Shadowing Practice: PRESTON PARK RUN (without Example ) - Learn English Speaking with Video

You will hear a telephone conversation between the organiser of a park run

and a woman who wishes to take part in the run.

First, you have some time to look at questions 1 to 6.

Good morning, Dave Smith speaking.

Hi, could I speak to the organiser of the Preston Park Run?

Yes, that's me.

Great.

Um, I was talking to some friends of mine about the run

and they suggested I contact you to get some more details.

Sure.

What would you like to know?

Well, they said it takes place every Saturday.

Is that right?

Yes, it does.

OK.

Great.

Do you know where the park is?

Oh, yes.

I've been there before, but it's quite big and I'm not sure where to go.

Well, there's a circular track that goes right around the park.

The run starts at the café, goes past the tennis courts, then twice around the lake and finishes back where it started.

OK.

And what time is the run?

Well, the actual run begins at 9am, but the runners start arriving at about 8.45.

OK, so I need to get up early Saturday morning then.

Erm, and how long is the run?

Well, it used to be three kilometres, but most people wanted to do a bit more than that, so we lengthened it to five kilometres.

We now go round the lake twice, and that adds an extra two kilometres.

Right.

Not sure I've ever run that far, so I'd better start doing a bit of training.

That's a good idea.

But it's not a race.

It's really just for fun.

And the best thing would be to take it easy the first few times you do it, and then see if you can gradually improve your time.

Is the run timed, then?

How do I know how well I've done?

When you cross the finish line, you'll be given a barcode, and you take this to one of the run volunteers who will scan it.

Then you can get your time online when you go home.

Oh, I see.

You collect all the results.

Exactly.

I see.

That's great.

So, how do I register?

Well, there are several ways.

I could take your details over the phone, but it's much easier if you do it using the website.

OK, good.

Um, I think that's probably all I need to know for now.

Oh yes, does it cost anything to register, or do you collect money each week?

Well, it doesn't cost anything to register, but we do charge for the run.

In fact, we have just increased the charge to £1.50.

It used to be a pound, but because we were making a bit of a loss, we have had to increase it by 50p.

OK, thanks.

I think I have enough information on taking part in the run.

Before you hear the rest of the conversation, you will have some time to look at the questions 7 to 10.

Now listen and answer questions 7 to 10.

Um, you mentioned volunteers.

I have a friend who is interested in helping out.

Can you give me some details so I can pass them on to her?

Sure.

Well, you need to ask your friend to contact Pete Morn.

He manages all the volunteers.

OK.

I didn't quite catch his surname.

Was it Morn?

M-O-R-N?

No, just a bit more complicated.

It's M-A-U-G-H-A-N.

Right, thanks.

And could you give me his phone number?

Yes, just a moment.

It's here somewhere.

Let me just find it.

Ah, I've two numbers for him.

I think the one that begins 01273 is an old one, so use this one.

It's 01444732900.

OK, got that.

Can you tell me anything about the volunteering?

Like what kind of activities it involves?

Sure.

Well, we need volunteers for basic stuff like setting up the course.

We have to do that before all the runners arrive.

OK, so that's a really early start.

Yes, that's right.

But if your friend would prefer to arrive a bit later, she can also help with guiding the runners so they don't go the wrong way.

I see.

I believe you do a report on some of the races.

Yes, that's right.

In fact, we do a weekly report on each race, and we always try to illustrate it.

OK.

Well, my friend really likes taking photographs.

She's just bought a new camera.

Actually, that would be great.

I don't know whether Pete has anyone to take photographs this week.

Oh, I'll let her know.

OK, good.

Could you ask your friend to phone Pete and let him know?

Yes, I will.

100

OK, thanks.

101

Goodbye.

102

Goodbye.

103

That is the end of section one.

104

You now have half a minute to check your answers.

105

Now turn to section 2.

106

You will hear a recorded message about a bus tour.

107

First, you have some time to look at questions 11 to 14.

108

Thank you for calling the phone line for the Packton-on-Sea bus tour.

109

This is a recorded message lasting approximately four minutes, and it provides general information on the town bus tour.

110

Packton-on-Sea is a beautiful west coast town and has attracted tourists for many years.

111

One of the best ways of getting to know the town is to take the bus tour,

112

which provides a wonderful viewing experience from one of our open-top buses.

113

The tour is a round-trip of the town, and there are a total of four stops, where passengers can get on and off the bus.

114

A lot of people start at the first stop, which is at the train station, as this is where many tourists arrive in the town.

115

The next stop, after the station, is the aquarium, which is famous for its dolphin show,

116

and which has recently expanded to include sharks.

117

This is well worth a visit, and is very reasonably priced.

118

Leaving the aquarium, the bus tour goes along the coast road and after a few kilometers,

119

comes to the old fishing village where you can get off to stroll along the waterfront.

120

There are some original buildings here,

121

but most of the area has been modernized and is now used as a harbor for all kinds of sea craft,

122

including yachts and some amazing powerboats boats.

123

The tour then heads off to the last stop, and this is where most of the shops are.

124

So for those of you keen to do a bit of shopping, this is the place for you.

125

Our advice is to go to this part of the town in the morning, when it is relatively quiet.

126

It does get very busy in the afternoons, especially at the height of the season.

127

This area of the town includes an ancient water fountain, where many people like to have their photograph taken.

128

So do look out for this.

129

Before you hear the rest of the conversation, you will have some time to look at the questions 15 to 20.

130

Now listen and answer questions 15 to 20.

131

Now, some details of the costs and timings.

132

A family ticket, which includes two adults and up to three children, costs $30.

133

An adult ticket costs $15.

134

Children under the age of 15 are $5, and student tickets are $10, as long as you have a student card.

135

All tickets are valid for 24 hours, which means that you can get on and off the bus as many times as you like within a 24-hour period.

136

So you could, for example, start the tour in the afternoon and complete it the following morning.

137

The first bus of the day leaves the station at 10 a.m., and the last one of the day leaves at 6 p.m.

138

Buses leave every 30 minutes, and each tour takes a total of 50 minutes.

139

There are many attractions at each of the stops, so wherever you get off the bus, there will be plenty to do.

140

The bus tour tickets do not include entrance to any of these attractions apart from the museum, which is located near the aquarium.

141

Some buses have local guides who will point out places of interest and will provide information on the town.

142

However, we cannot guarantee that every bus will have a guide,

143

and so we also have an audio commentary that has been specially recorded for the bus tour by the tourist office.

144

Headphones are available on the bus, and these are easy to operate.

145

There is no extra charge for these.

146

Just plug in, select the required language, and adjust the volume.

147

Due to the winter months being rather cold and wet in Pacton-on-Sea, the bus tours only operate from March to September.

148

The weather is usually warm and sunny during these months, so remember to bring some sun protection, especially on hot days.

149

And, of course, it does occasionally rain here in the summer, so if the weather looks bad, remember to bring some rainwear.

150

The bus tours are available no matter what the weather.

151

At the height of the summer, the tours can get very busy, so you are advised to book.

152

You can book tickets online, over the phone, and also at the station, and at any of the other tour stops.

153

When booking over the phone, you can collect your tickets at any of the stops at the start of your tour.

154

When you do it online, you can print your e-ticket, which you must remember to bring with you.

155

Thank you for calling the Pacton-on-Sea phone line, and we look forward to seeing you soon on one of our tour buses.

156

That is the end of Section 2.

157

You now have half a minute to check your answers.

158

Thank you.

159

section 3.

160

You will hear a conversation between an admissions officer and a manager from the university's technologies department.

161

First you have some time to look at questions 21 to 26.

162

Thank you.

163

Good.

164

I'm Dave Hadley.

165

Thanks for coming to see me.

166

That's OK.

167

I believe you want us to do some work for you.

168

Yes, that's right.

169

I'm responsible for student admissions to the college,

170

and I use a computer system to help process student enrolments and to do the timetabling.

171

But it really doesn't suit the way we work these days.

172

It's over ten years old, and although it was fine when it was first introduced, it's just not good enough now.

173

OK, what problems are you experiencing?

174

Well, twenty years ago the college was quite small, and we didn't have the numbers of students or tutors that we have now.

175

So the system can't handle the increasing volumes?

176

Well, there's a lot more data now, and it sometimes seems the system has crashed,

177

but in fact it just takes ages to go from one screen to the next.

178

Right.

179

Is that the only problem?

180

Well, that's the main one, but there are others.

181

In the past, doing the timetabling was quite simple, but now we have a lot more courses,

182

And what's made it complicated is that many of them have options.

183

Right, but the system should allow you to include those.

184

Well, no, it doesn't.

185

It was supposed to, and a few years ago we did ask someone from the technologies department to fix it,

186

but they never seemed to have the time.

187

Hmm.

188

Are there any other issues with the system?

189

Well, I've been given extra responsibilities, and so I have even less time to do the timetabling.

190

If there was anything you could do, Randir, to make the process more efficient, that would be really helpful.

191

Well, it sounds like you could do with an assistant, but that's obviously not possible.

192

So, what about having an online system that students can use to do their scheduling?

193

How would that work?

194

Well, it may mean less choice for students,

195

but we could create a fixed schedule of all the courses and options and they could then view what was available.

196

And work it out for themselves.

197

That sounds great.

198

OK, so we'll need to decide whether or not to improve the existing system or to build a completely new system.

199

Well, I'd much prefer to have a new system.

200

Quite frankly, I've had enough of the old one.

201

OK, that'll probably take longer, although it may save you money in the long run.

202

When were you hoping to have this in place?

203

Well, it's January now, and the new intake of students will be in September.

204

We need to start processing admissions.. in the next few weeks, really.

205

Well, it will take more than a few weeks, I'm afraid.

206

As an initial estimate, I think we'll be looking at April or May to improve the existing system, but for a new system,

207

it would take at least nine months.

208

That would be October at the earliest.

209

Now listen and answer questions 27 to 30.

210

What are the next steps if we are to have a new system?

211

Well, the first question is, do you have support from your senior management?

212

Yes, I've already discussed it with them, and they're also keen to get this work done.

213

OK, because I was going to say that's the first thing you need to do and without that we can't go ahead.

214

Yes, I've done that.

215

That's good.

216

Actually, they mentioned that there's probably a form I need to complete to formally start the project.

217

Yes, that's the next thing you need to do.

218

I'll send you an email with a link so you can fill it in online.

219

It's called a project request form.

220

OK, great.

221

And then what happens?

222

Well, I have a list of things, but I think the third thing you should do is see Samir.

223

He's our analyst who will look at the system and identify what needs to be done.

224

OK, can you send me his contact details and I'll set up a meeting with him?

225

OK, that's good.

226

So we should soon be able to get a team together to start the work.

227

Look, some members of our team work in different locations, so it's not easy to have face-to-face meetings.

228

That's OK.

229

I'm used to having conference calls, providing they're not late at night.

230

Right.

231

So I'll send you details of the team, and if you could set up a call, that would be great.

232

OK, I'll do that.

233

Thanks.

234

That is the end of Section 3.

235

You now have half a minute to check your answers.

236

Now turn to section 4.

237

You will hear a lecture about how the production of ceramics, such as plates, pots and glass, first began.

238

First, you have some time to look at questions 31 to 40.

239

Thank you.

240

Thank you.

241

Now listen carefully and answer questions 31 to 40.

242

Hi, everyone.

243

Today I'm going to be talking about the origins of ceramics.

244

So first of all, let's start off with what is a ceramic?

245

Well, generally speaking, ceramics are what you get when you apply heat to certain inorganic,

246

non-metallic solids and then allow them to cool.

247

And examples of ceramics are everyday things like earthenware pots, crockery, glassware and even concrete.

248

So how did it all begin?

249

Well, it all started around 29,000 years ago,

250

when humans discovered that if you dig up some soft clay from the ground, mould it into a shape,

251

and then heat it up to a very high temperature, when it cools, the clay has been transformed into something hard and rigid.

252

And so what did those first humans do with their discovery?

253

Well, they created figurines, which were small statues and which depicted animals

254

or gods or any shape that the clay could be moulded into.

255

And all this activity was centred around southern Europe, where there is also evidence of ceramics that were created much later.

256

The early humans also found a practical use for their discovery, such as storing things like grain, although there were drawbacks.

257

The pots were porous, so that although they could carry water in them, it wasn't possible to store it over a long period.

258

And also they were quite brittle and shattered very easily if they were dropped.

259

But despite these problems, it was many thousands of years before there were any improvements.

260

In China, at around 200 BC, they discovered that by adding minerals to the clay,

261

they could improve both the appearance and the strength of the ceramics.

262

But it took nearly a thousand years before they perfected the process to produce high-quality ceramics known as porcelain porcelain.

263

And once they had perfected the process, they kept it a secret for another thousand years.

264

Compared to the first ceramics, porcelain was lighter, finer, harder and whiter

265

and became an important commodity in China's trading with the rest of the world for hundreds of years.

266

In fact, it became so valuable that it was known as white gold,

267

and spies were sent to China to discover what they did to the clay to produce such high-quality merchandise.

268

It wasn't until the 18th century that the secret began to unravel.

269

A German alchemist called Johann Friedrich Böttger,

270

was asked by the king to make gold out of lead.

271

Unfortunately, Böttger failed to achieve this and soon gave up.

272

But in order to please the king, he attempted to make high-quality porcelain.

273

And after many years of experimentation,

274

he discovered that by adding quartz and a material called China stone to very high-quality clay,

275

he managed to get the same results that the Chinese had been achieving for the last 1,000 years.

276

We'll now look at another ceramic which is made from mixing sand with minerals and heating to over 600 degrees Celsius.

277

When this mixture cools, the result is, of course, glass.

278

The main difference between ceramics made from clay and glass is

279

that clay is made up of crystalline plates which become locked together in the cooling process,

280

whereas glass cools too quickly for crystals to form.

281

Apart from that, the process of heating up naturally occurring materials to transform them is the same.

282

The origins of glass date back to 3500 BC, but it wasn't until the Roman Empire,

283

2000 years ago, that the art of glassblowing and the practical uses of glass became more widespread.

284

One of the more innovative uses was to use it in windows, as up until then they had just been holes in walls.

285

It must have been very drafty in those days.

286

The Romans were also responsible for inventing concrete, and although the origins are uncertain,

287

experts think that this is largely due to the high level of volcanic activity in the area.

288

The Romans observed that when volcanic ash mixes with water and then cools,

289

it gets extremely hard and almost impossible to break up.

290

The chemical reaction that follows is very complex and continues for many years, and the concrete just keeps getting harder.

291

Evidence of this are the numerous Roman remains that are still standing, many of which are almost completely intact.

292

One of the most important facts about concrete for the Romans was that it can be created underwater.

293

As the Roman Empire grew, the Romans needed to take control of the seas,

294

and for this They needed to build harbours capable of holding a fleet of ships.

295

Pouring concrete mixture into the sea immediately started the hardening process,

296

and rather than just dissolving in the mass of water, the substance was tough and long-lasting.

297

This strange characteristic of concrete made a significant contribution to the success of the Roman Empire.

298

Thank you.

299

Thank you.

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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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