Shadowing Practice: HỌC FCE 1 TEST 1 PART 2 - Learn English Speaking with Video

Now turn to part two.

You'll hear an interview with Elizabeth Holmes about her experience working in Africa.

For questions 9 to 18, complete the sentences.

You now have 45 seconds in which to look at part two.

Thank you.

The visitors to the small Devon village of Wimple might be

forgiven for looking twice as they passed the garden of Elizabeth Holmes.

In the middle of the garden, there stands a traditional African hut, a reminder of the two years Elizabeth spent in Africa as a volunteer.

Elizabeth, what persuaded you to leave your secure job in a travel agency and go to Africa?

Well, I'd been feeling restless for ages.

I wanted to see the real world, not just tourist places.

Then I was at the dentist one day, waiting to go in, and I'd read all the magazines in the waiting room, so I started looking at a poster.

It was all about volunteers working in And it interested you?

Yes.

I took down the name and address and applied.

I had an interview locally and did some aptitude tests.

Then just before I left for Africa, there was a training weekend in London which they call Changes, and which gives you some idea of what you're letting yourself in for.

What particular skills could you offer?

I had a degree in economics, and I'd done some teaching at one time.

What they wanted to send me to Africa to do was to train local farmers in the marketing of their produce.

I flew out with 15 other volunteers, all going to do different things, like nursing, teaching and so on.

When we got there, we were supposed to have a four-week course at a training centre, learning something about the local culture and the basics of the language, you know, greetings and things like that.

Anyway, there was a problem and it only lasted three weeks in the end.

Not enough, really.

Did it take a long time to get used to your new lifestyle?

I found it quite difficult for the first few weeks.

But after that, I settled in very well.

My area covered 1,200 square kilometres, and I had a truck for long-distance travel, but for more local trips, I rode a motorbike.

How did you get on with the local people?

Very well.

The men were very polite, but they tended to keep their distance, unlike the women who were always inviting me to meals.

They showed me how they wove and dyed material to make clothes for themselves and their children.

I used to get magazines sent from England, and we'd spend ages looking at them.

I expect you found it very different when you returned to England.

Yes, I certainly did.

After two years of living very simply, I found the supermarkets especially overwhelming.

Just the enormous choice of food.

Also the traffic disturbed me.

I had to move from my flat in the city to a small cottage in the country, just to get some of the peace and quiet I'd become accustomed to in Africa.

And what are you working on at the moment?

Well, I didn't want to just go back to working in someone else's office, so I set up my own in business which I run from home.

I deal in African furniture.

I bought some small pieces back with me as souvenirs and everyone loved them in Britain.

However, I'm still in touch with the organisation that sent me to Africa as a volunteer.

I organise events to raise funds and give talks about my experience to encourage other people to go.

Has the experience in Africa changed you at all?

Oh yes, in many ways.

I used to spend all my time working, but now I make sure I have more time for gardening, my favourite hobby.

Well, I'd like to thank Elizabeth for coming into the studio today.

Now you'll hear part two again.

Visitors to the small Devon village of Wimple might be forgiven for looking twice as they pass the garden of Elizabeth Holmes.

In the middle of the garden, there stands a traditional African hut, a reminder of the two years Elizabeth spent in Africa as a volunteer.

Elizabeth, what persuaded you to leave your secure job in a travel agent's and go to Africa?

Well, I'd been feeling restless for ages.

I wanted to see the real world, not just tourist places.

Then I was at the dentist one day, waiting to go in, and I'd read all the magazines in the waiting room, so I started looking at a poster.

It was all about volunteers working in Africa.

And it interested you?

Yes.

I took down the name and address and applied.

I had an interview locally and did some aptitude tests.

Then just before I left for Africa, there was a training weekend in London which they call Changes, and which gives you some idea of what you're letting yourself in for.

What particular skills could you offer?

I had a degree in economics, and I'd done some teaching at one time.

home.

What they wanted to send me to Africa to do was to train local farmers in the marketing of their produce.

I flew out with fifteen other volunteers, all going to do different things like nursing, teaching and so on.

When we got there, we were supposed to have a four-week course at a training centre learning something about the local culture

and the basics of the language, you know, greetings and things like that.

Anyway, there was a problem and it only lasted three weeks in the end.

Not enough, really.

Did it take a long time to get used to your new lifestyle?

I found it quite difficult for the first few weeks, but after that I settled in very well.

My area covered 1,200 square kilometres, and I had a truck for long-distance travel, but for more local trips I rode a motorbike.

How did you get on with the local people?

Very well.

The men were very polite, but they tended to keep their distance, unlike the women who were always inviting me to meals.

They showed me how they wove and dyed material to make clothes for themselves and their children.

I used to get magazines sent from England, and we'd spend ages looking at them.

I expect you found it very different when you returned to England.

Yes, I certainly did.

After two years of living very simply, I found the supermarkets especially overwhelming.

Just the enormous choice of food.

Also, the traffic disturbed me.

I had to move from my flat in the city to a small cottage in the country

just to get some of the peace and quiet I'd become accustomed to in Africa.

And what are you working on at the moment?

Well, I didn't want to just go back to working in someone else's office, so I set up my own business, which I run from home.

I deal in African furniture.

I bought some small pieces back with me as souvenirs, and everyone loved them in Britain.

However, I'm still in touch with the organisation that sent me to Africa as a volunteer.

I organise events to raise funds and give talks about my experience to encourage other people to go.

Has the experience in Africa changed you at all?

Oh, yes, in many ways.

I used to spend all my time working, but now I make sure I have more time for gardening my favourite hobby.

Well, I'd like to thank Elizabeth for coming into the studio today.

If you're interested in having your own...

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Who Can Benefit from This Video?

This video is ideal for intermediate English learners preparing for exams like the FCE (First Certificate in English) or those aiming to improve their listening and speaking skills. It focuses on real-life conversation, making it perfect for anyone wanting to practice understanding natural speech patterns and expand their ability to discuss personal experiences.

Key Vocabulary and Phrases to Master

Here are essential words and idioms from the dialogue, with quick explanations to boost your vocabulary:

Restless: Feeling unable to stay still or satisfied, e.g., "She was restless and wanted a change."
Aptitude tests: Exams to assess natural ability, e.g., "He passed the aptitude tests for the job."
Settled in: Became comfortable in a new place, e.g., "It took her a month to settle in at university."
Overwhelming: Intensely powerful or too much to handle, e.g., "The noise of the city was overwhelming."
Keep in touch: Stay connected, e.g., "We keep in touch via email."

Tips to Improve English Pronunciation with This Video

To master the speaker's clear, conversational tone, try the shadowing technique (also called "shadow speech"): play a short clip, pause, and repeat it immediately, mimicking the rhythm, stress, and intonation. Focus on these areas:

Connected speech: Notice how "I'd been" becomes "I'd bin" and "what you're" sounds like "whatcha're" – these reductions are key to natural pronunciation.
Stress in phrases: Words like "volunteer" and "marketing" have stress on the first syllable; practice emphasizing these to sound more fluent.
Intonation in questions: The interviewer uses rising intonation for follow-ups (e.g., "And it interested you?") – copy this to make your speech sound more engaging.

Learning English with YouTube videos like this one is a great way to practice real-world language. By combining shadowing with vocabulary study, you’ll quickly build confidence in both listening and speaking.

Grammar in this video

The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:

Structure	In the video
“Used to” used to + verb — a past habit or state that is no longer true	used to get · used to spend
Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thing	women who were

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.

Shadowing technique: read the full step-by-step guide →

Shadowing Practice: HỌC FCE 1 TEST 1 PART 2 - Learn English Speaking with Video

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What is the Shadowing Technique?