Inflation Hits Russian Champagne

Ambitious Scottish Receptionist Shoots Boss

Irish Fishing Ship Sinks in Pacific Ocean

Exercise 16

Listen to the tongue-twisters. Practise saying them very slowly first and then faster. Make sure you pronounce the sounds [s], [z], [ S ], [ Z ], [ C ], [ G ] correctly.

A.

a. Which of Shirley Hatchard’s children stole a portion of cherry cheesecake from the kitchen shelf?

b. Sheila Charlton’s Czech washing machine chewed up Richard Sheridan’s checked shorts.

c. The rich Turkish sugar merchant purchased a shining Porsche for his Chinese chauffeur to polish.

d. Sasha, the Russian chess champion, chased Sharon, the Scottish chambermaid,

round the kitchen floor, so Sharon showed Sasha the door.

B.

a. In his youth, Jerry Josephs, the New York millionaire, used to play jazz on a huge

German tuba.

b. Julian Jones is jealous of Eunice’s Jaguar, but Eunice Jones is jealous of Jason’s

jacuzzi, and Jason Jones is jealous of Julian’s yacht.

c. That fabulous jade unicorn is the most beautiful Japanese statue in any

European museum.

d. Journalist Jane Young stupidly damaged George Joyce’s new yellow jeep on the

edge of the bridge.

Exercise 17

Listen to the dialogue, mark the intonation and practise reading it with a partner.

Jim: Excuse me. Did you use to live in York?

Jack: Yes.

Jim: Did you use to be a tutor at the University?

Jack: Yes. For a few years.

Jim: do you remember Hugh Young? He was a music student.

Jack: Hugh Young? Did he use to have a huge yellow jeep?

Jim: Yes. And he used to play beautiful tunes on the tuba.

Jack: Yes, I knew Hugh. He used to be a very stupid student. Do you have any news of Hugh?

Jim: Yes. He’s a millionaire now in New York.

Jack: A millionaire? Playing the tuba?

Jim: Oh, no. He produces jam in tubes, and tins of sausages and onion stew, and sells them in

Europe. I read about Hugh in the Newspaper yesterday.

Jack: Oh! Well, he wasn’t so stupid.

Exercise 18

Listen to the dialogue and prepare its model reading, trying to imitate the intonation.

Jerry: Just outside this village there’s a very dangerous bridge.

John: Yes. Charles told me two jeeps crashed on it in January. What happened?

Jerry: Well George Churchill was the driver of the larger jeep, and he was driving

very dangerously. He’d been drinking gin.

John: George Churchill? Do I know George Churchill?

Jerry: Yes. That ginger-haired chap. He’s the manager of the travel agency in

Chester.

John: Oh, yes. I remember George. He’s always telling jokes. Well, was anybody

injured?

Jerry: Oh, yes. The other jeep went over the edge of the bridge, and two children and

another passenger were badly injured.

John: Were both the jeeps damaged?

Jerry: Oh, yes.

John: And what happened to George?

Jerry: George? He’s telling jokes in jail now, I suppose!

Exercise 19

Match up the following mini-dialogues. Listen to the keys and practise reading the sentences, paying attention to the [ ŋ ] sounds in them.

a. Captain! I think we are sinking. b. have you got an English-Hungarian dictionary? c. This orange looks strange, Miss. d. We’re not inviting that boring old thing for Christmas.

1. All right, Angela, you can exchange it for another one. 2. But darling, he’s single, ninety-nine, and his only niece lives in Montreal. 3. Incredible! They said the Titanic was unsinkable! 4. Bilingual dictionaries are with the foreign language books on the second floor, sir.

Exercise 20.

Put the jumbled sentences below into the correct order. Listen to the tape and check your answers. Practise saying them.

a. skating rink/ Aunt Angela/ at a/ a tango/ Uncle Frank/ Birmingham/ with/ while dancing/ banged/ her ankle

b. at the pretty, young singer/ in a singles’ bar/ winked/ drinking/ the Hong Kong gangster/ singing romantic sings/ a gin sling

c. tongue/ pink/ long/ this/ string/ what’s/ Angus King’s/ that/ on?

d. hanged/ for killing/ a boxing ring/ wrongfully/ a Singapore dancer/ Washington banker/ outside/ was/ a

Exercise 21

Listen to the dialogue, write it down, mark the intonation. Prepare model reading of the dialogue.

Ruth librarian

Laura waitress

Rita electrician

Rosemary

Roland

Exercise 22

Listen and practise reading the headlines below. Pay attention to the sound [ W ].

BIRMINGHAM GIRL MURDERED

Nurse Kirsty marries in Turkey

Prince Albert’s thirtieth birthday

GERMAN UNIVERSITY BURNS

British workers ‘worst in world’

Exercise 23

Listen to the dialogue. Prepare its model reading. Work with a partner.

Sir Herbert: Nurse!

Colonel Burton: Nurse! I’m thirsty!

Sir Herbert: Nurse! My head hurts!

Colonel Burton: NURSE!

Sir Herbert: Curse these nurses!

Colonel Burton: Nurse Sherman always wears such dirty shirts.

Sir Herbert: And such short skirts.

Colonel Burton: She never arrives at work early.

Sir Herbert: She and …er…Nurse Turner weren’t at work on Thursday, were

they?

Colonel Burton: No, they weren’t.

Sir Herbert: Nurse Sherman is the worst nurse in the ward, isn’t she?

Colonel Burton: No, she isn’t. She’s the worst nurse in the world!

Exercise 24

A. Listen to the following phrases, practise saying them. Pay attention to the short and long [u] sounds.

sugar cubes blue wool a full moon a stupid wolf a school bully football boots fruit juice

good looks a beautiful woman a cookery book new toothpaste a rude butcher a huge computer Peruvian music

B. Listen to some more phrases, put them down and practise reading them.

Make up sentences of your own, using as many of the phrases as possible.

Exercise 25

Below are some common English sayings and proverbs. Work out their meanings and practise reading the proverbs.

a. No news is good news.

b. I wouldn’t like to be in your shoes.

c. He’s getting too big for his boots.

d. The proof of the pudding id in the eating.

e. It’s too good to be true.

f. He’s got a screw loose.

Exercise 26

Put down all the words you hear on the tape. Concentrate on the sounds [ O: ] and [әu]. Check for the spelling in a good dictionary.

Invent your own tongue twisters using as many words and phrases from the exercise as possible.

Exercise 27

Listen to the mini-dialogues, write them down and practise reading them, paying attention to the differences in articulation of the vowels [ O ], [ O :], [ әu ].

Exercise 28

Listen to and practise saying the sentences. Start by saying them slowly and then faster. Make sure you pronounce the [ æ ] and [ A ] sounds correctly.

a. The young man was wearing fashionable sunglasses, black gloves, and a gangster’s hat.

b. The wasp that’s trapped in the jar of blackcurrant jam is buzzing angrily.

c. Thank you very much for coming to pay back that money you borrowed on Monday, Danny.

d. While cutting up lamb the drunken butcher hacked off his thumb with a hatchet.

e. My husband had a double brandy, my mother wanted apple juice, but I drank champagne.

Exercise 29

Listen to the dialogue, write it down and practise reading it with a partner.

Exercise 30

Listen to and practise reading the following phrases, paying attention to the short and long [i] sounds. Make up similar phrases of your own.

English teachers Greek islands Swiss cheese Irish whiskey

Italian ice-cream Indian tea Swedish films Egyptian spices

Exercise 32.

Listen to Jenny talking about her holiday. Are the bold sounds [e] or [ei]? Practise reading the paragraph.

Last year, I went to Spain on holiday with my friend Jane. The hotel was great, but the weather was terrible! It rained every day for ten days!

Exercise 33

Listen to the dialogue, mark the intonation. Practise reading the dialogue, paying attention to the correct articulation of the diphthong [ai ].

Myra: (smiling) Hello, Mike!

Mike: Hello, Myra. Hello, Violet! You’re looking nice, Violet. (silence)

Mike: Would you like some ice-cream, Violet?

Violet: No thanks, Mike. I’m busy typing. Talk to me some other time. I have

ninety-nine pages to type by Friday.

Mike: Never mind. Do you like riding, Violet?

Violet: Sometimes.

Mike: Would you like to come riding with me tonight, Violet?

Violet: Not tonight, Mike. I’m going for a drive with Nigel.

Mike: What about Friday?

Violet: I’m going climbing with Miles.

Mike: Hm! Oh, all right. ‘Bye!

Myra: Violet, he’s put something behind your typewriter.

Violet: Is it something nice, Myra?

Myra: No. It’s a spider.

Exercise 34

Put the following jumbled sentences into the correct order. Listen and compare your answers with the tape. Practise saying the sentences. Make sure your [au] is correct.

a. lying/ this morning/ ₤ 50/ I found/ I town/ on the ground/ I was/ when.

b. ‘s going to/ now/ round/ Laura/ you/ the house/ show.

c. downstairs/ shower room/ in the/ we caught/ mouse/ little/ a/ this morning/ brown.

d. and/ they’ve got/ you/ know/ town/ country/ house/ a/ a/ house.

e. from/ the/ they/ to the/ tower/ ground/ cow/ of the/ the/ lowered/ window.

Exercise 35

A. Listen and then read the phonemic symbols paying attention to the correct articulation of the diphthongs.

a. [ ә riәl biәd ]

b. [ ә leizi dei ]

c. [ fεә hεә ]

d. [ nOizi bOiz ]

e. [ ә kәuld nәuz ]

f. [ ә brait lait ]

g. [ ә laud ∫aut ]

B. Listen to the phrases and fill in the gaps, then listen again and practise saying the phrases.

a. a __________ combing his _______

b. a __________ wearing a _________

c. a __________ making a __________

d. a __________ holding a __________

e. a __________ drinking a _________

f. a __________ saying ____________

g. Mr. ________ asking the _________

SECTION 3: BASIC COURSE

Principles of Classification of English Consonants