Tone-group 4
Attitude:
in statements: conveying personal concern, sounding light, airy, warm but without the disgruntled effect;
in special questions: sounding interested, brisk, business-like;
in general questions: mildly surprised acceptance of the listener’s premises, sometimes sounding skeptical;
in imperatives: sounding lovely, suggesting a course of action to the listener;
in exclamations: conveying mild surprise but without the affront of partners.
Pattern 1. STEPPING HEAD + HIGH FALL
Statements:
1. What’s the time, please? I don’t know. I suppose it’s about 12.
2. here, use my pen. Thank you very much. Mine seems to be out of ink.
Special questions:
1. I’ve just seen that new musical What is it called?
2. What was that you said? Where did you go for your summer holiday?
General questions:
1. John says he has an alibi. Can he prove it?
2. I can’t help being right, can I? But must you always be so smug about it?
Commands:
1. I can’t think what to say. Don’t say anything at all.
2. What shall I do with this? Put it in the waste-paper basket.
Exclamations:
1. We’ll go there on Friday. The sooner the better.
2. I’m sorry to have against you. A fine friend you turned out to be.
Pattern 2. Succession of high falls
Statements:
1. What was the party like? The food was terrible, I’m sorry to say.
2. He said he knew nothing about it. But I told him myself.
Special questions:
1. Oh, I know he couldn’t help it. Then why are you so angry with him?
2. I found my book in the green-house. How on earth did it get there?
General questions:
1. I bumped into Alice yesterday. Did you notice how thin she’s become?
2. That’s not very convincing. Well, can you think of a better argument?
3. Have you heard about Alex? Isn’t it incredible?
Commands:
1. Of course, he’ll agree. Don’t be too sure.
Exclamations:
1. He is an absolute swindler. Oh, I say! For heavens sake!
Pattern 3. HIGH PRE-HEAD + HIGH FALL
Statements:
1. Was it easy? Surprisingly so.
Special questions:
1. Its no use asking Philip. Well, who then?
General questions:
1. Well, it looks like mine. But is it yours in fact?
Commands:
1. Shall I ask him to tea? By all means ask him.
Exclamations:
1. Looking for me, Terry? Oh, there you are, Peter?
Содержание учебного элемента 3.
Listen to the tape, mark the stresses and prepare good reading.
Tone-group 6
Attitude:
Statements: encouraging further conversations, guarded, reprovingly critical, resentful, deprecatory (задабривающий, просительный).
Special questions: (with the nuclear tone on the interrogative word) wondering, mildly puzzled, (with the nuclear tone following the interrogative word) very calm, but very disapproving and even menacing (угрожающий).
General questions: disapproving, skeptical.
Commands: (beginning with don't) reprovingly critical, deprecatory, resentful (обиженный, возмущенный), (in a few short commands) calmly, warning, exhortative (увещевательный).
Interjections: sometimes reserving judgment, sometimes calm, casual acknowledgement.