Questions from the Midterm

Question 1

Which of the following sets of sounds cannot be accompanied by airflow through the nasal passage? (Two correct answers.)

a) [m], [ŋ], [o]
b) [a], [e], [ʘ]
c) [pʼ], [t], [ɟ]
d) [L], [ǃ], [ɓ]

Answer 1

c) [pʼ], [t], [ɟ]
d) [L], [ǃ], [ɓ]

Question 2

The waveform and spectrogram below includes three English words. Match the words represented by the waveforms and spectrograms in order:

a) s’more, Smith, slide
b) s’more, slide, Smith
c) Smith, slide, s’more
d) Smith, s’more, slide

Answer 2

a) s’more, Smith, slide

Question 3

What is the frequency of the following sine wave?

a) 175 Hz
b) 125 Hz
c) 200 Hz
d) 150 Hz

Answer 3

a) 175 Hz

Question 4

Which of the following sounds are produced as a result of a difference between the pressure on the vocal folds and the sub-glottal pressure?

a) [t], [g]
b) [ʙ], [i]
c) [p], [k]
d) [ŋ], [k]

Answer 4

b) [ʙ], [i]

Question 5

Which of the sound pairs below differ in both their active articulator and passive articulator?

a) [f], [b]
b) [k], [g]
c) [ɢ], [ʀ]
d) [s], [tʃ]

Answer 5

d) [s], [tʃ]

Question 6

Which of the following is true about the relationship between the sine function and sine waves? (Two correct answers.)

a) The output of the sine function is always between -1 and +1, which results in a constant amplitude of 1 for sine waves.
b) The amplitude of a sine wave is determined by the frequency of the wave.
c) The sine function is defined as the ratio between the adjacent side and the hypotenuse of a right-angled triangle.
d) As the angle changes, the sine value (the ratio between the opposite side and the hypotenuse) also changes.

Answer 6

c) The sine function is defined as the ratio between the adjacent side and the hypotenuse of a right-angled triangle.
d) As the angle changes, the sine value (the ratio between the opposite side and the hypotenuse) also changes.

Question 7

Which of the following vowels are similar in their first formant measurements? (Two correct answers.)

a) [u], [o]
b) [i], [y]
c) [ɯ], [i]
d) [ɔ ], [œ]

Answer 7

c) [ɯ], [i]
d) [ɔ ], [œ]

Question 8

Which of the following sets of vowels have similar lip configuration in terms of spreading or rounding? (Two correct answers.)

a) /i/, /u/, and /ɛ/
b) /e/, /æ/, and /ɔ/
c) /u/, /o/, and /ɔ/
d) /i/, /e/, and /æ/

Answer 8

c) /u/, /o/, and /ɔ/
d) /i/, /e/, and /æ/

Question 9

The illustrations below are different palatograms corresponding to different speech sounds. In these images the top of each panel is the anterior (i.e., front) of the palate and the bottom is the posterior (i.e., back). Black blocks means there is contact between the tongue and the palate. Match the order of possible consonants represented by the palatograms (from left to right):

a) [ɗ], [r], [l]
b) [k], [z], [x]
c) [t], [l], [s]
d) [d], [s], [l]

Answer 9

d) [d], [s], [l]

Question 10

Choose the sound the midsagittal diagram below represents.

a) [ɲ]
b) [c]
c) [ɳ]
d) [ç]

Answer 10

a) [ɲ]

Question 11

Which process determines the difference between [ɗ] and [ɖ]?

a) airstream process
b) phonation process
c) voicing process
d) articulatory process

Answer 11

a) airstream process

Question 12

Which of the following are TRUE about harmonics? (Two correct answers.)

a) Harmonics correspond to multiples of the fundamental frequency.
b) Both narrowband and broadband spectra can provide information about the frequencies of the harmonics.
c) Harmonics are always spaced evenly in a given spectrum, regardless of the fundamental frequency.
d) Only broadband spectra display clear harmonic structures.

Answer 12

a) Harmonics correspond to multiples of the fundamental frequency.
c) Harmonics are always spaced evenly in a given spectrum, regardless of the fundamental frequency.

Question 13

The diagram below shows the production of an alveolar implosive. What is step 2?

a) Downward movement of the glottis. Air from lungs continues to flow through the glottis.
b) Upward movement of the glottis. Air from lungs stops flowing through the glottis.
c) Upward movement of the glottis. Air from lungs continues to flow through the glottis.
d) Downward movement of the glottis. Air from lungs stops flowing through the glottis.

Answer 13

a) Downward movement of the glottis. Air from lungs continues to flow through the glottis.

Question 14

Which ones are TRUE about the relationship between waveform, spectrum, and spectrogram? (Two correct answers.)

a) A waveform displays changes in amplitude over time, but does not directly show frequency information.
b) A spectrogram shows how both frequency and amplitude change over time.
c) A waveform provides information on frequency, amplitude, and time simultaneously.
d) A spectrum displays how amplitude changes with time, but does not represent frequency.

Answer 14

a) A waveform displays changes in amplitude over time, but does not directly show frequency information.
b) A spectrogram shows how both frequency and amplitude change over time.

Question 15

Which one is true about the relationship between the choice of sampling frequency, bit depth, and their ability to retain information from analog signals? (Two correct answers.)

a) Increasing bit depth without increasing sampling frequency improves the temporal resolution of the digital signal.
b) Lower sampling frequencies can retain the same amount of detail as higher frequencies if the bit depth is increased.
c) Higher sampling frequencies capture more detail from the analog signal, reducing the chance of aliasing.
d) Bit depth determines the accuracy of the signal’s amplitude representation, with higher bit depth capturing more precise amplitude levels.

Answer 15

c) Higher sampling frequencies capture more detail from the analog signal, reducing the chance of aliasing.
d) Bit depth determines the accuracy of the signal’s amplitude representation, with higher bit depth capturing more precise amplitude levels.