1. What groups of English vowels may be distinguished according to the stability of articulation?
2. Enumerate all the diphthongs. How are they pronounced? Describe their structure.
3. State the difference between centring and closing diphthongs.
4. What are triphthongs?
5. Are there any diphthongs in the Russian language?
6. What should one do to pronounce English diphthongs correctly?
7. Group the following words according to the diphthongs / triphthongs in them: weary, way, poor, loiter, ground, lion, globe, spear, cow, flamboyant, affair, sure, case, beer, fearful, pear, spy, chair, owl, serial, endure, there, ghost, crown, layer, square, theatre, roll, power, tourist, upstairs, cheer, full, foil, flower, moisture, inspire, jeered, lawnmower, proud, unbearable, experience, host, plough, frighten, oyster, aisle, lady, shower, drought, haste.
Unit 13
Section 1
Make a careful study of the text below and pick out the terms related to phonetics.
Principal Nuclear Tones
The Low Fall
(starts in the middle of the voice range _______
and gradually descends to a very low pitch) ________ Yes.
The High Fall
(starts at a high pitch and then ________
falls to a very low pitch) ________ Yes.
The Low Rise
(starts at a very low pitch ________
and gradually ascends to the middle of the voice range) ________ Yes.
The High Rise
(starts in the middle of the voice range _________
and then rises to a very high pitch) _________ Yes.
The Fall Rise
(starts with a fall similar to that of the __________
high fall which is followed by a low rise) __________ Yes.
The Rise Fall
(starts in the middle of the voice range, rises __________
to a very high pitch and then falls to a very low pitch) __________ Yes.
The Rise Fall Rise
(the voice rises from a very low pitch level, moves __________
up to the medium one, falls deep down, then rises again) __________ Yes.
The Mid -_Level
(maintains a level pitch between high and __________
low, the voice neither rises nor falls) __________ Yes.
Section 2
[ aı ]
(the nucleus is central, open (broad variant), unrounded)
I. Observe the position of the lips and the tongue for the sound [aı]. Make the glide
Very smooth. Pay attention to the positional length of [aı].
I eyed ice [α:-aı]bar-bay
high hide height star - sty
tie tide tight darn - dine
why wide white lark -like
rye ride right cart - kite
sigh side sight heart - height
lie lied light laugh - life
II. Read the sentences. Follow the tonetic marks.
1. Time flies! !
2. Mind your eye! .
3. I had a white night. .
4. Ida drives Myra wild. .
5. I find its quite right. , .
6. I had the time of my life at the Whites. .
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7. Stop piping the eye like the crocodile. .
8. Ike and Ivy sat by side quiet as mice. ,
.
III. Match the following English idioms, proverbs and sayings with their Russian
equivalents. Make up situations to illustrate their usage.
1. lifes ironies a. .
2. Out of sight, out of mind b. ,
3. Beauty lies in lovers eyes. c.
4. to see eye to eye d.
5. in ones minds eye e.
6. high and dry f.
7. behind the times g. ,
8. have nine lives h.
IV. Pronounce the tongue twister in the quickest possible way. Observe the correct
articulation of [aı].
Youve no need to light a night-light
On a light night like tonight,
For a night-lights lights a slight light,
And tonights a night thats light.
When a nights light, like tonights light,
It is really not quite right
To light night-lights with their slight lights
On a light night like tonight.
Section 3
I. Test. Tick the words you recognize in the sentences you hear:
1. a) cart; b) kite
2. a) darning; b) dining
3. a) star; b) sty
4. a) laugh; b) life
5. a) hard; b) hide
6. a) Pa; b) pie
II. Listen to the dialogue and learn it by heart.
Mike, Myra and Violet
(Myra and Violet are typists in the library.)
Myra: (smiling) Hello, Mike!
Mike: Hello, Myra. Hello, Violet! Youre looking nice, Violet. (silence)
Mike: Would you like some ice-cream, Violet?
Violet: No, thanks, Mike. Im busy typing. Talk to me some other time. I have
ninety-nine pages to type by Friday.
Mike: Never mind. Do you like riding, Violet?
Violet: Sometimes.
Mike: Would you like to come riding with me tonight, Violet?
Violet: Not tonight, Mike. Im going for a drive with Nigel.
Mike: What about Friday?
Violet: Im going climbing with Miles.
Mike: Hm! Oh, all right. Bye!
Myra: Violet, hes put something behind your typewriter.
Violet: Is it something nice, Myra?
Myra: No. Its a spider.
