Phonetic exercises

Exercise I. Pronounce the following words correctly paying attention to the way of pronunciation of the vowels and combinations of vowels

[۸] public, Monday, buns, stuff, mussels, luck, pumpkin, southern, other, country,

[כ] holiday, Boxing, cross, cockles, floss, holly, moss, property, costume, continent, crossway,

[ou] rolling, folk, Shrove, ghost, flow

[iə] weirdest

[æ] Valentine, candy, candle, fancy, magic, damage, pancake, narrowest, ca’nal, parallel

[e] head, e’lect

[ei] day, date, exchange, Saint, paint, nail, play, scrape

[Eə] scare, aircraft

[ai] island, lie, high, mild, climate

[aiə] wireless

[i:] kilometers

[u:] route

[au] mountain

[a:] branch

Exercise 2. Read the words paying attention to the way of reading of the consonants and combinations of consonants.

[k] candle, trick, scrape, costume, mark, magic, kind, confess, cockles, ill-luck, coal, chemical, queen, practice

[ʤ] geographical, region, majority

[t∫] chain, temperature, agriculture, manufacture, exchange,

[s] centre

Exercise 3. Read the words paying attention to the change of the place of the stress in different parts of speech.

‘export – to ex’port ‘industry – in’dustrial

‘import – to im’port ‘product – to pro’duce

Exercise 4. Read the following proper names and remember their pronunciation.

Great Britain [‘greit ‘britən]

the British Isles [‘briti∫ ‘ailz]

England [‘iŋglənd]

Scotland [‘skכtlənd]

Wales [weilz]

Northern Ireland [‘nכ:ðәn ‘ailənd]

the Irish Republic [‘airi∫ ri’p۸blik]

the Atlantic Ocean [әt’læntik ‘ou∫n]

the English Channel [‘iŋgli∫ ‘ʧænәl]

the Straight of Dover [‘streit әv ‘douvә]

the United Kingdom [ju:’naitid ‘kiŋdәm]

the Netherlands [‘neðələndz]

Denmark [‘denma:k]

Norway [‘nכ:wei]

the Grampians [‘græmpiәnz]

the Cheviot Hills [‘ʧeviәt ‘hilz]

the Pennine Chain [‘penain ‘t∫ein]

Snowdon [‘snoudәn]

the Cambrian Mountains [‘kæmbriәn ‘mauntәnz]

Ben Nevis [‘ben ‘nevis]

the Severn [‘sevә:n]

the Clyde [klaid]

the Gulf Stream [‘g۸lf ‘stri:m]

Sheffield [‘∫efild]

Birmingham [‘bə:miŋəm]

Manchester [‘mænʧəstə]

Liverpool [‘livəpu:l]

Bristol [‘bristl]

London [lΛndən]

Great Britain [greit ‘britən]

The Thames [temz]

The North Sea [no:]

The Tower [tauə]

London Bridge [bridƷ]

St. Paul’s Cathedral [po:lz]

Hyde Park [haid]

Speakers’ Corner [‘spi:kəz ‘ko:nə]

Oxford Street [‘oksfəd]

The Houses of Parliament [‘pa:ləmənt]

Parliament Square [skwεə]

West End

East End

Westminster Abbey [‘westminstə ‘æbi]

The Victoria Tower [vik’to:riə]

The Bloody Tower [‘blΛdi]

Queen Elizabeth [kwi:n I’lizəbəθ]

Trafalgar Square [trə’fælgə]

Lord Mayor [lo:d mεə]

Covent Garden [‚kovənt ga:dn]

Lexical exercises

Exercise 1. Read and translate the following sentences using active vocabulary.

1. The term “bank holiday” dates back to the 19^th century.

2. Christmas Day and Boxing Day are observed on the 25^th and 26^th of December respectively.

3. Besides public holidays there are other days, which are marked by centuries-old traditions. These are different festivals and anniversaries.

4. February, 14 is St. Valentine’s Day, it is the day for choosing sweethearts and exchanging signs of love.

5. Valentine was a colourful card with a short love verse composed by the sender.

6. Shop-made valentines are cards with ready-made congratulations and decorations.

7. On Shrove Tuesday Christians confessed their sins to a priest.

8. The customs of Halloween, the eve of All Saints’ Day, date back to the time, when people believed in evil spirits.

Exercise 2. Fill in the blanks with the prepositions.

1. There are several bank holidays … the United Kingdom.

2. Most … the holidays are of religious origin.

3. Certain customs and traditions are connected …most bank holidays, because many … them are a part … holiday seasons like Easter and Christmas seasons.

4. Great Britain consists … 3 parts.

5. Public holidays do not fall … the same date each year.

6. Only Christmas Day and Boxing Day are observed … the 25^th and 26^th of December accordingly.

7. Great Britain is washed all round ... water.

8. Many rivers are joined … canals.

9. Good Friday and Easter Monday depend … Easter Sunday which falls … the first Monday .. May.

Exercise 3. Read the sentences, using the English phrases instead of the Russian ones.

1. A bank holiday is (официальный праздник) when all banks and post offices are closed.

2. (Рождество, 25 декабря) is the day which families traditionally spend together.

3. People usually give some small presents or money to postmen or servants (в день подарков).

4. Scotland (находится) in the north of the island.

5. (В пятницу перед Пасхой) people usually eat (особые булочки с крестом наверху).

6. (Некоторые традиции и обычаи англичан) are famous all over the world.

7. The main industries in Great Britain are (кораблестроение, угледобыча, хлопчатобумажное производство и пищевая промышленность).

8. St. Valentine’s Day (празднуется) on the 14^th of February.

Exercise 4. Translate the phrases below into English and use them in sentences of your own:

Самый популярный официальный праздник, новогодние вечеринки, канун Нового года, отмечать смерть Христа, быть известным во всем мире, посылать валентинки, перед Великим постом, не верить в злых духов;

Text 1