Shadowing Practice: B2 First Speaking test - Victoria and Edward | Cambridge English - Learn English Speaking with YouTube
B2
Good afternoon. Hello. My name is Jenny Cooke and this is my colleague, Jill Budgie. Hello.
108 sentences
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Good afternoon. Hello. My name is Jenny Cooke and this is my colleague, Jill Budgie. Hello.
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And your names are?
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My name is Victoria.
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My name is Edward.
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Can I have your mark sheets, please?
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Of course. Thank you.
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Where are you from, Victoria?
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I'm from Germany. I'm from the north coast of Germany.
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And it's very nice there because I live close to the sea.
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And Edward, where are you from?
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I'm from Peru. I live in the capital, Lima. It's near the coast.
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First, we'd like to know something about you. Victoria how do you like to spend your evenings?
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In Germany, I like to go to my horse and now I go to the gym or do something else or spend time with my friends.
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And, Edward, tell us about a festival or celebration in Peru.
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Well, in Peru, there is a lot of festival. There is one called Mistura.
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It's about food because in Peru, we have a lot of very different kind of foods.
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So, all that chefs and plates goes there.
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And there is a big festival in Lima. I love it.
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Victoria, do you use the Internet much?
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At home, not really, but now I'm in England, so I used to Skype very often and to go, yeah and look films at the Internet or listen to music more because I have more free time now.
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Edward, tell us about a film you really like. A film?
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Well, I really like cars and action so maybe Fast Furious was quite interesting for me, the last one. Six.
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I find it really good because there is a quite expensive cars, there are things I like. Thank you.
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In this part of the test, I'm going to give each of you two photographs.
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I'd like you to talk about your photographs on your own for about a minute and also to answer a short question about your partner's photographs.
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Victoria, it's your turn first. Here are your photographs.
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They show people who are helping other people in different situations.
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I'd like you to compare the photographs and say how important it is to help people in these situations. OK. All right? Yeah.
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In the first picture, I see a sportsman a footballer, and somebody, I think he has a cramp or something like this and somebody helps him. In the second picture, there's a policeman. The lady I think she asks for the direction because she's confusing in the city.
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She's new or a tourist. I think both are very important persons because one has, in the first picture, he has pain.
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In the second picture, she needs help as well.
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So, I think that are both very important persons for the people in each situation.
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I think I would prefer to help people who make some sports because I'm like sports.
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And it's really interesting to see other people. And I-- Thank you. Edward, do you find it easy to ask for help when you have a problem?
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Yes, I have an experience in London.
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I was looking for a hostel, and I ask ambulance for some special place for a cheaper hostel, and they helped me.
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Thank you. Can I have the booklet, please?
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Now, Edward, here are your photographs.
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They show people spending time in different gardens.
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I'd like you to compare the photographs and say what you think the people are enjoying about spending time in these gardens?
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OK. All right? Yes.
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Well, in the first picture, I see a girl, a young girl in a garden with I think, a special plants there, have a special care about them.
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In the second, I think a big gardens where people can go and have a picnic or spend some time with family, a time to relax.
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I think, both cases, they are all enjoy the things. In the first one I think that girl like to make these plants in maybe his garden. Maybe she's going to eat them. In the second one, they like to spend time in the air, free air or maybe free things is good. Both are enjoying each.
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Thank you. Victoria, which garden would you prefer to spend time in?
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I think I would prefer to enjoy in my own garden, so in the first picture because it is really enjoyable to see the plants grow up and which colour they have.
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And so, I think it is nice when you sit on the terrace and have a look in your own garden.
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Thank you. Can I have the booklet, please? Thank you.
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Now, I'd like you to talk about something together for about two minutes.
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I'd like you to imagine that a town wants more tourists to visit.
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Here are some ideas they're thinking about and a question for you to discuss.
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First, you have some time to look at the task.
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Now, talk to each other about why these ideas would attract more tourists to the town.
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OK. Maybe we can choose one.
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Yeah, OK. Won't we like to talk about a building nightclubs?
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What we think about it? Yes, maybe.
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Nightclubs, I think are focus for young people. I think that not young people like to visit towns for a nightclub. What about having more shops?
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I think that shopping is a special thing.
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Shops is, I think, as well, a good idea because they can go with the whole family or sometimes parents can go on their own and the childrens are for their own.
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But I think it would be nice when it is a shopping area and not shops on the street because when the children want to go alone, maybe it is a little bit dangerous.
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So, maybe we can be providing new parks.
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Parks, parks. I don't really like parks.
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So, because I don't want to have a picnic in the park, but maybe it is nice.
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What do you think about it?
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I'm sorry, I can't agree with you. I like park because most people like to spend time with their family doing a picnic on the free air if it's a good weather. So, maybe more tourists can go to the parks.
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Yeah. Well, but maybe we can-- what do you think about building Holly's flats?
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I think it is a good idea, but I'm not really sure if everybody wants to live in a holiday flat, but I think it can be very interesting when it's nice yeah, it's a nice flat. What's your opinion?
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I think that is not good for tourists or for the interests of them and putting up security cameras also.
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I think they are more for people who live there.
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Yeah, I think when I went to holiday and I know there are still cameras around me-- Thank you.
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Now, you have about a minute to decide which idea would be best for the town.
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OK. OK. I think the shopping areas is really nice because the whole family has something of it.
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I also think providing parks. So, we have to discuss which is the best one.
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OK. Yes. I like parks because also help for the weather and good for the environment. When you go to a new place you also visit the parks, that kind of things.
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OK, maybe I would change my opinion when I see a nice park. It's possible.
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Yes? So, if we can find a new parks?
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Maybe. I have to try it, yeah.
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Yes. It was the best option. I think so. But not about discussing the nightclub or putting security cameras because they are more for determinate kinds of people.
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Thank you. Can I have the booklet, please?
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Thank you. Victoria, do you think you have to spend a lot of money to have a good holiday?
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Not really. I think when you're well organised and you look early enough for something, it might be possible to make it less expensive to go on a good holiday.
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So, it depends what I want to do, but I try to.
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What do you think, Edward?
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Well, I think that is not good to have a lot of money and spend on holidays.
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I think the most important is the person who you enjoy who you go with on holiday so you can enjoy more that place.
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Edward, some people say we travel too much these days and shouldn't go on so many holidays.
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What do you think?
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Well, yes, it can be if you have enough money to travel well, it's great to go to new places and visit new cities and learn more about the culture, also.
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What do you think, Victoria?
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I think it's nice to travel a lot because you can see more of the whole world and from the culture and how the people live. So, I think it's nice.
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Do you think people have enough time for holidays these days?
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Well, it depends of the person.
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Because a businessman is always busy and have to travel a lot but not for that kind of issues. He have to make busy for other people.
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Yeah, I totally agree with you.
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I think sometimes it's difficult to travel because you haven't got enough time because you have to work hard to earn money. So, it is difficult.
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Why do you think people like to go away on holiday?
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I think it's nice because you can, when you're far away from your home you have not any thinks about your work and at your firm.
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So, you are far away and you don't care what's in your home.
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Yes, I agree with you. I have the same idea.
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I think that when you go out of your home and you can't relax because you do a new things, maybe you can try other things. So, it's interesting.
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What can people do to have a good holiday in Germany?
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I don't know exactly, because I don't want to make holidays in Germany because the weather is all the time cloudy and bad, but I like it.
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It is nearly the same as in England, I think. So...
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And we have the sea, and so, they can go surfing and you can visit small islands and it's nice.
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I think so. And in Peru?
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In Peru, there are a lot of places you can visit. There is Machu Picchu very famous place of Nazca lines.
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Also, Peru have a lot of beaches, pretty beaches, where you can choose if you want like the jungle or the coast. There is a lot of places where you can visit.
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Thank you. That is the end of the test. Thank you.
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Why practice speaking with this video?
This engaging speaking test excerpt features candidates Victoria and Edward, showcasing their conversational skills in a structured interview format. Practicing with this video is essential for English learners aiming to enhance their speaking abilities. The interaction exemplifies real-life situations where you might have to introduce yourself, discuss personal interests, and respond to questions. By utilizing the shadowing technique, learners can mimic the pronunciation, intonation, and rhythm of native speakers, leading to improved English pronunciation. Using shadowspeaks techniques can significantly boost your confidence when speaking English, as you'll become familiar with natural conversational patterns.
Grammar & Expressions in Context
- Question Tags: Notice how questions such as "Can I have your mark sheets, please?" are framed. Practicing this structure helps you form polite requests.
- Descriptive Language: Phrases like "I live close to the sea" and "there is a lot of very different kind of foods" help convey vivid imagery. Using descriptive language enhances your ability to engage listeners.
- Expressing Preferences: Expressions like "I would prefer to help people who make some sports" indicate how personal preferences can be articulated. This structure is useful in everyday conversations.
- Comparative Structures: The comparison made between the types of gardens, as Victoria mentions, "I think I would prefer to enjoy in my own garden," is a useful way to express differences, helping you build your argumentative language skills.
Common Pronunciation Traps
As you practice this video, pay attention to the pronunciation of words that may pose challenges. Words like "favourite" (especially in British English) and "ambassador" require careful enunciation to avoid confusion. The shadow speech approach can help you master these tricky pronunciations effectively. Additionally, the different accents evident in the video—particularly those of Victoria and Edward—demonstrate regional variances in English pronunciation. Emulate their speech to improve your own shadow speak skills, making you a more effective communicator.
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.
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