美语口音训练第一册26

Exercise 1-17: Staircase¹ Intonation² Practice CD 1 Track 26

Draw one step of the staircase for each word of the paragraph. Start a new staircase for every

stressed word. There usually is more than one staircase in a sentence. New sentences don't have to

start new staircases³; they can continue from the previous sentence until you come to a stressed word.

I'll read the beginning sentences. Check the first sentence against the example. Then put the words of

the second sentence on a staircase, based on the way I read it. Remember, I'm exaggerating⁴ to make

a point.

Hello, my’ name is______________. I'm taking American Accent Training. There's a lot to

learn, but I hope to make it as enjoyable as possible. I should pick up on the American intonation

pattern pretty easily, although the only way to get it is to practice all of the time. I use the up and

down, or peaks and valleys, intonation more than I used to. I've been paying attention to pitch,

too. It's like walking down a staircase. I've been talking to a lot of Americans lately, and they tell

me that I'm easier to understand. Anyway, I could go on and on, but the important thing is to

listen well and sound good. Well, what do you think? Do I?

V Write out the rest of the staircases.

× Turn the CD back on to check your staircases with the way I read the paragraph. × Pause the

CD again to check your staircases in the Answer Key, beginning on page 193. × Back up the

CD, and listen and repeat my reading of the paragraph while following the staircases in the

Answer Key.

1 staircase   

n.楼梯，楼梯间

参考例句：

• Footsteps on the staircase interrupted his train of thought.楼梯上传来脚步声，打断了他的思路。
• I crossed the staircase landing,and entered the room she indicated.我经过一个楼梯平台，走进她说的那个房间。

2 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。

3 staircases   

n.楼梯( staircase的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• We have fully functional smoke alarms on all staircases. 我们在各层楼梯都安装有完全可用的烟雾警报器。 来自辞典例句
• A slender superstructure was dictated with gently sloping approaches rather than staircases. 细长的上部结构，带有微缓斜坡接坡，比布置阶梯为优。 来自辞典例句

4 exaggerating   

（使）扩大( exaggerate的现在分词 )； （使）增加； 夸大； 夸张

参考例句：

• The hotel was really filthy and I'm not exaggerating. 我不是夸张，这旅店真的很脏。
• The salesman padded the bill for his travelling expenses by exaggerating his food expenses. 那个推销员在用餐费上弄虚作假，多报差旅费。