1. a) Consult a dictionary and practise the pronunciation of the following words:
purport; illusion; expunge; consciousness; liquidate; fascinate; ally; superior; rivals; hostility; rococo; meticulously; salon; soprano; baritone; canal; lilac; invaluable; hydrogen; reminiscent; vigorous; prophet; apartheid; obscenity; hurricane; liable.
b) Ask your partner to read the words. Correct his/her mistakes.
2. Practice the pronunciation of the following polysyllabic words paying attention to the stresses:
generation; totalitarism; civilisation; pre-war; film-makers; disappear; reinforce; mediaeval; international; education; intel-ligencia; opposition; half-naked; ideological; interpretation; ballerina; sinuosity; atmosphere; delegation; politicians.
3. Read the following word combinations paying attention to the phonetic phenomena of connected speech:
in the early years after the war when we first heard the truth; could distroy national traditions; carried the seeds of its own destruction; war still there; I admired the paintings of Deineka; they were in a book; after the war I found that my friend had disappeared during the great purges; we were, of course, taken to schools; it also included the visits to the Hermitage; used to meet in those nineteenth-century surroundings; at the courts of Queen Victoria; I was immensely impressed by the charm and quality of the young sixth formers; in manner and appearance; in their country; signs of culural thaw; at the Old Vie; on the other hand; yet the general atmosphere; restricted though they were; on the contrary, three days is better than three weeks; anything over a week and less than three years.
4. Read the passage beginning with "After the war I found ..." up to "... where their knowledge of the outside world is invaluable" and pay attention to tones, weak forms and rhythm.
5. Complete the following sentences:
a) 1. Dramatic ..., we shall all enjoyed the performance. 2. Strange.... the dog was not paying any attention to us. 3. Unexpected ..., we had given them a respectable welcoming party.
b) 1. The artistic directior presented the main character as a ... rather than as a... we used to imagine him to be. 2.1 expected him to appear as a ... rather than as a .... 3. For all my expectations, the play was performed as a... rather than as a....
c) 1. These stories are more likely to ... rather than to... . 2. Such good examples encourage people to ... rather than to .... 3. In my opinion, such students are sure to ... the exam rather than to....