Shadowing Practice: D60new. IELTS Listening Cambridge 13 Test 2 Section 3: Planning a presentation on nanotechnology - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

B2
Section 3.
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97 sentences
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Section 3.
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You will hear a student called Russ consulting his tutor about a presentation he is preparing on nanotechnology,
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the study of materials on an extremely small scale.
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First, you have some time to look at questions 21 to 25.
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Thank you.
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21 to 25.
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Come in, Russ.
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Thank you.
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Now, you wanted to consult me about your class presentation on nanotechnology.
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You're due to give it next week, aren't you?
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That's right, and I'm really struggling.
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I chose the topic because I didn't know much about it and wanted to learn more,
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but now I've read so much about it,
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in a way there's too much to say.
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I could talk for much longer than the twenty minutes I've been allocated.
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Should I assume the other students don't know much and give them a kind of general introduction,
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or should I try and make them share my fascination with a particular aspect?
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You could do either, but you'll need to have it clear in your own mind.
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Then I think I'll give an overview.
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Okay.
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Now, one way of approaching this is to work through developments in chronological order.
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On the other hand, you could talk about the numerous ways that nanotechnology is being applied.
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You mean things like thin films on camera displays to make them water repellent
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and additives to make motorcycle helmets stronger and lighter.
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Exactly.
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Or another way would be to focus on its impact in one particular area,
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say medicine or space exploration.
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That would make it easier to focus.
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Perhaps I should do that.
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I think that would be a good idea.
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Right.
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How important is it to include slides in the presentation?
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They aren't essential by any means.
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And there's a danger of tailoring what you say to fit whatever slides you can find.
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While it can be good to include slides,
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you could end up spending too long looking for suitable ones.
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You might find it better to leave them out.
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I see.
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Another thing I was wondering about was how to start.
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I know presentations often begin with,
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first I'm going to talk about this,
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and then I'll talk about that.
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but I thought about asking the audience what they know about nanotechnology.
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That would be fine if you had an hour
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or two for the presentation but you might find
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that you can't do anything with the answers you get and it simply eats into the short time that's available.
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So maybe I should mention a particular way that nanotechnology is used to focus people's attention.
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That sounds sensible.
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What do you think I should do next?
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I really have to plan the presentation today and tomorrow.
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Well, initially I think you should ignore all the notes you've made,
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take a small piece of paper and write a single short sentence that ties together the whole presentation.
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It can be something as simple as,
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nanotechnology is already improving our lives.
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Then start planning the content around that.
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You can always modify that sentence later if you need to.
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OK.
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Before you hear the rest of the discussion,
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you have some time to look at questions 26 to 30.
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Now listen and answer questions 26 to 30.
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OK, now let's think about actually giving the presentation.
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You've only given one before,
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if I remember correctly, about an experiment you'd been involved in.
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That's right.
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It was pretty rubbish.
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Let's say it was better in some respects than in others.
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With regard to the structure,
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I felt that you ended rather abruptly, without rounding it off.
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Be careful not to do that in next week's presentation.
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OK.
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And you made very little eye contact with the audience,
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because you were looking down at your notes most of the time.
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You need to be looking at the audience and only occasionally glancing at your notes.
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Your body language was a little odd every time you showed a slide you turned your back on the audience
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so you could look at it
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you should have been looking at your laptop
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and you kept scratching your head so i found myself wondering
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when you were next going to do
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that instead of listening to what you were saying oh dear what did you think of the language i knew
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that not everyone was familiar with the subject so I tried to make it as simple as I could.
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Yes, that came across.
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You used a few words that are specific to the field,
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but you always explained what they meant,
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so the audience wouldn't have had any difficulty understanding.
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Uh-huh.
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I must say, the handouts you prepared were well thought out.
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They were a good summary of your presentation,
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which people would have been able to refer to later on,
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so well done on that.
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Thank you.
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Well, I hope that helps you with next week's presentation.
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Yes, it will.
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Thanks a lot.
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I'll look forward to seeing a big improvement then.
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That is the end of Section 3.
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You now have half a minute to check your answers.
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Now turn to section 4.

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About This Lesson

In this lesson, you will engage with a transcript from a student-tutor conversation about planning a presentation on nanotechnology. This exercise is designed to enhance your listening and speaking skills, critical for achieving success in your IELTS speaking practice. You will learn how to structure presentations, interact with an audience, and use specific vocabulary associated with technology and education.

Key Vocabulary & Phrases

  • Nanotechnology - The study of materials on an extremely small scale.
  • Overview - A general summary of a subject.
  • Chronological order - Arranging events in the order they occurred.
  • Application - The act of putting something into operation.
  • Impact - The strong effect or influence something has.
  • Slides - Visual presentation materials used to support spoken content.
  • Audience engagement - The interaction and involvement of the audience during a presentation.
  • Focus - The specific area of attention within a broader topic.

Practice Tips

To make the most out of this lesson, consider incorporating the shadowing technique into your practice routine. By using a shadowing app, you can listen to the tutor and student conversation and repeat their dialogues in real-time. This method helps improve pronunciation, intonation, and fluency in natural speech patterns.

As you practice, pay attention to the speed and tone of the conversation. The dialogue flows smoothly, making it an excellent opportunity to develop your skills. Try to match the rhythm of the speakers when using your shadow speech. Start by listening to short sections and gradually increase the duration as you become more comfortable.

Additionally, focus on specific phrases and vocabulary mentioned in this lesson. Integrate these terms into your speaking practice to enhance your lexical resource for the IELTS exam. By repeating the shadow speech and familiarizing yourself with the terminology, you will feel more confident discussing complex topics like nanotechnology.

Lastly, consider seeking feedback from peers or tutors after your practice sessions. Engaging in discussions about your presentation approach can greatly assist in refining your speaking techniques and presentation skills.

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.

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