Arakin_1_kurs
.pdfDirect address in the middle or at the end of the sentence is ordinarily pronounced as the unstressed or halfstressed tail of the preceding intonation-group. After the low-falling nucleus it can also be pronounced with the low-rising tone.
e, g. I \say, Mike, | I've just had a 'wire from \Mary.
That's all /right, darling.
Good Nmorning, 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. I 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. I 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 in a minute. 18. Thank you, Mother, I don't want any more. 19. I 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 the cinema, Mother?
7.Address your friend placing direct address at the beginning, in the middle and at the end of the sentence.
8.*** This exercise is meant to develop your ability to hear the intonation and reproduce it in proper conversational situations. a) Listen to the dialogue "Shopping" sentence by sentence. Write it down. Mark the stresses and tunes. Practise the dialogue. b) Record your reading. Play the recording back immediately for the teacher and your fellow-students to detect the possible errors in your pronunciation. Practise the dialogue for test reading, memorize and dramatize it:
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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, glace, 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?"
"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'."
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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
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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.e d d : 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, I know that. But when he was your age he was President of the United States.
At a restaurant
"Here, waiter, it seems to me that 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
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 \ready," he said.
"Is this for /me?" he asked with surprise.
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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 \sorry," | a gain re peated 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 \pity!" was all I said | when he broke a \glass.
" Do you 'think 'that's /fair?" she asked, | looking at me with sur/prise.
Exercises
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 broke a glass. 13. "Quite right," he added nodding his head. 14. "Pleased to meet you," he said holding out his hand. 15. "I think it's going to rain," he remarked, looking up at the black sky. 16. "I must put some coal on the fire," she remarked getting up from her chair. 17. "We really must be going now," she said getting up out of her chair. 18. "I disagree," said the next speaker rising to his feet. 19. "Stop it!" shouted the little girl to her brother. 20. "It's not possible," was the opinion he offered after a moment's thought. 21. "It's rather expensive," she remarked looking in the shop window. 22. "You don't mean it, madam," said the girl, and there was pain in her voice.
2.Listen to the same sentences and repeat them in the intervals. Pronounce the author's words on a low pitch
level.
3.In order to fix the intonation of the author's words in your mind, ear and speech habits repeat the sentences yourself until they sound perfectly natural to you.
4.Listen to a fellow-student reading the sentences. Tell him what his errors in the intonation of the author's words are.
5.Read the following drill sentences according to Model 1. Concentrate your attention on the author's words following direct speech:
1. "What have we got to eat, Mum?" asked Robert. 2. "It's coming on to pour," said Nora. 3. "It's much fresher here than in London," said Mrs. Hilton. 4. "My husband is coming in a moment," said Mrs. Martin, taking off her hat. 5. "I like your house very much. It's the quietest I know," she said, looking at her friend with a smile. 6. "It hasn't rained since Sunday," she said, looking out of the window. 7. "It's dry enough to sit on the grass," she said spreading the table-cloth. 8. "Don't be too quick about spreading that table-cloth, Nora. I felt a spot of rain," said Harry, looking up at the sky. 9. "Well, I am glad he came back," said Mrs. Meadows with a faint smile. 10. "Oh, Robert, you can't believe how much I've enjoyed that wonderful play!" exclaimed Jean as
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they were leaving the theatre.
6. Listen carefully to the following sentences. Concentrate your attention on the intonation of the author's words:
1. "Do you really think so?" she said excitedly. 2. "I hope you don't mind," she remarked apologetically. 3. "It's the best you can do," he explained to them. 4. "Did you meet him?" she inquired at once. 5. "Do you think it's true?" they kept on asking. 6. "Would you like a cup of tea?" she said with a smile 7. "Will you wait for me?" she called from upstairs. 8. "Please, take one," she said invitingly. 9. "Shall we ask him too?" they whispered to one another. 10. "It's not so bad," he said at last. 11. "Did you hear?" he repeated with an angry frown.
7.Listen to the same sentences and repeat them in the intervals. Follow the intonation line exactly.
8.In order to fix the intonation of the author's words in your mind, ear and speech habits repeat the sentences yourself until they sound perfectly natural to you.
9.Listen to a fellow-student reading the sentences. Tell him what his errors in the intonation of the author's words are.
10.Read the following drill sentences according to Model 2. Concentrate your attention on the intonation of the author's words following direct speech:
1. "Do you think it's too damp to sit on the grass?" asked Nora. 2. "Does this bus go to Trafalgar Square?" asked the man. "Can I get there by the metro?" he asked. 3. "Have you ever been married, Captain Meadows?" I asked. 4. "Would you like to go to the theatre with me?" asked Nick handing the ticket to his friend. 5. "Have you ever been to that museum?" asked the guide, pointing to an old building across the street. 6. "Is there a bus from here to Trafalgar Square?" asked the man, standing on the platform.
11. Read the following according to Models 1 or 2:
a)"Tickets, please!" called the attendant as they entered the hall. "You've got them, haven't you, Emily?" asked Miss Green.
"Yes, of course!" her friend answered, handing them to the attendant. "This way, please," he said going on ahead of them.
b)"And how are you today?" smiled the doctor, entering the little girl's room. "All right, thank you," she answered, looking at him timidly.
"Open your mouth!" he said, bending over her bed. "Now say Ah!" he added, as he peered down her throat. "Do you think she's better, doctor?" asked the mother.
"She'll be all right in a day or two," the doctor replied with an encouraging smile.
The author's words preceding direct speech
The author's words introducing the direct speech form an intonation-group and are usually pronounced with the mid-level, low-falling or low-rising nuclear tone.
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Exercises
12. Listen carefully to the following sentences. Concentrate your attention on the intonation of the author's words preceding direct speech:
1. He said: "They were very glad to gefa letter from you." 2. He asked: "What else can I do for you?" 3. George said: "Let's go to London early on Wednesday morning." 4. He said: "I want two stalls if you've got them." 5. She said: "They'll do very well." 6. He said: "I don't quite like the final scene in the play."
13.Listen to the same sentences and repeat them in the intervals. Pronounce the author's words with the midlevel tone.
14.In order to fix the intonation of the author's words in your mind, ear and speech habits repeat the sentences yourself until they sound perfectly natural to you.
15.Listen to a fellow-student reading the sentences. Tell him what his errors in the intonation of the author's words are.
16.Read the following drill sentences according to Model 1. Concentrate your attention on the intonation of the author's words preceding direct speech:
1. He said: "You are wrong." 2. She said: "Don't hurry. The performance is not over." 3. They said: "We enjoyed ourselves at the party." 4. He said: "There is no doubt she tells the truth." 5. He said: "She accepted the invitation." 6. They say: "Our seats were far from the stage." 7. They said: "The best seats at theatres are those in the stalls."
17. Listen carefully to the following sentences. Concentrate your attention on the intonation of the author's words preceding direct speech:
1. He said: "They were very glad to get a letter from you." 2. He asked: "What else can I do for you?" 3. George said: "Let's go to London early on Wednesday morning." 4. He said: "I want two stalls if you've got them."
18.Listen to the same sentences and repeat them in the intervals. Pronounce the author's words with the lowfalling tone.
19.In order to fix the intonation of Model 2 in your mind, ear and speech habits repeat the sentences yourself until they sound perfectly natural to you.
20.Read the following sentences according to Model 2. Concentrate your attention on the intonation of the author's words preceding direct speech:
1. She said: "I haven't laughed so much for a long time." 2. He said: "Show your tickets to the attendant inside the theatre." 3. She said: "The play isn't over till half past five." 4. He said: "She'll show you to your seats."
21. Listen carefully to the following sentences. Concentrate your attention on the intonation of the author's
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words preceding direct speech:
1. She said: "They'll do very well." 2. He said: "I don't quite like the final scene in the play." 3. They said: "Our seats were in the orchestra stalls and we saw the stage well." 4. She said: "The play is worth seeing."
22.Listen to the same sentences and repeat them in the intervals. Pronounce the author's words with the lowrising tone.
23.In order to fix the intonation of the author's words in your mind, ear and speech habits repeat the sentences yourself until they sound perfectly natural to you.
24.Read the following drill sentences according to Model 3. Concentrate your attention on the intonation of the author's words preceding direct speech:
1. She said: "I like drama and ballet, but I don't quite like opera." 2. He said: "The attendant showed us to our seats and gave us the programme." 3. She said: "Please book two more tickets for me." 4. He said: "Would you like to go to the theatre with me?" 5. The attendant said: "Would you like the programme?" 6. She asked: "What do you think of the play?" 7. She asked: "Have you got any seats for tomorrow?" 8. She said: "The acting was excellent."
25. Read the following dialogue. Express proper attitudes. Concentrate on the intonation of the author's words:
"I've come up to talk to you," my mother said, "while you are getting ready. Who's going to be at the party?" "I don't know," I said.
"Will you enjoy it?" my mother asked. "I hope so," I said.
"You've only got fifteen minutes," my mother said. "Yes, I know."
"Can I help you?" my mother asked. "No, thanks awfully," I said.
"Will Betty be there?" "No," I said.
"Why not?"
"Because the people giving the party don't know her."
"That's funny," my mother said. "I wonder why they don't. Isn't that funny, their not knowing her?" "Why?"
"Well because it is," my mother said. "Why don't you introduce her to them? They'd like her. I've always liked Betty... I like that dress. It suits you. It doesn't make you look old like some of the things you wear. What on earth are you doing to your hair?"
"Putting it on top."
"Oh, I don't like that," my mother said. "Why are you doing it like that?" "I like it."
"Your father won't like it," my mother said. "Good heavens, your stockings are transparent." "Yes."
"What's the good of wearing transparent stockings if your legs are blue?" my mother asked. "Are you going to wear your boots and take your shoes with you in a bag?"
"No," I said.
"You've only got five minutes now," my mother said. "Yes, I know."
"Will Sammy be there?" my mother asked. "I think so."
"Oh good," my mother said. "I hope you'll be nice and polite to him. You will, won't you?" '"Yes."
"Yes, try," my mother said. "Would you like him to come to tea?" "No."
"Oh, all right," my mother said. "But I think you're very silly, that's all. I remember I didn't really like your father very much when I first met him, but you won't take any notice of anything I can say. Can you walk in
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these shoes?" "Yes."
"You are going to be late, aren't you?" my mother said. "Yes."
"Oh!" my mother cried. "You're not wearing your cardigan. Why have you taken it off? Why aren't you wearing your cardigan?"
"Because I am not going to," I said.
"You'll be sorry," my mother said, "when the others are all enjoying themselves and you are sitting near the fire with your teeth chattering and a red nose. Sammy won't find that attractive."
"I'm ready now," I said. "Good-bye." "Enjoy yourself, good-bye."
II. Intonation of enumeration
If a sentence contains enumeration, all non-final intonation-groups are usually pronounced with the Low Rise each being a bit lower than the preceding one. The final intonation-group is pronounced with the Low Fall if the choice of enumeration is exhausted.
26.*** This exercise is meant to develop your ability to read sentences containing enumeration. Listen to the text. Mark the stresses and tunes. Pick out of the text sentences containing enumeration. Observe the intonation they are pronounced with. Practise the text:
Theatres, music-halls and cinemas
Theatres are much the same in London as anywhere else; the chief theatres, music-halls and cinemas are in the West End.
If you're staying in London for a few days, you'll have no difficulty whatever in finding somewhere to spend an enjoyable evening. You'll find opera, ballet, comedy, drama, review, musical comedy and variety. Films are shown in the cinemas during the greater part of the day. The best seats at the theatres are those in the stalls, the circle, and the upper circle. Then comes the pit, and last of all the gallery, where the seats are cheapest. Boxes, of course, are the most expensive. Most theatres and music-halls have good orchestras with popular conductors. You ought to make a point of going to the opera at least once during the season, if you can. There you can get the best of everything - an excellent orchestra, famous conductors, celebrated singers and a well-dressed audience. But, of course, if you're not fond of music and singing, opera won't interest you. At the West-End theatres you can see most of the famous English actors and actresses. As a rule, the plays are magnificently staged - costumes, dresses, scenery, everything being done on the most lavish scale. Choose a good play, and you'll enjoy yourself thoroughly from the moment the curtain goes up to the end of the last act. Get your seat beforehand, either at the box-office of the theatre itself or at one of the agencies. When you go to a theatre, you'll probably want to sit as near to the stage as possible. But if you're at the cinema, you may prefer to sit some distance from the screen. In fact, I would say, the further away, the better.
27. Read the following sentences. Observe the intonation of enumeration:
1. Presently the maid brings in tea on a trolley: a pot of tea, cups and saucers, hot water, a jug of milk, and sugar; also sandwiches, bread and butter, jam, and cakes. 2. Mary has laid the table in the usual way, and has put the right number of knives, forks, spoons and glasses for each person. 3. There's also pepper and salt, oil and vinegar and mustard. 4. On the sideboard the Browns usually have a bowl of fruit: apples, pears, plums, cherries, grapes, oranges or bananas according to the season. 5. I get out of bed, put on my dressing-gown and slippers and go into the bathroom. 6. On the dressing table, in front of the looking-glass, you'll see a hair-brush and a comb, a hand-mirror, a bottle of scents and a powder-box. 7. In all large towns there are plenty of restaurants, cafes, tea-rooms, and inns or public-houses. 8. One of the people in the picture is buying postage-
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stamps, another is registering a letter, the third is writing out a cable.
28. Read the text:
My brother and his wife have just gone back to their home in the country after spending a week with us. As we live in London, they were glad of the chance to visit as many theatres and music-halls as they could. They have a good cinema in the little town where they live, so they didn't want to see any films while they were here, but were very keen to see as many plays as possible.
During the day, my wife and sister-in-law used to visit the shops, and one afternoon they went to a picturegallery. Then in the evenings, we would all meet for dinner and go on to a play.
We saw several plays, including two new ones, with two very promising young actresses. When I was younger, I used to go to the theatre a lot. I used to queue up for a seat in the gallery in those days. I must say I enjoy being able to have a good seat in the stalls now, and I like to book the seats beforehand to save trouble.
We saw a very good review too. The music and costumes were most attractive. The last evening before our visitors had to go home, we saw a musical comedy. I am not very fond of these myself, as a rule, but I thoroughly enjoyed this one. We were all rather tired, I think, and it made a change from the serious drama that we'd seen the night before.
29.*** This exercise is meant to develop your ability to hear and reproduce intonation in proper speech situations. a) Listen to the dialogue "At the Theatre" sentence by sentence. Write it down. Mark the stresses and tunes. Practise reading each sentence after the cassette-recorder. b) Record your reading. Play the recording back immediately for your teacher and fellow-students to detect your possible errors. Practise the dialogue for test reading, memorize and dramatize it. c) Give conversational situations with the phrases below:
1. Have you got (any seats for tomorrow) ? 2. They'll do very well, thank you. 3. May I see your (tickets), please? 4. This way, please. 5. Yes, please. 6. The (play) isn't over till (half past five). 7. What did you think of (it) ? 8. I thought it was splendid. 9. The whole thing was first-rate from beginning to end. 10. How much (is that) ? 11. Shall I (bring you some tea, sir) ? 12. Neither have I.
30.Make up a conversation with a fellow-student using any phrases from the dialogue "At the Theatre".
31.This exercise is meant to develop your ability to reproduce the text with correct intonation. a) Listen to the joke "The Bell-Boy" sentence by sentence. Write it down. Mark the stresses and tunes. Practise the joke for test reading. b) Listen 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.
32.Read the jokes silently to make sure you understand each sentence. Find the main sentence in the text. Split up each sentence 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 jokes several times. Retell the jokes following the model above (See Ex. 31):
A man was at a theatre. He was sitting behind two women whose continuous chatter became more than he could bear. Leaning forward he said to one of them: "Pardon me, madam, I can't hear."
"You are not supposed to - this is a private conversation," she answered.
Too great a majority
George Bernard Shaw's gift of ready wit is well illustrated by the story of how he turned the laugh against a member of the public who was expressing disapproval of one of his plays.
It was the first night of "Arms and the Man", a play which had an enthusiastic reception from a crowded house. When the curtain fell at the end of the last act there was tremendous applause, accompanied by insistent calls for the author to appear. One man in the gallery, however, kept up a string of catcalls and whistling, thus expressing his disapproval.
Shaw appeared before the curtain and waited in silence until the applause had died down. Then, looking up at the hostile critic, he said:
"I quite agree with you, sir, but what can we two do against all these people?"
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