1. This exercise is meant to develop your ability to hear and reproduce the kind of intonation used'in reading aloud a piece of descriptive prose.
(a) Listen to the following text carefully, sentence by sentence. Pay attention to the way intonation enlivens the . written text and thus makes its oral representation expressive.
"Charmian made her way to the library and cautiously built up the fire which had burnt low. The effort of stooping tired her and she sat for a moment in the big chair. After a while it was tea time. She thought for a space, about tea. Then she made her way to the kitchen where the tray had been set by Mrs. Anthony in readiness for Mrs. Petti-
grew to make the tea. But Mrs. Pettigrew had gone out. Charmian felt overwhelmed suddenly with trepidation and pleasure. Could she make tea herself? Yes, she would try. The kettle was heavy as she held it under the tap. It was heavier still when it was half-filled with water. It rocked in her hand, and her skinny, large-freckled wrist ached and wobbled with the strain. At last she had lifted the kettle safely on the gas-ring. She had seen Mrs. Anthony use the automatic lighter. She tried it but could not make it work. Matches. She looked everywhere for matches but could not find any. She went back to the library and took from a jar one of Godfrey's home-made tapers. She stooped dangerously and lit the taper at the fire. Then, cautiously, she bore the little quivering flame to the kitchen, holding it in one shaking hand, and holding that hand with her other hand to keep it as steady as possible. At last the gas was lit under the kettle. Charmian put the teapot on the stove to warm. She then sat down in Mrs. Anthony's chair to wait for the kettle to boil. She felt strong and fearless."
(M. Spark. "Momento Mori")
(b) Mark internal boundaries (pausation). Underline the communicative centre and the nuclear word of each intonation group. Mark the stresses and tunes. It is not expected that each student will intone the text in the same way. Your teacher will help you and all the members of the class to correct your variant. Make a careful note of your errors and work to avoid them.
(c) Practise reading each sentence of your corrected variant after the tape-recorder.
(d) Record your reading. Play the recording back immediately for your teacher and fellow-students to detect your errors.
(e) Listen to your fellow-student reading the text. Tell him what his errors in pronunciation are.
(f) Identify and make as full list as possible of declamatory style peculiarities as they are displayed in the text.
2. This exercise is intended to develop your ability to read aloud a piece of descriptive prose.
(a) Read the following text silently to make sure that you understand each sentence.
"Fleur, leaning out of her window, heard the hall clock's muffled chime of twelve, the tiny splash of a fish, the sudden shaking of an aspen's leaves in the puffs of breeze that rose along the river, the distant rumble of a night train, and time and again the sounds which none can put a name to in the darkness, soft obscure expressions of uncatalogued emotions from man to beast, bird and machine, or, maybe, from departed Forsytes, Darties, Cardigans, taking night strolls back into a world which had once suited their embodied spirits. But Fleur heeded not these sounds; her spirit, far from disembodied, fled with swift wing from railway-carriage to flowery hedge, straining after Jon, tenacious of his forbidden image, and the sound of his voice, which was taboo. And she crinkled her nose, retrieving from the perfume of the riverside night that moment when his hand slipped between the may-flowers and her cheek. Long she leaned out in her freak dress, keen to burn her wings at life's candle; while the moths brushed her cheeks on their pilgrimage to the lamp on her dressing-table, ignorant that in a Forsyte's house there is no open flame. But at last even she felt sleepy, and, forgetting her bells, drew quickly in."
(J. Galsworthy. "The Forsyte Saga")
(b) Split up sentences into intonation groups. Single out the communicative centre and the nuclear word of each intonation group. Think of the intonation means they are to be made prominent with. Mark the stresses and tunes. Observe the difference in the duration of pauses between sentences and intonation groups. *
(c) Read the text aloud in class. Let the teacher and fellow-students listen to you and decide whether your reading is expressive enough to be easily understood without reference to the printed version.
3. Find extracts from serious descriptive prose and prepare them
for being read aloud in class. Ask your fellow-students to
retell these extracts in a manner appropriate for declamatory
style.
4. This exercise is meant to develop your ability to hear and
reproduce the kind of intonation used in reading aloud
dialogic literary texts (the speech of the characters).
(a) Listen to the following text carefully, sentence by sen
tence. Pay attention to the way intonation is made indica
tive of the change of speaker.
"You frightened Mrs. Bishop but of her wits: did you know?"
"Why?" demanded Louis. "I didn't do anything."
"Coming storming into the house like that, and waiting in my room when I'm not here. You simply don't do things like that."
"Why simply don't you?" demanded Louis satirically. "I was soaking wet. I have a weak chest. And I had to see you, I can't go on like this. I can't work. I can't eat. I think about you all the time."
"I can't think why," said Emma. "You hardly know me; it's silly." She went over to the window and looked out; the weather that day had become wilder and more blustery; rain bounced in the streets and dripped from the eaves of houses; bedraggled dogs sat in the doorways.
"I've changed completely. I'm a new person," said Louis. "I'm tired, now, of staying indoors and contemplating my navel. I want to get out..."
"And contemplate other people's?" asked Emma.
"Yes, then," said Louis. "Look. Don't I matter to you?"
"It's very flattering, of course, and I'm grateful."
"Look, I'm a human being, you know," said Louis. "I need love like everyone else. You're involved in this; you can't just throw the issue aside."
(M. Bradbury. "Eating People is Wrong")
(b) Mark internal boundaries (pausation). Underline the communicative centre and the nuclear word of each intonation group. Mark the stresses and tunes. It is not expected that each student will intone the text in the same way. Your teacher will help you and all the members of the class to correct your variant. Make a careful note of your errors and work to avoid them.
(c) Practise reading each sentence of your corrected variant after the tape-recorder.
(d) Record your reading. Play the recording back immediately for your teacher and fellow-students to detect your errors.
(e) Listen to your fellow-student reading the text. Tell him what his errors in pronunciation are.
(fl Identify and account for the peculiarities of declamatory style as they are displayed in reading aloud a dialogic literary text.
5. This exercise is meant to develop your ability to read aloud dialogic literary texts.
(a) Read the following extract silently to make sure that you
understand each sentence. Pay attention to the way in
which the author provides us with clues as to how the
speech of the characters should be interpreted.
"I'm sure," said Miss Marple brightly, "that Mr. Serrocold relies on you a GREAT deal."
"I don't know," said Edgar. "I really don't know." He frowned and almost absently sat down beside her. "I'm in a very difficult position."
"Of course," said Miss Marple.
The young man Edgar sat staring in front of him.
"This is all highly confidential," he said suddenly.
"Of course," said Miss Maxple.
"It I had my rights —"
"Yes?"
"I might as well tell you... You won't let it go any further I'm sure?"
"Oh no." She noticed he did not wait for her disclaimer.
"My father — actually, my father is a very important man."
This time there was no need to say anything. She had only to listen.
"Nobody knows except Mr. Serrocold. You see, it might prejudice my father's position if the story got out." He turned to her. He smiled. A sad dignified smile. "You see, I'M WINSTON CHURCHILL'S SON."
"Oh," said Miss Marple, "I SEE."
(A. Christie. "They Do it with Mirrors")
(b) Split up sentences into intonation groups. Single out the
communicative centre and the nuclear word of each into
nation group. Think of the intonation means they are to
be made prominent with. Take into account the clues pro
vided by the author. Mark the stresses and tunes. Observe
the difference in the duration of pauses between sentenc-' es, intonation groups and stretches of speech preceded and followed by a change of speaker. (c) Read the extract aloud in class. Let the teacher and fellow-students listen to you and decide whether your reading is expressive enough to be indicative of the change of speaker so that the extract can be easily understood without reference to the printed version.
6. Find extracts from stories, novels and plays exemplifying the speech of the characters. Prepare them for being read aloud in class in a manner appropriate for declamatory style.
7. This exercise is intended to develop your ability to hear and reproduce the kind of intonation used in verse-speaking.
(a) Listen to the following poems carefully, sentence by sentence. Pay attention to the presence of a stable pattern of rhythm and tempo, as well as a definite rhyme scheme.