某些句型由于句尾语调的改变而引起意义改变的现象。 1. 使用疑问词who, which, what, how, when, where, why的特殊疑问句可以用降调也可以用升调,但含义是不同的。如: 1) A: Mr. Smith thinks we ought to get the money in hand first. B: Who? (↗) A: Mr. Smith. B用升调说“Who”,表示听不清对方谈话中的某一部分,要求对方再重复那一部分。 2) A: We'd like to have someone to say a word at the beginning to welcome the group. B: Who? (↙) A: We thought that you or Dr. Johnson might do it. B用降调说“Who”,其意思是问,对方想让谁在开场时致欢迎词。 2. 附加疑问句可以读升调也可以读降调,意思是不相同的。降调表示发问者相信陈述句的内容,只等对方证实。升调表示发问者对陈述句内容的真实性没有把握,希望对方作出自己的判断。如: 3) A: You will finish the work, won't you? (↙) B:Yes, I will. A用降调提问,意思是:I know you will finish the work, but I want you to confirm it. 4) A: You will finish the work, won't you? (↗) B:Yes, I will.(或No, I won't.) A用升调提问,表示A心中没有把握,因此,得到的回答既可能是肯定的,也可能是否定的。 因此,如果听到下面的对话并就所提问题进行选择时,哪个选项正确也就不言而喻了。 5) W: Mary says she likes playing tennis. M: But she doesn't play tennis often, does she? (↙) Q: What does the man imply about Mary? (B) [A] She plays a lot of other sports. [B] She doesn't really like tennis. [C] She only likes watching tennis. [D] She has a lot of things to do. 3. 语调可以反应谈话人的互动性。如: 6) A: Are you Mr. Blake? B: Yes. (↙) A: Room twenty-six. 在这个例子中,B用降调说“Yes”,表示B的认可,这是一个封闭式的回答,这表明如果A没有新的问题要问或新的信息要告知,也许他们的对话就可以结束了。 7) A: Are you Mr. Blake? B: Yes? (↗) A: Ah, the secretary would like a word with you. 在这个例子中,B用升调回答“Yes”,表示这是一个开放式的回答,相当于:“Yes. But why do you ask?”或是“Yes. But who wants to know?”之意。这也就是说,B在回答A的问题的同时又向A提出了一个新问题,并要求A予以回答。 掌握了这一点之后,对于下面的对话所提问的问题,就不难回答了。 8) M: How long shall we stay at the Grand Canyon? W: A day? (↗) Q: What does the woman mean? (B) [A] We shall stay at the Grand Canyon for one day. [B] Shall we stay at the Grand Canyon for one day? [C] To stay at the Grand Canyon for one day is too short. [D] To stay at the Grand Canyon for one day is enough. 4. 陈述句式一般读降调,用以陈述事实。若读升调,往往表示对所说事情的怀疑。如: She lent him her car. (↙)(用以陈述事实) She lent him her car? (↗)(表示惊奇、怀疑,含有“Did she really lend her car to him?”之意。) 再请看下面的试题: 9) M: I started driving at 8:00 yesterday and arrived here at 5:30 this morning. W: You drove all night? (↗) Q: What does the woman mean? [A] Night driving can be dangerous. [B] You shouldn't have driven during the night. [C] Why don't you drive all night? [D] Did you really drive all night? 答案为D。 5. 有些一般疑问句的句式读作降调,实际上表示感叹。如:Hasn't she grown! (↙)这句话实则表示:她长得多快!请看下面的试题: 10) M: Wasn't Sam's speech great! (↙) W: Are you serious? Q: What does the man say about Sam's speech? [A] Sam's speech wasn't great, was it? [B] Sam's speech was great, wasn't it? [C] Sam gave a serious speech. [D] Sam was not serious. 答案为B。 这里顺便说一下,问句不表示疑问的另一种情况:当一方提出一个问题,而另一方用问句作为回答时,这个问句有时是不需要回答的,而实际上相当于陈述句,但别有意味。如: 11) A: Are you going to watch TV again? B: What else is there to do? (↗) B反问A一个问题“What else is there to do?”,意思是:(除了看电视)还有什么好干的呢?因此,对下面的问题就不难回答了。 12) M: Do you think Petty is qualified to do the job? W: If Petty is not, who is? (↗) Q: What does the woman mean? (C) [A] Petty is not qualified for the job. [B] Nobody is qualified for the job. [C] Petty is well qualified for the job. [D] All except Petty are qualified for the job. 有些一般疑问句句式也不需要回答,其功能也相当于陈述句,但肯定结构表否定,否定结构表肯定,而且传递了说话人浓烈的情绪。如: 13) W: Haven't you got anything better to do? (↗) M: Ok, Mum, I'll turn off the TV and begin to do my homework. 显然,妈妈的意思是责备儿子不应该看电视,而应该做比看电视更有益的事,也就是说,妈妈认为儿子有更好的事可做。而对话中,儿子当然也明白妈妈的意思,因此说要关掉电视,开始做功课。再如: 14) M: I've observed you for ten minutes. What have you been doing? W: Are you blind? (↗) Q: What can be inferred about the woman's attitude toward the man? (B) [A] Polite. [B] Unfriendly. [C] Indifferent. [D] Cautious. 女士用肯定结构的一般疑问句说“Are you blind?”,意思是说“你不是瞎子,难道看不见吗?”故而可知,女士不太友善。 总而言之,只要英语学习者内心树立了对语调的重视意识,培养起敏感的感知能力和反应能力,经过多年的英语学习和积累,再加上我们从母语中获得的语调知识,我们肯定能成功应付语调的问题。而在听力考试中,除了我们能听得到的说话人的语音特征,如语速的绝对调高的语调范围及语调之外,辅之以词汇意义的上下文线索的四个选项所圈定的范围等,选出正确的选项应该不是一个困难的问题。
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