Т. Шелкова - Как вести беседу по телефону

Harry: Cynthia? Cynthia! Oh yes. How are you?

Cynthia: I’m fine. And you and Barbara?

Harry: Oh, we’re both well.

Cynthia: Oh, that’s good. Look, I’m ringing to ask you a small favour. I hope you don’t mind.

Harry: No. No, of course not. Anything I can do, within reason [117] within reason : not beyond one’s possibilities .

Cynthia: Well, the thing is that — you know Shirley?

Harry: Shirley? I don’t think so.

Cynthia: You know, she’s the girl I work with. I think you met her.

Harry: Did I? When?

Cynthia: She’s the one with red hair.

Harry: Oh.

Cynthia: Anyway, I wondered — well — you see Shirley and I are giving a party. Of course we wondered if you and Barbara would like to come…

Harry: Well, that’s very nice of you, I’m sure.

Cynthia: We’d love to have you.

Harry: We’d love to come.

Cynthia: Well, the point is, you see, that we wanted to invite a lot of interesting people.

Harry: Oh yes -

Cynthia: Yes — and well, you know our flat; it really isn’t big enough. And we were wondering if there was just the smallest chance of having it at your place — just for the evening, you know.

Harry: Well — we’d love to let you, of course. But just now it would be a little difficult.

Cynthia: Oh, no. It wouldn’t be now. In about two week’s time.

Harry: Two weeks. Oh, I see. But — unfortunately — I think that would be even more difficult. You see, we’re haying part of the house redecorated, and in two weeks -

Cynthia: I suppose it wouldn’t be possible to use the rooms that aren’t being decorated?

Harry: Well, you know what it’s like, Cynthia, when you’ve got the decorators in; you don’t quite know where you are if you see what I mean -

Cynthia: Yes — yes, of course. It is a pity. I don’t know what we’ll do.

Harry: I’m sorry. We’d help if we could.

Cynthia: Well… Good-bye then, Harry.

Harry: Good-bye, Cynthia.

Joyce: Well, what have you been up to [118] to be up to something usually implies something not altogether permissible, or at least surreptitious. “What have you been up to this time?” implies something likely to involve punishment. So the phrase is used jocularly, from one friend to another, implying that he or she must have been doing something out of the ordinary or at least interesting. since I saw you first?

Kate: I haven’t been up to anything, I’m afraid [119] I’m afraid implies no fear, only regret that she has nothing more interesting to tell. . Just the usual grind [120] Just the usual grind is a way of describing monotony; nothing severe or otherwise unpleasant is implied. . Have you been doing anything?

Joyce: No. James is off to Italy again tomorrow for his firm. He rings me every night from Turin, which is a comfort.

Kate: So you’ll be absolutely tied again with the children?

Joyce: Of course.

Kate: The firm would never pay for you to go to Italy as well, I suppose?

Joyce: As a matter of fact, that’s just come up [121] come up : two idioms with “come” — “come up” meaning “to arise, to occur” and “come off meaning “to take place” for the first time. There’s a big job of entertaining coming off [121] come up : two idioms with “come” — “come up” meaning “to arise, to occur” and “come off meaning “to take place” in about a fortnight — all the possible buyers and their wives are invited to Turin for a demonstration and a party afterwards, and they say they’d pay for me to go and play hostess [122] play hostess : “play” is often used as here to mean “fulfil the function of. and look nice, but of course, with the children… And anyway, what have I got to look nice in?

Kate: I say, ducky, I’ve just got an idea. When is this do at Turin [123] this do at Turin : “do”, used as a noun, is one of the many colloquial words for a social occasion. ? It wouldn’t be at a week-end by any chance?

Joyce: It’s to be a Saturday — best time for a party.

Kate: Well, look here [124] Well, look here is more emphatic than “I say”, to begin a new statement. , why don’t I come and look after [125] Why don’t I come and look after… : this is a more forceful phrase than “Why shouldn’t I?”. It contains the hint of a firm offer which ought not to be refused. Michael and Jane for the week-end? They’re not such demons [126] demons : lively children are conventionally referred to as “young demons” — a phrase conveying admiration for their vitality but at the same time sympathy for the trouble which they can cause. as you seem to think, you know. We usually get on fine [127] get on means “get on well together”, “like each other and are good companions”. .

Joyce: Oh — it’s terribly sweet of you, but I couldn’t.

Kate: Yes, you could. Now sort it out with James [128] sort it out with James : discuss this question with James this evening before he goes. I’ll come over [129] I’ll come over simply means “I’ll come to you”. on the Friday night, and I’ll stay over the Monday too — I’ll get the day off from the office — so you needn’t get back till late on Monday and you can see a bit of Italy as well.

Joyce: No, I can’t really… Really you shouldn’t.

Kate: Now shut up. No more nonsense. It’s settled. Just see the frig [130] frig : refrigerator is full of food. I’ll take them to the Zoo on Saturday. And what’s wrong with that trouser suit? You look splendid in it.

Joyce: Do you really think I could? I never thought of a trouser suit for the party…

The telephone rings in a house in the London suburb of Twickenham.

An American Voice: Good morning. Is this Mrs Jones? [131] Is this Mrs Jones? : Americans begin a telephone call by asking, “Is this…?” whereas the English ask, “Is that…?”

Mrs Jones (rather puzzled): I’m Mrs Jones.

American: Oh, fine. I’m Drusilla Applebee, and I’m calling [132] To call in British English more often means to come in person, though it can have the sense of “calling up” or “ringing up” on the telephone, which is always the American meaning. about your house you advertised to rent [133] to rent : houses in England are usually said to be “to let”. The distinction is that you let your house to someone, but you rent a house from someone. for the summer months.

Mrs Jones (still rather puzzled): Why yes, when are you going to call?

Mrs Applebee: I mean I’m calling you about it right now [134] right now : an English person would probably just say “now” or “at the moment”. . We’re a large family and your house sounded the sort of place we need for July, August and September.

Mrs Jones: Oh, yes, of course. How many are you in your family?

Mrs Applebee: Six, so we hope you have plenty of closets [135] Closet is rarely used in England and would generally be taken to refer to “water-closet”. .

Mrs Jones: Er — oh, you mean what we call cupboards! Yes, we’ve got plenty of those. And lots of chests of drawers too.

Mrs Applebee: Chests of drawers…?

Mrs Jones: Oh, I should have remembered — the American term is “dresser”, isn’t it?

Switchboard operator (in strong American voice): Are you through?

Mrs Jones: Oh, yes, I’m through.

Mrs Applebee (simultaneously): No, no, we’re not through yet. I’m speaking from my husband’s office and they’re all Americans here. Gosh [136] Gosh! : an exclamation of extreme surprise , I’d no idea the British were so different about languages. What do you mean when you say you are through? We mean we’re finished with the call.

Mrs Jones: Oh dear, we mean we’ve been “put through”, we’re connected! Perhaps you’d like to come and see the house and then we needn’t misunderstand each other quite so much.

Mrs Applebee: I should love to see your house, but I’ve no car right now. Can I get to you easily some other way? I’m in Church Street.

Mrs Jones: You can take a 27 bus to the Twickenham roundabout, then use the subway right there…

Mrs Applebee: Excuse me, I didn’t know the subway went to Twickenham.

Mrs Jones: Oh, of course, my fault. The underground doesn’t go to Twickenham. I just meant when you get off the bus you take the passage under the road and when you come up the other side our house is at the end of Aldridge Avenue, opposite. How soon would you like to come?

Mrs Applebee: Is three o’clock today OK?

Mrs Jones: Fine, I’ll expect you.

I. Define the meaning of these phrases. Make up sentences using them.

to ask somebody (to do) a favour, to be disorderly, to be rung up by somebody, to view one’s suggestion (un)favourably, to do something within reason, to give a party, to be wondering if, to redecorate a room (cottage, house), to know where you are, to be up to something, just the usual grind, to be off to (some town or a country), to be a comfort, as a matter of fact, to play hostess, to look nice in some dress, to look after somebody, it is terribly sweet of you, to come over, to stay with somebody, to get a day off, it’s settled, what’s wrong with him?, to be rather puzzled, to sound the sort of place we need, how many are you in the family?, to be so different about languages, to be put through, I should love to do something

II. Rephrase these sentences.

1. I’m ringing to ask you a small favour. 2. I’ll do anything — within reason, of course. 3. We’d love to come. 4. In about two weeks’ time. 5. Well, you know what it’s like. 6. What have you been up to since I saw you last? 7. James is off to Great Britain. 8. This is a comfort. 9. I’ll be tied with my work. 10. This situation has just come up for the first time. 11. I’m not going to play hostess. 12. When is this do in our club? 13. Her children are such little demons. 14. We usually get on fine. 15. It is so sweet of you. 16. Sort it out with Mike first. 17. Wednesday is his day off. 18. It’s settled. 19. What is wrong with him?

III. Give the American terms for:

to let, is that Mrs Jones?, to call up, a cupboard, a chest of drawers, to be through, now, subway, underground

IV. Fill in the missing remarks in these snatches of telephone conversation.

1. A: Is that Harry?

B: …

2. A: I’ve been ringing you for ten minutes and can’t get through. What’s the matter?

B: …