Shadowing Practice: Listening part three (Work experience for veterinary science students) @ieltslisteningpro.24 - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

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Part 3.
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106 sentences
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Part 3.
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You will hear two veterinary science students called Diana and Tim discussing their work placements and their course modules.
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First you have some time to look at questions 21 to 26.
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Now listen carefully and answer questions 21 to 26.
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So, Tim, we have to do a short summary of our work experience on a farm.
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Right.
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My farm was great, but arranging the work experience was hard.
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One problem was it was miles away and I don't drive.
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And also, I'd really wanted a placement for a month,
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but I could only get one for two weeks.
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I was lucky.
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The farmer let me stay on the farm,
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so I didn't have to travel.
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But finding the right sort of farm to apply to wasn't easy.
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No, they don't seem to have websites, do they?
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I found mine through a friend of my mother's, but it wasn't easy.
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No. My farm was mostly livestock, especially sheep.
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I really enjoyed helping out with them.
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I was up most of one night helping a sheep deliver a lamb.
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On your own?
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No, the farmer was there,
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and he told me what to do.
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It wasn't a straightforward birth, but I managed.
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It was a great feeling to see the lamb stagger to its feet and start feeding almost straight away,
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and to know that it was okay.
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Then another time, a lamb had broken its leg,
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and they got the vet in to set it,
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and he talked me through what he was doing.
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That was really useful.
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Yes, my farm had sheep too.
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The farm was in a valley,
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and they had a lowland breed called Suffolk's,
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although the farmer said they'd had other breeds in the past.
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So were they bred for their meat?
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Mostly, yes.
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They're quite big and solid.
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My farm was up in the hills,
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and they had a different breed of sheep.
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They were cheviots.
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Oh, I heard their wools really sought after.
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Yes, it's very hard-wearing, and they use it for carpets.
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Right.
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I was interested in the amount of supplements they add to animals' feed nowadays.
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Like, even the chickens got extra vitamins and electrolytes in their feed.
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Yes, I found that too.
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And they're not cheap.
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But my farmer said some are overpriced for what they are,
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And he didn't give them as a matter of routine,
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just at times when the chickens seemed to particularly require them.
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Yes, Mai said the same.
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He said certain breeds of chickens might need more supplements than the others,
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but the cheap and expensive ones are all basically the same.
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So, did your farm have any other livestock, Diana?
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Yes, dairy cows.
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I made a really embarrassing mistake when I was working in the milk shed.
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Some cows had been treated with antibiotics,
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so their milk wasn't suitable for human consumption,
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and it had to be put in a separate container.
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But I got mixed up,
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and I poured some milk from the wrong cow in with the milk for humans,
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so the whole lot had to be thrown away.
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The farmer wasn't too happy with me.
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I asked my farmer how much he depended on the vet to deal with health problems.
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I'd read reports that the livestock's health is being affected as farmers are under pressure to increase production.
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Well, he didn't agree with that,
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but he said that actually some of the stuff the vets do,
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like minor operations, he'd be quite capable of doing himself.
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Yeah, my farmer said the same,
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but he reckons vet skills are still needed.
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Before you hear the rest of the conversation,
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you have some time to look at questions 27-30.
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Now listen and answer questions 27 to 30.
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Now we've got to give a bit of feedback about last term's modules,
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just short comments apparently.
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Shall we do that now?
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OK.
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So, medical terminology.
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Well, my heart sank when I saw that,
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especially right at the beginning of the course,
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and I did struggle with it.
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I thought it'd be hard,
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but actually I found it all quite straightforward.
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What did you think about diet and nutrition?
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OK, I suppose.
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Do you remember what they told us about pet food
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and the fact that there's such limited checking into whether or not it's contaminated?
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I mean, in comparison with the checks on food for humans,
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I thought that was terrible.
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Hmm.
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I think the module that really impressed me was the animal disease one.
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When we looked at domesticated animals in different parts of the world,
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like camels and water buffalo and alpaca,
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the economies of so many countries depend on these,
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but scientists don't know much about the diseases that affect them.
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Yes.
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I thought they'd know a lot about ways of controlling and eradicating those diseases,
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but that's not the case at all.
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I loved the wildlife medication unit.
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Things like helping birds that have been caught in oil spills.
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That's something I hadn't thought about before.
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Yeah.
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I thought I might write my dissertation on something connected with that.
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Right.
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So, actually, I was thinking something along the same lines...
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That is the end of part three.
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You now have half a minute to check your answers to part three.

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Context & Background

In this section of the listening exercise, we are introduced to two veterinary science students, Diana and Tim, who are discussing their work experiences on farms. Their dialogue highlights the challenges they faced while finding suitable placements for their studies, including proximity and duration of work experience. Tim describes a memorable instance at his farm where he assisted in the birthing process of a lamb, showcasing the hands-on experience that is crucial in veterinary science. This conversation provides context related to the veterinary field and the practical skills students must acquire, which can aid English learners in understanding the terminology and concepts related to animal care.

Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication

  • “I really enjoyed helping out with them.” - A great phrase to express enthusiasm and willingness to assist in any situation.
  • “It wasn't easy.” - A useful expression for discussing challenges in various contexts.
  • “It was a great feeling to see...” - An effective way to describe a positive experience or emotion.
  • “I managed.” - A concise way to convey success after facing a difficulty.
  • “They had a different breed of sheep.” - Ideal for discussing differences or variations in topics.

Step-by-step Shadowing Guide

Improving your English pronunciation and speaking skills can be effectively achieved through shadowing techniques. This method involves closely following the dialogue in the video. Here’s how to tackle the listening exercise based on this specific video:

  1. Initial Listening: Watch the video without distractions once. Pay attention to the overall message and tone of the conversation.
  2. Listen Actively: Play the video again, but this time, focus on each sentence. Pause after key statements and try to repeat them aloud. This will assist in improving your English pronunciation.
  3. Use a Shadowing App: Utilize a shadowing app or a designated shadowing site to practice. This can provide a structured environment for repeating dialogues to refine your speaking abilities.
  4. Record Yourself: After shadowing, record your voice while repeating segments from the video. This will allow you to compare your pronunciation with the original speakers.
  5. Practice with Others: Engage in IELTS speaking practice sessions with peers. Discuss the topics in the video, using the phrases you've learned to gain confidence in speaking.

By following these steps, you will not only enhance your English speaking practice but also prepare for discussions related to your academic or professional interests in veterinary science.

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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