Lesson 1

Memory work

- Does it fit?
- Yes, it fits, but it isn’t very pretty.
- This pink one’s very pretty.
- But it’s a bit big.
- Well,… this silk one isn’t big.
- No,… but it’s a bit frilly.
 Memory work

- Can you read tea-leaves, Peter?

- I can read yours, Eve.
- What can you see?
- I can see… the beach… and the sea… and two people – Eve and Peter.
- Can’t you see three?
- No, Eve. Just you and me. I can’t see Aunt Frieda at all.
Rhythm
Rhythm is the regular recurrence of stressed syllables in an intonation group at certain intervals
of time.
Tempo
Tempo is speed of utterance, measured with the number of words / phonemes per second.
Sentence stress is the greater prominence given to certain words in a sentence. These words are
usually nouns, adjectives; notional verbs, adverbs; numerals, demonstrative pronouns, negations,
interrogative words. The form words – i.e. articles, particles, prepositions, conjunctions;
auxiliary and modal verbs; personal and reflexive pronouns are usually unstressed.
Groups of Words
Listen, imitate, practise tapping the rhythm first slowly; second time quicker and the third – very
quickly.
One-stress Rhythm

she \ beats Two-stress rhythm

1 It’s big
eats
\ 2 His \kiddies ˈMs. Clinton
\ 2 ˈsix kiddies
\

ill
meets sisters 1 Miss Higgins sisters
sick
needs sitters Mrs. sitters
still
sees lilies Mr. lilies
busy