The Bank of England. Listen to the sentences and complete them, transcribe them and mark all the links

Exercise 56

Listen to the sentences and complete them, transcribe them and mark all the links. Practise reading them.

a. What a ______________!

b. It was an ____________.

c. The weather was ____________!

d. He got into their ____________.

e. She speaks ____________ and __________.

f. It was an ______________!

g. She lives in a __________.

h. I’ll phone for an _________!

Exercise 57

Listen and practise saying the names quickly in pairs.

Names ending in the sound [ә] are linked with an extra [r] sound. With names which already contain [r] the final [ә] is elided and the [r] and the linking [r] merge when speaking at speed.

e.g. Sarah and Sheila [ sεәrәnd ∫i:lә]

A. Maggie – Susie Cathy - Charlie Bobby - Billy Tommy - Lizzie Johnnie – Andy Linda – Hannah Laura – Sarah Sheila – Patricia Sandra – Amanda Romeo – Juliet Othello – Desdemona Horatio – Hamlet

B. Kennedy - Cleopatra Plato - John Lennon Franco - Charles Victoria - Kruschev Isabella - Mussolini Diana - Albert Mary - Minnie (Mouse) Yoko Ono - Aristotle Antony - Ferdinand Mickey - Joseph

Exercise 58

Put down the sentences you hear on the tape; practise reading them, inserting the extra [j] and [w] sounds to link the words, where possible.

Exercise 59

Complete these pairs of dialogues with ‘very’ or ‘too’. Listen to the tape and compare your answers. Practise reading the dialogues with a partner.

a/ i. Excuse me for asking, but how much did the rain ticket to Newcastle cost?

It was _______ expensive, about ₤60.

ii. Why didn’t you come here on the train?

It was ______ expensive, about ₤60.

b/ i. It seems quite safe in this area at night.

Actually it’s ______ unsafe.

ii. Why didn’t you travel up here i that old car of yours?

Actually, it’s ______ unsafe.

c/ i. How did you feel about things when you woke up this morning?

To be honest, I was still _______ annoyed.

ii. Why didn’t you come out for a drink with the boss last night?

To be honest, I was still ______ annoyed.

d/ i. Why didn’t Mary apply for that job, do you know?

I’m not sure, but I think she was ______ old.

ii. How old was her grandmother when she died?

I’m not sure, but I think she was ______ old.

Exercise 60

Listen to the tongue-twisters, pay attention to all the links. Practise until you can say them smoothly and quickly.

a. My aeroplane arrives in Australia at bout eight o’clock in the evening.

b. Uncle Alfie and auntie Elsie always go away at Easter.

c. Are you asking us to accept an offer of only eighty pounds?

d. Nicky and Laura are off to Italy and Austria again.

e. Bruno and Anna are arriving in an hour or so and they’re often early.

Exercise 61

Listen to the dialogue and mark the linking [r]s. Practise reading the dialogue with a partner.

M: Peter! Are you going anywhere over Easter this year?

P: Well, yes, as a matter of fact we are. We’re off on a tour of Italy for a week or two.

M: Mmm. That sounds really wonderful. Where exactly will you be going?

P: Oh, here and there. Rome’s more or less definite, but apart from that we’re open to suggestion.

M: Are you traveling by coach?

P: No, by car, actually.

M: Dear old Italy! When you’re in Rome you must remember to throw a coin over your shoulder

into the Trevi fountain.

P: Really? What for?

M: Well, if you do that, it means that, sooner or later, you’re sure to return.

Exercise 62.

Listen to the dialogue which is rather informal. Can you catch all the words? Try to put the dialogue down and read it at the same speed as it is on the tape.