Shadowing Practice: CONTEMPORARY TOPICS 2 UNIT 6 HISTORY THE SILK ROAD - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Today we're going to continue with the discussion of the Silk Road.
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one of the most historically important trade routes in the world.
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- The first time we have been talking about Now as you know, the Silk Road was a major trade route between Europe and Western China for about 1 ,500 years.
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It was used from about 100 BCE until about 1400 CE.
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There had been some trade across Central Asia before that, But it wasn't until about 100 BCE that trade between Europe and China increased significantly.
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So, we're going to look at how the Silk Road developed.
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First, I want to mention three dynasties in China that were in power at significant points in the Silk Road's history.
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Dynasty here means a group of rulers or a family.
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with political control.
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First, the Han Dynasty.
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They ruled from 206 BCE to 220 CE.
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approximately when the Silk Road started.
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Second is the Tang Dynasty, in power from 618 to 907.
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the peak period of the Silk Road.
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And third, the Ming Dynasty.
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In 1368, they took control and soon thereafter, the use of the Silk Road basically ended.
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Now this is just a quick overview, so I'll go into more detail about these three groups later.
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Now most people say "the Silk Road." But it wasn't only one root.
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was a network of routes between China and the Mediterranean Sea.
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The roots from China all started in Xi 'an, That's spelled X -I -A -P -O -T -O -F -E -A -N.
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I actually lived in Xi 'an a few years back when I was working in China.
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And from Xi 'an I traveled way out into Western China
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just to get a sense of what the Silk Road was really like.
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It wasn't an easy place to travel, but traders did it for many years.
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Now going forward you should know that Xi 'an was actually called Zhang 'an.
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during the time of the Silk Road.
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So from Zheng 'an, the route went west until traders reached the Taklamakan Desert, To avoid it, some routes went south to Dunhuang,
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and some went north through the Gobi Desert and over into Central Asia.
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The routes all reconnected further west, though and eventually they led to some big trade centers in Europe, in Rome.
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and what is now called Istanbul and Turkey.
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There are different estimates about how long the Silk Road was altogether.
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We're going to go with about 5 ,000 miles or 8 ,000 kilometers.
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So what do you think was the main reason the Silk Road developed?
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Well, the short answer is that people in Europe wanted goods from China.
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and people in China want to go to Europe.
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I'll focus now on the west end of the route in Europe.
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And then we'll go to the East End in China.
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On the west end at the Mediterranean Sea were the Romans.
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By about 100 BCE, the Romans had learned about luxury goods from China, silk in particular.
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which was very popular in Rome then.
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- Okay.
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So, the Romans started building roads to the east so they could get luxury goods from China.
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Meanwhile, from the East End in China, the Han Dynasty was in power.
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We have to review a little history at this point.
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The Han Dynasty ruled China from 206 BCE, to 220 CE, as I mentioned.
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and Zheng An was the capital.
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But because China was so big, it was very difficult to defend, especially against the Mongol invaders from the north.
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Oh.
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So in 138 BCE, Emperor Woody, That's W -U -D -I.
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sent a group out to Western China to recruit fighters for the conflict with the Mongol invaders.
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The group's leader was captured.
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All right.
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And when he returned a decade later, He told the emperor about a type of big strong horse in western China.
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The Han Dynasty decided to make a big push west to get these horses in order to make the Han army stronger.
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- Thank you.
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So, you see, in about 100 BCE, the Romans and the Chinese were pushing east and west respectively.
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and thus the Silk Road developed.
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According to historical records, the Romans didn't go all the way to China
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and the Chinese traders didn't go all the way to Europe.
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Instead, many of the traders were from Central Asia.
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The traders mostly went short distances in caravans and bought and sold goods along the way.
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Europe wanted silk, spices and furs, and other goods from China.
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China wanted horses initially.
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but later it wanted goods from Europe like gold and glass.
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and traders exchanged both goods and information.
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For example, There were trade secrets like where to get the best silk and where the best roots were.
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The Silk Road was very difficult to travel.
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and traders tried alternate routes mainly to avoid two things.
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Bad weather and bad people.
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There were many robbers who tried to steal the trader's silk and other goods.
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Traders also wanted to avoid towns that forced them to pay a fee.
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when they're passing through.
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The peak period for the Silk Road was in the 600s during the Tang Dynasty.
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Zhang Yan was very big and very prosperous then.
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About two million people live there, including 8 ,000 foreigners from many places, including What is today, Iran?
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Turkey.
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Japan, and Korea.
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By the early 900s, the Tang Dynasty lost power.
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and trade on the Silk Road declined sharply because there was fighting and it became much too dangerous for the traders.
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By about 1400 trade on the Silk Road basically stopped.
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There are two main reasons.
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One.
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In 1368, the Ming Dynasty took control.
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and they didn't want any contact with foreigners.
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and two, European traders begin to prefer ships.
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which were faster and safer than the Silk Road. So, to wrap up.
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The Silk Road developed because people in one part of the world wanted something from another part of the world.
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In recent years, people have talked about globalization as creating new Silk Roads.
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We'll take up this idea next time.
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Okay?
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Why practice speaking with this video?
This video on the Silk Road provides an engaging historical context for English learners to practice speaking. By immersing yourself in discussions about significant trade routes, you not only expand your vocabulary but also gain insight into world history. Practicing with this video allows you to work on your IELTS speaking practice by articulating thoughts on complex subjects confidently. Engaging with such material is beneficial as it encourages critical thinking and enhances fluency. Using a shadowing site to repeat the speaker’s phrases will help you develop your natural rhythm and intonation in English.
Grammar & Expressions in Context
In the video, several key grammatical structures and expressions can be noted. Here are a few examples:
- Simple past tense: The speaker often uses the simple past to describe historical events, such as "The Han Dynasty ruled from 206 BCE to 220 CE." This structure is essential for learners to narrate events in past contexts.
- Time expressions: Phrases like "from about 100 BCE until about 1400 CE" illustrate the use of time frames, which are crucial for discussing historical perspectives.
- Conditional forms: The speaker might say, "If traders didn’t avoid the desert, they faced difficulties." Understanding how to express conditions will elevate your conversational abilities.
- Comparative structures: The speaker compares different dynasties and their impacts on the Silk Road, for instance, "the Tang Dynasty was at the peak period." These comparisons enrich your speaking by allowing you to discuss contrasts effectively.
Common Pronunciation Traps
While learning English with YouTube, you may encounter specific pronunciation challenges in this video. Here are some words and phrases that could pose difficulties:
- Xi'an: Pronounced "shee-ahn," this name may be challenging for non-native speakers. Practice saying it repeatedly to become more comfortable.
- Taklamakan: This word requires careful attention. Break it down into syllables: "tak-la-ma-kan" to improve pronunciation accuracy.
- Gobi Desert: The sound "Gobi" can be tricky. Ensure you practice saying “Goo-bee” clearly.
By focusing on these pronunciation elements and incorporating shadow speech techniques, you can enhance your speaking abilities and improve clarity when discussing historical topics. With persistent practice, you'll become more fluent in expressing complex ideas, making your English communication more impactful.
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.