Shadowing Practice: Learn TRAVEL Phrasal Verbs in English πŸ‡¬πŸ‡§ Intermediate English Listening Practice B1/B2 - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

B2
A few weeks ago I decided to go to Barcelona for a city break.
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A few weeks ago I decided to go to Barcelona for a city break.
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I set out on a Friday afternoon because my flight was in the evening.
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I packed up my bags and headed off to the airport.
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I wanted to catch a taxi to the airport
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so I called up the taxi company and it picked me up about 20 minutes later.
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I took off from Manchester airport which is my closest airport.
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And it was quite fun because we flew over where I actually live so I could see my house from the plane.
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When I arrived at Barcelona,
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I looked around and tried to find where the taxi rank was.
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So I took out my phone to look at google maps
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and realised that I could catch a bus to my hotel and that worked out a lot cheaper.
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The bus only cost 3 euros,
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whereas the taxi would have cost about 20.
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When I got to the hotel,
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I checked in, took my things upstairs and got ready because I was ready to venture out and discover the local attractions.
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I walked through the beautiful streets,
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checked out a few of the monuments,
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and then had some dinner at a restaurant that was near my hotel.
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When I travel I usually only book bed and breakfast which includes accommodation and breakfast in the morning
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but it doesn't include lunch or dinner.
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I find that when I travel and I book full board
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or all inclusive I don't spend so much time outside the hotel so my idea was to explore Barcelona,
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try out some great restaurants and amazing food,
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so this is why I only chose bed and breakfast.
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On Saturday morning I woke up and I decided to join in on a guided tour.
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There are quite a few free tours in the city.
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It's not really free, you have to give a tip at the end of the tour,
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but it's quite cheap works out a lot cheaper than going on any other type of tour.
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The guide pointed out quite a lot of interesting facts about the city and I took in some of the information.
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Sometimes it's quite overwhelming when the guide keeps talking for two hours
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and in the end you can't process all of the information,
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but I did enjoy it.
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Then I decided to go on a tour bus to explore more places that were a bit further away.
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I got off at almost every stop and it was a great idea
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because then I didn't have to keep catching different buses.
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I only had to go to the bus stop where I had got off and wait for about 10 minutes.
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I know that there are some people who don't like these tour buses
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because they keep pulling in to pick people up and drop people off and sometimes there is quite a lot of traffic.
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For example in London it's not really worth it because there is
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so much traffic that you're sat in it for most of the time.
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During the trip I ran into locals who were quite friendly
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and told me which was the best food to eat on the menus.
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I tried out the local cuisine and some typical Spanish dishes and it really did live up to its reputation.
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People often say that Spanish food is the best in the world and I would say it's in the top 3.
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There are so many museums,
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parks and hidden gems in Barcelona.
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And I love the fact that it's right next to the sea,
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so you can easily go for a walk on the promenade and see the yachts that are moored there.
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The weather was nice when I went,
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so on Sunday morning I sat on the beach for a few hours just watching the waves.
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On Sunday afternoon I decided to go and see the Sagrada Familia again which is one of the cathedrals.
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I'm sure that you have seen a picture of it before.
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The first time that I went I couldn't get a good look at it because there were so many people.
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It was packed.
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After that I knew my journey was coming to an end
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and I looked back on all of the things that I had done in those two days.
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It's funny when you're on holiday,
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it feels like you can do so many things in 48 hours,
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whereas when you're at home you don't do that many things.
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I took a look at my checklist and I made sure
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that I had checked off all of the items from my bucket list.
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The city really did captivate me and I knew that I would be going back again,
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especially for a city break because it's a nice city to visit just for 2 or 3 days.
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It's only a 2 hour flight from England so it's not too far for me.
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On Sunday evening I packed up my souvenirs that I had bought and all of my things and checked out.
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I was quite sad to set off for home because I felt like I could have stayed a few more days.
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But I couldn't wait to get home to share about it with my friends and family.
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When I arrived at Manchester,
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I stayed over at one of my friend's houses because
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she lives near the airport and we started looking at ways to backpack through Europe.
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We actually came up with the idea that night and we've booked it for next summer.
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So that gives us something to look forward to.
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It's always nice to get away for the weekend or for a few weeks,
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especially from the British weather which isn't very nice.
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If you have enjoyed this video please give it a thumbs up and subscribe to my channel.
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Thank you very much and I'll see you in the next video.

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Context & Background

In the featured YouTube video, the speaker shares a personal travel experience from Manchester to the vibrant city of Barcelona. This narrative not only highlights key travel-related activities but also integrates a wealth of useful vocabulary and phrases that are particularly relevant for English language learners. The dialogue illustrates everyday situations one might encounter while traveling, such as navigating public transport, booking accommodations, and enjoying local cuisine. By immersing yourself in this authentic experience, you can enhance your language skills while learning about travel culture.

Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication

  • Set out: This means to begin a journey or trip.
  • Catch a taxi: To hail or take a taxi for transportation.
  • Check in: The process of registering at a hotel or airport.
  • Look around: To explore your surroundings, typically in a new place.
  • Try out: To sample or test something, particularly food or experiences.

Step-by-step Shadowing Guide

To effectively use the shadowing technique with the video, follow this structured approach:

  1. Watch the Video Initially: Familiarize yourself with the content. Pay attention to the travel phrases and their usage within context.
  2. Listen and Repeat: Play the video again and focus on the speaker's pronunciation. Use the shadow speak method by repeating the phrases right after the speaker. This will help you improve English pronunciation while building confidence.
  3. Pause and Practice: Stop the video after each phrase or sentence. Take a moment to practice saying it out loud, ensuring you mimic the intonation and rhythm.
  4. Write It Down: Note down any phrases or vocabulary you find challenging. This will reinforce your learning and help you remember them better.
  5. Apply It in Real Situations: Use the phrases in your own conversations or travel experiences. This will solidify your understanding and enable you to effectively communicate in similar situations.

By actively engaging with the content using the shadowing technique, you’ll not only enhance your listening skills but also gain the confidence needed to navigate English-speaking environments. Embrace this practice and watch your abilities soar as you learn English with YouTube.

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 β€” 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 β€” making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.

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