4. Type IV: Attitude Question

Ø         What is attitude question: you may be asked a question about the speaker’s feelings, likes and dislikes, or reason for anxiety or amusement. Also included in this category are questions about a speaker’s degree of certainty: is the speaker referencing a source or giving a personal opinion? Are the facts presented generally accepted or are they disputed?

Ø         How to recognize this question:

What can be inferred about the student?

What is the professor’s attitude toward…?

What is the professor’s opinion of …?

What can be inferred about the student when she says this:

What does the woman mean when she says this:

Ø         Tips:

Pay attention to the speaker’s tone of voice.

Ø         6 tones in IBT

l         Awful: woops! Uh-uh! Oh, no! Oh, dear! Oh, shoot!

l         Remind: I don’t think you will do/ I was wondering if you will do something/ I don’t imagine if you do…/ you haven’t done something, have you?

l         Pity: what a shame/ that’s too bad./ I’m sorry to hear that/ tough luck

l         Eulogy: Fabulous=Fab; Magnificent=Magnif; Glamorous=Glam; Excellent; Terrific; Awesome; Amazing; Fantastic; Incredible; Outstanding; Superb; Charming; Good job

* to the professor: Fascinating; Catching; Instructive; Stimulating Thought-provoking;

l         Surprise: Gee! Jesus! My dear! Boy! Jesus Christ! Man! Oh, my God! Gosh! Oh, my! What! Dear me!

l         Tactful refuse: Sounds great, but/ Sounds like fun, but/ that’s tempting, but/ I wish I could, but/ I’d love to, but/ I’d really like to, but/ I would (if I could), but/ I meant to, but/ I have been meaning to (do something), but/ I should have, but…