Shadowing Practice: IELTS Cambridge 20 – Test 1: Listening Part 2 - Learn English Speaking with Video

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Part 2 You will hear a potter, Heather McCallum, speaking to a group of people who are visiting a pottery.
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a place where people make pots and other objects from clay.
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First, you have some time to look at questions 11 to 16.
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Now listen carefully and answer questions 11 to 16.
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Hello and welcome.
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My name's Heather McCallum and I'm one of the potters who work here at Edelman Pottery.
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Before we go into the workshop, I just want to say a bit about the craft of pottery.
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Then we'll have a look at the equipment and you can try making a pot of your own.
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Like many people, I'm sure you know that pottery as an art form is tens of thousands of years old.
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and we know this because it stands the test of time.
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things like baskets and pictures don't survive in the earth in the same way that pots do.
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And even if ancient pots are found in small pieces, They still provide a lot of information about the past.
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There's no doubt that pottery has given archaeologists A fascinating insight into how ancient humans lived.
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The shape of an artifact may have been lost.
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But archaeologists can tell whether the pots were for, say, storage, or cooking by examining the impressions on the clay,
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the scratches from tools, and the clay itself can reveal where the pots came from.
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When I ask people why they want to take a pottery class with me, They sometimes talk about these things.
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Like our ancestors, they hope that something they create will also last longer than they do.
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That their work, whether it is good or not, might say something about humanity many years after their death.
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"Of course, you will all have your own reasons for coming here." As far as I'm concerned,
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what I love most is the concentration you need to make a good pot.
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That focus takes you away from the stresses of everyday life.
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If you're elderly, it's also good exercise for hands and wrists and helps with arthritis.
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And of course, it's a fun activity for children because it's so messy.
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Here at Edelman Pottery, we show you some of the basic pottery techniques, so that you can use these to create whatever you wish.
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A gift for a friend, perhaps?
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Like nearly everyone who comes here, I'm sure this is the first time you will have tried the art.
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So we'll keep things simple today.
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Now, before we move on, can I just say a word about what you're wearing?
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As we said in our email, Please remove any watches, necklaces, etc. and put them somewhere safe.
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If you have long hair, do tie it back now.
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We'll provide aprons later, but I trust your clothes are old but comfortable, not your favourite T -shirt or jeans.
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Before you hear the rest of the talk, You have some time to look at questions 17 to 20.
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Now listen and answer questions 17 to 20.
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So now we're in the workshop.
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Have a look around.
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There's a lot going on.
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To make pottery that will last, you need a potter's wheel,
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a kiln, which is basically a very hot oven where you fire the pottery, and some tools. So first, the kiln.
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If you look over in the far corner, you'll see one of ours.
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Since their invention, kilns have changed very little, though in the past 20 years, a lot of progress has been made in temperature control.
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Basically, a kiln removes the water from clay at temperatures of around 1000 degrees Celsius.
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This allows anything you've made to set permanently in shape.
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It's a pretty ugly heavy object that's hard to keep in a house or flat, so most people don't have one.
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You may think, can't I use my oven?
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Well, that's possible, but domestic ovens don't really get hot enough and eventually the clay will crack and fall apart.
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Some people fire pottery in a fire pit outside, but bear in mind that can be dangerous.
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You also need to know about safety procedures for kilns as they release toxic compounds into the air.
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Every Potter needs a Potter's Wheel.
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This machine is used to shape the clay into an object with circular walls or sides, such as a bowl.
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Its invention revolutionised the pottery industry, allowing multiple items to be produced in a day.
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Lastly, there are a number of different tools that potters use, depending on what they want to make.
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When you start, your hands can make all kinds of shapes and curves without relying on a sculpting tool.
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However, there are some basic tools that you will need to handle the clay on the wheel.
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Some look very strange and have even odder names that you may find hard to remember.
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Rather than go through them all now, I'll just name a few tools as we go along.
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We can provide these and I wouldn't recommend spending money on them yet.
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So, let's try making a pot of your own.
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If you sit down...
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That is the end of part two.
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You now have 30 seconds to check your answers to part two.

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About This Lesson

In this lesson, you will practice listening to a talk by Heather McCallum, a potter, as she introduces the art of pottery and its historical significance. You will hear her explain the materials and techniques involved in pottery making, as well as the essential equipment used in the process, such as a potter’s wheel and a kiln. By focusing on this engaging topic, you will improve your ability to understand spoken English in a real-world context and learn specific vocabulary related to pottery. This will not only enhance your listening skills but also help you learn English with YouTube as you gain familiarity with terminology and expressions used in the craft.

Key Vocabulary & Phrases

  • Pottery: The art or craft of making pots and other objects from clay.
  • Kino: A very hot oven used to fire pottery, making it permanent.
  • Potter's wheel: A device used to shape clay into circular objects.
  • Craft: A skill or art involving making things by hand.
  • Archaeologists: Scientists who study human history and prehistory through the excavation of sites.
  • Technique: A way of carrying out a particular task, especially the execution or performance of an artistic work.
  • Impressions: Marks left on a surface, which can provide information about past uses.
  • Safety procedures: Guidelines or rules designed to ensure safe practice in potentially hazardous activities.

Practice Tips

To gain the maximum benefit from this video and improve English pronunciation, utilize the shadowing technique. Listen to Heather's speech carefully, focusing on her intonation and rhythm. Shadow speak by mimicking her exact pace and tone as she describes pottery-making. Start by pausing the video frequently after each segment to repeat what she says. This method is particularly effective due to the clear and engaging manner in which she speaks. Remember to focus on expressing the words exactly as she does; this will significantly enhance your ability to improve English pronunciation over time. Engaging with content that captures your interest, like pottery, makes the learning process enjoyable and effective. Keep practicing until you feel confident enough to speak along with her without pausing. This interactive listening exercise will not only deepen your understanding of pottery but also refine your English speaking skills in a fun way.

Grammar in this video

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

StructureIn the video
Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does itare found · have been lost · has been made
Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters nowhas given · have changed · you've made
Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thingpeople who are · everyone who comes · kiln, which is

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 →