Практика Shadowing: How the British Empire Collapsed - Изучайте разговорный английский по видео
Создание урока...
1
At its peak in the 1920s, the British Empire controlled over a quarter of the Earth's entire land mass.
2
It was a dominant global force, a seemingly unstoppable empire that existed for over three and a half centuries.
3
And yet, within just a few decades, the British Empire would completely disintegrate.
4
Colonialism is about ensuring that wealth and resources enrich the home nation.
5
The Second World War was a killing blow to the British Empire, accelerating a chain of events that would see countries withdrawing from the empire en masse,
6
in some cases at the cost of thousands of lives.
7
In this four-part series, we'll explore the fight for independence from colonial rule by journeying through IWM's latest exhibition, Emergency Exits.
8
But first, in this episode, we need to understand the British Empire as a whole.
9
How did it work?
10
What did Britain gain from controlling so many countries?
11
And why, after centuries, did it all come tumbling down?
12
our deceptively simple concepts.
13
Fundamentally an empire is acquired to bring benefit to the nation
14
that owns it and some places are acquired because they guarantee that that benefit will continue because they're in key strategic locations.
15
Well although empire is often presented as a much more more complex sort of proposition.
16
At its heart, it's about ensuring the benefits flow to the home nation.
17
This is exactly how the British Empire operated.
18
Each colony directly benefited and enriched Britain and British people.
19
This usually came in the form of resources, with each region contributing different materials to sustain the empire.
20
Historically, this was often at the expense of indigenous populations who were regularly oppressed and abused.
21
Despite Britain formally abolishing slavery in the early 1800s,
22
local populations were still mistreated and exploited across the empire through to the 20th century.
23
Indentured labourers worked in extremely harsh conditions for little to no pay, all the way up to the First World War.
24
When that conflict began, it created a whole new set of challenges for those living in colonised countries.
25
The Empire not only provided resources and soldiers,
26
it carefully managed how it used those resources and crucially it carefully managed how it used those people.
27
So the people of empire were restricted to particular roles, often non-combat roles.
28
This is a sealed pattern jacket.
29
So the idea behind things like this is that they were made once
30
and then this would be the example
31
that all of the manufacturers of these jackets would go back to in order to make sure
32
that their products were the same.
33
And this is a sealed pattern for the South African Native Labour Corps.
34
And the crucial thing about the roles that the guys who wore this performed was that they were support roles.
35
Fundamentally, the British government didn't want black soldiers fighting white soldiers,
36
white German soldiers in Europe as in Europe.
37
And they also wanted to ensure that the roles
38
that they had were carefully managed and based upon those ideas about what people in the colonies should do,
39
rather than a sense of what they could do.
40
So the South African Native Labour Corps was restricted to non-combat logistical roles,
41
portering, fetching, carrying, digging and so on.
42
Indian, African and Caribbean servicemen made an enormous contribution to the First World War, helping to secure Allied victory.
43
Yet after the conflict, their contribution was widely forgotten.
44
As the Commonwealth War Graves Commission concluded in 2021,
45
up to 350,000 people who had served and died for Britain were not commemorated in the same way as their white comrades,
46
or possibly not commemorated at all.
47
Imagery and the use of imagery is really really important in wartime.
48
So it's really carefully curated the images that are put out by each side
49
because they wish to portray themselves in a certain light and their enemies in a very different light.
50
This photograph was taken from a German prisoner of war and shows black people chained labour forces that have been
51
recaptured by Germany, the power that controls them.
52
These people are chained in ways that ordinarily would invoke feelings of horror,
53
of disgust, memories of transatlantic slavery.
54
If British soldiers were captured by German soldiers, they wouldn't have been chained by the neck.
55
The types of treatment
56
that these men are receiving here is extraordinarily different to the type of treatment
57
that even enemy combatants would receive when made prisoners.
58
And don't forget these people are technically on the same side.
59
And here the person that goes through these images and decides
60
which ones are going to be used to illustrate certain things about the enemy
61
has made a really interesting point and a very revealing point.
62
He says that we should be very careful that we're not suggesting
63
that the enemy is doing anything that is necessarily improper by the treatment of these men.
64
Because, as the censor says, it's very likely that this is exactly how British forces would treat.
65
And the quote here describing these men is native delinquents.
66
At the end of the First World War, the question arose of what to do with the colonies of the defeated German and Ottoman empires.
67
In the end, Britain gained control of several of these colonies through League of Nations mandates, which included control over Palestine,
68
Mesopotamia and other parts of former German colonies in Africa.
69
The addition of former German and Ottoman colonies into the British Empire means that in the 1920s Britain's empire is huge.
70
It controls around a quarter of the globe.
71
But while these mandates were part of the British Empire, they did not operate in the same way as other British colonies.
72
The League of Nations oversaw the administration of these territories with the goal of guiding them towards eventual self-governance.
73
Other empire countries operated differently too.
74
Dominions such as Canada, Australia and New Zealand were former colonies with their own governments
75
and a high degree of autonomy while still remaining under British sovereignty.
76
Crown colonies such as Kenya,
77
Jamaica and Hong Kong were more directly controlled by Britain with the British governor appointed by the Crown who directly ruled them.
78
Protectorates were under British protection but with varying levels of control depending on the specific territory and its circumstances.
79
A key turning point came in 1931 when Parliament passed the Statute of Westminster.
80
This granted the Dominions full legislative independence from Britain
81
and formed a Commonwealth of Nations that were autonomous communities within the British Empire.
82
The statute formalised the shift from imperial rule to a more cooperative and voluntary structure for the founding members,
83
which consisted of Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, the Irish Free State, and Newfoundland.
84
Notably, this freedom was only granted to white governed and established states.
85
At this point, not a single government of a dominion was made up of the people who lived in the country before European settlers arrived.
86
When the Second World War broke out, the Empire's resources and supply lines became even more critical as they were now directly supporting the war effort.
87
This poster
88
that we're standing in front of is a really great illustration
89
of both the extent of the British Empire during the Second World War and immediately after, and also the complex ways in which it was governed.
90
So the thing that it really reveals is kind of one of the purposes, the main foundational purposes of empire,
91
which is to extract resources from the countries that are part of it and bring those resources
92
or the wealth that comes from trade in those resources back to the motherland.
93
And that's particularly important during war because Britain relies upon the empire for all sorts of products,
94
all sorts of natural resources, and of course for labour and soldiers, sailors and airmen who come from these countries.
95
But the crucial thing as we look at it is it talks about those principal products.
96
And one of the things that the British Empire does is that it frequently describes itself,
97
or it is described, as something that is a contributory kind of partnership, so that there is equality on both sides.
98
And of course, while many people in these countries were very proud of their links to Britain, very proud of their service to the Empire,
99
there remains this idea that fundamentally this is about extracting vital resources in order to continue the war effort.
100
The resources of the Empire allowed Britain to stay in the fight, but access to those resources was coming under threat.
101
As Japan expanded its own empire during the Second World War, many British territories, along with their vital resources, fell under Japanese control.
102
Hong Kong, Malaya and Burma were all rapidly occupied, but most costly of all was the fall of Singapore.
103
Not only was it the largest surrender in British military history,
104
but Britain also lost control of a vital strategic location and access to the crucial raw materials provided by Malaya.
105
The fall of Singapore is described by Winston Churchill as the greatest capitulation in British history.
106
A shattering moment for Britain and a great tragedy because the thousands of British prisoners of war that are taken,
107
the thousands of civilian internees are treated with appalling brutality by their Japanese captors.
108
Many are murdered, thousands are tortured.
109
And then following Japanese surrender in August 1945, the Union flags return.
110
This particular flag was flown over the municipal buildings in Singapore in September 1945.
111
An empire maintains its power in part by conveying to people that it is uniquely good at governing.
112
And as Lee Kuan Yew, the Prime Minister of Singapore says, when they see Britain removed from Singapore and the Japanese Empire come in,
113
suddenly that logic seemingly no longer applies.
114
And that is a really powerful realisation.
115
When the war ended, Britain regained control of its Southeast Asian territories.
116
But whilst geographically the empire seemed to be whole once again, socially, politically and economically, it would never be the same.
117
It cost a lot to fight the Second World War.
118
Britain's economy is extremely damaged and one of the things Britain then looks to do is to rebuild,
119
reassert itself on the global stage.
120
Post-war Britain was struggling.
121
Significant war debt and damaged infrastructure meant economic recovery was far from immediate.
122
Food was still being rationed and housing was in short supply.
123
And so the issue of empire became less significant in relation to all the problems people were experiencing at home.
124
However, these territories would offer a way to ensure that Britain could rebuild by once again exploiting the resources that they provided.
125
The interesting paradox at the heart of empire is of course they cost a lot to maintain.
126
So in order to bring those resources in, in order to guarantee that trade, it requires an outlay.
127
Getting that balance right between how much Britain wants to spend on securing its empire
128
and what it is getting from its empire becomes a crucial question here in London.
129
The Second World War highlighted the unequal relationship between Britain and its colonies, particularly in India.
130
The Bengal Famine of 1943 resulted in the deaths of between two and three million people.
131
Despite no major shortfall in food production, British colonial policies and inflation, along with the denial of aid,
132
caused mass starvation and disease that was entirely avoidable.
133
It was one of the greatest systematic failures in the history of the British Empire.
134
And now, with Britain in a weakened economic position and a new Labour government in power, the Indian independence movement was stronger than ever.
135
In 1947, the Indian Independence Act officially ended British rule
136
and created the two independent dominion states of India and Pakistan after nearly two centuries of colonial rule.
137
Within two years of the end of the Second World War, this jewel in the imperial crown becomes independent.
138
The rest of the empire sees India and Pakistan becoming independent and wants the same thing.
139
If India can achieve independence, what about my country?
140
So many people have come back from the Second World War hungry for change
141
and the world that they have returned to is also changing.
142
The United States is not prepared to bankroll the idea in perpetuity that European empires are still a good thing.
143
The United Nations has been set up, and its members include countries that are themselves fighting for a better future.
144
All of these things come together in this period.
145
That means by the end of the 1950s, these changes are now inevitable.
146
Britain's weakened position on the world stage was exemplified by the Suez Crisis of 1956, when Britain, along with France and Israel,
147
invaded Egypt to recover control of the Suez Canal.
148
The landings received international condemnation, including from several Commonwealth countries.
149
Britain soon backed down under UN and US pressure and was left embarrassed on the international stage.
150
It was a clear demonstration that Britain's future role would have to be in line with,
151
in particular, US interests and aspirations in the growing Cold War.
152
If the Second World War was the fatal blow to the British Empire, the Suez Crisis was the final nail in the coffin.
153
In the UK there are different opinions as to the extent to which Britain should maintain its empire.
154
But broadly, within government, the idea is pretty simple.
155
Whatever happens next has to be on British terms." Over the following 15 years,
156
15 countries would gain independence and by 1980, only a handful of territories would remain under British control.
157
However, while independence came easily for some countries, for others the struggle for autonomy would turn deadly.
158
Throughout the 1950s, Britain fought a series of bloody wars in an attempt to retain direct control over its dwindling empire
159
and ensure that the post-colonial future was as rewarding as its colonial one.
160
These conflicts and rebellions would become known as emergencies in Malaya, Kenya and Cyprus.
161
So whatever comes next in these countries, Malaya in terms of its economic benefits,
162
in Kenya in terms of its relationship with its white settler government
163
and who owns and benefits from the land and in Cyprus, this incredibly important location.
164
In all of these places,
165
there are real benefits for Britain in maintaining some form of control.
166
And it's that that means Britain is prepared to go to war.
167
Visit Emergency Exits, the fight for independence in Malaya, Kenya and Cyprus.
168
now at Imperial War Museum London.
📺 Тот же канал
✨ Рекомендуемое видео
C14
194 предложений
Why the British Empire Fell Apart - Won Two Wars, Then Lost Its Empire
University StudentsWorking Adults
C12
198 предложений
C1 Most Comprehensive Advanced Vocabulary for IELTS, TOEFL, and PTE Exams
IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepCambridge Exam Prep
C12
216 предложений
Why Britain Can't Fix Immigration
IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepUniversity Students
B242
18 предложений
Why are coral reefs so important?
IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepUniversity Students
B21
602 предложений
World War II: The Complete Story (1939–1945) 🌍⚔️ | Learn English Through History
IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepCambridge Exam Prep
C13
64 предложений
No Slaves? No Aliens? How the Pyramids Were Really Built| English Lesson & Connected Speech (B2–C1)
IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepCambridge Exam Prep
C12
311 предложений
Eco 155: Principles of Macroeconomics Class 1
IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepCambridge Exam Prep
C12
82 предложений
ENGLISH SPEECH | SHASHI THAROOR: Britain owes reparations to India (English Subtitles)
IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepUniversity Students
C12
65 предложений
Is War Over? — A Paradox Explained
IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepUniversity Students
C11
114 предложений
There's a Giant Hole In Earth's History
IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepUniversity Students
C11
305 предложений
Libya: How To Kill a Nation
IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepUniversity Students
C16
233 предложений
UK universities are being killed by deliberately designed neoliberal government policy.
IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepUniversity Students
Лексика и советы по произношению к этому уроку
Этот урок разговорной практики уровня C1 построен на видео «How the British Empire Collapsed». Чаще всего повторяются слова: empire, British, Britain, resources, countries. В этом видео 168 предложений и 2406 слов для шедоуинга. Речь длится 18:19. Говорящий держит ровный темп — около 131 слов в минуту, удобный для шедоуинга. 84% слов входят в 3000 самых частых слов английского языка; остальные стоит разобрать перед занятием.
Ключевая лексика этого видео
Самые сложные слова из видео (15), с произношением и значением:
| Слово | Произношение | Значение |
|---|---|---|
| govern глагол | /ˈɡʌv.ən/ | пра́вить, управля́ть |
| commemorate глагол | /kəˈmɛməˌɹeɪt/ | чтить, почти́ть |
| enrich глагол | /ɪnˈɹɪt͡ʃ/ | обогащать |
| weaken глагол | /ˈwikən/ | ослабля́ть, осла́бить |
| dominion существительное | /dəˈmɪnjən/ | власть |
| restrict глагол | /ɹɪˈstɹɪkt/ | ограни́чивать, ограни́чить |
| statute существительное | /ˈstæt͡ʃuːt/ | уста́в, стату́т |
| exploit существительное | /ˈɛksplɔɪt/ | по́двиг, сверше́ние |
| autonomy существительное | /ɔˈtɑ.nə.mi/ | автоно́мия, незави́симость |
| rebuild глагол | /ɹiːˈbɪld/ | перестра́ивать, перестро́ить |
| mandate существительное | /ˈmændeɪ̯t/ | манда́т, полномо́чие |
| extract существительное | /ˈɛkstɹækt/ | экстра́кт, извлече́ние |
| surrender глагол | /səˈɹɛndə(ɹ)/ | сдава́ть, сда́ть |
| abolish глагол | /əˈbɑl.ɪʃ/ | отменя́ть, отмени́ть |
| airman существительное | /ˈɛɹ.mən/ | лётчик, пило́т |
Фразовые глаголы, которые вы услышите
| Слово | Произношение | Значение |
|---|---|---|
| back down глагол | пойти́ на усту́пки, пойти́ на попя́тный | |
| break out глагол | сбега́ть, сбежа́ть | |
| put out глагол | выкла́дывать, вы́ложить | |
| set up глагол | /ˌsɛt ˈʌp/ | устана́вливать, установи́ть |
Грамматика в этом видео
Конструкции, которые говорящий использует чаще всего, с точными словами из видео:
| Конструкция | В видео |
|---|---|
| Пассивный залог be + причастие прошедшего времени — важно, что происходит, а не кто это делает | is acquired · are acquired · is often presented |
| Present Perfect have/has + причастие прошедшего времени — прошлое действие, важное сейчас | have been · has made · have come |
| Придаточные определительные who / which + предложение — уточнение о человеке или предмете | guys who wore · people who had · people who lived |
Произношение, на которое стоит обратить внимание
Говорящий использует 7 сокращённых и редуцированных форм, например we're, didn't, don't. Произносите их коротко, так, как слышите.
- Звуки «sh» и «zh»: abolish /əˈbɑl.ɪʃ/, aspiration /ˌæspəˈɹeɪʃən/, crucially /ˈkɹuːʃəli/, foundational /faʊnˈdeɪ.ʃə.nəl/, starvation /stɑɹˈveɪʃən/
- Длинные слова — следите за ударением: commemorate /kəˈmɛməˌɹeɪt/, autonomy /ɔˈtɑ.nə.mi/, aspiration /ˌæspəˈɹeɪʃən/, contributory /ˈkɑntɹɪbjəˌtɔɹi/, deceptively /dɪˈsɛptɪvli/
Звуки, трудные для русскоязычных:
- /w/ — губы округлены, это не /v/: weaken /ˈwikən/, dwindle /ˈdwɪn.dəl/, wartime /ˈwɔː(ɹ)taɪm/
- Звонкие согласные в конце слова — не оглушайте их: rebuild /ɹiːˈbɪld/, colonise /ˈkɑlənaɪz/, comrade /ˈkɑmɹæd/, invade /ɪnˈveɪd/, cooperative /kuˈɑp.ɹətɪv/
Как заниматься с этим видео
- Прослушайте всё видео один раз молча и выпишите незнакомые слова.
- Повторяйте предложение за предложением на обычной скорости, пока ваш ритм не совпадёт с ритмом говорящего.
- Запишите себя и сравните с оригиналом, обращая внимание на такие слова, как govern, commemorate, enrich.
Что такое техника Shadowing?
Shadowing — это научно обоснованная техника изучения языка, изначально разработанная для подготовки профессиональных переводчиков и популяризированная полиглотом доктором Александром Аргуэльесом. Метод прост, но эффективен: вы слушаете аудио на английском от носителей языка и немедленно повторяете вслух — как тень, следующая за говорящим с задержкой в 1–2 секунды. В отличие от пассивного прослушивания или грамматических упражнений, Shadowing заставляет мозг и мышцы рта одновременно обрабатывать и воспроизводить реальные речевые паттерны. Исследования показывают, что это значительно улучшает точность произношения, интонацию, ритм, связную речь, понимание на слух и беглость речи — что делает его одним из самых эффективных методов для подготовки к IELTS Speaking и реального общения на английском.