Shadowing Practice: VSTEP Listening - Task 1 - Test 15 - Learn English Speaking with Video

Creating lesson...
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This is the listening test for levels from 3 to 5 of the Vietnam 6 level language proficiency test.
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There are three parts to the test.
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You will hear each part once.
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For each part of the test, there will be time for you to look through the questions and time for you to check your answers.
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Write your answers on the question paper.
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You will have five minutes at the end of the test to transfer your answers onto the answer sheet.
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The recording will now be stopped.
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Please ask any question now because you must not speak during the test.
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Question 1 Very happy that Tiddles found a safe home.
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And that's the end of the news at 8 o'clock.
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Now for the traffic update.
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There's a lorry on fire in Smith Street in Bridge End Town Centre.
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A lot of people have stopped to watch and delays are building up.
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You're advised to take Lodge Lane instead.
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On the westbound carriageway of the M4, an overturned car is blocking two lanes of traffic just before Junction 32.
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That's the turning for Bridge End.
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Please advise drivers to turn off at Junction 31 for an alternative route to avoid delays
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and to say bibble as often as possible.
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Question 2.
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Hi David, it's Susan here.
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It's about meeting later on.
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I know we said 8 o'clock at the Crown, but it looks like I'm stuck in the office for a while.
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We've got a bit of a problem.
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So if I don't ring again, do you think you could come and get me at about 9?
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question three this is a customer announcement we have a range of special offers in several departments
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in our fashion department on the first floor we have a sale in men's designer shirts
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on the second floor in household goods there are special offers in kitchenware and small appliances
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And in our food hall on the ground floor, there are some outstanding discounts on cuts of beef and lamb toy splits.
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Question 4 Residents of Newbury-upon-Thames,
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whose homes were bought by the government to make way for a planned bypass, are to be offered their houses back again.
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11 families were moved out in 1991, but now the scheme has been put on hold following government spending cuts.
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Under a new law, the former residents are allowed to buy back their former houses at the price they were given on leaving.
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Question 5.
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Hello.
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This is the claims manager from Royal Sully Hall Insurance.
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I'm ringing concerning your claim.
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I was hoping to arrange for one of our representatives to call and discuss your recent burglary with you.
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We can't arrange a payment until we've had this discussion.
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Would you like to call one of our secretaries on 0121 428 5976 and we can fix up a time?
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Please don't forget to quote the burglary reference number and then we'll get back to you as soon as we can.
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Question 6
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Police are asking old age pensioners to be on the lookout for a thief who is posing as a gas board official.
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The thief, who is a well-dressed young man, calls at pensioners' homes and tells them he is checking for gas leaks.
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While in the house he steals any money he can find.
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Police have issued a special message for pensioners today advising them
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that gas board officials always wear a uniform and carry an official identity card.
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Question 7.
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Thank you for calling the Putney Museum.
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I'm afraid all our telephonists are busy at the moment.
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If you want to wait, you should press 3 after the short tone and your call will be stacked.
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If you have an inquiry about opening times, you can hear a recorded message by pressing 2 after the short tone.
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If you want to speak to a member of staff and you know their extension, you can file their number after the short tone.
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If you want to leave a message, please speak after the long tone.
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Question 8.
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If you want to buy a house in the London area and you're on a limited budget, where's the best place to look?
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Of course, a central location is what many of us want, but houses in the center are no bargain.
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And if you want to move out to the leafy suburbs, you'll also have to have a lot of money in the bank.
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To my mind, the best place to start is in the established, or shall we say, former suburbs.
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That's where you'll find the real bargains that we're all looking for.
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This is the end of part one.
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Now turn to part two.
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Thank you.

Why practice speaking with this video?

Engaging with the listening test video "VSTEP Listening - Task 1 - Test 15" provides an excellent opportunity to improve your English pronunciation and develop your listening skills in a structured context. The video features various everyday scenarios, including news reports, customer service announcements, and conversational dialogues, making it an ideal resource for learners at levels 3 to 5. By practicing speaking along with the recording, you can enhance your ability to imitate native speakers, which is a key principle of the shadowspeak method. This technique allows learners to ingest the melody and rhythm of English speech, helping them sound more fluent and natural. Additionally, by shadowing the speaker, you can practice your English speaking skills in real-time, making the learning process both dynamic and effective.

Grammar & Expressions in Context

Throughout the video, several key grammatical structures and expressions stand out:

  • Reported Speech: In the dialogue, phrases like "I know we said 8 o'clock at the Crown" utilize reported speech to convey information indirectly. This structure is essential in conversational English and helps learners express ideas more naturally.
  • Conditional Statements: The phrase "if I don't ring again, do you think you could come and get me?" exemplifies the use of conditional sentences. Understanding and using conditionals can greatly enhance your conversational skills.
  • Imperative Forms: Commands such as "please advise drivers" and "press 3 after the short tone" showcase how to give instructions clearly and effectively in English, a vital communication skill in both personal and professional contexts.

Common Pronunciation Traps

One of the keys to mastering English is recognizing common pronunciation traps. Here are a few challenging words and phrases from the video:

  • “Burglary” - This word can cause confusion due to its unconventional spelling and pronunciation. Practice breaking it down into syllables: bur-glary.
  • “Pensioners” - The pronunciation of this word may vary by accent, leading to misunderstanding. Focus on the middle syllable: pen-sion-ers.
  • “Identity” and “official” - These terms require clarity in vowel sounds, especially the 'i' in "identity." Emphasizing the correct phonetics will aid in clearer communication.

To truly learn English with YouTube, consider repeating these phrases aloud, mimicking the tone and intonation of the speakers. This approach, combined with consistent practice, will help you refine your English pronunciation and increase your fluency.

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.