Lesson 4. Speaking Over the Telephone

Active Vocabulary:

telephone directory – телефонний довідник; receiver – телефонна трубка; buzz – гудіти; dial – диск телефону, набирати номер; engaged – зайнятий; to hold the wire (line) – бути на лінії; interrupt – переривати; avoid – запобігати; curious – допитливий; to savor – смакувати.

The Procedure of Telephoning

Telephoning is very simple. You look up the necessary number in the telephone directory; then you pick up the receiver and wait for the signal (buzz, buzzing sound). Next you make the necessary turns of the dial, according to the number required, and you will know at once whether the line is clear or engaged (Am. busy) from the buzz given automatically.

If you hear a prolonged buzzing, hold the wire and your number will answer in a moment. A frequent high tone buzzing means that the line is engaged. In this case you must put down or hang up the receiver and wait for a couple of minutes.

If you wish to interrupt a conversation for a couple of minutes, you say, “Please hold the line”, and put the receiver on the desk. In this way you avoid being cut off (disconnected). Having finished speaking you put the receiver on its rest.

A Telephone Call

When Americans answer the telephone, they say, “Hello”. Not so in other countries. Germans methodically answer with their last names. Russians say, “I’m listening.” The curious French say, “Hello, who’s on the line?” Italians greet callers with “Ready”, the English answer with their phone number, and the Chinese say, “Hey, hey, who are you?”

A telephone call from a friend is a joy, unless you are in the middle of a meal, having a bath or on the point of going out to an engagement for which you are already late. But even when you have time, a telephone conversation cannot be savored and rerun several times as a letter can. You cannot put a blue ribbon around a sentimental telephone call and keep it for years.

A letter sender in effect is saying, “I am setting aside some of my time for you alone, I am thinking of you. This is more important to me than all the other things that I could be doing.”

II. Дайте відповіді на запитання.

1. What do you do when you want to telephone? 2. What do a prolonged buzzing and a frequent high tone buzzing mean? 3. What do you do when you wish to interrupt a conversation? 4. How do people in different countries answer the telephone call?

III. Прочитайте і перекладіть діалог. Telephone Conversation

– Stanley Hydraulic Tools. Can I help you? – I’d like to speak to Mr. Warner, please. – Mr. Warner? What is your name, please? – This is Boris Frolov, from HM Systems. – Would you spell your name, please? – F-r-o-l-o-v. – Thanks. Hold on, please. I’ll find out if he is in. – What is it, Miss Murray? – Mr. Frolov wants to talk to you, sir. – I’m very busy at the moment. Ask him to phone later. – Yes, sir. – Oh ... wait a minute, Miss Murray. What is Mr. Frolov? – He said he was from HM Systems. – From HM Systems? ... Oh, ask him what his telephone number is. I’ll ring him back.

– Hello? This is Mr. Warner’s secretary speaking. – Yes, Frolov here. – I’m sorry. Mr. Warner’s very busy at the moment. Can you tell me your telephone number, Mr. Frolov? Mr. Warner will call you back later. – Of course. Double five-nine-three-six-four-two. – ... and where are you calling from? – From Kiev, Ukraine. – Could you tell me the code for Kiev? – Three-eight-zero-double four. – Thank you, Mr. Frolov.

Читання