Key to Lab external important questions

1.    1.   Write a brief note on  ‘GREETINGS’  

  

There are many ways of greeting people, both formal and informal. The speaker’s task is to choose the appropriate one for the situation. It is also useful to know lots of different ones so as to not repeat  when  meeting a number of people at the same time. As with any other aspect, one need to be careful about using informal expressions with people who he does not know well or whose rank or status is higher than his.

General greetings (Formal)

1. Hello!
2. How are you?
3. How are you doing?
4. How is everything?
5. How’s everything going?
6. How have you been keeping?
7. I trust that everything is well.

General greetings (Informal)

1. Hi.
2. What’s up?
3. Good to see you.
4. How are things (with you)?
5. How’s it going?
6. How’s life been treating you?

Greeting a person you haven’t seen for a long time (Formal)

1. It has been a long time.
2. It’s been too long.
3. What have you been up to all these years?
4. It’s always a pleasure to see you.
5. How long has it been?
6. I’m so happy to see you again.

Greeting a person you haven’t seen for a long time (Informal)

·         How come I never see you?

·         It’s been such a long time.

·         Long time no see.

·         Where have you been hiding?

·         It’s been ages since we last met.

2. 1.      Describe Speech Organs 

Speech organs produce many sounds needed for language. Organs used include the lips, teeth, tongue, alveolar ridge, hard palate, velum (soft palate), uvula and glottis.

Speech organs - otherwise articulators - are divided into two: passive articulators and active articulators. Passive articulators are those which remain static during the articulation of sound. Upper lips, teeth, alveolar ridge, hard palate, soft palate, uvula, and pharynx wall are the passive articulators. Active articulators move towards these passive articulators to produce various speech sounds, in different manner. The most important active articulator is tongue. The lower lip and the glottis are other active articulators.

In Phonetics & Phonology it's important to know the Vocal Organs places; to be able to pronounce correctly...

The Vocal organs of speech are:

1 Upper Lip                                       
2 Teeth
3 Alveolar Ridge
4 Hard Palate
5 Soft Palate
6 Uvula
7 Pharynx
8 Lower Lip
9 Tip
10 Blade
11 Front
12 Center
13 Back
14 Root   

3.      Expressions used for Agreeing and Disagreeing OPINIONS  

Offering an opinion can be difficult when it is not in our first language. We may know exactly what we want to say in our native tongue, but are unsure of how to express our views in English. We may also worry that our words will not come out properly or that we might hurt someone's feelings by being too forward. Although it is easier to sit back and say nothing at all, we will become bored or frustrated if all we can do is nod our head yes or shake our head no, especially if we have a strong opinion about something.

The best thing to do is to learn and practise some common expressions that are used in discussions and debates. For example, there is a difference between agreeing strongly or only slightly. Study the common expressions and practice saying them.

Stating an opinion	In my opinion... The way I see it... If you want my honest opinion.... According to Lisa... As far as I'm concerned... If you ask me...
Asking for an opinon	What's your idea? What are your thoughts on all of this? How do you feel about that? Do you have anything to say about this? What do you think? Do you agree? Wouldn't you say?
Expressing agreement	I agree with you 100 percent. I couldn't agree with you more. That's so true. That's for sure. (slang) Tell me about it! You're absolutely right. Absolutely. That's exactly how I feel. Exactly. I'm afraid I agree with James. I have to side with Dad on this one. No doubt about it. (agree with negative statement) Me neither. (weak) I suppose so./I guess so. You have a point there. I was just going to say that.
Expressing disagreement	I don't think so. (strong) No way. I'm afraid I disagree. (strong) I totally disagree. I beg to differ. (strong) I'd say the exact opposite. Not necessarily. That's not always true. That's not always the case. No, I'm not so sure about that.
Interruptions	Can I add something here? Is it okay if I jump in for a second? If I might add something... Can I throw my two cents in? Sorry to interrupt, but... (after accidentally interrupting someone) Sorry, go ahead. OR Sorry, you were saying... (after being interrupted) You didn't let me finish.
Settling an argument	Let's just move on, shall we? Let's drop it. I think we're going to have to agree to disagree. (sarcastic) Whatever you say./If you say so.

 4. 1.      Define  CONSONANTS

Consonant is a speech sound that's not a vowel; a letter of the alphabet that represents a speech sound produced by a partial or complete obstruction of the air stream by a constriction of the speech organs. There are 21 consonant letters in the written alphabet (B, C, D, F, G, H, J, K, L, M, N, P, Q, R, S, T, V, W, X, Y, Z), and there are 24 consonant sounds in most English accents. . . . Because of the erratic history of English spelling, there is no neat one-to-one correlation between letters and sounds.

/p/: pit /b/: bit /t/: tin /d/: din /k/: cut /g/: gut / /: cheap / /: jeep /m/: map /n/: nap / /: bang /f/: fat /v/: vat	/ /: thin / /: then /s/: sap /z/: zap / /: she / /: measure /x/: loch, Chanukah (often replaced by /h-/ and /-k/) /h/: ham / /: whine (also written /hw/), (only when distinguishing whine/wine, which/witch; otherwise replaced by /w/) /w/: we / /: run (often written /r/ in broad transcription) /j/: yes /l/: left
/p/: pit /b/: bit /t/: tin /d/: din /k/: cut /g/: gut / /: cheap / /: jeep /m/: map /n/: nap / /: bang /f/: fat /v/: vat	/ /: thin / /: then /s/: sap /z/: zap / /: she / /: measure /x/: loch, Chanukah (often replaced by /h-/ and /-k/) /h/: ham / /: whine (also written /hw/), (only when distinguishing whine/wine, which/witch; otherwise replaced by /w/) /w/: we / /: run (often written /r/ in broad transcription) /j/: yes /l/: left

 5.       Expressions used for seeking and granting PERMISSIONS

Conversation skills - SEEKING, GRANTING AND REFUSING PERMISSION

In our life situations who do we seek permission from? What for?


Informal
Arthi : Sheela, I lost my calculator. Mind if I use yours?
Sheela : No, not at all. You can have it.
Arthi : OK if I have this until this evening?
Sheela : Oh, sure.

Formal
Raghu, the secretary of the English club meets the Principal.
Raghu : Good morning, Sir.
Principal : Good morning. Have you got the confirmation from the speaker for the inauguration?
Raghu : Yes, sir. Professor Mathew from St. Joseph’s College
has given his consent. He’ll reach Madurai by 1 pm
tomorrow. Would it be possible to send the car to
pick him up, Sir?
Principal : I’m afraid it is not possible. You better hire a taxi.
We’ll pay the fare.


FOCUS ON COMMUNCIATION
Expressions for seeking, granting and refusing permission in various situations are given below:

Formal Situations
Seeking permission : Might I have your permission to ……
With your permission I should like to…
Would it be all right if I …………
Granting permission: Permission is granted ……….
We are pleased to permit …..
Refusing permission : I’m afraid we couldn’t allow.
I’m afraid we don’t have the authority.

Informal Situations
Seeking permission : Any chance of borrowing …….
Mind if I borrow ……..
All right if I use …………..
Granting permission : It’s OK / fine / all right
Go ahead.
Of course, you can.
Refusing permission : I’d like to, but I can’t ….
I can’t possibly.
Sorry that’s not on.
No way, I’m afraid.

Neutral Situations
Seeking permission : Would it be possible ………..?
I wonder if you could ………
Do you mind if ……….. ?
Granting permission: By all means do ……..
Please don’t hesitate.
Yes, certainly, you can.
Refusing permission : I don’t really think you can.
I’m afraid that’s not possible.
I’m sorry I’m not supposed to allow…..

ORAL PRACTICE - Conversation in shop
1. Shopkeeper : May I help you, Sir?
Ravi : I’m looking for a pair of black cotton
trousers.
Shopkeeper : Here’s one, Sir.
Ravi : Do you mind if I try this on me?
Shopkeeper : No, not at all.
Ravi : Thank you (after trying). It’s quite all right
for me. I’ll take this

Conversation in school.

Teacher : Sir, class XII students want to go for a picnic
to Malampuzha. Would it be all right if I take
them this week end?
Headmaster : How about their revision test?
Are they through with it?
Teacher : Yes sir, they are.
Headmaster : In that case, I think you can go ahead.
Teacher : May I take the Zoology teacher with us?
Headmaster : I’m afraid we couldn’t allow. For twenty
students only one teacher can accompany.
Teacher : It’s all right, Sir. I’ll manage.

Important viva questions on phonetics

1. 

1. What is Phonetics? --- Phonetics is the science of speech

2. How many sounds are there in English-?---- 44

3. What are consonants? ---- A consonant is a sound in spoken language that is characterized by a constriction or closure at one or more points along the vocal tract.

4. What are vowels? --- A vowel is a sound in spoken language pronounced with an open vocal tract so that there is no build-up of air pressure at any point above the glottis

5. Consonant sounds and symbols-----

Consonants                    voiceless

Voiced              book day give very the zoo vision jump look run yes we moon name sing Vowels  i:sheep     a:farm     u:cool   o:horse   3:bird    I ship   ǽ hat ư foot    o socks  ə above

pen town cat fish think say she cheese

7. Difference between voiced and voiceless sounds – voiced sounds are produced with vibration while voiceless sounds are produced without vibration

8. How many voiceless sounds are there? ----- 9

9. What are plosives? ---- Plosive, or occlusive is a consonant sound produced by stopping the airflow in the vocal tract or with an explosion

10. What are Fricatives?----- Fricative sounds are produced when the articulators are brought so closely together that the sounds are accompanied by audible friction

11. What are Nasals?----- A nasal consonant (also called nasal stop or nasal continuant) is produced with a lowered velum in the mouth, allowing air to escape freely through the nose

12. What are laterals?---- Laterals are "L"-like consonants pronounced with an occlusion made somewhere along the axis of the tongue, while air from the lungs escapes at one side or both sides of the tongue.

13. What are articulation or speech organs?---. Articulation, in phonetics is a configuration of the vocal tract (the larynx and the pharyngeal, oral, and nasal cavities) resulting from the positioning of the mobile organs of the vocal tract (e.g., tongue) relative to other parts of the vocal tract that may be rigid (e.g., hard palate). This configuration modifies an airstream to produce the sounds of speech. The main articulators are the tongue, the upper lip, the lower lip, the upper teeth, the upper gum ridge (alveolar ridge), the hard palate, the velum (soft palate), the uvula (free-hanging end of the soft palate), the pharyngeal

14. What are diphthongs?-

--- A diphthong "two sounds" or "two tones"), also known as a gliding vowel, refers to two adjacent vowel sounds occurring within the same syllable. Technically, a diphthong is a vowel with two different targets: That is, the tongue moves during the pronunciation of the vowel. In most dialects of English, the words eye, hay, boy, low, and cow contain diphthongs.

15. What are Monophthongs?--- Monophthong is a pure vowel sound, one whose articulation at both beginning and end is relatively fixed, and which does not glide up or down towards a new position of articulation.