The imbecility of her military leaders abroad, and the fatal want of energy in her councils at home, had lowered the character of Great Britain from the proud elevation on which it had been placed by the talents and enterprise of her former warriors and statesmen.（The Last of the Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper）注：imbecility =無能さ、her =イギリスの
英文を前から読んでいくために、語句のかたまりを作ります。こんな具合に課題文をスラッシュ（斜め線）で区切ります（スラッシュリーディング）。語句のかたまりを意識すると、リスニングで英語の意味をつかむのが楽になります。
The imbecility of her military leaders abroad,／（接続詞の前）and the fatal want of energy in her councils at home,／（長い主部の後）had lowered the character of Great Britain from the proud elevation／（前置詞の前）on which it had been placed／（前置詞の前）by the talents and enterprise of her former warriors and statesmen.
語句のかたまりを前から訳していきます。
The imbecility of her military leaders abroad,
外国におけるイギリスの軍事指導者の無能さ
and the fatal want of energy in her councils at home,
そして、イギリス本国における諸会議の活力の致命的な不足は
had lowered the character of Great Britain from the proud elevation
イギリスの名声を誇るべき高い地位から下落させた
on which it had been placed
それが置かれていた
by the talents and enterprise of her former warriors and statesmen.
かつての軍人と政治家の才能と進取の気性によって
The imbecility of her military leaders abroad, and the fatal want of energy in her councils at home, had lowered the character of Great Britain from the proud elevation on which it had been placed by the talents and enterprise of her former warriors and statesmen.
外国におけるイギリスの軍事指導者の無能さと、イギリス本国における諸会議の活力の致命的な不足のせいで、かつての軍人と政治家の才能と進取の気性によって築かれたイギリスの名声は、誇るべき高い地位から引きずり降ろされた。
今回の課題文は比較的、長い文ですが、文頭の主部と文末の関係代名詞節をそれぞれ、ひとかたまりとして考えると、意味をとるのが楽になります。
The imbecility of her military leaders abroad, and the fatal want of energy in her councils at home, had lowered the character of Great Britain from the proud elevation on which it had been placed by the talents and enterprise of her former warriors and statesmen.
・The imbecility of her military leaders abroad, and the fatal want of energy in her councils at home, → ここまでが主部です。
・had lowered the character of Great Britain from the proud elevation→ 述部です。
・on which it had been placed by the talents and enterprise of her former warriors and statesmen.→ the proud elevation を先行詞とする関係代名詞節です。
動画の後半部分でリスニング用音声が流れます。
