1. Why do many learners speak with a strong foreign accent?
2. Define the phonetic basis. What does it imply?
3. Name the aspects of the articulatory basis. What is their essence?
4. Characterize the articulatory setting of English.
5. How should one work to acquire correct pronunciation habits?
Progress Test 1
Say what sound you hear
1 2 3 4 5 6
i: ı e æ Λ a:
bean bin Ben ban bun barn
beat bit bet bat but Bart
bead bid bed bad bud bard
peak pick peck pack Puck park
Unit 7
Section 1
Make a careful study of the text below and pick out the terms related to phonetics.
Main Differences Between Russian and English Sound Systems
Now comes the simplified description of the main differences between the Russian and English sound systems:
1) some English sounds do not even have resembling sounds in Russian, as far as
their articulation is concerned: e.g. [ ð ], [θ ], [w ], [æ ], etc.;
2) English vowels may be long or short, and they should not be confused, otherwise a phonological mistake may result in the change of meaning:
e.g. hill - heel;
3) the English sound system involves 8 diphthongs (there are no diphthongs in
Russian);
4) there is no devoicing / voicing in English (at the end of words voiced and voiceless consonants remain voiced and voiceless respectively);
5) the English voiceless consonants are produced more energetically than the Russian ones;
6) [p], [t], [k] are pronounced with aspiration;
7) forelingual English consonants [ t, d, s, z, n, l] are produced with the tip of the tongue against the teeth ridge, i.e. with apical articulation (the similar Russian consonants are produced with the blade of the tongue against the teeth, i.e. with dorsal articulation);
8) the lips for the English sounds [ɔ], [ɔ:], [u], [u:] are not very rounded or protruded as for the similar Russian sounds.
Section 2
[ ɔ ]
(back, open (broad variant), rounded, short)
I. Observe the position of the lips and the tongue for the sound [ɔ ]. Read the
words in the columns. Pay attention to the positional length of [ɔ ].
on off [æ - ɔ ]hat - hot
odd ox cat - cot
dog dot sack - sock
gone got tap - top
fog fox black - block
long lost rack - rock
was watch cap - cop
II. Read the sentences. Follow the tonetic marks.
1. Not for toffees! Ни за какие коврижки!
2. Possibly not. Вероятно, нет.
3. What a lot of nonsense! Что за взор!
4. John’s dog got lost. Собака Джона пропала.
5. Hob and nob, Doc. Чокнемся, доктор.
6. Rod wants his coffee strong. Род хочет крепкого кофе.
7. Poll’s gone to the wrong shop. Полл обратился не по адресу.
8. Dot wants an office–job. Дот хочет работать в офисе.
9. Rod often got into hot water. Род частенько попадал в переделки.
III. Observe the correct pronunciation of the rhythmic groups and the vowel [ɔ ].
'Where’s the watch? | 'Where’s the 'watch I 'put in my `pocket? | 'Where’s the 'watch I 'put in my 'pocket to 'take to the `shop? | 'Where’s the 'watch I 'put in my 'pocket to 'take to the `shop ç because it has `stopped?||
IV. Match the following English idioms, proverbs and sayings with their Russian equivalents. Make up situations to illustrate their usage.
1. Honesty is the best policy. a. время от времени
2. Dot your i’s and cross your t’s. b. в тяжелом положении
3. hot under the collar c. Честность – лучшая политика.
4. in hot water d. поставить точки над «и».
5. off and on e. Потерянного не воротишь.
6. What’s lost is lost. f. небылица
7. on the rocks g. на месте, сразу
8. on the spot h.разъяренный
9. a cock-and-bull story i. в беде (обычно, по своей вине)
V. Practise the pronunciation of the following rhyme and learn it by heart.
The Washing-up Song
by E. Gould
Sing a song of washing up, Work the dish mop round and round,
Water hot as hot. Wash them clean as clean
Cups and saucers, plates and spoons, Polish with a dry white cloth,
Dishes such a lot! How busy we have been!
VI. Pronounce the tongue twisters in the quickest possible way. Observe the
correct articulation of [ɔ ].
1. Give papa a cup of proper coffee in a copper coffee cup.
2. Sam’s shop stocks short spotted socks.
Section 3
I. Test. Tick the words you recognize in the sentences you hear:
1. a) cat; b) cot
2. a) sack; b) sock
3. a) tap; b) top
4. a) Tammy; b) Tommy
5. a) baddie; b) body
6. a) black; b) block
II. Listen to the dialogue and learn it by heart.
TV Advertisement for “Onwash”
Voice A: What’s wrong with you, Mrs. Bloggs?
Mrs. Bloggs: What’s wrong with me? I want a holiday from this horrible job of
washing socks!
Voice B: Buy a bottle of “Onwash”, Mrs. Bloggs!
Voice C: “Onwash” is so soft and strong.
Voice D: You don’t want lots of hot water with “Onwash”.
Voice A: It’s a long job with “Onwash”.
Voice B: Use “Onwash” often.
Voice C: You won’t be sorry when you’ve got “Onwash”.
Voice D: Everybody wants “Onwash”.
Everybody: “Onwash” is so popular!
III. Conversational practice.
