Shadowing Practice: [VOL 5] IELTS Listening Test 5 - Learn English Speaking with Video

Section 1.

You will hear a man telephoning to ask for information about swimming lessons.

First, you have some time to look at questions 1 to 6 on page 2.

You will see that there is an example that has been done for you.

On this occasion only, the conversation relating to this will be played first.

Hello, City Swim School.

Oh, hello.

I wanted to ask about swimming lessons.

That's in a class, not individual.

Right.

Well, we do group lessons at various levels.

To start off with, we have what we call the water babies class.

The first class is called water babies, so babies has been written in the space.

Now we shall begin.

You should answer the questions as you listen, because you will not hear the recording a second time.

Listen carefully and answer questions one to six.

Hello, City Swim School.

Oh, hello.

I wanted to ask about swimming lessons.

That's in a class, not individual.

Right.

Well, we do group lessons at various levels.

To start off with, we have what we call the Water Babies class.

That's for babies of three months and over.

Really?

As young as that?

Yes, that's really the best time to start.

Right.

Well, we do have a baby, so I'll make a note of that.

What do they actually do in the lessons?

Well, the main aim is just to familiarise them with the water so they feel at ease there.

They get the children to enjoy themselves.

They have lots of toys and things they can use to play with in the water.

Right.

And how much do the lessons cost?

They're held on Tuesday mornings, and each lesson costs £3 .80.

It's not really a course as such.

OK.

Well, I'll talk to my wife about that.

Er, but I was actually ringing about lessons for me.

OK.

So, are you a beginner?

Not exactly, but I'm not very good.

Well, the beginners' classes are really for people who don't have any experience of swimming.

They aim to teach you techniques for breathing in the water,

and they get you to do things like put your head under water and open your eyes.

OK.

I can do that.

and by the end of the course

they aim to have you swimming five meters i think i can probably just about do that okay

so you'd be better in the intermediate class then that's where you learn the main swimming strokes front stroke backstroke

and so on what about diving yes they teach you how to do

that and you'd also do some underwater swimming not with a tank

or anything oh no not scuba just ordinary underwater swimming

and in the intermediate course you also look at water safety both in the pool

and when swimming in other places okay well

that sounds the right level for me i think

so how much does

that cost 61 pounds for a course

that's 10 lessons can you tell me a bit more about

the class how many people would there be in it well the intermediate class is usually around eight to ten

that's what we aim at though occasionally it might go up to twelve

okay that sounds quite a reasonable size not too many and the class is for adults is it yes Okay.

and just out of interest is there an advanced class yes they focus on developing more efficient swimming techniques

and on working on your speed and they also prepare you for competitive swimming

okay now i think i'd want to start with the intermediate one really

before you hear the rest of the conversation you have some time to look at questions seven to ten

Now listen and answer questions 7 to 10.

now is there anything special i need to know well the classes are on tuesdays

and the first lesson is on january the 13th

so you need to register before then january the 8th is the latest

but it's filling up quickly

so i'd do it straight away you can pick up a form here or get one off the internet, and classes are at 7 .30pm.

Right.

Then I just roll up with my swimming trunks.

Do I have to bring my own towel?

That's right.

We provide all participants with a swimming hat, though.

Oh.

I don't usually wear one.

Well, we do insist on it, actually.

It helps the instructor to identify you, apart from anything else.

Oh, and don't forget you need a 20p coin for the locker.

Oh, OK.

Right, well, I've been meaning to do this for ages.

I really need to get some more exercise, and everyone says swimming is good for your health.

Yes, and a lot of people find it improves their confidence, too.

And, of course, it could save your life, or even someone else's.

That's right.

OK, well, thanks very much.

Goodbye.

That is the end of Section 1.

You now have half a minute to check your answers.

Section 2 You hear a talk by a counsellor from the

University of New South Wales who will introduce some useful facilities and services on the campus.

First, you have some time to look at questions 11 to 15.

Now, listen carefully and answer questions 11 to 15.

Hello everyone, and welcome to the University of New South Wales.

100

The first thing I'd like to do at today's orientation session is get you all oriented.

101

That means tell you the location of some useful facilities and services.

102

So, first of all, take out the maps we gave you all as you came in the door.

103

The map is the big yellow sheet of paper.

104

As you can see on the map, north is at the top, south at the bottom, etc. Which way is north?

105

Well, look through that window on my left, your right.

106

See the rising sun?

107

That would have to be east.

108

So north must be directly behind me.

109

Now, we're at the campus main gate.

110

The recreational facilities are on my right hand and its opposite is the student centre.

111

No questions?

112

Good.

113

Pretty easy, right?

114

OK.

115

Did everyone eat breakfast at the student food service this morning?

116

Was the food good?

117

Yes, yes, I am joking.

118

I've eaten there too.

119

So, after a meal like that, you must be eager to go to a doctor, right?

120

Well, I have good news for you.

121

The student health centre is located about half a kilometre straight north of here.

122

Look on your maps.

123

You see the street on the east side of this building?

124

Ned Kelly Avenue, just follow that about 500 metres and the health centre will be on your left at the 3rd Cross Street.

125

Now, I know you all just got here, so you must be wondering how to tell your folks you've arrived safely,

126

how much you miss the dog and how you already need more money.

127

If you don't have an iPhone, you probably are wondering where to find a computer.

128

Well, I have good news.

129

If you go straight out of its door and walk down the Garden Street, you'll see the internet unit on your left side,

130

just next to the gym.

131

The hours are posted on the door and the computers are free, but you must bring your student ID card with you.

132

Like I tell everyone, if you need help with anything, you can probably find right here in the student centre.

133

Do you see the four buildings there between the student centre and the library?

134

Those are the dormitories.

135

The men's dorms are the two on the south, the women's the two on the north.

136

OK, I'm sorry to have to tell you, but the university has been doing a lot of repairs and remodelling and it's not all done yet.

137

So there may be some small problems with your dorm rooms.

138

Maybe the window doesn't open.

139

Maybe an air conditioner is missing or does not work.

140

If there are any problems, you can go to the Complaint Office,

141

which is right beside the teaching building between the Parker Street and the Crammer Street.

142

Just tell them your problem and they should have it fixed by the time you graduate in four years.

143

I'm joking, but please be patient.

144

There are a lot of little things they need to take care of.

145

Tired of the school food?

146

No?

147

Give it a week.

148

Or maybe you just need a place to get coffee in

149

the wee hours of the night during one of those marathon study sessions.

150

Either way, you definitely have to check out the little cafe just past the women's dormitories.

151

They've got free

152

Wi -Fi, so a lot of students saddle up with coffee and a bagel for hours on end to get work done.

153

Before you hear the rest of the talk, you have some time to look at questions 16 to 20.

154

As for the dorm rooms, I have some bad news and some good news.

155

The bad news is the rooms are small and you'll probably be sharing space with at least three other students.

156

The good news is that each room has its own bathroom.

157

What's good about sharing a bathroom with three strangers?

158

Hmm, good question.

159

OK, call it bad news and worse news.

160

Hey, maybe try this for good news.

161

Each dorm has a kitchen.

162

If you want to make snacks or meals, you can do it there.

163

You can buy food containers at any campus convenience store so you can store your food in the kitchen.

164

But a word of warning, you should definitely write your name on your food containers.

165

Sad to say, there are food thieves among your fellow students.

166

Speaking of thieves, a word about security.

167

I mean, this is Australia and we do get drunken bush rangers wandering onto campus.

168

Each of you will be given a key for your dorm room.

169

Don't lose it.

170

You have to pay for any replacement and fill out a bunch of papers too.

171

Red tape, huh?

172

Your key does not work for the front door of your dorm, however.

173

To the right of each door, there's a keypad with numbers.

174

When you move in, they will tell you the code you use to enter the door.

175

Please do not tell the code to people who do not live in the dorm.

176

Let's see, have I forgotten anything?

177

Oh yes, most of you are not rich, correct?

178

So when your clothes get dirty, you can't just throw them away and buy new ones.

179

That means you have to learn to do laundry.

180

Or, men, that means you have to hurry up and get married.

181

If you decide to wash those clothes and not get married, there are laundries in each dorm. Where?

182

Oh, I almost forgot to tell you.

183

The laundry for each dorm is in the basement.

184

Some real good news this time if you're a student.

185

It is free.

186

You do have to buy your own soap, however.

187

The laundry closes by the by at 11 .30.

188

And now that I've mentioned 11 .30, please remember the dorm doors are locked at 11 .30pm.

189

Your code will not work.

190

If you want to get in, you'll have to call the night watchman

191

Don't worry, you can get that number at the dorm office

192

Yes, the dorm office and the complaint office are the same office.

193

Alright then, before we continue, are there any questions?

194

Now turn to section 3.

195

Part 3.

196

You will hear two students, called Shona and Peter, discussing their internship options.

197

First, you have some time to look at questions 21 to 25.

198

Now listen carefully and answer questions.

199

21 to 25.

200

Hi Shona.

201

Hi Peter.

202

Have you made up your mind about which internship program to apply for?

203

Yes, pretty much.

204

I'm entirely at a loss.

205

I mean, there are so many good ones.

206

Can you give me some tips?

207

Sure.

208

What is your top priority when weighing up these programs?

209

Well, I guess I'd go for ones that can help me with the skill set I lack for my future career.

210

I still need a lot of practical training in dealing with statistics.

211

But keep in mind that you don't want to set your goal too grand, like drawing up a business plan.

212

You might end up nowhere.

213

I see.

214

So I want to learn how to organise ideas and present them.

215

Good.

216

Now you've nailed step one.

217

Now what?

218

You must also consider your strengths for a suitable internship program.

219

Otherwise, you might get rejected or end up with one that you are incapable of doing.

220

But I have no idea what I'm good at.

221

Communicate with people around you or whom you've worked with.

222

That's what I did.

223

I thought I was a good team leader.

224

But many people I've worked with for various projects mentioned something else.

225

They admire that I could work around the clock to finish projects on time.

226

And indeed, I'm more focused and perform better when I'm pushed for time.

227

Good point.

228

So what do you plan to do next?

229

I'll visit the careers officer to help me with the school application form.

230

You know, the one we have to submit before applying to companies.

231

But it is unnecessary to fill it in.

232

It's only optional.

233

Really?

234

I'm glad I heard from you.

235

Then I'll ask the careers officer to look at my personal statement and give me some tips on polishing it up.

236

Don't you need help with your CV?

237

No, I'm good.

238

I have already learned to write it in class.

239

That's good.

240

So what kind of company did you choose?

241

I've decided to apply for an IT company.

242

Why is that?

243

Well, even though I've learned how the IT industry developed in the past from different lectures, I know nothing about its latest trends.

244

I'm prepared to work in an IT company and fill in the information gap.

245

I see.

246

What do you plan to do next term?

247

I think I'll stick to most of the optional modules I've chosen.

248

But regarding the language sessions, I'm doing poorly in Japanese.

249

I'd better drop it before wasting more time.

250

I think I'll learn Spanish instead.

251

Oh.

252

I learned Spanish for a year.

253

I think you'll find it interesting.

254

Before you hear the rest of the conversation, you have some time to look at questions 26 to 30.

255

Now listen and answer questions 26 to 30.

256

Do you know what job opportunities these companies offer interns?

257

I've searched online and browsed some of the schemes.

258

Do you know SAIC?

259

Yes, I heard they offer internship positions dealing with customer interaction management, but I'm not quite sure what that means.

260

Well, the position offers the chance to become fully aware of customer value

261

and keep in touch with customers to keep them highly engaged and satisfied.

262

These include activities such as PR, communications, marketing, and customer service.

263

Sounds like loads of work to do.

264

What about Gemini Technologies?

265

It's an IT consulting company.

266

Although many employees say it's stressful working there, I want to apply for this one.

267

Why is that?

268

Actually, the company provides service to improve software architecture.

269

But that's pretty demanding, as a team of software engineers has to provide detailed analysis

270

and suggestions for required changes before the deadline.

271

As an observer and participant of a particular project, an intern can learn how to work to a strict deadline.

272

That's not my area of expertise, but I'm sure you'll excel at this.

273

I certainly do hope so.

274

Have you checked out Deloitte? Of course.

275

That's a renowned accounting firm, and thus its internships offer excellent learning experiences in this regard.

276

You know, things like examining a company's financial statements,

277

the income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statement.

278

I want to give it a try, but I might get rejected, so I need a backup plan.

279

Have you read anything about Kearney?

280

Yes, it is another consulting firm.

281

It provides opportunities to reach out to other business partners and pay attention to networking.

282

Well, that sounds interesting.

283

I'm thinking about Vortex, but I haven't got anything useful from its website.

284

I worked there last summer.

285

It's an international company with headquarters in Spain, so most of the managers here speak Spanish.

286

Thanks to the internship experience, I became fluent in it.

287

Right.

288

That's not for me.

289

That is the end of Part 3.

290

You now have half a minute to check your answers to Part 3.

291

Section 4 You will hear part of a lecture about oxytocin and trust.

292

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

293

You Thank you.

294

The development of trust is an essential social tool allowing people to form productive

295

and meaningful relationships both at a professional and personal level.

296

Trust is indispensable in friendship, love, families and organizations and plays a key role in economic exchange and politics.

297

Much recent evidence indicates that trust contributes to economic, political and social success.

298

When we make contacts with strangers, such as doing business with the clients who we meet for the first time,

299

our trust in them can only rely on their kindness.

300

So from our own judgment or the comments from other people, we can have a rough idea if the stranger is trustworthy.

301

Trust is important because it is the basis around which all human relationships evolve.

302

Without trust, there can be no relationship.

303

Trust can come naturally, or it can be manifested.

304

If you find trust of this magnitude in life, then you are lucky.

305

Also, you can always count on them to protect through all, if not most, of life's perils.

306

Trust is important because if you don't trust someone, then they are not available.

307

Believe it or not, reducing the chance of suffering from poverty is to understand trust, because when you trust other people,

308

you can have more support and resources.

309

However, our ability to trust others varies from individual to individual, just like different people's ability of recognising a person's face is not the same.

310

Bonds of trust are also extremely fragile.

311

A single act of betrayal, such as a marital affair, can instantly erase years of trustworthy behaviour.

312

The consequences of such breaches in confidence can be disastrous and not only for a relationship.

313

The study demonstrates how oxytocin can facilitate social interactions after trust

314

has been violated by potentially lowering defence mechanisms associated with social risks

315

and by overcoming negative feedback that is important for adapting behaviour in the future.

316

Luckily, oxytocin in our body has the ability to inspire trust in and among people.

317

This chemical is released whenever interaction happens between people.

318

To study social interactions, economists and more recently neuroscientists take advantage of a simple experiment.

319

Two participants play the so -called trust game.

320

The first participant is faced with the decision to keep a sum of money

321

or share it with the second participant who has no obligation to give the money back.

322

He would get more money if the second person returns it.

323

In this game, the first person is left with an important social dilemma, to trust or not to trust.

324

Although it is more profitable to trust, doing so leaves the investor at risk of betrayal.

325

Trust is not something that naturally occurs when two people meet for the first time.

326

It involves a process.

327

One person has to show the quality of being trustworthy to the other person.

328

This can be achieved by certain behaviours and communication.

329

Therefore, trust is conditional.

330

People should not take it for granted.

331

Oxytocin does not only exist in human beings.

332

Animals also have this gift, and it can be seen when they have cooperation with each other.

333

Oxytocin in monkeys, for example, allow them to work together to find food and to fight against enemies.

334

The Nash Equilibrium's game theory, the first participant will make the best decision he can, with no expectations that the second participant would change his decision.

335

The second participant will do the same.

336

So, the outcome depends on the decision of the other person.

337

This game is similar to the one we just talked about.

338

The oxytocin level doesn't stay the same in a person's body.

339

Studies have found that people who are under a lot of stress would have higher levels of oxytocin.

340

Oxytocin causes a substantial increase in trust among humans, thereby greatly increasing the benefits from social interactions.

341

It's also noted

342

that the effect of oxytocin on trust is not due to a general increase in the readiness to bear risks.

343

On the contrary, oxytocin specifically affects an individual's willingness to accept social risks arising through interpersonal interactions.

344

to sum up oxytocin is like a kind of social glue

345

that is helpful in social bonding further research is needed to explore oxytocin

346

and trust and how this hormone can be used to strengthen our trust in others

347

and even treat mental disorders

348

that specifically relate to deficiencies in social behavior next we're going to talk about

349

that is the end of section four you now have half a minute to check your answers.

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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson

This speaking lesson is built on the video “[VOL 5] IELTS Listening Test 5”. This video has 349 sentences and 3516 words to shadow. The speech runs for 29:57. The speaker talks at a steady 117 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. 85% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English; the rest is worth studying before you start.

Key vocabulary in this video

15 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:

Word	Pronunciation	Meaning
swim verb	/swɪm/	To move through the water, without touching the bottom; to propel oneself in water by natural means.
lesson noun	/ˈlɛs.ən/	A section of learning or teaching into which a wider learning content is divided.
participant noun	/pɑːɹˈtɪsəpənt/	One who participates.
interaction noun	/ˌɪn.təˈɹæk.ʃən/	The situation or occurrence in which two or more things act upon one another to produce an effect; the effect resulting from such a situation or occurrence.
internship noun	/ˈɪntɜːnʃɪp/	A job taken by a student in order to learn a profession or trade.
intermediate adjective	/ɪn.tə(ɹ)ˈmi.di.ət/	Being between two extremes, or in the middle of a range.
carefully adverb	/ˈkɛɹf(ə)li/	With care; attentively, circumspectly.
laundry noun	/ˈlɔːn.dɹi/	A laundering; a washing.
trustworthy adjective	/ˈtɹʌst.wɜː.ði/	Deserving of trust, reliable.
meal noun	/ˈmiːl/	Food that is prepared and eaten, usually at a specific time, and usually in a comparatively large quantity.
naturally adverb	/ˈnæt͡ʃ.(ə.)ɹə.li/	In a natural manner.
sheet noun	/ʃit/	A thin bed cloth used as a covering for a mattress or as a layer over the sleeper.
behaviour noun		British standard spelling of behavior.
complaint noun	/kəmˈpleɪnt/	The act of complaining.
goodbye	/ɡʊdˈbaɪ/	Farewell; a formula used to another person or persons when the speaker, writer, or person addressed is departing.

Phrasal verbs you will hear

Word	Pronunciation	Meaning
check out verb		To record the departure or withdrawal of someone or something (such as guests, employees, books, etc.).
draw up verb		To compose (a document), especially following a standard form; prepare a plan.
end up verb		To bring to a conclusion.
fill out verb	/fɪl ˈaʊt/	To complete a form or questionnaire with requested information.
fill up verb		To make (something) completely full.
look through verb		To take a view of the contents of; search in, either with the eyes or by hand.
make up verb	/ˌmeɪk ˈʌp/	To constitute, to compose.
pick up verb		To lift; to grasp and raise.

Sentences worth repeating

Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:

Do I have to bring my own towel?
Let's see, have I forgotten anything?
Alright then, before we continue, are there any questions?
Can you give me some tips?
What do you plan to do next term?

Grammar in this video

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

Structure	In the video
Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now	has been done · has been written · I've eaten
Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it	has been done · will be played · is called
Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thing	people who don · people who do · people who are

Pronunciation to watch

The speaker uses 61 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'm, don't, I've. Say them the short way, as you hear them.

The “th” sounds: trustworthy /ˈtɹʌst.wɜː.ði/, thief /ˈθiːf/, breathe /bɹiːð/, marathon /ˈmæɹəθən/, strengthen /ˈstɹɛŋ(k)θən/
The “sh” and “zh” sounds: interaction /ˌɪn.təˈɹæk.ʃən/, internship /ˈɪntɜːnʃɪp/, sheet /ʃit/, optional /ˈɑp.ʃə.nəl/, efficient /ɪˈfɪʃənt/
Long words — get the stress right: participant /pɑːɹˈtɪsəpənt/, interaction /ˌɪn.təˈɹæk.ʃən/, intermediate /ɪn.tə(ɹ)ˈmi.di.ət/, naturally /ˈnæt͡ʃ.(ə.)ɹə.li/, underwater /ʌndɚˈwɔtəɹ/

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 swim, lesson, participant.

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 →

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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson

Key vocabulary in this video

Phrasal verbs you will hear

Sentences worth repeating

Grammar in this video

Pronunciation to watch

How to practise with this video

What is the Shadowing Technique?