gce model questions vol1 2021 english_language | Oral

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Question 1 View Details
The words ‘beat' and ‘bit' contain different vowel sounds. Identify the vowel sound in each word and give its International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) symbol.
A. \/iː\/ and \/e\/
B. \/i\/ and \/ɪ\/
Correct C. /iː/ and /ɪ/
D. \/eɪ\/ and \/ɒ\/

Correct Answer: C

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Question 2 View Details
In the sentence ‘I will record the record', the word ‘record' appears twice with different meanings. Identify which occurrence is the noun and which is the verb, and write the IPA transcription of each, marking the primary stress with ˈ.
Correct A. noun /ˈrɛkɔːd/, verb /rɪˈkɔːd/
B. noun \/ˈrɛkɒd\/, verb \/rɪˈkɒd\/
C. noun \/rɪˈkɔːd\/, verb \/ˈrɛkɔːd\/
D. noun \/ˈrekɔːd\/, verb \/rɪˈkɔːd\/

Correct Answer: A

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Question 3 View Details
Consider the exchange: ‘Are you coming?' - ‘Yes, I am.' For each spoken sentence, describe the overall intonation pattern (rising, falling, or rise‑fall) and explain what pragmatic effect the pattern conveys.
Correct A. Question: rising intonation (seeking confirmation). Answer: falling intonation (conveys certainty).
B. Question: falling intonation (seeking confirmation). Answer: rising intonation (conveys certainty).
C. Question: rising intonation (seeking confirmation). Answer: rise‑fall intonation (conveys certainty).
D. Question: rise‑fall intonation (seeking confirmation). Answer: falling intonation (conveys certainty).

Correct Answer: A

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Question 4 View Details
Do the words ‘cane' and ‘can' rhyme? If they do not, state the phoneme that differs in the final syllable of each word.
A. No; differing phoneme \/eɪ\/ vs \/ɑː\/
Correct B. No; differing phoneme /eɪ/ vs /æ/
C. Yes; differing phoneme \/eɪ\/ vs \/æ\/
D. No; differing phoneme \/iː\/ vs \/æ\/

Correct Answer: B

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Question 5 View Details
Identify the primary stress in the word ‘photography' and write its IPA transcription, placing the stress marker ˈ before the stressed syllable.
A. /fəˈtɒɡɹəfi/
B. /ˈfɒtəɡrəfi/
Correct C. /fəˈtɒɡrəfi/
D. /fəˈtɒɡrəfɪ/

Correct Answer: C

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Question 6 View Details
State the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) symbol for the initial consonant sound in the word "grammar" and explain how it differs from the initial sound in the word "giraffe".
Correct A. /ɡ/
B. \/ɡʰ\/
C. \/ɡ̃\/
D. \/k\/

Correct Answer: A

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Question 7 View Details
Identify the vowel phoneme in the word "beat" and state whether it is a long or short vowel compared with the vowel in "bit".
A. \/i\/ (short vowel)
B. \/eɪ\/ (long vowel)
C. \/ɪ\/ (short vowel)
Correct D. /iː/ (long vowel)

Correct Answer: D

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Question 8 View Details
The word "politics" is used as a noun, while "political" is its adjective form. Indicate the primary stressed syllable in each word using IPA stress markers, and explain why the stress position changes when the suffix -al is added.
A. \/pɒlɪˈtɪks\/ (stress on third syllable) and \/pəˈlɪtɪkəl\/ (stress on third syllable)
B. \/ˈpɒlɪtɪks\/ (stress on first syllable) and \/pəˈlɪtɪkəl\/ (stress on first syllable)
C. \/pɒˈlɪtɪks\/ (stress on second syllable) and \/pəˈlɪtɪkəl\/ (stress on first syllable)
Correct D. /ˈpɒlɪtɪks/ (stress on first syllable) and /pəˈlɪtɪkəl/ (stress on second syllable)

Correct Answer: D

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Question 9 View Details
Read the sentence "You finished the report." How does the intonation differ when it is spoken as a statement versus as a surprised question? Indicate the pitch movement (rising, falling, or rise‑fall) for each use.
A. Statement: rising intonation; Surprised question: falling intonation
B. Statement: level intonation; Surprised question: rising intonation
C. Statement: fall‑rise intonation; Surprised question: level intonation
Correct D. Statement: falling intonation; Surprised question: rise‑fall intonation

Correct Answer: D

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Question 10 View Details
The word "bright" has the vowel sound /aɪ/. Which of its synonyms - "smart" or "shiny" - shares the same vowel sound? Provide the synonym and the vowel phoneme it contains.
Correct A. shiny - contains the vowel /aɪ/
B. smart - contains the vowel \/aɪ\/
C. shiny - contains the vowel \/ɪ\/
D. smart - contains the vowel \/æ\/

Correct Answer: A

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Question 11 View Details
A speaker says the following three sentences in a neutral British accent: 1. "Are you coming?" 2. "You are coming." 3. "You are coming!" For each sentence, specify the intonation contour (rising, falling, or fall‑rise) on the final word, and write the IPA transcription of the final vowel of the word "coming" as it is realised in that sentence.
Correct A. Sentence 1 - rising intonation, vowel /ɪ/; Sentence 2 - falling intonation, vowel /ɪ/; Sentence 3 - fall‑rise intonation, vowel /ɪː/
B. Sentence 1 - falling intonation, vowel \/ɪ\/; Sentence 2 - rising intonation, vowel \/ɪ\/; Sentence 3 - fall‑rise intonation, vowel \/ɪ\/
C. Sentence 1 - rising intonation, vowel \/ɪ\/; Sentence 2 - falling intonation, vowel \/ɪː\/; Sentence 3 - fall‑rise intonation, vowel \/ɪ\/
D. Sentence 1 - rising intonation, vowel \/iː\/; Sentence 2 - falling intonation, vowel \/iː\/; Sentence 3 - fall‑rise intonation, vowel \/ɪː\/

Correct Answer: A

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Question 12 View Details
Identify the minimal pair that contrasts the vowel sounds /iː/ and /ɪ/ from the following list: seat, sit, beat, bit, seal, sell. Provide the IPA transcription for each word in the pair and indicate which word would carry primary stress in the phrase "_____ is essential".
Correct A. Pair: seat /siːt/ and sit /sɪt/; stressed word in the phrase: seat
B. Pair: seal \/siːl\/ and sell \/sɛl\/; stressed word in the phrase: seal
C. Pair: beat \/biːt\/ and bit \/bɪt\/; stressed word in the phrase: beat
D. Pair: seat \/siːt\/ and sit \/sɪt\/; stressed word in the phrase: sit

Correct Answer: A

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Question 13 View Details
From the following pairs, select the pair that differs only in the initial consonant sound while the vowel quality and stress pattern remain identical: (a) cap - gap, (b) bat - bet, (c) seal - zeal, (d) thin - tin. Provide the IPA transcription for both words in the chosen pair and state which syllable carries primary stress.
Correct A. Pair (c): seal /siːl/ and zeal /ziːl/; stress on the sole syllable of each word
B. Pair (c): seal \/siːl\/ and zeal \/ziːl\/; stress on the first syllable of each word
C. Pair (b): bat \/bæt\/ and bet \/bɛt\/; stress on the sole syllable of each word
D. Pair (d): thin \/θiːn\/ and tin \/tiːn\/; stress on the sole syllable of each word

Correct Answer: A

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Question 14 View Details
Identify which of the following words does NOT rhyme with the others: bought, thought, fought, brought, bark. Provide the phonemic ending for the rhyming group and the phonemic ending for the non‑rhyming word.
A. Non‑rhyming word: bark \/bɑːk\/; rhyming group ending: \/ɒt\/
B. Non‑rhyming word: bought \/bɔːt\/; rhyming group ending: \/ɑːk\/
Correct C. Non‑rhyming word: bark /bɑːk/; rhyming group ending: /ɔːt/
D. Non‑rhyming word: thought \/θɔːt\/; rhyming group ending: \/ɑːk\/

Correct Answer: C

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Question 15 View Details
The sentence "I never said she stole the money" can convey different meanings depending on which word receives primary stress. List three distinct stress patterns (indicating the stressed word each time) and for each pattern write the corresponding pragmatic meaning. Also transcribe the stressed word in IPA.
A. Stress the (\/ðə\/): "It wasn't the money that was stolen."; Stress she (\/ʃiː\/): "She never stole the money."; Stress never (\/ˈnɛvə\/): "I always said she stole the money."
B. Stress I (\/aɪ\/): "I am the one who said it."; Stress never (\/ˈnɛvə\/): "I sometimes said it."; Stress she (\/ʃiː\/): "She definitely stole the money."
C. Stress said (\/sɛd\/): "It wasn't said that she stole the money."; Stress stole (\/stoʊl\/): "It wasn't she who stole the money."; Stress money (\/ˈmʌni\/): "I never said she stole the money."
Correct D. Stress I (/aɪ/): "It wasn't I who said it."; Stress never (/ˈnɛvə/): "I did not say it at any time."; Stress she (/ʃiː/): "It wasn't she who stole the money."

Correct Answer: D

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Question 16 View Details
In the persuasive sentence "We must invest in renewable energy now", identify the words that carry primary stress, indicate the intonation contour (rising or falling) for each major phrase, and rewrite the sentence using IPA symbols with appropriate stress markers.
A. /wi ˈmʌst ɪnˈvɛst ɪn rɪˈnjuːəbəl ˈɛnərdʒi ˈnaʊ/ (primary stress on must, invest, renewable, energy, now; falling intonation to now, rising on must)
B. /wi ˈmʌst ɪnˈvɛst ɪn rɪˈnjuːəbəl ˈɛnərdʒi ˈnaʊ/ (primary stress on must, vest, renew, en, now; falling intonation to renewable, rising on must)
Correct C. /wi ˈmʌst ɪnˈvɛst ɪn rɪˈnjuːəbəl ˈɛnərdʒi ˈnaʊ/ (primary stress on must, vest, new, en, now; falling intonation to energy, rising on now)
D. /wi ˈmʌst ɪnˈvɛst ɪn rɪˈnjuːəbəl ˈɛnərdʒi ˈnaʊ/ (primary stress on we, invest, renewable, energy, now; falling intonation to must, rising on energy)

Correct Answer: C

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Question 17 View Details
Complete the sentence: "When the alarm rang, he ______ to the exit." The missing word must contain the short vowel /ɪ/ as in "bit" and be a verb meaning "to run quickly".
A. spilled
B. snipped
C. skipped
Correct D. sprinted

Correct Answer: D

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Question 18 View Details
From the list "street, strong, star, straw", which word contains the consonant cluster /str/ and what is the place of articulation for each sound in that cluster?
Correct A. street - /s/ (voiceless alveolar fricative), /t/ (voiceless alveolar stop), /r/ (alveolar approximant)
B. strong - \/s\/ (voiceless alveolar fricative), \/t\/ (voiceless alveolar stop), \/r\/ (alveolar approximant)
C. star - \/s\/ (voiceless alveolar fricative), \/t\/ (voiceless alveolar stop), \/r\/ (alveolar approximant)
D. street - \/s\/ (voiceless alveolar fricative), \/t\/ (voiceless dental stop), \/r\/ (alveolar approximant)

Correct Answer: A

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Question 19 View Details
Transcribe the sentence "The teacher's explanation was clear" into IPA, marking primary and secondary stress with the symbols ˈ and ˌ.
Correct A. /ðə ˈtiːtʃəz ˌekspləˈneɪʃən wɒz ˈklɪə/
B. /ðə ˈtiːtʃəz ˈekspləˈneɪʃən wɒz ˌklɪə/
C. /ðə ˈtiːtʃəz ˌekspləˈneɪʃən wɒz ˈklɪəˌɪŋ/
D. /ðə ˈtiːtʃəz ˈekspləneɪʃən wɒz ˈklɪə/

Correct Answer: A

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Question 20 View Details
For the idiomatic expression "break the ice", indicate which word carries the primary stress, which carries secondary stress, and how the article "the" is typically reduced in casual speech.
A. Primary stress on "break", secondary stress on "the", "the" reduced to \/ðɪ\/ (short i).
B. Primary stress on "ice", secondary stress on "break", "the" reduced to \/ɪ\/ (short i).
Correct C. Primary stress on "break", secondary stress on "ice", "the" reduced to /ðə/ (schwa).
D. Primary stress on "break", secondary stress on "ice", "the" reduced to \/θə\/ (theta).

Correct Answer: C

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Question 21 View Details
Identify the word whose stressed vowel sound is different from the other three: (a) beat, (b) seat, (c) heat, (d) bit.
A. heat
B. beat
Correct C. bit
D. seat

Correct Answer: C

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Question 22 View Details
In the sentence "She decided to record the concert," provide the phonetic transcription of the word *record* as used here and state which syllable carries the primary stress.
A. /ˈrɪkɔːd/, second syllable
Correct B. /rɪˈkɔːd/, second syllable
C. /rɪˈkɔːd/, first syllable
D. /ˈrɛkɔːd/, first syllable

Correct Answer: B

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Question 23 View Details
What is the consonant contrast between the initial sounds of the words *thin* and *then*? Give the IPA symbols and describe the articulatory difference.
A. \/θ\/ (voiceless dental fricative) vs \/d\/ (voiced alveolar stop)
B. \/θ\/ (voiced dental fricative) vs \/ð\/ (voiceless dental fricative)
Correct C. /θ/ (voiceless dental fricative) vs /ð/ (voiced dental fricative)
D. \/s\/ (voiceless alveolar fricative) vs \/z\/ (voiced alveolar fricative)

Correct Answer: C

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Question 24 View Details
Consider the short dialogue:\nA: "Are you coming to the party?"\nB: "Yes, I will be there."\nIdentify the intonation pattern (rising, falling, or rise‑fall) used in each speaker's utterance.
A. A: rising; B: rise‑fall
B. A: rise‑fall; B: falling
C. A: falling; B: rising
Correct D. A: rising; B: falling

Correct Answer: D

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Question 25 View Details
Group the following words into sets that rhyme (identical vowel and final consonant sounds): cane, rain, lane, bone, tone, stone.
A. {cane, bone, tone} and {rain, lane, stone}
Correct B. {cane, rain, lane} and {bone, tone, stone}
C. {cane, lane, stone} and {rain, bone, tone}
D. {cane, rain, tone} and {lane, bone, stone}

Correct Answer: B

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