Can You Speak Over the Telephone. Как вести беседу по телефону

Mr Block: In other words the worth of the topic depends on the time, the place, and the people you are talking to.

Mr Bulatov: You are right, Mr Block.

Dialogue 2 (Telephone Conversation)

Invitation to a Reception

Operator: Foreign Office. Good afternoon. Can I help you?

Mr Klochek: I’d like to speak to Mr Drake, please.

Operator: Who’s calling, please?

Mr Klochek: Mr Klochek of the Polish Embassy.

Operator: Wait a minute, please. (Pause.) You are through now, Mr Klochek.

Mr Drake: This is Drake speaking.

Mr Klochek: Good afternoon, Mr Drake. Klochek calling.

Mr Drake: Good afternoon, Mr Klochek. How have you been all this time?

Mr Klochek: Very well, thank you. And you?

Mr Drake: Fine, thank you. Since my return from Egypt I have been eager to see you.

Mr Klochek: You will have a chance. I’m calling to invite you and your wife to the reception to be held in our Embassy on Friday, March 27, at 6 p.m.

Mr Drake: What is the occasion?

Mr Klochek: A group of actors from the National Theatre arriving for the performance in this country.

Mr Drake: You mean from the Warsaw Theatre of opera and ballet?

Mr Klochek: Exactly.

Mr Drake: Wonderful. My wife will be delighted.

Mr Klochek: I’ll get the invitation card in the mail early morning tomorrow. We are looking forward to seeing you and your wife. Good-bye.

Mr Drake: Thank you very much, Mr Klochek. Good-bye.

Dialogue 3 (Telephone Conversation)

Invitation to a Dinner

Mr Hunter: Good evening, Mr Won Diem.

Mr Won Diem: Good evening, Mr Hunter. It’s ages I heard from you.

Mr Hunter: I’ve been away for a while. It was a business trip to Thailand.

Mr Won Diem: I’m glad you phoned me.

Mr Hunter: The days have been so crowded since my return that there have been few occasions to visit any of my friends.

Mr Won Diem: I hope to see you some day.

Mr Hunter: That is what I mean. Will it be possible for you and Mrs Won Diem to have dinner with us at seven o’clock on Friday, the tenth?

Mr Won Diem: Even if we had other plans for Friday, we should try to cancel them to have the pleasure to see both of you.

Mr Hunter: So this coming Friday, at seven. We are expecting some other interesting people to come.

Mr Won Diem: Thank you, Mr Hunter.

Mr Hunter: Good-bye, Mr Won Diem.

Mr Won Diem: Good-bye, Mr Hunter. See you on Friday.

WORDS AND WORD COMBINATIONS YOU MAY NEED

1. an essential part существенная связь

to share opinions делиться мнениями

to make friends заводить друзей

to say nothing (of) не говоря уже

touchy people обидчивые люди

lively conversation оживленный разговор

an interchange of words обмен словами

gossipn сплетня

to touch upon a subject касаться предмета

divorce развод

2. to be eager сильно желать чего-л.

to hold a reception устраивать прием

to be delighted быть очень довольным

to look forward (to) ожидать с нетерпением

3. to be crowded зд. быть наполненным

few occasions редкие случаи

cancelv отменять, аннулировать

cancellationп отмена, аннулирование

EXERCISES

I. Dramatize the dialogues.

II. Make up small dialogues of your own using the active vocabulary.

III. Have a diplomatic talk with your class-mate about the ways of entertaining guests.

IV. Invite your friends over the phone to a dinner (lunch, tea party, concert, the theatre).

C. RESERVATIONS

1. Booking a Long-Distance Call

Operator: Hello.

Mr Kozlov: Good afternoon. This is Kozlov, my room number is 523. I want to make a long-distance call, please.

Operator: Where to, sir?

Mr Kozlov: To Washington, to Sovexportfilm. I wish to speak to Mr Karelin.

Operator: Do you know the number, please?

Mr Kozlov: No, I’m afraid I don’t. Can you find it out for me?

Operator: Yes, sir. I’ll get it from the directory and call you back.

Mr Kozlov: Thank you.

Operator: Mr Kozlov, your Washington number is 357-3452. Would you like me to get it for you?

Mr Kozlov: That would be most kind of you.

Operator: Do you want to make it person-to-person?

Mr Kozlov: Yes, I’d like to.