Shadowing Practice: Cambridge 15 listening (Test-2) (Part-3) - Learn English Speaking with Video

Choose a practice mode

Each mode opens a full-screen practice room.

94 sentences
If sentences are too short or too long, click Edit to adjust them.
1
Part 3.
2
You will hear two students of English called Cathy
3
and Graham planning a display on 19th century British life and literature for a university event.
4
First, you have some time to look at questions 21 to 24.
5
Now listen carefully and answer questions 21 to 24.
6
OK, Graham.
7
So let's check we both know what we're supposed to be doing.
8
OK.
9
So for the university's open day, we have to plan a display on British life and literature in the mid -19th century.
10
That's right.
11
But we'll have some people to help us find the materials and set it up, remember?
12
For the moment, we just need to plan it.
13
Good.
14
So, have you gathered who's expected to come and see the display?
15
Is it for the people studying English or students from other departments?
16
I'm not clear about it. Nor me.
17
That was how it used to be, but it didn't attract many people, so this year it's going to be part of an open day to raise the university's profile.
18
It'll be publicised in the city to encourage people to come and find out something of what goes on here.
19
And it's included in the information that's sent to people who are considering applying to study here next year.
20
Presumably, some current students and lecturers will come?
21
I would imagine so.
22
But we've been told to concentrate on the other categories of people.
23
Right.
24
We don't have to cover the whole range of 19th century literature, do we?
25
No, it's entirely up to us.
26
I suggest just using Charles Dickens.
27
That's a good idea.
28
Most people have heard of him and have probably read some of his novels or seen films based on them.
29
So, that's a good lead -in to life in his time.
30
Exactly.
31
And his novels show the awful conditions that most people had to live in, don't they?
32
He wanted to shock people into doing something about it.
33
Did he do any campaigning other than writing?
34
Yes, he campaigned for education and other social reforms and gave talks.
35
But I'm inclined to ignore that and focus on the novels.
36
Yes, I agree.
37
Before you hear the rest of the discussion, you have some time to look at questions 25 to 30.
38
Now listen and answer questions 25 to 30.
39
OK, so now shall we think about a topic linked to each novel?
40
Yes, I've printed out a list of Dickens' novels in the order they were published, in the hope you'd agree to focus on him.
41
You're lucky I did agree.
42
Let's have a look.
43
OK, the first was the Pickwick Papers, published in 1836.
44
It was very successful when it came out, wasn't it?
45
And was adapted for the theatre straight away.
46
There's an interesting point, though, that there's a character who keeps falling asleep and that medical condition was named after the book, Pickwickian Syndrome.
47
Oh.
48
So why don't we use that as the topic and include some quotations from the novel?
49
Right.
50
Next is Oliver Twist.
51
There's a lot in the novel about poverty, but maybe something less obvious.
52
Well, Oliver is taught how to steal, isn't he?
53
We could use that to illustrate the fact that very few children went to school, particularly not poor children, so they learnt in other ways.
54
Mmm, good idea.
55
What's next?
56
Maybe Nicholas Nickleby?
57
Actually, he taught in a really cruel school, didn't he?
58
That's right.
59
But there's also the company of touring actors that Nicholas joins.
60
We could do something on theatres and other amusements of the time.
61
We don't want only the bad things, do we?
62
OK.
63
What about Martin Chuzzlewit?
64
He goes to the USA, doesn't he?
65
Yes.
66
And Dickens himself had been there a year before and drew on his experience there in the novel.
67
I wonder, though, the main theme is selfishness.
68
So we could do something on social justice?
69
No, too general.
70
Let's keep to your idea.
71
I think it would work well.
72
He wrote Bleak House next.
73
That's my favourite of his novels.
74
Yes, mine too.
75
His satire of the legal system is pretty powerful.
76
That's true.
77
But think about Esther, the heroine.
78
As a child, she lives with someone she doesn't know is her aunt, who treats her very badly.
79
Then she's very happy living with her guardian, and he puts her in charge of the household.
80
And at the end, she gets married and her guardian gives her and her husband a house, where of course they're very happy.
81
Yes, I like that.
82
What shall we take next?
83
Er, little Dorrit?
84
Old Old Mr Dorrit has been in a debtor's prison for years.
85
So was Dickens's father, wasn't he?
86
That's right.
87
What about focusing on the part when Mr Dorrit inherits a fortune and he starts pretending he's always been rich?
88
Good idea.
89
OK.
90
So next we need to think about what materials we want to illustrate each issue.
91
That's going to be quite hard.
92
That is the end of part three.
93
You now have 30 seconds to check your answers to part 3.
94
Thank you.

Download App

Everything you need to speak fluently

AI PronunciationScore every sentence
IPA PracticeMaster every sound
VocabularyBuild your word bank
Vocab GameLearn while playing
Scan QR
Scan QR
Download on theApp StoreGet it onGoogle Play

Same Channel

Cambridge 17 Listening Test 3 part 1B2
1

Cambridge 17 Listening Test 3 part 1

IELTS PrepUniversity Students
Cambridge 15 listening (Test-1) (Part-2)B2

Cambridge 15 listening (Test-1) (Part-2)

IELTS PrepUniversity Students
Cambridge 17 listening (Test-1) (Part-3)B2
5

Cambridge 17 listening (Test-1) (Part-3)

Cambridge Exam PrepUniversity Students
Cambridge 15 listening (Test-2) (Part-1)B1
2

Cambridge 15 listening (Test-2) (Part-1)

TOEIC PrepBusiness EnglishInterview English
Cambridge 17 listening test 4 part 1B1
1

Cambridge 17 listening test 4 part 1

TOEIC PrepCambridge Exam PrepUniversity Students
Cambridge 15 listening (Test-1) (Part-3)C1
2

Cambridge 15 listening (Test-1) (Part-3)

Cambridge Exam PrepUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
Cambridge 15 Listening Test 4 ( part 1) IELTS Practice | British CouncilB1
3

Cambridge 15 Listening Test 4 ( part 1) IELTS Practice | British Council

IELTS PrepTOEIC PrepCambridge Exam Prep
Cambridge 17 listening test 4 part 3B2
4

Cambridge 17 listening test 4 part 3

Cambridge Exam PrepUniversity Students
Cambridge 17- Listening Test 3 part 3B2
2

Cambridge 17- Listening Test 3 part 3

Cambridge Exam PrepBusiness EnglishInterview English
Cambridge 17 Listening Test 2 part 2B2
2

Cambridge 17 Listening Test 2 part 2

IELTS PrepUniversity Students
Cambridge 15 listening (Test-2) (Part-2)B2
3

Cambridge 15 listening (Test-2) (Part-2)

Cambridge Exam PrepHigh School StudentsUniversity Students
Cambridge 17 listening test 4 part 2 B2
2

Cambridge 17 listening test 4 part 2

TOEIC PrepCambridge Exam PrepBusiness English
Cambridge 17 listening (Test-1) (Part-4)C1
7

Cambridge 17 listening (Test-1) (Part-4)

Cambridge Exam PrepUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
Cambridge 15 listening (Test-1) (Part-4)B2
8

Cambridge 15 listening (Test-1) (Part-4)

Cambridge Exam PrepUniversity Students
Cambridge 17 Listening Test 2 part 1B1
5

Cambridge 17 Listening Test 2 part 1

Cambridge Exam PrepUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
Cambridge 17 listening (Test-1) (Part-2)B2
7

Cambridge 17 listening (Test-1) (Part-2)

Cambridge Exam PrepTravel EnglishUniversity Students
FOR YOU

Recommend Video

Cambridge IELTS 11 | Listening Test 3 Section 2 | Audio, Questions, Answer Key and TranscriptB2
1
63 sentences

Cambridge IELTS 11 | Listening Test 3 Section 2 | Audio, Questions, Answer Key and Transcript

IELTS PrepUniversity Students
Cambridge 17 Test 2 Section 3 ListeningB2
1
84 sentences

Cambridge 17 Test 2 Section 3 Listening

IELTS PrepUniversity Students
Cambridge IELTS 10. Test 2. Listening Section 3B2
3
74 sentences

Cambridge IELTS 10. Test 2. Listening Section 3

IELTS PrepUniversity Students
IELTS Actual listening Professor Smith's article part 3(14.06.2025)B2
1
66 sentences

IELTS Actual listening Professor Smith's article part 3(14.06.2025)

IELTS PrepUniversity Students
IELTS CAMBRIDGE LISTENING BOOK 18 TEST 3 WITH ANSWERSB2
3
231 sentences

IELTS CAMBRIDGE LISTENING BOOK 18 TEST 3 WITH ANSWERS

IELTS PrepUniversity Students
Cam 19 Listening Test 2 Part 2B2
2
51 sentences

Cam 19 Listening Test 2 Part 2

IELTS PrepUniversity Students
Cambridge IELTS 15 Listening Test 1 | Full Practice Test with AnswersB2
273 sentences

Cambridge IELTS 15 Listening Test 1 | Full Practice Test with Answers

IELTS PrepUniversity Students
Cambridge IELTS 11 | Listening Test 4 Section 2 | Audio, Questions, Answer Key and TranscriptB2
1
45 sentences

Cambridge IELTS 11 | Listening Test 4 Section 2 | Audio, Questions, Answer Key and Transcript

IELTS PrepUniversity Students
CAM 18 | IELTS LISTENING TEST | TEST 3 - SECTION 3 #english #listening #ielts #education #iseeieltsB2
3
66 sentences

CAM 18 | IELTS LISTENING TEST | TEST 3 - SECTION 3 #english #listening #ielts #education #iseeielts

IELTS PrepUniversity Students
IELTS Listening Part 2: A Talk About the New Community Arts CentreB2
5
33 sentences

IELTS Listening Part 2: A Talk About the New Community Arts Centre

British AccentIELTS PrepUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
Kate And Luki Conversation IELTS Cambridge LISTENING Practice test 2021 ( Exam Lvl )B2
288 sentences

Kate And Luki Conversation IELTS Cambridge LISTENING Practice test 2021 ( Exam Lvl )

IELTS PrepUniversity Students

Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson

This video has 94 sentences and 841 words to shadow. The speech runs for 7:07. The speaker talks at a steady 118 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. 86% 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

15 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:

WordPronunciationMeaning
topic noun/ˈtɑpɪk/A subject; a theme; a category or general area of interest.
guardian noun/ˈɡɑɹ.din/Someone who guards, watches over, or protects.
illustrate verb/ˈɪl.əˌstɹeɪt/To clarify something by giving, or serving as, an example or a comparison.
ignore verb/ɪɡˈnɔː/To deliberately not listen or pay attention to.
household adjective/ˈhaʊshoʊld/Belonging to the same house and family.
awful adjective/ˈɔːfʊl/Very bad.
carefully adverb/ˈkɛɹf(ə)li/With care; attentively, circumspectly.
poverty noun/ˈpɑːvɚti/The quality or state of being poor; lack of money
shock noun/ʃɔk/A sudden, heavy impact.
encourage verb/ɪnˈkʌɹ.ɪd͡ʒ/To mentally support; to motivate, give courage, hope or spirit.
badly adverb/ˈbæd.li/In a bad manner.
steal verb/stiːl/To take illegally, or without the owner's permission, something owned by someone else without intending to return it.
asleep adjective/əˈsliːp/In a state of sleep; also, broadly, resting.
pretend verb/pɹəˈtɛnd/To speak or behave so as to give a false or simulated appearance.
fortune noun/ˈfɔːtjuːn/Destiny, especially favorable.

Phrasal verbs you will hear

WordPronunciationMeaning
come out verb/ˌkʌm ˈaʊt/To be discovered; to be revealed.
find out verbTo discover, as by asking or investigating.
print out verbTo print (a computer document).

Grammar in this video

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

StructureIn the video
Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters nowhave you gathered · we've been told · have heard
Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does itbe publicised · we've been told · were published

Pronunciation to watch

The speaker uses 21 contractions and reduced forms, such as don't, didn't, doesn't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.

  • The “sh” and “zh” sounds: shock /ʃɔk/, quotation /kwoʊˈteɪʃn̩/, selfishness /ˈsɛl.fɪʃ.nəs/

How to practise with this video

  1. Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
  2. Shadow it sentence by sentence at normal speed, repeating each one until your rhythm matches the speaker.
  3. Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like topic, guardian, illustrate.

What is the Shadowing Technique?

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

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