Sentence:  Quite other feelings are evidenced by this style : Note the drop to pitch 1 ( the lowest ) on mother with no rise at the end of the sentence ; this <WSD>is</WSD> a `` fade '' ending , and what you have here is a downtalking style of speech , expressing something less than conventional respect for mother . 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  be identical to; be someone or something