Pronunciation exercises part 5

What’s wrong with the blonde popsy? Bob: Sorry, Tom. I wasn't gone long, was I? My God! What's wrong with the blonde popsy? She looks odd - sort of floppy. Tom: No longer a blonde popsy, old cock - a body. Bob: Oh my God! You gone off your rocker? I just pop off to the shop for a spot of.... Tom: Stop your slobbering, you clot! So we got a spot of bother. Come on, we got to squash the blonde into this box and then I want lots of cloths and a pot of water - hot - and probably a mop - to wash off all these spots. Bob: Clobbering a blonde! It's not on, Tom! Tom: Put a sock on it, Bob, or I'll knock your block off! (Knock, knock.) Bob: Oh my God! What's that knocking? Tom, Tom, it's a copper!

[ ] Busy in the kitchen Billy: Mummy! Are you busy? Mother: Yes, I 'm in the kitchen. Billy: Can I go swimming in Chichester with Jim this morning? Mother: Jim? Billy: Jim English. He's living with Mr. and Mrs. Willis in the village - Spring Cottage. Mother: Isn't it a bit chilly to go swimming? Billy: What's this? Can I pinch a bit of it? Mother: Oh, Billy, you little pig! It's figgy pudding. Get your fingers out of it! Billy: Women are so silly! I only dipped a little finger in. Mother: Well, it's filthy little finger. Here, tip this chicken skin into the bin and I'll give you a biscuit.

[ ] The end of the adventure Ken: Ted, Thank heaven! I was getting desperate. Ted: Hello there, Ken. Where are Jeff and the rest of the men? Ken: They left me in the tent with some eggs and some bread, and off they went. Ted: Where were they heading? Ken: West. In that direction. They said they'd bury the treasure under the dead elm – you remember, by the bend in the fence - and get back by sunset. Ted: All ten of them went? Ken: They said the chest was heavy. Ted: They left - when? Ken: Yesterday, between ten and eleven. Ted: And you let them? Ken: There were ten of them.... Ted: Well, my friend, I reckon that's the end Of the adventure. We'll never see the treasure chest or any of those ten men again.

[ ] Weeding's not for me! Peter: This is the season for weeds. We'll each weed three metres before tea, easily. Celia: Do we kneel? My knees are weak. Do you mean all these? Peter: Celia, my sweet, those aren't weeds, those are seedlings. Beans, peas and leeks. Can't you see? Celia: If they're green they're weeds to me. But I agree, Peter - weeding’s not for me! Peter: Well, let me see. May be we'll leave the weeds. You see these leaves? If you sweep them into a heap under that tree I'll see to the tea. Celia: Pete, my feet are freezing. You sweep the leaves. I'll see to the tea!

The bungalow's flooded Duncan: Jump up, Cuthbert! The bungalow's flooded! Cuthbert: The bungalow? Flooded? Duncan: Come on, hurry up. Cuthbert: Just our luck! We're comfortably in London for a month, come down to the country on Sunday -and on Monday we're flooded! Trust us! Duncan: Shut up! Come on, double up the rugs and stuff them above the cupboard. Chuck me that shovel. There's a ton of rubble that I dug out of the rubbish dump. I'll shove it under the front door - it seems to be coming from the front. Cuthbert: Duncan! I'm stuck! Duncan: Oh, brother! You're as much use as a bloody duck! Cuthbert: If I 'd been a duck, I could have swum! Oh crumbs! The mud's coming in under the other one! We're done for! We'll be sucked into the disgusting stuff! Duncan: Hush! How wonderful! The current's suddenly swung. It's not going to touch us... unless.. I wonder

[ ] Making a pass at Martha Charlie: The dance doesn't start till half past, Martha. Let's park the car under the arch by Farmer Palmer's barn. It's not far. Ah, here we are. There's the farm cart. Martha: Ooh, Charlie, it's dark! Charlie: The stars are sparkling. My heart is enchanted. Martha you are - marvellous! Martha: Your father's car's draughty, Charlie. Pass me my scarf. Charlie: Rather let me clasp you in my arms, Martha, my darling. Martha: Ah, Charlie! Your moustache is all nasty and sharp. I can't help laughing. Aren't you starved? Here, have half a Mars Bar. Ssh! There's a car passing. Charlie: Keep calm, can't you? It's only Sergeant Barker. He plays darts in the “Bar of the Star and Garter”. Martha.... darling.... Martha: Don't be daft, Charlie! You can't start making a pass till after the dance!

Fawns, horses and a tortoise Paul: Any more of these awful autumn storms, George, and we’ll be short of corn. I ought to have bought some more in Northport. George: This morning, just before dawn, I thought I saw signs of a thaw. I was sure – Paul: Sssh! Behind that door there are four fawns that were born in the storm. They’re all warm in the straw now. George: Poor little fawns! Paul, what’s that snorting next door? Paul: Those are the horses’ stalls. They’re snorting at my daughter’s tortoise. It always crawls around in the straw. George: If Claud saw us walking across his lawn…. He’s an awful bore about his lawn. Oh, Lord, we’re caught! There is Claud! Now we’re for it!

Paul: Any more of these awful autumn storms, George, and we’ll be short of corn. I ought to have bought some more in Northport. George: This morning, just before dawn, I thought I saw signs of a thaw. I was sure – Paul: Sssh! Behind that door there are four fawns that were born in the storm. They’re all warm in the straw now. George: Poor little fawns! Paul, what’s that snorting next door? Paul: Those are the horses’ stalls. They’re snorting at my daughter’s tortoise. It always crawls around in the straw. George: If Claud saw us walking across his lawn…. He’s an awful bore about his lawn. Oh, Lord, we’re caught! There is Claud! Now we’re for it!

English pronunciation i: a tree three leaves a bee a sheep a fleet a sea ice-cream for tea Stephan meets Eve Stephan is greedy. He eats three pieces of cheese. Asleep. Stephan dreams of Eve. He sees Eve fleeing from three beasts. i ink a ship a fish a biscuit a tin whistle a big pig a little kitten a kitchen sink with dishes in it Which of the six thin women is a wicked witch? i: / i a sheep a ship a bean a bin a meal a mill a lead a lid Jean likes gin..... but gin doesn't like Jean! Sleepy Freda seeks size six slippers to fit her feet. Fish and chips are cheap and easy to eat. e a leg a tent a penny a letter a wren's nest seven pets a treasure chest ten well-dressed men a wedding-dress eleven hens with twelve eggs in ten nests.

Pronunciation exercises Sound, stress, intonation Hints on pronunciation for foreigners I take it you already know Of tough and bough and cough and dough? Others may stumble but not you Or hiccough, thorough laugh and through? Well done: And now you wish perhaps To learn of these familiar traps: Beware of heard a dreadful word That looks like beard and sounds like bird. And dead: It's said like bed, not bead, For goodness' sake, don't call it deed! Watch out for meat and great and threat, They rhyme with suite and straight and debt. A moth is not a moth in mother Nor both in bother, broth in brother. And here is not a match for there Nor dear and fear for bear and pear And then there's does and rose and lose, Just look them up; and goose and choose. And cork and work and hard and ward And font and front and word and sword. And do and go and thwart and part – Come, come, I've hardly made a start! A dreadful language? Man alive, I'd mastered it when I was five!

a hand a map a stamp a flag a tank a jazz band a fat man clapping his hands a black cat catching a fat rat. Anne has plaits and black slacks. Harry has a hacking jacket. Harry and Anne are standing hand in hand.  a pat a pet one man many men a net a gnat pedalling paddling Ted has Dad’s hat on his head Jack’s Czech friend Franz is very expansive. Franz’s French friend is very expensive. a puff a cup a glove a gun a jump a duck a country cousin a lovely crusty buttered bun for supper. Cuthbert puts some mustard on his Mother's custard. a thump Cuthbert's young brother wonders why Mother doesn't love her other son. / a hat a hut, a battler a butler, a stamp a stump a banker a bunker These windows were shattered. These windows were shuttered, mashed potatoes with butter / mushed potatoes with batter a: a heart a harp an arm a mast a bard a castle a palm a carpet a fast car a farm-cart a dark barn in a large farm-yard Mark can't park his car in the barn because of a calf and a large cart blocking the farmyard.

] Crackle, crackle, Galactic Static Gran: Jack, Do you have to bang and slam on that piano like that? Jack: I'm practicing for our new album. It's smashing. Gran: An album? You mean that racket you and your gang bash out? Jack: We're not a gang, we're a fantastic jazz band. Sally and Janet, me on the piano, Alec on the sax - the Galactic Static. It'll be an absolute smash hit. Gran: The Galactic Racket, if you ask me. And you'll smash is Granddad’s piano. Jack: Gran, we have talent. We're cool cats, man. Crackle, crackle, Galactic Static! Gran: The young man's mad. Here. I've made you a fat ham sandwich and a crabapple jam flan. Jack: Ah, Gran, you may not understand jazz but your flans are fab.