(单词翻译:单击)
M: Linda looked very tired these days.
W: She looked OK to me(↗).
Q: What does the woman think of Linda?
(A) She saw Linda and me.
(B) Linda said she was fine.
(C) She looked up the word for me.
(D) She considered Linda was all right.
这位女士所表达的意思就是D啦。这句话中重音落在句子的最后一个单词me上,因为女士用升调重读me,这表示了女士有意与男士的看法形成对比,意思是:在你的眼里,她显得疲惫,可在我看来,她没什么问题。这表示了她那种无所谓的态度。
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:
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.
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。
3.语调可以反应谈话人的互动性。如:
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。
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 want 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,对于下面的对话就不难理解了:
M: How long shall we stay at the Grand Canyon?
W: A day?(↗)
Q: What does the woman mean?
(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.