Shadowing Practice: Hiring a Public Room ielts listening 720p | HD Audio - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

C1
Test 1 You will hear a number of different recordings and you will have to answer questions on what you hear.
⏸ Paused
117 sentences
If sentences are too short or too long, click Edit to adjust them.
1
Test 1 You will hear a number of different recordings and you will have to answer questions on what you hear.
2
There will be time for you to read the instructions and questions and you will have a chance to check your work.
3
All the recordings will be played once only.
4
The test is in four sections.
5
At the end of the test,
6
you will be given ten minutes to transfer your answers to an answer sheet.
7
Now turn to Section 1.
8
Section 1.
9
You will hear a telephone conversation between an official at a village hall
10
and a woman who wants to hire a public room.
11
First, you have some time to look at questions 1 to 6.
12
We shall begin.
13
You should answer the questions as you listen because you will not hear the recording a second time.
14
Listen carefully and answer questions 1 to 6.
15
Hello?
16
Oh, hello.
17
Hello, I wanted to enquire about hiring a room in the
18
village hall for the evening of September the 1st. Let me just see...
19
Err...
20
Yes, we have both rooms available that evening.
21
There's our main hall that's got seating for 200 people.
22
Or there's the Charlton room.
23
Sorry?
24
Carlton Room, C-H-A-R-L-T-O-N.
25
That's got seating for up to 100.
26
Well, we're organising a dinner to raise money for a charity,
27
and we're hoping for at least 150 people.
28
So, I think we'll go for the main hall.
29
How much would that cost?
30
Let's see.
31
You wanted it for the evening of September the 1st?
32
Yes, that's a Saturday.
33
So, from 6pm to midnight, that'd be £115.
34
That's the weekend price.
35
It's £75 on weekdays.
36
That's all right.
37
And I have to tell you there's also a deposit of £250,
38
which is returnable, of course,
39
as long as there's no damage.
40
But we do insist that this is paid in cash.
41
We don't take cards for that.
42
You can pay the actual rent of the room however you like, though.
43
Cash, credit card, check.
44
Oh, well, I suppose that's OK.
45
So, does the charge include use of tables and chairs and so on?
46
Oh, yes.
47
And what about parking?
48
Yeah, that's all included.
49
The only thing that isn't included is.. you said you were organising a dinner?
50
Yeah.
51
Well, you'll have to pay extra for the kitchen if you want to use that.
52
It's £25.
53
It's got very good facilities,
54
good quality cookers and fridges and so on.
55
OK.
56
Well, I suppose that's all right.
57
We can cover the cost in our entry charges.
58
Right, so I'll make a note of that.
59
Now, there are just one or two things you need to think about before the event.
60
For example, you'll have to see about getting a licence if you're planning to have any music during the meal.
61
Oh really?
62
It's quite straightforward.
63
I'll give you the details later on.
64
And about a week or ten days before your event,
65
you'll need to contact the caretaker,
66
that's Mr Evans, to make the arrangements for entry.
67
He'll sort that out with you.
68
And do I give him the payment as well?
69
No, you do that directly with me.
70
Before you hear the rest of the conversation,
71
you have some time to look at questions seven to ten.
72
Now listen and answer questions 7 to 10.
73
Right.
74
Now, is there anything I need to know about what happens during the event?
75
Well, as you'll be aware,
76
of course, the building is no smoking throughout.
77
Of course.
78
Now, are you having a band?
79
Yes.
80
Well, they'll have a lot of equipment,
81
so rather than using the front door,
82
they should park their van round the back and use the stage door there.
83
You can open that from inside,
84
but don't forget to lock it at the end.
85
OK.
86
And talking of bans, I'm sure I don't need to tell you this,
87
but you must make sure that no one fiddles about with the black box by the fire door.
88
That's a system that cuts in when the volume reaches a certain level.
89
It's a legal requirement.
90
Sure.
91
Anyway, we want people to be able to talk to one another,
92
so we don't want anything too loud.
93
Oh, that reminds me, we'll be having speeches.
94
Are there any microphones available?
95
Yep, just let the caretaker know,
96
he'll get those for you.
97
Right, now when the event is over,
98
we do ask that the premises are left in good condition.
99
So there's a locked cupboard and you'll be informed of the code you need to open that.
100
It's got all the cleaning equipment,
101
brushes and detergent and so on.
102
Right.
103
So what do we need to do after everyone's gone?
104
Sweep the floors, I suppose?
105
Well, actually they have to be washed, not just swept.
106
Then you'll be provided with black plastic bags,
107
so all the rubbish must be collected up and left outside the door.
108
Of course.
109
We'll make sure everything's left tidy.
110
Oh, and I forgot to ask.
111
I presume we can have decorations in the room?
112
Yes, but you must take them down afterwards.
113
Sure.
114
And the chairs and tables should be stacked up neatly at the back of the room.
115
I'll make sure I've got a few people to help me.
116
Have half a minute to check your answers.
117
Thank you.

Download App

AI scoring for every sentence you speak

Scan To Download
Scan To Download
Download on theApp Store
Get it onGoogle Play
TRENDING

Popular

Context & Background

The dialogue featured in this transcript emanates from a telephone conversation between a village hall official and a woman who is seeking to hire a public room for a charity dinner. This scenario is quite common, as many individuals often need to book venues for various events, necessitating effective communication skills in English. The conversation not only reflects the practical aspects of event planning but also serves as a perfect platform for improving English speaking practice. Mastering such dialogues can significantly enhance your ability to converse confidently in similar real-life situations.

Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication

  • "I wanted to enquire about hiring a room..." - A polite way to initiate any inquiry.
  • "We have both rooms available..." - Useful for discussing options and availability.
  • "How much would that cost?" - Essential for any conversation involving services or purchases.
  • "The charge includes use of tables and chairs..." - Important for clarifying terms and conditions.
  • "You can pay the actual rent however you like..." - A flexible phrase that can be adapted to different contexts, especially in discussions about payment methods.

Step-by-step Shadowing Guide

To effectively tackle the complexities of this video and improve your English pronunciation while discussing events like room hire, you can follow this shadowing technique:

  1. Listen Closely: Play the audio once without any distractions. Focus on the overall conversation flow between the speaker and the official.
  2. Segment the Audio: Break the conversation into manageable segments. Listen to short phrases or sentences, mimicking the tone and pronunciation of the speakers.
  3. Repeat Aloud: After listening to a segment, pause and repeat what you've heard. Pay close attention to the intonation and rhythm, which are essential for natural English speaking practices.
  4. Record Yourself: Use a voice recording app to capture your shadowing. Comparing your speech to the original audio helps in identifying areas for improvement.
  5. Practice Regularly: Consistency is key. Make shadowing a daily habit to continually improve your speaking skills and pronunciation.

By utilizing this technique, you not only enhance your vocabulary and comprehension but also develop a greater fluency in English. Embrace the shadowspeaks method to effectively imbibe the nuances of English conversation, ensuring you’re always prepared for real-world interactions.

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.

☕ Buy us a coffee