Shadowing Practice: CET-4 Listening Practice: Planning a Summer Trip - Learn English Speaking with Video
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28 sentences
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1
Hi Lucy, have you finished checking the train times for our summer trip?
2
I have, but I'm afraid the news isn't good.
3
All the cheap tickets to the coast are already sold out.
4
Really? We were planning to book them weeks in advance!
5
I know! Lots of students had the same idea after their exams.
6
What about the high-speed trains? Are there any seats left on those?
7
There are a few, but they cost almost twice as much.
8
To be honest, that's way beyond my budget this summer.
9
Mine too. And the beaches will be really crowded in July anyway.
10
So actually, I've been thinking about a different plan.
11
Instead of going to the coast, why don't we head to the mountains?
12
The mountains? Isn't that a long journey from here?
13
Not really. A direct bus gets there in about four hours.
14
And a return ticket costs less than half the price of the train.
15
That sounds great! The scenery up there must be amazing, too.
16
Okay, then I'll book the bus tickets online tonight.
17
Actually, there's no need. I've already reserved two seats.
18
You're so quick! Did you get seats for the first of July?
19
The first was fully booked, but there were seats on the third.
20
The third is even better. My last exam finishes on the second.
21
The thing is, we still need somewhere to stay.
22
Could you find us a hostel that's cheap but comfortable?
23
Sure. I'll look for one right after my class this afternoon.
24
Should I choose a place near the bus station or in the town centre?
25
Somewhere near the station would be more convenient, I think.
26
We'll have heavy backpacks, so we won't want to walk far.
27
Perfect. I'm really looking forward to this trip now!
28
Me too. Let's meet at the bus station at seven on the third.
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This B1 speaking lesson is built on the video “CET-4 Listening Practice: Planning a Summer Trip”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: seats, bus, ticket, train, station. This video has 28 sentences and 308 words to shadow. The speech runs for 1:51. The speaker talks at a natural 167 words per minute, close to everyday conversation. 89% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is easy to follow. 10 of its 28 sentences are questions, so it is good practice for question intonation and short answers.
Key vocabulary in this video
The 15 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| exam verb | /ɪɡˈzæm/ | Shortened form of examine |
| examination noun | /ɪɡˌzæm.ɪˈneɪ.ʃən/ | The act of examining. |
| convenient adjective | /kənˈviː.niənt/ | Serving to reduce a difficulty, or accessible with minimum difficulty; expedient. |
| backpack noun | /ˈbæk.pæk/ | A knapsack, sometimes mounted on a light frame, but always supported by straps, worn on a person’s back for the purpose of carrying things, especially when… |
| scenery noun | /ˈsiːnəɹi/ | View, natural features, landscape. |
| hostel noun | /ˈhɑstəl/ | An overnight lodging place for travelers, with dormitory accommodation and shared facilities, especially a youth hostel. |
| ticket noun | /ˈtɪk.ɪt/ | A pass entitling the holder to admission to a show, concert, sporting event, etc. |
| comfortable adjective | /ˈkʌm(p)f.tə.bəl/ | Providing physical comfort and ease; agreeable. |
| advance verb | /ədˈvɑːns/ | To help the progress of (something); to further. |
| journey noun | /ˈd͡ʒɝni/ | A set amount of travelling, seen as a single unit; a discrete trip, a voyage. |
| reserve noun | /ɹɪˈzɝv/ | The act of reserving or keeping back; reservation; exception. |
| seat noun | /siːt/ | Something to be sat upon. |
| station noun | /ˈsteɪʃən/ | A regular stopping place for ground transportation. |
| train noun | /ˈtɹeɪn/ | The elongated back portion of a dress or skirt (or an ornamental piece of material added to similar effect), which drags along the ground. |
| finish verb | /ˈfɪnɪʃ/ | To complete (something). |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| look forward to verb | To anticipate, expect, or wait for, especially with a feeling of approval or pleasure; to be excited or eager to. |
| sold out adjective | Completely sold; of which no more is in stock. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- I have, but I'm afraid the news isn't good.
- Isn't that a long journey from here?
- I've already reserved two seats.
- Could you find us a hostel that's cheap but comfortable?
- I'm really looking forward to this trip now!
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | are already sold · was fully booked |
| Future with “will” will + verb — a decision, promise or prediction | will be · I'll book · I'll look |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 12 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'll, I'm, I've. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: examination /ɪɡˌzæm.ɪˈneɪ.ʃən/, station /ˈsteɪʃən/, finish /ˈfɪnɪʃ/
How to practise with this video
- Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
- Start at 0.75× speed, shadow it sentence by sentence, then go back to normal speed once it feels easy.
- Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like exam, examination, convenient.
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.