Shadowing Practice: Saffron part 4 Actual IELTS listening - Learn English Speaking with Video
Choose a practice mode
Each mode opens a full-screen practice room.
45 sentences
If sentences are too short or too long, click Edit to adjust them.
1
Now turn to section 4 on page 7.
2
You will hear a student who is studying food science giving a presentation on a spice called saffron.
3
First you have some time to look at questions 31 to 40.
4
Now listen carefully and answer questions 31 to 40.
5
For my investigation into the history and uses of plant products, I have focused on the cultivation and production of saffron.
6
and expensive bright yellow spice made from crocus flowers.
7
Unlike most other species of crocus, the saffron crocus doesn't flower in February or March.
8
But in October, when it produces fragrant lilac -colored flowers, which are harvested at that time.
9
During the harvest, the flower petals are discarded, and only the stigmas, the three dark orange or red -colored reproductive parts of the flower,
10
are commercially used.
11
One person must pick for almost 400 hours to produce just one kilo of saffron and amazingly,
12
to produce just 50 grams, It takes about 14 ,000 individual stigmas No wonder the spice is so expensive.
13
After this painstaking harvesting, and to preserve the intensive taste, smell, and color of the product, the stigmas are subject to a process of drying,
14
by which some 98 % of their moisture content is removed.
15
This makes it possible to keep saffron on the shelf to be used for many years.
16
The highly prized spice is famous for the flavor and aroma it imparts, which are often compared to that of honey.
17
Saffron is also prized for its rich golden color, which makes food look so tempting and indulgent.
18
If you want to buy some of this fabled spice, you will find that saffron is either sold as whole stigmas or ground up as a powder.
19
Today, saffron is used in both Eastern and Western cuisines to add both color and flavor to an enormous range of recipes.
20
Though cooks would agree that it is most commonly added to recipes for the cooking of rice, because somehow it seems to complement such dishes perfectly.
21
It is found to varying degrees in Italian, Spanish, Indian, and Iranian food.
22
Although food preparation is its most common present day use,
23
medical research indicates that saffron may have important applications as a drug in the clinical treatment of a number of eye disorders.
24
Patients given saffron in their regular diet seem to show remarkable signs of recovery from serious conditions.
25
And although scientists are still unsure of exactly why,
26
recent experiments with laboratory rats have shown saffron to be effective in protecting the animals from damage caused
27
when they are exposed to potentially harmful lights.
28
Now, I'd like to give a few examples of how saffron has been used since ancient times.
29
Some of the earliest evidence of saffron cultivation comes from archaeological excavations dating back 4 ,000 years on the island of Crete,
30
where paintings and other artifacts have been found indicating that women wore beautiful saffron -colored clothes.
31
This is the earliest evidence of saffron being used as a dye.
32
During the Roman Empire, saffron oil was produced, which, because of both its color and aroma, was used to create cosmetics.
33
But only the wealthiest citizens could afford these.
34
Another use of saffron was to be found in the public baths.
35
There, saffron was used as a perfume to keep the places smelling fresh and aromatic.
36
It is even said
37
that the streets of Rome were strewn with saffron threads to greet Emperor Nero as an extravagant
38
and sweet -smelling gesture when he made a triumphal entrance into the city.
39
Other parts of the ancient world use saffron extensively.
40
One of the most well -known examples was in Persia, which is modern -day Iran,
41
where saffron was a vital part of the process of manufacturing carpets.
42
being used as a traditional dye along with other natural products like berries and minerals.
43
To end my presentation, I'd like to read out a recipe written by a...
44
That is the end of part four.
45
You now have one minute to check your answers to part four.
Download App
Everything you need to speak fluently
AI PronunciationScore every sentence
IPA PracticeMaster every sound
VocabularyBuild your word bank
Vocab GameLearn while playing
📺 Same Channel
B23
Peer Assessment PART 3 Actual IELTS listening test
IELTS PrepUniversity Students
B21
IELTS Actual listening Professor Smith's article part 3(14.06.2025)
IELTS PrepUniversity Students
B22
(Level-HARD)Harvesting and Processing Cocoa Beans part 2 Actual IELTS listening
IELTS PrepUniversity Students
B12
Lifeguard Application Part 1 Actual IELTS listening
IELTS PrepUniversity Students
B22
The Frankston Connect Club part 2 IELTS Actual listening (Audio +Transcript)
IELTS PrepUniversity Students
C14
Public Monument Assignment section 4 Actual IELTS listening
IELTS PrepUniversity Students
C11
(Level- Medium) IELTS Actual listening Economics and Trust
IELTS PrepUniversity Students
C11
American Salt Marshes part 4 IELTS Actual listening
IELTS PrepUniversity Students
C13
Joining the Social Club Form Part_1 Actual listening
IELTS PrepDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B22
Which TWO points did students most frequently make about their musical background before PART 3
IELTS PrepUniversity Students
B23
Different Types of Supermarket Layout part-4 Real listening 8.6.24 bd uz and other regional question
IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepUniversity Students
B22
IELTS Actual listening part 2 montana resort
IELTS PrepTravel EnglishUniversity Students
B16
Holiday Job section 1 Actual IELTS listening
IELTS PrepBusiness EnglishInterview English
B13
Forest Lake Campsite section 2 IELTS Actual listening
IELTS PrepTeensHigh School Students
B12
(Level-Medium) Actual IELTS listening Part-1 Theatre booking Audio + Answer Analyses
IELTS PrepTravel EnglishUniversity Students
A29
(Level-EASY)Library application form part 1 IELTS Actual listening
IELTS PrepTeensDaily Conversation
B26
IELTS listening part 3 Product development presentation: mosquito net
IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepBusiness English
B23
Environmental Science modules part 3 Actual IELTS listening
IELTS PrepUniversity Students
B13
Farmer's market in New Zealand part 2 Actual listening
Travel EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B23
Bestley Castle and Grounds part 2 IELTS Actual listening
IELTS PrepTravel EnglishHigh School Students
✨ Recommend Video
B199
36 sentences
IELTS Speaking Part 1: Food, Shopping and the Weather
American AccentBritish AccentIELTS PrepDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B21
64 sentences
Vol 1 - test 8 - section 4
IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepUniversity Students
B22
61 sentences
CAM 18 | IELTS LISTENING TEST | TEST 3 - SECTION 2 #english #listening #ielts #education #iseeielts
IELTS PrepUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B23
73 sentences
IELTS Speaking Part 2: Describe a Food/Drink You Learned to Prepare
IELTS PrepDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B21
86 sentences
What is the topic of the research?: IELTS LISTENING Vol 5 Test 8 Section 3
IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepUniversity Students
B23
59 sentences
IELTS Listening Section-4(The History of Coffee) with answers
IELTS PrepUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B23
107 sentences
IELTS Speaking Part 1 – Flowers
IELTS PrepUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B26
69 sentences
American English Intonation Practice | IELTS Topic: Describe an Important Crop in Your Country
IELTS PrepUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B23
243 sentences
Volume 8 Test 1 - IELTS Listening Full Test
IELTS PrepUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B21
72 sentences
Lesson 185: An expensive place you visited💸
IELTS PrepDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B21
50 sentences
Vol 3 - test 4 - section 2
IELTS PrepUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B25
225 sentences
CELPIP Speaking Task 7 - TIPS!
IELTS PrepCambridge Exam PrepInterview English
Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This video has 45 sentences and 660 words to shadow. The speech runs for 5:53. The speaker talks at a steady 112 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. Only 77% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is demanding.
Key vocabulary in this video
15 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| flower noun | /ˈfloʊɚ/ | A reproductive structure in angiosperms (flowering plants), often conspicuously colourful and typically including sepals, petals, and either or both stamens… |
| spouse noun | /spaʊ̯s/ | A person in a marriage or marital relationship. |
| stigma noun | /ˈstɪɡmə/ | An indication of infamy or disgrace. |
| recipe noun | /ˈɹɛs.ɪ.pi/ | Any set of instructions for preparing a mixture of ingredients. |
| harvest noun | /ˈhɑɹ.vəst/ | The process of gathering the ripened crop; harvesting. |
| indicate verb | /ˈɪndɪˌkeɪt/ | To point out; to discover; to direct to a knowledge of; to show; to make known. |
| presentation noun | /ˌpɹɛzn̩ˈteɪʃn̩/ | The act of presenting, or something presented. |
| flavor noun | /ˈfleɪvə/ | The quality produced by the sensation of taste or, especially, of taste and smell in combined effect. |
| cultivation noun | /ˌkʌltɪˈveɪʃən/ | Tillage: plowing, sowing and raising crops. |
| smelling verb | /ˈsmɛlɪŋ/ | Used in adjectival compounds. |
| carefully adverb | /ˈkɛɹf(ə)li/ | With care; attentively, circumspectly. |
| compare verb | /kəmˈpɛɚ/ | To assess the similarities and differences between two or more things [“to compare X with Y”]. Having made the comparison of X with Y, one might have found it… |
| bath noun | /bɑːθ/ | A tub or pool which is used for bathing: bathtub. |
| thread noun | /ˈθɹɛd/ | A cord formed by spinning or twisting together textile fibers or filaments into one or more continuous strands, typically used in needlework. |
| citizen noun | /ˈsɪtɪzən/ | A resident of a city or town, especially one with legally recognized rights or duties. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| read out verb | /ˌɹiːd ˈaʊt/ | To read something and say the words to inform other people; to call. |
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 | are harvested · are discarded · is removed |
| Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thing | student who is · flowers, which are · imparts, which are |
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | have focused · have shown · has been |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 3 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'd, doesn't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “th” sounds: bath /bɑːθ/, thread /ˈθɹɛd/, wealthy /ˈwɛl.θi/, cloth /klɒθ/
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: presentation /ˌpɹɛzn̩ˈteɪʃn̩/, cultivation /ˌkʌltɪˈveɪʃən/, potentially /pəˈtɛnʃ(ə)li/, preparation /ˌpɹɛpəˈɹeɪʃ(ə)n/, dish /dɪʃ/
- Long words — get the stress right: cultivation /ˌkʌltɪˈveɪʃən/, potentially /pəˈtɛnʃ(ə)li/, experiment /ɪkˈspɛɹ.ə.mənt/, preparation /ˌpɹɛpəˈɹeɪʃ(ə)n/, laboratory /ˈlæb(ə)ɹəˌtɔɹi/
How to practise with this video
- Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
- Shadow it sentence by sentence at normal speed, repeating each one until your rhythm matches the speaker.
- Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like flower, spouse, stigma.
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.