teacher michaels pronunciation practice & speaking test

Preparation time: 45 seconds Response time: 45 seconds Example reading: A radio commercial You don't need to spend all of your hard earned money on bakery bread.. Response time: 45 Secon

OXFORD UNIVERSITY PHONETIC ALPHABET & PICTOGRAPHS

VOWEL SOUNDS

The Sound, Pictures and Spelling of American English – A-ATC Language Services Rev 27/4/12 Michael L Farrington

tree

peach medium people

police key niece receipt

lucky

amoeba

debris grand prix

tourist sure plural you're

moor entre-preneur

fish

pretty busy village

gym women sieve build

up

enough money flood

does was

ear engineer

here we're

serious pier amir

ɪəUK

computer

away cinema captain

pigeon denim partial

cat

plaid

bird

prefer curly learn

journey work heard syrup

ɜ:UK

egg

friendly healthy said

many heifer leopard guest

e UK

owl

proud

chair

careful their there

wear player area

eəUK

phone

roast owe slow

although shoulder

plateau sew

faux yeoman

əʊ UK

clock

watch encore

ɒUK

car

father heart

sergeant

ɑ:UK

saw bald caught thought

cough broad off

train gray save break

weight they rein pain

gauge suede cafe ballet

horse

warm board course

ɔ:UK

boy

noisy

boot student true suitcase

Tuesday move shoe soup

flew

bike cycle flight aisle

height eye dried guide

I'd

bull look should woman

1.

VOICED/UNVOICED CONSONANTS & MINIMAL PAIRS

38

40

42

assure/azure

33

22

NO

VOICE

parrot shopping

pet/bet lap/lab prayed/braid rapid/rabid pack/back pin/bin push/bush pat/bat pore/bore punch/bunch pole/bowl ripped/ribbed

34

NO VOICE

thumb

breath/breathe theme/them thistle/this teeth/teethe thigh/thy cloth/clothe

bag

“Elizabeth's birthday's

on the third Thursday of this month.”

24

NO

VOICE

keys court lucky school

quit

back/bag flack/flag clean/glean clad/glad coast/ghost bicker/bigger cane/gain come/gum curl/girl came/game cot/got cut/gut

36

NO VOICE

chess

watch picture don't you

chest/jest larch/large lunch/lunge chunk/junk char/jar cheer/jeer choker/joker

girl luggage

jazz

manager

bridge

graduate

did you

26

NO

VOICE

flower affection

photo

belief/believe off/of fine/vine half/halve face/vase ferry/very luff/love safe/save few/view file/vile life/live wife's/wives

leg

yellow

vase of

right married wrong

28

NO

VOICE

tie

attract

time/dime taller/dollar tame/dame team/deem tear/dear but/bud tip/dip ten/den try/dry got/god wet/wed tune/dune

witch

white once queen

dog

middle

yacht university

argue iron

30

NO

VOICE

snake assistant

twice city

psychology

sue/zoo Lacey/lazy Miss/Ms this/these sip/zip loose/lose rice/rise cease/sees pestle/puzzle hassle/has mass/as hiss/his

monkey

summer lamb

zebra loves

nose funny know

32

NO

VOICE

shower

station special sure

chef tension mention anxious

44

NASAL

singer

think

television

pleasure beige garage

azure Asia

equation

45

NO VOICE

house

who

2

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

1 Stand up straight Even if you're nervous, good posture will help to give the impression

of confidence Good posture also helps to keep your airways open, so your breath can be

stronger

2 Don't be afraid to say the wrong thing You might; everyone does Just correct yourself or

move on It is a skill and some people are extremely gifted at it If you need to practice, realize it

is a skill that you aren't particularly strong in but is something you can learn

3 Open your mouth wider as you talk Not as much sound will come out if it has to snake past

your closed teeth and lips first

4 Articulate Make sure you actually stop the air for consonants like 't' and 'b' Focus on clear

consonants and syllables Differentiate between your vowels Your whole mouth is required to articulate

5 Slow down Talking too fast is a common symptom of nervousness, but it won't help your words

be understood

6 Speak up Aim to speak at least a little bit louder You will automatically use more breath, and

you will probably slow down and articulate better in the process

7 Practice Talk into a tape recorder or use your computer with a microphone Then, listen to your

recordings Do take the opportunity to notice what is unintelligible, where your sentences trail off, and so on

8 Listen to others who are good at speaking, such as radio and television announcers, and notice how they pronounce words, at what speed they talk, and so on.

9 Speak with inflection “Yes/No” questions should go up in pitch at the end “Wh” questions

should go up in pitch and then down at the end Statements should go down Notice, also, what syllables and words get emphasis Try exaggerating your inflection, the way you would if you were reading to a small child and hamming it up a little bit

10 Support from your diaphragm Use the muscles in your stomach to support your breath as you

speak Even if you speak no more loudly, you will speak more clearly this way Place a hand over your stomach, just below your ribs You should feel the muscles there move as you speak

11 Sing You don't have to sing while anybody is listening, but try singing alone in your shower or in

your car You'll exercise your voice and get used to using it You'll also learn about using air, articulation, breath, and phrasing

12 Shout Don't squeak or scream or raise the pitch of your voice Bellow Keep your voice at about

its normal pitch and see how loud you can go Cheering at a sporting event or talking over loud music is an opportunity to practice, or you could just close the door Notice how you control your air when you shout

13 Practice pronouncing words by reading things out loud and pronouncing every word

correctly and slowly If you mumble, go back and repeat the sentence

10.

ENUNCIATION – A to Z

A - Around the rugged rocks the ragged rascal ran.

B - Big black bug bit a big black bear and the big black bear bled black blood.

C - Can I cook a proper cup of coffee in a copper coffee pot?

D - Don't doubt the doorbell, but differ with the doorknob.

E - Eight gray geese in a green field grazing.

F - Fine white vinegar with veal

The free thugs set three thugs free

G - Grab the groundhog from the glazed grass

H - High roller, low roller, lower roller

How can a clam cram in a clean cream can?

I - I wish to wash my Irish wristwatch

J - Jingle jungle jangle joker.

K - Knit kilts for nasty cold nights.

L - Little lucky luke likes lakes, lucky little luke likes licking lakes

M - Monkeys make monopoly monotonous.

N - The Next nest will not necessarily be next to nothing.

O - Octopi occupy a porcupine's mind

Only royal oily royal oil boils

P - Peter Prangle, the prickly pear picker, picked three perfectly prickly pears

Q - Queen Catherine wakes the cat, and the cat quietly cries.

R - Rubber Baby Buggy Bumpers!

Roberta ran rings around the Roman ruins

S - Some shun sunshine Do you shun sunshine?

Six stick shifts stuck shut

T - Three thick thistle sticks

The thirty-three thieves thought that they thrilled the throne throughout Thursday

Elizabeth's birthday is on the third Thursday of this month

U - Unique New York, Unique New York, Unique New York.

V - Venti, Grande, Tall - Very Grand Words for Large, Medium, Small.

W - Will's wetsuit is round and wet and rough and wide and ready to go on a watery ride

Wayne went to Wales to watch walruses

X - Xylophones exist or so existentialists insist.

Y - Yoda met a Yeti on the Plains of Serengeti.

Z - Zoologists illogically love to read astrology.

She stood on the balcony, inexplicably mimicking him hiccuping, and amicably welcoming him in An actor's vocal warmup for lips and tongue.

11.

TOEIC Speaking Practice Test Michael L Farrington, A-ATC Language Services Rev 20/11/12

The speaking section of the TOEIC takes approximately 20 minutes to complete You will be asked 11

speaking questions Different types of speaking skills are evaluated including pronunciation, intonation, grammar, vocabulary, content, and cohesion.

Questions 1 and 2: Read Aloud

In Questions 1 and 2 you will be asked to read a piece of text out loud You will be scored based on your pronunciation and intonation Take a deep breath and try to read at a natural pace.

Preparation time: 45 seconds

Response time: 45 seconds

Example reading: A radio commercial

You don't need to spend all of your hard earned money on bakery bread Making your own bread

at home is easy with the new Double Duty Dough Mixer by Berring Unlike other bread machines that can be difficult to clean and store, the Double Duty Dough Mixer breaks down into five parts that can go directly into your dishwasher This stainless steal appliance will mix dough for you in

a fraction of the time it takes to knead dough by hand The automated delay feature at the

beginning of the mix cycle gives your ingredients time to reach room temperature, ensuring that your breads will rise as high as bakery bread We guarantee that the accompanying Berring Best Breads recipe book will be a family favourite.

Question 3: Describe a Photo

In question 3 you will be asked to describe a picture You need to provide as many details about the picture

as you can in the time allowed Describe the basic picture and then break down the details in a logical manner.

Preparation time: 30 seconds.

Response time: 45 Seconds

Describe the photo:

Questions 4-6: Respond to Questions

In these questions you will be given a scenario and asked to answer three questions.

Preparation time: 0 seconds

Response time: 15 seconds for questions 4 and 5 30 seconds for question 6.

Example Scenario: A student training to be a teacher is applying for a job at the local library Assist the student by answering her questions.

Question 4 Why do you want to work at the library?

Question 5 How will you balance working and studying?

Question 6 What will you do if we hire you and you don't end up liking the job?

Questions 7-9: Respond to Questions (with provided information)

In these questions you will be given information to read Then you will be asked to answer three questions related to the reading.

Preparation time: 0 seconds (the information will remain on the screen throughout)

Response time: 15 seconds for 7 and 8 30 seconds for question 9.

Example information:

FREE Pet Grooming Training Session

Do you have a cat or a dog with a shaggy coat of fur? Would you like to learn how to groom your pet

yourself? This weekend learn how to turn the anxiety of grooming into a bonding time for you and your pet

We will teach you how to:

• trim stubborn nails

• remove nasty knots

• brush your pet's teeth

• choose the perfect brush and scissors

• remove tear stains from your dog's face

• shampoo and bathe your pet

• give your pet a before and after massage

Who are we?

Tammy and Mike Power are an animal loving couple who have volunteered their time for the protection of animals for more than 20 years Their Chicago based pet spa Paws 4 U was voted #1 in the animal care category for Chicago's Best Small Businesses two years in a row For more information on this event visit the Pet Workshop website at www.chicagopetworkshops.com or call Tammy Power directly at 1-800-tam-mike No registration required.

Special Request: Though this event is offered free of charge, the organizers ask that you bring a pet food (or monetary) donation for the local animal shelter Examples of other types of donations can be found on

the Pet Workshop website.

Question 7: What kind of experience do you have with animals?

Give an example answer:

Question 8: My dog's face never looks clean Will there be any tips for dealing with this?

Give an example answer:

Question 9: Is there any sort of fee for taking your workshop?

Give an example answer: Now listen to the sample responses:

Question 10: Propose a Solution

For this question you will listen to a problem and you will have to offer a solution.

Preparation time: 30 seconds (the information will remain on the screen throughout)

Response time: 60 seconds

Listen to the example problem: Give an example solution:

Example problem (transcript):

Hi, this is Angelina Robinson I'm calling from room 23 down the hall We are a family of six, and there are only two small beds in this room The man at the front desk said this was the only room available, and he must have assumed it was only for me and my husband We can't possibly all fit on these two beds We have two teenagers, a toddler and a baby Are you sure there are no other rooms available? All of the other hotels

in town are booked because of the marathon tomorrow My husband is one of the competitors and he needs

a good night's rest.

Question 11: Express an Opinion

For this question you will listen to a familiar issue and offer your opinion on it.

Preparation time: 15 seconds

Response time: 60 seconds

13.

Some people wish they could live in warm climates all year round These places get very hot during certain months of the year In fact, studies show that heat can lead to greater crime Do you think that people in warm climates lead happier lives or not? State your opinion and provide reasons for your view.

Example responses (transcripts):

3 This is an image of a busy street in an Asian country As well as bicycles there are motor

vehicles on this street, so it is obviously a high traffic area A few of the cyclists have bicycles attached to their baskets This suggests that bicycles may be their primary source of

transportation From the architecture it appears to be a tourist or shopping district There are two tall buildings in the distance, which is likely where the business district is located There seems

to be some confusion about direction of traffic flow The cyclists are travelling on both sides of the centre line and are going in the same direction The cars, on the other hand, are going two different ways.

4 I want to work at the library because I want to get some hands-on experience working with students Also, I am very passionate about reading and I love the relaxing environment in

libraries.

5 Balancing work and study time is important I think it is a myth that students can't hold jobs I study better when I have deadlines and time constraints Unlike some other places where I could get a job, the library has reasonable hours I can work on weekends and I won't have to work too late.

6 I am a dedicated employee and I will come to work even if I don't end up loving my job I understand that it can takes months to feel comfortable in a new working environment If I still have concerns about my job after a few months, I will ask for a meeting with a manager Perhaps

I would just need to try a different aspect of working in the library Or maybe I'd need a little variety For example, I might ask if I could read to children or help out with library programs Finally, I would never leave a job without offering a two-week notice.

7 My husband and I have volunteered our time for over 20 years working for the protection of animals We also own a pet spa called Paws 4 U I'm proud to say it was voted #1 small animal care business in Chicago for the past two years.

8 Yes, we will be showing our workshop participants how to shampoo and bathe their pets

properly We wills on the Chicago Pet Workshop website You can check them out at

www.chicagopetworkshops.com That's www.chicagopetworkshops.com also show you how to remove tear stains from your dog's face I believe that is the problem you are referring to.

9 The workshop itself is free and we do not require registration However, we do ask that

participants bring a donation for the animal shelter This could be pet food or money There are some other ideas for donation

10 Hi Angelina I understand that the small room does not accommodate your family very well and I'm very sorry that we don't have any other rooms available at this time We always

recommend that guests book months in advance as this marathon attracts a lot of business from out of town How about if I put you on our cancellation list and we call you if any of our larger rooms become available? In the meantime, we could bring you a cot for your baby as well as some extra pillows and sheets.

11 I think balance is the key to a happy life This applies to everything, including the weather and climate When it is sunny for too long, people head to the shade But, if the sun hides for a few days, people flock to the beaches when it comes out I think extreme weather can make people miserable, though At least when it is too cold you can stay inside or dress in layers When

it is too hot the rain doesn't fall and crops don't grow People go hungry and have difficulty

keeping their family comfortable Though we may wish for heat during a cold winter, we

appreciate the summer days more when they finally come So, as I mentioned, I think balance is the key to a happy life And, I don't think there is any perfect climate out there.

14.