Exercise 1-17: Staircase Intonation Practice

　　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 staircases; 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 exaggerating 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?

　　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.