Shadowing Practice: Cambridge 15 listening (Test-2) (Part-1) - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Part 1.
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You will hear a woman phoning a friend to get information about a job agency.
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First you have some time to look at questions 1 to 5.
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Now listen carefully and answer questions 1 to 5.
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Hello, William.
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This is Amber.
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You said to phone if I wanted to get more information about the job agency you mentioned.
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Is now a good time?
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Hi, Amber.
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Yes, fine.
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So the agency I was talking about is called Bankside.
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They're based in Docklands.
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I can tell you the address now.
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497 Eastside.
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OK, thanks.
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So is there anyone in particular I should speak to there?
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The agent I always deal with is called Becky Jameson.
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Let me write that down.
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Becky...
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Jameson.
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J-A-M-I-E-S-O-N.
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Do you have her direct line?
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Yes, it's in my contact somewhere.
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Right, here we are.
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07866510333. I wouldn't call her until the afternoon if I were you.
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She's always really busy in the morning, trying to fill last-minute vacancies.
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She's really helpful and friendly, so I'm sure it would be worth getting in touch with her for an informal chat.
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It's mainly clerical and admin jobs they deal with, isn't it?
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That's right.
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I know you're hoping to find a full-time job in the media eventually, but Becky mostly recruits temporary staff for the finance sector,
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which will look good on your CV and generally pays better too.
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Yeah, I'm just a bit worried because I don't have much office experience.
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I wouldn't worry.
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They'll probably start you as a receptionist or something like that.
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So what's important for that kind of job isn't so much having business skills or knowing lots of different computer systems, it's communication that really matters,
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so you'd be fine there.
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And you'll pick up office skills really quickly on the job.
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It's not that complicated.
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OK, good.
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So how long do people generally need temporary staff for?
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It would be great if I could get something lasting at least a month.
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That shouldn't be too difficult.
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But you're more likely to be offered something for a week at first, which might get extended.
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It's unusual to be sent somewhere for just a day or two.
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Right.
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I've heard the pay isn't too bad.
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Better than working in a shop or a restaurant.
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Oh yes, definitely.
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The hourly rate is about ten pounds, eleven if you're lucky.
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That's pretty good.
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I was only expecting to get eight or nine pounds an hour.
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Before you hear the rest of the conversation, you have some time to look at questions six to ten.
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Now listen and answer questions 6 to 10.
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Do you want me to tell you anything about the registration process?
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Yes, please.
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I know you have to have an interview.
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The interview usually takes about an hour and you should arrange that about a week in advance.
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I suppose I should dress smartly if it's for office work.
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I can probably borrow a suit from Mum.
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Good idea.
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It's better to look too smart than too casual.
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Will I need to bring copies of my exam certificates or anything like that?
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No, they don't need to see those, I don't think.
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What about my passport?
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Oh yes, they will ask to see that.
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OK.
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I wouldn't get stressed about the interview, though.
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It's just a chance for them to build a relationship with you
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so they can try and match you to a job which you'll like.
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So there are questions about personality that they always ask candidates, fairly basic ones, and they probably won't ask anything too difficult,
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like what your plans are for the future.
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Hope not.
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Anyway, there are lots of benefits to using an agency.
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For example, the interview will be useful because they'll give you feedback on your performance so you can improve next time.
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And they'll have access to jobs which aren't advertised.
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Exactly.
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Most temporary jobs aren't advertised.
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And I expect finding a temporary job this way takes a lot less time.
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It's much easier than ringing up individual companies.
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Yes, indeed.
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Well, I think I've covered...
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That is the end of part one.
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You now have one minute to check your answers to part one.
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Thank you.
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Thank you.
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This B1 speaking lesson is built on the video “Cambridge 15 listening (Test-2)”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: questions, temporary, interview, agency, Becky. This video has 85 sentences and 707 words to shadow. The speech runs for 6:23. The speaker talks at a steady 111 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 |
|---|---|---|
| advertise verb | /ˈædvɚˌtaɪ̯z/ | To give (especially public) notice of (something); to announce publicly. |
| pound noun | /ˈpaʊ̯nd/ | A unit of weight in various measurement systems. |
| clerical adjective | /ˈklɛɹɪkəl/ | Of or relating to clerks or their work. |
| eastside noun | The east side of a district or city. | |
| receptionist noun | /ɹɪˈsɛp.ʃə.nɪst/ | An employee (such as a secretary) who works in reception (receiving visitors and/or calls) for a person or business, especially an office. |
| smartly adverb | /ˈsmɑː(ɹ)tli/ | With a fine or fashionable appearance. |
| vacancy noun | /ˈveɪkənsi/ | An unoccupied position or job. |
| hourly adjective | /ˈaʊ̯ɚli/ | Occurring every hour. |
| informal adjective | /ɪnˈfɔɹ.m(ə)l/ | Not formal or ceremonious. |
| recruit verb | /ɹɪˈkɹut/ | To enroll or enlist new members or potential employees on behalf of an employer, organization, sports team, the military, etc. |
| admin noun | /ˈædˌmɪn/ | Administration, or administrative work. |
| borrow verb | /ˈbɑɹ.oʊ/ | To receive (something) from somebody temporarily, expecting to return it. |
| arrange verb | /əˈɹeɪnd͡ʒ/ | To set up; to organize; to put into an orderly sequence or arrangement. |
| passport noun | /ˈpæspɔɹt/ | An official document normally used for international journeys, which proves the identity and nationality of the person for whom it was issued. |
| eleven noun | /əˈlɛv.ən/ | A cricket team of eleven players. Hence first eleven - the team of best cricket players (at a school), second eleven - the "B" team, etc. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| pick up verb | To lift; to grasp and raise. |
| ring up verb | To telephone; to call someone on the telephone. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- Do you have her direct line?
- Yes, it's in my contact somewhere.
- I've heard the pay isn't too bad.
- Do you want me to tell you anything about the registration process?
- What about my passport?
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | is called · be offered · be sent |
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | I've heard · I've covered |
| Advice with “should” should + verb — saying what is a good idea | should speak · should arrange · should dress |
| Past continuous was/were + -ing — an action in progress at a moment in the past | was talking · was only expecting |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 27 contractions and reduced forms, such as don't, isn't, they'll. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: receptionist /ɹɪˈsɛp.ʃə.nɪst/, casual /ˈkæʒ(u)əl/, examination /ɪɡˌzæm.ɪˈneɪ.ʃən/, registration /ˌɹɛd͡ʒ.ɪˈstɹeɪ.ʃən/
- Long words — get the stress right: receptionist /ɹɪˈsɛp.ʃə.nɪst/, examination /ɪɡˌzæm.ɪˈneɪ.ʃən/, certificate /səˈtɪf.ɪ.kɪt/, registration /ˌɹɛd͡ʒ.ɪˈstɹeɪ.ʃən/
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 advertise, pound, clerical.
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.