Mr Bardin: Good morning. My name is Bardin. I’d like to book a seat on the plane to Rome for Monday, the tenth.
Clerk: Yes, sir. Do you want to travel economy class[7] or first class?
Mr Bardin: I’d like first class.
Clerk: I’ll check the time-table for you. Will you hold on, please? There is a flight leaving Heathrow[8] at 11.55 on Monday and arriving in Rome at 13.30. It flies non-stop.
Mr Bardin: That suits me. What time do I have to get to the airport?
Clerk: You’ll have to be at West London Air Terminal[9] by 10.20 at the latest. The coach leaves for the airport at 10.30. But if you are going to the airport on your own you must be there before 11.30 and you can pick up your ticket at the airport booking-office.
Mr Bardin: Thank you. Good-bye.
Clerk: Good-bye.
5. Booking Theatre SeatsClerk: Hello. National Theatre.
Mr Lazarev: Hello. I’d like to know what’s playing[10] tonight?
Clerk: “Long Day’s Journey into Night” by O’Neill[11] starring Laurence Olivier.
Mr Lazarev: I want to reserve two stalls, please.
Clerk: Sorry, sir. All stalls are sold out. Would the dress-circle do?
Mr Lazarev: Are the seats good?
Clerk: First row (Row A), seats 16 and 17, that’ll be right in the middle to the left of the central aisle.
Mr Lazarev: How far to the left?
Clerk: The second and third seats, sir.
Mr Lazarev: All right. I guess that will do. My name is Lazarev. I’ll call for them some time around seven.
Clerk: Very good, sir. We’ll keep your booking till seven then. Good-bye.
Mr Lazarev: Thank you. Bye.
EXERCISESI. Read the dialogues and reproduce them paying attention to telephone phrases.
II. Say something in reply to the following remarks and questions.
1. Would you like to make a long-distance call, please? 2. Can you find his phone number for me? 3. Do you want to make a person-to-person call? 4. I’m afraid there will be some delay. 5. Could you spell the name, please? 6. Do I have to confirm my reservation in writing? 7. I would like to make arrangements with you for a birthday party (with the manager of a restaurant). 8. We would like to invite you for our Christmas dinner. 9. Why doesn’t this flight suit you? 10. Sorry, I can’t give you a definite answer.
III. In what situations would you say the following?
1. cannot get in touch with him. 2. The use of a large telephone directory is somewhat difficult. 3. I’m sorry you don’t have single rooms with private bathroom available. 4. I would ask you to see that the apartment is a quiet one. 5. Do you have accommodation with a less service charge? 6. We would like to make arrangements with the restaurant manager for a small dinner party. 7. A flight leaving Heathrow at 11.55 on Monday does not suit me. 8. We would prefer to have our seats in the middle of the fifth row. 9. They’ve changed the cast and we are returning the tickets to the booking office. 10. At last we have come to the airport. Thank you for the lift.
IV. Reserve by phone:
1. two rooms at the hotel for your colleagues who are coming to New York on Friday; 2. a passage on board the ship bound for Leningrad; 3. two seats on the train to Paris; you want to travel first class; 4. a table at the restaurant; arrange with the manager what you will have for dinner; you will be entertaining your friends; 5. a long-distance call to Madrid; you want to make it personal; ask the operator about the charge rates; 6. a seat on the plane to Moscow after you inquire about flights and make sure that the take-off time is convenient to you; 7. two seats at Covent Garden for a Sunday matinee.
D. INQUIRIES
Operator: Good morning. British European Airways.
Mr Sokolov: Good morning. Could you please connect me with someone who can tell me what time the afternoon plane from Moscow will be arriving?
Operator: You want Flight Information. I’ll try and put you through. I’m sorry. Flight Information is engaged at the moment. Will you hold on or call back?
Mr Sokolov: I’ll hold on, thanks.
Operator: I’m putting you through to Flight Information now.
Clerk: Flight Information. Can I help you?
Mr Sokolov: Could you please tell me if there is any delay on the flight from Moscow this afternoon?
Clerk: Yes, it’s due in at 16.35, that’s an approximate delay of twenty minutes.
Mr Sokolov: Thank you. Good morning.
2. Calling Train InquiriesTelephone Operator: British Railways, King’s Cross.
Passenger: Train Inquiries, please.
T.I.: Inquiries.
Passenger: Can you give me the times of fast trains to Edinburgh, please, and arrival time? I’d like to get there about 6.00 p.m.
T.I.: Just a minute. Let’s see. Week days 8.48 arrive 5.10, 9.30 arrive 5.30, 10.20 arrive 6.30. Do you want any more?
Passenger: No. That’s fine, thank you very much. These are week day trains, aren’t they?
T.I.: Yes, Monday and Saturday inclusive.
3. Inquiring about BooksSecretary: Consular Department.
Mr Com: This is Corn speaking. I’m calling you to inquire about some books, please.
Secretary: Yes, what kind of books are you interested in, Mr Corn?
Mr Com: You see, I’m working on the problem of American-Soviet relations prior to World War II.
Secretary: Mr Corn, this is the Consular Department and we, as a rule, do not deal with such questions. Here, in the city we have a branch office of our book company “Mezhdunarodnaya Kniga”. You may approach them if you wish.
Mr Com: What is their phone number, please?
Secretary: It is seven-seven-four; two-five-nine-three.
Mr Com: Thank you. Good-bye.
Secretary: Good-bye.
4. Renting a HouseMr Frolov: Good morning. Is this Mr Applebee?
Mr Applebee: Yes, I’m Applebee.
Mr Frolov: I’m Frolov and I’m calling about the house you advertised to rent for the summer months.
Mr Applebee: How many are you in your family, Mr Frolov?
Mr Frolov: Four: my wife, two children and myself. Your house sounds like the sort of place we need for three months — June, July and August.
Mr Applebee: Yes, of course, we have all the conveniences and plenty of rooms to accommodate all of you.
Mr Frolov: How many closets and dressers do you have?
Mr Applebee: A lot.
Mr Frolov: My wife and I would like to see your house, Mr Applebee, but I don’t have a car right now. Can we get to you easily some other way? We are on West 86th Street.
Mr Applebee: Yes, of course. Take the 86th Street subway station, and in fifteen minutes you will be here. You have our address, don’t you?
Mr Frolov: Yes, I do.
Mr Applebee: How soon would you like to come?
Mr Frolov: Is this Saturday at three o’clock all right?
Mr Applebee: Fine. I’ll expect you.
Mr Frolov: Thank you, Mr Applebee. Good-bye.
Mr Applebee: Good-bye.
EXERCISESI. Read the dialogues and reproduce them paying attention to telephone phrases.
II. Practise the spelling of the following names by phone:
Mr Smith, Miss McKennan, Mrs Sonnenfeld, Mr Kutuzov, Mr Surikov, Mr Schipatchev, Mrs Raskolnikov
III. What would you say in reply to these remarks and questions?
1. There will be a delay on your long-distance call to Paris. Will you wait? 2. Where can we get in touch with you, sir? 3. I’ve heard you are looking for a nice summer cottage. What sort of place do you need? 4. We have an apartment with all the conveniences. 5. Flight Information. Can I help you? 6. What kind of books are you interested in? 7. There is some delay on the flight from Moscow today. 8. Sorry, Train Inquiries is engaged now. 9. What information would you like to obtain? 10. Whom could we approach to make inquiries about your export of furs to this country?