Shadowing Practice: revison 1 - Learn English Speaking with Video

Creating lesson...
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Now, look at part three.
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Questions 21 to 25 refer to the following conversations.
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Listen to Jan talking to Steve about getting a student travel card.
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You will hear the conversation twice.
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You have 20 seconds.
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Now listen to the conversation.
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Hi, Steve.
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Hi, Jan.
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I'm going to go to London on the train.
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Come with me.
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But it's cheaper by bus.
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I've got a student travel card.
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You can get cheap train tickets with it.
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That sounds good.
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How much does it cost?
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A card for six months is £16.
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So how do I get one?
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You need some photographs.
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One for the card and one for the form.
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Oh.
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There's a photo machine in the post office.
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It gives you four photos for three pounds.
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So does the one in the library.
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But I went to a photographer's shop.
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It was cheaper.
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I don't have to show my passport or my driving licence, do I?
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That's right, Jan.
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You only need a letter from your college.
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I'll ask my teacher for one.
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And then you take everything to the tourist office by the
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travel agents great next time you go to London I'll
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come to now listen again hi Steve hi Jan I'm going
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to go to London on the train come with me
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but it's cheaper by bus I've got a student travel card
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you can get cheap train tickets with it oh Well that sounds good.
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How much does it cost?
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A card for six months is 16 pounds.
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So how do I get one?
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You need some photographs.
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One for the card and one for the form.
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Oh.
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There's a photo machine in the post office.
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It gives you four photos for three pounds.
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So does the one in the library.
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But I went to a photographer's shop.
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It was cheaper.
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I don't have to show my passport or my driving licence, do I?
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That's right, Jan.
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You only need a letter from your college.
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I'll ask my teacher for one.
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And then you take everything to the tourist office by the travel agents.
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Great.
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Next time you go to London, I'll come too.
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Questions 26 to 30 refer to the following conversations.
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Listen to Peter talking to a friend about learning to drive.
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You will hear the conversation twice.
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You have 20 seconds.
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Now listen to the conversation.
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Peter, you're learning to drive, aren't you?
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Do you go to the AA driving school?
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Actually, it's called the ABC driving school.
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Is it expensive?
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I want to learn to drive.
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It's cost me £140 already.
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I've had ten lessons, and each one is fourteen pounds.
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Is that for an hour?
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Erm, less than that.
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About three quarters of an hour.
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I see.
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And is the teacher's car new?
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Yes, and it's not a big car, so parking's easy.
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But it doesn't go very fast.
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When are you going to take your driving test?
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I failed it last week.
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The traffic lights were red, but I didn't see them, and I couldn't brake in time.
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Oh, never mind.
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You can take the test again.
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Tell me about your teacher.
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Is he friendly he's okay he's quite young and interesting to talk to
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but my father will give me my next lessons he's cheaper well good luck
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now listen again peter you're learning to drive aren't you do you go to the a.a driving school Actually,
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it's called the ABC Driving School.
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Is it expensive?
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I want to learn to drive.
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It's cost me £140 already.
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I've had ten lessons, and each one is £14.
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Is that for an hour?
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Erm, less than that.
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About three quarters of an hour.
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I see.
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And is the teacher's car new?
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Yes, and it's not a big car, so parking's easy.
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But it doesn't go very fast.
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When are you going to take your driving test?
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I failed it last week.
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The traffic lights were red, but I didn't see them and I couldn't brake in time.
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Oh, never mind.
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You can take the test again.
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Tell me about your teacher.
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Is he friendly?
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He's OK.
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He's quite young and interesting to talk to.
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But my father will give me my next lessons.
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He's cheaper.
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Well, good luck.
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This is the end of part three.

Context & Background

In this dialogue, Jan and Steve discuss the idea of traveling to London. The conversation highlights the logistics involved in planning a trip, specifically focusing on getting a student travel card that offers discounts on train tickets. This context is essential for learners, as it not only provides a realistic scenario but also introduces useful vocabulary and phrases related to traveling, budgeting, and obtaining necessary documentation. By understanding this dialogue, learners can gain insights into casual English conversation while enhancing their comprehension and speaking skills.

Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication

  • “How much does it cost?” - A crucial phrase for asking about prices in everyday situations.
  • “You need some photographs.” - Useful when discussing requirements for documents or IDs.
  • “It gives you four photos for three pounds.” - A practical way to communicate about services and costs.
  • “I don’t have to show my passport or my driving licence, do I?” - A common inquiry regarding identification requirements.
  • “I'll ask my teacher for one.” - This demonstrates how to express intentions to get assistance or information.

Step-by-step Shadowing Guide

To effectively utilize the shadowing technique, follow this structured approach with the dialogue between Jan and Steve. By practicing this method, you can improve English pronunciation and fluency.

  1. Listen Actively: Begin by carefully listening to the conversation twice. Focus on the tone, pronunciation, and natural rhythms of speech.
  2. Break it Down: Divide the dialogue into manageable parts (e.g., greeting, asking about prices, information gathering). Work through each section before moving on.
  3. Speak Alongside: Replay the dialogue and attempt to speak simultaneously with the speakers. This is where the shadowspeak method comes into play, allowing you to mimic the pronunciation and intonation in real-time.
  4. Repetition is Key: Repeat the entire conversation after a break. Doing this will help reinforce your memory and enhance your pronunciation accuracy.
  5. Practice in Context: Try to create your own dialogue using the phrases learned. This can be done either alone or with a partner to simulate real-life communication.

By following these steps, you can effectively incorporate shadow speak into your English learning practice, facilitating smoother conversations and greater confidence in your speaking abilities.

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.