Shadowing Practice: Cambridge IELTS 10 | Listening Test 1 Section 1 | Audio, Questions, Answer Key and Transcript - Learn English Speaking with Video

Creating lesson...
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Section 1.
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You will hear a telephone conversation between a travel agent and a customer.
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First, you have some time to look at questions 1 to 6.
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You will see that there is an example that has been done for you.
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On this occasion only, the conversation relating to this will be played first.
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Good morning, World Tours.
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My name is Jamie.
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How can I help you?
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Good morning.
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I want some information on self-drive tours in the USA.
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Could you send me a brochure? Of course.
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Could I have your name, please?
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Andrea Brown.
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The customer's name is Andrea Brown, so Brown has been written in the space.
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Now we shall begin.
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You should answer the questions as you listen, because you will not hear the recording a second time.
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Listen carefully and answer questions one to six.
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Good morning, World Tours.
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My name is Jamie.
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How can I help you?
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Good morning.
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I want some information on self-drive tours in the USA.
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Could you send me a brochure? Of course.
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Could I have your name, please?
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Andrea Brown.
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Thank you.
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And your address?
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24 Ardley Road.
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Can you spell that?
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A-R-D-L-E-I-G-H Road.
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Postcode?
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B-H-5-2-O-P.
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Thanks.
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And can I have your phone number?
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Is a mobile all right?
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Fine.
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It's 077-86-643-091.
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Thank you.
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And can I ask you where you heard about World Tours? from a friend or did you see an advert somewhere?
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No, I read about you in the newspaper.
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OK, I'll get the brochures and the post to you, but can I give you some information over the phone?
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What kinds of things do you want to do on your holiday?
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I'm interested in going to California with my family.
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I've got two children and we want to hire a car.
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OK, we have a couple of self-drive tours there, visiting different places of interest in California.
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The first one begins in Los Angeles and there's plenty of time to visit some of the theme parks there.
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Ah, that's something on my children's list, so I'd want to include that.
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Good.
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Then you drive to San Francisco.
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From San Francisco you can drive to Yosemite Park, where you spend a couple of nights.
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You can choose to stay in a lodge or on the campsite.
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I don't like the idea of staying in a tent.
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It'd be too hot.
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Right.
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And the tour ends in Las Vegas.
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OK.
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The other trip we can arrange is slightly different.
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It starts in San Francisco, then you drive south to Cambria.
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Someone told me there's a really nice castle near Cambria.
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Will we go near that?
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Hurst Castle is on that road, so you could stop there.
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Good.
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I'd like to do that.
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Does this trip also go into the desert?
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No, it continues to Santa Monica, where most people like to stop and do some shopping.
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We have enough of that at home, so that doesn't interest us.
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OK.
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Well, you could go straight on to San Diego.
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That's good for beaches, isn't it?
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That's right.
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That's a good place to relax, and your children might like to visit the zoo before flying home.
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I don't think so.
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We want some time for sunbathing and swimming.
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Before you hear the rest of the conversation, you have some time to look at questions 7 to 10.
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Now listen and answer questions 7 to 10.
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So, how many days are the trips, and how much do they cost?
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The first one I told you about is a self-drive tour through California, which lasts 12 days and covers 2,020 kilometres.
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The shortest journey is 206 kilometres, and the longest is 632 kilometres.
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The cost is £525 per person.
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That includes accommodation, car rental and a flight, but no meals.
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OK.
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And the other trip?
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That lasts nine days, but you spend only three days on the road.
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You cover about 980 kilometres altogether.
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So is that cheaper then?
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Yes, it's almost £100 cheaper.
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It's £429 per person, which is a good deal.
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So that covers accommodation and car hire.
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What about flights?
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They aren't included, but these hotels offer dinner in the price.
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OK, well, thank you very much.
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I'll be in touch when I've had a chance to look at the brochure.
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I'm pleased to help.
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Goodbye.
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Goodbye.
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That is the end of Section 1.
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You now have half a minute to check your answers.
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Thank you.

About This Lesson

In this lesson, you will practice your listening skills by engaging with a real-life telephone conversation between a travel agent and a customer. This dialogue offers a practical opportunity to enhance your comprehension and speaking abilities in English. As you listen to the conversation, you will familiarize yourself with everyday vocabulary and phrases related to travel inquiries, specifically self-drive tours. By the end of this session, you will be better equipped to understand similar dialogues and improve your overall communicative competence in English.

Key Vocabulary & Phrases

  • Travel agent: A professional who helps customers plan and book travel.
  • Self-drive tours: Travel experiences where individuals drive a vehicle themselves rather than being part of an organized tour.
  • Brochure: A printed booklet or pamphlet that provides information about travel options.
  • Postcode: A series of letters and/or numbers used in addresses to help identify specific locations.
  • Theme parks: Amusement parks that feature various attractions, rides, and entertainment.
  • Places of interest: Locations that are notable or appealing for tourists and visitors.

Practice Tips

To maximize your learning experience from this lesson, consider employing the shadowing technique. Listen carefully to the conversation between the travel agent and the customer, and as you do, repeat what you hear in real-time. This practice will help improve your pronunciation, intonation, and fluency in English. The speed of the audio is moderate, making it suitable for learners who are at an intermediate level. Pay attention not only to the words but also to the tone and rhythm of the conversation. Remember, shadowspeak is about mimicking the natural flow of the dialogue, so feel free to pause and rewind if necessary, allowing you to practice phrases like "Could you send me a brochure?" or "I want some information on self-drive tours."

Using YouTube as a resource to learn English with YouTube can be particularly beneficial. The interactive nature of the platform allows you to revisit the material, ensuring that you master the content at your own pace. Incorporating the shadowing technique into your routine can significantly enhance your listening and speaking skills, making you a more confident communicator in everyday conversations.

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.