Файл: Advanced_English_Pronunciation_in_Use.pdf

WASn't it TERrible fiiJ ?

HAVen't I been STUpid fiiI ?

In informal English we can also use positive These often have a rising tone:

Are you CRAzy 12!J?

DIDn't she sound riDICulous fiiJ ?

AREN'T they BEAUtiful fiiJ ?

yes-no questions, particularly to express criticism.

l Iave you gone MAD 1 2 ! J ?

will you PLEASE leave it aLONE fiiJ?

WOULD you turn the LIGHT off fiiJ ? WHY don't you go by TRAIN fiiI ?

COULD we have the BILL, please fiiJ ?

COULDn't you j ust reFUSE fiiI ?

HOW about putting it over THERE fiiI?

CSt

[,: ..: : ;· >'nn C82

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Some repeat questions consist of -

•a single wh- word

(who, what, where, when, why, how, which)

A : She used to work i n Wollongong. B: WHERE e ?

•a phrase beginning with a wh- word (e.g. how many, what sort, what time)

A:I paid €200,000 for it. B: HOW much e ?

•a longer question beginning with a wh- word (e.g. When did you get there?)

A:It starts at midday. B: WHEN does it start I : ! I ?

All these repeat questions have a rising tone starting on the wh- word.

When questions are used to find out (see Unit 43), they have a falling tone. In these finding out questions the falling tone starts after the wh- word. Compare:

A: I'll meet you at eight. B: WHAT time I : ! I ?(making sure) but: A: I'll meet you at the station. B: what TIME & 1 ? (finding out)

A: This parcel's for Mike. B: WHO'S it for e ? (making sure) but: A: This parcel's arrived . B: who's it FOR & 1 ? (finding out)

In other questions used to check hearing or understanding, we repeat the whole of what was said:

A: Kathy's getting married again . B: she's getting MARried again I : ! I ? or we focus on part of what was said using a wh- word or phrase at the end:

A: We're staying with Zara . B: You're staying with WHO e ?

A : There were at least 500 people i n the room. B: There were HOW many e J ?

We can use what or do + what to focus on the verb or the part of the sentence beginning with the verb:

A: I bought Chris a rabbit. B: You WHAT 1 2 ! J ?or: You did WHAT e J ?

A number of common phrases with rising tone are used to ask people to repeat. For example:

Note: Some of these can also be used to find out (with falling tone):

A: Zak told me he was leaving. B: WHAT did you SAY & 1 ? (= What did you say to him?)

1-5.1

C84

Section C Pronunciation in conversation

Exercises

10 A: Margot's going abseiling next weekend. B: .................................. ..............................................

A: Abseiling.

Now listen and check your answers. Press 'pause' before each B part and read aloud what you have written with a rising tone. Then press 'play' again and compare your answer and your pronunciation with what follows.

lS.2

C85

Do you think the questions in these conversations are more likely to have a rising tone (put ." in the box) or a falling tone (,'l?

EXAMPLE A: The play starts at 7.00. B: When have we got to be there? fi A: At 6.30.

1 A: She's quite upset, you know. B: What did you say? 0 A: She's quite upset.

2A: There's a problem with the cooling system. B: How can you tell? 0 A: The engine's overheating.

3 A: I'd like an ice cream. Pistachio flavour. B: What sort do you want? 0 A: Pistachio.

4A: He says he doesn't want to go because of the humidity. B: Why doesn't he want to go? 0

A:Because he doesn't like the humidity.

Now listen and check your answers.

Fol low up: The questions with a rising tone in 45.2 could be said with a fall-rising tone with a similar meaning. Try saying those questions with a fall-rising tone.

A:You looked exhausted last night.

B:Yes, but even though I was TIRED 8, I couldn't get t o SLEEP &I.

'not being able to get to sleep' is contrasted with 'being tired'

I & I ·.. ::,< ' T > IJD C87

Note: The contrasting phrase sometimes comes first and sometimes second.

Here are some common patterns of comparison and contrast -

• using a comparative form of an adjective:

I th ink it's more important to have COMfortable clothes l5iI than STYlish ones r!I.

Notice that starting the falling or (fall-)rising tone on different words can affect meaning:

watching FOOTball l5il is much better than watching CRICKet S2l. WATCHing football 51 i s much better than PLAYing football &2'.1.

• using either ... or:

You can either catch the EARlier train S2l or the LATer one l5iI. I've either left m y wallet at HOME &2J or I've LOST it l5iI.

• using . . . , not . . . or .. . not ..., . . . :

He's got bronCHItis 51, not just a COUGH fi2I'J.

I'm not really ANgry with him &2!1,just a bit anNOYED fil.

•using other contrasting phrases (e.g. catch the bus versus walk home; reducing the cost of public transport versus increasing it):

Rather than catch the BUS & 2 ! 1 ,maybe we could WALK home fil.

We should be reDUcing the cost of public transport fil instead o f inCREASing it r!I.

6. 1

C88

Section C Pronunciation in conversation

Exercises

In B's responses one part is said with a falling tone and the other with a fall-rising tone. Write ' in the box for a falling tone or , '" for a fall-rising tone where you think these tones are likely.

EXAMPLE A: How on earth do you sit down in those jeans?

B:They're really quite comfortable IL:J,even though they're tight 1.:i2!I. 1 A: You spoke to Bryan, didn't you?

B:I phoned him Cl, but there was no answer c:J.

2A: It was interesting meeting the Education Minister yesterday, wasn't it?

B:I didn't get to speak to him c::J, though everyone else seemed to c::J.

3 A: I suppose your parents were in bed when you got home.

B: My Dad was asleep C'l,but my Mum was waiting up for me c::J.

4 A: Of course, you know Dartmoor well, don't you?

B: I used to live on Exmoor c::J, not Dartmoor (::J.

5A: Ray's put on a lot of weight, hasn't he?

B:Although he's overweight C'l,he's actually quite fit c::::J.

6A: We're going late on Friday.

B:You'd be better off travelling on Saturday morning c:::J, rather than Friday night c:J.

Now listen and check your answers. Then listen again. Press 'pause' before each B part and read it aloud. Make sure you start the falling or fall-rising tone in the right place. Then press 'play' again and compare your pronunciation with what follows.

6.2

C89

Choose a pair of phrases from the box to complete each conversation. (Notice that you may need to change the order.) The tone (falling or rising) is given for each of the two parts of the sentence.

Now listen and check your answers. Then listen again. Press 'pause' before each B part and read it aloud. Make sure you use falling and rising tones as indicated. Then press 'play' again and compare your pronunciation with what follows.

Fol low up: In some of B's replies in exerCises 46.1 and 46.2 you could reverse the order of information, perhaps with some rewording of the sentence. Say the replies in this way, making sure that you keep the same tone on each piece of information.

A:Carmen must have overslept again.

B:No, she's mILL 11.

A:Did you take the wrong turning?

B:Your inmSTRUCtions were wrong

= she didn't oversleep, she's ill

B contradicts Ns suggestion 11...------that\ it was B who was at fault

A:I suppose she'd given up and gone home.

B:No, she ffiWAS waiting for me 11.

B : No, she was ffiWAITing for me &1.

although a different word is emphasised, the meaning is similar

A: So you think the troops are being reARMED ? B: No, I said they' re being ffiDISarmed 51.

stress is normally on the second syllable in dis'armed, but here there is a contrast between rr{armed) and dis(armed), so the first syllable is made prominent