Shadowing Practice: TEST 1. Part 2: Ronald Stevenson Company - Learn English Speaking with Video

Creating lesson...
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Part 2.
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You will hear the managing director of a company called Stevenson's welcoming a group of work experience students.
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First, you have some time to look at questions 11 to 14.
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Now listen carefully and answer questions 11 to 14.
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Good morning everyone and welcome to Stevenson's, one of the country's major manufacturers of metal goods.
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Thank you for choosing us for your two weeks of work experience.
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My name is Julia Simmons and since the beginning of this year I've been the managing director.
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Stevenson's is quite an old company.
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Like me, the founder, Ronald Stevenson, went into the steel industry when he left school.
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That was in 1923.
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He set up this company when he finished his apprenticeship in 1926,
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although he actually started making plans two years earlier in 1924.
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He was a very determined young man.
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Stevenson's long-term plan was to manufacture components for the machine tools industry
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although in fact that never came about and for the automotive industry that is cars and lorries.
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However there was a delay of five years before that happened, because shortly before the company went into production,
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Stevenson was given the opportunity to make goods for hospitals and other players in the healthcare industry.
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So that's what we did for the first five years.
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Over the years, we've expanded the premises considerably.
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We were lucky that the site is big enough so moving to a new location has never been necessary.
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However the layout is far from ideal for modern machinery
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and production methods so we intend to carry out major refurbishment of this site over the next five years.
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I'd better give you some idea of what you'll be doing during your two weeks with us
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so you know what to expect.
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Most mornings you'll have a presentation from one of the managers to learn about their department,
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starting this morning with research and development.
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And you'll all spend some time in each department, observing what's going on and talking to people, as long as you don't stop them from doing their work altogether.
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In the past, a teacher from your school has come in at the end
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of each week to find out how the group were getting on, but your school isn't able to arrange that this year.
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Before you hear the rest of the talk, you have some time to look at questions 15 to 20.
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Now listen and answer questions 15 to 20.
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OK, now I'll briefly help you to orientate yourselves around the site.
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As you can see, we're in the reception area, which we try to make attractive and welcoming to visitors.
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There's a corridor running left from here, and if you go along that, the door facing you at the end is the entrance to the coffee room.
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This looks out onto the main road on one side and some trees on the other, and that'll be where you meet each morning.
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The factory is the very big room on the far side of the site.
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Next to it is the warehouse
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which can be accessed by lorries going up the road to the turning area at the end.
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You can get to the warehouse by crossing to the far side of the courtyard
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and then the door is on your right.
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Somewhere you'll be keen to find is the staff canteen.
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This is right next to reception.
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I can confidently say that the food's very good, but the view isn't.
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The windows on one side look onto a corridor and courtyard
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which aren't very attractive at all and on the other onto the access road which isn't much better.
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You'll be using the meeting room quite often
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and you'll find it by walking along the corridor to the left of the courtyard and continuing along it to the end.
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The meeting room is the last one on the right and I'm afraid there's no natural daylight in the room.
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Then you'll need to know where some of the offices are.
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The Human Resources Department is at the front of this building.
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So you head to the left along the corridor from reception and it's the second room you come to.
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It looks out onto the main road.
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And finally, the boardroom, where you'll be meeting sometimes.
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That has quite a pleasant view as it looks out onto the trees.
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Go along the corridor past the courtyard right to the end.
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The boardroom is on the left, next to the factory.
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OK, now, are there any questions before we move...
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That is the end of part two.
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Thank you.

Who Is This Video For?

This video is perfect for intermediate English learners ready to level up their english speaking practice and prepare for real-world workplace interactions—ideal for IELTS speaking practice too! Whether you’re mastering professional vocabulary or honing listening skills, the clear, conversational tone makes it easy to follow. It’s also a goldmine for shadow speak (repeating aloud to mimic rhythm and pronunciation) since the speaker uses natural pacing and everyday business terms.

Words & Idioms Worth Stealing

Boost your vocabulary with these standout phrases from the video:

  • Premises: The physical buildings and land of a company. "We’ve expanded the premises over the years."
  • Refurbishment: Renovating or updating a space. "Plans for major refurbishment are underway."
  • Orientate yourselves: Get familiar with a new place. "Let me help you orientate yourselves around the site."
  • Far from ideal: Not perfect at all. "The layout is far from ideal for modern tools."

These terms are common in professional settings—use them to sound more confident in work or exam scenarios!

How to Get the Accent Right

For shadow speech success, focus on the speaker’s clear intonation and stress. Notice how she emphasizes key words like "determined" (stress on "de-TER-mined") and "considerably" (con-SID-er-ably). Practice copying her natural pauses, especially after introductory phrases like "However" or "I’d better give you some idea." Also, mimic her relaxed pace—she doesn’t rush, making it easy to follow. Repeat short sections aloud, matching her rhythm, to build fluency. This is a fantastic way to train your mouth and ears for real-life conversations!

Ready to start? Hit play, pause, and repeat—your english speaking practice journey just got a boost with this practical, engaging video. Happy shadowing!

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.