Dialogue 2. Leaving a Message

Secretary:	Three-five-two-seven-zero-one. Foreign Office. Good afternoon.
Mr Macpherson:	Good afternoon. Could I speak to Mr Bush, please?
Secretary:	I’m sorry, Mr Bush is out and he won’t be back until Monday. Who is calling?
Mr Macpherson:	It’s Mr Macpherson speaking. I’d like to discuss some employment problems with him. You see, I’m a new employee, and there are some points that need clarifying.
Secretary:	Could you leave a message with me?
Mr Macpherson:	Yes, certainly. Tell Mr Bush when he returns that I’d like to discuss the terms of payment if possible.
Secretary:	All right. I’ll inform him of it as soon as he comes back from his business trip.
Mr Macpherson:	Thank you very much. Good-bye.
Secretary:	Good-bye, Mr Macpherson.

Dialogue 3. Confirming an Appointment

Secretary:	Two-five-one-six-nine-double zero. Speaking.
Mr Jackson:	Hello. It’s Mr Jackson calling. I want to confirm my appointment with Mr Green for Friday, eleven o’clock.
Secretary:	Just a moment, I want to make some inquiries....Are you there?
Mr Jackson:	Yes.
Secretary:	Don’t worry, your meeting has been included in the Principal’s schedule. He will be waiting for you in his office at the appointed time.
Mr Jackson:	Could you tell me if I need to have a letter of recommendation with me?
Secretory:	It won’t be bad. You see, there are several applicants for the vacancy.
Mr Jackson:	Thank you very much. Good-bye.
Secretary:	Good-bye.

Dialogue 4. Cancelling an Appointment

Secretary:	Hello, Office is here, who is speaking?
Mr Jackson:	Mr Jackson speaking. The matter is that I have an appointment with Mr Green for Friday, eleven o’clock.
Secretary:	Yes, Mr Green has been informed of it and he is ready to receive you for an interview.
Mr Jackson:	I’m so sorry, but due to some unforeseen circumstances, I’ll be busy on Friday morning. Moreover, I’ll be out of town and can’t return till evening.
Secretary:	Do you want to cancel the appointment or to make a new one for another day?
Mr Jackson:	Unfortunately, I’ll have to cancel the appointment and in a few days I’ll call you again. Sorry for troubling you. Good-bye.
Secretary:	Good-bye.

Task 8. Use as many phrases as possible for each situation.

1. The person who is answering a call can say:

2. The person who is making a call can say:

3. The person who is wanted on the phone is not in. Say about it in some other words.

4. The manager is not in at the moment of your calling. You want the secretary to inform him of something. With what words will you address the secretary?

Task 9. Say the following in English.

1. Алло, я слушаю. 2. Господин Гудрич, вас к телефону. 3. К сожалению, управляющего нет. Он не вернется до вторника. 4. Давайте встретимся в два часа. Это время вам удобно? 5. Я хотел бы назначить встречу с управляющим на понедельник в час дня. 6. Алло, это говорит В. Можно к телефону господина Смита? 7. Пожалуйста, не забудьте принести на интервью рекомендательное письмо, у нас на эту вакансию несколько претендентов. 8. Я могу через вас передать просьбу господину Грину? 9. Извините, но из-за непредвиденных обстоятельств я вынужден отменить назначенную встречу. 10. Алло. Это говорит господин Блэк. Я звоню, чтобы подтвердить, что в назначенное время я смогу встретиться с господином Грэйем.

Task 10. Make up and act out some dialogues according to the situations.

1. You are making a call to the office but the chief is not available. Leave a message for him.

2. You have made an appointment with Mr Gore but due to some circumstances you have to cancel it. Call the secretary.

TOPIC 5. ENGLISH AND AMERICAN CHARACTER

 

Task 1. Learn the words and word combinations given. Read the texts about English and American types of character.

striking feature – характерная черта courtesy – учтивость, вежливость in a quiet and orderly manner – спокойно и методично remarkable politeness – поразительная вежливость display emotions – проявлять чувства, выказывать эмоции good-tempered – с хорошим характером, добродушный to boast – хвастаться to conceal – скрывать; утаивать to overlook – обозревать social distinction–социальное различие

to slap on the back – похлопать по спине slangy – жаргонный signs of friendship – знаки дружбы snooty – высокомерный, заносчивый, надменный, inferior – низший, подчиненный to praise – хвалить to signify – значить, извещать in spite of – несмотря на consciousness – сознание, понимание acceptable greeting – приемлемое приветствие to be apt to – быть склонным employee – служащий; работающий по найму

English Character

One of the most striking features of English life is the self-discipline and courtesy of people of all classes. There is little noisy behavior, and practically not loud disputing in the street. People do not rush excitedly for seats in buses or trains, but take their seats in queues at bus stops in a quiet and orderly manner.

Englishmen are naturally polite and are never tired in saying «Thank you», «I’m sorry», «Beg your pardon». If you follow anyone who is entering a building or a room, he will hold a door open for you. Many foreigners have commented on a remarkable politeness of the English people.

English people don’t like displaying their emotions even in dangerous and tragic situations, and ordinary people seem to remain good-tempered and cheerful under difficulties.

The Englishman does not like any boasting or showing manners, dress or speech. Sometimes he conceals his knowledge: a linguist, for example, may not mention his understanding of a foreigner’s language.

The Englishman prefers his own house to an apartment in block of flats, because he doesn’t wish his doing to be overlooked by his neighbors, «An Englishman’s house is his castle».

Many Englishmen help their wives at home in many ways. They clean the windows on Saturday afternoon, they often wash up thedishes after supper in the evening.Sunday is a very quiet day in London. All the shops are closed and so are the most theaters and cinemas. Londoners like to get out of town on Sundays. The sea is not far – only fifty or sixty miles away and people like to go down to the sea in summer or somewhere to the country for skiing in winter.

American Character

American society seems to be much more informal than that British and, in some ways, is characterized by less social distinction. Students do not rise when a teacher enters the room. One does not always address a person by his title, such as «Major» or «General» or «Doctor» in the case of a holder of a Doctor оr Philosophy degree. The respectful «Sir» is not always used in the northern and western parts of the country.

However, it is best to use a person’s title when first meeting him her, and then allow the person to tell you how he/she wishes to be called.

They use first names when calling each other, slap on the back, joke and are much freer in their speech, which is more slangy thanthe conversational British English. You will often hear the word «Hi» (a form of greeting among friends) used instead of the usual «Hello», and «Howdy» instead of «How do you do?».

Those who don’t easily show these signs of friendship are called «snooty» or «snobbish». In contrast, people who show such simple signs of friendship, particularly to their own economic and social inferiors, are praised as «regular guys», or as «truly democratic». As a description of character, «democratic» is generally used to signify that a personof high social or economic status acts in such a way that his or her inferiors are not reminded of their inferiority.

Yet in spite of all the informality, Americans, even in the way they addresseach other, show consciousness of social distinction, for example, one is likely to use somewhat more formal language when talking to superiors. While the informal «Hello» is an acceptable greeting from employee to employer, the employee is more apt to say «Hello, Mr. Ferguson», while the employer may reply «Hello, Jim».

Certain other forms of politeness are observed on social occasions. Women may wear hats in church, in restaurants, and often when attending luncheons in public places and other public social functions except those that take place in the evening. Men who do wear hats ordinary remove them in elevators, churches, restaurants, private homes; business offices – in fact, in most public situations when they wish to show respect.