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communicative centre of each sentence. Practise reading the text:

We had a grand holiday last year. My husband and I took the children to the

seaside for a month. We have five children. John, the eldest, is 12 years old, and

little Mary, the baby, is only two and a half.

John has been to the seaside several times before, but this was the first time

the other children had been. Naturally, it was a great event for them. For weeks

before we were to go they talked of nothing else and were very busy getting their

things ready. Finally, the day came when our holiday was to begin. John was a

great help in looking after the other children and so was Betty, who is nearly

eleven. It was a fine morning. We were up very early as we wanted to leave

home soon after breakfast. We made the journey by car, and we took some

refreshments with us so that we could stop for lunch when we found a pleasant

place in the country. We reached the seaside town, where we intended to stay in

the early afternoon, and as soon as we arrived the children were asking if they

could go down to the beach and see the sea. After that we spent many hours of

each day on the beach. The children made sandcastles and bathed. John and

Betty, who are quite good swimmers, had a swim every morning with their father

while I sat with the others. Several

times my husband and I went to the theatre in the evening and once or twice

we went dancing.

16.

This exercise is meant to develop your ability to read and narrate a story with

proper intonation, a) Listen to the joke. Write it down. Mark the stresses and tunes. Practise

reading the joke, b) Listen carefully to the narration of the joke. Observe the peculiarity in

intonation-group division, pitch, stress and tempo. Note the use of temporizers. Retell the

joke according to the model you have listened to.

16.

Read and retell the jokes:

Doctor's Orders

S e r v a n t : Sir, wake up, wake up!

M a s t e r : What is the matter?

S e r v a n t : It's time to take your sleeping tablets.

Politeness

M o t h e r : Which apple do you want, Tom? T o m :

The biggest one.

M o t h e r : Why, Tom, you should be polite and take the little one. ' T o m :

Well, Mamma, should I lie just to be polite?

His Pipe

L i t t l e g i r l : Grandpa, would you like me to give you a new pipe for your

birthday?

G r a n d p a : That's very nice of you, Mary, but I have got a pipe.

L i t t l e g i r l : Don't think you have, Grandpa, I've just broken it.

A Good Student

P r o f e s s o r : Can you tell me anything about the дтеМ chemists of the

17th century?

S t u d e n t : Yes, sir, they are all dead, sir.

Section Ten

Intonation Pattern VII

(LOW PRE-HEAD + ) FALLING HEAD + FALL-RISE

M o d e l : Type out this letter at once.

I Vcan't 'possibly x finish it ,now

This intonation pattern is used in statements, commands and other

communicative types of sentences to express the same attitudes as Intonation

Pattern VI. Stressed syllables of the head sometimes glide down.

e. g. I didn't know you drank coffee. I -* do

–

xsome, times.

EXERCISES

1. a)* Listen carefully to the following conversational situations. Concentrate your

attention on the intonation of the replies:

Verbal Context Drill

S t a t e m e n t s

[expressing concern, hart feelings, reproach, contradiction,

correction, uncertainty, contrast, grumbling)

Do you smoke?

I do sometimes.

Can we smoke here?

It's not forbidden.

She is a pretty girl, isn't she? She has a lovely face.

Are you using the ruler?

Not at the moment.

We got here about midnight. It was earlier than that. The clock's twelve

minutes fast. I'm quite sure it's not thft

much out.

Are you coming for a swim?

Not I. Not likely.

May I come to your lecture?

There'll be nothing new in it

for you.

What about this green dress?

The recipe says a pound of dried fruit.

I'd like to go, but it's such an expensive journey.

She's an absolute failure. You're a clumsy oaf. We'll leave before dawn.

Look, Mummy, I'm right at the top.

b| Listen to the replies and re voice fall as low as possible. Start not go up too high.

I shouldn't buy that one if I were you.

I doubt whether a pound will be enough.

You shouldn't let the cost of it deter you from going.

C o m m a n d s (urgent, warning)

Now be fair. Steady on. Have a heart. Have a bit of sense. Mind you don't

fall.

them in the intervals. Make your rise from the lowest pitch and do

c) Listen to the verbal context and reply in the intervals.

2. In order to fix Intonation Pattern VII in your mind, ear and speech habits repeat the

replies yonrself until they sonnd perfectly natural to yon.

3. Listen to your fellow-student reading the replies. Tell him what his errors in intonation

are.

4. Listen to the verbal context suggested by your teacher. Reply by using one of the drill

sentences below. Pronounce it with Intonation Pattern VII. Say what attitude you mean to

render:

Verbal Context

Are you coming to dinner tonight?

Everyone's at home.

What a nice house!

He won't come, I tell you.

I came at a quarter past two.

Here I am.

Do you like my hat?

Drill I will if I can.

Not everyone. It isn't a large one. He hasn't definitely refused. , Half past

three it was. You're rather late. If you don't mind my saying so, it's terrible.

}don't know what to do about it.

it's not easy, you know.

Јhe speaks English quite fluently.

Sfou look cold.

pit last she has passed her exam. fcVill you be staying in London till autumn?

|>hall we meet next Sunday?

think if's going to rain. He is certain to win the game. Be careful. It's loo dark

here. I'll like to ask some friends to dinner.

It's time to go. So long!

If I were you, I'd wait and see

what happens.

But not impossible.

But with a shocking Russian

accent, doesn't she?

I'm not exactly cold.

She failed again.

I'm not quite sure.

I'm afraid I can't make it next Sunday.

Oh, don't say that. Don't be too sure. Don't be nervous. But not too many,

please.

So long! Be careful to cross the road.

5. Read the same replies with Intonation Patterns II or IV. Observe the difference in

attitude.

6. Give a conversational context with the following sentences pronounced with

Intonation Patterns VI and VII. Your fellow-student will suggest a verbal context. You

respond to it using one of the sentences below. Keep the exercises moving on rapidly until

every student has participated:

1. On Saturday. 2. It's mine. 3. The style is good. 4. He's coming m a week. 5.

I saw him today. 6. It's not bad. 7. You needn't do it now. 8. You'll fall. 9. Your

chair's slipping. 10. You'll miss your train. 11. Try to be there by six. 12. Careful

with that glass. You'll drop it. 13. Mind. There's a step here. 14. Be quick. We are

going to be late. 15. You must call at Helen's.

7. Your teacher will suggest a verbal context. You in turn reply by using statements,

expressing contradiction, correction, contrast, concern, reproach, sometimes soothing.

8. Read the following sentences, containing the opposition. Use Intonation Patterns VI or

VII to express the opposition:

1. There was a beautiful vase on the piano and above it there lung a picture.

2. On the dressing table in front of the looking

glass you'll see a hair-brush and comb, a hand-mirror, a bottle of

scent and a powder-box. In the wardrobe I keep my suits and other clothes,

which I hang on coat-hangers. 3. Then there's the motor cycle, with which you

can travel quickly and cheaply, but for long journeys it's rather tiring. With a

motor-car one can travel comfortably foi long distances without getting too

tired. 4.1 saw members of the crew carrying out their duties in various parts of

the ship, while the captain watched the operations and gave his orders from

the bridge. 5. You'll probably want to sit as near to the stage as possible. But if

you're at a cinema, you may prefer to sit some distance from the screen. 6. She

kept the books in the bookcase and the dictionaries stood on the shelf

above her writing table. 7. The sun was shining brightly but the air was still

cold. 8. It takes 45 minutes to get there by bus. But if you go there by

metro it won't take you half an hour. 9. The lawns were already green, but

the apple-trees stood still bare. 10. The Smiths enjoyed the view of the

whole city from the Vorobyev Hills while the Wilsons liked the historical

monuments of Moscow. 11. We'd better put the table to the wall and the

armchairs in the corner of the room. 12. The elder children were tobogganing,

skiing, making snowmen while the smallest were just watching them. 13.

You may have a good time in town, going to the museums, theatres and cinemas.

But if you want to have a really quiet holiday you'd better go to the

country at the week-end. 14. It was already summer. The days were hot and

stuffy. But the mornings were still fresh.

9. Read the following sentences. Observe the position of the communicative centre.

Use Intonation Patterns VII in the clauses of condition and time to make the

communicative centre more prominent:

1. If you are going to stay in England for some time, you ought to spend at

least a week at the seaside. 2. But if you're at a cinema, you may prefer to sit

some distance from the screen. 3. If you can stay only a few days in London, you

won't have much time for your sightseeing. 4. If you want to send a telegram,

you can either take it to the nearest post-office or dictate it over the telephone. 5.

If you want to send a parcel, you hand it to the assistant. 6. If you want a guide to

show you round, they'll get you one. 7. If the price of a reel of cotton is

fourpence, you hand over four pennies for it. 8. If you feel too ill to go to the

doctor, you'll have to send for him. 9. While we were watching

the last scene, her hand small and hot touched mine. 10. When I met her at

the entrance to the theatre, she looked excited and her eyes sparkled. 11. And

before their tour came to an end, they had seen and learned a lot of interesting

things about our country. 12. When we were children, we used to enjoy playing

on the beach, making castles and forts and channels in the sand. 13. When you

are tired of London, go down to the sea for a week or a fortnight. 14. When

summer comes, the weather gets warmer still.

10. Read the sentences according to the situation suggested in brackets. Observe the

position of the communicative centre:

1. It was my first visit to London (not the second one). 2. I hope Mary will

come soon (not John). 3. She's coming on Sunday at four (not on Tuesday). 4. I'd

like to have a few English books (not Russian ones). 5. May I go and see Tom?

(not only ring him up) 6. This house is situated on the left side of the street (not

on the right one). 7. You'll find the magazine in the desk (not on the desk). 8. I

must see him (not his sister). 9. I did it (not anyone else). 10. Will you lead the

way? (I can't do it myself).

X X . This exercise is meant to develop your ability to hear the intonation and reproduce

it in proper speech situations, a) Listen to the Conversation "Asking the Way" (See p. 253)

sentence by sentence. Mark the stresses and tunes. Practise the dialogue, b) Record your

reading. Play the recording back immediately for your teacher and fellow-students to detect

the errors in your pronunciation. Practise the dialogue for test reading. Memorize and

dramatize it. c) Give conversational situations for the phrases of the following type:

I. Excuse me ... . 2. Excuse me, (officer) ... . 3. Can you tell me the way to ...?

4. Certainly. 5. Thank you very much. 6. How far is it from here? 7. There's sure

to be. 8. Yes, (sir), any (bus) will take you. 9. Sorry, (sir) ....

12. Read the following dialogues:

"Take matches."

"What's the time?"

"Where are they?"

"Ten to eleven."

"In the usual place, I expect."

"We shall have to be quick, then."

"I can't see them."

"He tells me you've been very good to him."

"Oh we do what we can for him. He is a nice boy." '

Л4 Заказ 1271

417

13. *** Make up a conversation with one of your fellow-students using phrases from the

Conversation "Asking the Way".

13. This exercise is meant to develop your ability to hear the intonation and to

reproduce it in reading, a) Listen to the text "A Street in London** sentence by sentence.

Write it down. Mark the stresses and tunes. Practise the text, b) Record your reading. Play the

recording back immediately for your teacher and fellow-students to detect the errors in your

pronunciation. Practise the text for test reading.

14. This exercise is meant to develop your ability to read and narrate a story with proper

intonation, a) Listen to the joke. Write it down. Mark the stresses and tunes. Practise reading

the joke, b) Listen carefully to the narration of the joke. Observe the peculiarities in

intonation-group division, pitch, stress and tempo. Note the use of temporizers. Retell the

joke according to the model you have listened to.

15. Read the jokes silently to make sure you understand each sentence. Find the main

sentence in the text. Split up each sentence into intonation-groups if necessary. Mark the

stresses and tunes. Underline the communicative centre and the nuclear word of each

intonation-group. It is not expected that each student will intone the text in the same way.

Your teacher will help you to correct your variant. Practise reading the joke several times.

Retell the joke according to the model above (see Ex. 15):

When a group of women got in the car every seat was already occupied. The

conductor noticed a man who seemed to be asleep, and, fearing he might miss his

stop he said to the man: "Wake up."

"I wasn't asleep," the man protested.

"But you had your eyes closed."

"I know. I just hate to look at ladies standing up in a crowded car."

* * *

A very stout lady said angrily that she wanted to report the conductor of the

bus that had just gone, "He's been rude," she shrilled. t "How?" asked the official.

"Why," went on the lady. "He was telling people the bus was full up and

when I got off he said: "Room for three inside."

Section Eleven

Intonation of Direct Address

M o d e l : vChildren, vlisten to me.

vMo,ther, j Vcan I have an 'ice-cream?

–> Never /mind, Tom, | I'll help you with vpleasure.

Direct Address at the Beginning of the Sentence

Direct address at the beginning of the sentence is stressed. It is pronounced

with the low-falling nuclear tone in formal serious speech and with the falling-

rising tone to attract the listener's attention or in a friendly conversation.-

e. g. vChildren, | ^listen to me. vMa,ry,

j -*come vhere.

EXERCISES

M o d e l 1: vPeter, | come vhere.

1. Listen carefully to the following sentences and repeat them in the intervals.

Concentrate your attention on the intonation of direct address:

1. Mary, sit down! 2. John, listen to me! 3. Harry, look at the map! 3.

Children, look at the blackboard! 5. Kitty, it's time to get up! 6. Peter, we've run

out of vegetables. 7. Peter, sit here on my left! 8. Tom, who's on duty? 9. Nick,

hurry up. 10. Boys, don't be so noisy.

2. Read the following sentences according to Model 1. Follow the intonation line

exactly:

1. Children, stand still at your desks! 2. Ann, stand up straight! 3. Comrades,

take your seats! 4. Helen, why were you absent yesterday? 5. Kitty, you're late

again. 6. Children, stop talking! 7. Ann, come to the board and divide it into two

parts.

8. Peter, please fetch some chalk! 9. Children, stop making noise! 10. Harry,

stand aside, so that we all can see the board.

M o d e l 2: xMO/ther, | Vcan I have an 'ice-,cream?

3. Listen carefully to the following sentences and repeat them in the intervals.

Concentrate your attention on the intonation of direct address:

1. Peter, may I use your pencil? 2. Edward, something has gone wrong with

my electric iron. 3. Mary, isn't this skirt long for me? 4. Porter, will you see to

my luggage, please? 5. Helen, darling, don't be angry with me. 6. Mum, I should

like another apple. 7. Ann, may I take your book? 8. Eddy, why didn't you phone

me? 9. Tom, why don't you wash your hands?

4. Read the following sentences according to Model 2. Follow the intonation line exactly:

1. Mother, could I go and play football now? 2. Mother, may I have another

cup of milk? 3. Ann, will you please give me a little more porridge? 4. Kitty, why

aren't you eating anything? 5. Bob, is there anything to your taste on the menu?

6. Peter, give me another glass of water, I am thirsty. 7. Mary, will you help me

to wash the dishes? 8. Ann, at what shop did you buy this hat? 9. Madam, which

is the biggest department store in Moscow?

Direct Address in the Middle or at the End of the Sentence

Direct address in the middle or at the end of the sentence is ordinarily

pronounced as the unstressed or half-stressed tail of the preceding intonation-

group. After the low-falling nucleus it can also be pronounced with the low-

rising tone.

е. д. I vsay, Mike, | I've V just had 'a 'wire from xMary. -> That's all /right,

darling. Good xmorning, Mrs. /Wood.

EXERCISES

5. Listen carefully to the following sentences and repeat them in the intervals.

Concentrate your attention on the intonation of direct address:

1. Good afternoon, Mrs. White, how are you? 2. Mind you don't miss the

train, sir. 3. Certainly, madam. 4. What's the salt for, Mum? 5. Right, Dad. 6.

Come on, Nora. 7. Hello, Betty, dear! 8. Well, what's the news, Mr. White? 9.

What do you think of London, Mrs. Thompson? 10. Well, what's the matter with

you, Mr. Walker? 11. Yes, of course, Mrs. Howard. 12, Good-bye, Mrs. Wood.

13. Had a good day, Nora? 14. Do you want me to do anything this evening,

Nora? 15. Shut the door behind you, Peter. 16. Good afternoon, sir, what can I do

for you? 17. Good morning, Mrs, Wood. 18. I'll go in and get them, Dad. 19,

You'll have to carry this case, Peter. 20. You know, Harry, there's a dance this

evening at the Town Hall. 21. And how do you like your tea, Mrs. White, strong

or weak? 22. Excuse me, officer, is there a bus from here to Trafalgar Square?

6. Read the following sentences according to the models given above. Follow the

intonation line exactly:

1. No more, Mum, thank you. 2. Good afternoon, Mrs. White, how are you?

3. I say, Helen, have you got anything special on tomorrow night? 4. Good

morning, Ann, glad to see ,you. 5.1 say, Peter, will you go to the cinema with

me? 6. Don't worry, Mary, I'll do that myself. 7. Now, Bobby, how much is two

plus four? 8. Now, Tom, why don't you wash your hands? 9.1 say, Mary, where is

my book? 10. You are wrong, Pete, that was yesterday, 11. Look, dear, a button

has come off my coat. 12. Now, James, you'll catch cold. 13. Can you come a

little earlier? – Oh, yes, darling, certainly. 14. Don't worry, Mother, I'll come in

time. 15. All right, mother, I'll come in an hour. 16. And now, my dear fellows,

good night to you all. 17. All right, Betty, I'll join you inaminute. 18.Thank you,

Mother, I don't want any more. 19.1 think, dear, you are right. 20. Hello, Robert,

do you want any help? 21. And now, Nina, repeat all the words you have

mispronounced. 22. Well, Ann, have you noticed any mistakes? 23. You forget,

Mother, that I am getting my stipend very soon. 24. Come on, Jim, we shall have

to hurry. 25. Look here, Mary, there's a concert this evening at the club. 26. You

know, Tom, when Bob was your age he was a very good pupil.

– Yes, Father, I know that. 27. You are wanted on the phone, Roger. 28.

Good evening, Mr. White. 29. Which book will you take, Henry? 30. Very well

done indeed, Tom! 31. I like your reading, Ann. 32. Change (turn) the sentence

into a question, Jim. 33. Stop talking, Ann. 34. What's the date today, Ben? 35.

Go to the board, Jimmy. 36. Don't prompt him, Ann. 37. Repeat the word, Ann.

38. What is the Russian for this word, Pete? 39. Read the first sentence, Mike.

40. Put down (take down) your homework, children! 41. You'll help me, wont

you, Nina? 42. Now remember what I've said, Peter. 43. How are you, Harry? 44.

Glad to see you, Arthur. 45. Have some more pudding, Ann? 46. Please read to

yourself, Mary, and not aloud. 47. Good morning, madam. Can I help you? 48.

May I ask you a question, Comrade Petrov? 49. Will you have anything to drink,

Sir? 50. Isn't it a pretty thing, Mother? 51. D'you want to make me a model boy,

Mum? 52. What have we got to eat, Mum? 53. Can I have another glass of tea,

Mary? 54. May I take your pen, Ann? 55. I'm so sorry, Mother. 56. Can I have an

apple, Mum? 57. Haven't you finished your work yet, John? 58. May I use your

pencil, Bob? 59. Give it to me, Ann. 60. Good-bye, Mr. Smith. 61. Give your

book to Ann, Mary. 62. May I go to th^ cinema, Mother?

7. Address your friend placing direct address at the beginning, in the

middle and at the end of the sentence.

4

8. "* This exercise is meant to develop your ability to hear the intona-

tion and reproduce it in proper conversational situations, a) Listen to the

dialogue "Shopping" sentence by sentence. Write it down. Mark the stress-

es and tunes. Practise the dialogue, b) Record your reading. Play the re-

cording back immediately for the teacher and your fellow-students to de-

tect the possible errors in your pronunciation. Practise the dialogue for test

reading, memorize and dramatize it:

Shopping

"Er – Excuse me, how do I get to the glove department?" "Over there on the

left, madam, just past the ribbon counter." "Is this the right counter for gloves?"

"Yes, madam. What sort of gloves do you require? Kid, suede, chamois ...?"

"Well, let me see some of each." "Certainly, madam. What

size do you take?"

"Six and a quarter, I believe, but you'd better measure my hand to make

sure."

"I think a six is your size. How do you like these? I can recommend them,

they're very reliable."

"How much are they?"

"Nineteen and eleven (19/11), madam."

"Very well, I'll take them. And now, how do I get to the shoe department?"

"Come this way, please, and I'll show you ... just over there beyond the

millinery department."

"What kind of shoe did you want, madam? Calf, qlace, suede...?"

"I want a strong walking shoe with a low heel. Perhaps calf would be best. I

like court shoes, but of course high heels aren't suitable for country wear ... As

you see, I have rather small feet."

"Here's a pair about your size. Try them on ... How do they feel?"

"They're fairly comfortable, but they're a bit tight across the toes; I suppose

they'll give a little." "Yes, they'll stretch with wearing."

"Very well, then... Now, let's see, what else did I want. Oh yes, some silk

stockings, shoe-polish, a pair of scissors, and some safety-pins."

c)

Use the phrases below in conversational situations:

1. Excuse me, how do I get to ...? 2. Is this the right ...? 3, What sort of ...? 4.

What size do you take? 5. How much ...? 6. This way, please. 7. As you see ....

d) Make up a dialogue of your own using phrases from the dialogue

"Shopping".

9. " Listen to the dialogue. Write it down. Practise it in pairs until you

can say it in exactly the same way.

10.

Read and reproduce the following dialogues. Concentrate your

attention on the intonation of direct address:

"Now, take out your books and open them at Page Thirty. Peter, where did

we leave off yesterday?"

"We left off at the second paragraph on Page Thirty."

"Thank you! Ann, will you please read the text. Don't prompt her, John. Has

she made any mistakes, comrades?" 0

"Ann didn't pronounce the word 'work' correctly."

"Say the word, Ann!"

"Johnny, why are you late for school every morning?" "Every time I come to

the corner the sign says: 'School Go slow'."

May I use your pen, Mary?" By all means."

"Peter, may I take your book?"

"By all means."

("Of course you may.")

"John, haven't you finished that

book yet?" "I've only just begun it."

"Darling, will you marry me?" "No, but I will always admire your good

taste."

Peter's got your pen, Daddy." "Put it down. Peter."

'Mike's pulling my hair, Mummy." 'Stop it, Mike."

I've been helping Mummy, Daddy."

That's a good girl."

"John, why were you absent yesterday?"

"I was ill. Here is a note from the doctor."

"Can I have an apple, Mother?"

"You ate the last one th.s morning."

"Ann, it's time to get up." "But it's only half past six."

"Hello, Steve."

"Good afternoon, Mr. Davis."

"Which will you take, Henry?" "This one."

"I pointed it all by myself,

Daddy." "There's a clever boy."

"It Was all your fault, Ann." "But it wasn't."

"Tom's having tea. What for you,

Peter?" "I'd prefer a cup of coffee."

"Can you go to the circus, Daddy?" "I'll see."

"John will be at home at seven,

Mrs. Read." "Thank you." "I'm so sorry, Mummy."

"Are you really sorry? "

"Can I have an ice-cream,

Mum?" "Later on."

"Tell me, doctor. Is he badly

hurt?" "Nothing at all serious."

11. *** This exercise is meant to develop your ability to read a text with

proper intonation, a) Listen to the text "The Big Stores" sentence by

sentence. Mark the stresses and tunes. Practise reading the text, b) Record

your reading. Play the recording back immediately for your teacher and

fellow-students to detect your possible errors, c) Practise the story for test

readings:

The Big Stores

I went into one of the big London stores today and enjoyed myself very

much, just wandering from one department to another, looking at the various

articles on the counters. I thought the assistants were very helpful. There must

have been some hundreds of salesmen and saleswomen and dozens of different

departments, including china, haberdashery, confectionery, hardware and even

provisions. I went from one department to another – from umbrellas to gloves,

from fancy goods to lace – up and down, in lifts and on escalators. As I was

going through the book department, I was surprised to meet an old friend of

mine, whom I hadn't seen for years. We went up to the restaurant and had lunch

together.

We didn't finish lunch until half past two. Then we did some shopping

together. I helped her to buy some presents for her children. I can't tell you how

glad we were to see each other again. We used to be very great friends. I hadn't

seen her for – let me see – ten or twelve years, at least.

12. This exercise is meant to develop your ability to read and narrate a

story with proper intonation, a) Listen to the joke. Write it down. Mark the

stresses and tunes. Practise reading the joke, b) Listen carefully to the

narration of the joke. Observe the peculiarities in intonation-group division,

pitch, stress and tempo. Note the use of temporisers. Retell the joke

according to the model you have listened to.

13. Read the jokes silently to make sure you understand each sentence, find the most

important phrase in the story, underline it, split up every sentence into intonation-groups,

mark the stresses and tunes. Practise reading the jokes several times. Retell the jokes

following the model above (See Ex. 12):

Jack's Mistake

J a c k ' s M o t h e r : There were three pieces of cake in the cupboard, Jack,

and now there are only two.

J a c k : It was so dark there, Mamma, that I didn't see the others.

A Correction

T e a c h e r : Jimmie, why don't you wash your face? I can see what you had

for breakfast this morning. L i t t l e b o y : What was it? T e a c h e r : Eggs!

L i t t l e b o y : You are wrong, teacher, that was yesterday.

Whose Mistakes?

T e a c h e r (looking through Teddy's homework): I wonder how one

person could make so many mistakes.

T e d d у: It wasn't one person, teacher. Father helped me.

Father and Son

F a t h e r : You know, Tom, when Lincoln was your age he was a very good

pupil. In fact, he was the best pupil in his class.

T o m : Yes. Father, 1 know that. But when he was your age he was President

of the United States.

At a Restaurant

"Here, waiter, it seems to me tha't this fish is not so fresh as the fish you

served us last Sunday." "Pardon, sir, it is the same fish."

Section Twelve

I. Intonation of the Author's Words

M o d e l : "I'm not ready," he said."Are you ,sure?" he asked, |.looking

x

a , round him ashe , spoke.He > said: | Look at the^picture."He ,said: |

"The film was^excellent."He said: | "That's all."

v

x

The Author's Words Following Direct Speech

The author's words which follow the direct speech are usually pronounced as

an unstressed or half-stressed tail of the preceding intonation-group.

e. g. "I'm -» not vready," he said.

"Is -> this for ,me?" he asked with surprise.

If the tail gets longer, it may form a separate intonation-group. In this case it

is stressed and is pronounced with the same nuclear tone as the preceding

intonation-group but on a lower pitch level.

e. g. "I'm xsorry," | a, gain re, pea ted the ^landlord

If the author's words form two or more intonation-groups, the first of them

doesn't form a separate intonation-group. The second and the third are always

stressed and pronounced each on a lower pitch level. The nuclear tone of the

final intonation-group is usually that of the sentences in the direct speech. The

non-final intonation-groups may be pronounced either with the low-rising tone or

with the low-falling tone according to their semantic importance.

e. g. "What a vpity!" was all I said | when he .broke a x glass. "VDo you

'think 'that's ,fair?" she asked, | .looking at me with surprise.

EXERCISES

M o d e l 1: "I'm -> not vready," he said slowly.

"-+ No, I vcan't," she replied, | shaking her head.

1. Listen carefully to the following sentences. Concentrate your attention on the

intonation of the author's words following direct speech:

1. "I don't know," he said quietly. 2. "What's it for?" he inquired in a whisper.

3. "Come here," she ordered in a sharp voice. 4. "It isn't mine," he said for the

second time. 5. "Give it to me," she said with a smile. 6. "You've dropped it on

the floor," he complained to her. 7. "You'll have to put a stamp on," he explained

in his best French. 8. "Come here!" commanded the captain in a loud voice. 9.

"Be back in half an hour," she reminded him sternly. 10. "You've made the same

mistake again," the teacher complained with a frown. 11. "It's nearly ten o'clock,"

she observed glancing at her watch. 12. "What a pity!" was all I said when he