5. Write down your comments on the following proverb:

Half a loaf is better than no bread.

Practical Phonetics Test 1

1. Consider the wollowing items.

1. The direction of the air stream released from the lungs.

2. Three different states of the vocal cords.

3. The position of the soft palate which influences the direction of the air stream.

4. The parts of the palate.

5. The parts of the tongue.

6. The position of the movable organs of the mouth, i.e. the shape of the lips and tongue.

7. The active and passive organs of speech and their role in the sound formation.

Test 2

1. Consider the following questions and items in written form:

1. Suppose that a fellow-student pronounces the Russian [и] instead of the English [i]. Keeping in mind what you know about the articulation of the English vowel tell him what to do to eliminate the error. Do the same if you hear the Russian [ы] instead of the English [i].

2. Is the vowel [i] longer in lit or in lid?

3. Suppose a fellow-student pronounces the Russian [э] instead of the English [e]. What would you tell him to do in order to correct the sound?

4. What advice would you give a fellow-student who does not make the vowels [i] and [e] checked and short enough in the words sitter and letter?

5. We call [i] close and [æ] open. Can you explain why?

6. Suppose your fellow-student pronounces the Russian [э] instead of the English [æ]. Is it a phonetic or a phonological mistake? Give him advice how to change the Russian [э] for the English [æ].

7. How would you help your fellow-student if he says set instead of sat? Is this mistake phonetic or phonological?

8. Give examples where [æ] is the longest.

9. What articulatory features of the vowel sounds differentiate the meaning of the words sit — set — sat?

10. We call [æ] front and [α:] back. Can you explain why?

11. Suppose a fellow-student pronounces the Russian [a] instead of the English [α:]. Is it a phonetic or a phonological mistake? Keeping in mind what you know about the English vowel [α:] explain how to change the articulation.

12. Give examples to illustrate that [a:] is not equally long in different phonetic contexts.

13. If [α:] is too long and not checked in the word cart the mistake is called phonetic. Can you explain why?

14. What articulation exercises would you recommend for the vowel [α:]?

15. What articulation exercises would you recommend for the English vowel [Ŋ]?

16. Suppose your fellow-student pronounces the Russian [o] instead of the English [Ŋ]. Is it a phonetic or a phonological mistake? What would you tell him to do with the tongue, the jaws and the lips in order to change [o] to [Ŋ]?

17. We call [Ŋ] open and [i] close. Can you explain why?

18. Is [Ŋ] checked and shorter in nod or in not?

19. What articulation exercises would you recommend for [o:]?

20. What mistakes would your fellow-student probably make in the pronunciation of the vowel [o:]?

21. What would you recommend a Russian learner of English if he substitutes the English [o:] by the Russian [o]? Is his mistake phonetic or phonological?

22. What advice regarding length would you give a fellow-student who is to pronounce the following word sequence: bore — board — bought?

23. If the word port sounds as [p Ŋ t], is the mistake phonetic or phonological?

24. What articulatory features of the vowel differentiate the words port and pot?

25. Why is the vowel [ν] called back-advanced?

26. What articulation exercises would you recommend for [ν]?

27. What advice regarding lip position and tongue position would you give your fellow-student who pronounces the Russian [y] instead of the English [ν]?

Test 3