Better English Pronunciation for Communication A Practical Course

Better English Pronunciation for Communication A Practical Course for Students of English Wang Guizhen Faculty of English Language & Culture Guangdong University of Foreign Studies

Revision: English Front Vowels and Central Vowels high front central i: back 1 I mid-high з: e ə mid-low æ Vowel Charts: English Front Vowels & Central Vowels Demo of Pronunciation Power

Contrasting /i: /, /ɪ/, /e/ and /æ/ /i: / n n n n n 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. /ɪ/ peat teen keen beat dean feed heed lead seat mean pit tin kin bit din fid hid lid sit min /e/ pet ten ken bet den fed head led set men /æ/ pat tan can bat Dan fad had lad sat man

Assignment On-line exercises Presentations 1. 2. Reading aloud the passage on p. 55 A one-minute mini-talk: (p. 59) Pronunciation in communication: Giving reasons why you can’t do something

Reading aloud – Identify words that are stressed first. Pay special attention to the pronunciation of front vowels and central vowels 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. People were interested in making electric cars. One small electric car was made then. It didn’t work well. General Motors produced an electric truck. These electric vehicles were not made for the public to buy. General Motors was the first to try again in the last decade. It was a big challenge. An electric car needs a battery. But the batteries are heavy and don’t work well. None of them could power a car far enough or long enough. The new technology cost a lot. They did succeed finally. The car they built was called the EV 1. It became available in California in 1998. It was the first electric car designed and sold by a large automobile company.

Reading aloud – Pay special attention to the pronunciation of front vowels and central vowels. n n n Electric Cars People were interested in making electric cars as early as the 1840 s. One small electric car was made then, but it didn’t work well. Then, in 1912, General Motors produced an electric truck. These electric vehicles were of course not made for the public to buy. General Motors was the first to try again in the last decade. It was a big challenge. An electric car needs a battery. But the batteries are heavy and don’t work well. None of them could power a car far enough or long enough. And the new technology cost a lot. They did succeed finally. The car they built was called the EV 1 and it became available in California in 1998. It was the first electric car designed and sold by a large automobile company.

Pronunciation in communication: Giving reasons why you can’t do something n Student A = a Chinese student Student B = a Canadian friend of the Chinese student n Situation: n n Take turns to be Student A who invites his/her friend to do the following from the list below. Student B gives reasons why he/she would not be able to go. Try to speak fluently and naturally.

Possible steps: 1. Say hello to each other. 2. Student A invites Student to do the activities listed. 3. Student B likes to go but can't because …(Choose from the excuses or think of one yourself) 4. Student A tries to persuade Student B. 5. Student B gives more reasons why he/she can't go. 6. A and B make an appointment to do it sometime later. Student A Possible suggestions go for a picnic play basketball go swimming go shopping go fishing go for a walk go to the library see a film go to theater go to an exhibition in town Student B Possible excuses a report to finish lots of homework to do letters to write books to read football match to watch on TV preparation for the finals a newspaper article to finish a friend's visit a call from home to be expected work to do in the lab

Unit 6 English Vowels: Back Vowels

On-line Exercises What did you hear Same or different? Listen & choose Listen & respond Listen for stress

Listening Exercise – Sound discrimination n n 1. fool 2. cooed 3. pool 4. Luke 5. wooed 6. kooky 7. caught 8. hawk 9. dawn 10. taught full could pull look would cookie cot hock don tot n n n n n 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. heart guard carp lark barn dark march calm cart harm hot god cop lock bun duck much come cut hum

Listening Exercise – Sounds for information n n What are you going to do with the cup/carp? How much do you know about his stuff/staff? She has lost her hut/heart to the newcomer. I've never seen a bigger barn/bun than this. This cop/carp looks different from the others. I have to get rid of the cot/cart. Have you seen my forks/fox? He told me that the man was shot/short. Now, I would like to have a nice little walk/wok. Did they say they could/cooed?

Listening Exercise – Sounds for information 1. I'm going to _____. A. cook it B. wash it 2. Well, to tell you the truth, ______. A. Susan is the only one that I know B. I know nothing about his stuff 3. The speaker was talking about the woman losing her _____. A. hut B. heart 4. Neither have I. _______ A. Did you make it yourself? B. When did you build it? 5. Oh, was it because of _____? A. the colour of its scales B. the hat he is wearing 6. The speaker is going to get rid of the ______. A. cot B. cart 7. The speaker is looking for the _____. A. forks 8. He told the speaker that the man ____. A. was dead B. was not tall 9. The speaker is going to ____. A. have a walk B. cook with a wok 10. Yes, they told me that _____. A. they were able to B. they spoke softly and lovingly B. fox

Listening Exercise – Sounds for information 1. I'm going to _____. A. cook it 2. Well, to tell you the truth, ______. A. Susan is the only one that I know B. I know nothing about his stuff 3. The speaker was talking about the woman losing her _____. A. hut B. heart 4. Neither have I. _______ A. Did you make it yourself? B. When did you build it? 5. Oh, was it because of _____? A. the colour of its scales B. the hat he is wearing 6. The speaker is going to get rid of the ______. A. cot B. cart 7. The speaker is looking for the _____. A. forks 8. He told the speaker that the man ____. A. was dead B. was not tall 9. The speaker is going to ____. A. have a walk B. cook with a wok 10. Yes, they told me that _____. A. they were able to B. they spoke softly and lovingly B. wash it B. fox

Listening Exercise – Sounds for information n n What are you going to do with the carp? How much do you know about his staff? She has lost her heart to the newcomer. I've never seen a bigger bun than this. This carp looks different from the others. I have to get rid of the cart. Have you seen my fox? He told me that the man was short. Now, I would like to have a nice little wok. Did they say they cooed?

central front high back i: ʊ I mid-high : з: e ɔ: ə mid-low ʌ low u æ ɑ: Vowel Charts: English Pure Vowels ɒ

front central back high ʊ u : mid-high ɔ: mid-low ʌ low ɑ: Vowel Charts: English Back Vowels ɒ

Back vowels & their description / : / low, back, unrounded vowel /ɒ/ low, back rounded vowel / ɔ: / mid-low, back, rounded vowel /ʊ/ lower high, back, rounded vowel / u: / high, back, rounded vowel /Λ/ lower mid, central, unrounded vowel

Speaking Exercise – sounds in perception and production 1. n 2. n 3. n 4. n 5. n 6. n 7. n 8. n 9. n 10. n a. Did she calm down for tea? b. Did she come down for tea? a. The girls are always larky. b. The girls are always lucky. a. He's got a very bad cart. b. He's got a very bad cut. a. The guard is going to take half. b. The guard is going to take huff. a. What shall we do to save the dying carp? b. What shall we do to save the dying cop? a. Gloria is worried about her calf b. Gloria is worried about her cough. a. Do you like cards? b. Do you like cods? a. Where's the new port? b. Where's the new pot? a. How do you spell "pork" b. How do you spell "pock" a. How do you spell "wooed" b. How do you spell "wood" No, she was too excited. No, she was too busy. Yes, because they are happy. Yes, aren't they lucky! What's it like? Was it serious? Why so much? Why is he so angry? Put it into the pool. Let's call the police. Is it dying? Has she seen the doctor? I never play cards. They're delicious. It's two kilometres away. It's on the table. PORK. POCK WOOED. WOOD.

Reading aloud – Pay special attention to the pronunciation of front vowels and central vowels. Folklore – Stories of Cultures Past n n Folklore is the study of culture and history that is passed on through oral literature. The word “oral” means relating to the mouth, especially the spoken word. Oral literature includes stories, poems, and songs that are passed on by word of mouth. They are passed between family members and residents of villages, and from one generation to the next. Before written language and books, and long before computers, people passed information orally – by telling stories and singing songs. In some parts of the world, the oral tradition is still the primary way of communication. There are many different purposes of these songs and stories. Some stories and songs taught religious beliefs; others celebrated romance and the triumph of good over evil. Still others gave important moral lessons, especially to children. Many of these stories contained supernatural elements like fairies, witches and magic spells.

Reading aloud – Identify words that are stressed first. Pay special attention to the pronunciation of back vowels n n n n Folklore is the study of culture and history. The word “oral” means relating to the mouth. Oral literature includes stories, poems, and songs passed on by word of mouth. They are passed between family members. They are passed among residents of villages. They are passed from one generation to the next. People passed information orally. People passed information by telling stories and singing songs. The oral tradition is still the primary way of communication. There are many different purposes of these songs and stories. Some stories and songs taught religious beliefs. Others celebrated romance and the triumph of good over evil. Still others gave important moral lessons. Many of these stories contained supernatural elements. Many of these stories contained fairies, witches and magic spells.

Reading aloud – Identify words that are stressed first. Pay special attention to the pronunciation of back vowels n Folklore is the study of culture and history. The word “oral” means relating to the mouth. n Oral literature includes stories, poems, and songs passed on by word of mouth. n n n n They are passed between family members. They are passed among residents of villages. They are passed from one generation to the next. People passed information orally. People passed information by telling stories and singing songs. The oral tradition is still the primary way of communication. There are many different purposes of these songs and stories. Some stories and songs taught religious beliefs. Others celebrated romance and the triumph of good over evil. Still others gave important moral lessons. Many of these stories contained supernatural elements. Many of these stories contained fairies, witches and magic spells.

Listening for information (1)

Listen & Imitate (1) n G: Hello, Li Ping. n L: Hi, Gloria. You know there is a new exhibition just opened at the Science Centre. n G: What is it about? n n n L: It’s about life in the future, man and his environment 100 years from now. A friend of mine went yesterday and he said it was fantastic. G: So … how about going there some time this week? L: OK. So today’s Thursday. What about tomorrow? I’ve got a class in the morning but I’m free in the afternoon. The Science Centre is open till 6 in the afternoon. G: Sounds like a good idea. Oh sorry, I’ve forgotten. I have an appointment with Professor Li at 2: 30 tomorrow afternoon. Well, how about Saturday? L: Yes, that’s fine with me. I suggest we go in the morning then. We can spend some more time there if you like. G: OK, Saturday morning then.

Listening for information (2)

Listen & Imitate (2) n n n n G: Hello, John. It’s weekend again! J: Are you free this evening, Gloria? G: This evening? Yes, I am. I’m not doing anything. J: Well… G: What are you thinking? J: Well, how about … going to see a film then? G: A film? J: Hm, hm. Just for a change. G: That’s a very good idea. Yes, let’s do that. J: Have you been to the Diamond Cinema? G: No. Is there anything special? J: It’s one of the best cinema in town with superb sound effects. G: That sounds attractive. Let’s go and we’ll see what we feel like then. J: Let’s go then.

Pronunciation in communication: Making suggestions Student A = a Chinese student; Student B = a tourist from England Situation: n You meet a tourist from England when you work as a part time guide. The tourist is thinking of coming to teach in China next year and so he/she would like to visit a university during the tour. Take turns to be Student A and tell him/her about your university (See the information you get for Task 1). Then make suggestions about when and how to come to your university. Try to speak fluently and naturally. Possible steps: n Say hello and make self introductions n Getting and giving information about the university n Student A makes suggestions about the visit to the university. n …

Assignment On-line exercises Presentations 1. 2. Reading aloud the passage on pp. 65 -66 A one-minute mini-talk: (p. 69) Pronunciation in communication: Making suggestions

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