Shadowing Practice: Listening Test 3. Part 4: Microplastics - Learn English Speaking with Video
Creating lesson...
1
Part 4.
2
You will hear part of an environmental science lecture about microplastics.
3
First, you have some time to look at questions 31 to 40.
4
Now listen carefully and answer questions 31 to 40.
5
In today's lecture, I'm going to be talking about microplastics.
6
Microplastics are tiny pieces of plastic smaller than 5 mm in size.
7
Recently, there's been a greater awareness that there are large quantities of plastic waste, big and small, in the environment.
8
The amount of plastic waste in the oceans has received widespread attention,
9
but far less is known about the effects of microplastics in freshwater and particularly in soil oil.
10
Microplastics can enter the environment via a number of different sources.
11
Threads and microfibres detach from synthetic clothing every time they're put in a washing machine,
12
and these find their way into the water system.
13
Other sources include big pieces of plastic waste that are already in the environment,
14
and these break down into microscopic particles over a period of time.
15
On a larger scale, factory waste is another route, as our tyres, which wear down as cars,
16
lorries and so on, travel along road surfaces.
17
We already understand some of the impacts of microplastics from studies involving fish and other animals.
18
There is evidence that microplastics harm small creatures in a variety of ways, such as by damaging their mouths,
19
or by impairing their ability to feed, for example when microplastics get lodged in their digestive system.
20
Surprisingly, perhaps, it is likely that humans consume microplastics, as these have been detected in a wide range of food and drink products,
21
including bottled water, as well as in water that comes direct from the tap.
22
What's more, salt and many kinds of seafood have also been found to contain microplastics.
23
However, it's important to underline that there is not yet conclusive proof that microplastics cause significant harm to people.
24
In many countries, including here in the UK, there is legislation which prevents manufacturers from adding plastic microbeads to shower gels,
25
facial cleansers and toothpaste.
26
It is very difficult to accurately estimate the total amount of
27
microplastic particles in the soil as they can be hard to detect
28
but we do know they are carried in the air and deposited in the soil by rain.
29
What's more many of the fertilizers used by both farmers and gardeners contain microplastics.
30
A team from the Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge has carried
31
out a study of the effects of microplastics on the digestive tracts of earthworms.
32
These worms, which live in topsoil, are an essential component of our agricultural system.
33
By feeding on soil, they mix nutrients into it, thereby making it more fertile.
34
The researchers set out to discover whether the introduction of microplastics into the soil
35
and the subsequent ingestion of these by earthworms would impact soil quality and ultimately inhibit plant growth.
36
The short answer was yes, it did.
37
After placing three different types of microplastic particles into the soil, they planted perennial ryegrass.
38
The particles of microplastic, which included biodegradable PLA and conventional high-density polyethylene,
39
or HTPE, were then ingested by the earthworms in the soil.
40
The result was that the worms lost weight rapidly.
41
What's more, a lower percentage than normal of the ryegrass seeds germinated, and the researchers concluded
42
that this was a direct result of the earthworms being unable to fulfil their normal role in making soil more fertile.
43
The team also discovered that there was an increase in the amount of acid found in the soil,
44
and this was attributed mainly to the microplastic particles from conventional HDPE plastic.
45
The conclusions of the study make for very interesting reading.
46
I've included the reference in the notes to give you at the end of this session.
47
To summarise, the authors proposed the idea that we need to regard soil as we would regard any other process in nature.
48
This means we should accept the implications of soil being dependent on decaying
49
and dead matter constantly being passed through the bodies of earthworms.
50
That is, when soil becomes impoverished by the presence of microplastics,
51
not only ecosystems but also the whole of society are negatively impacted.
52
That is the end of part four.
53
Thank you.
📺 Same Channel
B21
Reading Test 1. Seccion 2: Reducing Injuries on the Farm
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B12
Listening Test 1. Part 3: Jess and Tom art project.
Cambridge Exam PrepHigh School StudentsUniversity Students
B2Reading Test 1 - Seccion 2 Good customer service in retail.
TOEIC PrepBusiness EnglishWorking Adults
B15
TEST 1. Part 1: Children´s Engineering Workshops.
KidsTeensDaily Conversation
B22
IELTS 17 Academic: Listening Test 3 - Part 2.
IELTS PrepHigh School StudentsUniversity Students
B1Listening Test 2. Part 1: Copying photos to digital format.
TOEIC PrepBusiness EnglishWorking Adults
B15
TEST 1. Part 2: Ronald Stevenson Company
TOEIC PrepBusiness EnglishHigh School Students
B1Listening Test 3. Part 1: Junior Cycle Camp.
KidsTeensDaily Conversation
✨ Recommend Video
C14
50 sentences
IELTS Listening Practice Test 2026 | Section 4 | Coral Reefs | Questions 31-40 | With Answers
IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepUniversity Students
C16
40 sentences
I10T4S4 - Nanotechnology
IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepUniversity Students
B23
46 sentences
The Story of Plastic (Animated Short)
IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepUniversity Students
C13
31 sentences
4 Subject Link 6 C1
IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepUniversity Students
C15
307 sentences
IELTS 14 LISTENING #Free test # TEST 1 || #IELTS 14 || LISTENING TEST ||
IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepUniversity Students
C11
828 sentences
1 Hour IELTS Listening Practice || Environment & Climate Change 🌍 || Advanced English Listening
IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepUniversity Students
B24
23 sentences
4 Subject link 6 C16
IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepUniversity Students
C15
52 sentences
Vol 3 - test 2 - section 4
IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepUniversity Students
B21
92 sentences
IELTS listening actual test Part 4: The New Zealand artist Will Burton (answer+ transcript)
IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepUniversity Students
C12
30 sentences
1 Week - Monday: The importance of recycling
IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepUniversity Students
B26
96 sentences
IELTS listening part 3 Product development presentation: mosquito net
IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepBusiness English
C126
62 sentences
The use of soil to reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere | IELTS LISTENING TEST | SECTION-4
IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepUniversity Students
Boost Your Listening & Speaking with Microplastics Lecture Practice
This video is perfect for English learners aiming to sharpen their shadow speak skills—immediately repeating what you hear to mimic rhythm and pronunciation. By focusing on a scientific lecture, you’ll tackle complex vocabulary and natural academic flow, a key fluency milestone for conversing confidently in professional or educational settings.
Phrase Bank: Reusable Expressions for Clear Communication
- "detach from" – useful for describing objects separating (e.g., "Threads detach from my sweater in the wash.")
- "break down into" – ideal for explaining processes (e.g., "Plastic breaks down into tiny particles over time.")
- "conclusive proof" – essential for discussing evidence (e.g., "There’s no conclusive proof of the effect yet.")
- "make for very interesting reading" – a natural way to praise content (e.g., "Her research makes for very interesting reading.")
Fix Your Weak Spots: Pronunciation & Rhythm Tips
The lecture’s steady pace and technical terms (like "biodegradable PLA" or "high-density polyethylene") challenge you to master clear pronunciation of multi-syllabic words. Practice shadowing by pausing the video and repeating phrases—focus on stressing the right syllables (e.g., "mi-CRO-plas-tics" not "MI-cro-PLAS-tics"). Use a shadowing app or shadowing site to record yourself and compare to the speaker’s rhythm. Notice how the lecturer connects words ("as well as in water" vs. "as well as in water")—this will make your speech sound more natural. Small daily practice with this clip will help you tackle complex topics with ease!
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | is known · have been detected · been found |
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | has received · have been detected · have also been found |
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.