4. Articulation. Repeat the following distinctly and rapidly, carefully articulating the last syllable of each word: Ceaseth, approacheth, rejoiceth, ceaseth. Approacheth, rejoiceth, ceaseth, approacheth. PART 2. EXPRESSION VARIETY Variety in reading is in keeping with the law of nature. The landscape would be monotonous to us if there were nothing but plains, but everywhere we look we see variety -in hills and valleys, in sunshine and clouds, and in trees and flowers. Many of the extracts presented in these lessons refer directly to nature, and therefore to read them naturally you must practise them aloud until you can express them with suitable variety. As you read the words of a passage, think at the moment of utterance what such words mean; and not only think of what you are saying, but try to feel what the author felt by putting yourself into his mood. One of the common faults of school reading is a tendency to be monotonous and mechanical. If you carefully follow these simple suggestions, there will be little doubt about the variety and effectiveness of your general reading style. EXAMPLES FOR PRACTISE 1. There was all the excitement of a race about it. Chirp, chirp, chirp! cricket a mile ahead. Hum, hum, hum-m-m! kettle making play in the distance, like a great top. Chirp, chirp, chirp! cricket round the corner. Hum, hum, hum-m-m! kettle sticking to him in his own way; no idea of giving in. Chirp, chirp, chirp, cricket fresher than ever. Hum, hum, hum-m-m! kettle slow and steady. Chirp, chirp, chirp! cricket going in to finish him. Hum, hum, hum-m-m! kettle not to be finished. Until at last they got so jumbled together in the hurry-scurry, helter-skelter of the match, that whether the kettle chirped and the cricket hummed, or the cricket chirped and the kettle hummed, or they both chirped and both hummed, it would have taken a clearer head than yours or mine to have decided with certainty. "The Tea-Kettle and the Cricket." CHARLES DICKENS. 2. The blue sky now turned more softly gray; the great watch-stars shut up their holy eyes; the east began to kindle. Faint streaks of purple soon blushed along the sky; the whole celestial concave was filled with the inflowing tides of the morning light, which came pouring down from above in one great ocean of radiance; till at length, as we reached the Blue Hills, a flash of purple fire blazed out from above the horizon, and turned the dewy tear-drops of flower and leaf into rubies and diamonds. In a few seconds the everlasting gates of the morning were thrown wide open, and the lord of day, arrayed in glories too severe for the gaze of man, began his state. "The Glories of Morning." EDWARD EVERETT. 3. O sing unto the Lord a new song: sing unto the Lord, all the earth. Sing unto the Lord, bless his name; shew forth his salvation from day to day. Declare his glory among the heathen, his wonders among all people. For the Lord is great, and greatly to be praised: he is to be feared above all gods. "Psalm 96:1-4." THE BIBLE. 4. There is a positive pleasure in a golden bath of early morning light. Your room is filled and glorified. You awake in the very spirit of light. It creeps upon you, and suffuses your soul, pierces your sensibility, irradiates the thoughts, and warms and cheers the whole day. It is sweet to awake and find your thoughts moving to the gentle measures of soft music; but we think it full as sweet to float into morning consciousness upon a flood of golden light, silent tho it be! What can be more delicious than a summer morning, dawning through your open windows, to the sound of innumerable birds, while the shadows of branches and leaves sway to and fro along the wall, or spread new patterns on the floor, wavering with perpetual change! "Windows." HENRY WARD BEECHER. 5. "Exactly so," replied the pendulum; "well, I appeal to you all, if the very thought of this was not enough to fatigue one; and when I began to multiply the strokes of one day by those of months and years, really it is no wonder if I felt discouraged at the prospect; and so, after a great deal of reasoning and hesitation, thinks I to myself, I'll stop." The dial could scarcely keep its countenance during this harangue; but, resuming its gravity, thus replied: "Dear Mr. Pendulum, I am really astonished that such a useful, industrious person as yourself should have been overcome by this sudden inaction. It is true you have done a great deal of work in your time; so have we all, and are likely to do; which, altho it may fatigue us to think of, the question is, whether it will fatigue us to do. Would you now do me the favor to give about half a dozen strokes, to illustrate my argument?" The pendulum complied, and ticked six times in its usual pace. "Now," resumed the dial, "may I be allowed to inquire if that exertion was at all fatiguing or disagreeable to you?" "Not in the least," replied the pendulum; "it is not of six strokes that I complain, nor of sixty, but of millions. “Very good," replied the dial; "but recollect, that tho you may think of a million strokes in an instant, you are required to execute but one; and that however often you may hereafter have to swing, a moment will always be given you to swing in." "That consideration staggers me, I confess, "said the pen dulum. "Then I hope," resumed the dial-plate, "we shall all immediately return to our duty; for the maids will lie in bed if we stand idling thus." Upon this, the weights, who had never been accused of light conduct, used all their influence in urging him to proceed; when, as with one consent, the wheels began to turn, the hands began to move, the pendulum began to swing, and, to its credit, ticked as loud as ever; while a red beam of the rising sun, that streamed through a hole in the kitchen, shining full upon the dial-plate, it brightened up, as if nothing had been the matter. When the farmer came down to breakfast that morning, upon looking at the clock, he declared that his watch had gained half an hour in the night." "The Discontented Pendulum.” JANE TAYLOR. FOURTH LESSON PART 1. DRILL 1. Physical Culture. Clench the fists, the palms upward, the elbows sharply bent and close to the sides, the forearm horizontal. Extend the arms at full length forward, opening the hands, the palms downward. Bring the arms back energetically to the former position, endeavoring to expand the chest as much as possible. Breathe deeply and fully. 2. Deep Breathing. Place the hands against the lower ribs, inhale through the nostrils and expand the waist sidewise as much as possible. Exhale slowly through the nostrils, while contracting the waist sidewise, offering a slight pressure with the hands. 3. Voice Exercise. Fill the lungs and explode the voice upon the sound of ha. Draw in the breath quickly and again sharply strike the sound ha, making it ring against the back of the upper teeth. Repeat this on various keys, but always in a speaking voice. Care must be taken to convert all the breath that is emitted into pure tone. 4. Articulation. Repeat the following vowels slowly and distinctly. After considerable practise repeat them rapidly, but always with special regard to flexibility of lips and distinctness. |