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English Pronunciation News: Fighting in Yemen

Watch the video and read along. This news report, 6/3/2011, focuses on long vowel sounds. Americans bring out vowel sounds generally, and the long vowels are actually "long." Learn the news and study American English pronunciation of the long vowels. Read former English pronunciation news reports.

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In Yemen, dozens of people were killed in street battles between government forces and armed tribesmen. Many people had to cower in basements to avoid gunfire and the booming artillery strikes. This is almost four months after protests called for the ouster of the president, and the ongoing conflict has exacerbated already dire poverty. Things do not bode well for this corner of the Arabian Peninsula. The once peaceful protests gave way to fighting last week.
     

Study the Words

Word
Sound
Meaning
1. exacerbated (ex-A-ser-ba-ded) short A is a big sound, word has both short A and long A to increase the severity of, or the violence of, to aggravate
2. Arabian (u-RA-bee-in) reduce first A, use good Long A on the stress related to the Arab land/people
3. peaceful (PEES-ful) make sure to move the lips for a good long E sound free from war or violence
4. serious (SEE-ree-us) make a good long E sound
being sincere, having deep thought
5. fire (FI-yr) open the jaw for a good long I, there is a small "y" sound between long I and R a burning mass
6. dire (DI-yr) make a good long I sound causing or involving suffering, terrible
7. forces (FOR-ses) put a circle on the lips for a clear long O physical power, military groups are called "forces"
8. bode (BODE) speak a clear long O an omen or something that predicts, often used in "does not bode well"
9. booming (BOOM-ing) move your lips to have a clear "oo" sound, Americans consider this long U, as in "flute" a deep, loud sound
10. cower (COW-er) speak a good double vowel on "ow," this sound is a short A to a long O to hide or shrink from a threat
11. ouster (OU-ster) speak a good double vowel: "ow" and "ou" have the same sound the forced removal of someone in power


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