you can find that information on the BBC London website as well.

220

Well, let's turn to the spectacularly visual aspect of Carnival, from floats to feathers, from sequins to satin.

221

Months of hard work goes into creating colourful creations.

222

So let's get an insight with the co-creator of Mahogany Costumes.

223

Happy 60th, not in the day!

224

I'm Clarice Landy and today we are in the Methodist Church in Harlsdon for the 60th year of Notting Hill Carnival.

225

Come and see what we've been making for Carnival.

226

So when you look around you can see everything being made.

227

We have our choral team and so So they're drawing and cutting and painting all the coral pieces.

228

We have armbands.

229

These are going to be worn like this on the arms.

230

With this one, Noya, can you glue for me, please?

231

I think it's so impressive to get children in at a very young age, to show them what carnival's about,

232

to let them do the kind of the prep work before we're on the road, showcasing our fantastic work.

233

I think this is like the new generation.

234

The theme this year, we have resources from Africa.

235

We're saying something about how Africa resources the world.

236

One of the key things is gold.

237

60% of the world's gold comes from Africa.

238

So we're making our own gold.

239

And then here, we have two masters.

240

We have a master artist and a student from Nottingham Trent University.

241

Yay!

242

Hi, my name is Pascale.

243

I'm currently working on the structural pieces behind the diamond headpieces.

244

It's my first carnival.

245

I'm so excited that it's the 60th, my first carnival.

246

Hi, I'm Mia.

247

I'm working on one of the headpieces for carnival.

248

It's the cobalt headpiece.

249

So I'm just doing the structure for it, and then it's just going to get covered in gold.

250

It's going to look really cool.

251

It's all the making process, everything is still very much in process, you could see every stage.

252

Well let's pick up with fashion historian Kayleigh Benoit, delighted to have you with us.

253

And can I just say, looking resplendent yourself, let me first ask you,

254

how much has fashion and costume played made in shaping the identity and legacy of Carnival?

255

Fashion is very important because it's the visual history.

256

So you're wearing the history and then you get to see the blend of Caribbean heritage

257

that was passed down by the Windrush generation and the subsequent generations.

258

And then seeing that blend with Black British culture.

259

So what you wear on the road is extremely important.

260

And for anyone not familiar with Carnival, the concept of mass and the types, this powerful language of history and celebration.

261

Tell us more about it.

262

A lot of people don't actually know that mass is short for masquerade.

263

So masquerade is very much a performance.

264

So you are embodying a character when you're wearing the costume.

265

A lot of people don't know as well that with the band, there is a judging point on the road.

266

So it's almost like a competition to see who can get the best costume.

267

So the craftsmanship that goes behind every single costume is very, very intricate and it's months of hard work.

268

Yeah, as we saw there with mahogany costumes, just one of the many.

269

And we know that this year's theme is respect, honouring the ancestors.

270

And that is probably true for the fashion and the style as well.

271

Absolutely, because so many people just see the spectacle, but it's very important to understand and appreciate the specialist knowledge,

272

the designers who take months of work behind the scenes, the designers, the costume makers, the seamstresses, the feather makers,

273

and then also the history behind it because it's very colourful, it's joyful, but we also must remember the history that's behind it.

274

And the reason why it's colourful is

275

because of the history behind the Windrush generation and the racial hostility that they had when they came here to Britain.

276

And do you think there's going to be more focus on that this year, given the theme?

277

Definitely.

278

I think I had an interesting statistic

279

that 90% of people didn't know who Kelso Court trainers

280

so I think people really have to take accountability of learning the history

281

because when you know the history you can appreciate the spectacle of the costumes even more

282

and people can go and look

283

that up right now um on a personal note Kayleigh um

284

what does carnival mean to you not just as a fashion historian

285

but as a Londoner yeah so I mean this I mean I play

286

and I take part in mass grade and this will be my fifth consecutive year so being on the road,

287

being part of that collective identity at the time when communities needed much more than ever is extremely important to me.

288

Being on the road is such an energy so I really love it.

289

Yeah I can sort of see it in your face, you're almost sort of lifting out with is that is that the feeling?

290

Yeah and it's something that's very inscribable, only the people on the road will understand because you're there and yeah you have the dirty mass on Sunday,

291

the pretty mass on Monday, so everything has a theme and you really get to appreciate it.

292

Well we really appreciate you coming to speak to us and sharing that knowledge.

293

Fashion historian Kayleigh Benoit, have a wonderful time.

294

Thank you very much.

295

Well whatever you're up to this weekend whether it's carnival or not, we all need the weather forecast.

296

Here is Jen.

297

Hello there, good evening.

298

A bank holiday just around the corner can only mean one thing

299

and that is that we have some wet weather in the forecast.

300

The weekend is going to start off off on a fairly breezy note with some heavy showers

301

but there will be some brighter spells especially as we head towards Monday.

302

Now if you are heading off to Carnival this weekend, Saturday we'll see some outbreaks of rain through much of the day, perhaps drier in the afternoon.

303

Sunday will start off dry but then there'll be some thundery showers moving in later on in the day.

304

Bank holiday Monday currently looking like the best day, mostly dry with some sunny spells.

305

All down to these areas of low pressure moving in, throwing these weather fronts in our direction and the squeeze on the isobars indicating

306

that it is going to be turning a little bit breezy as well.

307

This is what things look like as we head through this evening and overnight then.

308

Lots of dry weather but there will be a few heavy thundery showers moving through.

309

The breeze picking up from the southwest as we head through the night and temperatures down to 14 to 16 degrees.

310

Now first thing Saturday morning it will start off dry.

311

Not for long though you can see one of those weather

312

fronts moving through bringing some outbreaks of quite heavy showery rain

313

the possibility of some thunder in there as well temperatures up to 20 degrees Celsius

314

but perhaps later in the afternoon on Saturday you might well get something a little bit drier and brighter

315

overnight into Sunday the showers will tend to clear away there

316

will be some clear spells the temperature overnight down to between around 13

317

and 15 degrees for Sunday we start the day off with

318

quite a bit of dry weather cloud first of all

319

but we'll see some sunshine during the morning and into the early part of the afternoon as well.

320

It's not looking like until later in the day that we start to see this showery rain moving in.

321

Some of that could be thundery, but hopefully it will stay clear through much of daylight hours.

322

Then as we head into Bank Holiday Monday, looking like the best day of the three over the course of the weekend.

323

It should be mostly dry.

324

There will be some sunny spells.

325

Still quite breezy, but with a top temperature of 22 degrees.

326

Thanks to Jen for that all-important weather forecast.

327

And that is it from us ahead of, yes, a big carnival weekend,

328

but also a significant one as it marks its 60th anniversary of the history and celebration of Caribbean culture.

329

BBC London will be covering the sights, the sounds and the stories across radio, TV and online.

330

There's a special film on the BBC London YouTube as well that really is worth watching.

331

We leave you this evening with the sound of Carnival and the Mangrove Mass Band gearing up for a special weekend.

332

From all of us on the team, whatever you're doing, enjoy.

333

Take care.

334

Bye-bye.

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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson

This B2 speaking lesson is built on the video “280826 BBC London, Evening News”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: carnival, weekend, London. This video has 334 sentences and 4426 words to shadow. The speech runs for 27:25. The speaker talks at a natural 161 words per minute, close to everyday conversation. 84% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English; the rest is worth studying before you start.

Key vocabulary in this video

The 15 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:

Word	Pronunciation	Meaning
carnival noun	/ˈkɑɹnɪvəl/	Any of a number of festivals held just before the beginning of Lent.
costume noun	/ˈkɑsˌt(j)um/	A style of dress, including garments, accessories and hairstyle, especially as characteristic of a particular country, period or people.
plaque noun	/plæk/	Any flat, thin piece of clay, ivory, metal, etc., used for ornament, or for painting pictures upon, as a dish, plate, slab, etc., hung upon a wall; also, a…
historian noun	/hɪˈstɔɹi.ən/	A writer of history.
panorama noun	/ˌpæn.əˈɹæm.ə/	An unbroken view of an entire surrounding area.
rehearse verb	/ɹɪˈhɝs/	To repeat, as what has been already said; to tell over again; to recite.
steward noun	/ˈstu.ɚd/	A person who manages the property or affairs for another entity.
pioneer noun	/ˌpaɪ.əˈnɪɹ/	One who goes before, as into the wilderness, preparing the way for others to follow.
ancestor noun	/ˈæn.sɛs.tɚ/	One from whom a person is descended, whether on the father's or mother's side, at any distance of time; a progenitor; a forefather; a forebear.
breezy adjective	/ˈbɹiːzi/	With a breeze blowing, with a lively wind, pleasantly windy.
tabernacle noun	/ˈtæbɚnækl̩/	Any temporary dwelling; a hut, tent, or booth.
thundery adjective	/ˈθʌndəri/	Of weather: stormy, with thunder and lightning.
colourful adjective		British standard spelling of colorful.
rivalry noun	/ˈɹaɪ.vəl.ɹi/	An ongoing relationship between (usually two) rivals who compete for superiority.
forecast noun	/ˈfɔːkɑːst/	An estimation of a future condition.

Phrasal verbs you will hear

Word	Pronunciation	Meaning
start off verb		To begin.
calm down verb		To become less excited, intense, or angry.
get around verb		To move to the other side of (something, such as an obstruction) by deviating from a direct course or following a curved path.
head out verb		To leave, depart; to go on ahead.
carry out verb	/ˈkæ.ɹi aʊt/	To hold while moving it out.
clear away verb		To tidy up, to remove mess or obstacles from a place to make it neat.
come back verb		To return to a place.
come forward verb		To offer help or information, especially about a crime.

Sentences worth repeating

Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:

Don't step on my trainers, please, and thank you.
How long have you been rehearsing for this competition?
How much of a part of your life is it?
What does it bring you?
We've been rehearsing for two to three months technically.

Grammar in this video

The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:

Structure	In the video
Present perfect continuous have/has been + -ing — an action that started earlier and is still going on	we've been making · we've been doing · We've been rehearsing
Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now	has grown · has become · We've always known
Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it	are created · are expected · are set
Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thing	people who were · people who made · people who have

Pronunciation to watch

The speaker uses 74 contractions and reduced forms, such as we're, I'm, we've. Say them the short way, as you hear them.

The “th” sounds: thundery /ˈθʌndəri/, feather /ˈfɛðə/, southwest /saʊθˈwɛst/, thunder /ˈθʌndɚ/
The “sh” and “zh” sounds: showery /ˈʃaʊəɹi/, closure /ˈkloʊ.ʒɚ/, preposition /ˌpɹɛpəˈzɪʃən/, disruption /dɪsˈɹʌpʃən/, anticipation /ænˌtɪs.əˈpeɪ.ʃən/
Long words — get the stress right: historian /hɪˈstɔɹi.ən/, panorama /ˌpæn.əˈɹæm.ə/, phenomenon /fəˈnɒm.ɪ.nən/, mahogany /məˈhɑɡəni/, preposition /ˌpɹɛpəˈzɪʃən/

How to practise with this video

Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
Start at 0.75× speed, shadow it sentence by sentence, then go back to normal speed once it feels easy.
Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like carnival, costume, plaque.

What is the Shadowing Technique?

Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.

Shadowing technique: read the full step-by-step guide →

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B1 Listening practice- numbers

L1 DAY 13 T5P1

Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson

Key vocabulary in this video

Phrasal verbs you will hear

Sentences worth repeating

Grammar in this video

Pronunciation to watch

How to practise with this video

What is the Shadowing Technique?