Shadowing Practice: Cambridge First Certificate Exam - Trainer Practice - Test 1 I Listening Part 1 - Learn English Speaking with YouTube
C1
Listening Test 1, Part 1.
159 sentences
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Listening Test 1, Part 1.
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You will hear people talking in eight different situations.
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For questions 1 to 8,
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choose the best answer A, B or C.
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1. You hear a customer talking to a shop assistant about a coat she bought. Can I help you?
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Yes, I bought this coat here yesterday,
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but when I tried it on at home I found it was too tight on me,
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so I'd like to exchange it for a larger one.
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Hmm, I don't think we have one in stock.
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Perhaps you'd like to try on another kind of coat, or a jacket?
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Actually, we've got some lovely winter jackets just in.
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No, that's not really what I'm looking for.
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I could order the one you mentioned if you like,
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or return your money, whichever you prefer.
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Could you order it, please?
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Fine. Can I help you?
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Yes, I bought this coat here yesterday,
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but when I tried it on at home I found it was too tight on me,
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so I'd like to exchange it for a larger one.
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I don't think we have one in stock.
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Perhaps you'd like to try on another kind of coat, or a jacket?
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Actually, we've got some lovely winter jackets just in.
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No, that's not really what I'm looking for.
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I could order the one you mentioned if you like,
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or return your money, whichever you prefer.
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Could you order it, please?
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Fine.
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I'm afraid it looks like there's quite a storm heading towards western and northern areas,
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and that will arrive about dawn tomorrow.
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The rest of the country will start off cloudy with a few showers,
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but by lunchtime there will be clear skies and the bright weather will last well into the early evening,
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apart from in the south where there might be a few foggy patches once the sun goes down.
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At around the same time,
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bad weather will reach eastern regions,
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bringing high winds and heavy rain,
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with the possibility of flooding in low-lying areas.
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I'm afraid it looks like there's quite a storm heading towards western and northern areas,
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and that will arrive about dawn tomorrow.
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The rest of the country will start off cloudy with a few showers,
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but by lunchtime there will be clear skies and the bright weather will last well into the early evening,
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apart from in the south where there might be a few foggy patches is once the sun goes down.
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At around the same time,
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bad weather will reach eastern regions,
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bringing high winds and heavy rain,
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with the possibility of flooding in low-lying areas.
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3. You hear an office worker talking about cycling to work
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I sometimes think back to
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when I used to drive to work in the morning looking at my watch
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and worrying in case the traffic made me late
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and though I still have to ride through it
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and I still get held up by the lights I much prefer going on two wheels.
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By the time I arrive I feel pleasantly tired,
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almost as if I'd been for a light workout at the gym and that's a good way to start the day.
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I hardly give any thought to my work until I actually sit down at my desk
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because nowadays I feel much more relaxed and able to cope with whatever might come up during the day.
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I sometimes think back to when I used to drive to work in the morning,
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looking at my watch and worrying in case the traffic made me late,
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and though I still have to ride through it and I still get held up by the lights,
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I much prefer going on two wheels.
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By the time I arrive I feel pleasantly tired almost as
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if I'd been for a light workout at the gym and that's a good way to start the day.
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I hardly give any thought to my work until I actually sit down at my desk
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because nowadays I feel much more relaxed and able to cope with whatever might come up during the day.
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Four.
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You hear a radio announcer talking about a competition for writers of short stories.
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We're looking for good short stories to read out on next week's programme.
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So if you think you're capable of writing an interesting tale in less than 750 words,
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either send it in as an email attachment or post it to us
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and you may be one of the lucky five prize winners.
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Unlike in some competitions, as long as they are original pieces of writing,
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you can send in as many as you like,
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and there's no upper or lower age limit.
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In fact, last year's first prize was won by a 17-year-old,
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and the winner of the second prize was just 16.
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We're looking for good short stories to read out on next week's programme.
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So if you think you're capable of writing an interesting tale in less than 750 words,
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either send it in as an email attachment or post it to us
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and you may be one of the lucky five prize winners.
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Unlike in some competitions, as long as they are original pieces of writing,
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you can send in as many as you like,
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and there's no upper or lower age limit.
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In fact, last year's first prize was won by a 17-year-old,
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and the winner of the second prize was just 16.
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5. You hear a conversation about reading.
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So what sort of books do you like to read in your spare time?
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Well, in my student days I went through a phase of reading novels that could really make me laugh out loud.
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But although I still like entertaining stories,
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my tastes have changed a little.
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To what kinds of thing?
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Action stories that take place in remote parts of the world.
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The kinds of location my grandfather visited in his younger days,
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but I can only dream of travelling to.
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I particularly like those with weird characters,
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quite unlike anyone you've ever met.
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So what sort of books do you like to read in your spare time?
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Well, in my student days,
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I went through a phase of reading novels that could really make me laugh out loud.
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But although I still like entertaining stories,
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my tastes have changed a little.
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To what kinds of thing?
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Action stories that take place in remote parts of the world.
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The kinds of location my grandfather visited in his younger days,
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but I can only dream of travelling to.
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I particularly like those with weird characters,
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quite unlike anyone you've ever met.
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Six.
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You hear two people talking about watching films on the internet.
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Isn't it much simpler to look at some online reviews,
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choose a movie, pay a little to download it and then settle down to watch it,
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rather than go into town,
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queue up for tickets and then sit in a crowded, uncomfortable cinema?
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There's certainly a much wider choice available and getting the one you want is easy too,
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but it's never the same as seeing it on the big screen.
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And I wouldn't take too much notice of the comments made by other buyers.
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They're even less reliable than the arts critics in the newspapers.
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Isn't it much simpler to look at some online reviews,
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choose a movie, pay a little to download it and then settle down to watch it,
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rather than go into town,
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queue up for tickets and then sit in a crowded, uncomfortable cinema?
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There's certainly a much wider choice available,
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and getting the one you want is easy too,
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but it's never the same as seeing it on the big screen.
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And I wouldn't take too much notice of the comments made by other buyers.
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They're even less reliable than the arts critics in the newspapers.
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7. You hear a woman at an airport talking on the phone.
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Yes, it's an awful feeling,
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and I've been kicking myself here.
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It's never happened to me before,
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though I've had a few near-misses.
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like the time I got stuck in traffic on the road to the airport
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and only just made it in time or
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when I got off the underground at Terminal 5 rather than 4
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and had to race back to the station when I eventually realised my mistake.
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On this occasion I got there on time
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but there were just too many people waiting ahead of me
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and when I finally reached the desk I was told the flight had closed.
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Yes, it's an awful feeling and I've been kicking myself here.
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It's never happened to me before,
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though I've had a few near misses.
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Like the time I got stuck in traffic on the road to the airport and only just made it in time.
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Or when I got off the underground at Terminal 5 rather than 4
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and had to race back to the station when I eventually realised my mistake.
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On this occasion, I got there on time,
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but there were just too many people waiting ahead of me,
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and when I finally reached the desk,
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I was told the flight had closed.
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8. You hear a man talking about his new job.
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When I first saw the ad in the employment section of the paper,
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it wasn't the fact I'd be earning far more than I am now that caught my attention.
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It was the chance to achieve my full potential,
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doing something relevant to the experience I'd gained before I took up my current post.
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In fact, though the job description in the ad talked about good prospects of rising within the company structure,
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that's never really been an ambition of mine.
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When I first saw the ad in the employment section of
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the paper it wasn't the fact I'd be earning far more than I am now that caught my attention.
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It was the chance to achieve my full potential doing something
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relevant to the experience I'd gained before I took up my current post.
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In fact, though the job description in the ad talked about good prospects of rising within the company structure,
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that's never really been an ambition of mine.
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Context & Background
The listening exercise presented in this Cambridge First Certificate Exam practice video comprises real-life scenarios, reflecting common situations that an English speaker may encounter. From a customer interaction in a clothing store to discussions about the weather, the dialogues aim to equip learners with the ability to navigate everyday conversations. This immersive format not only enhances listening skills but also provides contextual understanding, essential for communicative competence. By engaging with these dialogues, learners can better anticipate responses and develop their conversational strategies, making it an invaluable resource for improving English pronunciation and fluency.
Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication
- “Can I help you?” - A basic yet crucial inquiry often used in customer service settings.
- “I’d like to exchange it for a larger one.” - A useful phrase for expressing a desire to change an item.
- “I found it was too tight on me.” - Key for explaining personal experiences regarding clothing fit.
- “I could order it if you like.” - A polite way to offer solutions to problems.
- “I sometimes think back to...” - Useful for sharing past experiences or reflections.
Step-by-step Shadowing Guide
To effectively practice English pronunciation through this video, follow this shadow speaks method:
- Active Listening: Begin by listening to the first dialogue without any distractions. Focus on the intonation, pace, and pronunciation of the speakers.
- Repetition: Replay the segment, and this time, pause after each sentence. Try to repeat what was said, mimicking the speaker's tone and rhythm. This shadow speech technique is excellent for enhancing your mimicry skills and improving English pronunciation.
- Break It Down: If a phrase is particularly challenging, write it down and practice it separately. Focus on difficult sounds or syllables to ensure clarity in your speech.
- Record Yourself: Use a voice recorder to capture your attempts at speaking the dialogues. Compare your pronunciation and intonation with the original speakers.
- Daily Practice: Incorporate phrases from the dialogues into your daily conversations or while speaking with others. Regular use will help solidify your learning.
By consistently applying these steps, you'll not only grasp the vocabulary but also enhance your overall speaking abilities. Integrating shadowspeak into your language learning regime will pave the way for measurable improvements in fluency and expressiveness in English.
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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