1. In the word `comfortable`, how many syllables are typically pronounced in British English?
A. Four
B. Three
C. Five
D. Two
2. What is the primary function of intonation in spoken English?
A. To indicate word stress
B. To distinguish between vowels and consonants
C. To convey attitude and grammatical structure
D. To improve pronunciation of individual sounds
3. Which sentence demonstrates falling intonation, typically used for statements?
A. Are you coming with us?
B. What time is it?
C. I am going to the store.
D. Really?
4. Which of the following phonetic transcriptions is INCORRECT for the given word?
A. Cat: /kæt/
B. Dog: /dɒɡ/
C. Sheep: /ʃɪp/
D. Tree: /triː/
5. Identify the word where the vowel sound is /eə/ (as in `hair`).
A. Here
B. Hear
C. Hare
D. High
6. What is the term for different pronunciations of the same phoneme in different phonetic environments?
A. Allophones
B. Homophones
C. Homographs
D. Heteronyms
7. What is a `phoneme`?
A. The smallest unit of written language
B. The smallest unit of sound that distinguishes meaning
C. A variation of a sound in different contexts
D. A group of words with similar pronunciations
8. What is `linking` in connected speech?
A. Speaking very loudly
B. Joining words together smoothly
C. Pronouncing each syllable separately
D. Using only strong forms
9. Which consonant sound is described as a bilabial plosive?
A. /t/
B. /k/
C. /p/
D. /f/
10. What is the purpose of using weak forms in English pronunciation?
A. To emphasize important words
B. To make speech faster and more fluent
C. To speak more formally
D. To pronounce vowels more clearly
11. Which of the following words has a silent letter?
A. Phone
B. Know
C. Blue
D. Tree
12. Which of the following words is pronounced with a diphthong?
A. Meet
B. Stay
C. Sit
D. Set
13. In which of the following words does the vowel sound /ʌ/ (as in `cup`) appear?
A. Come
B. Calm
C. Comb
D. Cone
14. Which sentence is likely to be spoken with rising intonation at the end?
A. I need to buy groceries.
B. She is a doctor.
C. Is it raining?
D. They live in London.
15. Which of the following words contains a triphthong?
A. Face
B. Fire
C. Fear
D. Fate
16. What is the difference between voiced and voiceless consonants?
A. Voiced consonants are produced in the front of the mouth, voiceless in the back.
B. Voiced consonants are longer in duration than voiceless consonants.
C. Voiced consonants involve vibration of the vocal cords, voiceless do not.
D. Voiced consonants are used in formal speech, voiceless in informal speech.
17. What is the difference between aspiration and unaspiration of plosive consonants?
A. Aspiration refers to voiced plosives, unaspiration to voiceless plosives.
B. Aspiration is the puff of air after the release of voiceless plosives in stressed syllables, unaspiration is the absence of this puff.
C. Aspiration is related to the length of the vowel before the plosive, unaspiration is not.
D. Aspiration only occurs in American English, unaspiration in British English.
18. Which of the following transcriptions represents the word `through` in Received Pronunciation (RP)?
A. /θruː/
B. /θrəʊ/
C. /truː/
D. /θrɔː/
19. In connected speech, what phonological process is illustrated when `sandwich` is often pronounced as `samwich`?
A. Assimilation
B. Elision
C. Intrusion
D. Weakening
20. Which of the following words contains the voiceless dental fricative sound /θ/ as in `thin`?
A. This
B. Though
C. Through
D. There
21. What is the function of the schwa sound /ə/ in English?
A. To stress important content words
B. To create clear distinctions between vowels
C. To reduce unstressed syllables
D. To lengthen vowels in stressed syllables
22. In the word `photograph`, which syllable is stressed?
A. First syllable (pho-)
B. Second syllable (-to-)
C. Third syllable (-graph)
D. All syllables are equally stressed
23. Identify the word where the `g` is pronounced as /dʒ/ (as in `judge`).
A. Give
B. Ginger
C. Go
D. Great
24. Which of these is NOT a function of sentence stress?
A. To highlight new information
B. To indicate grammatical function
C. To change the basic meaning of words
D. To express contrast
25. Which of these pairs are minimal pairs, differing only in one phoneme and having distinct meanings?
A. Ship and sheep
B. Tree and train
C. Sing and sang
D. Cloud and cloudy
26. Identify the word where the `th` is pronounced as a voiced dental fricative /ð/ (as in `this`).
A. Think
B. Through
C. Theme
D. Though
27. In which word is the `ch` sound pronounced differently from the `ch` in `chair`?
A. Chance
B. Chemistry
C. Choose
D. Church
28. Which of these words demonstrates assimilation in connected speech, where one sound becomes similar to a neighboring sound?
A. Water
B. Cupboard
C. Handbag
D. Butter
29. What is the phonetic symbol for the vowel sound in `bird` (in Received Pronunciation)?
A. /ɜː/
B. /ə/
C. /ʊ/
D. /e/
30. What is the term for a group of words that are all pronounced with the stress on the same syllable?
A. Homophones
B. Isotones
C. Isosyllables
D. Isochrones
