人们在用语言表达思想时，常会伴随着自己的情绪，或疑虑，或肯定，或赞扬，或轻蔑。声调时而高亢，时而低沉，时而又平淡。这种语调的抑扬顿挫，使语言变得声情并茂，使含义变得丰富多彩。
我国一些初学者常常会把升降误落在辅音上，从而把字母f的升调念成/efu /，把x念成“/ek/丝”，把“Is it ？”的升调念成“/is i /特”等。要避免这类错误，我们必须牢记，辅音音素无法升降，它只是依附于元音，因此不能在词尾辅音后加上其他元音来进行升降调，否则会贻笑大方。英语句子的语调一般都是由高到低，或由低到高，或先低后高，再低，一个音节一个音节顺次下降。

10.1 升调 Rising Tone

升调多用于不肯定，询问，意思未结束，或语法结构不独立。它一般遵循以下两种模式：
1) 句子的第一个音节如果是重读，那需要读得最重，然后依次下降，句子最后一个重读音节用升调，如重读音节后还有非重读音节便稍往上扬；
2) 如果是非重读，便读低，用最高声读第一个重音节，再依次下降，句子最后一个重读音节用升调，如重读音节后还有非重读音节便稍往上扬。

10.2 降调 Falling Tone

降调表示肯定，命令，语法结构独立，以及句子的结束。它也有两种模式：
1）句子的第一个音节如果是重读音节，那么读音最高，然后顺次下降；
2）如果是非重读，那么读音较低，最后一个句中重读音节用降调，如重音后还有非重读音节，则在较低处标上非重读符号。

10.3 降升调 Falling-rising Tone

降升调表示一种含蓄，客气，对比，难以置信和言外之意,情绪较为强烈。降升调常发生在最后一个音节，元音稍有拖长，较委婉。

练习一 用正确的语调朗读下列句子或对话

1) May I answer the questions in Chinese?
2) Do you think you can help me?
3) Have you had you supper?
4) May I have a look at your visa?
5) Do you like playing basketball or volleyball?
6) You are going to town, aren’t you?
7) They don’t work hard, don’t they?
8) Bus No 1, No 2 and No 5 will go to the railway station.
9) The teacher asked us to read Lesson 2, Lesson 3 and Lesson 4.
10) The government is of the people ,by the people, and for the people .
11) Unfortunately, I don’t speak French.
12) Under his bed he found an old Japanese coin.
13) Knowing that it was going to rain, they put off the picnic till next Sunday.
14) Returning to his own office, Bob loosened his tie and opened his shirt.
15) When she walked in the park she saw her teacher.
16) Shut the door, will you?
17) Your passport, please.
18) Would you like to leave a message?
19) It’s far from here.
20) What’s the matter, Tom?
21) There is something wrong with the car, I’m afraid.
22) What do you call that in English?
23) Tom wanted to play basketball. However, it was raining and he stayed at home.
24) It was late now, so,(therefore) I must go.
    --What’s your name, Sir?
    --Robert.
    --Spell it out, please.
    --R--o--b --e--r--t
    --And where are you calling from?
    --0543-818-3654
    --Thank you, Sir . Hold the line, please.

练习二 用正确的语调朗读下列句子

1) What’s your native language?
    --My native language is Chinese.
2) Excuse me, how can I find this address?
3) What time is it?
    --It’s ten.
4) How do the young people in the U.S. usually choose their husbands and wives?
5) The England team failed to win a place in the finals.
6) He told me that he had spent an hour looking for you.
7) Swimming is my favorite sport.
8) Friendship is love with understanding.
9) Tell me about it.
10) Do you expect the price to rise or to fall?
11) Don’t be afraid of making mistakes.
12) Let’s start at once.
13) How lucky I am to be invited to the party!
14) Leave me alone!
15) What a day!
16) How delightful!
17) Your mother seldom goes dancing, does she?
18) What fine weather, isn’t it?
19) My suggestion is that we should take actions immediately.
20) It is a well-known fact that the moon has no light of its own.
21) There is no difficulty that they cannot overcome.
22) A: Do have the rest of the roast duck..
    B: No, thank you. I’ve had too much already.
    A: Just take it to please me.
    B: OK, but only a small piece or I shan’t have room for any pudding.

练习三 用适当的语调和情绪朗读下列句子和对话

1) Those are the best.
2) It’s difficult to understand him.
3) John is very young.
4) –I’m sorry to keep you waiting a long time.
    –Not very long.
5) Won’t you sit down?
6) –Why don’t you have children?
    --I 'd rather not say.
7) Here we are.
8) You sewed that jacket.
9) –Bob is going to Canada next week.
    --Bob? Canada?
    --I saw him yesterday.
    --Did you?
    --He is good at English.
    --Really? But he always fails the language test.
    --He is industrious.
    --Industrious? I think he is lazy.
    --He has an uncle in Canada.
    --Oh. I see.