Яков Аракин - Практический курс английского языка 2 курс

— Not at all.

— Now where did I put the milk? Ah, here it is.

— Here's the sugar.

— Thank you. That's your cup.

— Thank you. This is very pleasant.

— It is, isn't it? But I'm a bit cold here. Do you think you could move the table again? I'm

sorry to be a nuisance.

— All right. I'll put it back where it was. Is that better?

— Much. Where are you going?

— I'm going indoors. For a bit of peace and quiet.

b) Record your reading of the dialogue. Play the recording back for the teacher

and your fellow-students to detect the possible errors. Practise the dialogue for test

reading. Memorize and dramatize it.

c) Make up conversational situations, using the following phrases:

Let's .... shall we?

It'll be too ... .

That's a good idea.

That's better.

Yes, please.

Now, perhaps, ... .

Right.

Oh, dear, I'm so sorry.

Oh, ... .

Not at all.

Well, you said ... .

Do you think you could ... ?

d) Use the same phrases in a conversation.

4. This exercise is meant to develop your ability to hear and reproduce

intonation in different speech situations.

a) listen to the story "Helen's eyes were not very good... "82 carefully, sentence by sentence. Mark the stresses and tunes. (The teacher will help you to correct your variant.)

Practise reading your corrected variant

b) Listen carefully to the narration of the story. Observe the peculiarities in intonation-

group division, pitch, stress and tempo. Note the use of temporizers. Reproduce the model

narration of the story.

5. This exercise is meant to test your ability to read and reproduce a story with

correct intonation.

Read the jokes silently to make sure you understand each sentence. Find the sentence

expressing the essence of the joke. Split up each sentence into intonation-groups if necessary.

Mark the stresses and tunes. Underline the communicative centre and the nuclear word of

each intonation-group. It is not expected that each student will intone the text in the same way.

The teacher will help you to correct your variant

Practise reading the joke several times.

Reproduce the model narration of the joke:

Young Peter came in one day bursting with excitement. Walking down the main street he had

suddenly discovered he was side-by-side with movie actor Clark Gable.

— Did you talk to him? we asked.

— Well, it was like this, he said slowly. I knew who he was and he knew who he was — and

it just didn't make sense us discussing it.

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Some people were gathered on the verandah after dinner.

A young lady asked: "Can you name five days of the week without mentioning Monday,

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday or Sunday?" Nobody could guess. At last the young

lady said: "It is very easy. Here are the five days: today, yesterday, the day before yesterday,

tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow".

82 The tests of the stories and dialogues recorded on the tape see on p. 426.

SECTION TWO. Intonation Pattern IX. High fall

(LOW PRE-HEAD + ) HIGH FALL (+ TAIL)

Model: Why didn't you buy the picture?

— Much too ex,pensive.

Stress-and-tone marks in the text: High Fall. | ` |

The High Fall in the nucleus starts very high and usually reaches the lowest pitch. The

syllables of the tail are pronounced on the low level.

The High Fall provides a greater degree of prominence for the word, making it more

emphatic. The degree of prominence depends on the height of the fall.

This intonation pattern is used:

1 . I n s t a t e m e n t s , conveying personal concern or involvement, sounding

lively, interested, airy; very common in conversation.

е.g. Do you know the man? — `No. (Ìdon't.) `Yes.| (Ìdo.) Where's my copy? — `Peter

,took it ,for you.

2 . I n q u e s t i o n s :

a ) I n s p e c i a l questions, sounding lively, interested, е.g. I shall be late, I'm

afraid. — `How ,late?

b ) I n g e n e r a l questions, conveying mildly surprised acceptance of the listener's

premises. е.g. I like it here. Do you? (I thought you'd hate it.)

3 . I n i m p e r a t i v e s , sounding warm.

е.g. What's the matter? — Look. (It's raining.)

4 . I n e x c l a m a t i o n s , very emotional. е.g. It's eight o'clock. — Heavens!

(I'm late.)

EXERCISES

1. listen carefully to the following conversational situations. Concentrate your attention on the

intonation of the replies:

Verbal Context

Drill

Statements

(conveying personal concern or

involvement, sounding interested, lively, airy)

Now what have you done to Mary?

Nothing.

Who's been eating my grapes?

No one. No one has. No one's been eating

your wretched grapes.

Which will you take, Henry?

This one. That one.

How many of his books have you read?

All of them. None of them.

When did you see him?

On Thursday. (I thought you knew.)

Would you like to join us?

I'd love to.

Come on. Let's get going.

We can't. It's raining.

It was all your fault.

But it wasn't. And I can prove it.

Special questions (lively, interested)

I shall have to give it to him.

Why?

I'm going to Switzerland.

When?

You'll never guess who's here.

Who?

You can win easily.

How? How so?

He's coming to stay with us.

When, may I ask?

I mustn't take them.

Why mustn't you take them?

Sorry to be so late.

What's happened?

I ought to write to him.

Why bother?

(Hullo, Dennis.)

How are you?

I said no such thing.

What did you say, then?

Today's out of the question, too.

When can you come, may I ask?

General questions ( conveying mildly

surprised acceptance of the listener's premises)

I like it here.

Do you?

She is thirty-five.

Is she?

They won't help us.

Won't they?

I can't bear cats.

Can't you?

I must be home by six.

Must you?

I ought to go to the lecture.

But will you go, do you think?

Imperatives ( expressing warmth)

Do you think this hat will fit me?

Try it.

He'll be terribly angry.

Let him.

A letter won't reach Ann in time.

Phone her, then.

He doesn't want to play.

Then make him.

I'm awfully sorry.

Forget it.

He can't afford to pay.

Well, give it to him, then.

Exclamations ( very emotional)

He's over seventy.

Well!

Alice is coming as well.

Really! Splendid!

Will you have a drink?

Thank you!

(That you Mr. Archar?)

Good morning! Good morning to you.

I'll give it to you.

How lovely!

I'm most grateful to you.

Don't mention it, my dear chap.

She says you're to blame.

What nonsense!

Isn't it a lovely view!

Enchanting!

2. Listen to the replies and repeat them in the intervals. Start the fall high

enough.

3. Listen to the Verbal Context and reply to it in the intervals.

4. In order to fix Intonation Pattern IX in your mind, ear and speech habits,

pronounce each reply several times until it sounds perfectly natural to you.

5. Listen to a fellow-student reading the replies and point out his (her) errors

in pronunciation.

6. Listen to the Verbal Contest said by a fellow-student. Make your replies sound lovely, warm,

airy. Use the proper intonation patterns. Continue the exercise until everyone has participated:

Verbal Context

Drill

Isn't it too far away from here?

Awfully far.

Where is my book?

Mary took it for you.

Have you been there before?

Of course, I have.

May I leave you for a moment?

Why, yes.

You ought to let him know.

I have.

What is she doing here?

She's waiting for somebody.

I'd love to stay up for the play.

You can't. It's too late.

She's twenty.

Eighteen, I think, she said.

It'll take much time.

How much?

Give them one of these books.

Which one, do you think?

I must go there.

But when?

I'll find him.

But how can you find him?

You can't go there.

But why not?

She wouldn't listen to me.

Wouldn't she?

Everybody agrees with you.

Oh, do they?

Nobody can do it

Can I have a try?

Lock the door.

Wait a minute.

I'll phone her.

Don't.

May I help you?

Yes, do.

What has she done?

Look.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

Would you like to stay up for the television?

Indeed I would.

I've been helping Tom, Mummy.

That's a good girl.

How are you getting on?

Wonderfully.

Hello, Mary!

Oh, there you are, Tom.

Do you play chess?

Surely, I do!

7. Give your own replies to the Verbal Context above. Use Intonation Pattern IX

in them.

8. Use Intonation Pattern I in the Drills. Observe the difference in attitudes.

9. This exercise is meant to revise the intonation patterns you already know.

Work in pairs.

The teacher or one of the students will suggest a Verbal Context You in turn reply to it

using:

a) statements, sounding lively, interested, airy; conveying personal concern or

involvement;

b) special questions, sounding lively, interested;

c) general questions, conveying mildly surprised acceptance of the listener's premises;

d) imperatives, sounding warm;

e) exclamations, very emotional.

10. Practise the following dialogues. Use the High Fall in them. Observe the

attitudes you convey:

— Oh, dear! Oh!

— I'm so sorry! I do hope I haven't hurt you!

— Oh, no. I was just a little startled, that's all. It's quite all right.

--------------------

— Do you like this flat?

— Oh, yes, 1 do, definitely.

— I'm afraid I couldn't possibly do that.

— Why not?

--------------------

— You'll have to clean the window.

— Not me!

— Why not?

— I did it last time.

— Whose turn is it then?

— Helen's, I think.

11. Listen to the Verbal Context suggested by the teacher. Reply by using one

of the drill sentences below. Pronounce it with Intonation Pattern IХ. Say what attitude