Shadowing Practice: Why the Himalayas Are Becoming a Disaster Zone | The Palki Sharma Show | IGR | India Global Review - Learn English Speaking with Video
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And this brings us to the Himalayas.
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Did you know that they're the world's youngest mountain system?
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The Himalayas were formed some 50 to 70 million years ago.
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And yes, that is young in geographical terms, 50 to 70 million years.
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And these mountain ranges are like the roof of the world.
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They're home to some of the highest peaks on earth and the source of some of Asia's greatest rivers.
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But for millions of people living here, the Himalayas are becoming something else.
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A place where disaster can come down anytime with almost no warning.
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Look at what happened in Nepal and Tibet.
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The floods came down in minutes.
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There was no warning or even time for a warning.
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It wasn't the first of its kind and it won't be the last.
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It's a pattern we have seen over the last decade.
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In 2013, there were massive floods in India's Uttarakhand.
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More than 5,000 people were killed.
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In 2021, another flood in India's Chamoli.
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This too, in the state of Uttarakhand.
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In 2023, it was Sikkim.
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A glacial collapse into a lake caused tsunami-like waves, very similar to what we saw in Nepal.
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55 people died.
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In 2024, there were deadly floods in Nepal.
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244 people were killed.
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And now this in 2026.
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Another catastrophe in the Nepal Tibet border region different countries different rivers different triggers
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but the same mountains so why are the Himalayas
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so vulnerable the simple answer is this the Himalayas look solid
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but they're still under construction like I said this is the youngest major mountain range on earth it was created
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when the Indian plate collided with the Eurasian plate.
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That collision has not stopped.
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These mountains are still rising.
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The ground is still under pressure.
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The rock is still fractured, which means earthquakes, landslides and slope failures are not an anomaly.
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They're part of the process.
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The second factor is the terrain itself.
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Imagine building a city on a giant staircase, except the stairs in this case are made of rock.
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So the base is incredibly steep and it's constantly cracking.
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That is why life in many Himalayan valleys can look very tough.
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This is what it looks like.
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A small landslide upstream can block a river.
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Water can build up behind it.
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And when that natural dam breaks, the entire valley below becomes a flood channel.
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And then there is the ice.
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The Himalayas are known as the Third Pole.
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That's because they hold tens of thousands of glaciers.
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In fact, they hold the largest reserve of ice and snow outside the Arctic and Antarctic.
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Hence the name the Third Pole.
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Now for thousands of years, this ice served as a glue.
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It held together high-altitude landscapes.
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The glaciers supported slopes.
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The frozen ground kept the rock and soil stable.
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But as temperatures rise, this natural glue is weakening.
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Glaciers are retreating, new lakes are forming, and ice and rock are becoming unstable.
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This creates a very dangerous possibility, a glacial collapse, like the one that happened yesterday.
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Plus, humans are adding another layer of risk.
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We want more roads through the mountains, more hotels, more towns, more dams, more hydropower projects, and of course, more tourists.
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The problem is, the mountains do not care about our development plans.
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When you cut into a slope to widen a road, you can weaken it.
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And when entire valleys are filled with hotels and infrastructure, the cost of a single disaster can multiply.
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Plus, this region attracts a lot of tourists.
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Pilgrims who go to Kedarnath, Badrinath, Amarnath, Hemkun Sahib and Kelash Mansurobar.
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Thousands of pilgrims visit every year.
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Many others come for adventure, like a trek to the Everest-based camp or through Ladakh or to visit the many tourist spots.
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That makes the Himalayas one of the world's greatest tourist destinations.
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It helps the local economy, but it also poses a problem.
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You cannot tell people to abandon the mountains.
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You have to find a way to bring development without increasing the risk of disaster.
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You cannot stop an earthquake or a glacier melting, but you can have better warning and response systems.
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And that begins with better monitoring, watching high-risk glacial lakes, monitoring rainfall, tracking landslides, using satellites and sensors,
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and most importantly turning that information into a warning that people can actually use.
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And this is not something that one country can do alone.
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The Himalayas span multiple countries.
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The rivers cross borders, so the floods cross borders.
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What happens high up in China or Nepal can affect communities downstream in India.
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So if the mountain does not stop at the border checkpoint, the data should not stop either.
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Himalayan countries need to share information faster, especially before a disaster.
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The warning systems need to be more robust and the flow of information seamless.
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Because we can't look at the same thing every year and call it a surprise.
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The Himalayas may be unpredictable, but our failure to prepare should not be.
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Thank you.
Understanding the Himalayas: A Window into Geography and Crisis
The video explores the Himalayas, the world's youngest mountain system, formed 50–70 million years ago, and their transformation into a disaster-prone region. These "roof of the world" peaks, home to Asia's major rivers, now threaten millions with sudden floods, landslides, and glacial collapses. Let's dive into key insights while sharpening your English skills.
Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication
- "under construction" (describing ongoing processes: "The city's downtown is still under construction.")
- "natural dam" (a barrier formed by nature: "A landslide created a natural dam, blocking the river.")
- "Third Pole" (a nickname for the Himalayas: "The Himalayas, often called the Third Pole, hold vast ice reserves.")
- "slope failures" (landslides or collapses: "Heavy rain increases the risk of slope failures in mountain areas.")
- "frozen ground" (soil or rock kept solid by cold: "Frozen ground in the Arctic supports unique ecosystems.")
Step-by-Step Shadowing Guide for This Video
Shadowing—repeating speech immediately after the speaker—is a proven technique for IELTS speaking practice and english speaking practice. Here's how to tackle this video:
- Listen first, then mimic: Watch the video once to grasp the context. Pause after 30-second clips and repeat, focusing on intonation (e.g., the urgency in "disaster can come down anytime").
- Focus on complex terms: Phrases like "Third Pole" or "natural dam" are key. Use a shadowing app to slow down audio and practice pronunciation until they feel natural.
- Break down long sentences: The video uses descriptive clauses (e.g., "The collision has not stopped; these mountains are still rising"). Split them into chunks and repeat each part to build fluency.
- Record and compare: Use your phone to record your shadowing. Compare it to the video to check pace and clarity—critical for english speaking practice.
- Practice daily: Dedicate 10 minutes daily with this video or a shadowing site to build consistency. Over time, you'll notice improved confidence in explaining complex ideas, a skill vital for IELTS speaking.
Learning English with videos like this not only boosts your language skills but also expands your knowledge of global issues. Start shadowing today and turn challenging content into a tool for 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.