I. This datafile gives you many of the terms and phrases commonly used in making telephone calls.

Direct dialling.

With direct dialling, you go straight through to the number of the person you want in the UK, and you pay in the country you’re in. All you need to know is the telephone number in the UK, which is made up of the phone number itself, and its area code, e.g. 0272 (area code for Bristol)

When dialling from abroad you must always omit the initial “0” of the area code. The only other information you need is the international code for the UK which you must dial first. This will vary from country to country.

Remember, for direct dialling you will need to know:

 

INTERNATIONAL CODE FOR THE UK

UK AREA CODE (LEAVING OUT INITIAL “0”)

LOCAL NUMBER

 

The phone book.

Look up their number in the phone book (or directory)

The number is unlisted.

I’ll ring Directory Enquiries for the number. (UK)

I’ll call information. (US)

The line.

He’s on the other line.

Would you like to hold the line?

The line is engaged. (UK)

The line is busy. (US)

The receiver.

Can I help you?

Putting you through.

I’m afraid he is not available at the moment.

You’re welcome.

Goodbye.

A message pad.

Can I tell him who called?

Can I give her a message?

Could I take her number?

The dial.

Dial 123 for the correct time.

Listen for the dialling tone.

All line you have dialled are engaged. Please try later.

 

II. After studying the text and the datafile above, decide if the information below is true or false.

For international code you dial: the country code + the area code + the number.

a) Directory Enquiries will put you through to the number you want.

b) Switchboard and operator are the same people.

c) The dialing tones for “ringing” and “engaged” are different.

 

III. Insert the missing word.

a) Look it__________in the directory.

b) He’s__________the other line.’

c) Putting you__________.

d) Listen__________the dialling tone.

e) He is not__________at the moment.

f) __________the line, please.

g) __________I help you?

 

IV. Choose the best answer for the phrase:

1) Can you put me through to

Mr. Romanov, please?

• Yes, they’ll come to Russia soon.

• So sorry to have troubled you.

• I’ll see if he is in the office at the

moment

 

2) Isn’t that Moscow then?

•Do you know the area code?

• I’ll check again.

• No, the number has changed.

 

3) You asked me to confirm

the dates of arrival.

• But there is no person of that name here.

• I’ll call again later.

• Yes, let me just get a notepad to write them down.

 

4) No, this isn’t the saving bank.

•Thanks, I’m glad that’s ok now

• Thanks, I can order what we need

then.

• Sorry, I may have dialed the wrong

extension.

 

5) Mrs Danilova asked me to call

this morning

• You’ve got the wrong number.

• Yes, that’s the best time for them.

• Thank you.

 

IV. Using the words and expressions you have studied try to explain the system of telephone dialing in our country.

UNIT 2. BUSINESS TRAVEL

READING

I. Before reading the text find the meaning of the words below in the dictionary. Learn them by heart

cabin staff comfort safety landing gear international travel hijack engine failure lightning strike

экипаж комфорт безопасность шасси международный полет угон отказ двигателя удар молнией

collision to book internal flight boarding card to leave the aircraft emergency exit landing

столкновение бронировать внутренний рейс посадочный талон покинуть самолет   запасный выход посадка, приземление

 

TRAVELLERS’ TALES

 

Every year a magazine called Executive Travel organizes a competition to find the Airline of the Year. Travellers from all over the world are invited to vote for the most efficient, the most punctual, the safest and the friendliest airline. The winner in 1985 was British Airways. The competition asked travellers what for them was most important from an airline, and the results were as follows:

Punctual departures and arrivals Attentive cabin staff Comfort Safety Good food and wine

35 % 35 % 18 % 9 % 3 %

The competition also invited travellers to tell their most horrific stories of the nightmare side to international travel. Replies included six hijacks, fifty-three cases of engine failure or trouble with the landing gear, eleven lightning strikes, twenty-three bomb scares, thirteen cases of food poisoning and two collisions with airport trucks.

Bad flying experiences begin on the ground, naturally. One American airline managed to double-book an entire 747, but this is nothing compared to what happened on an internal flight on a certain African airline. The flight had been overbooked three times. The local military sorted the problem out by insisting that all passengers with boarding cards should run round the plane twice, the fastest getting the seats. An overbooked flight that was going from Heathrow to America gave one traveller a bit of a shock. Dressed only in trousers, shirt and socks, he had been allowed by the stewardess to leave the aircraft to see if he could get a colleague aboard. He returned a few minutes later to find the 747 closed up and about to start moving — with his shoes, wallet, passport and luggage inside. Banging frantically on the door got him back inside. A similar event was seen by a businessman on a flight from Bangladesh. Passengers were waiting for take-off when there was sudden hysterical hammering on the door. At first the cabin crew paid no attention. The hammering continued. When the door was finally opened, the pilot got in.

One frequent flier lost a certain amount of confidence when the cabin staff asked him to sit in the lavatory during take-off, so that they could occupy the seats nearest the emergency exit. Another lost faith in the pilot's navigational skills when passengers were given lifeboat drill on a flight between London and Vanchester.

For nervous fliers, a journey to be avoided was one between Gatwick and Montpellier, where the in-flight entertainment consisted of watching pieces of the engine falling off. Another passenger was asked to hold the aircraft door closed at take-off and landing.

Baggage is a rich source of horror stories. There was the unlucky traveller who left Chicago in minus-23 weather. He was going to an important meeting in Dallas, where the temperature was 80-plus. Unfortunately his suitcase had gone to LA, where it spent the next two days. The customers he was trying to impress were more than a little surprised to see him going round in a thick suit, heavy overcoat and fur hat.