美式英语正音训练第92期:第8章 练习3

 　　Exercise 8-3: Bit or Beat?

　　We've discussed intonation¹ in terms of new information, contrast, opinion, and negatives.

　　As you heard on p. 3, Americans tend to stretch out certain one-syllable² words but which ones?

　　The answer is simple

　　when a single syllable word ends in an unvoiced consonant³, the vowel⁴ is on a single stairstep

　　short and sharp.

　　When the word ends in a voiced consonant, or a vowel, the vowel is on a double stairstep. (For an explanation of voiced and unvoiced consonants⁵, see page 62.

　　You can also think of this in terms of musical notes.

　　Here you are going to compare the four words

　　bit, bid, beat, and bead⁶.

　　Once you can distinguish these four,

　　all of the rest are easy.

　　Repeat. bit, bid, beat, bead.

1 intonation   

n.语调，声调；发声

参考例句：

• The teacher checks for pronunciation and intonation.老师在检查发音和语调。
• Questions are spoken with a rising intonation.疑问句是以升调说出来的。

2 syllable   

n.音节；vt.分音节

参考例句：

• You put too much emphasis on the last syllable.你把最后一个音节读得太重。
• The stress on the last syllable is light.最后一个音节是轻音节。

3 consonant   

n.辅音；adj.[音]符合的

参考例句：

• The quality of this suit isn't quite consonant with its price.这套衣服的质量和价钱不相称。
• These are common consonant clusters at the beginning of words.这些单词的开头有相同辅音组合。

4 vowel   

n.元音；元音字母

参考例句：

• A long vowel is a long sound as in the word"shoe ".长元音即如“shoe” 一词中的长音。
• The vowel in words like 'my' and 'thigh' is not very difficult.单词my和thigh中的元音并不难发。

5 consonants   

n.辅音，子音( consonant的名词复数 )；辅音字母

参考例句：

• Consonants are frequently assimilated to neighboring consonants. 辅音往往被其邻近的辅音同化。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Vowels possess greater sonority than consonants. 元音比辅音响亮。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

6 bead   

n.念珠；(pl.)珠子项链；水珠

参考例句：

• She accidentally swallowed a glass bead.她不小心吞下了一颗玻璃珠。
• She has a beautiful glass bead and a bracelet in the box.盒子里有一颗美丽的玻璃珠和手镯。