聽歌學英文
Life\'s a dream. Never too old to learn stupid things. :-)
/ɛ/, /æ/ - as in bet, bat
ɛ
To Produce: Place you tongue mid-high in front and slightly forward.
Keep your lips neutral.
Listen:
-- ---
bent bend
debt dead
let led
Practice the vowel /ɛ/ as you focus on vowel length. Repeat
meant mend
pet pen
spent spend
went wed
Synonyms - Practice the sound /ɛ/ in synonyms. After you hear A, you say B.
You will hear a model after.
A B
convey send
curve bend
finest best
permit let
untidy messy
vacant empty
Contrast: /ɛ/ - /ʌ/
Can you differentiate between these sounds? Listen to word parts.
You will hear one word again. Which is it?
Bet --- but ----
Jest --- just ---
must --- messed ---
Answers: bet just must
Repeat the following words and sentences:
rest I need to rest.
rust The metal has rust.
met We have never met.
mutt The dog is a mutt.
net They fish with a net.
nut Don't act like a nut.
Practice words counting both the vowel /ɛ/ and the schwa. Repeat:
/ə, ɛ/
address
affect
again
collect
connect
offend
select
upset
/ɛ, ə/
credit
debit
merit
template
æ
To product: With your tongue relaxed and its middle raised mid-high.
Lower your jaw slightly. Press down both the back and the front of the tongue.
Keep your lips neutral.
Listen:
-- ---
can't can
map man
rank rang
Practice /æ/ as you focus on its length. Repeat:
mat - mad tank - tan rat - ram sank - sang
Synonyms - Practice the vowel /æ/ in synonyms. After you hear A and B, repeat B.
A B
chuckle laugh
deficiency lack
evil bad
father dad
abese fat
prohibit ban
This time after yo hear A, you say B. You will hear a model after.
A B
angry mad
applaud clap
money cash
unhappy sad
Contrast: /ɛ/ - /æ/
Can you differentiate between these sounds? Listen to word pairs. You will hear one word again. Which is it?
head --- had send --- sand --- ten --- tan ---
answers: had send tan
Repeat these words and sentences. Listen again to the sentence each time.
guess - gas I guess the car needs gas.
head - had The head of the group had left.
men - man Two men or one man?
pen - pan The pen is by the pan.
said - sad They said it was sad.
Contrast: /æ/ - /ʌ/
Can you differentiate between these sounds? Listen to word pairs. You will hear one word again. Which is it?
bat --- but ---
cap --- cup ---
mast --- must ---
Answers: bat cap mast
Repeat the following words and sentences. Listen to the sentences again each time.
bat --- but The bat can hear but not see.
cap --- cup The cap is by that cup.
cat --- cut The cat will cut the string
lack -- luck That team has a lack of luck.
must --- mast A sailboat must have a mast.
ran --- run I ran and I will run again.
Synonyms - Contrast /æ/ and with /ʌ/ in synonyms. After you hear A and B, repeat B.
A B
container can
crumble crush
collapse crash
particle crumb
This time after you hear A, you say B. You will hear a model after.
A B
reckless rash
hurry rush
jogged ran
jog run
Practice words containing both the vowel /æ/ and the schwa. Repeat:
/æ, ə/
asset
happen
salad
talent
/ə, æ/
attach
attack
command
Japen
Listen carefully to the statements and answer the questions. You will hear a model after each response.
He spilled a cup of water on his cap.
How much water did he spill? --- A cup.
On what? --- His cap.
He has a mutt. It is named Matt.
What does he have? --- A mutt.
What is its name? --- Matt.
She called Dan when she was done.
Whom did she call? --- Don.
When? --- When she was done.
Source: The American Accent Guide (2nd Edition)
http://www.amazon.com/American-Complete-Comprehensive-Pronunciation-Individuals/dp/0963413902/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1304307187&sr=1-1
