Shadowing Practice: IELTS Cambridge 20 – Test 1: Listening Part 1 - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

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IELTS 20.
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119 sentences
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IELTS 20.
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Published by Cambridge University Press and Assessment 2025.
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This recording is copyright.
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Test 1.
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This is the IELTS listening test.
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You will hear a number of different recordings and you will have to answer questions on what you hear.
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There will be time for you to read the instructions and questions,
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and you will have a chance to check your work.
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All the recordings will be played once only.
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The test is in four parts.
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At the end of the test,
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you will be given ten minutes to transfer your answers to an answer sheet.
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Now turn to part one.
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Part 1.
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You will hear a woman asking a friend for restaurant recommendations.
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First, you have some time to look at questions 1 to 4.
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Now listen carefully and answer questions 1 to 4.
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I've been meaning to ask you for some advice about restaurants.
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I need to book somewhere to celebrate my sister's 30th birthday,
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and I liked the sound of that place you went to for your mum's 50th.
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The Junction.
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Yeah, I'd definitely recommend that for a special occasion.
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Everyone really enjoyed it.
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Where is it again?
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I can't remember.
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It's on Grayson Street, only about a two-minute walk from the station.
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Oh, that's good.
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I'd prefer not to have to drive anywhere.
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But I don't want to have to walk too far either.
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Yes, the location's perfect, but that's not necessarily why I'd recommend it.
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The food's amazing.
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If you like fish, it's probably the best restaurant in town for that.
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It's always really fresh, and there are lots of interesting dishes to choose from.
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But all the food is good there.
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Is it really expensive?
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It's certainly not cheap, but for a special occasion I think it's fine.
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It's got a great atmosphere,
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and before dinner you can go up on the roof and have a drink.
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It's really nice up there,
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but you need to book.
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It's very popular, as the views are spectacular.
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Hmm, sounds good.
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So that's definitely a possibility, then.
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Is there anywhere else you can think of?
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Um, if you want somewhere a bit less formal,
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then you could try Paloma.
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Where's that?
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I haven't heard of it.
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No, it's quite new.
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It's only been open a few months,
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but it's got a great reputation already.
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It's in a really beautiful old building on Bow Street.
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Oh, I think I know where you mean.
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Right beside the cinema.
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Yes, that's it.
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I've only been there a couple of times,
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but I was really impressed.
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The chef used to work at Don Felipe's, apparently.
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I was really sorry when that closed down.
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So is all the food they serve Spanish, then?
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Yeah.
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You can get lots of small dishes to share,
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which always works really well if you're in a group.
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Hmm.
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Worth thinking about.
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Yeah.
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There's a lively atmosphere and the waiters are really friendly.
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The only thing is that you need to pay a £50 deposit to book a table.
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A lot of restaurants are doing that these days.
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I should have a look at the menu to check there's a good choice of vegetarian dishes.
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A couple of my friends have stopped eating meat.
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Not sure.
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I'd say the selection of those would be quite limited.
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Before you hear the rest of the conversation,
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you have some time to look at questions 5 to 10.
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Now listen and answer questions 5 to 10.
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I've just thought of another idea.
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Have you been to the Audley?
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No, don't think I've heard of it.
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How's it spelt?
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A-U-D-L-E-Y.
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You must have heard of it.
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There's been a lot about it in the press.
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I don't tend to pay much attention to that kind of thing.
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So where is it exactly?
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It's in that hotel near Baxter Bridge on the top floor.
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Oh, the views would be incredible from up there.
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Yeah, I'd love to go.
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I can't think of the chef's name,
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but she was a judge on that TV cookery show recently.
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And she's written a couple of cookery books.
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Oh, Angela Frayne.
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That's the one.
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Anyway, it's had excellent reviews from all the newspapers.
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That would be a memorable place for a celebration.
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Definitely.
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Obviously it's worth going there just for the view,
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but the food is supposed to be really special.
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She only likes cooking with local products, doesn't she?
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Yes.
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Everything at the restaurant has to be sourced within a short distance,
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and absolutely nothing flown in from abroad.
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I imagine it's really expensive, though.
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Well, you could go for the set lunch.
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That's quite reasonable for a top-class restaurant.
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£30 a head.
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In the evening, I think it'd be more like £50.
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At least that, I should think.
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But I'm sure everyone would enjoy it.
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It's not the kind of place you leave feeling hungry, though, is it?
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With tiny portions.
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No, the reviews I've read didn't mention that.
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I imagine they'd be average.
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Well, that's all great.
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Thanks so much.
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That is the end of part one.
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You now have one minute to check your answers to part one.
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Thank you.
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Thank you.

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Why practice speaking with this video?

Practicing your speaking skills through the IELTS speaking practice video, "IELTS Cambridge 20 – Test 1: Listening Part 1," provides an authentic context for real-life conversations. In this segment, a woman is seeking restaurant recommendations from a friend, creating a relatable scenario that many English learners encounter. Engaging with such content allows you to hear natural dialogues, enhancing your understanding of everyday conversations.

By shadowing the speakers, you can improve your fluency and pronunciation. Listening first and then mimicking their speech helps solidify your grasp of conversational English. Additionally, this exercise improves your listening comprehension and prepares you for similar discussions in daily life. Using a shadowspeak or shadowing app can aid in this practice, allowing you to repeat phrases and sentences after hearing them.

Grammar & Expressions in Context

Throughout the conversation, several key structures and phrases emerge that are essential for effective communication:

  • Requesting advice: “I need to book somewhere to celebrate my sister's 30th birthday.” This structure is useful for asking for recommendations in various contexts.
  • Evaluating options: “I’d definitely recommend that for a special occasion.” This expression helps convey personal opinions and suggestions clearly.
  • Expressing preferences: “I’d prefer not to have to drive anywhere.” Learning to articulate preferences can enhance your conversational skills, making your responses more relevant and engaging.
  • Talking about costs: “It's certainly not cheap, but for a special occasion I think it's fine.” This structure helps in discussing price considerations while maintaining a polite tone.

Common Pronunciation Traps

Within this video, certain words and phrases may pose challenges in terms of pronunciation:

  • Restaurant: Often mispronounced, it’s essential to practice this word as it frequently arises in conversations about dining.
  • Grayson Street: Place names can be tricky, especially if they contain uncommon sounds or are difficult to read for non-native speakers.
  • Atmosphere: Pay attention to the syllable stress; it is common to underestimate the importance of intonation in such descriptive terms.

By focusing on these words and consistently practicing with the learn English with youtube method, learners can overcome common pronunciation issues. Shadowing the speakers, either through repetition or with an appropriate app, allows for improvement in clarity and confidence when speaking.

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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