"i was young and ill-educated and i had had to think out my problems in the utter silence that is imposed on every englishman in the east. i did not even know that the british empire is dying, still less did i know that it is a great deal better than the younger empires that are going to supplant it."
which phrase demonstrates the author's choice to include literal statements?

had to think out my problems
the utter silence
british empire is dying
going to supplant it