Shadowing Practice: Cambridge IELTS 16-Test 2 - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Test 2.
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This is the IELTS listening test.
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You will hear a number of different recordings and you will have to answer questions on what you hear.
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There will be time for you to read the instructions and questions and you will have a chance to check your work.
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All the recordings will be played once only.
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The test is in four parts.
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At the end of the test, you will be given 10 minutes to transfer your answers to the answer sheet.
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Now turn to part one.
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Part one.
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You will hear a woman phoning a company that converts old photographs to digital format.
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First, you have some time to look at questions one to three.
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Now listen carefully and answer questions 1 to 3.
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Hello, Picture Rep.
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Can I help you?
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Oh, hi.
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I saw your advertisement about copying pictures to disk, and I'd like a bit more information about what you do.
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Sure.
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What would you like to know?
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Well, I've got a box full of old family photos that's been up in the attic for years.
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Some of them must be 50 or 60 years old.
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And I'd like to get them converted to digital format.
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Sure, we can do that for you.
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Right.
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And what about size?
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The photos are all sorts of sizes.
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Are there any restrictions?
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Well, the maximum size of photo we can do with our normal service is 30 centimetres, and each picture must be at least four centimetres.
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That's the minimum we can cope with.
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That should be fine.
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And some of them are in a frame.
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Should I take them out before I send them?
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Yes, please.
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We can't copy them otherwise.
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And also the photos must all be separate.
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They mustn't be stuck into an album.
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OK, that's not a problem.
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So can you give me an idea of how much this will cost?
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I've got about 360 photos, I think.
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We charge £195 for 300 to 400 photos for the basic service.
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OK, and does that include the disc?
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Yes, one disc, but you can get extra ones for £5 each.
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That's good.
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So, do I need to pay when I send you the photos?
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No, we won't need anything until we've actually copied the pictures.
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Then we'll let you know how much it is, and once we've received the payments, we'll send the parcel off to you.
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Right.
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Before you hear the rest of the conversation, you have some time to look at questions 4 to 10.
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Thank you.
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Is there anything else you'd like to ask about our services?
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Yes, I've roughly sorted out the photos into groups according to what they're about.
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So can you keep them in those groups when you copy them?
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Sure.
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We'll save each group in a different folder on the disk, and if you like, you can suggest a name for each folder.
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So I could have one called grandparents, for instance.
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Exactly.
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And do you do anything besides scan the photos?
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Like, can you make any improvements?
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Yes, in the standard service, each photo is checked and we can sometimes touch up the colour a bit or improve the contrast.
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That can make a big difference.
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OK.
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And some of the photos are actually quite fragile.
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They won't get damaged in the process, will they?
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No. If any look particularly fragile, we'd do them by hand.
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We do realise how precious these old photos can be.
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Sure.
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And another thing is we can make changes to a photo if you want.
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So if you want to remove an object from a photo or maybe alter the background, we can do that.
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Really?
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I might be interested in that.
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I'll have a look through the photos and see.
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Oh, and talking of fixing photos, I've got a few that aren't properly in focus.
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Can you do anything to make that better?
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No, I'm afraid that's one thing we can't do.
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Okay.
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Any other information I can give you?
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Er, oh, how long will it all take?
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We aim to get the copying done in ten days.
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Fine.
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Right, well, I'll get the photos packed up in a box and post them off to you.
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Right.
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If you've got a strong cardboard box, that's best.
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We've found that plastic ones sometimes break in the post.
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OK.
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Right.
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Thanks for your help.
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Bye.
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Bye.
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This speaking lesson is built on the video “Cambridge IELTS 16-Test 2”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: photo, questions, picture, answer, test. This video has 87 sentences and 719 words to shadow. The speech runs for 5:58. The speaker talks at a steady 121 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. 88% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is easy to follow. 17 of its 87 sentences are questions, so it is good practice for question intonation and short answers.
Key vocabulary in this video
15 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| disk noun | /dɪsk/ | A thin, flat, circular plate or similar object. |
| format noun | /ˈfɔːɹ.mæt/ | The layout of a publication or document. |
| convert verb | /kənˈvɝt/ | To transform or change (something) into another form, substance, state, or product. |
| fragile adjective | /ˈfɹæd͡ʒəl/ | Easily broken, not sturdy; of delicate material. |
| folder noun | /ˈfoʊldɚ/ | An organizer that papers are kept in, usually with an index tab, to be stored as a single unit in a filing cabinet. |
| carefully adverb | /ˈkɛɹf(ə)li/ | With care; attentively, circumspectly. |
| contrast noun | /kənˈt(ʃ)ɹæst/ | The degree of this difference. |
| sheet noun | /ʃit/ | A thin bed cloth used as a covering for a mattress or as a layer over the sleeper. |
| roughly adverb | /ˈɹʌf.li/ | In a rough manner; without kindness, softness, or gentleness. |
| realise verb | Non-Oxford British standard spelling of realize. | |
| photograph noun | /ˈfoʊ.təˌɡɹæf/ | A picture created by projecting an image onto a photosensitive surface such as a chemically treated plate or film, CCD receptor, etc. |
| instruction noun | /ɪnˈstɹʌkʃən/ | The act of instructing, teaching, or providing with information or knowledge. |
| fixing noun | /ˈfɪksɪŋ/ | The act of subverting (fixing) a vote. |
| scan verb | /skæn/ | To examine sequentially, carefully, or critically; to scrutinize; to behold closely. |
| advertisement noun | /ˈædvɚˌtaɪzmənt/ | A commercial solicitation designed to sell some commodity, service or similar. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| look through verb | To take a view of the contents of; search in, either with the eyes or by hand. | |
| sort out verb | To clarify by reviewing mentally. | |
| touch up verb | /ˈtʌt͡ʃ ʌp/ | To make slight corrections or adjustments to; to fill in or perfect. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- What would you like to know?
- Should I take them out before I send them?
- Is there anything else you'd like to ask about our services?
- Can you do anything to make that better?
- Any other information I can give you?
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | that's been · we've actually copied · we've received |
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | will be played · will be given · be stuck |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 25 contractions and reduced forms, such as I've, we'll, we've. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: contrast /kənˈt(ʃ)ɹæst/, sheet /ʃit/, instruction /ɪnˈstɹʌkʃən/, restriction /ɹɪˈstɹɪkʃən/
- Long words — get the stress right: advertisement /ˈædvɚˌtaɪzmənt/, centimetre /ˈsɛn.tɪ.miː.tə/
How to practise with this video
- Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
- Shadow it sentence by sentence at normal speed, repeating each one until your rhythm matches the speaker.
- Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like disk, format, convert.
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.