Shadowing Practice: B1 Preliminary (PET) Listening Test 1 with answers (new format) - Learn English Speaking with Video
Creating lesson...
1
Now look at the instructions for part one.
2
For each question, choose the correct answer.
3
Look at question one.
4
One.
5
How will the man travel to the city centre?
6
Excuse me, what's the best way to get to the city centre?
7
Well, it's probably easiest to take a taxi, especially if you've got a lot of luggage.
8
I've just got a light bag.
9
Is there a bus that goes there?
10
Yes, there is, but it takes quite a long route.
11
What about the underground?
12
It's a short walk from here and the trains go every ten minutes.
13
It'd be faster than a taxi.
14
That sounds perfect.
15
I'll do that.
16
Thanks so much for your help.
17
No problem.
18
Now listen again.
19
Excuse me, what's the best way to get to the city centre?
20
Well, it's probably easiest to take a taxi, especially if you've got a lot of luggage.
21
I've just got a light bag.
22
Is there a bus that goes there?
23
Yes, there is, but it takes quite a long route.
24
What about the underground?
25
It's a short walk from here and the trains go every ten minutes.
26
It'd be faster than a taxi.
27
That sounds perfect.
28
I'll do that.
29
Thanks so much for your help.
30
No problem.
31
Two.
32
What did the girl dislike at the hostel she stayed in?
33
How was your holiday?
34
Good.
35
The hostel was okay, but not great.
36
Ah, I've heard about problems with mice in some of the hostels in the area you visited.
37
Really?
38
Well, they've obviously done something about that.
39
The thing was, our beds didn't have mosquito nets, so we got bitten almost every night, even after putting on insect cream.
40
Right.
41
And then every morning we heard monkeys running across the roof.
42
I didn't mind that at all, though.
43
It was like being in a hostel in the jungle.
44
Now listen again.
45
How was your holiday?
46
Good.
47
The hostel was OK, but not great.
48
Ah, I've heard about problems with mice in some of the hostels in the area you visited.
49
Really?
50
Well, they've obviously done something about that.
51
The thing was, our beds didn't have mosquito nets, so we got bitten almost every night, even after putting on insect cream.
52
Right.
53
And then every morning we heard monkeys running across the roof.
54
I didn't mind that at all, though.
55
It was like being in a hostel in the jungle.
56
Three What is the man going to order for lunch?
57
What are you going to order then?
58
Let me see.
59
I think I'd like the salmon.
60
You're so boring.
61
I knew you'd say fish.
62
You never try anything different.
63
I'm having pizza.
64
They make them really thin and tasty here.
65
Yes, my sister had one last time we ate here.
66
She said it was great.
67
How about the curry?
68
That's excellent, I believe.
69
Nice idea, but I've heard it's very spicy.
70
I've made up my mind.
71
I'll have what I always have. Of course.
72
Now listen again.
73
What are you going to order then?
74
Let me see.
75
I think I'd like the salmon.
76
You're so boring!
77
I knew you'd say fish.
78
You never try anything different.
79
I'm having pizza.
80
They make them really thin and tasty here.
81
Yes, my sister had one last time we ate here.
82
She said it was great.
83
How about the curry?
84
That's excellent, I believe.
85
Nice idea, but I've heard it's very spicy.
86
I've made up my mind.
87
I'll have what I always have. Of course.
88
Four.
89
What sport would the woman like to try?
90
I've decided to take up a new sport.
91
There are lots of classes starting at the sports centre near the golf course.
92
What sport are you thinking of doing?
93
Well, I did consider golf.
94
When I looked at the cost, though, I realised it's way more than I can afford.
95
Anyway, I'm not that good at racket sports, but I wouldn't mind giving badminton a go.
96
You need to be so strong to play tennis.
97
I might do a new sports class too.
98
Hey, come along with me.
99
Now listen again.
100
I've decided to take up a new sport.
101
There are lots of classes starting at the sports centre near the golf course.
102
What sport are you thinking of doing?
103
Well, I did consider golf.
104
When I looked at the cost, though, I realised it's way more than I can afford.
105
Anyway, I'm not that good at racket sports, but I wouldn't mind giving badminton a go.
106
You need to be so strong to play tennis.
107
I might do a new sports class, too.
108
Hey, come along with me.
109
Five.
110
Which book is the man reading?
111
What's the book you're reading about?
112
It's a novel by one of my favourite writers.
113
A lot of his books are based on his experiences flying planes around the world.
114
This one's set at sea, a guy who crosses the Pacific Ocean on his own and all the challenges he has to deal with.
115
I've heard he's working on a new one at the moment about an astronaut who goes to the moon
116
and can't get back.
117
It sounds interesting.
118
Anyway, this one's really exciting.
119
Sounds cool.
120
Now listen again.
121
What's the book you're reading about?
122
It's a novel by one of my favourite writers.
123
A lot of his books are based on his experiences flying planes around the world.
124
This one's set at sea, a guy who crosses the Pacific Ocean on his own and all the challenges he has to deal with.
125
I've heard he's working on a new one at the moment about an astronaut who goes to the moon
126
and can't get back.
127
It sounds interesting.
128
Anyway, this one's really exciting.
129
Sounds cool.
130
6. Where does the man suggest going at the weekend?
131
Hi Sue, it's Matt.
132
Thanks for your message.
133
I think it's a great idea to go out for the day at the weekend.
134
You mentioned going for a walk on the beach.
135
I've just looked at the weather forecast though and there might be a storm coming.
136
There's a new art exhibition on at the museum, definitely worth seeing, or so I've heard.
137
I wondered about going to the cinema and had a look at what's on.
138
There's nothing very exciting this weekend.
139
Anyway, let me know what you think.
140
Bye!
141
Now listen again.
142
Hi Sue, it's Matt.
143
Thanks for your message.
144
I think it's a great idea to go out for the day at the weekend.
145
You mentioned going for a walk on the beach.
146
I've just looked at the weather forecast though and there might be a storm coming.
147
There's a new art exhibition on at the museum, definitely worth seeing .
148
I wondered about going to the cinema and had a look at what's on.
149
There's nothing very exciting this weekend.
150
Anyway, let me know what you think.
151
Bye!
152
7. How much is the latest smartphone in the store today?
153
At ABC's phone store, we've got some fantastic offers this week.
154
For an amazing £599, the most up-to-date smartphone is now available.
155
It's got a great camera and the biggest memory ever.
156
But hurry, this offer is only on for a few days.
157
If you wait till Monday, it'll be back to its usual price of £699.
158
If either of these prices is more than you can afford, there's always last year's model, which is just £499.
159
But don't delay.
160
When they're gone, they're gone.
161
Come early to avoid disappointment.
162
Now listen again.
163
At ABC's phone store, we've got some fantastic offers this week.
164
For an amazing £599, the most up-to-date smartphone is now available.
165
It's got a great camera and the biggest memory ever.
166
But hurry, this offer is only on for a few days.
167
If you wait till Monday, it'll be back to its usual price of £699.
168
If either of these prices is more than you can afford, there's always last year's model, which is just £499.
169
But don't delay.
170
When they're gone, they're gone.
171
Come early to avoid disappointment.
172
That is the end of part one.
173
Now look at part two.
174
For each question, choose the correct answer.
175
8. You will hear a brother and sister talking about a gift for their cousin.
176
So, what do you think we should give our cousin Lucy for her birthday?
177
She's just moved into her new apartment.
178
I think she'd like a microwave.
179
In fact, I've already had a quick look online and seen a few special offers.
180
Shall we go and have a look in the big department store in town?
181
What for?
182
It's likely to be more expensive.
183
And besides, it weighs so much.
184
Can you imagine us trying to take it on the bus?
185
OK, but we'd better hurry up and order online, or they might not have any left.
186
Now listen again.
187
So what do you think we should give our cousin Lucy for her birthday?
188
She's just moved into her new apartment.
189
I think she'd like a microwave.
190
In fact, I've already had a quick look online and seen a few special offers.
191
Shall we go and have a look in the big department store in town?
192
What for?
193
It's likely to be more expensive.
194
And besides, it weighs so much.
195
Can you imagine us trying to take it on the bus?
196
OK, but we'd better hurry up and order online, or they might not have any left.
197
9. You will hear two colleagues discussing their holiday travel plans.
198
I've finally decided on my holiday plans.
199
What about you?
200
Well, actually, I'm going to Greece next week. And you?
201
We're off to the coast of Ireland in a month's time.
202
Going by car and the ferry again?
203
Yes.
204
You must love it.
205
You go there every holiday.
206
I do.
207
And this time we're going for a fortnight, not just a week.
208
So that's exciting.
209
Wouldn't it be better if you flew?
210
You wouldn't waste so much time getting to where you're going.
211
We like to be able to get around easily once we're there.
212
Now listen again.
213
We like to be able to get around easily once we're there.
214
Ten.
215
You will hear a man talking to a friend about a fitness training session.
216
Hi, Joanna.
217
I'm afraid I can't make today's fitness training session.
218
Oh?
219
Are you OK?
220
Well, I'm not too bad.
221
I had this really awful cold, which took about a week to get rid of.
222
Fortunately, it's over now, but my doctor told me to take things easy anyway.
223
I don't know if I mentioned it to you.
224
I need to have an operation on my foot on Friday.
225
It's nothing serious, though.
226
I'll be back at fitness training very soon.
227
Oh, good.
228
Well, you take care then.
229
See you.
230
Now listen again.
231
training very soon.
232
Oh, good.
233
Well, you take care then.
234
See you.
235
Eleven.
236
You will hear two friends talking about a play they've just seen.
237
That play was really great, wasn't it?
238
I thought the second half was a bit less interesting than the first.
239
You could predict exactly what was going to happen.
240
Really?
241
I wasn't sure how it would end.
242
The actors were excellent though, weren't they?
243
Well, actually, I expected the performances to be a lot better.
244
I must say though, the costumes were brilliant.
245
I think you're a bit hard to please when you go to the theatre.
246
So why don't you choose the next play we see?
247
Okay.
248
Well, I hope you'll like what I choose.
249
Now listen again.
250
when you go to the theatre.
251
So why don't you choose the next play we see?
252
OK.
253
Well, I hope you'll like what I choose.
254
Twelve.
255
You will hear two friends talking about a film and its soundtrack.
256
What are you listening to on your phone?
257
The soundtrack to that film, Smash.
258
Have you seen it?
259
Not yet.
260
I've got it.
261
We could watch it together.
262
It'd be a nice thing to do after a hard week of work.
263
Cool.
264
I'm free on Friday.
265
I mean, the film's aimed at kids, but I think you'll like it.
266
The music's definitely popular with a much wider range of people.
267
Some of it's good old-fashioned jazz and soul, but it's got a sound that makes you want to get up and move.
268
It's definitely as good as the film.
269
Now listen again.
270
What are you listening to on your phone?
271
The soundtrack to that film, Smash.
272
Have you seen it?
273
Not yet.
274
I've got it.
275
We could watch it together.
276
It'd be a nice thing to do after a hard week of work.
277
Cool.
278
I'm free on Friday.
279
I mean, the film's aimed at kids, but I think you'll like it.
280
The music's definitely popular with a much wider range of people.
281
Some of it's good old-fashioned jazz and soul, but it's got a sound that makes you want to get up and move.
282
It's definitely as good as the film.
283
13. You will hear two friends talking about the news.
284
Why are you always looking at your laptop?
285
I'm checking what's happening in the world.
286
I make sure I do it every morning before anything else.
287
So do I.
288
I need to for my job, but I much prefer reading a real newspaper.
289
But online I can focus on what I'm really interested in, rather than all the stuff about celebrities and sports stars.
290
I just don't care.
291
Hmm, there's a lot of that, but I must admit I always enjoy reading about their lives. Do you?
292
Well, there's actually more about that sort of thing online.
293
Now listen again.
294
Why are you always looking at your laptop?
295
I'm checking what's happening in the world.
296
I make sure I do it every morning before anything else.
297
So do I.
298
I need to for my job, but I much prefer reading a real newspaper.
299
But online I can focus on what I'm really interested in, rather than all the stuff about celebrities and sports stars.
300
I just don't care.
301
Hmm, there's a lot of that, but I must admit I always enjoy reading about their lives. Do you?
302
Well, there's actually more about that sort of thing online.
303
That is the end of part two.
304
Now look at part three.
305
For each question, write the correct answer in the gap.
306
Write one or two words, or a number, or a date, or a time.
307
Look at questions fourteen to nineteen now.
308
You have twenty seconds.
309
You will hear a guide giving some information about a walk in the countryside.
310
Welcome, everyone.
311
I'm Mike, your guide on today's walk in the beautiful countryside here.
312
I'm sure you'll want to know how long the walk will take.
313
Well, there are two possible routes, one of which takes four hours and the other five.
314
We'll be taking the longer one as it has fewer hills.
315
We'll be at our destination by around two.
316
Right, things to be careful of.
317
It's a fairly easy route and there are good paths.
318
There are some steps to climb in some parts, but in this dry weather you won't slip.
319
Please look out for bikes, though.
320
Cars aren't a problem, as our route avoids public roads.
321
I hope you've all remembered to bring lunch with you, as the cafe at the visitor centre we'll pass is closed for repairs.
322
Instead, I've picked a great place to eat by the lake.
323
We'll also have a shorter break at the waterfall, so you can take photos.
324
For people who are interested in wildlife, there's plenty to see.
325
You'll be pleased to know that there are lots of butterflies at this time of year.
326
The forest is famous for its frogs, but they stay hidden away during the daytime, unfortunately.
327
At the end of our walk, I'm afraid you won't find a shop selling souvenirs or anything like that.
328
There is a castle, though.
329
It's not very big, but it is interesting, and a nice place to rest after a long walk.
330
Finally, you'll want to get back to where we started.
331
There used to be a railway station in the area, but it's been many years since a train went through there.
332
There's a bus service, although you may have to wait a while.
333
A taxi driver will never come this far out of town, so that's really the only option.
334
Right, let's go.
335
Now listen again.
336
We'll be at our destination by around two.
337
Right, things to be careful of.
338
It's a fairly easy route, and there are good paths.
339
There are some steps to climb in some parts, but in this dry weather you won't slip.
340
Please look out for bikes though.
341
Cars aren't a problem, as our route avoids public roads.
342
I hope you've all remembered to bring lunch with you, as the cafe at the visitor centre we'll pass is closed for repairs.
343
Instead, I've picked a great place to eat by the lake.
344
We'll also have a shorter break at the waterfall, so you can take photos.
345
For people who are interested in wildlife, there's plenty to see.
346
You'll be pleased to know that there are lots of butterflies at this time of year.
347
The forest is famous for its frogs, but they stay hidden away during the daytime, unfortunately.
348
At the end of our walk, I'm afraid you won't find a shop selling souvenirs or anything like that.
349
There is a castle, though.
350
It's not very big, but it is interesting, and a nice place to rest after a long walk.
351
Finally, you'll want to get back to where we started.
352
There used to be a railway station in the area, but it's been many years since a train went through there.
353
There's a bus service, although you may have to wait a while.
354
A taxi driver will never come this far out of town, so that's really the only option.
355
Right, let's go.
356
That is the end of part three.
357
Now look at part four.
358
For each question, choose the correct answer.
359
Look at questions 20 to 25 now.
360
You have 45 seconds.
361
Thank you.
362
Laura Dixon, you've already had two books of your poems published.
363
How did you become interested in poetry?
364
Well, my dad loves literature, so there were always lots of poetry books on the shelves around the house.
365
I used to spend hours looking at them.
366
I'm pleased it happened that way, because there needs to be more time spent on it at school.
367
I think students would enjoy it.
368
And how did you decide to turn your interest into a career as a professional poet?
369
I started doing some classes in journalism.
370
I showed my poems to the woman running the course.
371
She was a well-known reporter on a national newspaper and she suggested that I enter a poetry competition.
372
I did and two months later found out I'd come first.
373
That's when I knew I wanted to do this full time.
374
So I hear you've just finished a new book of poems.
375
What's it about?
376
You never exactly know what poems are going to be about until you start writing them
377
and my previous books have included my thoughts about architecture, ancient and new.
378
In this one, though, I focus on connections with the people I'm close to.
379
I actually started out with the idea of writing about global warming and the environment, which is very different to what I produced in the end.
380
Your poetry is very modern.
381
Do you read poetry written a long time ago?
382
Yes, I do.
383
The words and style are often very different from modern English, but you soon notice how carefully the poems have been put together.
384
I think they took more skill to write than many modern ones do.
385
And you've also started teaching poetry at a university recently.
386
How's that going?
387
I'm certainly enjoying it, even if I'm not always sure how much my students are actually learning.
388
Thankfully, the other teachers have a lot more experience than me and are happy to share their ideas.
389
I was warned about how much preparation there'd be, so that wasn't too much of a shock.
390
And what are your plans for the future?
391
Well, there's a poetry festival soon, and the organisers have asked me to read my work at it.
392
I'm hoping to turn some of my previous work into songs.
393
After all, hip-hop and rap are just poetry with a tune.
394
New poems come into my head all the time too.
395
I'd get worried if I had to stop writing because I'd run out of ideas.
396
Thank you, Laura Dixon, for joining us.
397
Now listen again.
398
Laura Dixon, you've already had two books of your poems published.
399
How did you become interested in poetry?
400
Well, my dad loves literature, so there were always lots of poetry books on the shelves around the house.
401
I used to spend hours looking at them.
402
I'm pleased it happened that way, because there needs to be more time spent on it at school.
403
I think students would enjoy it.
404
And how did you decide to turn your interest into a career as a professional poet?
405
I started doing some classes in journalism.
406
I showed my poems to the woman running the course.
407
She was a well-known reporter on a national newspaper, and she suggested that I enter a poetry competition.
408
I did, and two months later found out I'd come first.
409
That's when I knew I wanted to do this full time.
410
So, I hear you've just finished a new book of poems.
411
What's it about?
412
You never exactly know what poems are going to be about until you start writing them, and my previous books have included my thoughts about architecture, ancient and new.
413
In this one, though, I focus on connections with the people I'm close to.
414
I actually started out with the idea of writing about global warming and the environment, which is very different to what I produced in the end.
415
Your poetry is very modern.
416
Do you read poetry written a long time ago?
417
Yes, I do.
418
The words and style are often very different from modern English, but you soon notice how carefully the poems have been put together.
419
I think they took more skill to write than many modern ones do.
420
And you've also started teaching poetry at a university recently.
421
How's that going?
422
I'm certainly enjoying it, even if I'm not always sure how much my students are actually learning.
423
Thankfully, the other teachers have a lot more experience than me and are happy to share their ideas.
424
I was warned about how much preparation there'd be, so that wasn't too much of a shock.
425
And what are your plans for the future?
426
Well, there's a poetry festival soon and the organisers have asked me to read my work at it.
427
I'm hoping to turn some of my previous work into songs.
428
After all, hip-hop and rap are just poetry with a tune.
429
New poems come into my head all the time too.
430
I'd get worried if I had to stop writing because I'd run out of ideas.
431
Thank you, Laura Dixon, for joining us.
432
That is the end of part four.
433
You now have six minutes to write your answers on the answer sheet.
434
Thank you.
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This B1 speaking lesson is built on the video “B1 Preliminary (PET) Listening Test 1 with answers”. This video has 434 sentences and 3889 words to shadow. The speech runs for 30:57. The speaker talks at a steady 126 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. 85% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| poem noun | /ˈpoʊ.əm/ | A literary piece written in verse. |
| hostel noun | /ˈhɑstəl/ | An overnight lodging place for travelers, with dormitory accommodation and shared facilities, especially a youth hostel. |
| taxi noun | /ˈtæksi/ | A vehicle that may be hired for single journeys by members of the public, particularly one with an automated meter to calculate the fare. |
| excite verb | /ɪkˈsaɪt/ | To stir the emotions of; to cause to feel excitement. |
| hurry verb | /ˈhʌ.ɹi/ | To do things quickly. |
| soundtrack noun | /ˈsaʊndˌtɹæk/ | A narrow strip running down a movie film that carries the recorded sound in synchronization with the pictures. |
| smartphone noun | /ˈsmɑɹtfoʊn/ | A mobile phone with more advanced features and greater computing capacity than a feature phone. |
| badminton noun | /ˈbæd.mɪn.tən/ | A racquet sport played indoors on a court by two opposing players (singles) or two opposing pairs of players (doubles), in which a shuttlecock is volleyed over… |
| café noun | /ˌkæˈfeɪ/ | A coffee shop; an establishment selling coffee and sometimes other non-alcoholic beverages, simple meals or snacks, with a facility to consume them on the… |
| racket noun | /ˈɹækɪt/ | A loud noise. |
| souvenir noun | /ˈsu.vəˌnɪɹ/ | An item of sentimental value, that is given or kept to remember an event or location. |
| waterfall noun | /ˈwɔːtəfɔːl/ | A flow of water over the edge of a cliff. |
| astronaut noun | /ˈæstɹəˌnɔt/ | A member of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft that travels beyond Earth's atmosphere, or someone trained to serve that purpose. |
| mosquito noun | /məsˈki.toʊ/ | A small flying insect of the family Culicidae, the females of which bite humans and animals and suck blood, leaving an itching bump on the skin, and sometimes… |
| daytime noun | /ˈdeɪtaɪm/ | The time of daylight; the time between sunrise and sunset. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| find out verb | To discover, as by asking or investigating. | |
| 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. | |
| get back verb | Return to where one came from. | |
| get back to verb | Return to (an activity) | |
| get up verb | To move in an upward direction; to ascend or climb. | |
| go through verb | To travel from one end of something to the other. | |
| hide away verb | To stash or store something in a secret location. | |
| make up verb | /ˌmeɪk ˈʌp/ | To constitute, to compose. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- Excuse me, what's the best way to get to the city centre?
- What are you going to order then?
- What sport are you thinking of doing?
- What's the book you're reading about?
- Wouldn't it be better if you flew?
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Conditional sentences if + clause, will/would + verb — a condition and its result | If you wait till Monday, it'll be |
| “Used to” used to + verb — a past habit or state that is no longer true | used to be · used to spend |
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | I've heard · I've made · I've decided |
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | are based · is closed · have been put |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 150 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'm, I've, you've. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: shelf /ʃɛlf/, destination /dɛstɪˈneɪʃən/, preparation /ˌpɹɛpəˈɹeɪʃ(ə)n/, instruction /ɪnˈstɹʌkʃən/
- Long words — get the stress right: disappointment /ˌdɪsəˈpɔɪntmənt/, destination /dɛstɪˈneɪʃən/, celebrity /səˈlɛb.ɹɪ.ɾi/, preparation /ˌpɹɛpəˈɹeɪʃ(ə)n/, fortunately /ˈfɔɹ.t͡ʃə.nɪt.li/
How to practise with this video
- Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
- Shadow it sentence by sentence at normal speed, repeating each one until your rhythm matches the speaker.
- Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like poem, hostel, taxi.
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.