This exercise is meant to develop your ability to hear the intonation and reproduce it in proper speech situations.

a) listen to the Joke "Weather Forecasts”, sentence by sentence. Write it down. Mark the stresses and tunes. Practise the text

b) listen carefully to the narration of the joke. Observe the peculiarities in intonation-group division, pitch, stress and tempo. Note the use of temporizers. Reproduce the model narration you have listened to.

22. Read the jokes silently to make sure you understand each sentence. Find the sentence expressing the essence of each joke. Split up each sentence into intonation groups if necessary. Mark the stresses and tunes. Underline the communicative centre and the nuclear word of each intonation group. It is not expected that each student win intone the text in the same way. The teacher win help you to correct your variant. Practise reading the jokes several times:

The cup was handed over into the youth's hands and there went cries of "Speech! Speech!"

Meanwhile the lad was able to collect his thoughts and, of course, to catch his breath. Then he stepped up on a bench. There came an abrupt and eager hush! "Gentlemen," he said, "I have won the cup by the use of my legs. I trust I may never lose the use of my legs by the use of this cup."

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— You've been watching me for three hours. Why don't you try fishing yourself?

— I ain't got the patience.

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"Bob," said Bill, as he caught up with Bob on the way back to camp, "are all the rest of the boys out of the woods yet?"

"Yes," said Bob.

"All six of them?"

"Yes, all six of them."

"And they're all safe?"

"Yes," said Bob, "they're all safe."

"Then," said Bill, his chest swelling, "I've shot a deer."

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The man on the bridge addressed the fisherman. "Any luck?" he asked.

"Any luck!" was the answer. "Why, I got forty pike out of here yesterday."

"Do you know who I am?" "No," said the fisherman.

"I'm the chief magistrate here and all this estate is mine."

"And do you know who I am?" asked the fisherman quickly.

"No."

"I'm the biggest liar in Virginia."

SECTION SEVEN Intonation pattern XII
I. (LOW PRE-HEAD +) HIGH RISE (+TAIL) II. (LOW PRE-HEAD +) (HIGH HEAD+) HIGH RISE (+ TAIL) [83]

Stress-and-tone marks in the text: High Rise | ' |

If there is no tail the voice in the nucleus rises from a medium to a high pitch.

If there are unstressed syllables following the nucleus the latter is pronounced on a fairly high level pitch and the syllables of the tail rise gradually. The syllables of the pre-head rise from a low pitch up to the start of the High Rise.

This intonation pattern is used in questions, echoing, calling for repetition or additional information, sometimes shading into disapproval or puzzlement, sometimes meant to keep the conversation going.

е.g. We shall have to return.	— Im'mediately?
It's ten feet long.	— 'How long?
What's that bowl for?	— 'What's it for?
Is it raining?	— Is it 'raining?
Careful.	— 'Careful?
Pity.	— 'Pity?

EXERCISES

1. Listen carefully to the following conversational situations. Concentrate your attention on the intonation of the replies:

Verbal Context	Drill
	Questions echoing, calling for repetition or additional information, sometimes shading into disapproval or puzzlement
I want you this minute.	Yes?
I should phone him about it.	Now?
It's snowing.,,	Much?
What do you think of my dress?	New?
Could I have another cup of tea?	Sugar?
I've just read that new travel book.	Interesting?
I listened to every word he said.	Every word?
Everybody thinks it's magnificent.	Everybody?
He's going on holiday.	Alone?
I've given up smoking.	For good?
What do you think of the car?	Your own?
I've just met her husband.	You like him?
Have you seen my pen anywhere?	You've lost it?
What do you think of my coat?	It's a new one?
I've just had a new suit made.	Good fit?
Alan's not here, I'm afraid.	He's gone home?
We're going shopping.	Right away?
Let's go to the pictures.	You've got enough money?
I think this is Joan's umbrella.	Whose?
That big one's mine.	Which one?
I shall need a dozen, at least.	How many?
These flowers are for you.	Who are they for?
He must be made to obey.	He must be what?
He'll meet us at three fifteen.	At what time?
What is it?	What is it?
What reason did he give for his behaviour?	What reason?
Does it matter?	Matter?
Do you mean it?	Mean it?
Is that your little boy?	My little boy?
Wasn't it stupid!	Was it stupid, I wonder?
What lovely cherries!	Want some?
I like Barbara.	Do you?
How do you like my song?	Do you always sing as flat as that?
Would you like one?	Would I like one?
We had a meeting last night.	Should I have been there?
Is it raining?	Is it raining?
Have you answered his letter?	Have t answered it?
Have you finished it?	Have I finished it, did you say?
Did you enjoy the concert?	Did I enjoy it?
What a delightful meal!	Will you have some more coffee?
Stop it.	Stop it?
Telephone me, then.	Telephone you?
Keep them for me.	Keep them for you?
Be nice to them.	Be nice to them?
Get rid of it.	Get rid of it?
Please don't worry.	Don't worry, did you say?
Take it home.	Take it home?
Tell me the time, please.	Tell you the time?
Marvellous!	Marvellous?
Wonderful news!	Wonderful news?
Fantastic!	Fantastic?
Well done!	Well done?

Listen to the replies and repeat them in the intervals. Make your voice rise from a medium level to a high pitch.

Listen to the Verbal Context and reply to it in the intervals.

In order to fix High Rise in your mind, ear and speech habits, pronounce each reply several times until it sounds perfectly natural to you.