Exercises in Word Building..19, 34, | Exercises in Dictation..11, 16, 20,

Drawing.

Application of Geometry ....17, 71, | Elementary Perspective..36, 55, 89,

THE FIFTH

MANCHESTER READER.

ON READING WITH EXPRESSION.

In order to read prose or poetry with feeling and proper expression it is necessary to pay attention to the management of the voice and the proper inflection of sentences It is also needful to pay due regard to the proper tone in which any passage to be read, should be enunciated. A few suggestions, brief it is true, but sufficient for all practical purposes will be found in the following remarks on this important branch of education.

Good reading depends entirely on clear enunciation or the distinct utterance of every word that falls from the reader's lips, and proper expression, which can only be attained by studying a subject until every word and sentence contained in it and their relation to each other are thoroughly understood.

In acquiring a good enunciation it is necessary to arrive at distinctness of articulation in the pronunciation of separate syllables, and then of syllables placed in combination to form words. Due attention must also be paid to the proper accentuation of words, or in other terms, in pronouncing words of more than one syllable, care must be taken to lay a proper degree of stress or syllabic force on the syllable on which it ought to fall.

The importance of correct accentuation will be seen at once when it is remembered that there are many words which assume different meanings according to the different modes of accentuation with which they are pronounced; thus the word min'-ute, with the accent or syllabic force laid on the first syllable means "the sixtieth part of an hour," but minute, with the stress laid on the second

part of the syllable means "extremely small." Again the word de-sert with the accent laid on the second syllable "means to leave or abandon," but des-ert with the accent laid on the first syllable means "a barren waste." It will be noticed on comparing the syllabic division of these words that the proper separation of words into their component syllables depends in a great measure on their accentuation, and that the same word when expressing different meanings under different accentuations must be differently divided into syllables. This however is not

always the case, for the word accent itself can only be divided thus, ac-cent: but if the stress be laid on the first syllable, it is a noun meaning "syllabic tone or stress," while if the stress be laid on the second syllable it is a verb meaning "to pronounce or note the accents."

In reading poetry it is almost impossible to fail in determining the proper accentuation of each word employed, but in reading prose recourse should be had to a good pronouncing dictionary where any doubt exists.

Proper expression is to a sentence or collection of words what correct accentuation is to a single word. Speaking broadly, it is attained by laying stress on certain words in a sentence so as to bring them into greater prominence than the rest, and thus convey its meaning with sufficient force and clearness to the apprehension of the listener. In giving proper expression to a sentence, there are four points to which attention must be paid, and these may be briefly stated as-1. Inflection; 2. Modulation; 3. Emphasis; and 4. Pause.

Inflection is the change which is made in the voice in going from one part of a sentence to another, or even from one sentence to another.

There are three forms of inflection or changes of the voice in reading or speaking which are distinguished as the Rising Inflection, the Falling Inflection, and the Circumflex Inflection.

The Rising Inflection, as its name implies, is marked by an upward tendency of the voice or by a raising of the voice above the ordinary tone used in speaking or reading.

The Falling Inflection as its name implies is marked by

a downward tendency of the voice, or by a lowering of the voice below the ordinary tone used in speaking or reading.

The Circumflex Inflection is of two kinds; but in either case it is a combination of the rising and falling inflections. Thus one kind of the circumflex inflection is the rising inflection followed by the falling inflection; while the other kind is the falling inflection followed by the rising inflection.

It is impossible to lay down precise rules for the use of the rising and falling inflections, but the following will be sufficient to indicate in general terms the position and circumstances in which each may be applied.

The Rising Inflection may be used: 1. After questions commencing with verbs. 2. At the end of assertions which admit of no denial, and negative sentences or members of sentences. 3. After repeated words, which should be uttered with animation. 4. At the close of any concession or comparison. 5. At the close of questions which are immediately followed by a reply or command uttered by the same speaker. 6. Between the subject and the predicate. 7. Between the chief subordinate clauses of a compound

sentence.

The Falling Inflection may be used: 1. At the conclusion of a sentence. 2. At the end of clauses of a sentence forming complete sense within themselves. 3. At the close of answers or commands following questions and uttered by the same speaker. 4. After questions commencing with pronouns or adverbs. 5. After sentences or exclamations implying admiration, awe, or solemnity.

In addition to the above it may be remarked that words or sentences placed in opposition or contrast require opposite inflections, and that the circumflex inflection is used in giving expression and animation to descriptions and conversations, as well as in interrogation of a forcible or vehement character and in giving vent to contempt, irony, derision, sarcasm or reproach, or in drawing comparisons especially of an invidious character.

In Modulation the changes of voice are more marked and of a more decided character than in mere inflection. It implies in fact a transition in the tone of the voice from one key to another as may be required by the nature of the

subject or its component parts, as well as a change in the time in which various passages of a different character should be uttered. Thus it will be seen that modulation, broadly considered, consists chiefly of changes of tone and time.

Of Tone there are three kinds, the High, the Middle, and the Low, and to these may be added the Monotone, which is sometimes spoken of as a fourth kind of inflection, but which indeed is the absence of all inflection, the monotone being used in passages implying solemnity, awe, fear, veneration, or sublimity, and consisting in the utterance of such passages in a deep, low, unvarying tone of voice.

Of the high, middle, and low tones the first rises above the ordinary tone of speech, and is used to express exultation, elevated sentiment, and any strong emotion especially of a pleasurable character; the second is the ordinary tone used in conversation, and in reading descriptive passages and narratives; while the third falls below the ordinary tone of speech, and is used to express any tender emotion, as well as care and caution, secresy, and vigilance.

Of Time it may also be said that there are three kinds in which utterance may be given to a passage according to its nature. There are Quick Time, Moderate Time, and Slow Time.

Of Quick, Moderate, and Slow Time, the first is used to express feelings of joy, mirth, and anger, as well as sarcasm, irony, and playful raillery; the second is used in descriptive and didactic pieces, in narrative, and in all passages of an ordinary nature read in a middle tone; while the third is used in passages expressive of awe, solemnity, veneration, and deep sorrow.

Emphasis is a stress laid on any word or words in a sentence, or clause of a sentence, in order to bring them into special prominence, or into marked contrast with the rest of the sentence or the emphasised portion of another sentence or clause of a sentence. It may be used in orde to indicate the sense of a passage more clearly, or by way of giving expression to feeling which the words alone would be insufficient to indicate if they were uttered in an ordinary tone.