Shadowing Practice: C1 Advanced (CAE) Listening Test 17 with answers - Learn English Speaking with Video
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1
I'm going to give you the instructions for this test.
2
I'll introduce each part of the test and give you time to look at the questions.
3
At the start of each piece, you will hear this sound.
4
Remember to play each piece twice.
5
Now open your question paper and look at part one.
6
You'll hear three different extracts.
7
For questions 1 to 6, choose the answer A, B or C, which fits best according to what you hear.
8
There are two questions for each extract.
9
Extract 1.
10
You hear two friends discussing a book.
11
Now look at questions 1 and 2.
12
How are you getting on with that book I lent you?
13
Oh, OK.
14
When you said it was a thriller, I wasn't prepared for something written in the form of two first-person blogs, but I soon worked out that they already knew each other,
15
really, and that they were up to something together.
16
I can see why you thought it was an attempt to subvert the conventional linear thriller.
17
I reckon the writers had a pretty good stab at it.
18
Oh, I think there's more to it than that.
19
I'm online just like anybody else, and what interested me was the way the writers showed how much deception you can get away with, that there's not much comeback on what you say or do.
20
People tell each other things they'd never say to a real person in the same room.
21
That was really quite a wake-up call for me, because I think I may have been guilty of doing that.
22
You know, you can develop quite intimate relationships with people without meeting them or knowing if their intimacy is real or false.
23
It may be quite a long time before you find out something about them you'd have known instantly if you'd met.
24
Scary.
25
Now play the recording again.
26
How are you getting on with that book I lent you?
27
Oh, OK.
28
When you said it was a thriller, I wasn't prepared for something written in the form of two first-person blogs, but I soon worked out that they already knew each other,
29
really, and that they were up to something together.
30
I can see why you thought it was an attempt to subvert the conventional linear thriller.
31
I reckon the writers had a pretty good stab at it.
32
Oh, I think there's more to it than that.
33
I'm online just like anybody else, and what interested me was the way the writer showed how much deception you can get away with, that there's not much comeback on what you say or do.
34
People tell each other things they'd never say to a real person in the same room.
35
That was really quite a wake-up call for me, because I think I may have been guilty of doing that.
36
You know, you can develop quite intimate relationships with people without meeting them
37
or knowing if their intimacy see as real or false.
38
It may be quite a long time before you find out something about them you'd have known instantly if you'd met.
39
Scary!
40
Extract 2.
41
You hear part of a discussion about a jewellery designer.
42
Now look at questions 3 and 4.
43
Lily Standon's jewellery has been inspired by years spent travelling around the world.
44
Did you see evidence of that in her latest collection?
45
Well, it's certainly got a modern ethnic edge and is very diverse in terms of styling, which I guess is what people are picking up on.
46
But I'd say the thing that sets it apart is its multifunctionality.
47
I mean, who wouldn't be attracted to a piece that can be worn day or evening?
48
Some people rave about the futuristic feel of some of the stuff, particularly in her use of beading, which has become her sort of trademark,
49
but I felt that doesn't come through quite as strongly in this collection.
50
Apparently a more delicate collection is on the cards next.
51
Crafted from precious metals.
52
I mean, like everybody, I'm looking forward to seeing it, and who knows, perhaps she'll surprise us all yet again,
53
but I always have my doubts when the more cutting-edge designers start to step into more traditional territory.
54
It'd be a shame if she lost that edge.
55
You know, if the commercial imperative began to dictate the flow of creativity.
56
We've seen that so many times before with designers.
57
Now play the recording again.
58
Lily Standen's jewellery has been inspired by years spent travelling around the world.
59
Did you see evidence of that in her latest collection?
60
Well, it's certainly got a modern ethnic edge and is very diverse in terms of styling, which I guess is what people are picking up on.
61
But I'd say the thing that sets it apart is its multifunctionality.
62
I mean, who wouldn't be attracted to a piece that can be worn day or evening?
63
Some people rave about the futuristic feel of some of the stuff, particularly in her use of beading, which has become her sort of trademark.
64
But I felt that doesn't come through quite as strongly in this collection.
65
Apparently a more delicate collection is on the cards next.
66
Crafted from precious metals.
67
I mean, like everybody, I'm looking forward to seeing it.
68
And who knows, perhaps she'll surprise us all yet again.
69
But I always have my doubts when the more cutting-edge designers start to step into more traditional territory.
70
It'd be a shame if she lost that edge.
71
You know, if the commercial imperative began to dictate the flow of creativity.
72
We've seen that so many times before with designers.
73
Extract 3.
74
You hear part of an interview with the owner of a shopping website.
75
Now look at questions 5 and 6.
76
Tell us about the life of a CEO.
77
I'm a CEO because I started this company and I've always had that entrepreneurial spirit in me.
78
But that doesn't necessarily prepare you for management, personnel and all those other aspects of running a company.
79
A lot of my job involves filling in the gaps of what doesn't get done.
80
Like I come in and check up on orders and see that the bills get paid.
81
Perhaps a CEO shouldn't be interfering in that stuff, but this company's my baby, so I guess it's inevitable.
82
But I also have to leave time to focus on where the company's going, not get so bogged down in detail that I lose sight of the big picture.
83
So could anyone become an entrepreneur?
84
My life's a culmination of all the stuff I used to do, booking punk rock bands, selling real estate, working in retail.
85
All that stuff helped me to create and develop the site.
86
Once you've got your vision, though, the real challenge is trusting yourself to pick the moment to go for it.
87
Then it takes a huge amount of humbleness not to step on the valuable support that surrounds you.
88
because without them you're nowhere.
89
Now play the recording again.
90
Tell us about the life of a CEO.
91
I'm a CEO because I started this company and I've always had
92
that entrepreneurial spirit in me but that doesn't necessarily prepare you for management, personnel and all those other aspects of running a company.
93
A lot of my job involves filling in the gaps of what doesn't get done Like, I come in and check up on orders and see that the bills get paid.
94
Perhaps the CEO shouldn't be interfering in that stuff, but this company's my baby, so I guess it's inevitable.
95
But I also have to leave time to focus on where the company's going, not get so bogged down in detail that I lose sight of the big picture.
96
So could anyone become an entrepreneur?
97
My life's a culmination of all the stuff I used to do, booking punk rock bands, selling real estate, working in retail.
98
All that stuff helped me to create and develop the site.
99
Once you've got your vision, though, the real challenge is trusting yourself to pick the moment to go for it.
100
Then it takes a huge amount of humbleness not to step on the valuable support that surrounds you, because without them, you're nowhere.
101
Now play the recording again.
102
That is the end of part one.
103
Now turn to part two.
104
You'll hear a woman called Mara Stiles telling a group of people about her holiday at an eco-camp in Patagonia.
105
For questions 7 to 14, complete the sentences with a word or short phrase.
106
In the exam, you have 45 seconds to look at part 2.
107
Thank you.
108
Hi, my name's Mara
109
and I'm just back from a holiday in South America where
110
I've been staying at a most wonderful place called Eco Camp Patagonia in the very south of Chile.
111
I really wanted to go to Patagonia and the National Park in particular.
112
It's somewhere unspoilt where you can really connect with the natural world.
113
I also believe in responsible tourism, in not making a negative impact on places you visit, and knew that I'd mean camping.
114
Some people find camping enjoyable.
115
I've even heard it described as invigorating.
116
That's not my memory of it.
117
For me, miserable is the adjective that comes to mind, so it was the aspect of the trip I was least looking forward to.
118
How wrong can you be?
119
Because Eco Camp Patagonia is no ordinary campsite.
120
It consists of a series of portable domes, each constructed in the same shape as the traditional huts built by the region's original inhabitants centuries ago.
121
But whereas they use skin and fur spread across branches, the modern domes use plastic to cover a metal frame.
122
The shape of the domes is similar to that of an igloo, testament to those people's instinctive engineering skills.
123
The shape helps keep those inside relatively warm in cold weather, and crucially makes the structure less susceptible to wind,
124
which reaches speeds exceeding 170 kilometres an hour in Patagonia.
125
and energy at the camp comes from 100% renewable sources, though at the moment this is mostly hydro and solar power.
126
56 guests can stay at the camp, but you'd never know it.
127
I had my own dome, and although you're part of a community taking meals in the dining tent, I was struck by the level of privacy.
128
I felt close to nature, but comfortable in my dome.
129
It had a real bed, and I could stand up straight, yet I couldn't hear my neighbours.
130
The meals were first-rate, however, beautifully prepared from local ingredients, and I enjoyed the sociability of meal times and the kindness of the staff.
131
Even more impressive was the bathroom dome, also shared with others.
132
As well as the normal facilities, there were really efficient showers.
133
Now that's a treat on this type of holiday, especially after a long day exploring the countryside.
134
The camp is moved each year in the winter, so that the actual ground doesn't become damaged.
135
When you walk from dome to dome, you're stepping on what's known as a boardwalk that stops visitors wearing out the grass.
136
And all rubbish is removed or organically composted.
137
It's a real model of sustainable, low-impact tourism.
138
Hikes came in three categories.
139
I knew I wasn't up to what were known as the hard hikes, and so opted for the medium ones instead.
140
These were quite challenging, but the alternative was the category called soft, an unfortunate description for anyone like me with a bit of pride.
141
But I had no real cause to regret my choice.
142
You really feel at one with nature, and there are endless photo opportunities.
143
I got some wonderful shots, including a fantastic sunset over a glacier, and one of the iceberg we came across one day, floating in a fjord.
144
That's the one I show everybody.
145
And of course, there are all the wildflower and bird species you could ever hope to see.
146
So before I go on to tell you about...
147
Now play the recording again.
148
Some people find camping enjoyable.
149
I've even heard it described as invigorating.
150
That's not my memory of it.
151
For me, miserable is the adjective that comes to mind, so it was the aspect of the trip I was least looking forward to.
152
How wrong can you be?
153
Because Eco Camp Patagonia is no ordinary campsite.
154
It consists of a series of portable domes,
155
each constructed in the same shape as the traditional huts built by the region's original inhabitants centuries ago.
156
But whereas they use skin and fur spread across branches, the modern domes use plastic to cover a metal frame.
157
The shape of the domes is similar to that of an igloo, testament to those people's instinctive engineering skills.
158
The shape helps keep those inside relatively warm in cold weather and crucially makes the structure less susceptible to wind,
159
which reaches speeds exceeding 170 kilometres an hour in Patagonia.
160
And energy at the camp comes from 100% renewable sources.
161
though at the moment this is mostly hydro and solar power.
162
56 guests can stay at the camp, but you'd never know it.
163
I had my own dome, and although you're part of a community taking meals in the dining tent, I was struck by the level of privacy.
164
I felt close to nature, but comfortable in my dome.
165
It had a real bed, and I could stand up straight, yet I couldn't hear my neighbours.
166
The meals were first-rate, however, beautifully prepared from local ingredients, and I enjoyed the sociability of mealtimes and the kindness of the staff.
167
Even more impressive was the bathroom dome, also shared with others.
168
As well as the normal facilities, there were really efficient showers.
169
Now that's a treat on this type of holiday, especially after a long day exploring the countryside.
170
The camp is moved each year in the winter so that the actual ground doesn't become damaged.
171
When you walk from dome to dome, you're stepping on what's known as a boardwalk that stops visitors wearing out the grass.
172
and all rubbish is removed or organically composted.
173
It's a real model of sustainable, low-impact tourism.
174
Hikes came in three categories.
175
I knew I wasn't up to what were known as the hard hikes and so opted for the medium ones instead.
176
These were quite challenging, but the alternative was the category called soft, an unfortunate description for anyone like me with a bit of pride.
177
But I had no real cause to regret my choice.
178
You really feel at one with nature and there are endless photo opportunities.
179
I got some wonderful shots, including a fantastic sunset over a glacier and one of the iceberg we came across one day floating in a fjord.
180
That's the one I show everybody.
181
And of course there are all the wildflower and bird species you could ever hope to see.
182
So before I go on to tell you about...
183
Now play the recording again.
184
That is the end of part two.
185
Now turn to part three.
186
You'll hear part of an interview in which two racing cyclists called Greg Martin
187
and Lena Derridge are talking about different sports they've taken part in.
188
For questions 15 to 20, choose the answer A, B, C or D, which fits best according to what you hear.
189
In the exam, you have 70 seconds to look at Part 3.
190
Thank you.
191
Thank you.
192
who have also taken part in other quite different sports.
193
Greg, let's start with you.
194
You were raised in Newfoundland, Canada, where most kids start off playing ice hockey, don't they?
195
That's right.
196
My dad was a big ice hockey fan, so I think I'd learned how to skate before I could walk.
197
Up until senior high school, hockey's the sport, and then there's a choice to make, whether you're good enough to go to the juniors or not.
198
Maybe if I'd had a stronger training discipline, I would have made it.
199
It wasn't my dad's fault.
200
but I think you've got to have really solid parental support, where you're forced to practice because when you're 16, you don't have the willpower you have at 30.
201
I have no regrets, but I look back and think, why wasn't I training?
202
I just played games.
203
But that's how it was.
204
So you moved over to rowing?
205
I remember as a teenager, the economy being really bad in my home area.
206
And I thought to myself, either I get a degree or get myself a sporting career.
207
Otherwise, I'll never get out of here.
208
So I took a two-pronged approach.
209
After ice hockey, I ran cross-country with moderate success.
210
And guys I met there put me on to rowing.
211
And I was pretty good at it, because I was a little more heavily built than people coming from a running background.
212
In ice hockey, we did a lot of weight training.
213
And I just took to rowing and said, Okay, national team, here we come.
214
So, while I was doing my degree in electrical engineering, I just kept rowing, and, in the end, both of them got me out of there.
215
And Lena, you've also done competitive rowing.
216
How did your competitive rowing career develop?
217
It was kind of weird.
218
Rowing's such a team sport that you really need to go to things called training camps.
219
But I was working full-time at a computer company, so I couldn't often make them.
220
I had to train myself, which was fair enough, and I don't think it was that which held me back.
221
But when it came to the trials for the national team, if it was a four-woman boat, I had to come in the top four in the trials to get in the team.
222
If I was fifth, I would be the cut line, right?
223
And I regularly got fifth when they were making a four, or third when they were making a double.
224
It was just bad luck, really.
225
So near and yet so far.
226
Then one year, when I actually made it into the team, we didn't actually qualify for the World Championships.
227
That was kind of tough.
228
Is that why you decided to move to California?
229
Well, although it coincided with my realising I'd gone as far as I could go in rowing, it wasn't the reason for the move.
230
I'm not a quitter, but I needed a new outlet, something else to direct my energies into.
231
For me, sport rather than work had always provided that, but I was quite happy working in computers.
232
Then my manager and a couple of other workers left and went to California.
233
They were already keen cyclists, by the way.
234
I was in two minds whether to join them, and after about six months of arm-twisting, decided to make the leap.
235
It was a combination of factors that made me go, but it was a good move.
236
From there, getting into the cycling just kind of happened.
237
It hadn't been part of the plan.
238
And do they have much in common, rowing and cycling?
239
Well, rowing's a tough sport, which helps me.
240
And a couple of other teammates who've switched over from rowing agree.
241
A lot of the newbies in the sport, who don't have my rowing background, lack the willingness to put up with what I call the full-on suffer.
242
Like, say it's on a ten-minute climb.
243
The damage doesn't happen immediately.
244
It comes at the eight-minute point.
245
As a cyclist, you need to commit at some point in the race.
246
You need to throw yourself out into the wind and just go for it, no matter how much it hurts.
247
You don't get that so much in rowing.
248
You're thinking much more as a team.
249
And are there parallels in the training, too?
250
Yeah.
251
I actually supplement my cycling training with a little rowing.
252
I fell in love with the sport originally, not really from a competition point of view, just from the feeling of it.
253
I think cycling's one of these sports where it's just so focused on a certain group of muscles that, if that's all you do, it's only a matter of time before you're going to have problems.
254
What's more, as a cyclist, you develop very little upper body muscle, so you don't have a lot of protection if you come off and hit the ground.
255
So I run and row as cross-training as much as I can, and I'd advise other cyclists to do the same.
256
I'd go along with that.
257
But another thing you can do that's really...
258
Now play the recording again.
259
My guests today are Greg Martin and Lena Derridge, both long-distance racing cyclists, who have also taken part in other quite different sports.
260
Greg, let's start with you.
261
You were raised in Newfoundland, Canada, where most kids start off playing ice hockey, don't they?
262
That's right.
263
My dad was a big ice hockey fan, so I think I'd learned how to skate before I could walk.
264
Up until senior high school, hockey's the sport, and then there's a choice to make.
265
Whether you're good enough to go to the juniors or not.
266
Maybe if I'd had a stronger training discipline, I would have made it.
267
It wasn't my dad's fault.
268
but I think you've got to have really solid parental support where you're forced to practice because when you're 16, you don't have the willpower you have at 30.
269
I have no regrets, but I look back and think, why wasn't I training?
270
I just played games.
271
But that's how it was.
272
So you moved over to rowing?
273
I remember as a teenager, the economy being really bad in my home area.
274
And I thought to myself, either I get a degree or get myself a sporting career.
275
Otherwise, I'll never get out of here.
276
So I took a two-pronged approach.
277
After ice hockey, I ran cross-country with moderate success.
278
And guys I met there put me on to rowing.
279
And I was pretty good at it, because I was a little more heavily built than people coming from a running background.
280
In ice hockey, we did a lot of weight training.
281
And I just took to rowing and said, Okay, national team, here we come.
282
So, while I was doing my degree in electrical engineering, I just kept rowing, and, in the end, both of them got me out of there.
283
And, Lena, you've also done competitive rowing.
284
How did your competitive rowing career develop?
285
It was kind of weird.
286
Rowing's such a team sport that you really need to go to things called training camps.
287
But I was working full-time at a computer company, so I couldn't often make them.
288
I had to train myself, which was fair enough, and I don't think it was that which held me back.
289
But when it came to the trials for the national team, if it was a four-woman boat, I had to come in the top four in the trials to get in the team.
290
If I was fifth, I would be the cut line, right?
291
And I regularly got fifth when they were making a four, or third when they were making a double.
292
It was just bad luck, really.
293
So near and yet so far.
294
Then one year, when I actually made it into the team, we didn't actually qualify for the world championships.
295
That was kind of tough.
296
Is that why you decided to move to California?
297
Well, although it coincided with my realising I'd gone as far as I could go in rowing, it wasn't the reason for the move.
298
I'm not a quitter, but I needed a new outlet, something else to direct my energies into.
299
For me, sport rather than work had always provided that, but I was quite happy working in computers.
300
Then my manager and a couple of other workers left and went to California.
301
They were already keen cyclists, by the way.
302
I was in two minds whether to join them, and after about six months of arm-twisting, decided to make the leap.
303
It was a combination of factors that made me go, but it was a good move.
304
From there, getting into the cycling just kind of happened.
305
It hadn't been part of the plan.
306
And do they have much in common, rowing and cycling?
307
Well, rowing's a tough sport, which helps me.
308
And a couple of other teammates who've switched over from rowing agree.
309
A lot of the newbies in the sport, who don't have my rowing background, lack the willingness to put up with what I call the full-on suffer.
310
Like, say it's on a ten-minute climb.
311
The damage doesn't happen immediately.
312
It comes at the eight-minute point.
313
As a cyclist, you need to commit at some point in the race.
314
You need to throw yourself out into the wind and just go for it, no matter how much it hurts.
315
You don't get that so much in rowing.
316
You're thinking much more as a team.
317
And are there parallels in the training, too?
318
Yeah.
319
I actually supplement my cycling training with a little rowing.
320
I fell in love with the sport originally, not really from a competition point of view, just from the feeling of it.
321
I think cycling's one of these sports where it's just so focused on a certain group of muscles that, if that's all you do, it's only a matter of time before you're going to have problems.
322
What's more, as a cyclist, you develop very little upper body muscle, so you don't have a lot of protection if you come off and hit the ground.
323
So I run and row as cross-training as much as I can, and I'd advise other cyclists to do the same.
324
I'd go along with that.
325
But another thing you can do that's really...
326
Now play the recording again.
327
That is the end of Part 3.
328
Now turn to Part 4.
329
Part 4 consists of two tasks.
330
You'll hear five short extracts in which actors are talking about performing in live theatre productions.
331
Look at Task 1.
332
For questions 21 to 25, choose from the list A to H what each speaker usually does before a performance.
333
Now look at Task 2.
334
For questions 26 to 30, choose from the list A to H what each speaker says went wrong on a recent production.
335
While you listen, you must complete both tasks.
336
In the exam, you have 45 seconds to look at part 4.
337
Thank you.
338
Speaker 1 Before actors go on stage, they tend to walk around rehearsing their lines,
339
doing voice exercises, or go on before the audience arrives to do general warm-ups.
340
I always spend time in my dressing room looking at two drawings that were given to me as gifts.
341
They keep me grounded because they remind me of a holiday I had.
342
There's an even greater buzz on opening night, of course.
343
On my last one I came down with a sore throat and I was worried whether I'd have enough voice.
344
So I concentrated on resting during the day.
345
Apparently the audience could hear me okay, but it was touch and go.
346
Speaker 2 I guess everyone has their own way of preparing.
347
I always ask the more experienced actors if I can warm up with them, and they've taught me loads of stretches and things, really makes you more supple and able to cope.
348
However, last week, my attention must have wandered for a split second during the performance, and I missed my cue.
349
So I came out with a line I was supposed to say later.
350
I was mortified, and the director was a bit annoyed.
351
But I'm not sure if the audience even noticed, which was kind of disappointing.
352
Luckily, though, there weren't too many people there that night.
353
Speaker 3 The cast are always very supportive, which is wonderful.
354
You feel part of a team.
355
Loads of fresh flowers start arriving from the audience before the performance, and I'll usually pop into dressing rooms putting little notes or candy on people's tables.
356
It helps us all to bond, I think.
357
The worst night, of course, is when the press come.
358
Everyone's on edge then, and for this production, what they wrote initially wasn't that complimentary.
359
It really affected my performance one night.
360
I should never have read the stuff.
361
Anyway, at least the audience still seemed to be loving it they've clearly got taste.
362
Speaker 4 In my first scene, I actually go down from the stage to walk amongst the audience and talk to them.
363
It's a great way to start feeling comfortable.
364
One night, though, I must have been looking at them and not where I was going.
365
I missed a step and stumbled on the way down.
366
It really spoilt my grand entrance.
367
Luckily, it's meant to be a comedy.
368
But some of the laughs we get rely entirely on the props on stage, so although the stage manager is brilliant at all that, I still find myself walking up to have a look prior to curtain up.
369
Silly, really.
370
I'm making work for myself.
371
Speaker 5 Although the play I mean is a comedy, you can't guarantee that people will laugh, but then they'll laugh at the weirdest things.
372
I'm always worried the noise will hold up the play.
373
Yesterday was during a really sad bit, but then the actor looked around and saw a pigeon standing right behind him.
374
It's an open-air theatre, so they constantly come in.
375
I notice, though, as we move from rehearsals to press night, when reviews are imminent, that my preparations take longer.
376
But there's a particular place I go in the courtyard where I can just catch the breeze.
377
It really clears my head.
378
After that, I'm ready for anything.
379
Now play the recording again.
380
Speaker 1 Before actors go on stage, they tend to walk around rehearsing their lines,
381
doing voice exercises, or go on before the audience arrives to do general warm-ups.
382
I always spend time in my dressing room looking at two drawings that were given to me as gifts.
383
They keep me grounded because they remind me of a holiday I had.
384
There's an even greater buzz on opening night, of course.
385
On my last one I came down with a sore throat and I was worried whether I'd have enough voice.
386
So I concentrated on resting during the day.
387
Apparently the audience could hear me okay, but it was touch and go.
388
Speaker 2 I guess everyone has their own way of preparing.
389
I always ask the more experienced actors if I can warm up with them, and they've taught me loads of stretches and things, really makes you more supple and able to cope.
390
However, last week, my attention must have wandered for a split second during the performance, and I missed my cue.
391
So I came out with a line I was supposed to say later.
392
I was mortified, and the director was a bit annoyed, but I'm not sure if the audience even noticed, which was kind of disappointing.
393
Luckily, though, there weren't too many people there that night.
394
Speaker 3 The cast are always very supportive, which is wonderful.
395
You feel part of a team.
396
Loads of fresh flowers start arriving from the audience before the performance, and I'll usually pop into dressing rooms putting little notes or candy on people's tables.
397
It helps us all to bond, I think.
398
The worst night, of course, is when the press come.
399
Everyone's on edge then, and for this production, what they wrote initially wasn't that complimentary.
400
It really affected my performance one night.
401
I should never have read the stuff.
402
Anyway, at least the audience still seemed to be loving it they've clearly got taste.
403
Speaker 4 In my first scene, I actually go down from the stage to walk amongst the audience and talk to them.
404
It's a great way to start feeling comfortable.
405
One night, though, I must have been looking at them and not where I was going.
406
I missed a step and stumbled on the way down.
407
It really spoilt my grand entrance.
408
Luckily, it's meant to be a comedy.
409
But some of the laughs we get rely entirely on the props on stage, so although the stage manager is brilliant at all that, I still find myself walking up to have a look prior to curtain up.
410
Silly, really.
411
I'm making work for myself.
412
Speaker 5 Although the play I mean is a comedy, you can't guarantee that people will laugh, but then they'll laugh at the weirdest things.
413
I'm always worried the noise will hold up the play.
414
Yesterday was during a really sad bit, but then the actor looked around and saw a pigeon standing right behind him.
415
It's an open-air theatre, so they constantly come in.
416
I notice, though, as we move from rehearsals to press night, when reviews are imminent, that my preparations take longer.
417
But there's a particular place I go in the courtyard where I can just catch the breeze.
418
Really clears my head.
419
After that, I'm ready for anything.
420
Now play the recording again.
421
That is the end of the test.
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This C1 speaking lesson is built on the video “C1 Advanced (CAE) Listening Test 17 with answers”. This video has 421 sentences and 5537 words to shadow. The speech runs for 35:22. The speaker talks at a natural 157 words per minute, close to everyday conversation. 82% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| dome noun | /dəʊm/ | A structural element resembling the hollow upper half of a sphere. |
| cyclist noun | /ˈsaɪ.klɪst/ | A person who rides a cycle, especially a bicycle, or who habitually engages in cycling. |
| extract noun | /ˈɛkstɹækt/ | Something that is extracted or drawn out. |
| thriller noun | /ˈθɹɪ.lə/ | Something that thrills. |
| luckily adverb | /ˈlʌk.ɪ.li/ | In a lucky manner; by good fortune; fortunately. |
| hike noun | /haɪk/ | A long walk, usually for pleasure or exercise. |
| jewellery noun | /ˈd͡ʒʊ-/ | Collectively, personal ornamentation such as rings, necklaces, brooches and bracelets, made of precious metals and sometimes set with gemstones. |
| consist noun | /kənˈsɪst/ | A lineup or sequence of railroad carriages or cars, with or without a locomotive, that form a unit. |
| adjective noun | /ˈæd͡ʒ.ɪk.tɪv/ | A word that modifies a noun or noun phrase or describes a noun’s referent. |
| annoy verb | /əˈnoɪ̯/ | To disturb or irritate, especially by continued or repeated acts; to bother with unpleasant deeds. |
| bead noun | /ˈbiːd/ | Each in a string of small balls making up the rosary or paternoster. |
| boardwalk noun | /ˈbɔɹdˌwɔk/ | A slightly elevated path (walkway) for pedestrians over sandy or swampy ground, typically made out of wood; specifically (Canada, US) one running alongside a… |
| bog noun | /bɔɡ/ | An area of decayed vegetation (particularly sphagnum moss) which forms a wet spongy ground too soft for walking. |
| campsite noun | /ˈkæmpˌsaɪt/ | A place where one or more tents may be pitched for an overnight stay in an outdoor area. |
| coincide verb | /ˌkoʊɪnˈsaɪd/ | To occupy exactly the same space. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| look forward to verb | To anticipate, expect, or wait for, especially with a feeling of approval or pleasure; to be excited or eager to. |
| check up on verb | To examine or inspect something in order to determine its condition; to check out. |
| come across verb | To change sides; to cross over to work for the opposition. |
| come down with verb | To develop symptoms or signs of (an illness). |
| come off verb | To become detached. |
| come out with verb | To say (something) unexpectedly. |
| come through verb | To come into a room or other space through a door or passageway. |
| find out verb | To discover, as by asking or investigating. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- You'll hear three different extracts.
- How are you getting on with that book I lent you?
- Did you see evidence of that in her latest collection?
- How wrong can you be?
- How did your competitive rowing career develop?
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 I was fifth, I would be |
| “Used to” used to + verb — a past habit or state that is no longer true | used to do |
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | has been inspired · has become · We've seen |
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | has been inspired · be attracted · was struck |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 142 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'm, you're, I'd. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: crucially /ˈkɹuːʃəli/, culmination /ˌkʌl.mɪˈneɪ.ʃən/, glacier /ˈɡleɪ.ʃɚ/, deception /dɪˈsɛpʃən/, rubbish /ˈɹʌbɪʃ/
- Long words — get the stress right: complimentary /ˌkɑmplɪˈmɛnt(ə)ɹi/, culmination /ˌkʌl.mɪˈneɪ.ʃən/, entrepreneurial /ˌɑn.tɹə.pɹəˈnɝ.i.əl/, futuristic /ˌfjut͡ʃəˈɹɪstɪk/, hydroelectric /ˌhʌɪdrəʊɪˈlɛktrɪk/
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 dome, cyclist, extract.
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.