Shadowing Practice: IELTS Listening Actual Tests Vol 5 Test 3 - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Test 3.
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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, 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 sections.
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At the end of the test, you will be given ten minutes to transfer your answers to an answer sheet.
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Now turn to section 1.
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Section 1.
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You will hear a woman phoning an antique shop complaining about the delivery service and some damage to the item she purchased.
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First, you have some time to look at questions 1 to 4.
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You will see that there is an example which has been done for you.
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On this occasion only, the conversation relating to this will be played first.
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Hello, this is the Complaint Centre of the Service Department at Clifton Antiques.
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Before we start, I'll just need to take more details from you, OK?
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Sure, no problem.
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Well, could you please tell me your full name, madam?
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It is Anna Lumley.
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That's Anna, L -U -M -L -E -Y.
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The caller's name is Anna Lumley, so Anna Lumley has been written in the space.
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Now we shall begin.
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You should answer the questions as you listen, because you will not hear the recording a second time.
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Listen carefully and answer questions 1 to 4.
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Hello.
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This is the Complaint Centre of the Service Department at Clifton Antiques.
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Before we start, I'll just need to take more details from you, OK?
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Sure, no problem.
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Well, could you please tell me your full name, madam?
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It is Anna Lumley.
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That's Anna, L -U -M -L -E -Y.
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All right.
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L -U -M -O -E -Y.
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Not exactly.
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The fourth letter is L, not O.
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Oh, sorry.
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Let me rewrite it.
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And may I have your contact number that we can use to reach you during the week?
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Sure.
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My mobile phone number is 077 -876 -345.
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Great.
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Now what can I do for you today, Anna?
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I placed an order for a large quantity of items with you last week, on the 20th of February, and had been expecting them to arrive at the office in a week.
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However, only half of the shipment has been delivered.
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I would just like to ensure that they haven't gone missing in transit.
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All right, madam.
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It's a pity we have caused this inconvenience to you.
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I'll look for the parcel track record and see
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if I can give you a date when you should receive the rest of your order.
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What was your delivery list listed?
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I made the arrangements for the parcel to be conveyed from
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your warehouse on Ardell Road to my office address at 235 Arkendale Road.
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Sorry, could you say it again, the address?
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Yes.
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235 Arkendale Road, A -K -E -N -D -A -L -E.
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In East Sea?
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Yes, sir.
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Well, OK.
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Our system has tracked your parcel, which shows that your shipment has been received.
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However, there's no record about the lost items.
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I would suggest that you wait for two days, and if the other items don't arrive, then you might need to consider to claim insurance coverage for the value of the rest.
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How much are they worth?
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Um, they cost me $34 ,500 in total.
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All right.
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For this amount, I think 10 % will be covered by the insurance company.
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Therefore, you could claim $3 ,450 from them.
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If you'd like to, there is a form on our website that you can fill in, and when the loss is confirmed, you'll get the money within five working days.
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The rest of the money will be refunded to you in a month, so you won't suffer a financial loss.
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It sounds reasonable.
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Before you hear the rest of the conversation, 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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Yet it is necessary to make a list of your lost items so we can check it against our records.
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Is that OK?
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Of course, OK.
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It is unfortunate that a few of the missing items are one of a kind, and thus irreplaceable.
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Also, there were many small items that aren't very valuable, like lamps and chairs.
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However, there was a large item of antique furniture and a bag filled with first edition books, which was some of the first ever to be printed on a press.
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Right, OK.
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Anything else?
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Yeah, there was also some important items, a Victorian rocking chair for my daughter,
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some large oil paintings originating from the Edwardian period, and a few decorated fruit bowls.
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Right.
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OK.
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I've taken down the list of these missing items, so I'll call the warehouse to see if any of them are still there.
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Ah, I almost forgot.
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There are several other pieces that I've spotted on your website and wanted to order.
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May I do that now?
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It is definitely okay.
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Would you tell me a little about the items you're looking to buy?
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There is a gold clock and a golden -framed vintage mirror.
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Okay, perfect.
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The charge will be taken from the payment card that you used before.
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You can expect them to be delivered within the next week.
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Is there anything else that I can do for you today?
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Yes.
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I received two damaged items in the shipment, so I need to claim for a partial refund.
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Oh, sorry.
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I need to know more about the details of the actual
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damage over the phone line before you put in a full report.
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What kinds of pieces are damaged?
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A drawer is missing from the antique mahogany desk, and I also spotted a dent on one of the corners, so it's basically unusable.
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I see.
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Do you know how much it will cost to repair it?
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No. Well, I don't think it's repairable.
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I will have to buy a new one.
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Sorry.
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I'll take a note of that and see what we can do for compensation.
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Anything else?
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I also purchased a set of dining chairs with navy leather padding, however the color is fading, and one of the legs has completely split down the middle.
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Okay.
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Are there any other damaged pieces?
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Yes.
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There is a set of Chinese crockery to furnish my dining room table, but when I opened the case, I found that a cup was lost, and that some plates had smashed.
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Four, actually.
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And is that all of the item?
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Yes, I think that's all.
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Right.
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I'll estimate the value of the damage and a refund will be issued.
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OK.
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Cheers for your great help.
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No problem.
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My pleasure.
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Goodbye.
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That is the end of Section 1.
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You now have half a minute to check your answers.
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Now turn to Section 2.
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Section 2.
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You will hear part of a broadcast for tourists about the popular holiday region called the Trelloa Valley.
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First, you have some time to look at questions 11 to 14.
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Now listen carefully and answer questions 11 to 14.
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An unspoiled, splendid scenery takes its shape in the valley and estuary of the River Trelloa.
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Abundant with wildlife, as well as views of historic interest, There are lots of channels to explore the area with the wonderful public transport networks.
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With just short walks in between spots, it is possible for you to leave the car behind and travel by boat, train or bus.
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There is the Treloar Valley Passenger Ferry running between villages, alongside the river estuary, and serves as a link with the train station at Bury,
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from which it takes only a 10 -minute walk from the riverside village of Carlton.
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In the past, the main transport way in the area was the river, and as in the past, the ferry timetable varied from day to day according to the time and height of the tide.
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The ferry is also seasonal, usually running its business during the period between April and September, depending on the weather.
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Visiting our website, www .treloaferry .co .uk, it's convenient to download the timetable.
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If you would like to relax and enjoy the wonderful scenery, just take a river cruise to Carlton and back from the nearby city of Plymouth.
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Visitors were carried along the same route by steamships in the past.
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Queen Victoria and her family also enjoyed such a trip in 1856.
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Today, it takes you a few hours to do the journey.
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The round trip only lasts for four to five hours, varying in terms of the tides and weather.
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You can travel upriver by boat and return to Plymouth by train if you prefer.
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There will be wheelchair access on all the cruise boat trains.
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For more information and departure times, please ring Plymouth Boat Cruise on 01752 823 104.
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Trains travel between Carleton and Plymouth many times a day with different stations in between throughout the year.
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Local commuters as well as visitors who fancy the lovely scenery prefer to use the service.
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The highlight of the journey is going across the river on the amazing viaduct, which was constructed in the early period of the 20th century,
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and it towers 120 feet over the water.
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Tickets can be directly bought on the train, so it is unnecessary to book ahead.
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You can reach National Rail Enquiries by phone or online for more details on fares and timetables.
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The bus service is now linking all train stations and villages in the zone, especially for holidaymakers.
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There is a Rover ticket, including unlimited journeys, which can be used on weekends and national holidays.
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The Rover ticket offers great value for money and is now even cheaper than it was last year.
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Adults, a ticket costs £5 .50 per day.
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For senior citizens, the cost is £4 .50, and a family ticket for up to five people only costs £12.
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You can purchase tickets on the bus.
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Before you hear the rest of the talk, you have some time to look at questions 15 to 20.
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Now listen and answer questions 15 to 20.
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At the centre of the Trelaw Estuary area is the historic Riverside village of Carlton.
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The main road comes into the village from the south, and for those who are riding by bus, it turns left, just before the bridge, and stops in the lay -by on the left -hand side.
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From there, it's just a short walk to Carlton's various attractions.
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If you're arriving by car, you have to leave it in the main car park.
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Go over the bridge, take the first turning on the right, then go on until you come to the end of that road.
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It's the only place to park in Carlton, but there's no charge.
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If you're interested in local history, there's a museum in Carlton with farming, fishing and household implements from the late 19th century.
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As you come in from the south, cross the river and go straight on the same road till you reach the end.
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Also on the subject of history, you can go and see the old mill, which has recently been renovated and put back into use.
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Turn left before you come to the bridge, then go straight on and take the first turning on the right.
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This leads straight there.
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If you're interested in arts and crafts, there's a potter's studio where you can watch the artist at work.
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After crossing the bridge, turn left and it's the second building on the left.
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Finally, when you're in need of refreshments, there's a cafe opposite the old boathouse and a picnic area near the mill.
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That is the end of Section 2.
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You now have half a minute to check your answers.
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Now turn to Section 3.
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Section 3.
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You will hear two students who are taking a research methodology course.
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A girl called Lila and a boy called Jake having a seminar with their tutor.
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First, you have some time to look at questions 21 to 24.
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Now listen carefully and answer questions 21 to 24.
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So I gave you both a task to select an article about a small -scale research project.
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Yes.
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And required you to have a trial to replicate the procedures of the research in your own context.
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I mean, try it out yourself.
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Yeah, and we've done that.
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Nice.
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In this way, I want you to tell me a little bit about the article
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and explain why it started applying crosswords to assist the students to review the exam terminologies.
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All right.
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The article was written by two university professors who had initially used crosswords to help the students revise the terminology for exams.
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And the crosswords were designed and installed on computers.
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And we selected the article because, though we weren't familiar with the technique, it seems an accessible topic,
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you know, using IT to design crosswords for higher education.
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That's a good reason.
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So both of the professors would like to see how well this innovation was received by their students.
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Yes.
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So what has been going on with your reproducing the research?
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Well, we collected a series of some terms from our own modules and put them in a list.
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Then we designed a crossword to revise them.
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Then we invited some of our classmates to try out our crossword and then ask for some feedback from them, you know, like their feelings,
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views, as well as some suggestions about using this technique.
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Did you find it easy to have people participate in it?
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Not really.
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First, you know, it was actually hard, but later when we convinced them by talking about the actual benefit
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that they will get from participating in this research on preparing for an exam which is coming up later this semester?
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It functioned.
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Great.
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So how did you get the feedback from the students that tells you their thought about the crosswords?
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By a questionnaire.
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There were two pages in the original questionnaire and it included lots of X -linked questions.
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But the whole section about difficulties using IT is now out of date.
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Even the questionnaire had just been finished a few years ago.
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So have you done a shorter version?
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Sure.
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And then we emailed it to 40 students and received 28 replies, I was disappointed by the fact, but this was a relatively good result.
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I mean, the responses we got from them were well -written.
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You know, people did take a lot of care with them, but I was still taken aback with the low numbers.
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Yes, for an apprentice researcher, it's an important lesson to learn.
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Yeah.
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Before you hear the rest of the talk, you have some time to look at questions 25 to 30.
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Now listen to answer questions 25 to 30.
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So what was your result?
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Well, basically their feedback was extremely positive.
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The students said that crosswords on a computer really helped them not to get distracted
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and stay focused on the work in hand, which is better than other ways of doing the revision that are often disturbed by other things.
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Yeah, that was really clear, but I was struck by the fact that they hardly featured having fun in their responses,
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nor did anything to do with spelling of hard words, which I thought would apparently be a benefit.
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No?
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OK.
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Their responses also said that the crossword hadn't really prompted their general motivation to study, but it had highlighted the gaps in their memory
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so they could figure out what kind of work was necessary to do further.
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Right.
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So how did your findings compare with those done by the original researchers?
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There were a couple of similarities, but...
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We still found two primary differences.
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Compared with females...
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More males liked the technique, yet the original findings were the reverse case.
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Also, our respondents said they wouldn't mind doing a crossword in the final official exam.
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Even in the original study, it showed that even if crossword makes exams shorter, they would not like it to be included.
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For informal purposes, of course, both sets of respondents said doing more crosswords would be of great interest to them, like revision and so on.
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Right.
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So let's think about the whole project and what you've learned from it.
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Well, it really took a long time.
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Yeah, and I don't think we handled that aspect well.
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It could have gone worse.
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I mean, there was not much data collected, so we didn't have to spend ages dealing with it.
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And since we'd already done a course on numerical data processing, there wasn't much new for us.
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Yeah, definitely.
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Anyway, I think the questions we designed were good, so that the data we collected was manageable.
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Yeah, it really helped having the original study to guide us, as it were.
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And that helped us to see what a good instrument research is.
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What questionnaires should be like.
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Absolutely, we got a lot from that.
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But when we were writing up the project, we weren't sure on how to acknowledge the work of the original study.
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You know, our referencing.
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No, that's what we both need to learn in the future.
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Actually, that part's been great.
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Finding ways to share and support another person.
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That's the real plus from the project, learning ways to do that.
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Well, it's obviously been very successful.
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That is the end of Section 3.
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You now have half a minute to check your answers.
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Now turn to Section 4.
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Section 4.
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You will hear a sociology lecture about the perspectives of time.
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First, you have some time to look at questions 31 to 40.
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Now listen carefully.
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Answer questions 31 to 40.
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Today, I would like to share something with you about time.
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Particularly, I'll be looking at the way we think about time, and how these perspectives of time structure our life.
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Social psychologists have pointed out that there are six ways of thinking about time, which they regard as personal time zones.
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The first two types of time zones are based in the past.
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Past positive thinkers usually spend a major part of their time looking back to the past, which means they're in a state of nostalgia,
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where they fancy remembering moments of happiness, such as birthdays, marriages, and important times of success in their lives.
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They are those who have the habit of keeping family records, books, and photo albums.
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The kinds of people living in a past negative time zone are also absorbed by earlier times, but they concentrate on all the negative sides of a life picture,
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such as regrets, failures, or poor decisions.
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They spend plenty of time imagining what life could have been.
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Then, it is those who live in the present.
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Present hedonists live their life in pleasure and immediate sensation.
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Their life motto should be having a good time and avoiding painful experiences.
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Present fatalists live in the present as well.
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However, they think this moment is the product of circumstances entirely beyond their control, that it is more a fate.
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Whether it's poverty, religion, or society itself, something prohibits fatalists from thinking that they do perform a role in changing their life outcomes.
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Life is simply what it is.
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How about the future time zone?
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People who are sorted into the future active group are those who make plans and go for their plans.
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They don't play, but work and resist temptation.
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They make decisions in terms of potential consequences rather than experience itself.
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The other type of future -oriented perspective is future fatalistic.
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This group of people holds a belief that there will be a certainty of life after death, and a certain kind of judgment day
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when they will be assessed on how virtuously they have led their life and what achievements they have made in their lives.
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OK, so much for all the types.
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You now may ask, in what ways are our lives influenced by these time zones?
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Well, let's start at the beginning.
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When we were born, no exceptions, everyone was a present hedonist.
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All the initial needs and demands, like being warm, secure, fed, and watered, were all from that time.
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But formal education changes the way we think.
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Each one of us is taught not to focus only on the moment and start to make estimates about the future.
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But you might be surprised every nine seconds a child drops out of school in the U .S.
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Most interestingly, there's much more boys dropping out than girls doing so.
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We may easily draw the conclusion, boys aren't as intelligent as girls.
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But the evidence doesn't support this.
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A recent survey indicates that when American boys reach the age of 21, they have spent roughly 10 ,000 hours on video games,
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and also suggests they'll never fit in the traditional classroom, because there is a stronger need for those boys to have a certain circumstance in
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which they are capable of managing their own learning environment.
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Now, let's move on to how we do prevention education.
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All kinds of prevention education are usually targeted at the future time zone.
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Say, don't smoke or you'll get cancer, get good grades or you won't get a good job.
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But as for present -oriented kids, it doesn't make sense.
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Though they do know the potentially detrimental consequences of their actions, they insist on how they behave because they're not living for the future.
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They are in the present right now.
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Logics won't be helping, and it's no use reminding them of potential fallout from their decisions or previous judgment errors.
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We have to get in their minds just as they're about to make a choice.
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How we value and use our time is greatly influenced by the time perspectives we have.
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When Americans cross a question about how busy they are, most of the interviewees usually report being busier than ever before.
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They admit to sacrificing their relationships, personal time, and good sleep during nights for their careers.
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But 20 years ago, 60 % of Americans had sit -down dinners with their families.
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Now, the number has dropped to 20%.
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However, when they're asked, what if there were eight days in a week?
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They say, oh, that'll be fabulous.
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They would spend that time working to achieve more.
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They're persistently trying to get to the future point of happiness.
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So, it's of vital importance we know how other people think about time.
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We tend to think, oh, that person is really irresponsible, or that guy is power -hungry.
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But often, what we care about is not the fundamental personality differences, but only various approaches of thinking about time.
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Rather than distinctions of characteristics, seeing these conflicts as differences in time perspectives can promote more effective cooperation between people
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and get the most out of each person's individual strengths.
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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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In the IELTS test, you will now have 10 minutes to transfer your answers to the answer sheet.
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Thank you.
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What You'll Learn from This IELTS Listening Clip
This video is a goldmine for IELTS speaking practice and listening skills. You’ll master real-time information retrieval—a key IELTS skill—by following a customer complaint where details like names, dates, and addresses are critical. You’ll also learn to parse conversational corrections, such as when the speaker clarifies "L-U-M-L-E-Y" instead of "L-U-M-O-E-Y," which mirrors how native speakers adjust details in everyday talks. These skills directly boost your ability to follow fast-paced dialogues, a must for both listening and speaking sections.
Listen For These Sounds: Connected Speech and Reductions
The conversation is rich with natural speech patterns. Notice how "I’ll look for the parcel track record" becomes "I’ll look fer the parcel track record" (linking "for" to "the" with a soft "r" sound). Similarly, "What was your delivery list listed?" uses a reduced "was" ("wuz") and linked "delivery list" ("delivry list"). These reductions are common in native speech, and recognizing them helps you keep up with IELTS recordings. Practicing with such clips is perfect for a shadowing site, as it trains your ear to catch these subtle sounds.
Say It Like a Native: Rhythm and Stress
To mirror the speaker’s rhythm, focus on stress in key words. In "I placed an order for a large quantity of items," stress falls on "placed," "order," "large," and "items" to emphasize the complaint’s core. The speaker also uses a rising intonation when asking for clarification ("Not exactly. The fourth letter is L, not O?"), which softens the correction. Use shadow speak techniques here: repeat the dialogue aloud, matching the stress and intonation. This not only improves your pronunciation but also makes your speech sound more natural—critical for IELTS speaking practice. Learning English with videos like this bridges the gap between classroom learning and real-world communication.
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | has been done · has been written · has been delivered |
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | will be played · will be given · has been done |
| Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thing | example which has · books, which was · viaduct, which was |
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.