Shadowing Practice: IELTS listening actual test Part 3: Maori carving (answer+ transcript) - Learn English Speaking with YouTube
B2
Part 3.
189 sentences
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Part 3.
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You will hear two students named Amy and Mike discussing Maori carvings.
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First, you have some time to look at questions 21 to 25.
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Now listen carefully and answer questions 21 to 25.
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Hi Mike.
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Aren't these New Zealand carvings we've been studying in class fascinating?
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Oh, hi Amy.
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Oh, the Maori greenstone tikis.
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They're all a bit organic for my taste.
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You know, all curves and twisting shapes.
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I like modern stuff, geometric shapes,
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but I can see the skill involved in making them.
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But the stories behind the tikis are what make them interesting.
14
Besides, I imagine it would be difficult to create geometric patterns.
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The shape of each tiki seems to follow the natural contours of the stone.
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It's extremely hard, and it requires expertise and time to shape.
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That's true.
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I suppose that's why modern greenstone carvings are so expensive,
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but there aren't that many genuine old ones around.
20
Archaeologists rarely discover such treasures,
21
which is odd given they are such a huge part of Maori culture.
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I wonder if archaeological dig sites were raided and the tikis were taken to sell.
23
I believe it's because the owners valued them and so preserved them.
24
Many of them would have been passed down through the generations and remain in the possession of the families today, like heirlooms.
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Do you know what they were used for?
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I thought they were just an art form or a means of decoration,
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but Professor Matiu says that the Maori believed tikis were sacred and could be used as a pathway to their ancestors.
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They believed the dead could speak to them through these talismans.
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So they don't represent tribes or anything?
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Interesting.
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How many different kinds are there?
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There must be hundreds of variations.
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There are other greenstone carvings beside tikis,
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although I can't remember all their names.
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Traditional tikis themselves can be divided into two distinct groups though. Can they?
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By the materials?
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I've seen some with metal features.
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Or is it to do with size or where they were made?
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Actually, it is the ways that their feet,
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heads and hands are placed that make the major difference.
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Is it easy to discern the difference between the ancient stones and more modern reproductions?
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Are the styles very different?
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Modern reproductions usually use a different type of stone,
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although they may be of the same design.
45
They may also be of a smaller size.
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But it's actually quite easy to tell if you are buying a genuine carving or a mass-produced souvenir.
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How?
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Nowadays, they are produced by machine,
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using lasers even, so they have no blemishes.
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In genuine carvings, they aren't always perfect because the Maori used simple hand tools.
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For example, the hole that the cord is fed through isn't perfectly round.
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That makes sense.
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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 carefully and answer questions 26 to 30.
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Actually, it's amazing that they produce such detailed tikis with such simple tools and materials.
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Talk me through the process.
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I know the basic shape is carved from New Zealand greenstone.
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Yes, but first they had to get a blank of the right size.
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You mean a piece of stone of the right size and basic shape?
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That's right.
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They used a hard stone tool,
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something rough, to wear a groove into a piece of greenstone.
64
After they'd scored it with that,
65
they could just snap it in two.
66
I guess they could have used some kind of hammer, though.
67
They repeated the process until they had a piece of stone suitable for what they wanted to carve,
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usually flat pieces for tikis.
69
Right, because they're fairly small and quite thin.
70
Then they started carving?
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Not right away.
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Before they could start carving,
73
they needed an absolutely smooth, flat surface.
74
Nowadays, when we want to do something like that,
75
we'd clamp the stone in a and use a sander,
76
but they used a heavy block of sandstone
77
and rubbed the piece of greenstone on it over and over to prepare it for carving.
78
It must have been very time-consuming.
79
So how did they cut out the little details, like hands and feet?
80
They had carving tools.
81
They used small chips of stone glued and tied onto a wooden handle.
82
Then they also used a piece of sharpened bone made into a point.
83
Is that what they used to make the holes?
84
Actually, they had a special tool to make holes.
85
It was a stick tied between two heavy pebbles with a point at the end.
86
They would wrap string around it,
87
pull it back and forth to wear a hole into the tiki.
88
They used the same technique to make round shapes too,
89
but didn't make the hole go all the way through.
90
And I've seen some tikis with coloured eyes or decorations.
91
Are they painted?
92
Mostly they are inlaid with different coloured stone or mother of pearl from shells,
93
or sometimes dyed pieces of bone.
94
They were fixed in place using teratagum, a sticky plant resin.
95
They used plants to make the natural strings too.
96
That's right.
97
The Maori were very resourceful, weren't they?
98
They certainly were.
99
Thank you.
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Hi Mike.
101
Aren't these New Zealand carvings we've been studying in class fascinating?
102
Oh hi Amy.
103
Oh the Maori greenstone tikis.
104
They're all a bit organic for my taste.
105
You know, all curves and twisting shapes.
106
I like modern stuff, geometric shapes,
107
but I can see the skill involved in making them.
108
But the stories behind the tikis are what make them interesting.
109
Besides, I imagine it would be difficult to create geometrions.
110
The shape of each tiki seems to follow the natural contours of the stone.
111
It's extremely hard and it requires expertise and time to shape.
112
That's true.
113
I suppose that's why modern greenstone carvings are so expensive,
114
but there aren't that many genuine old ones around.
115
Archaeologists rarely discover such treasures,
116
which is odd given they are such a huge part of Maori culture.
117
I wonder if archaeological dig sites were raided and the tikis were taken to sell.
118
I believe it's because the owners valued them, and so preserved them.
119
Many of them would have been passed down through the generations and remain in the possession of the families today, like heirlooms.
120
Do you know what they were used for?
121
I thought they were just an art form or a means of decoration.
122
But Professor Matiu says that the Maori believed tikis were sacred and could be used as a pathway to their ancestors.
123
They believed the dead could speak to them through these talismans.
124
So they don't represent tribes or anything?
125
Interesting.
126
How many different kinds are there?
127
There must be hundreds of variations.
128
There are other greenstone carvings beside tikis,
129
although I can't remember all their names.
130
Traditional tikis themselves can be divided into two distinct groups though. Can they?
131
Buy the materials?
132
I've seen some with metal features.
133
Or is it to do with size or where they were made?
134
Actually, it is the ways that their feet,
135
heads and hands are placed that make the major difference.
136
Is it easy to discern the difference between the ancient stones and more modern reproductions?
137
Are the styles very different?
138
Modern reproductions usually use a different type of stone,
139
although they may be of the same design.
140
They may also be of a smaller size.
141
But it's actually quite easy to tell if you are buying a genuine carving or a mass-produced souvenir.
142
How?
143
Nowadays, they are produced by machine,
144
using lasers even, so they have no blemishes.
145
In genuine carvings, they aren't always perfect because the Maori used simple hand tools.
146
For example, the hole that the cord is fed through isn't perfectly round.
147
That makes sense.
148
Actually, it's amazing that they produce such detailed tikis with such simple tools and materials.
149
Talk me through the process.
150
I know the basic shape is carved from New Zealand greenstone.
151
Yes, but first they had to get a blank of the right size.
152
You mean a piece of stone of the right size and basic shape?
153
That's right.
154
They used a hard stone tool,
155
something rough, to wear a groove into a piece of greenstone.
156
After they'd scored it with that,
157
they could just snap it in two.
158
I guess they could have used some kind of hammer though.
159
They repeated the process until they had a piece of stone
160
suitable for what they wanted to carve – usually flat pieces for tikis.
161
Right, because they're fairly small and quite thin.
162
Then they started carving?
163
But right away, before they could start carving,
164
they needed an absolutely smooth, flat surface.
165
Nowadays, when we want to do something like that,
166
we'd clamp the stone in a vice and use a sander.
167
But they used a heavy block of sandstone
168
and rubbed the piece of greenstone on it over and over to prepare it for carving.
169
It must have been very time-consuming.
170
So how did they cut out the little details, like hands and feet?
171
They had carving tools.
172
They used small chips of stone glued and tied onto a wooden handle.
173
Then they also used a piece of sharpened bone made into a point.
174
Is that what they used to make the holes?
175
Actually, they had a special tool to make holes.
176
It was a stick tied between two heavy pebbles with a point at the end.
177
They would wrap string around it,
178
pull it back and forth to wear a hole into the tiki.
179
They used the same technique to make round shapes too,
180
but didn't make the hole go all the way through.
181
And I've seen some tikis with coloured eyes or decorations.
182
Are they painted?
183
Mostly they are inlaid with different coloured stone or mother of pearl from shells,
184
or sometimes dyed pieces of bone.
185
They were fixed in place using teratagum, a sticky plant resin.
186
They used plants to make the natural strings too.
187
That's right.
188
The Maori were very resourceful, weren't they?
189
They certainly were.
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About This Lesson
In this lesson, you will practice listening comprehension and spoken English through a conversation between two students, Amy and Mike, discussing Maori carvings. This audio segment provides an engaging context for expanding your vocabulary and understanding how conversational English works in an academic setting. As you listen to their dialogue, you will gain insights into cultural aspects related to Maori carvings, while enhancing your listening and speaking skills. The lesson aims to help you navigate discussions about art, cultural heritage, and craftsmanship, making it ideal for learners who want to improve their English through real-life dialogues. Get ready to learn English with YouTube!
Key Vocabulary & Phrases
- Maori carvings - Artistic representations traditionally made by the Maori people of New Zealand.
- Greenstone - A type of stone often used in Maori carvings, known for its beauty and durability.
- Tiki - A carved figure representing ancestors in Maori culture, believed to be sacred.
- Archaeologists - Scientists who study human history through excavations and analysis of artifacts.
- Heirloom - An item of special value that has been passed down through generations within a family.
- Talismans - Objects that are believed to hold spiritual significance and provide protection.
- Mass-produced - Items made in large quantities often through machinery, lacking the uniqueness of handcrafted goods.
- Contours - The outlines or shapes of an object, especially in relation to how it follows the natural features of materials.
Practice Tips
As you engage with this listening exercise, consider using the technique of shadow speech to enhance your pronunciation and fluency. Listen carefully to the audio and mimic the speakers, focusing on their intonation and pacing. The conversation between Amy and Mike features a friendly, casual tone that makes it a great example for practicing shadowspeak.
To effectively practice:
- Play the audio segment at a comfortable speed, pausing frequently to repeat phrases or sentences.
- Pay attention to the emotions expressed by the speakers, as this can help you convey meaning more naturally in your own conversations.
- Try to emulate Amy’s questioning tone and Mike’s explanatory style, which will help you adapt to different conversational roles.
- Record yourself to identify areas where you can improve, making adjustments as needed after listening to your own pronunciation.
- Utilize a shadowing site that provides additional resources or audio clips to further enhance your practice.
By practicing regularly with this content, you will become more confident in your English speaking abilities and will likely find it easier to engage in discussions about various topics, including arts and culture.
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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