Shadowing Practice: IELTS listening actual test Part 4: The archeological site of Trimera (answer+ transcript) - Learn English Speaking with Video
Creating lesson...
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Section 4.
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You will hear part of a student presentation about work on an archaeological site in southern Europe.
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First, you have some time to look at questions 31 to 40 on pages 7 and 8.
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Now listen carefully and answer questions 31 to 40. For my presentation,
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I'm going to talk to you about the archaeological dig I
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went on in the summer at the site of Trimora in southern Europe near the Mediterranean Sea.
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The site is backed by a range of mountains to the north, overlooking a green, fertile plain to the south.
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Let me first give you an idea of the history of the area and the growth of the city.
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The first evidence we have of human settlement in the Trimora area is of hunter -gatherers around 12 ,000 years ago.
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Later, about 5 ,000 years ago, farmers settled along the many rivers which cut across the plain and later still,
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From about 2 ,500 years ago, the city of Trimora was established,
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and it soon became a regional center for trade.
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The city was first invaded by the Greeks around 300 BC.
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than the Romans in 100 BC.
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Under the Romans it became very prosperous and traded in grain, olives, and pottery.
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Then, in 518 A .D., An earthquake destroyed Trimora, and the city was abandoned.
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However, much of the city was covered with soil and rock by the earthquake, and so, luckily for us archaeologists,
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many of the ruins survived intact.
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The first report on the ruins dates back to around 1706, when a French explorer passed through the area.
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He thought that what he was seeing were the ruins of a castle.
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in the 19th century a british archaeologist began to explore the site
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and later a polish count made the first map of the area
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and recorded some of the inscriptions which were visible on the surface However,
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it was not until 1982 that a Swedish archaeologist made a full survey of the ruins of Trimora.
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The first remains to be excavated were identified as those of the market.
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Archaeologists were trying to establish how trade was organized here and the type of goods which were commonly bought and sold.
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In and around this area, various examples of silver coins have come to light.
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During the Roman period, it appears that the city was completely reorganized.
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The public squares were paved, as were the main streets.
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There is also some proof to suggest that textile production was an important industry.
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The huge prosperity during this period was helped by the fact
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that the city was responsible for provisioning the Roman army in the eastern region.
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Now what I'd like to do is talk about some of the more important buildings in some detail.
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First of all, the Doric House.
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This Greek building is located to the east of the city, near the copper mines.
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This building is where the local population would come to get their water.
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The fact that the ruins were so well preserved has meant
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that the team of archaeologists excavating the site has been able to partially reconstruct the building.
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The remains of a theater are to be found in the northwest of the city,
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adjacent to the river, where a magnificent bridge made of stone has recently been unearthed.
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in roman times the theater appears to have been extended
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and may have been able to take up to 5 000 spectators
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In the southwestern corner of the city are the remains of an elegant stairway.
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It dates back to about 37 AD.
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The stairway is decorated with sculptures of lions as opposed to bears found in other parts of the site.
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This is possibly because of trading links with Africa.
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Finally, the most recent discovery has been at the site of the Roman baths in the central area of Trimora.
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Here, a huge statue of an emperor from the Roman period was excavated.
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It appears to have been carved in pieces and then taken to the site and put together.
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The statue is very finely detailed, and the recent discovery of marble toes and the hem of a dress suggests
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that a companion statue may also be buried in the bath's site.
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During the dig, I was responsible for many...
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That is the end of Section 4.
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you now have half a minute to check your answers.
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That is the end of the listening test.
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You now have 10 minutes to transfer your answers to the listening answer sheet. or D. For my presentation,
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I'm going to talk to you about the archaeological dig I
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went on in the summer at the site of Trimora in southern Europe near the Mediterranean Sea.
59
The site is backed by a range of mountains to the north, overlooking a green, fertile plain to the south.
60
Let me first give you an idea of the history of the area and the growth of the city.
61
The first evidence we have of human settlement in the Trimora area is of hunter -gatherers around 12 ,000 years ago.
62
Later, about 5 ,000 years ago, farmers settled along the many rivers which cut across the plain and later still,
63
From about 2 ,500 years ago, the city of Trimora was established,
64
and it soon became a regional center for trade.
65
The city was first invaded by the Greeks around 300 BC.
66
than the Romans in 100 BC.
67
Under the Romans it became very prosperous and traded in grain, olives, and pottery.
68
Then, in 518 A .D., an earthquake destroyed Trimora, and the city was abandoned.
69
However, much of the city was covered with soil and rock by the earthquake, and so, luckily for us archaeologists,
70
many of the ruins survived intact.
71
The first report on the ruins dates back to around 1706, when a French explorer passed through the area.
72
He thought that what he was seeing were the ruins of a castle.
73
in the 19th century a british archaeologist began to explore the site
74
and later a polish count made the first map of the area
75
and recorded some of the inscriptions which were visible on the surface However,
76
it was not until 1982 that a Swedish archaeologist made a full survey of the ruins of Trimora.
77
The first remains to be excavated were identified as those of the market.
78
Archaeologists were trying to establish how trade was organized here and the type of goods which were commonly bought and sold.
79
In and around this area, various examples of silver coins have come to light.
80
During the Roman period, it appears that the city was completely reorganized.
81
The public squares were paved, as were the main streets.
82
There is also some proof to suggest that textile production was an important industry.
83
The huge prosperity during this period was helped by the fact
84
that the city was responsible for provisioning the Roman army in the eastern region.
85
Okay.
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Now what I'd like to do is talk about some of the more important buildings in some detail.
87
First of all, the Doric House.
88
This Greek building is located to the east of the city, near the copper mines.
89
This building is where the local population would come to get their water.
90
The fact that the ruins were so well preserved has meant
91
that the team of archaeologists excavating the site has been able to partially reconstruct the building.
92
The remains of a theater are to be found in the northwest of the city,
93
adjacent to the river, where a magnificent bridge made of stone has recently been unearthed.
94
in roman times the theater appears to have been extended
95
and may have been able to take up to 5 000 spectators
96
In the southwestern corner of the city are the remains of an elegant stairway.
97
It dates back to about 37 AD.
98
The stairway is decorated with sculptures of lions as opposed to bears found in other parts of the site.
99
This is possibly because of trading links with Africa.
100
Finally, the most recent discovery has been at the site of the Roman baths in the central area of Trimora.
101
Here, a huge statue of an emperor from the Roman period was excavated.
102
It appears to have been carved in pieces and then taken to the site and put together.
103
The statue is very finely detailed, and the recent discovery of marble toes and the hem of a dress suggests
104
that a companion statue may also be buried in the bath's site.
105
During the dig, I was responsible for many...
Context & Background
In this part of the IELTS listening test, a student presents findings from an archaeological dig at the site of Trimora in southern Europe, near the Mediterranean Sea. The speaker provides a detailed overview of the site's historical significance, from the early hunter-gatherer settlements to the thriving city during the Roman Empire. The presentation offers insights into trade practices, daily life, and key architectural features of the ancient city. This context is rich for English learners, especially those preparing for the IELTS exam, as it showcases not only historical vocabulary but also various descriptive language forms that can enhance speaking skills.
Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication
Here are five phrases extracted from the transcript that are useful for daily communication, especially in academic or professional contexts:
- "Let me first give you an idea of..." – A common way to introduce a topic or explain a concept.
- "As opposed to..." – This phrase is great for making comparisons.
- "During the Roman period..." – Useful for discussing historical contexts.
- "The fact that..." – This phrase helps in emphasizing important points.
- "What I'd like to do is talk about..." – A polite way to transition to a new topic or point.
Step-by-step Shadowing Guide
Shadowing is an effective technique to improve English speaking skills. Here’s how to utilize this specific video for shadowspeak:
- Listen Actively: Play the audio from the presentation once. Focus on understanding the overall context without taking notes.
- Read Along: Access the transcript while listening. This dual engagement helps with comprehension and pronunciation.
- Begin Shadowing: Play the audio section by section. Pause after each sentence or phrase. Repeat what you hear, mimicking the speaker’s tone and intonation.
- Practice Daily: Integrate these practices into your daily routine as part of your IELTS speaking practice. Aim for at least 15-20 minutes of shadow speaks.
- Record Yourself: For feedback, record your shadowing attempts. Compare your pronunciation with the original audio. Look for areas of improvement in clarity or fluency.
By following this structured approach using the archaeological presentation on Trimora, learners can not only improve their vocabulary and pronunciation but also deepen their understanding of academic vocabulary and historical contexts, aiding in their IELTS preparation.
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.