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MP3

30 [thirty]

At the restaurant 2

30 [thirty]	At the restaurant 2

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Tonal Languages

Most of all the languages spoken worldwide are tonal languages. With tonal languages, the pitch of the tones is crucial. They determine what meaning words or syllables have. Thus, the tone belongs firmly to the word. Most of the languages spoken in Asia are tonal languages. For example, Chinese, Thai and Vietnamese. There are also various tonal languages in Africa. Many indigenous languages in America are tonal languages as well. Indo-European languages mostly contain only tonal elements. This applies to Swedish or Serbian, for example. The number of tone pitches is varied in individual languages. Four different tones are distinguishable in Chinese. With this, the syllable ma can have four meanings. They are mother, hemp, horse and to rant . Interestingly, tonal languages also impact our hearing. Studies on absolute hearing have shown this. Absolute hearing is the ability to identify heard tones accurately. Absolute hearing occurs very rarely in Europe and North America. Fewer than 1 in 10,000 people have it. It's different with native speakers of Chinese. Here, 9 times as many people have this special ability. We all had absolute hearing when we were infants. We used it to learn to speak correctly. Unfortunately, most people lose it later on. The pitch of tones is also important in music. This is especially true for cultures that speak a tonal language. They must adhere to the melody very precisely. Otherwise a beautiful love song comes out as an absurd song!

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An apple juice, please.	A_ a_p_e j_i_e_ p_e_s_. An apple juice, please. A_ a____ j_____ p______ An apple juice, please. __ _____ ______ _______ An apple juice, please.
A lemonade, please.	A l_m_n_d_, p_e_s_. A lemonade, please. A l________ p______ A lemonade, please. _ _________ _______ A lemonade, please.
A tomato juice, please.	A t_m_t_ j_i_e_ p_e_s_. A tomato juice, please. A t_____ j_____ p______ A tomato juice, please. _ ______ ______ _______ A tomato juice, please.

I’d like a glass of red wine.	I_d l_k_ a g_a_s o_ r_d w_n_. I’d like a glass of red wine. I__ l___ a g____ o_ r__ w____ I’d like a glass of red wine. ___ ____ _ _____ __ ___ _____ I’d like a glass of red wine.
I’d like a glass of white wine.	I_d l_k_ a g_a_s o_ w_i_e w_n_. I’d like a glass of white wine. I__ l___ a g____ o_ w____ w____ I’d like a glass of white wine. ___ ____ _ _____ __ _____ _____ I’d like a glass of white wine.
I’d like a bottle of champagne.	I_d l_k_ a b_t_l_ o_ c_a_p_g_e_ I’d like a bottle of champagne. I__ l___ a b_____ o_ c_________ I’d like a bottle of champagne. ___ ____ _ ______ __ __________ I’d like a bottle of champagne.

Do you like fish?	D_ y_u l_k_ f_s_? Do you like fish? D_ y__ l___ f____ Do you like fish? __ ___ ____ _____ Do you like fish?
Do you like beef?	D_ y_u l_k_ b_e_? Do you like beef? D_ y__ l___ b____ Do you like beef? __ ___ ____ _____ Do you like beef?
Do you like pork?	D_ y_u l_k_ p_r_? Do you like pork? D_ y__ l___ p____ Do you like pork? __ ___ ____ _____ Do you like pork?

I’d like something without meat.	I_d l_k_ s_m_t_i_g w_t_o_t m_a_. I’d like something without meat. I__ l___ s________ w______ m____ I’d like something without meat. ___ ____ _________ _______ _____ I’d like something without meat.
I’d like some mixed vegetables.	I_d l_k_ s_m_ m_x_d v_g_t_b_e_. I’d like some mixed vegetables. I__ l___ s___ m____ v__________ I’d like some mixed vegetables. ___ ____ ____ _____ ___________ I’d like some mixed vegetables.
I’d like something that won’t take much time.	I_d l_k_ s_m_t_i_g t_a_ w_n_t t_k_ m_c_ t_m_. I’d like something that won’t take much time. I__ l___ s________ t___ w____ t___ m___ t____ I’d like something that won’t take much time. ___ ____ _________ ____ _____ ____ ____ _____ I’d like something that won’t take much time.

Would you like that with rice?	W_u_d y_u l_k_ t_a_ w_t_ r_c_? Would you like that with rice? W____ y__ l___ t___ w___ r____ Would you like that with rice? _____ ___ ____ ____ ____ _____ Would you like that with rice?
Would you like that with pasta?	W_u_d y_u l_k_ t_a_ w_t_ p_s_a_ Would you like that with pasta? W____ y__ l___ t___ w___ p_____ Would you like that with pasta? _____ ___ ____ ____ ____ ______ Would you like that with pasta?
Would you like that with potatoes?	W_u_d y_u l_k_ t_a_ w_t_ p_t_t_e_? Would you like that with potatoes? W____ y__ l___ t___ w___ p________ Would you like that with potatoes? _____ ___ ____ ____ ____ _________ Would you like that with potatoes?

That doesn’t taste good.	T_a_ d_e_n_t t_s_e g_o_. That doesn’t taste good. T___ d______ t____ g____ That doesn’t taste good. ____ _______ _____ _____ That doesn’t taste good.
The food is cold.	T_e f_o_ i_ c_l_. The food is cold. T__ f___ i_ c____ The food is cold. ___ ____ __ _____ The food is cold.
I didn’t order this.	I d_d_’_ o_d_r t_i_. I didn’t order this. I d_____ o____ t____ I didn’t order this. _ ______ _____ _____ I didn’t order this.

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