Part VII At the Firm

1. Remember the following words:

• enterprise

• department

• office

• accounts

• sales statistics

• a receptionist’s office

• an executive’s office

• a principal (chief’s) office

• an office intercom

2. Read and translate the text:

Talking about an office of a big company we imagine a high building belonging to a business corporation or a big enterprise. Such office includes many departments and every department has its own office. Office is a room or building where written work, accounts, sales statistics, business letters are kept. There are some kinds of offices: a receptionist’s office (a secretary office), an executive’s office, a principal’s office (a chief’s office), etc.

In every office you can see a desk (or some desks), a telephone (and office intercom), some office cupboards, including many drawers for files, folders and multipurpose shelves, a computer, a printer, sometimes a photocopier.

In executive’s office besides the desk you can see a conference table for different meetings and appointments, some chairs, a two seater sofa or a conference groupings for visitors, a safe for confidential documents, some cabinets for folders, a bar.

On the secretary’s desk you will usually see a shorthand pad, a letter tray, a set of forms, a typewriter, an internal telephone list, a telephone and intercom, a fax machine, a computer, a customer card index, a calculator, etc.

Secretary is an employee in an office, usually working for another person, dealing with letters, typing, filing and making appointments and doing many other important errands.

3. Make up questions to the text.

4. Guided Conversation. Office Talks.

It’s Monday morning. Mr. Woodman, the Sales Manager of Forestry Equipment, is away on business. His secretary Miss Susan Barton takes several messages from him and does some errands. Life in the office is busy as always.

30. Susan and Rachel

Susan: Good morning. Stephen Woodman’s office.

Rachel: Hi, Sue. It’s Rachel. Can you give Stephen a message,

please? I won’t be in until Friday. I have the flu. I saw

the doctor this morning.

Susan: OK, Rachel. I’ll give him the message. I hope you’ll feel

better soon.

30. Susan and Robin

R: Hi, Susan.

S: Hi, Robin. What can I do for you?

R: Stephen isn’t there, is he?

S: No, he won’t be until tomorrow.

R: Well, it’s just that I need Wednesday off. You see, my

grandmother died yesterday and I’ll to go to the funeral.

S: Oh, I’m sorry. How old was she?

R: Ninety-four.

45. Susan and Cindy

S: Good morning, Stephen woodman’s office.

C: Good morning. This is Cindy Newton Video Systems.

Stephen is at the trade show in Glasgow, isn’t he?

S: Yes, that’s right. He should be here tomorrow.

C: Well, can you give him this message? I’m afraid we have to

cancel our last order. The customers have changed their

minds again.

S: OK. I’ll give Stephen the message.

15. The boss is calling the office in London

S: Good morning. Stephen Woodman’s office. How can I help

you?

SW: Good morning, Susan. It’s Mr. Woodman.

S: Hello, Mr. Woodman. Is everything OK with your trip to

Glasgow?

SW: Yes, everything is great. It’s just that something else has

come for me to do. I have some more meetings in

Edinburgh tomorrow morning, so could you book the Royal Hotel in Edinburgh for this night if possible?

S: Right. Shall I book you a flight from Edinburgh to London on

Tuesday night?

SW: No, thank you. I’m not sure about the trip back yet, it might

be either in the afternoon or in the evening.

S: Would you like me to get some information about the flights

and the times of trains from Edinburgh?

SW: Yes, If you could. I’d appreciate that. Would you mind

checking thet time of arrival the plane?

S: Of course, not.

SW: Thank you very much, Susan. That’s all for the moment.

45. Susan to Bob Dale, an office clerk

S: Oh, Dale?

B: Yes, Susan?

S: Mr. Woodman wants you to fax these sales reports to

Belfast, I’ve just done them.

B: Sure. I’ll do it later.

S: No, Bob. Do it now. I know its important. And could you also

send a fax to the Royal Hotel in Edinburgh, please?

B: OK. I don’t think, there will be a problem.

S: And one more thing, Bob… Err, did you call your girlfriend

on the office phone last Friday?

B: Well…uh…yes. I did. But it was urgent.

S: I think S.W. heard you. He wasn’t very pleased about it.

Don’t use the office phone for personal calls, OK?

B: Yes, OK., Susan. I won’t do it again. I’m sorry.

5. Look at the faxes Bob Dale has sent:

FAX #0097 10/11/09

FROM Forestry Equipment Supplies TO Fred Duvall,

Ocean View

RE: Our order TR 574

Last month we ordered from you 120 boxes of your article №213. You promised delivery on 30 October 2009. So far we have not received this shipment and have not heard from you.

Please arrange for intermediate shipment and inform us when the shipment will arrive here.

Regards,

STEPHEN WOODMAN

FAX from Stephen Woodman

Forestry Equipment London Britain +44 223 3713 9119

TO: Hotel Royal, Edinburgh, Scotland +44 353 5715 7614

Could I please book a single room with a bath for the night on Monday 10 November. I shall be arriving at approximately 09 p.m.

Please, confirm by return.

Many thanks,

Susan Barton

p.p. Stephen Woodman

10. The Ukrainian partner is calling

S: Mr. Stephen Woodman’office. May I help you?

VM: Hello. This is Victor Maliarchuk from Ukrforestry calling. May

I speak to Mr. Woodman, please?

S: I’m afraid Mr. Woodman is out of the office today. Would you

like to leave a message?

VM: Could you tell Mr. Woodman that I’m not arriving on

Wednesday. I had a problem with the flights. The one I was

going to book on is full – there is a big football match

apparently. So, the earliest I can make it is on Friday, 10:30,

at Heathrow. I’m sorry about this but there is nothing I can

do. Could you arrange a new hotel reservation for me,

please? I’m awfully sorry.

S: Alright. I’ll give him a message. And could you spell your

name for me again, please?

VM: Sure. That’s Viktor, V-I-K-T-O-R, Maliarchuk,

M-A-L-I-A-R-C-H-U-K.

16. Susan and Production Manager

PM: Good afternoon, Miss Barton. You look greatly today.

S: Thank you, MR Hudson. What can I do for you?

PM: I wonder if my memo on the production survey has been

sent to the office staff?

S: Yes, it certainly has, Mr. Hudson. And here is memo about

CE Party from Philip Grouss, the Purchasing Manager.

PM: Oh, thank you very much, Miss Burton. That’s very

interesting.

To: Mr. Hudson Date: 10 November

From: Philip Grouss Subject: CE Party

Welcome back! Hope everything went well in Belfast. I’m off to Brussels for three days. Could you check my list of people to invite to our party and add anyone else you think so. Claire needs to send our invitations in advance.

Philip

6. Paul is an administrative assistant in an office. How many of these statements are true about his job.

1. He works at a computer most of the time, where he writes letters and reports.

2. He answers phone calls, takes messages and sends faxes.

3. He makes a lot of phone calls, especially to retailers.

4. He does a lot of general paper work, e.g. filing reports, writing memos, answering letters.

5. He arranges meetings for his boss and other managers of the company.

6. He sells the factory furniture.

7. He checks the goods when they come off the assembly line.

8. He sends invoices to customers. (= papers showing products sold and the money to pay).

9. He shows visitors around the factory.

10. He controls the financial situation of the company.

7. Complete the telephone conversation using the given phrases: