13.2. Vocabulary Enrichment

Assignment 1. Fill in the gaps with the words in the box.

rings operator Directory fixed charge dial Emergency 'double' payphones caller

Telephoning

Shops and restaurants do not allow customers to use their office telephones, but some have (1) _______ and there are boxes in the street and in public buildings.

When giving numbers to an (2) _______, read each figure separately. Zero is read as the letter 'O', When the same figures occur together, the word (3) _______ is used. 886103 is read as 'double eight six one O three'. Some of the telephone services available are: (4) _______ calls to the Fire Brigade, Police, and Ambulance Service, for which you should (5) ________ 999.

A.D.C., which stands for 'advise duration and charge', means that when the call is finished the operator (6) _______ you back to tell you how long the call was and how much it cost. (7)_______ Enquiries give information about numbers both in the U.K. and abroad. Personal calls are made to a particular person. A (8) _______ is made for the service, but you do not pay for the time taken to find the person. If he is not there the call is tried again later without further charge. Transferred-charge calls are paid for by the person receiving the call rather than the (9) _______ .

Assignment 2. Practice dialogues I - IV between an international operator (A) and a caller (B) and then make some more dialogues combining the lines at random. To make sure you pronounce the numbers correctly, read the note after the dialogues.

Note: Giving numbers

Here's a phone number: 0171 222 3344. And here's how to say it: "Oh-one-seven-one, triple two, double three, double four." OR "Zero-one-seven-one, triple two, double three, double four."

Pausing: When you say a seven digit number, separate the number into two blocks of three and four, pausing after each block. Each digit is spoken separately, unless it's a double or triple. If the second part of the number was '5555', you'll probably find it easier to say 'double five – double five'.

	I	II	III	IV
A	Number please.	Number please.	Number please.	Number please.
B	I'd like to make an A.D.C., personal call to 01-486-2435, please.	Eastbourne 74655, personal with A.D.C., please.	Could you get me Luton 12507? Make it personal, please.	Can I have a personal call to Bedford 645932, please?
A	What is the name of the person you wish to speak to?	Who do you want to speak to?	The name of the person you are calling, please?	Who are you calling?
B	Miss Susan Greene. G-R double E-N-E.	Extension1 214,	The Export Manager.	I'm not sure of he name, but it's room 211
A	What is your number,please'	What number are you calling from?	Where are you calling from?	Your exchange and number, please?
B	Brighton 11865.	Aberdeen 605.	Belfast 74520.	Swansea 66932.

Assignment 3. Practice short dialogues.

Example: A: Is that Eastbourne 69523?

B: No, you've got the wrong number. This is Eastbourne 65932.

1	A: ......The Army and Navy Stores?	B: ......The Battersea Dogs' Home.
2	A: ......extension 319?	B: ......extension 913.
3	A: ......Polegate 4378?	B: ......Burwash 4378.
4	A: ......The Hilton?	B: ......The Salvation Army.
5	A: ......Directory Enquiries?	B: ......the engineers.

Assignment 4. Practice the spelling of different words.

Example: A Did you say Foster: F-O-S-T-E-R?

B No, I said Gloucester G-L-O-U-C-E-S-T-E-R.

1	A: ........ chicken......?	B ........ kitchen......
2	A: . . ……..Midwood......?	B ........ Bradford......
3	A: ......... Turkey......?	B ........Torquay......
4	A: ..... expect......?	B ...... except ......
5	A: ..……Chertsey......?	B ....... Jersey ......

Assignment 5. Now test yourself with the quiz. Choose correct answers.

1. When you telephone a company the person answering the phone may ask you a question. Which is the correct question?

A Who’s calling please?

B Who calls?

C Who it is?

D Who called?

2. Which phrase means the same as ‘hang on a moment?’

A Just a second

B I’ll put you on

C Go ahead

D I’m ready

3. Choose the correct word: “Please ……. and I’ll put you through.”

A stop

B stay

C talk

D hold

4. What is the expression used to connect two people on the telephone?

A I’m sending you through.

B I’m putting you through

C I’m calling you through.

D I’m talking you through

Assignment 6. Match the expressions in columns A and B. Say which of them refer to leaving or taking a message and which of them refer to getting through.

A	B
Can I speak to (Mr X), please?	What's your number, please?
Could you ask him to call me back?	Could you, please, pass on a message to him?
Does he have your number?	Is (Mr X) there, please?
May I ask who's calling?	Could you ask him to return my call?
Could I leave a message, please?	Could I have your name, please?

Assignment 7. Fill in the table. Sort out the phrases into semantic groups according to the subtitles.

Introducing yourself	Asking who is on the telephone	Asking for Someone	Connecting Someone	How to reply when someone is not available	Taking a message

This is Ken.

Excuse me, who is this?

Could (Can, May) I take a message?

The line is busy... (when the extension requested is being used)

Can I have extension 321?

Could I speak to...? (Can I - more informal / May I - more formal)

Is Jack in? (informal)

I'll put you through (put through - phrasal verb meaning 'connect')

Could (Can, May) I tell him who is calling?

Can you hold the line? Can you hold on a moment?

Ken speaking.

I'm afraid ... is not available at the moment Mr Jackson isn't in...

Mr Jackson is out at the moment...

Can I ask who is calling, please? Would you like to leave a message?

Assignment 8 . Match the phrases to make meaningful mini dialogues.

May I, please, speak to Jerry?	She just stepped out for a minute. Can I have her call you back?
I'd like to make a reservation.	Sorry, we're out of red. We should be getting more in next week.
Is this the Animal Defense League?	Do you know what time it is?
May I please speak to Maria Shigematzu in Accounting?	That's okay. I wasn't here anyway.
Sorry to bother you but-	He's not here right now. May I take a message?
I'd like to order a large pizza with Canadian bacon and pineapple.	Oh, I'll let you go. Give me a call when you have some time.
I'd like to place an order for 500 red pens.	For how many people?
I really have to get back to my English homework.	Delivery or pick-up?
I'm sorry I didn't call you last night. I fell asleep early.	The Animal...what? Sorry, I think you have the wrong number.

Assignment 9. Put the lines of the telephone dialogue in a correct order.

1 O p e r a t o r: Hello, Frank and Brothers, How can I help you?

 F r a n k: Could you repeat the number please?

 P e t e r: Thanks, bye.

 F r a n k: Bob Peterson's office, Frank speaking.

 P e t e r: This is Peter Jackson. Can I have extension 3421?

 F r a n k: Thank you Mr Jackson, I'll make sure Bob gets this asap.

 P e t e r: This is Peter Jackson calling, is Bob in?

 F r a n k: I'm afraid he's out at the moment. Can I take a message?

 P e t e r: Yes, Could you ask him to call me. I need to talk to him about the Nuovo line, it's urgent.

 O p e r a t o r: Certainly, hold on a minute, I'll put you through...

 P e t e r: Yes, that's right, and this is Peter Jackson.

 F r a n k: Bye.

Assignment 10. Translate the following from Russian into English.

1 У меня зазвонил телефон. – Кто говорит? – Слон. 2 А вчера поутру Кенгуру: – Не это ли квартира Мойдодыра? – Я рассердился, да как заору: – Нет! Это чужая квартира!!! – А где Мойдодыр? – Не могу вам сказать... Позвоните по номеру Сто двадцать пять.