聽歌學英文
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/eɪ/, /aɪ/ - as in ate, eye
The Diphongs
A diphthong combines two vowels to create one sound. The diphthongs are all long sounds. The tongue and the mouth move from one postion to another to form a diphthong, as in the following. Listen:
/ei/ gauge /ou/ dough
/ai/ height /au/ count
/eɪ/
To Produce: Move from the vowel /e/ to the vowel /i/, raising your tongue and retracting your lips slightly. Practice moving smoothly between the two vowels until you produce diphthong /ei/.
Listen:
rate raid ray
wait wade way
Practice /ei/ as you focus on its length. Repeat:
date - days - day
gate - game - gay
mate - made - may
pace - pain - pay
Repeat these phrases:
/ei, ei/
Day eight.
May wait.
Same rate.
Pay late.
Same day.
Hate waste.
They came.
Way late.
Main train.
Synonyms - Practice /ei/ in synonyms. After you hear A and B. Repeat B.
A B
attack raid
docide tame
humiliation shame
popularity fame
This time, after you hear A, you say B. You will hear a model after.
A B
donated gave
flavor taste
tardy late
perhas maybe
Practice words with both /ei/ and the schwa vowel. Repeat:
/ , ei/
arrange
attain
await
away
buffet
contain
estate
obtain
today
Contrast: /e/ - /ei/
Can you differentiate between these sounds? Listen to word pairs. You will hear one word again. Which is it?
date -- debt --
main -- men --
wait -- wet
Answers: debt men wet
Repeat these words and sentences. Listen again each time.
met - mate He met his mate there.
wet - wait You'll get wet if you don't wait.
get - gate I will get the gate.
debt - date Pay the debt by that date.
let - late Don't let them be late.
Antonyms - Contras /ei/ with /e/ in antonyms. After you hear A and its opposite B, repeat B.
A B
release press
condemn praise
early late
don't allow let
After you hear A, you say its opposite, B. Then listen to the model.
A B
east west
preserve waste
dry wet
proceed wait
Listen carefully to the statements and then answer the questions. You will hear a model after each response.
She opened the gate to get in.
What did she open? __ The gate.
What for? __ To get in.
The debt is due on that date.
What is due? __ The debt.
When? __ On that date.
Repeat these phrases with both sounds /ei/ and /e/:
/ei, e/
Day then.
Eight men.
Wait there.
Pay then.
Say when.
They said.
/ai/
To Produce: Begin with your gongue slightly low in the center, and raise it into the vowel /i/. As you raise your jaw, retract your lips slightly.
If you find this vowel espcially difficult to produce, when it is followed by a consonent, as in time or like, do the following:
Break the words into parts, (Example: time = /tai + m/). Repeat the two parts closer and closer together, until you can say them as on word.
Listen:
ice I'm eye
bite buys buy
Practice /ei/ as you focus on its length. Repeat:
dice - dime - die/dye
light - lied - lie
type - time - tie
cite/site/sight - side/sighted - sigh
Repeat these phrases:
/ei, ai/
Fine time.
Right side.
Like mine.
Right kind.
I might.
Try mine.
Practice words with both /ai/ and the schwa //. Repeat:
alike comply final
alive polite rival
Synonyms - Practice /ai/ in synnyms. After yo hear A and B, repeat B.
A B
bashful shy
detect find
indication sign
pleasant nice
After you hear A, you say B. Listen to the model after.
A B
purchase buy
quiet silent
similar alike
this evening tonight
Contrast: /ai/ - //
Repeat these words and sentences:
mine Those are mine. man I saw the man.
fine I feel fine. fan We need a fan.
side It's on the right side. sad The movie was sad.
light That is a bright light. lad A boy is called a lad.
Practice both // and /ai/ in these phrase. Repeat:
Add mine.
Sad time.
Fine lad.
Kind man.
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
