Read the following situations. Apply the logical or emphatic stress where necessary. Make your speech expressive enough.

Whatever his difficulties, no matter if he railed against the dirt and poverty which he often had to combat, she always had the same reply: "It's real work anyway." (AJ.Cronin)

Now I find myself in your company, Doctor Oxborrow, maybe you'll find it convenient to explain how Tudor Evans, Seventeen Glyn Terrace, came off my list on to yours. (AJ.Cronin).

Diana: There's such a smell of burning, Daddy. I think some­thing's on fire. Can I go down and see?

Nurse (sniffing): There is a smell of burning. I'll go. (J.Galsworthy)

Colonel: If I'm to put money in, I'm bound to look at it all round.

Lever (with lifted brows): Please don't imagine that I want you to put money in. (J.Galsworthy)

Colonel: Don't say anything against Molly, Nell!

Mrs. Hope: Well, I don't believe in husband and wife being separated. That's not my idea of married life.

(The Colonel whistles guizzically.) Ah, yes, she's your niece, not mine! (J.Galsworthy)

Sir Charles (politely): Oh! Well! I don't understand her, of course.

Joan: You don't want to understand her.

Sir Charles: Not very much, perhaps. (J.Galsworthy)

"Who has done this?" exclaimed Miss Mills, succouring her friend.

I replied, "I, Miss Mills, I have done it!" (Ch.Dickens)

"Why do you trouble me so!" she cried, reproach flashing from her very finger-ends.

"I trouble you? I think, I may ask, why do you trouble me?" (T.Hardy)

 

18. Read the following dialogue. Mark the stresses and tunes. It is not ex­pected that each member of the group will mark the text in exactly the same way. Finally practise reading your corrected variant. Retell it.

 

"Are you Miss Barlow?"

"Yes, aren't you Doctor Page's new assistant?"

"That's hardly the point, though as a matter of fact I am Doctor Manson. I believe you have a contact here: Idris Howells."

"Yes, I know."

"Don't you realize it's quite against the rules to have him here?"

"If Idris had stopped off, he'd have missed his milk, which is do­ing him such a lot of good."

"It isn't a question of his milk. He ought to be isolated."

"That may be your idea of isolation. I'm afraid it isn't mine."

"You must send that child home at once."

"Doesn't it occur to you that I'm the mistress of this class? You may be able to order people about in more exalted spheres. But here it's my word that counts."

"You're breaking the law! You can't keep him here. If you do I'll have to report you."

"Then you had better report me. Or have me arrested. I've no doubt it will give you immense satisfaction."

(From A.J.Cronin "The Citadel". Adapted)

 

Authors frequently indicate by putting a word in italics that it should be made prominent. The situations below are taken from books by different writers. How do you think they intended them to be pronounced and why?

Look here, you! We've come a long way to buy furniture. I said furniture. Not this kind of junk. (A.J.Cronin)

"But you'd better tell us quick how you come to bank that mon­ey for yourself when it's Doctor Page's money and you know it...." "It's mine. Joe Morgan made me a present of it." "A present! Ho! Ho! I like that." (AJ.Cronin)

"But I'll never get it," he fretted as he paced up and down, "nev­er, never, never. No, he couldn't be so lucky!" (AJ.Cronin)

"Gentlemen!" cried Andrew in a panic. "Please, please! How can we ever do anything if we quarrel among ourselves. Remember what we're here for?" (AJ.Cronin)

It's like old times to hear you talk that way. I can't tell you how I love it. Oh, it's beginning all over again. I am happy, darling, happy! (AJ.Cronin)

Mrs. Barthwick: Out of her hand? Whose hand? What bag — whose bag?

Jack: Oh! I don't know — her bag — it belonged to — a woman. Mrs. Barthwick: A woman? Oh! Jack! No! (J.Galsworthy)

Mrs. Hope: The green-flies are in my roses already! Did you ever see anything so disgusting! (J.Galsworthy)