Shadowing Practice: IELTS Listening Section-3(Seed germination) with answers - Learn English Speaking with Video
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and Jack discussing an experiment they are going to do together.
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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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We've got to choose a topic for our experiment, haven't we, Jack?
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Were you thinking of something to do with seeds?
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That's right.
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I thought we could look at seed germination, how a seed begins to grow.
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OK.
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Any particular reason?
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I know you're hoping to work in plant science eventually.
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Yeah, but practically everything we do is going to feed into that.
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No, there's an optional module on seed structure and function in the third year that I might do.
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So I thought it might be useful for that.
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If I choose that option, I don't have to do a dissertation module.
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Good idea.
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Well, I thought for this experiment, we could look at the relationship between seed size and the way the seeds are planted,
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so we could plant different sized seeds in different ways and see which grow best.
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OK.
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Would need to allow time for the seeds to come up.
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That should be fine if we start now.
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A lot of the other possible experiments need quite a bit longer.
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So that'd make it a good one to choose.
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And I don't suppose it'd need much equipment.
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We're not doing chemical analysis or anything.
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Though that's not really an issue.
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We've got plenty of equipment in the laboratory.
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Yeah, we need to have a word with the tutor if we're going to go ahead with it, though.
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I'm sure our aim's OK.
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It's not very ambitious, but the assignment's only ten percent of our final mark, isn't it?
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But we need to be sure we're the only ones doing it.
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Yeah, it's only five percent, actually, but it'd be a bit boring if everyone was doing it.
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Did you read that book on seed germination on our reading list?
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The one by Graves?
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Hmm.
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looked through it for my last experiment, though it wasn't all that relevant there.
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It would be for this experiment, though.
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I found it quite hard to follow, lots about the theory which I hadn't expected.
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Yes, I'd been hoping for something more practical.
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It does include references to the recent findings on genetically modified seeds, though.
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Yes, that was interesting.
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I read an article about seed germination by Lee Hall.
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About seeds that lie in the ground for ages and only germinate after a fire.
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That's the one.
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I knew a bit about it already, but not about this research.
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His analysis of figures comparing the times of the fires
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and the proportion of seeds that germinated was done in a lot of detail.
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Very impressive.
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Was that the article with the illustrations of early stages of plant development?
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They were very clear.
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I think those diagrams were in another article.
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Before you hear the rest of the discussion, you have some time to look at questions 26 to 30.
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Now listen and answer questions 26 to 30.
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Anyway, shall we have a look at the procedure for our experiment?
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We'll need to get going with it quite soon.
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Right.
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So the first thing we have to do is find our seeds.
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I think vegetable seeds would be best, and obviously they mustn't all be the same size.
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So how many sorts do we need?
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About four different ones?
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I think that would be enough.
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There'll be quite a large number of seeds for each one.
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Then for each seed we need to find out how much it weighs and also measure its dimensions,
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and we need to keep a careful record of all that.
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That'll be quite time consuming, and we also need to decide how deep we're going to plant the seeds,
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right on the surface a few millimetres down or several centimetres.
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OK.
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So then we get planting.
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Do you think we can plant several seeds together in the same plant pot?
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No. I think we need a different one for each seed.
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Right.
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And we'll need to label them.
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We can use different coloured labels.
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Then we wait for the seeds to germinate.
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I reckon that'll be about three weeks, depending on what the weather's like.
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Then we see if our plants have come up and write down how tall they've grown.
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Then all we have to do is look at our numbers and see if there's any relation between them.
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That's right.
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So then we get...
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That is the end of section three.
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You now have half a minute to check your answers.
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Thank you.
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This B2 speaking lesson is built on the video “IELTS Listening Section-3(Seed germination) with answers”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: seed, experiment, plant, questions, germination. This video has 81 sentences and 763 words to shadow. The speech runs for 6:30. The speaker talks at a steady 117 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. 84% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English; the rest is worth studying before you start.
Key vocabulary in this video
The 15 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| germinate verb | /ˈd͡ʒɜː(ɹ)mɪneɪt/ | Of a seed, to begin to grow, to sprout roots and leaves. |
| germination noun | /ˌdʒɜːɹ.mɪˈneɪ.ʃən/ | The process of germinating; the beginning of vegetation or growth from a seed or spore; the first development of germs, either animal or vegetable. |
| module noun | /ˈmɑd͡ʒul/ | A self-contained component of a system, often interchangeable, which has a well-defined interface to the other components. |
| centimetre noun | /ˈsɛn.tɪ.miː.tə/ | An SI unit of length equal to 10⁻² metres. Symbol: cm |
| millimetre noun | An SI/MKS unit of measure, the length of ¹⁄₁₀₀₀ of a metre. Symbol: mm | |
| genetically adverb | /d͡ʒəˈneɾɪkli/ | In a manner relating to genes or genetics. |
| tutor noun | /ˈtjuːtəː/ | One who teaches another (usually called a student, learner, or tutee) in a one-on-one or small-group interaction. |
| dissertation noun | /ˌdɪsəˈteɪʃən/ | A formal exposition of a subject, especially a research paper that students write in order to complete the requirements for a doctoral degree in the US and a… |
| reckon verb | /ˈɹɛkən/ | To count; to enumerate; to number; also, to compute; to calculate. |
| modify verb | /ˈmɑ.dɪˌfaɪ/ | To change part of. |
| diagram noun | /ˈdaɪ.ə.ɡɹæm/ | A plan, drawing, sketch or outline to show the function or operation of something, or to show the relationships between the parts of a whole. |
| consume verb | /kənˈsum/ | To use up. |
| optional adjective | /ˈɑp.ʃə.nəl/ | Not compulsory; left to personal choice; elective. |
| illustration noun | /ˌɪləsˈtɹeɪ̯ʃən/ | The act of illustrating; the act of making clear and distinct. |
| bore verb | /boɹ/ | To inspire boredom in somebody. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| come up verb | To emerge or become known, especially unexpectedly. |
| find out verb | To discover, as by asking or investigating. |
| go ahead with verb | To resume something previously cancelled or delayed; to continue something despite known concerns. |
| look through verb | To take a view of the contents of; search in, either with the eyes or by hand. |
| write down verb | To produce or set (something) down in writing; to record something. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- Were you thinking of something to do with seeds?
- We're not doing chemical analysis or anything.
- We've got plenty of equipment in the laboratory.
- Did you read that book on seed germination on our reading list?
- Yes, I'd been hoping for something more practical.
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 25 contractions and reduced forms, such as we're, don't, it'd. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: germination /ˌdʒɜːɹ.mɪˈneɪ.ʃən/, dissertation /ˌdɪsəˈteɪʃən/, optional /ˈɑp.ʃə.nəl/, illustration /ˌɪləsˈtɹeɪ̯ʃən/, ambitious /æmˈbɪʃ.əs/
- Long words — get the stress right: germination /ˌdʒɜːɹ.mɪˈneɪ.ʃən/, centimetre /ˈsɛn.tɪ.miː.tə/, genetically /d͡ʒəˈneɾɪkli/, dissertation /ˌdɪsəˈteɪʃən/, illustration /ˌɪləsˈtɹeɪ̯ʃən/
How to practise with this video
- Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
- Shadow it sentence by sentence at normal speed, repeating each one until your rhythm matches the speaker.
- Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like germinate, germination, module.
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.