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Test Bank for
Chapter 8: Chromosome Variation
Multiple-Choice Questions
a. Acrocentric
b. Metacentric
c. Paracentric
d. Submetacentric
e. Telocentric
Answer: b
Section 8.1
Comprehension
2. Which type of chromosome has a centromere displaced toward one end, creating a long arm
and a short arm?
a. Acrocentric
b. Metacentric
c. Paracentric
d. Submetacentric
e. Telocentric
Answer: d
Section 8.1
Comprehension
3. The centromere is near one end, producing a long arm and a knob, in which type of
chromosome?
a. Acrocentric
b. Metacentric
c. Paracentric
d. Submetacentric
e. Telocentric
Answer: a
Section 8.1
Comprehension
a. Acrocentric
b. Metacentric
c. Paracentric
d. Submetacentric
e. Telocentric
Answer: e
Section 8.1
Comprehension
a. polyploid.
b. chromatin complement.
c. karyotype.
d. genotype.
e. diploid.
Answer: c
Section 8.1
Comprehension
6. Which type of chromosome mutation increases the amount of genetic material for all
chromosomes?
a. Translocation
b. Aneuploidy
c. Polyploidy
d. Inversion
e. Transversion
Answer: c
Section 8.1
Comprehension
7. Which type of chromosome mutation decreases the amount of genetic material for one entire
chromosome?
a. Translocation
b. Aneuploidy
c. Polyploidy
d. Inversion
e. Transversion
Answer: b
Section 8.1
Comprehension
8. How is colchicine useful for studying chromosomal mutations?
Answer: a
Section 8.1
Application
9. ___________ can cause genes to move from one linkage group to another.
a. Inversions
b. Deletions
c. Polyploidy
d. Translocations
e. Unequal crossing over
Answer: d
Section 8.2
Comprehension
10. Which of the following is not a rearrangement that causes chromosomal mutations?
a. Deletion
b. Duplication
c. Inversion
d. Translocation
e. Transversion
Answer: e
Section 8.2
Comprehension
11. Which type of chromosome mutation decreases the amount of genetic material?
a. Deletion
b. Duplication
c. Inversion
d. Translocation
e. Transversion
Answer: a
Section 8.2
Comprehension
12. Which type of chromosome mutation increases the amount of genetic material?
a. Deletion
b. Duplication
c. Inversion
d. Translocation
e. Transversion
Answer: b
Section 8.2
Comprehension
13. Which type of chromosome mutation results in a chromosome segment that is turned 180
degrees?
a. Deletion
b. Duplication
c. Inversion
d. Translocation
e. Transversion
Answer: c
Section 8.2
Comprehension
14. Chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutans all have 48 chromosomes, whereas humans have 46.
Human chromosome 2 is a large, metacentric chromosome with G-banding patterns that
closely match those found on two different acrocentric chromosomes of the apes. What
would best explain these findings?
Answer: a
Section 8.2
Application
a. all
b. half
c. none
d. a quarter
e. an eighth
Answer: b
Section 8.2
Application
16. Two chromosomes have the following segments, where • represents the centromere:
KLM•NOPQR
STUV•WXYZ
KLM•NOPQR
STUV•WZ
a. Deletion
b. Tandem duplication
c. Displaced duplication
d. Reverse duplication
e. Pericentric inversion
f. Paracentric inversion
g. Nonreciprocal translocation
h. Reciprocal translocation
Answer: a
Section 8.2
Application
17. Two chromosomes have the following segments, where • represents the centromere:
KLM•NOPQR
STUV•WXYZ
KLM•NOPOPQR
STUV•WXYZ
a. Deletion
b. Tandem duplication
c. Displaced duplication
d. Reverse duplication
e. Pericentric inversion
f. Paracentric inversion
g. Nonreciprocal translocation
h. Reciprocal translocation
Answer: b
Section 8.2
Application
18. Two chromosomes have the following segments, where • represents the centromere:
KLM•NOPQR
STUV•WXYZ
KLM•NOPQR
STXYUV•WXYZ
a. Deletion
b. Tandem duplication
c. Displaced duplication
d. Reverse duplication
e. Pericentric inversion
f. Paracentric inversion
g. Nonreciprocal translocation
h. Reciprocal translocation
Answer: c
Section 8.2
Application
19. Two chromosomes have the following segments, where • represents the centromere:
KLM•NOPQR
STUV•WXYZ
KLM•NOPRQQR
STUV•WXYZ
a. Deletion
b. Tandem duplication
c. Displaced duplication
d. Reverse duplication
e. Pericentric inversion
f. Paracentric inversion
g. Nonreciprocal translocation
h. Reciprocal translocation
Answer: d
Section 8.2
Application
20. Two chromosomes have the following segments, where • represents the centromere:
KLM•NOPQR
STUV•WXYZ
KLM•NOPQR
STXW•VUYZ
a. Deletion
b. Tandem duplication
c. Displaced duplication
d. Reverse duplication
e. Pericentric inversion
f. Paracentric inversion
g. Nonreciprocal translocation
h. Reciprocal translocation
Answer: e
Section 8.2
Application
21. Two chromosomes have the following segments, where • represents the centromere:
KLM•NOPQR
STUV•WXYZ
KLM•NORQP
STUV•WXYZ
a. Deletion
b. Tandem duplication
c. Displaced duplication
d. Reverse duplication
e. Pericentric inversion
f. Paracentric inversion
g. Nonreciprocal translocation
h. Reciprocal translocation
Answer: f
Section 8.2
Application
22. Two chromosomes have the following segments, where • represents the centromere:
KLM•NOPQR
STUV•WXYZ
KLM•NOPQRYZ
STUV•WX
a. Deletion
b. Tandem duplication
c. Displaced duplication
d. Reverse duplication
e. Pericentric inversion
f. Paracentric inversion
g. Nonreciprocal translocation
h. Reciprocal translocation
Answer: g
Section 8.2
Application
23. Two chromosomes have the following segments, where • represents the centromere:
KLM•NOPQR
STUV•WXYZ
KLM•NOXYZ
STUV•WPQR
a. Deletion
b. Tandem duplication
c. Displaced duplication
d. Reverse duplication
e. Pericentric inversion
f. Paracentric inversion
g. Nonreciprocal translocation
h. Reciprocal translocation
Answer: h
Section 8.2
Application
24. Which of the following is a form of aneuploidy in which two members of the same
homologous pair are absent?
a. Nullisomy
b. Monosomy
c. Disomy
d. Trisomy
e. Tetrasomy
Answer: a
Section 8.3
Comprehension
25. Which form of aneuploidy describes an organism that is missing a single chromosome?
a. Nullisomy
b. Monosomy
c. Disomy
d. Trisomy
e. Tetrasomy
Answer: b
Section 8.3
Comprehension
a. Nullisomy
b. Monosomy
c. Disomy
d. Trisomy
e. Tetrasomy
Answer: c
Section 8.3
Comprehension
a. Nullisomy
b. Monosomy
c. Disomy
d. Trisomy
e. Tetrasomy
Answer: d
Section 8.3
Comprehension
28. Which of the following is a form of aneuploidy in which four members of the same
homologous pair are present?
a. Nullisomy
b. Monosomy
c. Disomy
d. Trisomy
e. Tetrasomy
Answer: e
Section 8.3
Comprehension
29. The inheritance of both chromosomes from the same parent is a condition called
a. displaced duplication.
b. uniparental disomy.
c. tandem duplication.
d. unbalanced polymorphism.
e. nondisjunction.
Answer: b
Section 8.3
Comprehension
a. Disomy
b. Inversion
c. Nondisjunction
d. Polyploidy
e. Translocation
Answer: c
Section 8.3
Comprehension
31. Which type of chromosome mutation is responsible for familial Down syndrome?
a. Disomy
b. Inversion
c. Nondisjunction
d. Polyploidy
e. Translocation
Answer: e
Section 8.3
Comprehension
32. What would be the consequence of a diploid gamete (resulting from meiotic nondisjunction)
being fertilized by a haploid gamete from the same species?
a. Allodiploid
b. Allotriploid
c. Autotriploid
d. Allotetraploid
e. Autotetraploid
Answer: c
Section 8.4
Comprehension
33. A man has a condition where all of his gametes undergo nondisjunction of the sex
chromosomes in meiosis I, but meiosis II proceeds normally. He mates with a woman who
produces all normal gametes. What is the probability that the fertilized egg will develop into
a child with Turner syndrome (XO)? Assume that all gametes and zygotes are viable.
a. 1/8
b. 1/4
c. 1/3
d. 1/2
e. 0
Answer: d
Section 8.3
Application
34. A man has a condition where all of his gametes undergo nondisjunction of the sex
chromosomes in meiosis I, but meiosis II proceeds normally. He mates with a woman who
produces all normal gametes. What is the probability that the fertilized egg will develop into
a child with Klinefelter syndrome (XXY)? Assume that all gametes and zygotes are viable.
a. 1/8
b. 1/4
c. 1/3
d. 1/2
e. 0
Answer: d
Section 8.3
Application
35. A man has a condition where all of his gametes undergo meiosis I normally, but there is
nondisjunction of the sex chromosomes in every meiosis II. He mates with a woman who
produces all normal gametes. What is the probability that the fertilized egg will develop into
a child with Klinefelter syndrome (XXY)? Assume that all gametes and zygotes are viable.
a. 1/8
b. 1/4
c. 1/3
d. 1/2
e. 0
Answer: e
Section 8.3
Application
36. A woman has a condition where all of her gametes undergo nondisjunction of chromosome
21 in meiosis I, but meiosis II proceeds normally. She mates with a man who produces all
normal gametes. What is the probability that the fertilized egg will develop into a child with
Down syndrome? Assume that all gametes and zygotes are viable.
a. 1/8
b. 1/4
c. 1/3
d. 1/2
e. 0
Answer: d
Section 8.3
Application
37. A human embryo is produced by the fusion of two gametes that have a normal complement
of sex chromosomes. This individual develops into an adult and is diagnosed with Turner
syndrome. How can this be?
a. An X chromosome was lost soon after fertilization, leading to mosaic individual with a
mixture of XX and XO cells.
b. Nondisjunction produced a gamete that lacked any sex chromosome. This gamete was
fertilized, which resulted in the individual with Turner syndrome.
c. This individual is a gynandromorph with a mixture of both male and female
characteristics.
d. The embryo was exposed to colchicine soon after fertilization, which produced a
polyploidy individual. Dosage compensation caused an imbalance between autosomal
and X chromosome gene expression.
e. A nonreciprocal translocation between the X chromosome and an autosome resulted in
the loss of one of the X chromosomes.
Answer: a
Section 8.3
Application
38. Wild-type Arabidopsis has 5 chromosomes (2n = 10). Trisomic plants are designated as “Tr”
followed by the trisomic chromosome number—that is, Tr1 is trisomic for chromosome 1.
Assuming that trisomy is fully viable and that all possible pairing configurations (including
nonpairing) are possible at meiosis, what proportion of the progeny from the cross wt × Tr1
will have a wild-type chromosomal complement?
a. 1/2
b. 1/3
c. 1/4
d. 1/9
e. 1/81
Answer: b
Section 8.3
Application
39. Wild-type Arabidopsis has 5 chromosomes (2n = 10). Trisomic plants are designated as “Tr”
followed by the trisomic chromosome number—that is, Tr1 is trisomic for chromosome 1.
Assuming that trisomy is fully viable and that all possible pairing configurations (including
nonpairing) are possible at meiosis, what proportion of the progeny from the cross Tr1 × Tr1
will have a wild-type chromosomal complement?
a. 1/2
b. 1/3
c. 1/4
d. 1/9
e. 1/81
Answer: d
Section 8.3
Application
40. Wild-type Arabidopsis has 5 chromosomes (2n = 10). Trisomic plants are designated as “Tr”
followed by the trisomic chromosome number—that is, Tr1 is trisomic for chromosome 1.
Assuming that trisomy is fully viable and that all possible pairing configurations (including
nonpairing) are possible at meiosis, what proportion of the progeny from the cross wt ×
Tr1;Tr2 will have a wild-type chromosomal complement?
a. 1/2
b. 1/3
c. 1/4
d. 1/9
e. 1/81
Answer: d
Section 8.3
Application
41. Wild-type Arabidopsis has 5 chromosomes (2n = 10). Trisomic plants are designated as “Tr”
followed by the trisomic chromosome number—that is, Tr1 is trisomic for chromosome 1.
Assuming that trisomy is fully viable and that all possible pairing configurations (including
nonpairing) are possible at meiosis, what proportion of the progeny from the cross Tr1;Tr2 ×
Tr1;Tr2 will have a wild-type chromosomal complement?
a. 1/2
b. 1/3
c. 1/4
d. 1/9
e. 1/81
Answer: e
Section 8.3
Application
42. What type of organism results from the hybridization of a haploid gamete from one species
with a diploid gamete from a different species?
a. Allodiploid
b. Allotriploid
c. Autotriploid
d. Allotetraploid
e. Autotetraploid
Answer: b
Section 8.4
Comprehension
a. Allodiploid
b. Allotriploid
c. Autotriploid
d. Allotetraploid
e. Autotetraploid
Answer: d
Section 8.4
Comprehension
44. A plant species has 2n = 18 chromosomes. How many chromosomes would you expect to
find in a tetrasomic individual of this species?
a. 17
b. 19
c. 20
d. 22
e. 36
Answer: c
Section 8.4
Application
45. A newly discovered species of dung beetle has 2n = 16 chromosomes. It mates with a closely
related beetle species that has 2n = 12 chromosomes. How many chromosomes would there
be in an allotriploid beetle produced from this cross?
a. 13 or 17
b. 19 or 25
c. 18 or 24
d. 20 or 22
e. 36 or 48
Answer: d
Section 8.4
Application
46. A newly discovered species of dung beetle has 2n = 16 chromosomes. It mates with a closely
related beetle species that has 2n = 12 chromosomes. How many chromosomes would there
be in an amphidiploid beetle produced from this cross?
a. 12
b. 14
c. 16
d. 28
e. 12 or 16
Answer: d
Section 8.4
Application
47. Most strains of cultivated bananas were created by crossing plants within and between two
diploid species: Musa acuminata (genome = AA) and Musa balbisiana (genome = BB). The
Cavendish banana (genome = AAA), the variety most often sold in grocery stores, has what
type of genome?
a. Allodiploid
b. Allotriploid
c. Autotriploid
d. Allotetraploid
e. Autotetraploid
Answer: c
Section 8.4
Application
48. Most strains of cultivated bananas were created by crossing plants within and between two
diploid species: Musa acuminata (genome = AA) and Musa balbisiana (genome = BB).
Some bananas have genome AAB, which is an example of which kind of polyploidy?
a. Allodiploid
b. Allotriploid
c. Autotriploid
d. Allotetraploid
e. Autotetraploid
Answer: b
Section 8.4
Application
49. Arabidopsis thaliana has 2n = 10 chromosomes, and a close relative Capsella rubella has 2n
= 16. You have created a hybrid between them and suspect that it is an allotetraploid. If you
are right, what possible chromosome numbers could the hybrid have?
a. 20
b. 23
c. 26
d. 29
e. 32
f. All of the above
g. 20 or 32
h. 23 or 26 or 29
Answer: h
Section 8.4
Application
Short-Answer Questions
51. Given an individual with a single recessive allele, explain how a deletion could result in the
expression of the recessive phenotype.
Answer: If a recessive allele for a locus is present on one chromosome, and the homologous
chromosome contains a deletion of that locus, then the recessive allele will be expressed,
because no wild-type product is produced to mask the recessive phenotype. The normally
recessive alleles expressed in individuals heterozygous for deletions are said to display
pseudodominance.
Section 8.2
Comprehension
52. A female rat that is heterozygous for an autosomal reciprocal translocation has 36 eggs that
were generated from the following 9 meioses: 4 by alternate segregation, 4 by adjacent-1
segregation, and 1 by adjacent-2 segregation. She is mated to a chromosomally wild-type
male. What is the probability that her offspring will inherit a chromosome bearing the
translocation?
Answer: Both adjacent-1 and adjacent-2 segregation will produce nonviable offspring
because the resulting zygote will have a duplication or deletion of large portions of the
reciprocal chromosomes. Therefore, only the offspring derived from gametes of the alternate
segregation need be considered. Half of the meiotic products from alternate segregation have
translocation chromosomes, so the probability is 50% that the viable offspring will bear these
chromosomes.
Section 8.2
Application
53. Describe two ways in which an inversion can alter gene expression.
Answer:
(1) Position effect: Inversions may reposition alleles in different genomic contexts, which
may significantly alter their expression. For example, alleles may be repositioned to a
heterochromatic region and be inhibited, or to a highly active region and be induced.
(2) Gene disruption: Because inversions involve cutting pieces of chromosomes and splicing
pieces of chromosomes back together, gene sequences may be disrupted. Breakpoints can
occur in gene regulatory regions, coding domains, introns, and so forth, any or all of
which may ultimately alter phenotypic expression.
Section 8.2
Application
Answer:
(1) Large deletions can be easily seen by means of microscopy because the chromosome will
be shortened. In heterozygotes, this will be obvious because sections of the longer
chromosome (corresponding to the region missing in the truncated chromosome) will
form unpaired loops of chromatin during meiotic pairing.
(2) If the deletions are relatively small and contain known genetic markers, no recombination
will be observed for the markers located within the deleted section.
(3) In deletion heterozygotes, phenotypic expression of recessive alleles, present on the
undeleted chromosome, can be expressed. This phenomenon is called pseudodominance.
(4) Deletions can also cause imbalances in the formation of quantifiable gene products (i.e.,
gene dosage difference). For example, quantification of specific gene products (e.g.,
levels of protein or mRNA, biochemical assays for production, or activities of specific
enzymes) in individuals with different genotypes (e.g., heterozygote versus homozygote)
could indicate the number of functional alleles present. Note in this case, however, that
the presence of a nonfunctional allele would cause the same phenotype as a deleted allele
because in neither case would product be formed.
Section 8.2
Application
55. Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is normally an X-linked recessive human disease
affecting boys. Girls afflicted with DMD are rare. Cytogenetic studies of several girls with
DMD have in each case revealed that these individuals carry X-autosome translocations. The
autosomes vary, but the breakpoint on the X in every case is in band p21, which is the
location of the DMD gene. Cytogenetic studies further revealed that in all cells studied in
such DMD girls the normal X chromosome exists as a Barr body. How might these
observations account for the existence of DMD-affected girls? Why is only the normal X
seen as a Barr body?
Answer: The translocation breakpoint likely falls in or near the wild-type DMD gene, such
that these DMD girls are heterozygous for a wild-type allele and a disrupted DMD gene.
Inactivation of the normal X chromosome in all cells of these females eliminates wild-type
DMD gene activity. The females thus exhibit the DMD disease phenotype. Preferential
inactivation of the untranslocated X chromosome may occur because autosomal sequences
adjacent to X chromosomal sequences on the translocated chromosome prevent inactivation.
In this case, the wild-type X chromosome would be inactivated in all cells by default.
Alternatively, X inactivation may occur randomly in the translocation heterozygotes.
However, cells that inactivate the translocated chromosome would also be expected to
inactivate autosomal genes; these cells may die due to inappropriate reduced gene dosage of
autosomal genes. In either case, consistent inactivation of the wild-type X chromosome
would eliminate wild-type DMD expression in these girls, resulting in the development of
DMD.
Section 8.2
Application
56. Isochromosomes have the structure ABC•CBA (where • represents the centromere and A, B,
and C represent wild-type alleles of three different genes). In some cases, such
isochromosomes are derived from two copies of one half of a metacentric chromosome,
which has a centromere near its center. For example, a wild-type metacentric chromosome
ABC•DEF might form two distinct isochromosomes, ABC•CBA and FED•DEF. The
centromeres of such distinct isochromosomes can be homologous, so that they cause the
segregation of the two distinct isochromosomes from each other during meiosis.
a. A mutant of genotype ABC•CBA / FED•DEF is viable. If you cross this mutant with a
wild-type individual, what would you expect to be the genotype of the offspring? Would
these offspring be viable or not? Explain.
b. What would you expect if you cross this mutant with another individual of genotype
ABC•CBA / FED•DEF? Explain.
c. You are given a pericentric inversion mutant in which this same chromosome is of
genotype ABD•CEF. In an individual heterozygous for this inversion and a wild-type
chromosome there is a crossover between C and the centromere. Draw the crossover
event and indicate the gametes that would be generated.
d. Assume that the inversion interval is very small, so that both duplications and deletions
for this interval (from C to D) do not cause inviability. Indicate the gentoypes expected in
offspring of a cross between the inversion heterozygote and an individual of genotype
ABC•CBA / FED•DEF.
Answer:
a. The gametes from the mutant would be 1/2 ABC•CBA and 1/2 FED•DEF. All gametes
from a wild-type strain would be ABC•DEF. The resultant progeny would be:
Individuals of genotype (i) are duplicated for the ABC arm of the chromosome and
deficient for the DEF arm. Likewise, individuals of genotype (ii) are duplicated for DEF,
and deficient for ABC. Duplications and deletions of such large regions of the
chromosomes would likely result in lethality, so the offspring would not be expected to
be viable.
b. If the mutant were crossed with an individual carrying the same isochromosomes, three
genotypes of progeny would be generated:
Individuals of genotypes (i) and (iii) would likely be inviable. Individuals of genotype (ii)
are identical to the parents.
c. The following diagrammed crossover will generate the following gametes in the
inversion heterozygote:
C D
A B E F
C D
A B E F
ABD•CEF (parental)
ABD•CBA (recombinant)
FED•CEF (recombinant)
ABC•DEF (parental)
d. In a cross with the ABC•CBA/FED•DEF individual, the parental gametes would all result
in lethality due to significant duplications and deletions:
1) ABC•CBA/ABD•CEF
2) ABC•CBA/ABC•DEF
3) FED•DEF/ABD•CEF
4) FED•DEF/ABC•DEF
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“Yes, querida.”
Hand in hand, the lovers left the adobe, and the somber echoing
tunnel, with the electric wires seen like a spider’s web across its
farther end, was to them an underground passage to Paradise.
—Copyright, and used by kind consent of the author.
Note.—Spanish words are pronounced according to the continental
pronunciation, and each vowel is given a syllable. “Si Ma-dre,” pronounced See
Ma´dray, yes, mother. “Ma-ma-ci-ta,” pronounced Ma-ma-cee-tah, little mother.
“Sin Ver-gu-en-za,” pronounced Seen Vehr-goo-ain´tha, shameless. “Que-ri-di-ta,”
pronounced Kay-ree-dee´tah, little love. “Por-ta-les,” pronounced Por-tah´lays,
covered sidewalks. “Gente decente,” pronounced Hen´tay day-then´tay, the
aristocracy. “Coch-i-no,” pronounced Co-chee´no, pig. “Lin-di-ta,” pronounced
Leen-dee´ta, pretty. “Que-ri-da,” pronounced Kay-ree´da, beloved.
Just before daybreak next morning three stealthy figures crept out
and made their way toward Ford’s Creek. One skulked behind the
other two, dogging their steps and taking advantage of the darkness
to keep very near to them. At the grim trysting-place they halted and
were soon joined by other stealthy figures, and together they sat
down to wait for the daylight. The seconds conferred for a few
minutes. The ground was paced off, and a few, low-pitched orders
prepared the young men for business.
“I will count three, gentlemen,” said Lieutenant Custis. “At three,
you are to fire.”
At last daylight came, gray and timid at first, and then red and bold
as the sun came clearly up. The pistols were examined and the men
placed face to face.
“Are you ready, gentlemen?”
But evidently Harrison Randolph was not. He was paying no
attention to the seconds. His eyes were fixed on an object behind his
opponent’s back. His attitude relaxed and his mouth began to twitch.
Then he burst into a peal of laughter.
“Pete,” he roared, “drop that and come out from there!” and away
he went into another convulsion of mirth. The others turned just in
time to see Pete cease his frantic grimaces of secrecy at his master,
and sheepishly lower an ancient fowling-piece which he had had
leveled at Bob Lee.
“What were you going to do with that gun leveled at me?” asked
Lee, his own face twitching.
“I was gwine to fiah jes’ befo’ dey said free. I wa’n’t gwine to kill
you, Mas’ Bob. I was on’y gwine to lame you.”
Another peal of laughter from the whole crowd followed this
condescending statement.
“You unconscionable scoundrel, you! If I was your master, I’d give
you a hundred lashes.”
“Pete,” said his master, “don’t you know that it is dishonorable to
shoot a man from behind? You see you haven’t in you the making of
a gentleman.”
“I do’ know nuffin’ ’bout mekin’ a gent’man, but I does know how to
save one dat’s already made.”
The prime object of the meeting had been entirely forgotten. They
gathered around Pete and examined the weapon.
“Gentlemen,” said Randolph, “we have been saved by a miracle.
This old gun, as well as I can remember and count, has been loaded
for the past twenty-five years, and if Pete had tried to fire it, it would
have torn up all this part of the country.”
Then the eyes of the two combatants met. There was something
irresistibly funny in the whole situation, and they found themselves
roaring again. Then, with one impulse, they shook hands without a
word.
And Pete led the way home, the willing butt of a volume of good-
natured abuse.—From “Folks from Dixie,” copyright by Dodd, Mead
& Company, New York, and used by arrangement.
PART THREE
Melodious Reading
Conversational elements: Pitch, Inflection, Color, Stress, Pause,
Movement, Time. Separate discussions and illustrations with number
of exercises for the pupil to practice. Melody in verse and in prose.
EXPRESSIVE SPEECH[9]
By Robert Lloyd
Exercises in Inflection
By inflection is meant the glide of the voice within a word to a
higher or a lower pitch. This glide may be quick and short, or long
and slow. It may be a rising or a falling glide, or both. The value of
inflection rests in its power to make what is said more emphatic, to
aid in clear enunciation, to aid in overcoming monotony. On all
emphasized words we have an intensified inflection. This is
illustrated in Portia’s speech in “The Merchant of Venice.” In studying
this excerpt we discover that all the emphasized words have a
pronounced inflection. In the first group of words, “If to do were as
easy as to know what were good to do,” we find the most intensified
inflection is upon the word “know” because this is the most emphatic
word of the group. This reveals that inflection is one of the most vital
means of emphasis.
In regard to inflection as an aid to clear enunciation, we find that
inflection occurs upon the accented syllable of a long word, and if
due attention is given to the syllable upon which the accent falls, the
word will receive a more perfect utterance. For instance, we can
readily see in the following words, which are often mispronounced,
the important part that inflection plays in the proper pronunciation of
them:
abdomen
abject
acclimate
address
admirable
alias
brigand
caricature
chastisement
chauffeur
combatant
contumely
demoniacal
discourse
exquisite
finance
grimace
herculean
horizon
impious
impotent
incomparable
indisputable
industry
inexplicable
interpolate
inquiry
lyceum
mausoleum
mischievous
obligatory
research
resource
superfluous
traverse
vagary
vehement
vehicle
virago
verbose
virtue
virtually
Kinds of Inflection
Falling Glide in the voice indicates a complete and positive
assertion. For example:
“The Prince’s banner wavered, staggered backward,
hemmed by foes!”
I find earth not gray but rosy, heaven not grim but fair of hue.
Do I stoop? I pluck a posy. Do I stand and stare? All’s blue.
—Browning.
I must have left my book on this table last night. (Read two ways.)
There are three pleasures pure and lasting, and all derived from
inanimate things—books, pictures, and the face of nature.
—Hazlitt.
What right have you, O passer by the way, to call any flower a
weed? Do you know its merits? Its virtues? Its healing qualities?
Because a thing is common, shall you despise it? If so, you might
despise the sunshine for the same reason.
Oh, yes, I begin to remember you now. Do you really think it true?
Now clear, pure, hard, bright, and one by one, like the hailstones,
Short words fall from his lips fast as the first of a shower,
Now in two-fold column: Spondæ, Iamb, Trochee,
Unbroken, firm-set, advance, retreat, trampling along,—
Now with a sprightlier springiness, bounding in triplicate syllables,
Dance the elastic Dactylics in musical cadences on;
Now their voluminous coil intertangling like huge anacondas,
Roll overwhelmingly onward the sesquipedalian words.
—Browning.
Resolve!
To keep my health!
To do my work!
To live!
To see to it that I grow and gain and give!
Never to look behind me for an hour!
To wait in weakness and to walk in power;
But always fronting onward to the light.
Always and always facing toward the right.
Robbed, starved, defeated, wide astray—
On, with what strength I have!
Back to the way!
A Study of Pitch
Pitch is simply the modulation of the voice as high or low. In
natural speech we seldom have more than one word on the same
pitch. Note the constant change of pitch in a good conversationalist.
In listening to such, we discover what?
First: If one idea is expressed on one pitch, its antithesis is
instinctively expressed on another pitch. For example: “When our
vices leave us, we flatter ourselves we leave them.” “The prodigal
robs his heir, the miser robs himself.” “Excess of ceremony shows
want of breeding.”
Second: A quick leap of the mind causes a leap in the voice, or, in
other words, it causes a change of pitch. For example: “So you say
you are going to—Well, hello, John! How did you get here?”
There can be no definite rules laid down governing Changes of
Pitch. If we think progressively, giving ourselves completely to each
successive idea, permitting our movement of tone to be the direct
outcome of the action of the mind we shall have no difficulty in
modulating our pitch.
In reading the following selections, note carefully the natural
tendency of the voice to change pitch as the mind leaps from one
thought to another.
O larks, sing out to the thrushes,
And thrushes, sing to the sky!
Sing from your nests in the bushes,
And sing wherever you fly.
Study in Stress
If we read or speak aloud naturally and earnestly, there occurs in
our voice a succession of beats or pulsations. If these pulsations
occur at regular intervals, our speech will be “singsong” and
monotonous. Thus:
a
I wandered lonely cloud
as
and
That floats on high o’er hills,
vales
a
When all at once I crowd
saw
o
A host of golden dills.
daff
—Shakespeare.
Abraham Lincoln used scripture quotations very frequently and
powerfully.