Shadowing Practice: Greenland Gave Trump EVERYTHING - Learn English Speaking with Video

Trump finally got his deal over Greenland.

Critics say nothing has really changed.

So who's right?

In this episode, we look at the fine print and find out who's really come out on top.

Welcome to America Uncovered, I'm Chris Chappell. So Greenland.

That gigantic hunk of ice and rock floating in the North Atlantic.

A place where, during wintertime, the sun doesn't rise for months over large parts of the island.

A cold, barren landscape and one of the harshest places on Earth to survive.

It's so harsh one might even call it...apocalyptic?

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So you might as well spend it now on something useful.

So finally, after threats, protests, and some very awkward conversations, it's now official.

President Trump, along with the Prime Ministers of Denmark and Greenland, have signed a new security agreement on Tuesday on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

Trump, naturally, is calling it a historic win.

When he announced the deal last Friday, he said it gives the United States permanent control over security and all other needs in Greenland.

All other needs?

What do Greenlanders need?

Red light therapy?

In any case, Trump's critics aren't exactly impressed with the deal.

Their argument goes like this.

Trump spent months threatening to take Greenland, and rattled NATO, and all he walked away with was basically the same deal America has had since 1951.

As one professor of international relations at the University of Copenhagen told Time magazine,

The 1951 agreement already gave the United States relatively unfettered military access to Greenland.

Over at the Atlantic Council, a former State Department official called Trump's deal a set of welcome assurances, but hardly breakthroughs.

Now, to be fair to the critics, they have a point.

Well, sort of.

The US has had a military foothold in Greenland since World War II.

Under the 1951 Defense of Greenland Agreement, America operated bases across the island.

At the height of the Cold War, we had 17 military installations there and more than 10 ,000 personnel.

Today there's only one—Bidoufik Space Base, formerly known as Thule.

Which I have to say is the biggest name downgrade ever.

Donald Trump wasn't elected to raise Bidoufik.

He was elected to raise Thule.

You know, I believe in Thule, the ancient city, and raising Thule.

And I think that Trump is the candidate who's going to raise Thule.

I've literally been waiting a decade to use that clip.

So anyway, if you only compare the military access rights, yeah, a lot of this already was on the books.

But is it just the same deal as before?

Well, not quite.

Thankfully, we actually have the text of the agreement, so we can compare and contrast.

There are a few really, really important points in here that were never part of the old deal.

First of all, this deal is permanent.

Article 11 says this agreement does not have an end date and may only be amended by mutual consent.

Mutual consent means the US has to agree to any change.

Second, and this really is important, it stays in place whether or not Greenland ever becomes independent.

Technically, Greenland has the legal right to break away from Denmark.

And plenty of Greenlanders want to.

But this new agreement says that if Greenlandic independence ever happens, Denmark and Greenland must ensure that the new country stays in NATO

and assumes all of the same rights and obligations that Denmark signed up to.

So Greenland can have its independence if it wants, but those American bases aren't going anywhere.

Which brings us to the third point, the new bases.

According to Reuters, the US plans to open two military bases.

The first is reopening a Cold War base in southern Greenland, and the other is setting up another base on the East Coast.

The treaty names both sites.

The first is Narsu -Sowak, home of the old Bluey West 1 Air Base, which the US abandoned in the 1950s.

The second is Maestervig.

An outpost currently used by Denmark's Sirius Dog Sled Patrol, an elite naval reconnaissance unit.

Yes, these Arctic Special Forces travel by dog.

Here's their logo.

Okay, that's awesome.

But American forces won't just be hitching a ride on the dog sled, as cool as that may be.

Under Article 6, United States aircraft may fly over and land in any territory in Greenland, including the territorial waters.

And United States public vessels may have undersea access to and movement within the territorial waters,

without restriction, except as mutually agreed upon by the parties." Yep, we're talking planes and submarines, which I'll return to in a minute.

But there's one more big point to this agreement, something Washington cared about most—keeping China and Russia out.

Article 9 bans any non -NATO country from building military installations or having military forces in Greenland.

But Article 10 also bars investors from outside NATO,

NATO partner countries, or the EU from controlling or significantly influencing particularly sensitive sectors,

which explicitly includes critical infrastructure and resource extraction.

So things like mining.

The only exception is when the parties agree that those activities wouldn't constitute a threat to national security or public order.

The U .S is one of those parties.

So if Denmark or Greenland ever wanted to make an exception for, say, a Chinese mining company, Washington would have to sign off on it.

Which they're obviously not going to.

There's even an anti -espionage clause in Article 7.

It lets the U .S raise concerns about any construction near its bases.

So if a suspiciously large Chinese fishing company wants to build a warehouse next door to Bidufik, the US gets a say.

Now, to be fair, the deal isn't fully in force yet.

It still needs approval from the Danish and Greenlandic parliaments.

The details of the two new bases still have to be worked out, and any additional bases would require Denmark and Greenland's consent.

That said, Denmark sounds like it's fully on board.

Here's their Prime Minister.

This deal is good for the United States.

It's good for Greenland, for Denmark, for the NATO alliance, and therefore also good for Europe.

Mr. President, you have been very clear.

You don't want adversaries to come too close.

I fully agree.

And with this deal, they are not.

So Denmark keeps its sovereignty over Greenland, but at the same time, the US gets permanent an axis, a lock on its rivals, and a seat at the table for everything else.

100

Which raises the question, why does any of this matter?

101

Well, let's start with China.

102

In 2018, Beijing declared itself a near -Arctic state.

103

China's closest point to the Arctic Circle, mind you, is roughly 900 miles away.

104

So by that logic, you could say I'm from Alabama.

105

Back to these goobers.

106

Moscow and Beijing won control of the Arctic for three reasons—shipping, minerals, and military access.

107

And Greenland sits on top of all three.

108

Take shipping.

109

As Arctic ice retreats, new sea routes are opening.

110

There's the Northwest Passage through Canada, Russia's northern sea route, and perhaps eventually a route straight over the North Pole.

111

And whichever one you want to reach to take the Atlantic, you end up sailing past Greenland.

112

Then there are submarines.

113

If Russia's northern fleet wants to threaten the US East Coast, its subs have to leave their bases on the Kola Peninsula and slip through the waters between Greenland,

114

Iceland, and the UK.

115

NATO calls this the GI -UK Gap.

116

Anyone who's seen the hunt for Red October knows how this works.

117

During the Cold War, tracking Soviet subs through the GI -UK Gap was one of NATO's most important jobs.

118

After the Soviet Union collapsed, we stopped keeping such a close eye on it.

119

This deal changes that.

120

Now look at the new bases.

121

Mr. Soak sits at the southern tip of Greenland, right at the edge of the gap.

122

Messervic faces the Greenland Sea, one of the routes enemy subs might take.

123

Add that undersea access clause, and you're rebuilding the barrier.

124

And then there's missile defense.

125

The treaty's preamble explicitly names the Golden Dome—Trump's planned missile defense shield—as a reason for US military access to Greenland.

126

Bidufik already watches for ballistic missiles coming over the North Pole.

127

Now that rule is locked in permanently.

128

That's especially important when your northern neighbor is, let's say, going through a phase.

129

So why did it take a year of threats to get here?

130

Well, Trump's been at this for a while, actually.

131

Back in his first term, he floated the idea of buying Greenland outright.

132

Denmark's Prime Minister called the idea absurd, and Trump canceled a state visit to Denmark over it.

133

Then came his second term, and the pressure ramped up.

134

He talked about annexation, tariffs, and refused to rule out force against a NATO ally.

135

But if you've read The Art of the Deal, none of this should really surprise you.

136

Trump is pretty open about how he negotiates.

137

And it goes something like this.

138

Step one, aim high.

139

Say you want the whole island.

140

Step two, escalate.

141

Refuse to rule anything out, even military force against an ally.

142

Step three, let the pressure build while negotiators work quietly behind the scenes.

143

Step four, settle on what actually matters partners, bases, access, and keeping your rivals out.

144

This lets your negotiating partners save face.

145

And of course, step 5, declare victory and gloat about what a great deal you just made.

146

Did Trump ever seriously want to annex Greenland? Who knows?

147

Ultimately, it doesn't really matter.

148

Denmark got to keep the title.

149

But strategically, the US got everything it needs.

150

But what do you think?

151

Leave your comment below.

152

And remember to get this beautifully illustrated Apocalypse Survival Guide.

153

It could save your life.

154

Or just look really good on your coffee table.

155

While you still have one, click my link below to order your copy.

156

Once again, I'm Chris Chappell.

157

Thanks for watching America Uncovered.

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Vocabulario y notas de pronunciación para esta lección

Este vídeo tiene 157 frases y 1836 palabras para practicar shadowing. La parte hablada dura 11:13. El hablante habla a un ritmo natural de unas 164 palabras por minuto, cercano a una conversación cotidiana. Solo el 80 % de las palabras está entre las 3.000 más comunes del inglés, por lo que el vocabulario es exigente.

Vocabulario clave de este vídeo

15 palabras menos comunes del vídeo, con su pronunciación y significado:

apocalypse /əˈpɑkəlɪps/ (sustantivo) — apocalipsis. A revealing, especially a prophecy of, or the unfolding of, supernatural events.
consent /kənˈsɛnt/ (verbo) — consentir. To express willingness, to give permission.
missile /ˈmɪs.aɪl/ (sustantivo) — proyectil. Any object used as a weapon by being thrown or fired through the air, such as stone, arrow or bullet.
critic /ˈkɹɪt.ɪk/ (sustantivo) — crítico. A person who appraises the works of others.
illustrate /ˈɪl.əˌstɹeɪt/ (verbo) — ilustrar. To clarify something by giving, or serving as, an example or a comparison.
compare /kəmˈpɛɚ/ (verbo) — comparar, parangonar. To assess the similarities and differences between two or more things [“to compare X with Y”]. Having made the comparison of X with Y, one might have found it…
refuse /ɹɪˈfjuːz/ (verbo) — rehusar. To decline (a request or demand).
exception /əkˈsɛpʃən/ (sustantivo) — excepción, salvedad. The act of excepting or excluding; exclusion; restriction by taking out something which would otherwise be included, as in a class, statement, rule.
mutual /ˈmjuːt͡ʃuəl/ (adjetivo) — mutuo, mutual. Having the same relationship, each to each other.
rival /ˈɹaɪvəl/ (sustantivo) — rival. A competitor (person, team, company, etc.) with the same goal as another, or striving to attain the same thing. Defeating a rival may be a primary or necessary…
installation /ˌɪn.stəˈleɪ.ʃən/ (sustantivo) — instalación. An act of installing.
harsh /ˈhɑɹʃ/ (adjetivo) — desalmado. Unpleasantly rough to the touch or other senses.
declare /dɪˈklɛɚ/ (verbo) — explicar, aclarar. To assert or announce formally, officially, explicitly, or emphatically.
elect /ɪˈlɛkt/ (verbo) — elegir, esleer. To choose or make a decision (to do something).
negotiate /nəˈɡəʊ.ʃi.eɪt/ (verbo) — negociar. To confer with others in order to come to terms or reach an agreement.

Phrasal verbs que vas a escuchar

look at (verbo) — mirar, funar. To observe or watch.
check out (verbo) — investigar, chequear. To record the departure or withdrawal of someone or something (such as guests, employees, books, etc.).
end up (verbo) — terminar, ir a parar. To bring to a conclusion.
find out (verbo) — averiguar, anoticiarse. To discover, as by asking or investigating.
go through (verbo) — atravesar. To travel from one end of something to the other.
lock in (verbo) — encerrar, enllavar. To fix the value of (something potentially variable).
lock on /ˌlɑk ˈɑn/ (verbo) — fijarse. To begin tracking a target via an automated system.
rule out (verbo) — descartar. To cross an item out by drawing a straight line through it, as with a ruler.

Pronunciación a tener en cuenta

El hablante usa 23 contracciones y formas reducidas, como I'm, you're, aren't. Dilas en su forma corta, tal como las oyes.

Los sonidos de “th”: threaten /ˈθɹɛt.n̩/, breakthrough /ˈbɹeɪk.θɹuː/
Los sonidos de “sh” y “zh”: exception /əkˈsɛpʃən/, installation /ˌɪn.stəˈleɪ.ʃən/, harsh /ˈhɑɹʃ/, negotiate /nəˈɡəʊ.ʃi.eɪt/, contrast /kənˈt(ʃ)ɹæst/
Palabras largas — cuida el acento: apocalypse /əˈpɑkəlɪps/, installation /ˌɪn.stəˈleɪ.ʃən/, negotiate /nəˈɡəʊ.ʃi.eɪt/, beautifully /ˈbju.tɪ.fə.li/, territorial /ˌtɛɹ.əˈtɔɹ.i.əl/

Cómo practicar con este vídeo

Escucha el vídeo entero una vez sin hablar y anota las palabras que no conoces.
Empieza a velocidad 0,75×, haz shadowing frase por frase y vuelve a la velocidad normal cuando te resulte fácil.
Grábate y compara con el original, prestando atención a palabras como apocalypse, consent, missile.

Gramática en este vídeo

Las estructuras que más usa el hablante, con las palabras exactas del vídeo:

Estructura	En el vídeo
Voz pasiva be + participio pasado — importa lo que ocurre, no quién lo hace	wasn't elected · was elected · be amended
Present perfect have/has + participio pasado — una acción pasada que sigue importando ahora	has really changed · have signed · have been

¿Qué es la Técnica de Shadowing?

Shadowing es una técnica de aprendizaje de idiomas respaldada por la ciencia, desarrollada originalmente para la formación de intérpretes profesionales y popularizada por el políglota Dr. Alexander Arguelles. El método es simple pero poderoso: escuchas audio en inglés nativo y lo repites en voz alta de inmediato, como una sombra que sigue al hablante con solo 1-2 segundos de retraso. A diferencia de la escucha pasiva o los ejercicios de gramática, el shadowing obliga a tu cerebro y músculos de la boca a procesar y reproducir simultáneamente patrones de habla reales. Las investigaciones muestran que mejora significativamente la precisión de la pronunciación, la entonación, el ritmo, el habla conectada, la comprensión auditiva y la fluidez al hablar, convirtiéndola en una de las metodologías más efectivas para la preparación del IELTS Speaking y la comunicación en inglés en el mundo real.

Técnica de shadowing: lee la guía completa paso a paso →

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