Shadowing Practice: COMPLETE FIRST CERTIFICATE 2015 UNIT 7 - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Unit 7.
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You will hear part of a radio interview with Barry Hellman, a cave diving expert.
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For questions 1 to 10, complete the sentences with a word or short phrase.
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Cave diving, officially the world's most dangerous sport, isn't for everyone.
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If you're the kind of person who enjoys being underwater in dark, enclosed spaces, then it's probably the ultimate adventure sport.
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People often say cave diving sounds like their worst nightmare, but for people like me, it's a real passion.
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It's like the caves have a power over me.
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What I love about it most is the amazing beauty of these caves, not to mention their incredible size.
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It's like nowhere else.
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You're looking at rock formations that are millions of years old, and the water is crystal clear.
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Another thing I like is that I'm seeing things that no one has ever seen before.
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I'm like an explorer discovering new places.
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This is especially true now that I go down on my own.
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When I was first learning how to dive, I went down with an instructor who showed me where to go, so that wasn't the same.
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But you shouldn't go alone until you've had lots of practice and experience.
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Even then it can be very dangerous, but that's what some divers say they love about it.
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They enjoy the challenge.
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I always plan my dives as much as I can, as I prefer to be in control.
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If I feel stressed, I make mistakes.
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But if you know what you're doing, then you shouldn't have a problem.
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I think the worst thing that can happen is if your lights go out for some reason.
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It's really scary being in total darkness, so that's why it's important to take two sets of lights with you.
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Something you need to be aware of is that you can't immediately escape to the surface if you get into difficulties,
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which means your survival depends on your problem -solving abilities.
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You need to recognise what is happening and follow all the correct procedures you've been taught.
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Having said all that, cave diving isn't dangerous if you follow a few simple rules.
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Most of the accidents you read about could have been avoided
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if these people had followed simple steps to reduce the risks involved.
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Usually they've done something which wasn't safe and they should have known better.
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It's also very important to know when to call a dive, or go back.
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Another big danger is getting lost.
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Imagine entering an underwater room and looking back to see there is not one,
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but dozens of passages, and not knowing which way leads back to the entrance.
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The longer you spend underwater, the more gas you need on your back to help you breathe.
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You need enough to allow you the time to get back to the entrance if something goes wrong.
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So, it's obviously only a sport for experienced divers.
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Even if you have all the right equipment, that won't help you if you don't know what you're doing, so you should never attempt cave diving without adequate training.
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There are lots of good courses to choose from.
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It takes a special sort of person to become a good cave diver.
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You must be the kind of person who doesn't panic if something goes wrong, and that takes a great deal of self -control.
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However, you can learn a lot about yourself from diving,
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and I think knowing you can survive in such a demanding environment gives you greater confidence both at work and socially.
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It won't help you get a job or make friends, but it It will make you feel better about yourself.
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If you're interested in finding out more...
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This speaking lesson is built on the video “COMPLETE FIRST CERTIFICATE 2015 UNIT 7”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: cave, diving, diver, underwater, dive. This video has 44 sentences and 618 words to shadow. The speech runs for 4:06. The speaker talks at a natural 151 words per minute, close to everyday conversation. 84% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| dive verb | /daɪv/ | To swim under water. |
| cave noun | /keɪv/ | A large, naturally-occurring cavity formed underground or in the face of a cliff or a hillside. |
| underwater adjective | /ʌndɚˈwɔtəɹ/ | Beneath the surface of the water; of or pertaining to the region beneath the water surface. |
| entrance noun | /ˈɛn.tɹəns/ | The action of entering, or going in. |
| adventure noun | /ədˈvɛn.t͡ʃə/ | A feeling of desire for new and exciting things. |
| passion noun | /ˈpæʃən/ | A true desire sustained or prolonged. |
| procedure noun | /pɹəˈsiː.d͡ʒə/ | A particular method for performing a task. |
| solve verb | /sɒlv/ | To find an answer or solution to a problem or question; to work out. |
| crystal noun | /ˈkɹɪstəl/ | A solid composed of an array of atoms or molecules possessing long-range order and arranged in a pattern which is periodic in three dimensions. |
| nowhere adverb | /ˈnoʊ.(h)wɛɹ/ | In no place. |
| discover verb | /dɪˈskʌvə/ | To find or learn something for the first time. |
| scary adjective | /ˈskɛə.ɹi/ | Causing fear or anxiety |
| survival noun | /sɚˈvaɪ.vəl/ | The fact or act of surviving; continued existence or life. |
| difficulty noun | /ˈdɪfɪkəlti/ | The state of being difficult, or hard to do. |
| darkness noun | /ˈdɑɹk.nɪs/ | The state of being dark; lack of light; the absolute or comparative absence of light. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| find out verb | To discover, as by asking or investigating. |
| get back to verb | Return to (an activity) |
| go back verb | To return to a place or state after having been there at a previous time. |
| go down on verb | To perform oral sex on (someone). |
| go down with verb | To catch or contract (an illness). |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- It's like the caves have a power over me.
- I'm like an explorer discovering new places.
- If you're interested in finding out more...
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 | has ever seen · you've had · you've been taught |
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | you've been taught · have been avoided |
| Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thing | person who enjoys · person who doesn |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 21 contractions and reduced forms, such as you're, I'm, isn't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: passion /ˈpæʃən/, socially /ˈsoʊʃəli/
- Long words — get the stress right: underwater /ʌndɚˈwɔtəɹ/, difficulty /ˈdɪfɪkəlti/
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 dive, cave, underwater.
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.