Shadowing Practice: Working for Johnson Jones: Đề thi IELTS LISTENING (actual test) kèm đáp án transcript with location - Learn English Speaking with YouTube
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Section 2.
59 sentences
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Section 2.
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You will hear a manager called Mark Bergin, who works for a large retailer called Johnson Jones,
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giving a talk at a recruitment fair.
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First, you have some time to look at questions 11 to 15 on page 3.
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Thank you.
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and answer questions 11 to 15.
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Good morning.
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My name's Mark Bergin.
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I'm a human resources manager at Johnson Jones, and I'm here to tell you about what it's like working for one of the country's best employers.
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The company has 225 department stores and owns a further 150 supermarkets.
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At our latest store opening, we had over 9,000 applicants for 750 posts.
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So, why do so many people want to work for us?
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Well, the first thing that attracts them isn't so much the salary, although that is a little above average.
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it's the idea of getting a massive 25% off everything from washing machines to designer handbags.
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People are prepared to put in long hours to get those kinds of perks.
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Johnson-Jones has been going strong for nearly 150 years and has outlived many of its strongest competitors.
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Of course, this has something to do with the high-quality products that we sell and our motto,
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Better for Less, which means customers know they are getting good value for money.
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But we're not alone in that.
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Where we are different is in our approach to making a profit.
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Other companies think in the short term, whereas we always take a more strategic view, looking three or five years ahead.
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The company isn't owned by a family or shareholders.
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It's a partnership, which means it's owned by its full-time employees, who are all partners and have a share in the company.
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In return for the very generous benefits they get, they're expected to put in extra effort and take an active role in running the company.
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This means they're involved in things like making decisions about pension contributions, for example.
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Another very attractive reason for working for us is the annual bonus, which we get as a percentage of our salary.
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Last year it was 15%, about two months' salary, which is pretty standard.
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It can go down to 8%, but that's unusual, and a couple of times it's even been above 20%.
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Some people use it to pay off loans, others save it for a deposit on a house.
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The most popular benefit for partners are the subsidised holiday centres, which are owned by the company.
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Once a year, partners can book in for up to two weeks.
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It's for anyone, from cleaners to directors, with a minimum of three months' service.
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After six months' service, partners are entitled to a further subsidy on the cost of their stay.
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Before you hear the rest of the talk, you have some time to look at questions 16 to 20 on page 4.
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Now listen and answer questions 16 to 20.
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Let me just give you an idea of what's on offer at the holiday centres.
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The Grange, which is the largest of the holiday centres, is used for conferences by the company, and the board of directors always have their annual meeting there.
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It's all very informal, not like a normal conference centre.
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Meadow House is located in Kent, which is famous for its apples and other fruit, and it's a large country house.
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What's unusual about it is that, unlike other hotels, you have access to the kitchen, so it feels more like staying with a friend.
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Coombe Manor is a working farm.
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There are loads of cows and sheep, none of which actually end up on our supermarket shelves.
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It's a paradise for kids, as there's plenty of space to run wild and also an indoor pool.
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You can choose to stay in cottages or camp by the lake.
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The barn is where I recently celebrated my 25th wedding anniversary.
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You can rent the whole place out for a large group of up to 40 friends,
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We got all our food delivered from the nearest Johnson Jones supermarket, so there was no cooking to be done.
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Perfect.
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All that was missing was the spa, which should be opening next year.
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The stable is often hard to get into because it's so popular.
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That's partly because it's right on the beach with beautiful sea views and only an hour by train from London.
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Ideal for weekends.
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The company Sailing Club is located there, which was started by the company's founder in 1885.
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So, I'm sure you'll all agree that there really is...
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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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Thank you.
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Thank you.
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About This Lesson
You're practicing English with "Working for Johnson Jones: Đề thi IELTS LISTENING (actual test) kèm đáp án transcript with location" using the Shadowing technique — a method originally developed for professional interpreter training.
Focus on sounding like the speaker — not just repeating words. With 15–30 minutes of daily practice, you'll build real-world speaking confidence.
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.