Topic 2: Introductions and Conversation Opening

Представления (при знакомстве) и начало разговора

When you introduce (представлять) someone in a formal situation you may say, for example:

Mrs. Johnson, may I introduce Mr. Bentley? Mr. Bentley – Mrs. Johnson.

Less formal ways of introduction are (in order of (в порядке) decreasing (уменьшения, убывания ) formality):

Let me introduce … Mr. Bentley

I’d like you to meat …

This is …

Meet….

The two people who have been introduced both can say:

How do you do? – in formal and semi-formal situations;

Hallo – in informal and semi-formal situations.

Hi

Pleased /nice/glad to meet you – is more common in America.

In formal situations English people sometimes shake hands when introduced, but do not bow (кланяться)

Two phrases often used before introducing someone are:

Have you met …? eg. Have you met my sister?

I don’t think you’ve met …. eg. I don’t think you‘ve met my sis ter.

If you want to introduce yourself, you may say, for example:

May I introduce myself? My name is Kate Johnson. I’m your guide. [gaɪd] (гид).

Less formal is “Let me introduce myself”. Mr./ Mrs / Miss should not be used when introducing oneself.

When introducing a guest [gest] speaker to an audience, you may say, for example:

Ladies and Gentlemen, I have great pleasure ['pleʒə](удовольствие) in introducing Professor Hornby.

To open a conversation after introduction you may ask a question such as:

Is this your first visit to … ?

eg Is this your first visit to Russia?

Have you been here / to … before?

eg Have you been to Ivanovo before?

Have you visited / seen …?

eg Have you visited the Hermitage?

How do you like / find …?

eg How do you find Moscow?

Are you enjoying …?

eg Are you enjoying the opera?

Are you finding … interesting/ useful?

eg Are you finding the conference useful?

What do you think of … ?

eg What do you think of the film?

Are you interested in …?

eg Are you interested in law [lɔː]science (право, юриспруденция)?

A less direct and more tactful (тактичный) way of asking for information is a tail question (разделительный вопрос).

eg a. This is your first visit to Moscow, isn’t it?

b. You are interested in law science, aren’t you?

You may also say, for example:

I believe /hear …

eg I hear you are (you’re) from London.

I’ve been told …

eg I’ve been told you’re doing research [rɪ'sɜːʧ] (заниматься научной работой) in criminology.

I expect [iks’pekt] / suppose [sə'pəuz] / imagine (полагать,предполагать)

eg I expect you’ve already been on a sight-seeing tour ) [tuə] (экскурсия по достопримечательным местам)

a. It’s a lovely ['lʌvlɪ] (замечательный) day, isn’t it?

b. Isn’t this rain awful ['ɔːf(ə)l] (ужасный)?