美语口音训练第一册24

How you talk indicates to people how you are. Be aware of revealing your personality that you don’t have. There is no absolute right or wrong in regard to intonation¹, because a case can be made for stressing just about any word of syllable². But you actually reveal a lot about yourself by the the element you choose to emphasize. For example, if you say Hello! This intonation would indicate doubt. This is why you say “Hello” when answering the phone because you don’t know who’s on the other end or when you go into a house, you don’t know who’s there because you don’t see anyone. But if you are giving a speech or making a presentation and you stand up in front of a crowd and say “Hello”, the people would probably laugh because it sounds so uncertain. This is what you confidently want to say “Hello!My name is so and so.” A second example is “My name is” is supposed to “My name is”. If you stress name, it sounds as if you are going to continue with more personal information, “My name is so and so. My address is such and such. My blood type is O.” Since it may not be in your intention to give all the information, stay with the standard “Hello! My name is so and so!” If you stress “I”every time, it would seem that you have a very high opion of yourself. Try it: I’m taking an American accent training. I’ve been paying attention to pitch, too. I think I’m quite wonderful.” An earnest hard-working person might emphasize words this way: I’m taking American accent training. Can I learn this stuff? I hope to make it as enjoyable as possible. I’ll force myself to enjoy it if I have to. Although the only way to get it is to practise it all the time 24 hours a day. …. would show up with. I should pick up on, but I might not, the American intonation pattern pretty easily but it looks pretty hard, too. I’ve been talking to a lot Americans lately. And they tell me that I’m easier to understan. But I think that they are just being polite.

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。