IV. In what situations would you say the following?
1. Could you put me through to somebody who can tell me the take-off time of the plane to Milan? 2. What time does the coach leave for the airport? 3. I’ll go to the airport on my own. 4. Where can I pick up the ticket? 5. “Mezhdunarodnaya Kniga” is concerned with a wide range of records, books, stamps and other goods. 6. I would like to rent an apartment for a year. 7. Will you check my telephone line, operator? It doesn’t operate properly. 8. When is Flight 903 due to get to Washington? 9. What is the arrival time of the train from Liverpool? 10. I’m afraid your charge for the summer cottage is too high.
V. Make inquiries by phone:
1. about the take-off time of the plane to Moscow; 2. about the arrival time of the train from Paris; 3. about the goods the company is importing; 4. about the accommodation at the hotel; 5. about books dealing with modern British and American fiction, available at the shop; 6. about the trunk-call which is delayed
5. VisasWorking in groups of two, read aloud the following Telephone Dialogues.
Dialogue 1 Business VisaSecretary: Consular Department.
Mr Ноrn: Good morning. This is Horn speaking.
Secretary: Good morning, Mr Horn. Could I help you?
Mr Horn: Five days ago I sent you my passport to obtain a visa for a business trip to the Soviet Union.
Secretary: Wait a minute, Mr Horn. I’ll make some inquiries. (After two minutes’ interval.) Yes, Mr Horn, we have your completed application form and your passport. But you did not send us three passport-size photographs.
Mr Horn: I’m afraid I didn’t. The thing is, I don’t have them.
Secretary: Then go to the local photographer and have the pictures taken.
Mr Horn: Thank you. If I send the photographs tomorrow, when can I have my passport back?
Secretary: We need at least seven clear days to issue a visa. In your case we’ll do it in three days.
Mr Horn: You are very kind, thank you. Good-bye.
Secretary: Good-bye, Mr Horn.
Dialogue 2 Tourist VisaMiss Dodge: Good afternoon. Could I speak to somebody from the Soviet Consular Department, please?
Secretary: Good afternoon. Secretary’s speaking.
Miss Dodge: My name is Dodge. I am going to visit the Soviet Union as a tourist.
Secretary: You are welcome, Miss Dodge.
Miss Dodge: Should I apply for a visa personally or by post?
Secretary: Any way you wish.
Miss Dodge: What documents should I submit to the Consular Department, pдease?
Secretary: A completed application form, your passport, three recent passport-size photographs, and a letter from your travel agent.
Miss Dodge: Do I have to get in touch with a travel agency?
Secretary: Yes, Miss Dodge. All individual tourist trips to the Soviet Union are arranged through the “Intourist” Travel agency.
Miss Dodge: Can’t I arrange it through the Consular Department?
Secretary: I’m afraid, Miss Dodge, you cannot. It is done for your convenience. The “Intourist” will take care of the tickets and your hotel accommodation in the USSR.
Miss Dodge: Thank you very much. When you are open?
Secretary: Monday through Friday. Our Consular office is closed on Saturdays and Sundays and on all legal holidays.
Miss Dodge: Thank you again, Miss Secretary.
Secretary: You are welcome. Good-bye.
Miss Dodge: Good-bye.
Dialogue 3 An Applicant’s Passport is not AvailableMr Stock: Hello, is this the Soviet Consular Department, please?
Secretary: Yes, it is.
Mr Stock: This is Stock speaking. I would like to make some inquiries about the Soviet visa.
Secretary: Have you sent the documents to the Consular Department, Mr Stock?
Mr Stock: Not yet. The matter is, I don’t have the passport at present. It is with the Foreign Office.
Secretary: Then I connect you with our Vice-Consul, Mr Stock.
Vice-Consul (after a minute): Speaking.
Mr Stock explains his situation.
Vice-Consuclass="underline" As a rule, Mr Stock, the Consulate does not issue visas without the applicant’s passport.
Mr Stock: This is an urgent business trip to Leningrad, Mr Vice-Consul, and the passport will be available from the Foreign Office within three days, I am sure.
Vice-Consuclass="underline" In exceptional cases like yours we can issue a visa providing you send us all the necessary documents now, and the passport will be presented later.
Mr Stock: Thank you very much, sir. What documents do I have to supply now, except the passport?
Vice-Consuclass="underline" A completed application form, three recent passport-size photographs, and a letter from your firm confirming your business trip to the USSR.
Mr Stock: I’ll deliver the documents to your Office tomorrow afternoon.
Vice-Consuclass="underline" And the passport, of course, as soon as you get it from the Foreign Office.
Mr Stock: Sure thing, Mr Vice-Consul. Thank you very much.
Vice-Consuclass="underline" Good-bye.
Mr Stock: Good-bye.
WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS YOU MAY NEED1. to obtain visa получать визу
a completed application form анкета, заполненная подателем
clear days рабочие дни; непраздничные дни
2. to apply for a visa personally лично обращаться за визой
to submit a document предъявлять документ
a recent passport-size photograph последняя фотография паспортного размера
for somebody’s convenience для чьего-либо удобства
legal holidays официальные праздники
3. to explain a situation объяснять ситуацию
an urgent trip безотлагательная поездка
in exceptional cases в исключительных случаях
providing adv при условии, если
to supply documents представлять документы
confirm v подтверждать
to deliver documents доставлять документы; официально вручать документы
personify v воплощать(ся), имитировать
EXERCISESI. Learn the dialogues.
II. Say what documents you have to submit to the Consular Department to obtain:
— a business visa;
— a tourist visa;
— a visa when your passport is not available.
III. Make up small dialogues of your own personifying an applicant for visa and Vice-Consul.
IV. Phone the Consular Department inquiring about the delay in issuing visas for a group of Polish students.
E. CONGRATULATIONS
Mr James: Two-four-five; seven-double three-six.
Mr Serov: Good morning. Could I have a word with Mr James, please?
Mr James: Speaking.
Mr Serov: Boris Serov here, Arthur.
Mr James: Oh, hello, Boris.
Mr Serov: I’m calling to offer you my heartiest congratulations on your promotion.
Mr James: Thank you ever so much.
Mr Serov: I guess you have other fish to fry[12] and we won’t be having as many official contacts now, but I do hope that our productive cooperation will continue.
Mr James: I hope so, too. It has always been a great pleasure for me to have worked with the people from your country.
Mr Serov: Thank you. That’s splendid then. Please accept my best wishes for your future career. Good-bye, Arthur.