t,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:
14)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。
15)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]Allexcept 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:
16)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:
17)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。