Shadowing Practice: Cambridge_IELTS_11_-_Listening_Test_4 [Section - 3] | Listening_IELTS_Practice_Test - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

B2
Now listen carefully and answer questions 21 to 26.
⏸ Paused
83 sentences
If sentences are too short or too long, click Edit to adjust them.
1
Now listen carefully and answer questions 21 to 26.
2
Hi, Joanna.
3
Good to meet you.
4
Now, before we discuss your new research project,
5
I'd like to hear something about the psychology study you did last year for your master's degree.
6
So how did you choose your subjects for that?
7
Well, I had six subjects,
8
all professional musicians and all female.
9
Three were violinists and there was also a cello player and a pianist and a flute player.
10
They were all very highly regarded in the music world
11
and they'd done quite extensive tours in different continents and quite a few had won prizes and competitions as well.
12
And they were quite young, weren't they?
13
Yes, between 25 and 29.
14
The mean was 27.8.
15
I wasn't specifically looking for artists who'd produced recordings,
16
but this is something that's just taken for granted these days,
17
and they all had.
18
Right.
19
Now, you collected your data through telephone interviews, didn't you?
20
Yes.
21
I realised if I was going to interview leading musicians,
22
it'd only be possible over the phone because they're so busy.
23
I recorded them using a telephone recording adapter.
24
I'd been worried about the quality,
25
but it worked out all right.
26
I managed at least a 30-minute interview with each subject, sometimes longer.
27
Did doing it on the phone make it more stressful?
28
I thought it might.
29
It was all quite informal,
30
though, and in fact they seemed very keen to talk.
31
And I don't think using the phone meant I got less rich data.
32
Rather the opposite, in fact.
33
Interesting.
34
And you were looking at how performers dress for concert performances.
35
That's right.
36
My research investigated the way players see their role as a musician
37
and how this is linked to the type of clothing they decide to wear.
38
But that focus didn't immediately.
39
When I started, I was more interested in trying to investigate the impact of what was worn on those listening
40
and also whether someone like a violinist might adopt a different style of clothing from,
41
say, someone playing the flute or the trumpet.
42
Hmm.
43
It's interesting that the choice of dress is up to the individual, isn't it?
44
Yes.
45
You'd expect there to be rules about it in orchestras,
46
but that's quite rare.
47
Before you hear the rest of the discussion,
48
you have some time to look at questions 27 to 30.
49
Now listen and answer questions 27 to 30.
50
You only had women performers in your study.
51
Was that because male musicians are less worried about fashion?
52
I think a lot of the men are very much influenced by fashion,
53
but in social terms, the choices they have are more limited.
54
They'd really upset audiences if they strayed away from quite narrow boundaries.
55
Now, popular music has quite different expectations.
56
Did you read Mike Frost's article about the dress of women performers in popular music?
57
No. He points out that a lot of female singers
58
and musicians in popular music tend to dress down in performances and wear less feminine clothes,
59
like jeans instead of skirts,
60
and he suggests this is because otherwise they'd just be discounted as trivial.
61
But you could argue they're just wearing what's practical.
62
I mean, a pop music concert is usually a pretty energetic affair.
63
Yes, he doesn't make that point,
64
but I think you're probably right.
65
I was interested by the effect of the audience as a musical performance when it came to the choice of dress.
66
The subjects I interviewed felt this was really important.
67
It's all to do with what we understand by performance as a public event.
68
They believed the audience had certain expectations and it was up to them as performers to fulfil these expectations,
69
to show a kind of esteem.
70
They weren't afraid of looking as if they'd made an effort to look good.
71
I think in the past the audience would have had those expectations of one another too,
72
but that's not really the case now,
73
not in the UK anyway.
74
And I also got interested in what sports scientists are doing too with regard to clothing.
75
Musicians are quite vulnerable physically, aren't they?
76
Because the movements they carry out are very intensive and repetitive.
77
So I'd imagine some features of sports clothing could safeguard the players from the potentially dangerous effects of this sort of thing.
78
Yes, but musicians don't really consider it.
79
They avoid clothing that obviously restricts their movements,
80
but that's as far as they go.
81
Anyway, coming back to your own research,
82
do you have any idea where you're going from here?
83
I was thinking of doing a study using an audience, including...

Download App

AI scoring for every sentence you speak

Scan To Download
Scan To Download
Download on theApp Store
Get it onGoogle Play
TRENDING

Popular

About This Lesson

In this lesson, you will engage with a real-world listening exercise that focuses on a discussion about a master's degree psychology study related to music. This segment provides an excellent opportunity to practice your english speaking practice skills through the shadowing technique. By analyzing the dialogue, you'll enhance your understanding of academic vocabulary while improving your English pronunciation. Listen carefully, as this lesson not only covers research methodology but also delves into the fascinating intersection of psychology and music performance.

Key Vocabulary & Phrases

  • Subjects - Individuals chosen for a study or research.
  • Professional musicians - Individuals who earn their living through music performance.
  • Telephone interviews - Interviews conducted over the phone to gather information.
  • Data collection - The process of gathering information for analysis.
  • Concert performances - Live music performances held for an audience.
  • Research investigation - The process of exploring a specific topic through systematic inquiry.
  • Impact of clothing - The effect that clothing choices have on perception or performance.
  • Informal conversation - A casual and relaxed way of speaking that encourages open dialogue.

Practice Tips

To maximize your learning during this session, try employing the shadowing technique effectively. Here are some specific tips to consider:

  • Listen and Repeat: As you hear each line, pause the audio. Repeat the phrases aloud to practice your shadow speech and improve your English pronunciation. Focus on matching the speaker's speed and tone.
  • Break it Down: If the segments feel too fast, listen to smaller portions (perhaps a few sentences or key phrases) before repeating them. This will help you manage the pace while ensuring clarity.
  • Focus on Intonation: Pay attention to the intonation and stress patterns used by the speakers. Mimicking these will not only help you sound more natural but also aid in conveying emotions effectively.
  • Record Yourself: After shadowing a section, record your voice. Listening to your own recordings can help identify areas for improvement, especially in pronunciation and fluency.
  • Engage with the Content: Consider the topic being discussed and how it relates to your interests or experiences. This will make your practice more enjoyable and relevant, helping you stay motivated.

By consistently practicing these techniques, you can significantly enhance your english speaking practice and gain confidence in your abilities!

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.

☕ Buy us a coffee