1. This exercise illustrates some special pronunciation which the stops have When immediately followed by [n] or [m]. There is no sound at all between the stop and [n] or [mj. Learners must endeavour to pass from the plosive to the nasal without any air escaping from the mouth. Listen how the speaker on the tape pronounces the clusters below. Transcribe them. Try to pronounce each word to the teacher's satisfaction.
(a) [t] or [d] + [n] or [ml.
Mind that the tongue is not moved at all in passing from [tj or Id] to the [n] or [m].
[t] + [n] or [m): button, threaten, not now, don't know, utmost, liftman, not mine, hurt myself
[d] + [n] or Jm]: sadness, gladness, good nerves, red nails,
headmaster, goldmine, bad man, rude manners
(b) [pi or [bj + [nj or [m].
Mind that the lips remain in contact and the explosion is produced by the air escaping through the nose.
[š] + (n) or [m]: happen, open, I hope not, top men, help me lb] + [«] or [mj; ribbon, subnormal, sob noisily, sub man
(c) jfcj or fg] + [n or [rn].
Mind that the plosive closure is not released until the lowering of the soft palate has been accomplished.
[k] 4- [n] or [m]: nickname, picnic, look now, dark night,
sick man, take mine {g] + [n] or [m]: signal, ignorant, big news, big man, frogman
2. This exercise illustrates some special pronunciation which
stops have when immediately followed by the lateral [1J. In
such clusters there is no vowel sound between the plosive
and [1]. Listen how the speaker on the tape pronounces the
following clusters. Transcribe them. Try to pronounce them to
the teacher's satisfaction.
(a) In |tl] and {dl] clusters the learner must remember to keep
the tip of the tongue pressed firmly against the palate all the
time he is saying the two sounds.
kettle, fatal, at least, at last; middle, riddle, that'll do, I'd like it
(b) In (pi, bl, kl, gl] clusters the alveolar contact for [1] is made
at the time of the release of the plosive and the escape of air is
lateral.
apple, plain, stop laughing, group leader; blow, black, rub lightly, absorb light; clean, uncle, look lonely; glow, ugly, a big leaf'
3. Practise reading the families of words at normal conversational
speed. Concentrate on the clusters of two plosives.
(a) [p] plus another plosive: kept, slept, dropped, snapped,
stop trying, keep going, ripe tomato, a deep pool
(b) [b] plus another plosive: bobbed, robbed, sub-title
(c) [t] plus another plosive: football, foot path, hot toast, act
two, that cat, first person
(d) [d] plus another plosive: breadcrumb, woodpecker, lead
pencil, bad beer
(e) [k] plus another plosive: blackboard, deskchair, picked,
tricked, black coffee, black dog, thick piece, look carefully
(0 [gj plus another plosive: bagpipes, ragtime, big cake, dig deep
4. Read the following sets of words. Concentrate on the differ
ence between the sonorant [wj in word initial position and [w]
preceded by the voiceless [t, s, k].
wig — twig weep — sweep win — queen
wit — twit wing — swing wheeze — quiz
5. Read the following sets of words. Make careful distinction be
tween the sonorant [r] in word initial position and [r] preceded
by the voiceless plosives [p, t. k].
roof — proof ravel — travel rank — crank
lest — pressed rot — trot raw — craw
6. Listen how the speaker on the tape pronounces the sonorant
[1] in the initial position and [I] preceded by the voiceless plo
sives [p, k]. Imitate the reading. Make as clear distinction as
possible between the fully voiced [1] and its partially devoiced
counterpart.
lucky — plucky; lug — plug; law — claw; lean — clean
7. (a) Listen how the speaker on the tape pronounces the follow
ing sets of words. Imitate the reading.
(b) Listen to your fellow-student reading the same sets of words. Tell him what his errors in the pronunciation of the [t, d, n] and (1] followed by [9] or (6] are, and how to eliminate them.
{tj + [0) or [6]: white thorn, sweet thought, sit there, get them
[d] + [9] or [6]: breadth, width, hide them, bid them
[n] + [9] or [flj: ninth, in the month, on those days
[1] + [9] or [dj: although, all the time, stealth, all three
8. This exercise is meant to draw the students' attention to the differences in the assimilation affecting the work of the vocal cords in English and in Russian. Listen to the speaker on the tape reading the following sets of words. Transcribe and read them.
textbook not bad cut the finger
blackboard next day wide corridor
9. Listen to your fellow-student reading the words given above. Tell him what his errors are and ask him whether the mistakes are phonetic or phonological.
10. This exercise ip meant to draw the students' attention to the current pronunciation of the clusters* given below. Listen how the speaker on the tape pronounces the words and the phrases. Imitate the reading.
(9sJ: depths, lengths [dz]: truths, wreaths
[s9]: sixth, this thermometer [zuj: was that, raise them
(so]: takes this, it's that (z6J: these thieves, those thoughts
[0r]: three, thrash [f8]: fifth, diphthong
(fo]: if those, enough though
11. This exercise is meant to draw the students' attention to the correct pronunciation of (h] in the monosyllables: he, him, his, her, hers, have, has, had
Transcribe and read the sentences given below.
If he comes, tell him I'm out. In his will he left his son most of his books. Give her her books and her papers. I hope he'll give her a hand. His success went to his head.
12. As the word the occurs so frequently In English, it seems
useful to practise phrases with the word fhe preceded
by words which contain final consonant clusters. Practise
reading these phrases several times, until you can say them
smoothly.
changes the room, failed the test, built the house, amazed the people
13. In view of special importance given to the correction of possi-
ble mistakes this exercise is meant to draw the student's attention to the differences in the articulation of voiced con-. sonants in word initial, medial and final positions. Attention should be paid to the degree of voicing.
book —' table — rob date — order — mad
girl — ago — leg voice — over — dove
14. Practise reading the phrases below several times until you
can say them smoothly. Be particularly careful with the com
binations which involve the initial "s" followed by a conso
nant.
A large group of students graduates each year. I heard that splendid speech you made last night. They answered correctly, and the instructor thanked them. I request that all the books be removed from the desks.
15. Select an extract from a book you are studying. Read it concentrating your attention on the pronunciation of the -s, -es and -ed endings.
16. Practise reading the sentences given below at normal conver-
sational speed, until you can say them smoothly. Be particularly careful with the consonant clusters. Underline them. State the degree, the direction and the type of the assimilation in each particular case.
Put the pens and pencils in their proper places. Busy brown bees are buzzing in the bluebells. Travel by tram to the station, and take the second turning to the right. In the middle of the night, a sudden fear that he had failed invaded his mind.
17. Practise reading the phrases below several times until you
can say them smoothly. Be particularly careful with the com
binations which involve the initial [9] followed by [r], as you
pronounce the entire exercise several times.
Three brown thrushes flew in through the window. Three million, three hundred and thirty-three thousand, three hundred and thirty-three.
VOWELS ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------