How's My Pert Little Turtledove?

1st Bird: How's my pert little turtledove this early, pearly murmuring morn?

2nd В i r d: I think I'm worse. I can't turn on my perch. And I'm permanently thirsty — burning, burning. It's murder.

1st Bird: My poor, hurt bird. The world's astir. I've heard that even the worms are turning. A worm! You yearn for a worm!

2nd Bird: I'm allergic to worms. Ugh! Dirty, squirming worms!

1st Bird: I'll search under the fir trees and the birches. I'll circle the earth — and I'll return with a superb firm earthworm for my perfect turtledove.

2nd Bird: What an absurd bird! You're very chirpy, Sir. I wish I were. All this fervid verse. I find it disturbing so early. I prefer a less wordy bird.

1st Bird: No further word, then. I'm a bird with a purpose. Er — I'd better fly; it's the early bird that catches the worm — or so I've heard!

Exercise VI. Read the rhymes and learn them.

1. There was a little girl

And she had a little curl

Right in the middle of her forehead.

When she was good,

She was very, very good,

But when she was bad,

She was horrid.

2. There was an old person of Burton,

Whose answers were very uncertain,

When they said. "How ďyou do?"

He replied, "Who are you?"

This distressing old person of Burton.

3. There was an old lady of Chertsey,

Who made a remarkable curtsey,

She twirled round and round,

Till she sunk underground,

Which distressed all the people of Chertsey.

Exercise VII. Transcribe the proverbs and learn them.

1. First come, first served.

2. A light purse is a heavy curse.

3. Many words hurt more than swords.

4. It is the early bird that catches the worm.

5. Virtue is its own reward.

6. The work shows the workman.

7. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.

8. One good turn deserves another.

9. Old birds are not caught with chaff.

UNIT 5. [ʌ] – [a:]

Exercise I. Read the following words paying special attention to correct pronunciation.

1. [ʌ]		2. [ a ]			3. [ʌ] - [ a:]
come	cut	far	arm	last	duck — dark
some	but	are	farm	fast	buck — bark
hum	up	bar	hard	class	cut — cart
plum	us	car	card	carpet	lust — last
run	fuss	par	barn	part	bun — barn
fun	luck	mar	darn	party	fun — farm
none	duck	star	large	tart	hut — heart
done	hut	scar	starve	smart	drum — drama
double	shut	spar	carve	art	cuff — carve
cub	cup		charge	cart	hum — harm
tub	must		palm	chart	cup — carp
hug	cuff		calm	mark	up — harp
					shut — sharp
					mother—father

Exercise II. Read the following sense-groups, mind the rhythm and intonation.

(a) Charles; hard on Charles; rather hard on Charles; Father's rather hard on Charles.

(b) supper; bun for supper; buttered bun for supper; crusty buttered bun for supper; a lovely crusty buttered bun for supper.

Exercise III. Transcribe and intone the following sentences. Practise reading them in pairs.

[ʌ] (a) 1. Just my luck.

2. Pluck up your courage.

3. Does the bus run every other Monday?

4. My brother Russ made mother's cup run over.

5. After Sunday comes Monday.

[a:] (b) 1. He who laughs last laughs longest.

2. One is nearer God's heart in a garden.

3. Cold hands, warm heart.

4. Part and parcel.

5. Barbara Barton is art and part of the party.

6. Cars can't be parked here after dark.

7. Aunt Martha lives near Marble Arch.

6. Margaret and Charles are dancing in the garden under the stars.

[ʌ] — [a:] (c) 1. Charles puts some mustard in his mother's custard.

2. Charles' brother wonders why father doesn't love his other son.

3. Margaret loves Charles, Charles loves Marcia.

Exercise IV. Read the tongue-twister and learn it.

I wonder why my cousin doesn't have a proper cup of coffee in a proper coffee cup.

Exercise V. Read the dialogues, mark the stresses and tunes. Learn them. Act out the dialogues.

I Love You

Russ: Honey, why are you so sad? (Janet says nothing)

Russ: Honey, why are you so unhappy? I don't understand. Janet: You don't love me, Russ!

R u s s: But, honey, I love you very much.

Janet: That's untrue. You love my cousin, Sunny. You think she's lovely and I'm ugly.

R u s s: Janet, just once last month I took Sunny out for lunch. You mustn't worry. I like your company much better than Sunny's.

Janet: Oh, shut up, Russ.

R u s s: But, honey, I.think you're wonderful. You mustn't...

Janet: Oh, shut up!

At a Party

Margaret: Where's your glass, Barbara?

В а г b a r a: It's on the bar.

Martin: Barbara! Margaret! Come into the garden! Martha and Charles are dancing in the dark.

M a r g a r e t: In the garden? What a laugh! Barbara: So they are! They're dancing on the grass!

Margaret: They're dancing under the stars!

Martin: And Arnold's playing his guitar.

Barbara: Doesn't Martha look smart!

Margaret: Look at Charles! What a marvellous dancer!

Barbara: Ah! Let's take a photograph of Martha and Charles.

Martin: We can't., It's too dark.

Making a Pass at Martha

Charlie: The dance doesn't start till half past, Martha. Let's park the car under the arch by Farmer Palmer's barn. It's not far. Ah, here we are. There's the farm cart.

Martha: Ooh, Charlie, it's dark!

Charlie: The stars are sparkling. My heart is enchanted. Martha you are — marvellous!

Martha: Your father's car's draughty, Charlie. Pass me my scarf.

Charlie: Rather let me clasp you in my arms, Martha, my darling.

Martha: Ah, Charlie! Your moustache is all nasty and sharp. I can't help laughing. Aren't you starved? Here, have half a Mars Bar. Ssh! There's a car passing.

Charlie: Keep calm, can't you? It's only Sergent Barker. He plays darts in the bar of the Star and Garter. Martha... darling...

Martha: Don't be daft, Charlie! You can't start making a pass till after the dance!

Exercise VI. Read the rhymes and learn them.

1. Hiccup, snickup, Rise up, right up,

Three drops in a cup, Are good for the hiccup.

2. There was a young lady of Parma,

Whose conduct grew calmer and calmer,

When they said, "Are you dumb?"

She merely said, "Hum!"

That provoking young lady of Parma.

3. There was an old man in a garden,

Who always begged every one's pardon,

When they asked him, "What for?",

He replied, "You are a bore!.

And I trust you'll go out of my garden."

Exercise VII. Transcribe the proverbs and learn them.

1. As snug as a bug in a rug.

2. Grasp all, lose all.

3. He laughs best who laughs last.

4. Well begun is half done.

5. Well done, soon done.

6. The highest art is artlessness.

7. Every country has it customs.

8. Don't trouble trouble until trouble troubles you.

9. A wonder lasts but nine days.

10. What's done cannot be undone.

11. Winter's thunder is summer's wonder.

UNIT 6. [ʋ] - [u:]

Exercise I. Read the following words paying special attention to correct pronunciation.

1. [ʋ]		2. [u:]		3. [ʋ]- [u:]
wood	look	Пи	shoot	look — Luke
hood	cook	woo	loop	pull — pool
good	book	two	boot	full — fool
could	took	who	loose	book — boot
would	shook	pool	moose	took — tooth
should	rook	fool	tooth	foot — food
pudding	foot	cool	fruit	cook — cool
sugar	put	food		nook — noon
bull	puss	noon		hook — who
full	soot	moon
wool	hook	goose
		stool

Exercise II. Read the following sense-groups, mind the rhythm and intonation.

(a) book; cookery-book; look at the cookery-book; the cook looks at the cookery-book.

(b) spoon; a wooden spoon; a good wooden spoon; a good blue wooden spoon; choose a good blue wooden spoon.

Exercise III. Transcribe and intone the following sentences. Practise reading them in pairs.

[ʋ] (a). 1. It looks good.

2. She puts some sugar in the pudding.

3. Could you help the woman if you could?

4. A book about woodwork? What about "Woodwork for Beginners" by Peter Bull?

[u:] (b) 1. Hugh's tooth is loose.

2. Hugh shoots a moose and loses his loose tooth.

3. Ruth can't say boo to a goose.

[ʋ] — [u:] (с) 1. Could I have some fruit juice?

2. This foolish, bookish Duke is too full of good food to move a foot.

3. Look at Luke pulling a poor fool out of the pool in the wood.

4. Look at this blue woolen suit. It's good, isn't it? Yes, it looks good.

Exercise IV. Read the tongue-twister and learn it.

How much wood would a wood-chuck chuck

If a wood-chuck could chuck wood?

Exercise V. Complete the following sentences working in pairs.

1. — Could you cook a gooseberry pudding without putting sugar in? — No, I couldn't cook a gooseberry pudding without putting sugar in.

2. — Could you pull a camel who was miserable, looked awful and said he didn't want to travel, all the way from Fulham to Naples? — No, I couldn't pull...

3. — Could you walk through a wood, knowing it was full of horrible wolves, and not pull your hood up and wish you didn't look edible? — No, I couldn't walk...

Exercise VI. Read the dialogues, mark the stresses and tunes. Learn them. Act on the dialogues.

1. A Lost Book

Mr Cook: Woman! Could you tell me where you've put my book?

Mrs Cook: Isn't it on the bookshelf?

Mr Cook: No. The bookshelf is full of your cookery books.

Mrs Cook: Then you should look in the bedroom, shouldn't you?

Mr Cook: I've looked. You took that book and put it somewhere, didn't you?

Mrs Cook: The living-room?

Mr Cook: No. I've looked. I'm going to put all my books in a box and lock it!

Mrs Cook: Look, Mr Cook! It's on the floor next to your foot.

Mr Cook: Ah! Good!

In a Good School

Miss Luke: Good afternoon, girls.

Girls: Good afternoon, Miss Luke.

Miss Luke: This afternoon we're going to learn how to cook soup. Open your books at unit ţwenty-two.

P r u e: Excuse me, Miss Luke.

Miss Luke: Yes, Prue?

P r u e: There's some chewing gum on your shoe.

Miss Luke: Who threw their chewing gum on the floor? Was it you, Prue?

Prue: No, Miss Luke. It was June.

Miss Luke: Who?

Prue: June Cook.

June: It wasn't me, stupid. It was Sue.

Sue: It was you!

June: It wasn't me, you stupid fool. My mouth's full of chewing gum. Look, Miss Luke!

Sue: Stop pulling my hair, June. It was you!

June: You!

Sue: You!

Miss Luke: Excuse me! You're being very rude. You two nuisances can stay in school this afternoon instead of going to the swimming pool.

Where Are You, Hugh?

Lucy: Hugh? Hugh! Where are you?

Hugh: I'm in the loo. Where are you?

Lucy: Removing my boots. I've got news for you.

Hugh: News? Amusing news?

Lucy: Well, I saw June in Kėw. You know how moody and rude she is as a rule? Hugh, are you still in the loo? What are you doing?

Hugh: Well, you see, Lucy, I was using the new foolproof screwdriver on the Hoover and it blew a fuse.

Lucy: You fool! I knew that if I left it to you, you'd do something stupid. You usually do.

Hugh: And then I dropped the screwdriver down the loo.

Lucy: Hugh, look at your shoes! And your new blue suit! It's ruined! And you — you're wet through!

H u g h: To tell you the truth, Lucy — I fell into the loo, too.

4. Miss Woodfulľlł Be Furious!

Rachel: "How much wood would a woodpecker peck if a woodpecker could peck wood?" Goodness, that's difficult!

Mabel: Looks a good book. Let me have a look.

Rachel: It's full of puzzles, and riddles, and —

Mabel: Let me look, Rachel!

Rachel: Mabel! You are awful! You just took it!

Mabel: I asked if I could have a look. Now push off. I'm looking at the book.

Rachel: You're a horrible bully!

Mabel: And you're just a miserable pudding!

R а с h e 1: I shoulďve kept it in my room.

Mabel: Oh shush, for goodness' sake! Anyway, I shouldn't have thought you could have understood the book, you're so backward.

Rachel: You're hateful! Give me my book! Oh careful, Mabel! It's Miss Woodfulľs book. I'll get into terrible trouble if you — oh look! you are awful! She'll be-furious!

Mabel: Well, you shouldn't have pulled, should you?

Exercise VII. Read the rhymes and learn them.

1. There was an Old Person of Loo,

Who said, "What on earth shall I do?"

When they said, "Go away!"

She continued to stay,

That foolish old person of Loo.

2. There was an old man of Peru,

Who dreamt he was eating his shoe,

He awoke in the night

In a terrible fright:

And found it was perfectly true!

3. I would if I could

If I couldn't how could I?

I couldn't without I could, could I?

Could you, without you could, could ye?

Could ye? Could ye?

Could you, without you could, could ye?

Exercise VII. Transcribe the proverbs and learn them.

1. By hook or by crook.

2. A fool and his money are soon parted.

3. The proof of the pudding is in the eating.

4. A good wife makes a good husband.

5. A good name is sooner lost than won.

6. The exception proves the rule.

7. Soon learnt, soon forgotten.

8. The boot is on the wrong foot.

9. Too good to be true.

UNIT 7. [ə] - [i]

Exercise I. Read the following words paying special attention to correct pronunciation.

1. [ə]			2. [ə]- [i]
obey	perhaps	sooner	affect — effect
allow	entertain	measure	accept — except
adore	amateur	Africa	armour — army
attend	comfortable	Persia	waiter — weighty
obstruct	ignorant	flatterer	sitter — city
achieve	understand	colour	razors — raises
account	terrible	picture	battered — batted
annoy	permanent	murderer	mitre — mighty
approve	characters	sailor	offers — office
appear	component	collar	officers — offices
offence	glamourous	America	better — Betty
			fisher — fishy

Exercise II. Read the following sense-groups, mind the rhythm and intonation.

(a) a photograph; a photograph of her mother; a photograph of her mother and father; a photograph of her mother, father and brother; a photograph of her mother, father and younger brother.

(b) America; about South America; a book about South America; a beautiful book about South America.

Exercise III. Transcribe and intone the following sentences. Practise reading them in pairs.

[ə] (a) 1. Walter is older than Thomas.

2. Amelia speaks German better than Japanese.

3. Marcia is going to visit Persia in August.

4. Peter has never been to London.

5. Perhaps we'll come to them on Saturday afternoon..

6. London is beautiful in such weather.

[э] — [i] (b) 1. Peter was offered a job of a manager in his father's office.

2. Betty knows London better than Manchester.

Exercise IV. Read the tongue-twister and learn it.

An adventurous professor and a professional astronomer are posing in front of the camera of a fashionable photographer.

Exercise V. Read the following texts.

(a) Alderman Sir Edward Anderson is a prosperous government official at the Treasury. Sir Edward Anderson's apartment at Aldeburgh is comfortable and fashionable. A professional burglar has entered the apartment by a ladder that was at the back of the house. But an observant amateur photographer has focussed his camera on the burglar and summoned a police-constable. As the burglar leaves there is a policeman at the bottom of the ladder.

(b) Barbara spent Saturday afternoon looking at a beautiful book about South America.

"I want to go to South America," she said to herself.

The next morning, when Barbara woke up it was six o'clock, and her brothers and sisters were still asleep.

Barbara looked at them, and closed her eyes again.

Then she quietly got out of bed and started to pack her suitcase.

She took some comfortable clothes out of the cupboard.

She packed a pair of binoculars and her sister's camera. She packed a photograph of herself and one of her mother and father.

"I mustn't forget to have some breakfast," she said to herself. But then she looked at the clock. It was a quarter to seven.

"I'll just drink a glass of water," she said.

"A glass of water," she said.

"Water," she said, and opened her eyes.

She was still in her bed, and her brothers and sisters were laughing at her.

"Tell us what you were dreaming about," they said to her.

But Barbara didn't answer. She was thinking about her wonderful journey to South America.

Exercise VI. Read the dialogue, mark the stresses and tunes. Act it out.