Can You Speak Over the Telephone. Как вести беседу по телефону - страница 24
Mr Saveliev: Could I speak to Mr Abbott, please?
Mr Abbott: Speaking.
Mr Saveliev: Good morning, Mr Abbott. This is Saveliev.
Mr Abbott: Good morning, Mr Saveliev. I am glad to hear from you. How are you?
Mr Saveliev: Fine, and you, Jack?
Mr Abbott: I am fine, too.
Mr Saveliev: Thank you for the birthday card and the champagne. The card gave me as much pleasure as the wine.
Mr Abbott: How was it, good?
Mr Saveliev: It’s the best champagne I have ever had. You certainly hit the spot[16] with your gift. We missed both of you at the birthday party.
Mr Abbott: It’s a pity Alice and I could not come. But you know the reason.
Mr Saveliev: Yes, I do. We drank to your health. I hope you’ll come to my wife’s birthday party this spring.
Mr Abbott: Of course, we’ll be happy to. Best regards to Irene.
Mr Saveliev: Thank you. Say hello to Alice, please.
Mr Abbott: I will, good-bye.
Mr Saveliev: Good-bye.
Mr Butov: Hello. May I speak to Mr Frost, please?
Secretary: Just a moment. Mr Frost, it’s for you.
Mr Frost: Hello, who’s speaking?
Mr Butov: This is Mr Butov.
Mr Frost: Good afternoon, Mr Butov. I haven’t heard from you since October.
Mr Butov: I had the flu for a couple of weeks, but I’m fine now.
Mr Frost: I’m glad to hear that. We did have a spell of bad weather.
Mr Butov: By the way, did you hear what happened to Fred Jackson?
Mr Frost: No, what about him?
Mr Butov: He has had such a bad case in the flu that they’ve taken him to the hospital.
Mr Frost: I am sorry to hear that. Poor fellow, he won’t be able to attend the session of the Assembly, then.
Mr Butov: I’m afraid not. And what about you, Mr Frost? Will you be present at the session?
Mr Frost: Unless I get ill.
Mr Butov: I hope you won’t. See you on Tuesday. Good-bye.
Mr Frost: Good-bye, Mr Butov.
Operator: Hello. Supermarket. Can I help you?
Mr Petrov: Hello. This is Petrov speaking. I’d like you to send me some things, please.
Operator: I’ll put you through to the Deliveries Department.
Mr Petrov: Thank you.
Deliveries Department: Good morning. Deliveries.
Mr Petrov: I’d like some things sent this morning, please.
D.D.: I’m afraid we can’t manage anything this morning. One of the van men hasn’t reported for work today. I’ll do my best to arrange it for this afternoon. May I have your name, please?
Mr Petrov: Mr Petrov. 14, Hereford Drive.
D.D.: Thank you. What would you like?
Mr Petrov: Eight pounds of potatoes to start with; a large sliced loaf; a medium-sized cauliflower; a pound of beef sausages; half a pound of minced beef; a large bag of self-raising flour; half a dozen large eggs. That’s all.
D.D.: I’m not sure whether we keep beef sausages. Excuse me a moment. I’ll just check that. (He goes off to check and then comes back.) Hello. No, I’m sorry. We’ve got pork sausages.
Mr Petrov: I’ll try that then. By the way, you forgot to send the invoice with my last order. Send it this time, will you? I’d like to settle my account as I’m going on holiday next week. Could I have a statement of what I owe?
D.D.: Yes, sir. I’ll inform the accounts section and they’ll fit in your order this afternoon and send you the statement.
Mr Petrov: Thank you. Good-bye.
D.D.: Good-bye.
Mr Blake: Good afternoon, Mr Vasiljev. This is Blake from the Protocol Department.
Mr Vasiljev: Good afternoon, Mr Blake.
Mr Blake: I’d like to bring to your attention that Flight 903 by which the Polish Delegation led by the Minister of Foreign Trade and Shipping is due to get to London is delayed. We’ve just had a message that owing to a dense fog all aircraft bound for London has been diverted to Amsterdam.
Mr Vasiljev: Thank you very much for letting us know. I wonder if you would be so kind as to give us a ring when you are sure of the time the plane will be arriving.
Mr Blake: Yes, don’t you worry. I’ll certainly do that. Good-bye.
Mr Vasiljev: Good-bye.
A gentleman enters a telephone call-box in a hurry, takes off the receiver and dials the number of trunk-call service at the exchange.