Shadowing Practice: Cambridge IELTS 17 Listening Test 2 with answer | #ieltslistening - Learn English Speaking with Video
Choose a practice mode
Each mode opens a full-screen practice room.
283 sentences
If sentences are too short or too long, click Edit to adjust them.
1
Cambridge 17 Listening Test 2.
2
You will hear a number of different recordings.
3
All the recordings will be played once only.
4
The test is in four parts.
5
You will have 10 minutes at the end of the test to transfer your answers to the answer sheet.
6
Now turn to part one.
7
First you have some time to look at questions one to seven.
8
Now listen and answer questions 1 to 7.
9
Hello, Jane Fairbank speaking.
10
Oh, good morning.
11
My name's Frank Pritchard.
12
I've just retired and moved to Southo.
13
I'd like to become a volunteer, and I gather you coordinate voluntary work in the village?
14
That's right.
15
What sort of thing could I do?
16
Well, we need help with the village library.
17
We borrow books from the town library, and individuals also donate them.
18
So, one thing you could do is get involved in collecting them, if you've got a car, that is.
19
Yes, that's no problem.
20
The times are pretty flexible, so we can arrange it to suit you.
21
Oh, another thing is the records that we keep of the books we're given, and those we borrow and need to return to the town library.
22
It would be very useful to have another person to help keep them up to date.
23
Right.
24
I'm used to working on a computer.
25
I presume they're computerised?
26
Oh, yes.
27
Is the library purpose-built?
28
I haven't noticed it when I've walked round the village.
29
No. We simply have the use of a room in the village hall.
30
The West Room.
31
It's on the left as you go in.
32
I must go and have a look inside the hall.
33
Yes.
34
It's a nice building.
35
Do you run a lunch club in the village for elderly people?
36
I know a lot of places do.
37
Yes, we have a very successful club.
38
I could help with transport, if that's of any use.
39
Oh, definitely.
40
People come to the club from neighbouring villages, and we're always in need of more drivers.
41
And does the club have groups that focus on a particular hobby, too?
42
I could get involved in one or two, particularly if there are any art groups.
43
Excellent.
44
I'll find out where we need help and get back to you.
45
Fine.
46
What about help for individual residents?
47
Do you arrange that at all?
48
Yes, we do it as a one-off.
49
Oh, in fact, there's Mrs Carol.
50
She needs a lift to the hospital next week and we're struggling to find someone.
51
When's her appointment? On Tuesday.
52
It would take the whole morning.
53
I could do that.
54
Oh, that would be great.
55
Thank you.
56
And also next week, we're arranging to have some work done to Mr. Salisbury's house before he moves, as he isn't healthy enough to do it himself.
57
We've got some people to decorate his kitchen, but if you could do some weeding in his garden, that would be wonderful.
58
OK, I'd enjoy that.
59
And presumably the day and time are flexible?
60
Oh yes, just say when would suit you best and we'll let Mr. Selisbury know.
61
Good.
62
Before you hear the rest of the conversation, you have some time to look at questions 8 to 10.
63
Now listen and answer questions 8 to 10.
64
The volunteers group also organises monthly social events, which is a great way to meet other people, of course.
65
So next month, on the 19th of October, we're holding a quiz.
66
A couple of residents are great at planning unusual ones, and we always fill the village hall.
67
That sounds like fun.
68
Can I do anything to help?
69
Well, because of the number of people, we need plenty of refreshments for halfway through.
70
So if you could provide any, we'd be grateful.
71
I'm sure I could.
72
I'll think about what to make and let you know.
73
Thank you.
74
Then on November the 18th, we're holding a dance, also in the village hall.
75
We've booked a band that specialises in music of the 1930s.
76
They've been before, and we've had a lot of requests to bring them back.
77
I'm not really a dancer, but I'd like to do something to help.
78
Well, we sell tickets in advance, and having an extra person to check them at the door as people arrive would be good.
79
It can be quite a bottleneck if everyone arrives at once.
80
OK, I'm happy with that.
81
We're also arranging a New Year's Eve party.
82
We're expecting that to be a really big event, so instead of the village hall, it'll be held in the Mountfort Hotel.
83
The...
84
Mountfort.
85
M-O-U-N-T-F-O-R-T hotel.
86
It isn't in Southo itself, but it's only a couple of miles away.
87
The hotel will be providing dinner, and we've booked a band.
88
The one thing we haven't got yet is a poster.
89
That isn't something you could do by any chance, is it?
90
Well, actually, yes.
91
Before I retired, I was a graphic designer, so that's right up my street.
92
Oh, perfect.
93
I'll give you the details, and then perhaps you could send me a draft? Of course.
94
That is the end of part one.
95
You now have half a minute to check your answers.
96
Now turn to part two.
97
First, you have some time to look at questions 11 to 14.
98
Now listen and answer questions 11 to 14.
99
Good morning and welcome to Oniton Hall, one of the largest estates in the area.
100
My name's Nick and I'm one of the guides.
101
I'll give you a brief introduction to the estate while you're sitting down and then we'll walk round.
102
The estate consists of the house, gardens, parkland and farm and it dates back to the 14th century.
103
The original house was replaced in the late 17th century and of course it has had a large number of owners.
104
Almost all of them have left their mark, generally by adding new rooms,
105
like the ballroom and conservatory, or by demolishing others.
106
The farm looks much as it's always done, although the current owner has done a great deal of work to the flower beds.
107
In the 17th century, the estate was owned by a very wealthy man called Sir Edward Downes.
108
His intention was to escape from the world of politics, after years as an active politician,
109
and to build a new house worthy of his big collection of books, paintings and sculptures.
110
He broke off contact with his former political allies and hosted meetings of creative and literary people,
111
like painters and poets.
112
Unusually for his time, he didn't care whether his guests were rich or poor, as long as they had talent.
113
Big houses like Arneton had dozens of servants until the 1920s or 30s,
114
and we've tried to show what their working lives were like.
115
Photographs, of course, don't give much of an idea, so instead, as you go round the house,
116
you'll see volunteers dressed up as 19th century servants going about their work.
117
They'll explain what they're doing and tell you their recipes or what tools they're using.
118
We've just introduced this feature to replace the audio guide we used to have available.
119
I see there are a number of children here with you today.
120
Well, we have several activities specially for children,
121
like dressing up in the sorts of clothes that children wore in the past, and as it's a fine day,
122
some of you will probably want to play in the adventure playground.
123
Our latest addition is child-sized tractors that you can drive around the grounds.
124
Before you hear the rest of the conversation, you have some time to look at questions 15 to 20.
125
Now listen and answer questions 15 to 20.
126
We'll also be going into the farm that's part of the estate, where there's plenty to do.
127
Most of the buildings date from the 18th century, so you can really step back into an agricultural past.
128
Until recently, the dairy was where milk from the cows was turned into cheese.
129
It's now the place to go for lunch, or afternoon tea, or just a cup of coffee and a slice of homemade cake.
130
The big stone building that dominates the farm is the large barn, and in here is our collection of agricultural tools.
131
These were used in the past to plough the earth, sow seeds, make gates and much more.
132
There's a small barn, also made of stone, where you can groom the donkeys and horses to keep their coats clean.
133
They really seem to enjoy having it done, and children love grooming them.
134
The horses no longer live in the stables, which instead is the place to go to buy gifts,
135
books, our own jams and pickles, and clothes and blankets made of wool from our sheep.
136
Outside the shed, which is the only brick building,
137
you can climb into a horse-drawn carriage for a lovely relaxing tour of the park and farm.
138
The carriages are well over a hundred years old.
139
And finally, the parkland, which was laid out in the 18th century with a lake and trees that are now well established.
140
You'll see types of cattle and sheep that are hardly ever found on farms these days.
141
We're helping to preserve them, to stop their numbers falling further.
142
Okay, well, if you'd like to come with me, we will start...
143
That is the end of part two.
144
You now have half a minute to check your answers.
145
Now turn to part three.
146
First, you have some time to look at questions 21 to 22.
147
Now listen and answer questions 21 to 22.
148
Did you make notes while you were watching the performances of Romeo and Juliet, Gemma?
149
Yes, I did.
150
I found it quite hard, though.
151
I kept getting too involved in the play.
152
Me too.
153
I ended up not taking notes.
154
I wrote down my impressions when I got home.
155
Do you mind if I check a few things with you, in case I've missed anything?
156
And I've also got some questions about our assignment.
157
No, it's good to talk things through.
158
I may have missed things too.
159
OK, great.
160
So, first of all, I'm not sure how much information we should include in our reviews.
161
Right.
162
Well, I don't think we need to describe what happens, especially as Romeo and Juliet is one of Shakespeare's most well-known plays.
163
Yeah, everyone knows the story.
164
In an essay, we'd focus on the poetry and Shakespeare's use of imagery, etc. But that isn't really relevant in a review.
165
We're supposed to focus on how effective this particular production is.
166
Hmm.
167
We should say what made it a success or a failure.
168
And part of that means talking about the emotional impact the performance had on us.
169
I think that's important.
170
Yes, and we should definitely mention how well the director handled important bits of the play, like when Romeo climbs onto Juliet's balcony.
171
And the fight between Mercutio and Tybalt.
172
Yes.
173
It would also be interesting to mention the theatre space and how the director used it, but I don't think we'll have space in 800 words.
174
No, OK.
175
That all sounds quite straightforward.
176
Before you hear the rest of the conversation, you have some time to look at questions 23-30.
177
Now listen and answer questions 23 to 30.
178
So, what about the Emporium Theatre's production of the play?
179
I thought some things worked really well, but there were some problems too.
180
Yeah.
181
What about the set, for example?
182
I think it was visually really stunning.
183
I'd say that was probably the most memorable thing about this production.
184
You're right.
185
The set design was really amazing.
186
But actually, I have seen similar ideas used in other productions.
187
What about the lighting?
188
Some of the scenes were so dimly lit it was quite hard to see.
189
I didn't dislike it.
190
It helped to change the mood of the quieter scenes.
191
That's a good point.
192
What did you think of the costumes?
193
I was a bit surprised by the contemporary dress, I must say.
194
Yeah, I think it worked well, but I'd assumed it would be more conventional.
195
Me too.
196
I liked the music at the beginning, and I thought the musicians were brilliant,
197
but I thought they were wasted because the music didn't have much impact in Acts 2 and 3.
198
Yes, that was a shame.
199
One problem with this production was that the actors didn't deliver the lines that well.
200
They were speaking too fast.
201
It was a problem, I agree.
202
But I thought it was because they weren't speaking loudly enough, especially at key points in the play.
203
I actually didn't have a problem with that.
204
It's been an interesting experience watching different versions of Romeo and Juliet, hasn't it?
205
Definitely.
206
It's made me realise how relevant the play still is.
207
Right.
208
I mean, a lot's changed since Shakespeare's time, but in many ways nothing's changed.
209
There are always disagreements and tension between teenagers and their parents.
210
Yes, that's something all young people can relate to, more than the violence and the extreme emotions in the play.
211
How did you find watching it in translation?
212
Really interesting.
213
I expected to find it more challenging, but I could follow the story pretty well.
214
I stopped worrying about not being able to understand all the words and focused on the actor's expressions.
215
The ending was pretty powerful.
216
Yes, that somehow intensified the emotion for me.
217
Did you know Shakespeare's been translated into more languages than any other writer?
218
Hmm.
219
What's the reason for his international appeal, do you think?
220
I was reading that it's because his plays are about basic themes that people everywhere are familiar with.
221
Yeah, and they can also be understood on different levels.
222
The characters have such depth.
223
Right, which allows directors to experiment and find new angles.
224
That's really important.
225
That is the end of part three.
226
You now have half a minute to check your answers.
227
Now turn to part four.
228
First you have some time to look at questions 31 to 40.
229
Now listen and answer questions 31 to 40.
230
Right, everyone, let's make a start.
231
Over the past few sessions, we've been considering the reasons why some world languages are in decline,
232
and today I'm going to introduce another factor that affects languages, and the speakers of those languages,
233
and that's technology, and in particular, digital technology.
234
In order to illustrate its effect, I'm going to focus on the Icelandic language,
235
which is spoken by around 321,000 people, most of whom live in Iceland, an island in the North Atlantic Ocean.
236
The problem for this language is not the number of speakers, even though this number is small,
237
nor is it about losing words to other languages such as English.
238
In fact, the vocabulary of Icelandic is continually increasing, because when speakers need a new word for something,
239
they tend to create one rather than borrowing from another language.
240
All this makes Icelandic quite a special language.
241
It's changed very little in the past millennium, yet it can handle 21st century concepts related to the use of computers and digital technology.
242
Take, for example, the word for web browser.
243
This is Vafri in Icelandic, which comes from the verb to wander.
244
I can't think of a more appropriate term because that's exactly what you do mentally when you browse the internet.
245
Then there's an Icelandic word for podcast, which is too hard to pronounce, and so on.
246
Icelandic, then, is alive and growing, but, and it's a big but, young Icelanders spend a great deal of time in the digital world,
247
and this world is predominantly English.
248
Think about smartphones.
249
They didn't even exist until comparatively recently, but today young people use them all the time to read books,
250
watch TV or films, play games, listen to music and so on.
251
Obviously, this is a good thing in many respects because it promotes their bilingual skills, but the extent of the influence of English in the virtual world is staggering,
252
and it's all happening really fast.
253
For their parents and grandparents, the change is less concerning because they already have their native speaker skills in Icelandic, but for young speakers, well,
254
the outcome is a little troubling.
255
For example, teachers have found that playground conversations in Icelandic secondary schools can be conducted entirely in English,
256
while teachers of much younger children have reported situations where their
257
classes find it easier to say what is in a picture using English rather than Icelandic.
258
The very real and worrying consequence of all this is
259
that the young generation in Iceland is at risk of losing its mother tongue.
260
Of course, this is happening to other European languages too.
261
But while internet companies might be willing to offer, say, French options in their systems,
262
it's much harder for them to justify the expense of doing the same for a language
263
that has a population the size of a French town, such as Nice.
264
The other drawback of Icelandic is the grammar, which is significantly more complex than in most languages.
265
At the moment, the tech giants are simply not interested in tackling this.
266
So what is the Icelandic government doing about this?
267
While large sums of money are being allocated to a language technology fund
268
that it is hoped will lead to the development of Icelandic-sourced apps and other social media and digital systems,
269
but clearly this is going to be an uphill struggle.
270
On the positive side, they know that Icelandic is still the official language of education and government.
271
It has survived for well over a thousand years,
272
and the experts predict that its future in this nation-state is sound and will continue to be so.
273
However, there's no doubt that it's becoming an inevitable second choice in young people's lives.
274
This raises important questions.
275
When you consider how much of the past is tied up in a language, will young Icelanders lose their sense of their own identity?
276
Another issue that concerns the government of Iceland is this.
277
If children are learning two languages through different routes, neither of which they are fully fluent in, will they be able to express themselves properly?
278
That is the end of part four.
279
You now have ten minutes to transfer your answers to the answer sheet.
280
Thank you.
281
Thank you.
282
Thank you.
283
Thank you.
Download App
Everything you need to speak fluently
AI PronunciationScore every sentence
IPA PracticeMaster every sound
VocabularyBuild your word bank
Vocab GameLearn while playing
Same Channel
B21
Cambridge IELTS 17 Listening Test 4 With answer |
IELTS PrepUniversity Students
B22
Cambridge 18 Listening Test 4 with answer | Listening Test From Cambridge Book |
Daily ConversationUniversity Students
B22
Cambridge 15 Listening Test 4 With Answers |
IELTS PrepUniversity Students
B2Cambridge 20 test 1 with answers full test | Latest tests by Cambridge assessment |
Daily ConversationUniversity Students
B21
Cambridge 16 Listening Test 1 with Answer | #english #ieltslistening
IELTS PrepUniversity Students
B22
Cambridge IELTS 16 Listening Test 4 with answer | #ieltslistening
IELTS PrepUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B21
Cambridge 19 Listening Test 1 With answers | HD 1080p |
Daily ConversationUniversity Students
B21
Cambridge 19 Listening Test 4 With answer | IELTS Listening Practice |
IELTS PrepUniversity Students
B23
Cambridge 20 Listening Test 3 with answers
Cambridge Exam PrepUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B22
Cambridge 18 Listening test 1 With Answers | Practice test |
IELTS PrepCambridge Exam PrepUniversity Students
B22
Cambridge 18 Listening Test 2 | With Answer | Real Test |
TOEIC PrepCambridge Exam PrepUniversity Students
B29
Cambridge IELTS 17 Listening Test 3 with answer | #ieltslistening
IELTS PrepCambridge Exam PrepUniversity Students
B29
Cambridge 20 Listening Test 2 with answers | HD 1440p |
IELTS PrepCambridge Exam PrepUniversity Students
B23
Cambridge 20 Listening Test 1 with answers | HD 1440p | Must Solve |
Daily ConversationUniversity Students
B221
Cambridge IELTS 17 Listening Test 1 with answer | #ielts
IELTS PrepCambridge Exam PrepUniversity Students
FOR YOU
Recommend Video
B22
315 sentences
24 Cambridge 11 test 1|hiring a public Room|daily ielts updates
IELTS PrepCambridge Exam PrepUniversity Students
B28
53 sentences
IELTS Cambridge Book 15 Listening Test 3 Part 2 Questions with Audioscripts
IELTS PrepCambridge Exam PrepUniversity Students
B26
267 sentences
Transport Form Highgate Village Listening Test
IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepCambridge Exam Prep
B21
283 sentences
Cambridge IELTS 18 Listening Test 2 with Answers | Latest IELTS Listening Practice Test 2026
IELTS PrepCambridge Exam PrepUniversity Students
B22
279 sentences
Cambridge 20 listening test 02|Full clear audio with answer key|Comment your score...🌸
IELTS PrepCambridge Exam PrepUniversity Students
C17
46 sentences
Cambridge IELTS 18 Test 1 Section 2
IELTS PrepCambridge Exam PrepUniversity Students
B2286 sentences
Cambridge IELTS 17 Listening Test 2 with Answers | Latest IELTS Listening Practice Test 2026
IELTS PrepCambridge Exam PrepUniversity Students
B21
46 sentences
IELTS Cambridge 9 test 2 section 2
IELTS PrepCambridge Exam PrepUniversity Students
B22
306 sentences
Ielts Listening Test 1 Book 10 2018 , Answers British Council
IELTS PrepCambridge Exam PrepUniversity Students
B23
61 sentences
IELTS Cambridge 20 – Test 1: Listening Part 2
IELTS PrepCambridge Exam PrepUniversity Students
Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This video has 283 sentences and 3043 words to shadow. The speech runs for 27:28. The speaker talks at a steady 111 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. 85% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English; the rest is worth studying before you start.
Key vocabulary in this video
15 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| arrange verb | /əˈɹeɪnd͡ʒ/ | To set up; to organize; to put into an orderly sequence or arrangement. |
| volunteer noun | /ˌvɑlənˈtɪɹ/ | One who enters into, or offers themselves for, any service of their own free will, especially when done without pay. |
| sheet noun | /ʃit/ | A thin bed cloth used as a covering for a mattress or as a layer over the sleeper. |
| arrive verb | /əˈɹaɪv/ | To reach; to get to a certain place. |
| climb verb | /ˈklaɪ̯m/ | To traverse a slope or contour, either upwards (ascending) or downwards (descending). |
| emotion noun | /ɪˈməʊ.ʃən/ | A person's internal state of being and involuntary physiological response to an object or a situation, based on or tied to physical state and sensory data. |
| sheep noun | /ˈʃiːp/ | A woolly ruminant of the genus Ovis. |
| cow noun | /kaʊ/ | An adult female of the species Bos taurus, especially one that has calved. |
| flexible adjective | /ˈflɛk.sɪ.bəl/ | Capable of being flexed or bent without breaking; able to be turned or twisted without breaking. |
| servant noun | /ˈsɝvənt/ | One who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation. As opposed to a slave. |
| retire verb | /ɹəˈtaɪɹ/ | To stop working on a permanent basis, usually because of old age or illness. |
| borrow verb | /ˈbɑɹ.oʊ/ | To receive (something) from somebody temporarily, expecting to return it. |
| barn noun | [ˈbɑɹn] | A building, often found on a farm, used for storage or keeping animals such as cattle. |
| playground noun | /ˈpleɪɡɹaʊnd/ | A large open space for children to play in, usually having dedicated play equipment (such as swings and slides). |
| groom verb | /ɡɹum/ | To attend to one's appearance and clothing. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| break off verb | To remove a piece from a whole by breaking or snapping. |
| dress up verb | To put on special or fancy clothes. |
| end up verb | To bring to a conclusion. |
| find out verb | To discover, as by asking or investigating. |
| get back to verb | Return to (an activity) |
| go round verb | To physically swirl or rotate. |
| sit down verb | To assume a sitting position from a standing position. |
| write down verb | To produce or set (something) down in writing; to record something. |
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Conditional sentences if + clause, will/would + verb — a condition and its result | if you could provide any, we'd be |
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | I've just retired · haven't noticed · We've booked |
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | will be played · be held · was replaced |
| Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thing | events, which is · shed, which is · parkland, which was |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 74 contractions and reduced forms, such as we're, I'm, we've. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “th” sounds: worthy /ˈwɝ.ði/, gather /ˈɡæðɚ/, wealthy /ˈwɛl.θi/
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: sheet /ʃit/, emotion /ɪˈməʊ.ʃən/, sheep /ˈʃiːp/, unusual /ʌnˈjuːʒ(u)əl/, translation /tɹænzˈleɪʃən/
- Long words — get the stress right: unusual /ʌnˈjuːʒ(u)əl/, experiment /ɪkˈspɛɹ.ə.mənt/, literary /ˈlɪt.(ə.)ɹə.ɹi/, politician /ˌpɑ.ləˈtɪʃ.ən/, inevitable /ɪˈnɛvɪtəbəl/
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 arrange, volunteer, sheet.
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.