Shadowing Practice: [VOL 5] IELTS Listening Test 7 - Learn English Speaking with Video

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275 sentences

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You will hear a telephone conversation between a woman who is moving to London and an employee of a relocation service.

First, you have some time to look at questions 1 to 7.

Thank you.

London Relocation Services, Daniel speaking.

How may I help you?

Good morning.

My family and I are moving to London later this year and I wonder if you can help.

Sure.

First of all, I'll need to get some personal details.

May I take your full name, please?

It's Anna Woods.

Thanks.

Where are you moving from?

Northern Ireland, just outside Belfast, actually.

Right.

And what's your current address?

It's 118 Fordyce Park.

I'll spell that for you.

It's F -O -R -D -Y -C -E.

And that's in Ballysillon.

And what's the postcode?

It's BT149BJ.

Alright, and could I take a contact phone number?

I'll give you my mobile number as you can get me on that any time.

It's 07840051963.

Great, got that.

Now we always like to get a bit more information about the families that we're moving.

It helps with the search.

Are you moving for work?

Yes, my husband's just got a new job in London.

And what about you?

Do you work?

Well, I've been working as a teaching assistant recently, but I'm actually a qualified nurse and I'd like to get back into that if possible.

Right.

And do you have any children?

Yes, a son.

So we need to find a school for him.

Is it a secondary school you'll be looking for?

No, he's still in primary school.

He's not quite at the secondary level yet.

Fine.

So, let's go on to talk about your requirements for the property.

Do you have a preferred location?

Is your husband's job in the centre?

No, it's in East London, but we'd rather live somewhere quieter.

Sure.

There are some lovely areas in the south.

OK, that sounds great.

Now, my husband doesn't want to spend too long commuting to work every day.

So, I imagine that ideally he'd like to be not too far from a station then?

Yes.

He drives now, but I guess that's not going to be possible, and he's not keen on buses.

What about you or your son?

Do you have any preferences?

Does your son do any sport, for example?

He's quite active, so I'm sure he'd love a park nearby to run around in.

He doesn't do swimming or anything like that.

Great.

Before you hear the rest of the conversation, you have some time to look at questions 8 to 10.

Now listen and answer questions 8 to 10.

So, what sort of property do you have in mind?

We have friends who live in an amazing flat over there.

But as we've always lived in a house, I think we'll stick with that.

We'd find it hard to adapt to a flat.

OK.

And size -wise, how many bedrooms would you like?

Well, there's just myself, my husband and our son.

So you definitely need a two -bedroom property.

But how about having a guest room?

I might be able to find a three -bedroom property for you.

Yes, that would be ideal.

We're sure to have family visiting often.

All right.

I've made a note of that.

Now, are there any other requirements for your new property?

Well, it's not essential, but it'd be handy to have an office for when my husband works from home.

It doesn't need to be a big one.

I guess it all comes down to budget.

Yes.

Okay, Anna.

Well, I've certainly got enough to be getting on with, and I will...

That is the end of part one.

Thank you.

A manager talking to company employees about moving to a new office building.

First, you have some time to look at questions 11 to 16 on page 3.

Thank you.

Now listen carefully and answer questions 11 to 16.

Thank you for coming to today's meeting, everyone.

I'd like to give you some information about moving to our new office building so that you know what the plans are.

So, first, let me explain why we're moving.

Even though we've taken on quite a few new employees over the last year, we still have plenty of space here,

but the problem is where we are.

But we've now found the perfect place in the city centre.

Originally, we chose this building in the suburbs because the rent was much cheaper, but our clients aren't always keen on coming out here.

I visited the new office last week, and I'm pretty sure that you'll find the greatest advantage is the huge windows.

I'm not sure we'll need desk lamps at all.

Of course, we'll have everything checked out to make sure we can control the temperature of each office,

and we may have to put some room dividers in some offices so that you're not disturbed by your colleagues' conversations.

We've just set a date for the move.

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The finance department wanted us to wait until after the end of the tax year, April, but we've decided to move earlier.

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As soon as the sales conference is over in January, we'll move.

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That'll give us plenty of time to organise everything before you start taking your annual holidays.

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We've already put quite a bit of information about the move on the company website, like restaurants and cafes around the new office,

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but we're still checking bus routes and things like that, so transport information will be up by next Monday.

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Another thing still to get confirmed is which car park we can use and how many people can use it.

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OK, let's move on to some practical things you have to do now.

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Don't worry yet about taking home your photos and things like that.

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That can be sorted out much nearer the time, along with getting rid of any unwanted paperwork.

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We need to find out how many new desks and chairs to order,

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so could you make a list of any of the ones you use that are scratched or broken?

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Just one thing, all documents containing non -confidential information can go into the general packing boxes,

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but when it comes to documents containing confidential information, you'll need to put these in special bags.

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You'll be given grey plastic ones for this.

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So one thing to do now is go through your filing cabinets and identify which folders are confidential.

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Before you hear the rest of the talk, you have some time to look at questions 17 to 20 on page 4.

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Now listen and answer questions 17 to 20.

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Now, to help you prepare for the move, I'd like to talk about lifting heavy things.

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You shouldn't really have to do this because a removal company will be used,

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but you might want to move a box out of your way or something.

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It's surprising how often people don't remember to use the handles on the boxes, although they all have them.

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You've all had the leaflet explaining that you should keep your back straight and your head up when lifting.

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And it also tells you to stand with your feet firmly on the ground and a little bit apart, so I think that's clear.

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But the leaflet emphasises the importance of not twisting to the left or right once you've picked something up,

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and if you're like me, that's easy to forget.

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I'd also like to talk about papers.

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If they've been stored for a long time, they can get mould on them, a sort of fungus, and as soon as you start moving them,

127

the fungus gets disturbed.

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As you know, you can't open the windows in this building, but I suggest you use the gloves that we'll provide.

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We'll also get some face masks, but we've been advised that these shouldn't be necessary.

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What you should do is drink one or two litres of water a day.

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That's essential.

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Often the best time to do this sort of work is after your afternoon break

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so that you can leave the building soon afterwards.

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Now are there any questions?

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That is the end of section 2.

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You now have half a minute to check your answers.

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Now turn to Section 3 on page 5.

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Section 3 You will hear two students named Mona and Ted talking about a presentation on design development.

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

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Now listen carefully and answer questions 21 to 26.

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Ted, you've looked at my presentation, haven't you?

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What do you think of it?

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Hey, Mona.

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Yes, I have.

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Before giving you some advice, I have a question.

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Why didn't you write about the development of design and its influence, or connection with social advancement, or even art movement?

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In my opinion, this direction would have more significance.

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Actually, I just want to focus on the history of design.

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I'm particularly interested in its history from the 1800s.

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That's why I wrote about it.

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I see.

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It could save some effort.

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Not really.

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I've covered different areas of design, such as building, clothing, and products.

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It's a lot of work.

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Right.

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Is it because you want to give a comprehensive talk?

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To be honest, I was worried about my teacher's reaction.

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If I only talk about one area, she might think I've been lazy.

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You know what?

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Even though it's okay to talk about different aspects, I think the topic is too broad.

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It would be hard for the listeners to focus on any specific area.

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Um, you are right.

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I only have about 45 minutes for the talk.

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Maybe I should narrow the range.

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That would be much better.

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And you can use computer technology to assist you in your presentation.

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like using the CAD or other computer software?

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I'm not sure.

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Although computer technology can improve the visual effects of my presentation, I'd rather use the traditional way since I'm talking about the history of design.

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I guess traditional media is more affected by computers rather than designing industry.

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That makes sense.

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You could do it your own way.

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As for the content, you mentioned purism, and you said it can save people's effort.

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I don't really agree with that.

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I think it's not really easy to achieve.

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On the other hand, I do think it's important to apply this concept in architecture.

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I mean, the building should look simple and elegant.

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That's a good point.

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Ted, what do you think I should do to further improve my talk?

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Well, I think you have read enough books about it.

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So, it's not the theories that you lack.

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Why don't you visit the Design Museum in the north of the city?

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One of my friends went there last month, and he said it was worth it.

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I'm sure it can give you some inspiration.

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Before you hear the rest of the discussion, you have some time to look at questions 27 to 30.

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Now listen and answer questions 27 to 30.

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How do you usually prepare for a presentation?

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You have done it many times, right?

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You can say that.

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When I prepare for a presentation, I would first try to come up with an introduction telling the audience what my topic is.

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It's very important to grasp people's attention and let them know what you want to talk about.

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Okay, I think so.

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A good beginning can mean everything.

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Exactly.

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Maybe you could use a story to start.

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Step 2.

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I would research deeper into the topic and give the audience something new.

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Yeah, that's what I've been working on.

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I always try to look for more related information online.

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I want them to learn something from my presentation.

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Since you work so hard, they will like it.

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I noticed that you use a lot of pictures in your slides.

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What I would do is put a statement under each picture, so the audience would know what exactly the pictures are about.

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I just thought it would be more impressive to use only pictures.

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All right, I will add that.

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In the next step, you should try illustrating slide by slide.

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Each slide should only contain one thought or idea, so all of these thoughts will link together in your illustration.

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This step would need a lot of practice.

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Exactly.

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A lot of practice is needed before you stand in front of the real audience.

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There's one final step you should not forget.

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I suggest you prepare some text handouts with important details.

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What are they for?

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The audience can reflect on what you talk about in and after your presentation.

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I've never thought about that.

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Thank you so much.

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Ted, you're a great help.

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No problem, Mona.

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That is the end of Section 3.

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You now have half a minute to check your answers. So Section

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4. You will hear a talk on the research of the graphical symbol.

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

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Thank you.

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Good morning everyone!

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Today I'm going to talk about the graphical symbol.

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A graphic symbol is a written symbol that is used to represent speech, such as those used in the Greek alphabet.

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The term graphic symbol encompasses anything from the logographs used in Egyptian hieroglyphic writing to ancient Chinese pictograms.

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Early symbols were based on pictographs and ideograms before they were developed into logographic writing systems.

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These systems are still in use in some non -literate cultures in Africa, the Americas, and Oceania.

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Indeed, elements of pictography are still found in modern Chinese characters,

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and it is often an interesting exercise to trace the origins of some Chinese characters.

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Pictographs remain in common commercial use today as signs, instructions, or statistical diagrams.

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Road signs and public toilet signs and even flat pack assembly instructions utilizing pictures are considered pictographic.

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Ancient graphic writing systems provide researchers with a wealth of knowledge about past civilizations. In 1799,

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one of the most important historical discoveries was made by accident

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when members of Napoleon's expedition to Egypt found a stone in Rosetta that exhibited three different scripts.

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The stone, now known as the Rosetta Stone,

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was studied in significant depth by scholars and was first deciphered by Frenchman Jean -Francois Champollion in 1822.

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He was able to correctly determine the phonetic values of the symbols, and later research has confirmed his findings.

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In many of these symbols, lines are used to portray a multitude of meanings,

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and knowledge and understanding of these lines holds the key to comprehension of graphic writing systems.

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A key moment in the history of communication was the invention of the camera obscura, or camera.

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Although the concept can be traced back to the 5th century BC Chinese philosopher Moa Ti,

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the first photographic image was ultimately created in 1826 by Joseph Nissephor Nissef.

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Photography, as it was later known, enables researchers to piece together and better understand history.

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Today, photography forms a huge part of everyday life, and most publications contain a vast number of photographs.

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Photography is used in advertising and is now becoming a way to increase awareness of existing world issues.

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For example, animal welfare charities are increasingly using photography to advertise animals that are at high risk of endangerment.

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Charity workers are sometimes flown to far -flung locations to document

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the suffering endured by high -risk animals in an attempt to raise human awareness of their consumption activities

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and how they impact others.

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One recent high -profile campaign was undertaken by attaching a camera

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to the foot of a bird in order to obtain photographs of the animals in their natural habitats

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and understand how often they come into contact with human waste.

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A soon -to -be -released documentary about the suffering of animals on Midway Island shows the full extent to

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which human consumption is harming animals thousands of miles away from us.

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As photography continues to progress, with the use of drones now becoming somewhat commonplace,

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we should expect more and more objects to be included in the future, expanding the horizon of photography ever further.

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Indeed, the downward pressure on traditional media prices means

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that media companies are being forced to get creative on how to make a profit.

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Many have found that the answer to this lies in advertising

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and companies are now willing to devote a large portion of their budgets to advertising in newspapers

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By the same token, marketing has become an essential part of a company's business model often meaning the success

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or failure of a company

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As a result, much time and money has been pumped into the development of effective branding with attractive packaging playing a large role in this.

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However, many governments are now seen to be cracking down on marketing and packaging in an attempt to protect consumers from being misled.

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In particular, tobacco companies are now subject to ever -increasing regulation.

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For example, In the United Kingdom, legislation is soon to pass preventing any form of branding

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or differentiation on cigarette packaging in efforts to curb the harmful effects of smoking.

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Finally, one must not forget the fundamental role that graphic writing systems have had to play in mathematics.

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Graphs, icons and diagrams often form the very basis of these branches of academia.

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Indeed, one needs to look no further than chemistry's periodic table to see a perfect example of graphic writing systems in use today.

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Thank you.

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Thank you.

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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson

This speaking lesson is built on the video “[VOL 5] IELTS Listening Test 7”. This video has 275 sentences and 2882 words to shadow. The speech runs for 26:15. The speaker talks at a steady 110 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
presentation noun	/ˌpɹɛzn̩ˈteɪʃn̩/	The act of presenting, or something presented.
symbol noun	/ˈsɪmbəl/	A character or glyph representing an idea, concept or object.
photography noun	/fəˈtɑ.ɡɹə.fi/	The art and technology of producing images on photosensitive surfaces, and its digital counterpart.
graphic adjective	/ˈɡɹæfɪk/	Drawn, pictorial.
slide noun	/ˈslaɪ̯d/	An item of play equipment that children can climb up and then slide down again.
topic noun	/ˈtɑpɪk/	A subject; a theme; a category or general area of interest.
bedroom noun	/ˈbɛdˌɹum/	A room in a house, apartment, hotel, or other dwelling where a bed is kept for sleeping.
package noun	/ˈpæk.ɪd͡ʒ/	Something which is packed, a parcel, a box, an envelope.
confidential adjective	/ˌkɔn.fɪˈdɛn.ʃəl/	Kept, or meant to be kept, secret within a certain circle of persons; not intended to be known publicly.
carefully adverb	/ˈkɛɹf(ə)li/	With care; attentively, circumspectly.
charity noun	/ˈtʃæɹɪti/	An organization, the objective of which is to carry out a charitable purpose.
awareness noun	/əˈwɛɹ.nəs/	The state or level of consciousness where sense data can be confirmed by an observer.
desk noun	/dɛsk/	A table, frame, or case, in past centuries usually with a sloping top but now usually with a flat top, for the use of writers and readers. It often has a…
consumption noun	/kənˈsʌmp.ʃən/	The act of eating, drinking or using.
photograph noun	/ˈfoʊ.təˌɡɹæf/	A picture created by projecting an image onto a photosensitive surface such as a chemically treated plate or film, CCD receptor, etc.

Phrasal verbs you will hear

Word	Pronunciation	Meaning
come down to verb		To reach by moving down or reducing.
come out verb	/ˌkʌm ˈaʊt/	To be discovered; to be revealed.
come up with verb		To manage to produce, deliver, or present (something) by inventing, creating, thinking of, or obtaining it.
find out verb		To discover, as by asking or investigating.
get on with verb		To proceed with; to begin or continue, especially after an interruption.
go through verb		To travel from one end of something to the other.
head up verb		To lead or take the lead in; to direct; to take charge of.
sort out verb		To clarify by reviewing mentally.

Sentences worth repeating

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

How may I help you?
May I take your full name, please?
Is it a secondary school you'll be looking for?
Is your husband's job in the centre?
Ted, you've looked at my presentation, haven't you?

Grammar in this video

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

Structure	In the video
Present perfect continuous have/has been + -ing — an action that started earlier and is still going on	I've been working
Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now	we've always lived · I've made · we've taken
Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it	can be sorted · are scratched · be given
Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thing	woman who is · friends who live

Pronunciation to watch

The speaker uses 71 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'm, I've, we've. Say them the short way, as you hear them.

The “th” sounds: clothing /ˈkloʊðɪŋ/, mathematics /mæθ(.ə)ˈmæt.ɪks/
The “sh” and “zh” sounds: presentation /ˌpɹɛzn̩ˈteɪʃn̩/, confidential /ˌkɔn.fɪˈdɛn.ʃəl/, consumption /kənˈsʌmp.ʃən/, instruction /ɪnˈstɹʌkʃən/, relocation /ˌɹiːləʊˈkeɪʃən/
Long words — get the stress right: photography /fəˈtɑ.ɡɹə.fi/, confidential /ˌkɔn.fɪˈdɛn.ʃəl/, relocation /ˌɹiːləʊˈkeɪʃən/, publication /ˌpʌblɪˈkeɪʃ(ə)n/, architecture /ˈɑː.kɪˌtɛk.t͡ʃə/

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 presentation, symbol, photography.

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 →

Shadowing Practice: [VOL 5] IELTS Listening Test 7 - Learn English Speaking with Video

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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?