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Pronunciation: Speak Method| VIDEO NASA, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, will end its 30 year space shuttle program next month. They will pay Russia 63 million a seat in order to fly U.S. astronauts to the International Space Station until U.S. spacecraft are available again. The last space shuttle to fly will be the Atlantis which is set to launch July 8th. |
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| Phrase |
Sound |
Meaning |
| NASA |
NA-suh -- the first A is the short A as in "cat," and the second A reduces to "uh" |
acronym (abbreviated name) for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration |
| aeronautics |
air-o-NAH-dics -- the T becomes a light D because it is between vowel sounds. |
the science of flight |
| shuttle |
SHU-dul -- theT reduces to a light D between vowel sounds as well as L or R |
space travel vehicle that is suitable for people |
| seat |
SEET -- use a stopped T or light T |
chair |
| astronaut |
A-stro-naht -- use a stopped T |
a person who is trained to fly into space |
| international |
inner-NA-shun-ul -- you can often let T be silent if it is after an N |
concerning/involving more than one or many nations |
| last |
LAST -- do speak a final T if it comes after a consonant |
final |
| Atlantis |
at-LAN-tis
or at-LAN-is -- T may not be reduced in formal situations because this
is a name, but may reduce in informal situations |
name of the shuttle |
| set to launch |
SET t'launch -- pause after "set" with a stopped T, then reduce "to" and combine it with the word that follows |
is scheduled to start or go forward |
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