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! Как время летит!
2. Mind your eye! Гляди в оба.
3. I had a white night. Я провел бессонную ночь.
4. Ida drives Myra wild. Айда бесит Майру.
5. I find it’s quite right. Я считаю, что это совершенно верно.
6. I had the time of my life at the Whites. Я прекрасно провел время у Уайтов.
7. Stop piping the eye like the crocodile. Не реви.
8. Ike and Ivy sat by side quiet as mice. Айк и Айда сидели рядышком,
тихие как мыши.
III. Match the following English idioms, proverbs and sayings with their Russian
equivalents. Make up situations to illustrate their usage.
1. life’s ironies a. С глаз долой – из сердца вон.
2. Out of sight, out of mind b. покинутый в беде, «на мели»
3. Beauty lies in lover’s eyes. c. отсталый
4. to see eye to eye d. превратности судьбы
5. in one’s mind’s eye e. в воображении
6. high and dry f. сходиться во взглядах
7. behind the times g. быть живучим, как кошка
8. have nine lives h. У каждого свое представление о
красоте
IV. Pronounce the tongue twister in the quickest possible way. Observe the correct
articulation of [aı].
You’ve no need to light a night-light
On a light night like tonight,
For a night-light’s light’s a slight light,
And tonight’s a night that’s light.
When a night’s light, like tonight’s 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! You’re looking nice, Violet. (silence)
Mike: Would you like some ice-cream, Violet?
Violet: No, thanks, Mike. I’m 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. I’m going for a drive with Nigel.
Mike: What about Friday?
Violet: I’m going climbing with Miles.
Mike: Hm! Oh, all right. Bye!
Myra: Violet, he’s put something behind your typewriter.
Violet: Is it something nice, Myra?
Myra: No. It’s a spider.
