Shadowing Practice: Luyện nghe tiếng Anh B1, B2, C1 Vstep Phần 1 Test 01 - Learn English Speaking with Video

Creating lesson...
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Part 1 Directions In this part, you will hear EIGHT short announcements or instructions There is one question for each announcement or instruction.
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For each question, choose the right answer A, B, C or D.
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Then, on the answer sheet find the number of the question and fill in the space that corresponds to the letter of the answer that you have chosen We are ready to start First you have some time to look at questions 1 to 8 Now listen carefully and answer questions 1 to 8 Question 1 And now for tomorrow's weather Partly cloudy in the morning for London and the south-east but overcast by midday with rain in the afternoon Temperatures will range from 11-19°C There'll also be rain in the north which will quickly spread to the rest of the country Rain will be very heavy in some areas by late afternoon especially in western and central England and there will be strong winds over most of mainland Britain.
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Question 2 Hello. This is the lost property office There's no one here to take your call at present but if you've lost something please listen carefully to the following message If you've lost valuables such as jewellery, cash or credit cards you'll need to contact your nearest police station as soon as possible to make a statement In the case of a credit card you should also contact your bank immediately For any other items please call in at our office between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday Thank you.
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Question 3 Erm ... yeah, hello, yes, it's me Look, I know I'm supposed to be in the meeting now but something's come up I feel dreadful about it, but Oh, what a day this has been!
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First my train was delayed for half an hour then ... er...
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Anyway, I could still have got there but would you believe it my engine's packed in and I'm stranded here next to the motorway until the breakdown service turns up I'm so sorry Question 4 Late last night thieves broke into MacHannan Hall where a collection of the late Lady Betty Baldridge's paintings statues and antiques are on display to the public The thieves, who disabled a sophisticated electronic security system ignored all the less valuable paintings and pieces on display taking only The Lonely Wanderer by Karl van Turbeck The 1-metre high bronze figure which stands on a marble base is regarded as the jewel of the Baldridge collection and is valued at over £5 million Question 5 This isn't terribly difficult but if you're one of those people who won't even change a light bulb just call a breakdown service Anyway, make sure you're safely off the road with your hazard triangle in place at least 20 metres behind you Find the jack, spanner and spare they should all be in the boot and check the spare isn't flat, too Put the jack in place under your car but before you begin to lift the side of the car don't forget to loosen the nuts on the wheel Then jack the car up undo the nuts & take off the wheel Question 6 Attention, please We would like to remind you that next Monday at nine 0’clock we will be having our yearly staff picnic All staff and their families are invited to attend Plenty of food and drink will be provided for everyone and we will be having our famous barbecue We will also have our annual fun and games Prizes include a new DVD player and a holiday Question 7 Due to problems with the lighting the concert has to be postponed until Friday the 22 The concert will also be moved from hall A to the larger hall C A bigger venue means a five hundred tickets will now be available twice the original number Because of the extra tickets tickets will now be priced at the lower cost of twenty dollars Question 8 In the event of a fire please follow these directions Stand up and walk towards the nearest exit Do not run, and do not try to gather your things When outside, wait for your teacher on the football field Next week we will have the first of our two annual fire drills Thank you This is the end of Part 1. Now turn to Part 2

Real-Life English in Action: Everyday Announcements and Conversations

Ever struggled to follow a weather report, a lost property message, or a last-minute meeting update in English? The video you’re learning from brings these common scenarios to life, with eight short clips that mirror real-world situations—perfect for building your listening and speaking skills. Whether it’s understanding a delayed train excuse or a fire drill instruction, these dialogues help you decode everyday English, making it easier to communicate in similar moments.

Useful Chunks & Collocations to Memorize

  • "Packed in" (e.g., "My engine's packed in"): A casual way to say something has stopped working. Great for describing car trouble or broken appliances.
  • "Stranded next to the motorway": Combines "stranded" (stuck) with a common location, useful for explaining unexpected delays.
  • "Hazard triangle": A key term for road safety—essential if you ever need to describe car emergency tools.
  • "Postponed until Friday the 22": A clear way to reschedule events, with a date format you’ll hear often.
  • "Gather your things": A simple phrase used in instructions (like fire drills) to mean "collect your belongings."

Your Shadowing Challenge: Speak Like a Native

Ready to turn listening into speaking? Try shadowspeak—a powerful technique where you repeat the speaker’s words immediately after hearing them, mimicking their tone, speed, and pronunciation. Here’s how: Pick one clip (like the weather report or lost property message). Play a 5-second segment, pause, and repeat it out loud. Focus on matching the stress (e.g., "very HEAVY rain") and intonation (rising for questions, falling for statements). Do this 3 times, then try it without pausing. Shadowing helps you internalize natural speech patterns, making your English sound more fluent. It’s a fun way to improve English pronunciation and build confidence—no textbook needed!

Learning English with YouTube has never been more practical. These real-life dialogues are your key to understanding and speaking English in daily situations. So hit play, start shadowing, and watch your skills grow—one short clip at a time!

Grammar in this video

The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:

StructureIn the video
Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters nowhave chosen · you've lost · has been
Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does itwas delayed · is regarded
Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thingnorth which will · people who won

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.

Shadowing technique: read the full step-by-step guide →