Shadowing Practice: Cambridge 17 listening (Test-1) (Part-4) - Learn English Speaking with Video

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Part 4.
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You will hear an anthropology student giving a presentation on spiral path designs known as labyrinths.
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First you have some time to look at questions 31 to 40.
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Thank you.
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Now listen carefully and answer questions 31 to 40.
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Labyrinths have existed for well over 4,000 years.
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Labyrinths and labyrinthine symbols have been found in regions as diverse as modern-day Turkey, Ireland, Greece and India.
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There are various designs of labyrinth, but what they all have in common is a winding spiral path which leads to a central area.
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There is one starting point at the entrance, and the goal is to reach the central area.
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Finding your way through a labyrinth involves many twists and turns, but it's not possible to get lost, as there is only one single path.
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In modern times, the word labyrinth has taken on a different meaning and is often used as a synonym for a maze.
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A maze is quite different, as it is a kind of puzzle with an intricate network of paths.
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Mazes became fashionable in the 15th and 16th centuries in Europe
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and can still be found in the gardens of great houses and palaces.
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The paths are usually surrounded by thick, high hedges so that it is not possible to see over them.
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Entering a maze usually involves getting lost a few times before using logic to work out the pattern
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and find your way to the centre and then out again.
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There are lots of dead ends and paths which lead you back to where you started.
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The word maze is believed to come from a Scandinavian word for a state of confusion.
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This is where the word amazing comes from.
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Labyrinths on the other hand have a very different function.
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Although people now often refer to things they find complicated as labyrinths, this is not how they were seen in the past.
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The winding spiral of the labyrinth has been used for centuries as a metaphor for life's journey.
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It served as a spiritual reminder that there is purpose and meaning to our lives, and helped to give people a sense of direction.
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Labyrinths are thought to encourage a feeling of calm, and have been used as a meditation and prayer tool in many cultures over many centuries.
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The earliest examples of the labyrinth spiral pattern have been found carved into stone from Sardinia to Scandinavia,
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from Arizona to India to Africa.
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In Europe, these spiral carvings date from the Late Bronze Age.
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The Native American Pima tribe wove baskets with a circular labyrinth design that depicted their own cosmology.
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In ancient Greece, the labyrinth spiral was used on coins around 4,000 years ago.
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Labyrinths made of mosaics were commonly found in bathhouses, villas and tombs throughout the Roman Empire.
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In Northern Europe, there were actual physical labyrinths designed for walking on.
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These were cut into the turf or grass, usually in a circular pattern.
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The origin of these walking labyrinths remains unclear, but they were probably used for fertility rites which may date back thousands of years.
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Eleven examples of turf labyrinths survive today, including the largest one at Saffron Walden, England, which used to have a large tree in the middle of it.
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More recently, labyrinths have experienced something of a revival.
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Some believe that walking a labyrinth promotes healing and mindfulness, and there are those who believe in its emotional and physical benefits,
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which include slower breathing, and a restored sense of balance and perspective.
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This idea has become so popular that labyrinths have been laid into the floors of spas, wellness centers and even prisons in recent years.
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A pamphlet at Colorado Children's Hospital informs patients that walking a labyrinth can often calm people in the midst of a crisis.
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And apparently, it's not only patients who benefit.
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Many visitors find walking a labyrinth less stressful than sitting in a corridor or waiting room.
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Some doctors even walk the labyrinth during their breaks.
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In some hospitals, patients who can't walk can have a paper finger labyrinth brought to their bed.
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The science behind the theory is a little sketchy, but there are dozens of small-scale studies which support claims about the benefits of labyrinths.
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For example, one study found that walking a labyrinth provided short-term calming,
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relaxation and relief from anxiety for Alzheimer's patients.
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So what is it about labyrinths that makes their appeal so universal?
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That is the end of part four.
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You now have one minute to check your answers to part four.
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson

This video has 50 sentences and 750 words to shadow. The speech runs for 6:21. The speaker talks at a steady 118 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. Only 76% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is demanding.

Key vocabulary in this video

15 less common words from the video, with pronunciation and meaning:

  • spiral /ˈspaɪɹəl/ (noun) — A curve that is the locus of a point that rotates about a fixed point while continuously increasing its distance from that point.
  • maze /ˈmeɪz/ (noun) — A labyrinth; a puzzle consisting of a complicated network of paths or passages, the aim of which is to find one's way through.
  • involve /ɪnˈvɑlv/ (verb) — To have (something) as a component or a related part; to comprise, to include.
  • circular /ˈsɜɹ.kjə.ləɹ/ (adjective) — Of or relating to a circle.
  • turf /tɝf/ (noun) — A layer of earth covered with grass; sod.
  • universal /ˌjunəˈvɜɹs(ə)l/ (adjective) — Of or pertaining to the universe.
  • finger /ˈfɪŋɡɚ/ (noun) — A slender jointed extremity of the human hand, (often) exclusive of the thumb, and the corresponding part, irrespective of including a thumb, in many other…
  • complicated /ˈkɑm.plɪˌkeɪ.tɪd/ (adjective) — Difficult or convoluted.
  • carefully /ˈkɛɹf(ə)li/ (adverb) — With care; attentively, circumspectly.
  • thick /θɪk/ (adjective) — Relatively great in extent from one surface to the opposite in its smallest solid dimension.
  • anxiety /æŋˈzaɪ.əti/ (noun) — An unpleasant state of mental uneasiness, nervousness, apprehension and obsession or concern about some uncertain event.
  • encourage /ɪnˈkʌɹ.ɪd͡ʒ/ (verb) — To mentally support; to motivate, give courage, hope or spirit.
  • palace /ˈpælɪs/ (noun) — Official residence of a head of state or other dignitary, especially in a monarchical or imperial governmental system.
  • refer /ɹɪˈfɜː/ (verb) — To direct the attention of (someone toward something).
  • prayer /pɹɛɚ/ (noun) — A practice of communicating with one's God, or with some spiritual entity.

Phrasal verbs you will hear

  • come from (verb) — To have as one's origin, birthplace or nationality.
  • cut into (verb) — Synonym of cut in (to include)
  • have in (verb) — To allow in; grant permission or admittance to; invite in or over; admit.
  • lay into (verb) — To beat up or launch an attack against; to strike forcefully.
  • look at (verb) — To observe or watch.
  • see in (verb) — To show (someone) in: to introduce (someone) to the inside of a place.
  • see over (verb) — To inspect something fully.
  • sit in (verb) — To attend a class, educational presentation, meeting, etc. for one time, as a visitor.

Pronunciation to watch

  • The “th” sounds: thick /θɪk/, breathe /bɹiːð/, anthropology /ˌænθɹəˈpɑləd͡ʒi/, labyrinth /ˈlæb.ə.ɹɪnθ/, bathhouse /ˈbæθˌhaʊs/
  • The “sh” and “zh” sounds: presentation /ˌpɹɛzn̩ˈteɪʃn̩/, confusion /kənˈfjuːʒən/, meditation /mɛdɪˈteɪʃn̩/, relaxation /rᵻˌlækˈseɪ.ʃən/, fashionable /ˈfæʃənəbl̩/
  • Long words — get the stress right: universal /ˌjunəˈvɜɹs(ə)l/, complicated /ˈkɑm.plɪˌkeɪ.tɪd/, anxiety /æŋˈzaɪ.əti/, fertility /fɝˈtɪləti/, anthropology /ˌænθɹəˈpɑləd͡ʒi/

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 spiral, maze, involve.

Grammar in this video

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

StructureIn the video
Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does ithave been found · be found · are usually surrounded
Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters nowhave existed · have been found · has taken

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 →