Shadowing Practice: Cambridge IELTS 19 Test 1 Section 2 - Learn English Speaking with Video

Creating lesson...
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Part 2 You will hear the chairman of Stanthorpe Twinning Association,
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which organises the link between Stanthorpe in England and a town in France, talking to members about the year's events.
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First, you have some time to look at questions 11 to 15.
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Thank you.
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listen carefully and answer questions 11 to 15.
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It's great to see so many members of the Twinning Association here tonight.
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Since the twinning link between our two towns, Stanthorpe here in England and Malat in France was established,
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The relationship between the towns has gone from strength to strength.
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Last month, 25 members of the association from Stanthorpe spent a weekend in Malat.
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Our hosts had arranged a great programme.
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We learned how cheese is produced in the region and had the chance to taste the products.
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The theme park trip had to be cancelled, but we all had a great time on the final boat trip down the river.
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That was the real highlight.
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This is a special year for the association, because it's 25 years since we were founded.
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In Malat, they're planning to mark this by building a footbridge in the municipal park.
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We've been discussing what to do here, and we've decided to plant a poplar tree in the museum gardens.
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We considered buying a garden seat to put there, but the authorities weren't happy with that idea.
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In terms of fundraising to support our activities, we've done very well.
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Our pancake evening was well attended and made record profits.
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And everyone enjoyed the demonstration of French cookery, which was nearly as successful.
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Well, numbers for our film show were limited because of the venue, so we're looking for somewhere bigger next year.
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We're looking forward to welcoming our French visitors here next week, and I know that many of you here will be hosting individuals or families.
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The coach from France will arrive at 5pm on Friday.
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Don't try to do too much that first evening as they'll be tired, so have dinner in the house or garden rather than eating out.
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The weather looks as if it'll be okay, so you might like to plan a barbecue.
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Then, the next morning's market day in town, and that's always a good place to stroll round.
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On Saturday evening, we'll all meet up at the football club,
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where once again we'll have Toby Sharp and his band performing English and Scottish country songs.
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Toby will already be well known to many of you, as last year he organised our special quiz night and presented the quiz night.
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Before you hear the rest of the talk, you have some time to look at questions 16 to 20.
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Now listen and answer questions 16 to 20.
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Now, on Sunday, we'll be taking our visitors to Farley House.
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You may not all be familiar with it, so here's a map to help you.
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You can see the car park at the bottom of the map.
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There's an excellent farm shop in the grounds where our visitors can buy local produce.
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It's in the old stables, which is the first building you come to.
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They're built round a courtyard and the shop's in the far corner on the left.
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There's also a small café on the right as you go in.
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I know that one or two of our visitors may not be all that mobile.
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The main entrance to the house has a lot of steps, so you might want to use the disabled entry.
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This is on the far side of the house from the car park.
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Children will probably be most interested in the adventure playground.
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That's at the northern end of the larger lake, in a bend on the path that leads to the lake.
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There's lots for children to do there.
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There are a number of lovely gardens near the house.
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The kitchen gardens are rectangular and surrounded by a wall.
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They're to the northeast of the house, quite near the smaller lake.
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They're still in use and have a great collection of fruit and vegetables.
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The Temple of the Four Winds is a bit more of a walk, but it's worth it.
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Take the path from the car park and go past the western sides of the stables and the house.
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Then, when the path forks, take the right-hand path.
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Go up there with the woods on your left, and the temple is right at the end.
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There are great views over the whole area.
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OK, so that's...
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That is the end of part two.
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You now have 30 seconds to check your answers to part two.
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Thank you.
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Thank you.

Context & Background

The audio excerpt features a presentation by the chairman of the Stanthorpe Twinning Association, which fosters cultural exchange between Stanthorpe in England and Malat in France. The discussion covers recent events, including successful fundraising efforts and upcoming visits from French guests. This context provides insight into community collaboration and the importance of communication in organizing cross-cultural interactions. Listening to such dialogues not only enhances vocabulary but also gives learners a taste of real-life conversational English.

Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication

  • "It's great to see so many members here tonight." - A friendly opening to welcome participants.
  • "We all had a great time on the final boat trip." - Expressing enjoyment of a shared experience.
  • "We're looking forward to welcoming our French visitors." - A polite way to express future anticipation.
  • "Have dinner in the house or garden rather than eating out." - Offering suggestions for hosting guests.
  • "There's lots for children to do there." - A simple phrase indicating activities suited for children.

Step-by-step Shadowing Guide

To enhance your English pronunciation and fluency, consider using the shadow speech technique with this transcript as a resource. Here’s a structured approach to effectively utilize this content:

  1. Listen Actively: Play the audio and listen to the speaker's pronunciation, intonation, and rhythm. Pay close attention to the context and tone.
  2. Read Along: As you listen, follow the transcript to connect the spoken words with their written forms. This practice reinforces word recognition and comprehension.
  3. Pause and Repeat: Use a shadowing app or any audio tool to pause after each sentence. Repeat what you hear, mimicking the speaker's tone and speed for accurate pronunciation.
  4. Record Your Voice: After practicing, record your repetitions. Listen to the playback, comparing your speech with the original audio. Analyze areas where you can improve, especially in articulation and rhythm.
  5. Engage with the Content: Summarize the key points discussed by the chairman. This exercise helps in retaining vocabulary while practicing sentence formation.

For further practice, consider exploring more resources on a dedicated shadowing site where you can interact with various audio samples. By consistently implementing these steps, you can effectively improve your English pronunciation and become more confident in your speaking 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.