American Accent Tra Exercise 1-17: Staircase Intonation Practice CD 1 Track 26 Draw one step of the staircase for each word of the paragraph. Start a new staircase for every stressed word There usually is more than one staircase in a sentence. New sentences don't have to start new staircases; they can continue from the previous sentence until you come to a stressed word I'll read the beginning sentences. Check the first sentence against the example. Then put the words of the second sentence on a staircase, based on the way I read it. Remember, I' m exaggerating to make a point. Hello. My Accent name Training taking American lot h enJoyable V Write out the rest of the staircases x Turn the Cd back on to check your staircases with the way i read the paragraph x Pause the Cd again to check your staircases in the Answer Key, beginning on page 193 x Back up the CD, and listen and repeat my reading of the paragraph while following the staircases in the answer Key
Chapter // American Intonation Exercise 1-18: Reading with Staircase Intonation CD 1 Track 27 Read the following with clear intonation where marked Hello, my name I' m taking American Accent Training. There's a lot to learn, but i hope to make it as enjoyable as possible. I should pick up on the American intonation pattern pretty easily, although the only way to get it is to practice all of the time I use the up and down or peaks and valleys intonation more than i used to I've been paying attention to pitch, too. It's like walking down a staircase. I've been talk- ing to a lot of Americans lately, and they tell me that Im easier to understand. Anyway, I could go on and on but the important thing is to listen well and sound good. Well, what do you think? Do 1? Exercise 1-19: Spelling and Numbers CD 1 Trad Just as there is stress in words or phrases, there is intonation in spelling and numbers Americans seem to spell things out much more than other people. In any bureaucratic situ ation, you' ll be asked to spell names and give all kinds of numbers--your phone number your birth date, and so on. There is a distinct stress and rhythm pattern to both spelling and numbers-usually in groups of three or four letters or numbers, with the stress falling on the last member of the group. Acronyms(phrases that are represented by the first letter of each word)and initials are usually stressed on the last letter. Just listen to the words as l say them, then repeat the spelling after me Acronym Pronunciation Spelling Pronunciation Eye Bee Em Box Bee Oh ex MIT Em eye tee Cook See OhOh Kay Ph.D Pee Aitch Dee Wilson Dubba You Eye El, Ess Oh En MBA Em bee ei Eh lay Numbers Pronunciation Eye Kyu Area Code 213 RSVP Are Ess vee Pee Zip Code 94708 Tee Vee Date 9/6/62 USA You ess ei Phone Number 555-9132 ASAP ei Ess ei pee CIA See eye ei FBI Eff Bee Eye USMC You ess em See COD See Oh dee lOS Ess Oh ess X.Y.Z Ex, Why, Zee
American Accent Tr Exercise 1-20: Sound/Meaning Shifts CD 1 Track 29 Intonation is powerful. It can change meaning and pronunciation. Here you will get the chance to play with the sounds. Remember, in the beginning, the meaning isn't that impor- tant-just work on getting control of your pitch changes. Use your rubber band for each stressed word my tie mal-ta Mig my keys Mikey My keys? inn key in key my tea mighty D I have two I have, too. I have to How many kids do you have? I have two Ive been to Europe Why do you work so hard? I have to Exercise 1-21: Squeezed-Out Syllables CD 1 Track 30 Intonation can also completely get rid of certain entire syllables. Some longer words that are stressed on the first syllable squeeze weak syllables right out. Cover up the regular columns and read the words between the brackets actually [aek.chilly every evree average [faemlee] aspirIn [asprin] finally [fynlee] [braklee general jEn [bizness groceries Igrossreez] camera kaemruh] interest lintr'st] chocolate Chalt] elr Ljoolree comfortable [k'mfotbl] mathematics [maethmaedix] corporal [corpr'l] memory ] mentee desperate [despr't lorna diamond [daim'nd] probably Iprablee dial [daiper restaurant [restrant different [dimr’nt] [sepr't] emerald [emr'ld] eral sevr'l] table Ivej tbl beverage conference [cantons bakery [bakree] coverage aholic story Th nursery accidentally Laek..lee] onion eny n [baseklee] Note The -cally ending is always pronounced -klee
Chapter 1/ American intonation Syllable stress cD 1 Track 31 Syllable count Intonation patterns In spoken English, if you stress the wrong syllable, you can totally lose the meaning of a word:“MA- sheen” is hardly recognizable as“ma- SHEEN'' or machine At this point, we won't be concerned with why we are stressing a particular syllable- that understanding will come later. Exercise 1-22: Syllable Patterns cD 1 Track 32 In order to practice accurate pitch change, repeat the following column. Each syllable will count as one musical note. Remember that words that end in a vowel or a voiced consonant will be longer than ones ending in an unvoiced consonant. Syllable Pattern 1a la! ret stop cat qU Jump choice box los beat Pattern 1b law bid dog goes bead choose plar know 2 Syllables la-a Bob smith or you Pattern 2a a dog my car Who knows? a cat some more cassette y red tape ballet a pen enclose valet pretend consume to do your job my choice today pea soup How's work? tonight Pattern 2b la-la wristwatch phone book hot dog textbook doorknob bookshelf notebook suitcase sunshine house k pla acemat ballot sunset stapler valid Get o modern dog shot Do it modem want ad a hot dog is an overheated canine hot dog is a frankfurter
American Accent Training Exercise 1-22: Syllable Patterns continued CD 1 Track 32 3 Syllables B Pattern 3a la-la-la Worms eat dirt Joe has three Bob’ s hot de Inchworms inch Bob has eight. Bob wont know Pets need care Al jumped up Sam’ s the boss Ed’ s too late Glen sat down Susies nice Paul threw up Tom Bill went home Wool can itch Kids should play. Cats don’ t care Birds sing songs. Mom said, No! Stocks can fall Spot has fleas Mars is red School is fun Nick's a punk Ned sells cars Pattern 3b la-la-la Make a cake IBM hot do He forgot a good time i dont know Take a bath Use your head! He’ s the boss Were too late How are you? We cleaned up I love you We came home in the bag over here on the bus for a while What a jerk! engineer I went home Hows your job? She fell down We dont care Howd it go? They called back It’ s in march Who'd you meet? You goofed up Pattern 3c la-la-la percentage(%) Ohio ot dog X a his football Idon’ t know! It's starting Theyre leaving Jim killed it Let's try it How are you? tomorrow financial emphatic a fruitcake I thought se Dale planned it on Wednesday You took it a wineglass in april external whatever Let's tell him Dont touch it Pattern 3d la-la-la alphabet phone number hot dog stand possible think about I dont knot Show me one analyze area waiting for article punctuate pitiful dinnertime emphasIs everything syllable orchestra analog PostIt note ignorant cell structure Rolodex Rubbermaid